DX Engineering Supports the 2014 FT5ZM Amsterdam Island DXpedition

Amateur Operators work DX from one of the most remote islands on the planet.

FT5ZM Amsterdam Island: On January 15th, 2014, the MV Braveheart Remote Expedition Support Vessel left Freemantle, Australia carrying Ham Radio enthusiasts from all around the globe. The destination was Amsterdam Island, a small speck of rock in the middle of the Indian Ocean. Nine days later, the ship arrived and the crew wasted no time getting on the air.

For the next 18 days, the FT5ZM team made over 170,000 QSOs, almost 3,600 of those on 160 meters. Operating CW, SSB and RTTY on 160-10 meters, they worked contacts from all over the planet.

Amsterdam Island’s locals, primarily fur seals and penguins, provided a unique audience for the stations. At night, the team worked under a dazzling array of stars. They reluctantly returned to Freemantle on February 23rd.

DX Engineering provided several key pieces of gear, including a Complete Receive Four-Square Array Package.

“The DX Engineering 4-Square Receive System was amazing on 160,” declared Nodir Tursun-Zade EY8MM, an FT5ZM member. “With the push of a button I could make Europe dominant or Japan dominant and weak signals from North America were suddenly in the clear.”

EY8MM went on to describe propagation conditions. “60 meters would open for us about 1 hour before our sunset. It would remain open until one hour after our sunrise. This, along with the DX Engineering receive antenna systems gave us a phenomenal 160 meter experience.”

COMTEK, a DX Engineering company, supplied verticals to get FT5ZM operating on 40, 30 and 20 meters. Because the antennas offered the perfect combinations of easy setup and rugged reliability, they were ideal for a DXpedition like FT5ZM. For guying, the team used STI synthetic rope, which will resist the high wind and unique weather on the island.

The DXexpedition team also used DX Engineering Beverage antenna components to build a comprehensive receive antenna array. This allowed the team to work through the inevitable pileups and hear stations from the furthest reaches of the globe. Everyone wanted a chance to work the island, and DX Engineering was happy to help make it possible.

DX Engineering is proud to support intrepid DXpeditions like this one to Amsterdam Island. For years, DX Engineering has provided the Amateur Radio community with the highest quality telecommunications equipment on the market.

The 2014 FT5ZM Amsterdam Island DXpedition: The 2014 FT5ZM Amsterdam Island DXpedition:
http://www.amsterdamdx.org/

DX Engineering Receive Four-Square Complete Array Package:  DX Engineering Receive Four-Square Complete Array Package:
https://www.dxengineering.com/parts/dxe-rfs-sys-4p