7O6T

[wa6mhz]

N6PSE wouldn't be on the DXpedition if he wasn't 100% sure the contacts will count. They must have ROCK HARD docs in hand. Don't know how they did it, but someone got paid off in Yemen. (He noted in Visalia that is Standard procedure in 3rd and 4th world countries just like Yemen) But notice how SECRET everything was until the day they started operations. Most secret DXpedition probably in Ham Radio history. Most likely for national security reasons, as Yemen is the Hotbed of AlQueada!

So, if Yemen can be put on the air, there IS hope for P5 North Korea. Just gotta pay off the right official!

[N7YA]

Oh i hate the numbers too! But its the DX' call as to how things are run, so i have to keep plugging away. Right now, i hear the pile on 17m CW for them, but a veeeeerrrrry faint whisper of them. I also missed Spratly, they werent very strong here for some reason and the pile was too much for my pissant setup.

Again, i have a couple hundred nice cards using only wires and no more than 100w...never say never!

[N7YA]

N6PSE wouldn't be on the DXpedition if he wasn't 100% sure the contacts will count. They must have ROCK HARD docs in hand. Don't know how they did it, but someone got paid off in Yemen. (He noted in Visalia that is Standard procedure in 3rd and 4th world countries just like Yemen) But notice how SECRET everything was until the day they started operations. Most secret DXpedition probably in Ham Radio history. Most likely for national security reasons, as Yemen is the Hotbed of AlQueada!

So, if Yemen can be put on the air, there IS hope for P5 North Korea. Just gotta pay off the right official!

Fingers crossed! The last thing from NK that was accepted at the DXCC counter was about 400 or so qso's by Martti. I think i would hear them just fine from here. Getting through that pileup would be another matter!

[N2RJ]

I don't think DPRK will be as easy. I notice that in Yemen they let them take lots of photos of regular people. Won't really happen in DPRK. I believe they are a lot tighter.

I also get a feeling that part of the deal was specifically to promote tourism for Socotra island. Notice how the web link to the tourist resort went up yesterday.

[N7YA]

There usually is some kind of trade off when it comes to these things. Unless its a wildlife preserve or some kind of sensitive ecosystem, its usually political.

[N7YA]

They are building now on 17, but so is the pileup. They are about 559...the pile is 599+20. And i need to get to bed....its after 7!

[wa6mhz]

They have an ONLINE Propogation map that shows just which bands have prop to where and when Doesn't look good for West Coast. Very poor propogation on all bands all day and night
http://www.yemen2012.com/propagation.php

[W3WN]

WFWL. Worked them on 20 and 17 last night.

Agreed!

They were coming through here a little faint but very copyable last night. The zoo calling was horrific though.

They're going to be there for 2 weeks. I'm going to wait a couple of days for the feeding frenzy to die down a little.

Just need one Q, after all...

[W3WN]

how very Vogan.

And thanks for all the fish.

[W3WN]

I'm sorry, but I have to LMAO at this one. Are you trying to discourage people from working them?

Repeat after me - Work First, Worry Later.

Got them on 3 bands so far - 17 cw, 15 cw and 20 SSB. Mostly insurance QSOs but it's nice to have the challenge points.

I tried 30m last night but boy oh boy... what a zoo! Even with 3 elements and 200 watts it was just too crazy. At one point they were doing over 20kHz split. I guess they had to because it was worse than CQ world war. I shudder to think what the pileups will be like if/when P5 gets activated.

Not at all. Just trying to calm a couple of people down.

Besides... look how long it took to get 7O1YGF approved. Ham radio politics at it's finest [/sarcasm]...

& I have it straight from a former ARRL official that the hold-up was the lack of documentation that clearly showed they were legally in the country, let alone an actual license (which never did materialize). But that's not the point.