DX0DX Spratly DXpedition “Permanently Cancelled”

[W5GA]

For anyone that still needs it. :-(
http://www.arrl.org/news/dx0dx-spratly-dxpedition-permanently-cancelled

[K7SGJ]

Tough crowd. Canon fire, shots fired, boat sunk. I believe I'd think twice before landing on one of those little mounds of sand.

[N7YA]

I do still need them and that sucks. BUT....i totally understand. I was getting ready for it too. Oh well, there will be other times when the heat isnt so hot.

[W3WN]

Many parts of the Spratly Islands are not safe. Don't forget that in 1982, a couple of German hams lost their lives in that area while enroute to one of the Spratly Islands for a DXpedition.

However, there is another group making an attempt in April. The 9M4SDX team is heading again to Pulau Layang Layang AS-051; they operated from there in 2007. They will hopefully have better luck... DX0DX was planning to be at Thitu Island AS-051.

[N7YA]

I remember that, i was studying for my tech at the time. I wanted to be a DXer before i got my ticket and the big gun DXers elmering me knew those guys. I was pretty young so it didnt have the same gravity as it does now. I think they made the right choice, its better if some locals to the region make the trip instead. Not that its any less dangerous, but they may have better luck.

[suddenseer]

Is that where Gilligan, Skipper, et.al used to live?

[NQ6U]

We need to develop an Amateur Radio Navy.

[N7YA]

We should. We have enough angry, old, heavily armed crusters in this hobby to do it. The only obstacle will be to build enough ramps on the boats for all the motorized fat carts...the invasion may be a little slower than expected.

[NQ6U]

We should. We have enough angry, old, heavily armed crusters in this hobby to do it. The only obstacle will be to build enough ramps on the boats for all the motorized fat carts...the invasion may be a little slower than expected.

As the Navy, that wouldn't our problem. Let the Mobility Scooter Marines worry about it.

[W3WN]

Is that where Gilligan, Skipper, et.al used to live?Nah, that island was somewhere near Tahiti.

[K7SGJ]

As the Navy, that wouldn't our problem. Let the Mobility Scooter Marines worry about it.

I think that BNY wrote about them and the Airborne Para Ham Assualt Team & Freelance Undertakers Club (A_PHATFUC) over at the other site. That's what brought his cottontail over here.

[KC2UGV]

We need to develop an Amateur Radio Navy.

We already have some people ready to airdrop into a hot-zone with motorcycles, repeater gear, and handy talkies.

[N8YX]

Simple fix:

Teh Oyal may be found in great quantity there. We're needed to "liberate" all those barrels.

[KK4AMI]

Simple fix:

Teh Oyal may be found in great quantity there. We're needed to "liberate" all those barrels.

I'm amazed that they are even trying to get to the Spratlys. That place has been a smoldering no mans land for years. The Chinese Military is camped out on them, the Vietnamese Military claims it as theirs. They shoot at anything that comes near them. Probably see a group of Hams as "Western Spies"!

[W3WN]

I'm amazed that they are even trying to get to the Spratlys. That place has been a smoldering no mans land for years. The Chinese Military is camped out on them, the Vietnamese Military claims it as theirs. They shoot at anything that comes near them. Probably see a group of Hams as "Western Spies"!The Spratly group is a huge "no-man's land" with multiple countries claiming overlapping jurisdictions.

Some parts are safer than others, such as the island group that the aforementioned 9M4 group went to a few years back & is returning to. That's actually a functioning resort for touristas. Others areas... aren't so safe.

So long as the area remains a DXCC entity, there will be interest by DX'ers in going there to operate. That's human nature.

[KK4AMI]

You are right, but two countries in the dispute are Brunei and Malaysia. I wouldn't be taking any free boat rides to the Spratly Islands from those countries. They have other motives and would probably use the DX Expedition as a human shield. Showing up in a boat flagged from those two countries would kinda be like, I don't know, how about American WWII reenactor tourists showing up in Israel with their NAZI uniforms in their suitcases.

[W3WN]

Brunei, Malasia, The Philipines, Vietnam, China... and that just off the top of my head.

One of the reasons that Scarborough Reef BS7 exists as a DXCC entity is because of China's desire to control at least that portion of the region. The oil under the sea alone...

Yeah, it's going to be a tricky area for quite some time.

[NQ6U]

Send in the Ham Radio Navy, deploy the Mobility Scooter Marines and the (Elephant) SEALs and we'll claim the whole god-forsaken hell-hole that is the Spratleys as The Islands of Misfit Hams.

[W3WN]

Send in the Ham Radio Navy, deploy the Mobility Scooter Marines and the (Elephant) SEALs and we'll claim the whole god-forsaken hell-hole that is the Spratleys as The Islands of Misfit Hams.Sure. Your idea, so you get to lead the troops!

[NQ6U]

Sure. Your idea, so you get to lead the troops!

Nah. I'm going to emulate George Bush and send the troops in to die for no reason over a useless hunk of territory while I'm vacationing at my ranch.

[X-Rated]

This should be one of Obama's top priorities.

And he is still hung up on this "jobs" thing. Pffffft.