Starting on Tuesday March 10, 2020, an International group now in New York will set sail to the British Virgin Islands and activate the call sign for 6 days focusing on low-bands with two stations.

The team roster is KO8SCA, Adrian; OH2BH, Martti; OH2GEK, Niko; and VE7NY, Sandro. Their pilot stations are Don, K8MFO; Steve, N2AJ; Ken K4ZW; and Pertti, OG2M.

QSL via OH2BH.

Danny Weil, VP2VB, was a British watchmaker with a sense of adventure.
His initial sailing voyage was to the British Virgin Islands on a sail- boat named YASME. (Yasme is derived from "yasume”, Japanese for "to make tranquil.”) Legendary DXer Dick Spencely, KV4AA, became aware of Danny’s aspirations, and suggested that he combine amateur radio with his ambitious travel itinerary. Spencely taught Danny CW and helped him secure the call VP2VB.

During the period 1955 – 1962, Danny operated from several locations in the Caribbean, as well as the Pacific. The Don Chesser (W4KVX) DX Magazine chronicled all of those operations.

All was not "smooth sailing.” There were at least three YASME sailing vessels. One blew up in a British harbor before ever going to sea. Another sank in the Caribbean near St. Vincent, and another went down near Papua – New Guinea. Not to be deterred, Danny was always able to raise funds and find sponsors for securing a new vessel. The Hallicrafters Company supplied him with ham radio equipment. Other companies did the same.

Danny’s last expedition into the Pacific included stops at HC8 and FO8 – Clipperton. The latter was a particularly harrowing experience and life threatening. Danny’s new wife, Naomi, was with him at the time. The Mexican Navy had to rescue Danny and tow YASME to California. Danny went solo to several more stops in the Pacific before retiring from DXpeditioning. He eventually settled in Texas, where he opened a small shop. There was no more ham radio activity from Danny, although he listened frequently on a Collins receiver.

Don, K8MFO, remembers Danny’s distinctive operating style. In spite of starting from scratch and developing his skills in massive pileups, Danny became a very good CW operator. He didn’t waste much time, usually termi- nating his QSOs with a snappy "DIT DIT.”

Danny’s activities provided the reason to create the YASME Foundation with Dick Spencely – KV4AA conducting aggressive fund raising. Of course, later on, Lloyd, W6KG, and Iris, W6QL Colvin were the most prominent faces of YASME, continuing their travel under the original spirit of Danny Weil and his sailboat, YASME. The VP2VB call sign for this DXpedition will, of course, count for the Yasme Award, the first activation of VP2VB in more than 60 years.

The upcoming VP2VB DXpedition will return to the first historical traces of Danny Weil in the British Virgin Islands under a special authorization of the local Telecom authority to pay homage for those early years of DXing that should not be forgotten. Danny was a true adventurer and the spirit continues.

Ken Claerbout, K4ZW
Director, Vice-President and Secretary
The Yasme Foundation

Board of Directors:
Ward Silver, NØAX, President
Ken Claerbout, K4ZW, Director, Vice-President and Secretary
Rusty Epps, W6OAT, Director and Treasurer
Fred Laun, K3ZO, Director
Martti Laine, OH2BH, Director
Robert Vallio, W6RGG, Director
Hans Blondeel Timmerman, PB2T, Director
Marty Woll, N6VI, Director
James Brooks, 9V1YC, Director

OPDX