이 DX 원정팀의 원래 목적지는 Agalega Islands (3B6 - IOTA AF001)였던 것으로 보인다. 허가받은 호출부호는 ‘3B6SP’..

그러나 이들이 Mauritius 항구를 출발하여 Agalega 섬으로 가기 위해서 이용 했던 캐터머랜 형 (Catamaran - 두 척의 작은 배를 널빤지로 연결하여 돛을 단 것)의 배가 항해 도중, 2개의 엔진 가운데 1개가 고장나고 2개의 돛이 모두 손상이 되는 바람에 좌초하고 말았다는 것이다.

다행스럽게도 근처에 있던 "Quo Vadis I" 라는 고깃배에 로프로 연결하여 가까스로 St. Brandon 섬 (3B7 - IOTA AF015)으로 가게 되었는데, 이들은 여기에 머물며 원정 운용을 포기하고 Mauritius로 돌아가기위해 새로운 배가 오기를 기다릴 것인가? (1 주일 소요), 아니면, 여러 OM들과 이번 원정을 후원한 스폰서들과의 약속을 지키기 위해 ‘3B7’에서라도 운용하기위해 허가장 변경을 시도 할 것인가를 고민했다고 한다.

이들은 기상통신 (meteorologists' radio)을 이용하여 당국 (ICTA?)에 ‘3B7’에서 운용을 시작 할 수있도록 허가를 요청하였는데, 놀랍게도 다음날 허가가 떨어졌고 호출부호가 ‘3B7SP’로 변경되기에 이르렀다고 한다.

이 원정 팀에 신의가호가 있기를..  



Important info from our DXpedition!

To whom it may concern:
=======================

When we had planed our DXpedition we did not expect so many problems... We are very sorry but we did not reach 3B6 Agalega Islands. We had many problems with our catamaran and either finally or happily sailed to 3B7 St. Brandon (Isle Rafael S16o26' E59o36') tied by the rope to the "Quo Vadis I" fish vessel. Our catamaran was seriously hurt (we have lost 1 of 2 engines and all two sails). In that situation we stayed in front of the decision: to stay on the island resting and waiting about a week for new boat which will bring us back to Mauritius or try to change our license and start to work in the air from 3B7 St. Brandon to fulfill promises we have given to DR OMs and our sponsors... We had asked ICTA about permission to start our activity from 3B7 by meteorologists' radio and we were very surprised when we obtained a new license and a modified callsign the next day! We are informing that the right callsign of our interrupted DXpedition is 3B7SP. Somewhere in our website you can find our previous callsign (3B6SP) but the right is 3B7SP. A webmaster is currently off the internet and we are not able to change this in all places (especially in the log online database headers). Please be patient - we will make all necessary
adjustments after coming home.

Have fun working with us in the air! We have installed 80% of our antennas and four stations. We are trying to work all the time except short breaks (lunch, dinner and generators' maintenance). We have a huge pileup but we are trying to make our best for you.

VY 73! Wojtek SP5BFX