XRØY XR0Y Rapa Nui 2009

Today we have received one of the most exotic, rarest card confirming a contact made with XR0Y. The entire team remembers this unforgettable QSO. It took a place on 30m CW and we were called by nobody else but VP8DIF op. Lars based in Husvik (pron. Hoos-veek) – now closed Norwegian whaling station at South Georgia Island. We were told by Lars this was another his unique island-to-island contact as he also managed to contact 3Y0E Bouvet isl. and ZS8T Marion Island from down there.

It’s been a real exotic contact to us, like one of the most remote islands in the world got in touch together. We attach a scan of the card for a preview:

XR0Y QSL status

We are still waiting for our cards from the printing office. Remember our 3D cards are far more complicated in print that regular cards usually do. Please be patient as once we receive cards we start QSLing immediately!

We’d like to share some news regarding our current QSL status.

Regular, 2D cards for bureau and direct QSLing are queued at our printing office now. We should receive them in 7-10 days or so. The 3D card is also queued but since its printing process is far more complicated, it takes approximately 5 days more to print them due to its multi-coated, so called “lens printing” process.

We expect to have our cards in hands by the end of January then (+/- a couple of days). Once we get them, we start sending them out to you guys. No worries :-)

We have received some emails full of criticism we demand 5 or 7 USD per direct cards. That is NOT true – please read carefully our QSL policy page to find it out it’s a false information.

We have just made a massive update to our photo gallery. Almost 400 pictures taken during XR0Y were uploaded there. Check out 2 new galleries too see them:

• http://rapanui2009.org/gallery?album=1&gallery=7
• http://rapanui2009.org/gallery?album=1&gallery=8

We are pleased to inform the same, first portion of confirmations as LoTW has been just uploaded to eQSL service. Enjoy!

We have just received an email from Kathy Allison, KA1RWY – LoTW Specialist at ARRL stating the documentation received to validate XR0Y has been checked and approved. We have also successfully submitted a first portion of QSOs to LoTW. These are the promised submissions for sponsors and operators who donated or supported the DXpedition and all those who ordered the premium QSL package via our OQRS system. The second, full LoTW upload will be submitted in 2010.

Stan SQ8X, the organizer of XR0Y to Easter Island, informs that he re-uploaded all 3 XR0Y videoblog entries recorded at the island.

Due to bandwidth limitations at the island we couldn’t publish those videos at the best possible quality we first intended –Stan SQ8X says. – This is why once I’ve got back home I decided to re-export all 3 movies and now they all come in superb HD 720p quality so you may have a better look at XR0Y in action and have a glimpse of some Rapa Nui’s nature at much better quality. I also plan to continue to publish my personal videoblog as I used to before. I just need to take some rest of travelling after my 1 month long trip – Stan adds.

See all 3 videos in HD:

Videoblog – part 6

vimeo - XR0Y - videoblog part 6

Videoblog – part 7

vimeo - XR0Y - videoblog part 7

Videoblog – part 8

vimeo - XR0Y - videoblog part 8

Stan, the XR0Y QSL manager, says that he receives many cards with IRC coupons that expire by December 2009. Keep in mind that XR0Y will not be able to reply to cards with old IRCs as post offices will not accept them. All those incorrect QSL requests will be replied via bureau only without exception.

Stan currently works on exporting/merging more than 2500 video recordings taken at the island. Also processing photos for printing XR0Y cards is in progress. The team expects to start shipping them by late January 2010. The XR0Y team offers 3 different QSL cards via 3 different routes depending on your voluntary choice including a standard, direct way and bureau route too. They also offer a special premium 3D QSL card package containing 2 cards (3D and double, non-3D card) and smallish bag with a sample of Rapa Nui’s sand as extra bonus.

If you plan to send your QSL request to XR0Y yet, please read carefully XR0Y QSL policy info listed at this page » or order it directly via their Online QSL Request System (OQRS) here »

We have just received this following letter addressed to one of XR0Y team members – Aart PA3C sent by Mr. Galdino Besomi, CE3PG, the President of Radio Club de Chile.

Just uploaded the very last XR0Y videoblog entry that has been entirely shot at Rapa Nui Island. Every story has its end… Sad but true…

XR0Y – part 8 from SQ8X on Vimeo.

We are also proud to announce that one of XR0Y team members – Aart PA3C donated his Yaesu FT767GX to Radio Club de Chile during our stay in Santiago. The transceiver will be used for many purposes at the club station CE3AA. Hope there will be many new Chilean ham radio operators getting a good training with it. See some pictures posted at: http://www.ce3aa.cl/

XR0Y team is pleased to announce all log check inquires received up to date have been scanned, checked and replied. A new log with corrections have been uploaded to the ClubLog. If you still miss some QSO(s) and you have a proof your QSO took a place indeed, don’t hesitate to drop us an email at rapanui.xr0y [at] gmail.com. All emails will be read and QSO inquires checked as soon as possible.

We also want to inform that we updated our PayPal profile and now “it speaks” English instead of Polish (Polish was the  language of the account by default). We also added some more QSO fields to fit more slots for OQRS submissions. Please accept our apologies for any inconveniences caused.

Meanwhile Stan SQ8X, while in Patagonia – South America, scans thousands of photos taken at Rapa Nui Island to find the best ones that could fit our 3D cards. He says it sometimes feels like a Sisyphus’ work and he sometimes took  like 200-250 pictures of every single Ahu platform (those platform that Moai statues stand on). The reason there are so many pictures is that the 3D technology requires very exact matching of progressive images frames used to create 3D imaginary. Stan will also prepare a huge photo gallery update once he’s back home by December.

The Chilid Company in Poland starts to scan all HD video recordings taken at the island by Stan SQ8X. Additionally Stan will take back to Poland another huge portion of HD videos to be used in the forthcoming XR0Y documentary.

All documents regarding XR0Y DXCC validation wait for their approval at the ARRL DXCC Desk now.

More news coming sooner than you think :-)

Another videoblog entry shot at Rapa Nui Island during the XR0Y DXpedition.

XR0Y – part 7 from SQ8X on Vimeo.