ZS8T · Marion Island

It has been little over a month since Petrus ZS6GCM started his journey to Marion Island and we are glad to report that the staff takeover period is completed and the SA Agulhas is making its journey back to Cape Town.

Petrus and Rhy ZS6DXB have been in contact and are happy to report on the following.

• Petrus has already undergone a full circle walk around the Island with one of the research scientists, and has been out of base camp for the past week.

• The team is currently on cleaning duty since the takeover and is now cleaning the entire camp - furthermore it is business as usual and all is well.

• Petrus is planning on starting construction of the antennas this week and will be QRV as ZS8T by May 9th, 2008.

• Petrus has also confirmed that the newly installed satellite internet system on Marion Island is working beyond expectations to date, so correspondence between Petrus and the ZS8T team are a lot easier than during the Bouvet Island 3Y0E operation.

We hereby say good luck to all in working ZS8T and we look forward to seeing your callsign in the ZS8T logbook. We will, of course, notify you all on the first lucky contacts that make it into the log and of any further developments.

73 and good hunting
Rhynhardt Louw ZS6DXB

ZS8T Press Officer/Logistical Support
http://zs8t.net/
zs6dxb@kats.za.net