Update December 27: By Chris, PA2CHR: Last week I spent some time to edit the video about our last DXpedition:  A21EME  8 band EME and QO-100  DXpedition.
We want to thank everyone who helped to make this trip a success!
It was a great experience, beautiful location with nearly no QRM.
All equipment worked without any failure and we are very happy with the results

When the ‘radio-part’ was finished, John, his XYL Louisa, Lins and Chris went on a 2 day safari and were able to watch The Big Five !
An impression of this trip is added to the second part of this video.

QSL’s are printed, we hope to receive them very soon to send first weeks of January.
All sponsors will receive a QSL direct.
QSL info see: www.pa3cmc.nl

We hope to CU you from another location in the future.

Best 73’s, A21EME-team: ZS6JON, John / ZS4TX, Bernie / ZS6AVH, Andrew / ZS6NK, Paul /  HB9CRQ, Dan & Sue /  PA3CMC, Lins / PA2CHR, Chris

Update December 19: Later than planned we finally have updated our web-page with the story, logs and photos of the microwave part of the A21EME DXpedition. Please have a look at https://hb9q.ch/2018/?page_id=1659

We are still waiting for the QSLs to arrive from the printer. We hope to send out the QSLs by early January 2020.

And as we said before… after a DXpedition is before a DXpedition 😉 Stay tuned for the next one… more information in a few days!

Vy 73, Dan. HB9CRQ, for the Q-Team

Update October 15: The ‘A21EME – team’ is preparing the last things on the moment.
Coming Friday all members will meet in Johannesburg for a final check on all equipment ( and Dinner J )
On October 20 very early in the morning ‘the convoy’ of several cars will leave from Johannesburg to Gaborone in Botswana.
This is a trip of about 400 km and can take up to 6 or 8 hours depending on how much time the border crossing takes.
Our QTH is a resort just North of Gaborone in Mmopane. 
John, ZS6JON and his XYL visit this place a few times during last months to arrange all facilities, check the place for antenna’s and the space needed for the stations etc. etc.
We will be QRV on all band from 6 mtr. up to 10 GHz. including QO-100 satellite and hope to start activity in the evening of Oct. 20 th.

Please look for some pictures and detailed operating info on :  https://www.pa3cmc.nl/category/category10/

We hope we can upload a daily logbook on this site and / or on QRZ.com:  A21EME

All sponsors will receive a QSL direct J

Hope to work a lot of you!    “CU  soon on the Moon”   73’s,

A21EME  team:
John, ZS6JON
Andrew, ZS6AVH
Bernie, ZS4TX
Paul, ZS6NK
Dan, HB9CRQ
Susanne, YL HB9CRQ
Lins, PA3CMC
Chris, PA2CHR

Update October 4: Hello All, Yesterday we checked the complete station, all is working well. We packed everything. We are ready to fly to ZS6 on 17. October. Looking forward to work you from A21EME!

Vy 73, Dan HB9CRQ member of the A21EME team

Update September 18: To give you enough time to prepare for A21EME on microwave (23-3cm) please find here our planned activity schedule.

Unfortunately Sam, HB9COG will not join us for this DXpedition. Due to heavy workload at his business he has to stay home and work. Dan HB9CRQ will be supported by Susanne, his YL, and of course be the whole A21EME team.

We expect to have a pretty good MR (about 10° el) and MS (close to 0° el). This gives us good moon windows for all continents including US westcoast. We will confirm this when on site.
There should be internet service on site, so we will be stand-by on the HB9Q loggers (1296 to 10xxx MHz).

We will be using again our proven DXpedition equipment:
1.5m dish 1x2mm mesh, homemade automatic az/el control
1296: 100W at feed, circular, preamp at horn
23xx: 90W at feed, circular, preamp at horn
3400: 80W at feed, circular, preamp at horn
5760: 80W at feed, circular, preamp at horn
10xxx: 50W at feed, v-pol, preamp at horn

On 18. October we’ll arrive in Johannesburg (ZS6) where we’ll meet the other DXpedition members at Johns ZS6JON’s QTH. John did provide all work to get the licenses and find a suitable  QTH. He prepared everything for a smooth run during the DXpedition. Many thanks John! On 20. October the A21EME team will drive in a convoy of 5 to 6 cars to Botswana. This is a 5 hours trip. There we will have to do all needed customs paperwork and physical checking. From there it is another hour by car to our QTH (KM25WK) north of the city of Gaborone. We will arrive early afternoon and immediately start to build the station to become QRV on moonrise late evening same day.

The microwave EME activity will be as follows:

20./21. October
QRV 1296.100 1st JT65C from about 23.30z to 09.20z on 21. October

22. October
QRV 23xx.100 1st JT65C from 00.30z to 10.30z
2301.990 1st and 2400.100 1st (on request only, will be announced on HB9Q 23xx logger), for US-window 2304.100 1st (QSY will be announced on HB9Q23xx logger)

23. October
QRV 3400.100 1st JT65C from 01.20z to 11.30z
3399.990 1st (on request only), QSY will be announced on HB9Q 3400 logger

24. October
QRV 5760.100 1st QRA64D from 02.00z to 12.30z

25. October
QRV 10xxx.100 1st QRA64D from 02.50z to 13.40z
10450.100 1st (on request only), QSY will be announced on HB9Q 10xxx logger

26. October
1296.100 1st JT65C from 03.30z to 14.40z

27. October
QRV at most a few hours because we have to dismantle and pack the station (we need to do this with daylight) for an early morning departure next day. The times and frequency we will be active on will be announced on 26.October.

Now that WSJT-X 2.1.0 is available, we will use JT65C with Doppler Control (“Own Echo”, in other words we listen on our own echo) on 23, 13 and 9cm. On 6 and 3cm we will use QRA64D (if necessary JT4F) including Doppler Control (“Constant Frequency On Moon” and if necessary “Full Doppler to DX Grid”). Modes will be announced on HB9Q loggers.
Hopefully more people take advantage of automated Doppler control which WSJT-X offers. Especially on 6 and 3cm it is a MUST for successful QRP operations.
Although it is on the limit, we will work CW on all bands. However only with big-guns and after the pile-up on JT/QRA is worked.

How big needs your station to be to work us?
We’ve worked several stations the sizes the following list shows, so definitely we can even work smaller stations:
on 23cm 2m dish and 150W at the feed
on 13cm 2m dish and 100W at the feed
on 9cm 2m dish and 50W at the feed
on 6cm 1.5m dish and 80W at the feed
on 3cm 1.2m solid dish with 40W at the feed

QSL policy for 23-3cm: QSL only direct including SAE to: HB9Q, P.O.Box 133, CH-5737 Menziken
If you wish to sponsor the 23-3cm activity, you are welcome to do so by using PayPal dan@hb9q.ch (please mention your call). If you like to sponsor 6m, 2m and 70cm activity please use PayPal info@pa3cmc.nl

We are looking forward to the A21EME DXpedition and hope to work many of you!
Next information about the microwave part of the DXpedition will be posted a few days before we will be QRV.

Vy 73, Dan HB9CRQ, team member A21EME

Update August 24: About QSL for A21EME

For 6m, 2m, 70cm and QO-100         For 23cm and up
L Berben                                            HB9Q
Simonshoek 2                                   P.O.Box 133
5768 CS Meijel                                   CH-5737 Menziken
Netherlands                                      Switzerland

All members of the team are prepairing for the upcomming 8 band EME DXpedition to Botswana.

We have added an QO100 satellite station, made by John ZS6JON. More information is on my website

I have added also a A21EME photo album. From now on this will be updated regularly

If you want to sponsor us, you can find that information on the website. All sponsers will get automatically there QSL card.

See you via the moon or/and satellite from Botswana.

Ribbie-Chies A21EME Team

John ZS6JON
Bernie ZS4TX
Andrew ZS6AVH
Paul ZS6NK
Dan HB9Q
Chris PA2CHR
Lins PA3CMC

From 20 october - 29 october 2019 is A21EME in KG25wk QRV, From 20 october - 25 october 2019 6m, 2m, 70cm EME. Mode JT65 and CW. From 20 october - 29 october 2019 23, 13, 9, 6 and 3cm. Mode JT65 and CW Group members: Lins PA3CMC John ZS6JON Chris PA2CHR Paul ZS6NK Andrew ZS6AVH Bernie ZS4TX Sam HB9COG Dan HB9CRQ Station: 6m 6M8GJ 2m 2 x 12el X pole design I3DLI 70cm 2 x 28 el. m2 23, 13, 9, 6 and 3cm 1.5m dish 1x2mm mesh, automatic az and el control 1296: 100W at feed, circular, preamp at horn 23xx: 80W at feed, circular, preamp at horn 3400: 80W at feed, circular, preamp at horn 5760: 80W at feed, circular, preamp at horn 10xxx: 50W at feed, v-pol, preamp at horn Any donations are welcome. Paypal info@pa3cmc.nl Bank IBAN NL58INGB0006770934 BIC INGBNL2A QSL direct or via buro Direct wit SAE and €2 or $2, if not enough postage QSL send back via buro. PSE NO IRC's NOT Accepted here. All sponsors automatically recieve QSL direct. L Berben Simonshoek 2 5768 CS Meijel Netherlands More will follow on my website 73 Lins PA3CMC