Update December 27, 2023: Video available

Update October 30, 2023: After questions about missing QSO’s on the 15th of October on 30m FT8 we have carefully investigated the logs again. We noticed some problems with the integration of WSJT-X and N1MM on a laptop in camp Red.

We have corrected this issue which resulted in 2000+ more QSO’s being added to our log.

Charles, our QSL manager, has added the missing QSO’s to his OQRS, Club Log and to LOTW (if applicable).

Sorry for this mistake, but finally the QSO’s are found and will be confirmed.

On behalf of the W8S Swains 2023 team,

Ronald PA3EWP

Update October 17, 2023: A little earlier than expected W8S went QRT. The team made 90,000 QSO.

Update October 16, 2023: Blue camp is down, Red camp is still functioning fully tonight local time and tomorrow during the day.
Red camp dismantling will start bit by bit Monday LT during the day. To be finished end of the day on Monday LT.
On Tuesday morning LT we will leave the Swains Island.
LT Swains = UTC/GMT -11 hours

Update October 16, 2023: W8S is due to QRT at 14 UTC on October 17th.

Update October 10, 2023: Topband, Greyline and 6m EME

The latest news from Swains:
Top Band:
The weather gods are in favor of the W8S Team today!
Lots of overcast make it possible for the Team to work with 4 operators (pff-duty) on the 160m vertical. While others are operating some of the operators take some time from their scheduled rest to built up the last antenna!
The 160m vertical stands and is ready for action.
6m EME:
The first attempts on 6m were unsuccessful. There was a one-way copy and that is not enough. There will be another attempt in a few hours if there is a moon pass suitable for Europe. The team is confident that their learning curve will result in QSOs.
Greyline:
The team is aware that this morning they missed the last hour of the European grey line and the first hour of the East Coast grey line on 80m. This was necessary because they all had to do antenna work. Since all antennas are now up and working, expect full attention during the greyline on 80m and top band.
The team is fully aware that not everything is going as expected and therefore the expectation cannot be fully met yet.
Despite the extreme conditions in which to work, the ambition is as high as ever and the team is doing everything possible to meet expectations
W8S.

Update October 9, 2023: 6M EME….. antenna issues

Questions are asked about 6m EME.
Logical, we had big plans but found Murphy on our way!
Update:

    * one element of the boom screw was broken we had to fix that
    * The intended way of setting up the yagi was not possible so we have to improvise, sandbags are used for all other antennas but won’t hold the 6m EME antenna
    * we had the antenna up with the support of the Team, but guy stakes were not holding
    * we were promised suitable guy stakes by the support team, that did not work out either.
    * today 09 October 2023 is our last chance to get it up!
    * it’s easy to judge from the side line, more difficult when you’re in the middle of it….

To be continued….

Update October 8, 2023: The Team continued to set up antennas in the simmering heat. By times it is unbearable, the heat is so strong that we have to take many breaks, which slows down the progress. Furthermore a lot of work has been done on the station setup and the High Power Bandpass filters have been setup. We had a good run on various bands and try to maintain an even balance over the various bands.

The 40m phased array was setup today and works great! Tomorrow the last antennas for 80m and 160m as well as 2x K9AY RX antennas will be setup.

The Team is in good spirit, but also exhausted from all the hard work in the heat. Since today we’re fully operational with 4 stations on at all times. We’re now working in our rotating schedule, which comprises of shifts of 3,4 and 5 hrs. We’re doing our best to work as many as possible of you!

Update October 7, 2023: Yesterday end of local morning we landed on Swains. We offloaded all materials in 4 separate runs from landing craft to shore; it took till mid afternoon. We split up into red camp and blue camp teams and started building up antennas. We got 6 antennas up between half afternoon and sunset, conditions were tough with heat, heavy rain and mosquitoes. We started running 30m CW last night (local time) and afterwards we continued on 30m + 20m FT8. This local morning again 30m CW and now 12m CW and 20m FT8. In the meantime we’re setting up more antennas and will soon start up the 2nd camp (blue camp). Worked lot of EU + AS this early morning around 15:00-19:00 UTC 07 October 2023 on both 20m + 30m.

Update October 6, 2023: W8S team landed on the island today (October 6th) at 2130 UTC. First signals to be expected this Swains evening after 06.00UTC (Saturday)

Update October 5, 2023: The vessel ‘Manu’atele’ sailed out the Port of Pago Pago (American Samoa) on October 5, 2023 at 09:00 UTC with the W8S Swains Team onboard!

The initial schedule was slightly delayed by the inclement weather and due to other commitments of the Government operated vessel, serving the local island communities.

After a decisive meeting with the local Port Authorities, which was attended by some of the W8S Swains Team members, the final go-ahead was given and the W8S Swains Team was allowed to board the ‘Manu’atele’ en route to Swains on Wednesday evening LT.

After departure from American Samoa and on the way to Swains, the ‘Manu’atele’ will drop some cargo at the neighbouring island of Manu’a and afterwards sail directly to Swains. A 30 hour journey lies ahead for the W8S Swains Team and the supporting crew.

Upon arrival at Swains, the W8S Swains Team and support crew will offload the ‘Manu’atele’ at high tide and go ashore with a landing craft, sailing up and down several times to offload all the cargo.

After the landing, the W8S Swains Team will start working in the simmering heat to set up the 2 operating camps and start operating hopefully during the local night, beginning on October 7, 2023 at 06:00 UTC.

You can track the ‘Manu’atele’ here

As soon as the W8S Swains Team are on the island, a Starlink internet connection will be set up to keep the DX community updated, but more importantly the radio stations will be installed asap to start working you all!

Update October 3, 2023:  The vessel that takes the W8S Team to Swains is delayed by 24 hours due to bad weather. They expect to depart tomottow so the start of the activity should be on October 5th.

Logs will be send from the island on regular bases to the QSL Manager M0OXO. Charles uploads the logs to his own OQRS system and to Clublog.

Update September 29, 2023: The team arrived in American Samoa and enjoyed a (healthy) late night welcome snack in the Pago Pago Hotel with our host Alex Jennings

Update September 27, 2023: The team are on their way to Hawaii. The day after they will fly to Pago Pago (KH8), where they will stay for a few days before boarding the ship that will take them to Swains Island. In Pago Pago they will buy the last supplies, do the final check of all the equipment, configure the laptops and radios and – if they have time – work for a few hours under KH8/their own callsign.

On October 4th the team will reach Swains Island and they will spend the remaining daylight building as much as possible antennas in both camps. They hope to have the first signals out that same night under the callsign W8S. All is depending on the circumstances during the landing and on the island.

Update September 26, 2023: We have updated the page with our pilot stations. You can view it from this link : https://swains2020.lldxt.eu/the-pilots-team/

Thanks & Regards, Swains 2023 Team

Update September 25, 2023: W8S will also be on 6m EME.  Yesterday Johannes PA5X and Ronald PA3EWP visited the EME station of Lins PA3CMC where they also met Conrad PA5Y.
During this meeting the final touches were made for the 6m EME activity from Swains.

Update September 23, 2023: Just a few days to go and most of the team members will start to travel to American Samoa. Wednesday September 27, the team members will meet in Hawaii and the day after we fly to American Samoa. We will stay a few days on Pago Pago and next we board the ship for the last part of our trip, the final destination; Swains Island.

During our stay on Pago Pago we still have to arrange a lot of things, like arranging the return transportation of our equipment, final configuration and testing of the laptops and radio’s, buying some aluminum masts and personal stuff. If we have some time left, we might operate a few hours KH8/.

Today our 6 boxes with materials and equipment that were transferred from the Netherlands 3 weeks ago, have arrived in Pago Pago. They have to be cleared by customs and then they will be brought to Alex Jennings, our partner for this DXpedition. As planned we will arrive October 4th on Swains Island.

If everything works fine we will have life video streaming from Swains. But our main focus is making QSO’s and give many of you a new DXCC or at least some band points.

Logs will be uploaded daily to our QSL manager M0OXO, who will also update Clublog.

The link to our life video stream channel will be announced later on our website, Twitter and Facebook.

Looking forward to get you in the W8S log.

73 The Swains2023 Team

Update September 22, 2023: Pilots of W8S Swains Island DX Pedition
Chief Pilot - Alex, PA1AW.
Europe and Africa - Jan, DL7JAN.
British Islands - John, G4IRN.
North America, Steve, N2AJ.
South America - Siso, HK3W.
Asia - Champ, E21EIC.
Oceania - Lee, VK3GK.

Update September 3, 2023: QSL policy:

After 6 months all QSO’s will be uploaded to LOTW.

OQRS Buro: cards will be answered only via OQRS, don’t send QSL via the buro.

OQRS LOTW: as soon as the request is received the LOTW confirmation will be processed within 24 hours

OQRS Direct + LOTW: as soon as the request is received the LOTW confirmation will be processed within 24 hours and the direct QSL cards will be sent after they have been printed.

Donations: If someone donate 10 Euro or more, the LOTW confirmation will be send in approx. 24 hours after the QSO is made, after the QSL’s have been printed, the direct QSL will be sent.

Charles M0OXO will take care of the W8S – Swains 2023 QSL management.
We trust Charles M0OXO and his outstanding QSL service needs no further inroduction.
Check https://www.m0oxo.com/ for more details about his services.

Update August 29, 2023: Available video where Adrian Ciuperca KO8SCA explains their entire operation in detail including the team’s unique relationship with the island owners, the Jennings family, who are providing a significant amount of logistical support for the trip. Before you get on the air to make your contact, learn more about Swains and the effort being made to bring you this rare DXCC, IOTA and POTA contact.

Update August 14, 2023: DX-World publishes that the W8S Swains Island DXpedition will also be a POTA activation. The park reference is K-9754, Swains Island Marine Sanctuary.

Update July 15, 2023: QRV on all HF bands in CW, SSB, FT8 and RTTY with 6 stations from 2 separated camps. The base camp (Green Camp) will be established in the area of the old village. It is also the place where the landing will take place. The base camp will accommodate the support team, where we will have our meals and where we can relax when not on duty. It will also have a shower and toilet facility. Sleeping tents for the operators will be next to the base camp. We will have two operating sites, i.e. Red Camp and Blue Camp. These two camps will be separated approx. 400 meters. A temporary operating site will be established more to the east, from where we will do our 6m EME operation.

Update July 8, 2023: The W8S team would like to offer you the opportunity to join a presentation where they will explain their planning and setup of the upcoming Swains 2023 DXpedition. There will also be time for Q&A with the team members.

How: via Zoom.
When: 14 July 2023.
Time: 18:00 UTC.
Duration: approx. 1 hour.

If you want to attend this presentation, please send a confirmation to w8s@dx.to. Please also include you call sign. After we have received your confirmation, you will receive a mail with the link to join the presentation.

Update May 18, 2023: It’s happening: Swains 2023 is on! Although it was silent for quite some time, we were still working on the project and are happy that we can now announce that the contract with Alex Jennings is in our hands. Alex Jennings is the proprietor of Swains Island and providing the logistic support for the DXpedition.

The DXpedition to Swains Island will take place in the autumn of 2023. The governmental ship Manu’atela is booked for our trip.

We will arrive on Swains Island the 4th of October and will depart the 17th of October 2023.

Four new members are in our team because some couldn’t join due circumstances. The team still consist of 10 international operators. The operators are: DJ9RR (Heye), DL2AMD (Rainer), DL6JGN (Hans), KO8SCA (Adrian), NG7M (Max), PA2KW (Evert), PA3EWP (Ronald), PA4WM (Martin), PA5X (Johannes) and PG5M (Gerben).

Due to Covid and the global economic situation, our costs have increased considerably compared to 2020. The total cost has reached 125,000 euros, so we ask you to consider increasing your donation as well whenever possible!

In the meantime, we have been working on another antenna setup, focusing on the higher bands. We are preparing VDA’s for 10, 12, 15, 17 and 20 meters. We will have 2 additional radio’s active. With 6 stations running we can make more QSO’s and give more DXers an All Time New One.

Our camps are separated by approx. 500 meters, which will allow us to operate on some bands with 2 stations simultaneously.

We will keep you informed of the status via our website http://swains2023.com, Twitter @swains2020 and Facebook (Swains 2020).

Regards,

On behalf of the Swains 2023 team,

Ronald Stuy, PA3EWP
Talmaweg 138
2992AK Barendrecht
The Netherlands

Update December 12, 2022: At the momment is is impossible to charter a ship for march 2023. The project is not cancelled but postponed again.

Update November 5, 2021: The operation from Swains Island has been postponed until March 2023 as two members of the team are also part of the 3Y0J DXpedition and also due to travel restrictions due to the pandemic.

Update August 27, 2021: The plan of the team (DL6JGN, DJ9HX, DL6KVA, DL2AMD, PA3EWP, PA4WM, PG5M, PA9M, AG4W, KO8SCA) is to be QRV in spring 2022.

Update February 7, 2021: Martin, PA4WM, from Holland, posted the following on the W8S Swains Island Web page on February 4th: "Make a virtue of necessity..... Almost a year ago we were fully equipped and packed. Ready to go to Swains. The unfortunate COVID pandemic caused this plan to be postponed. In the months before our planned operation, a 160m T loaded vertical was built. An 18m fiber pole from Spiderbeam will house the 16.5m vertical wire. Matching is accomplished with a coil/hairpin match. Last year summer we have set it up to complete the tuning procedure and check for possible improvements. All was fine but the "on the air and in real life" box had still to be ticked. So we decided to take part in the CQ160m CW contest to give the antenna a good work out. The goal was to test the antenna and have contest fun. The vertical was set up at our local VERON club, the Dutch radio society. On a large abandoned soccer and athletics field the antenna was raised and a fair amount of radials were laid out. Just to be equipped with a RX antennas during the contest, an EWE to the west and a 120m long BOG to the east were rigged up as well. The antenna just worked great. Being a vertical, the high angle signals from surrounding countries were OK, but where it really shined was on low angle and DX. In 20 hours operating time, 875 QSO's were made into 66 DXCC counties and 25 states of the U.S. During the contest some Caribbean stations were active and they could be worked very well and I had no issues to break a contest pile up. It even gave me 6 new countries on topband. All in all a good test for our antenna to be used on Swains. 73, Martin PA4WM"

For more details and updates, see Swains Island DXpedition Web page, Facebook and Twitter 

Update July 19: Martin, PA4WM, from Holland, posted the following on the W8S Swains Island Web page on July 13th:

"Hi All -- In the beginning of the year, just a few days before packing all antenna gear at Ronald's place, I had the 160m vertical rebuild but not tested and adjusted. Today we had a beautiful summers day. Perfect to set it up and adjust the lengths and hairpin coil/match to the right frequency. That saves time after arrival. So, although we are all waiting for things to develop in a direction we all hope for, preparations continues"

Update June 17: Due to the Covid-19 pandemic it is still impossible to travel to Swains Island. This means that we have to postpone our DXpedition until Spring 2021 at the earliest.

Alex Jennings (owner of island) and the team will start planning again as soon as we are allowed to travel to American Samoa without restrictions (such as 14 days in quarantine). All equipment already purchased is waiting for us in Pago Pago.

We are very disappointed with this postponement, but if we look at it from a positive angle, propagation will be better next year!

We continue our Swains DXpedition project and keep you informed via our mailing list, website and the social media channels such as Facebook and Twitter.

The Swains DXpedition Team

Update March 6: The following was from the W8S Web page, date March 6th [edited]:

Postponed but..... The fact that we had to postpone the DXpedition so shortly before the initially planned date does not mean that Swains2020 is no longer alive. The opposite is true....

A new planning brings many new logistical challenges with which the team is busy to resolve. Not all equipment can wait for half a year in a box for shipping and the team members also have to adjust their travel plans to the new goals. This all sounds simple, but for sure it is not.

The new date also means a different season and therefore different circumstances on the island and a change in expected propagation. This means that the operating manual needs some adjustment as might the planning.

The team is happy that their sponsors and supporters show so much under- standing for the situation and continue to support the team in the real- ization of this great project. It is this trust and support that gives extra motivation to the team to make the postponed DXpedition a success.

Without this support a project like Swains2020 is not possible. THANK YOU

Update February 22: Following the disappointing news earlier this week the Swains2020 team is extremely happy that we can announce the new schedule for the W8S DXpedition to Swains Island. The team will be on the island from September 23 until October 6, 2020.

We like to thank all our sponsors and supporters for the understanding and confidence we have received after the message about the forced postponement of the DXpedition.

We are therefore very happy that we can already share the new planning with you.

Update February 18, POSTPONED: In close cooperation with Alex Jennings, the representative of Swains Island, we have to decide to postpone our DXpedition to Swains Island until autumn 2020.

In close cooperation with Alex Jennings, the representative of Swains Island, the team has decided to postpone the W8S DXpedition to Swains Island to autumn of 2020.

The reason behind this postponement is the travel restrictions when entering American Samoa, restrictions imposed by the Department of Health of American Samoa as a result of the Corona virus outbreak.

The Department of Health allows non-residents to enter American Samoa only via Hawaii, after a 14 days mandatory quarantine in Hawaii.

For the team this is not a workable situation. It would require extending the holiday time by an additional 2 weeks, re-routing of the flights and purchasing new tickets etc.

Everything is prepared for our DXpedition, and we are eager to go, but unfortunately the Corona virus outbreak is out of our control.

Although this is a disappointment for everyone, the W8S DXpedition is not cancelled, but just postponed for later this year!

You and/or your DX-club made a donation to the Swains DXpedition, which is very much appreciated by the whole team as that helps the team to cover some part of the investment the team already made.

However if you are considering withdrawing your donation, please just let us know.

As soon as we have the new firm date for the DXpedition we will update you and the whole DX-community.

See our website, Facebook and Twitter for the latest news and announcements.

Regards,

Ronald Stuy, PA3EWP

Update February 2: Pilot stations for their March 10-25th operation:

  Dick, PA3FQA -- Low bands (160/80m) world-wide
  Jan, DL7JAN  -- Europe, Asia and Africa
  Don, N1DG    -- North America
  Siso, HK3W   -- South America
  John, G3WGV  -- United Kingdom

  More info on procedures and communication will follow shortly on the Swains2020 Web site

Update January 20: The preparations are part of the fun too! An amazing load of work is done by all team members. Antennas, hardware, software, the camp set up, medical well-being, transportation, satellite connections, inter-camp communication, operating schedules, vaccinations to name just a few.

Yesterday, we had a video conference call between all international team members to discuss the final loose ends. All lights are green.

The European members will depart from Amsterdam and Frankfurt on Saturday 7 March. Flying through Singapore, New Zealand and Samoa to their neighbouring islands – American Samoa. Our American members will depart the same weekend to meet up in Pago Pago.

The vessel Manu’Atele will bring us to Swains atoll. This will be a 24 hour journey.  Landing on the island will be done by smaller boats at high tide to minimize reef issues. A serious challenge. Think of all the radio equipment, antenna materials, tents, generators, fuel and food for two weeks. The ship will leave after landing. Hopefully picking the team up again after 14 days.

Update December 27: Everything is on schedule for our Swains DXpedition. Last month Martin PA4WM en Gerben PG5M have been working on the antennas for Swains. After some small design changes, the antennas are ready now (thanks to Dado E74AW for helping with the 160m antenna).

We also have collected a lot of other equipment and tools. We were in doubt if everything would fit in the 3 boxes we created especially for this adventure.

This morning we started packing all the equipment. At the end of the afternoon we were ready. Luckily everything fitted in the boxes: 14 RX/TX antennas, 800 meters of coax-cable, 2.4 KM of radials, bandpass filters, power supplies and tools were packed in the boxes.

The boxes are ready for transport, the total weight is approx. 200 KG. Within 3 weeks we will transport it to American Samoa.

After finishing this phase of our project we will now focus on the next phase; the radio and computer equipment.

The whole team is looking forward to activate Swains Island as W8S.

Update December 8: Preparation in progress

As the team travels to Since the destination of this DXpedition is an uninhabited island without a shopping mall or hardware store, preparation is of great importance. For example, in recent weeks Gerben PG5M has worked on the antenna patch panels, the Band Pass Filters (160-10m), 200 Watt and 10 Watt versions and a number of CMC Chokes. More at W8S blog...

The website is under construction  at  https://swains2020.lldxt.eu/

Ten operators (AG4W,  DJ9HX, DJ9ON,  DL2AMD, DL6JGN, DL6KVA, KO8SCA, PA3EWP, PA4WM and PG5M) will be active on 160-10 metres  CW, SSB, FT8 and RTTY  with
four stations 24/7 from two operating sites.

From 10-25 March 2020 an international team of 10 operators will be active from Swains Island as W8S. QRV on all HF bands in CW, SSB, FT8 and RTTY with 4 stations from 2 separated camps. More info will follow the coming weeks.