[NEWS] – QRV since 1345z yesterday, 9L9L continues to be very active on 40-20-17m, CW & FT8. We recently received on island pictures and posted on Facebook (embedded below). A reminder that several landing teams, each consisting of two operators, will rotate from the island and stay for three days and two nights at a time.
[NOVEMBER 3 @ 1145Z] – Team landed and now setting up. DX-World received videos and pics from the crew on Banana Island, AF-037 via 9L8MD team member Vlad, OK2WX. 9L9L should be QRV soon.
[NOVEMBER 3 @ 0900Z] – Team member Vlad OK2WX writes that the first landing on Banana Island, IOTA AF-037 is underway. All equipment must be transported – Flex Radio, antennas, generator, and fuel. Two operators only using SSB/CW/DIGI.
[OCTOBER 18] – MDXC is pleased to announce that during the 9L8MD DXpedition in Sierra Leone (October 29 to November 10), there will be an integrated IOTA operation from Banana Island, AF-037. The island was last activated in 2019 by team F6KOP (9LY1JM).
To avoid confusion with ongoing 9L8MD operations from the mainland, the IOTA activity will use the special callsign 9L9L – this callsign has been granted by the local Telecommunications Authority and is already registered in LoTW.
Beginning Sunday, November 2, several landing teams, each consisting of two operators, will rotate from the island and stay for three days and two nights at a local resort. Due to the power shortage on the island, our operators will bring all the necessary equipment by boat, including a generator and gasoline. At the end of the three-day shift, the new team will refuel for the next three days.
The operating bands will be 40 to 6m, with vertical antennas and a 3-element Yagi antenna for 6m. The island has not been activated on 6m previously.
