INDIAN OCEAN DXPEDITION - 1996

October 24th - November 12th

The Announcement:

Jon (EA2KL) and Lluis (EA3ELM) are pleased to announce their trip to the Indian Ocean islands, from Wednesday, October 23rd until Tuesday, November 12th. 1996.
As members of the Lynx DX Group, the contacts made will count 2 points for the Lynx DX Group Award.

They invited you to leave your comments and suggestions in the DXpedition guestbook.

The Schedule:

On October 23th, Jon and Lluis will fly from Paris to Mauritius Is. This is a 3 weeks DXpedition to the following Indian Ocean islands: Mauritius, Rodriguez & Reunion.

They plans to be in Mauritius Is. (3B8), October 24-30th. They will also be active in CQWW SSB Contest, from 3B8CF's QTH.
At the present time, they are waiting for the license, but 3B8CF says there will be no problem at all.

From October 31st to November 5th they will be in Rodriguez Is. (3B9). This part of the trip depends on the confirmation of licences (it's no so easy!).

And, in the end, November 6-12th, they will be on Reunion Island (FR) and will be active as FR/EA2KL and FR/EA3ELM.

The Equipment:

From Mauritius Is. the will operate from 3B8CF's QTH all the time. The station is composed by a TS-440 and the antennas are a 3 elements for 10-15-20 mts., 2 elements for 40 mts. and dipole for 75/80 mts. From Rodriguez Is. and Reunion Is. they will use a TS-440 and vertical antennas.

The QSL-info:

EA2KL: Jon Atxutegi, P.O.Box 20053, E-48080 Bilbao, SPAIN
EA3ELM: Lluis Olive, Urbanitzacio Els Arbres 2, E-43740 Mora D'Ebre, Tarragona, SPAIN

The DXperience:

EA2KL & EA3ELM were operating from Jersey Island (GJ - IOTA EU-013) on October 1993.
On November 1995, for 15 days, they were active from Martinica Is. (FM), Guadalupe Is. (FG) and Las Santas Is. (FG - NA114).
They has been several times in S0-land, the last one on May 1996 as members of the international team active as S0A and S0R.

The Special Thanks:

Jon and Lluis wish thanks to Seewoosankar Mandary (3B8CF) and Herick Mauduit-Larive (FR5DX) for assistance provided and hospitality.

The Expedition was ON:

About 3B9, there are a very bad news: at the present time is no possible to get a 3B9 license, it's closed for a ham operation.

Due the problems with the licenses in 3B8, they have re-scheduled the dxpedition. They are in the air as 3B8/EA2KL and 3B8/EA3ELM from Mauritius Is. very active in 15/17/20/40 & 80Mts.

Until Saturday 9th., they will made a 'pause' in Rodriguez Is. and then again on air as FR/EA2KL and FR/EA3ELM from Reunion Is.
Sunday, 10th: The activity are on again, just started at 11:45Z from FR5DX QTH's.
They will finish the expedition on Monday 11th, or may be on Tuesday 12th due they fly back at 23:00Z that day.

The Expedition is over :

Tuesday 12th: Jon and Lluis became QRT from Reunion Is. ending this DXpedition. Unfortunately, the things didn't run according the schedule, but at least they were in the air from Mauritius Is. and Reunion Is.
In Reunion Is. they have no permission to operate from the hotel beacause at the same time there were a convention, but thanks to Herick (FR5DX), they were active from FR-land.

Expedition's stadistics:

MAURITIUS Is.

Located in the Southern part of Africa, east of Madagascar. The total area is 1.860 sq Kmts, including Agalega Islands, Cargados Carajos Shoals (Saint Brandon) and Rodriguez Is.

The climate is tropical, modified by southeast trade winds; warm, dry winter (May to November); hot, wet, humid summer (November to May). The natural hazards are cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded by reefs that may pose maritime hazards.

English is the official language but Creole, French, Hindi, Urdu, Hakka, Bojpoori are also used.

Overview: Since independence in 1968, Mauritius has developed from a low income, agriculturally based economy to middle income diversified economy with growing industrial and tourist sectors. For most of the period annual growth has been of the order of 5% to 6%. This remarkable achievement has been reflected in increased life expectancy, lowered infant mortality, and a much improved infrastructure. Sugarcane is grown on about 90% of the cultivated land area and accounts for 40% of export earnings. The government's development strategy centers on industrialization (with a view to modernization and to exports), agricultural diversification, and tourism. Economic performance in 1991-93 continued strong with solid real growth and low unemployment.

(Information taken from "The World Factbook 1995")

REUNION Is.

Located in the Southern part of Africa, east of Madagascar. His total area is 2.510 sq Kmts.

The climate is tropical, but moderates. Periodic, devastating cyclones (December to April); Piton de la Fournaise on the southeastern coast is an active volcano.

French is the official language, but Creole is widely used. The capital of the islansd is Saint-Denis.

Overview: The economy has traditionally been based on agriculture. Sugarcane has been the primary crop for more than a century, and in some years it accounts for 85% of exports. The government has been pushing the development of a tourist industry to relieve high unemployment, which recently amounted to one-third of the labor force. The gap in Reunion between the well-off and the poor is extraordinary and accounts for the persistent social tensions. The white and Indian communities are substantially better off than other segments of the population, often approaching European standards, whereas indigenous groups suffer the poverty and unemployment typical of the poorer nations of the African continent. The outbreak of severe rioting in February 1991 illustrates the seriousness of socioeconomic tensions. The economic well-being of Reunion depends heavily on continued financial assistance from France.

(Information taken from "The World Factbook 1995")

THE LYNX DX GROUP

The Lynx DX Group promote and help DXpeditions all over the world. Lynx DX Group Foundation was a major contributor to stablish a complete station in a new country: the R.A.S.D. ("Republica Arabe Saharaui Democratica" - S0). Recently the Lynx DX Group spent some time in another expedition to S0 with the callsings S0A and S0R.

At the present time, has contributed with the succesfull dxpedition to Heard Is., one member of the team, Michel Sabatino (EA8AFJ) is member of the Lynx DX Group.
Meanwhile, EA6BH use to be active as 3C1DX from Ecuatorial Guinea.

Return to the top of the page

Prepared and maintained by Xavier Pedrerol, EA3BHK.
Last update: January 29th, 1997.