Dear fellow hams, dear friends, and especially all you hunters who had the courage — and perhaps a touch of madness! — to follow us all the way here…
Well, yes, the moment no DX team ever wants to face has arrived: we’ve started dismantling our equipment! 😢
But hold on, it’s not over yet! We’ll keep going until nightfall with two antennas still on the air: one dedicated to 80 metres and the other covering the 30- and 60-metre bands. In other words, as long as there’s a wire in the air and a little RF flowing, we’re not giving up!
As always, taking everything down brings a touch of sadness. After spending days together with all of you on the other side of the radio, sharing calls, pile-ups, endless waits, and the hunt for that much-awaited QSO, the time comes to start packing everything into boxes and realise that this adventure is drawing to a close.
A huge thank-you goes to all of you who called us, hunted us, and followed us with such enthusiasm. And, of course, to the entire team, who cheerfully took turns at the stations, always trying to give their very best — and, above all, to make radio fun for everyone!
Naturally, there have been some epic moments, plenty of laughs, and a few technical surprises along the way. After all, what kind of expedition would it be without a little good old-fashioned electrical suffering?
As you can see in the photo, we’ve managed to use more fuses than bottles of water! 😂
Electrical problems have done their very best to throw a spanner in the works, but that’s a story for another time… and perhaps it deserves an article of its own, preferably written after we’ve stopped chasing short circuits and finally found all the screwdrivers!
For now, no drama and no final reports just yet: we’re making the most of our last few hours in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with the antennas still up, the radios switched on, and plenty of enthusiasm left to give you a few more QSOs before the final silence.
Because, in the end, that’s what makes these adventures so special: the contacts, of course, but above all, the people, the shared passion, and the memories that remain long after the antennas have come back down.
Stay tuned: as long as the antennas hold up and the fuses cooperate, we’re still here! 📡
73 to everyone, and heartfelt thanks for sharing this adventure with us!
The team from the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Leave a Reply