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SV1GA/A Mount Athos

SV1GA/A Team currently active from Mount Athos, Greece.
Team - SV1GA, OH2BH, KO8SCA, YO8WW, OH2GEK.
Recent DX Spots SV1GA/A
They will operate on HF Bands.
QSL via EB7DX, ClubLog, LOTW.
DXCC Country - Mount Athos, SV/A.
information from QRZ page:

BREAKING NEWS FROM THE MT ATHOS PENINSULA

It was exactly fifty-years (50) ago in 1975, when SV1GA/A broke the silence
and Mt. Athos was on the air from the monastic community in Greece.

While the dedicated religious community of some 2000 monks in twenty
monasteries, Month Athos is now in a glorious state
with many new constructions and renovations underway.

To honor the 50th anniversary of the 1975 activation, the original organizers: Aris, SV1GA and
Martti, OH2BH were invited to come back to Mt Athos together with Adrian, KO8SCA,
Gabi, YO8WW and Niko, OH2GEK.

The SV1GA/A team has arrived in Mt. Athos today and is busy setting up their camp, up in the mountains. They should be on the air today but it would take 2 or 3 days to be fully operational.

More information will follow.

SV1GA/A Mount Athos News 30 January 2025

While waiting for an answer from the local authorities that issued our permit, the SV1GA/A team decided to leave Mt. Athos.

Team members Adrian, KO8SCA and Gabi, YO8WW have left yesterday and Aris SV1GA, Niko OH2GEK and Marti, OH2BH are on their way home today.

We are hoping to provide further details soon.

SV1GA/A Mount Athos News 29 January 2025 from OH2BH

INTERIM NEWS FROM MONTH ATHOS

Sorry for holding up the news release but it is all for a good reason!

Time flows differently in the Holy Community as even the morning prayer starts at 4 AM. We can all learn and benefit from the Mont Athos lifestyle.

Most importantly, the SV1GA/A team is safe and in good spirits and excited to have brought on the air such a rare DX entity.

The matter of Amateur Radio in Mt Athos is in the hands of different entities within the Holy Community and all we can do at this point is serve as source of knowledge and expertise. For us the key entity is the authority that issued our invitation/permit to carry out the SV1GA operation. Our paperwork is as clear as water but outside sources have put everything on hold for further review.

We are not trying to speculate the variety of arguments or opinions but just provide information for the parties involved. The final Word is expected soon as we wait for the relevant authorities to meet and review our case.

As we also have limits for waiting, we will make the decision about our own standing very soon.

When preparing a DX activation such as Mt. Athos many thigs need to considered such as operators, equipment, location, safety, transportation, licensing and others but what always comes as a surprise is the jealousy of competitive fellow DXpeditioners.

We will follow soon with additional details.

Warmest regards from Mt Athos!
OH2BH

SV1GA/A Mount Athos News 29 January 2025

No news from Martti, OH2BH at the same time there is information from several radio amateurs that the members of the expedition are doing fine.
Below is comment from SV2GWY.

SV1GA/A Mount Athos News 28 January 2025 Part 2

I just got a message from Martti, OH2BH.
The team is fine and they are addressing the issues that have arisen.

SV1GA/A Mount Athos News 28 January 2025

Many unsubstantiated rumors and expressions of ill will are being directed at the SV1GA/A DXpedition team and Mount Athos. Here is what we know. The SV1GA/A team met yesterday (Monday, January 27) with officials. OH2BH, Martti Laine, says that the team is still working with authorities and plans to have an official release later today (Tuesday).
Information received from Bernie, W3UR.

SV1GA/A Mount Athos News 27 January 2025 Part 2

According from some sources, the SV1GA/A team has been arrested and the equipment confiscated.
Again this is unconfirmed information and we hope that the expedition members are doing well and we are waiting for news from them.

SV1GA/A Mount Athos News 27 January 2025

We have received information from various sources that SV1GA/A operation is illegal.
We are waiting for official information on this issue from the team.

SV1GA/A Mount Athos License

Information from Nikos, SV2WT

NIKOS , SV2WT on January 27, 2025 at 2:10 pm illegal operation, the Holly Epistasia has send an email and clear things,

NEVER GIVE A PERMISSION FOR OPERATION UNDER SV1GA CALL SIGN TO OPERATE FROM MOUNT ATHOS . SO FROM 9 o’clock this morning
the operation was terminated by police authorities of MOUNT ATHOS as they said.

SV1GA/A Mount Athos News 26 January 2025

SV1GA/A Mount Athos first log uploaded to Club Log at https://clublog.org/charts/?c=SV1GA/A

SV1GA/A Mount AthosSV1GA/A. Mount Athos DX Pedition Team.

SV1GA/A Mount Athos DX NewsMount Athos. Author - fotogake.

SV1GA/A. Where is Mount Athos located. Map.

SV1GA/A Mount Athos. Sunrise 02-26-2025 at 04:59 GMT sunset at 16:12 GMT
SV1GA/A Mount Athos comments forum

Your comments are important to us!
Rating
1 2 3 4 5

30 Comments

60%
Rating: 3 of 5
Tomas
  • Callsign: NW7US
  • 2025-02-24 07:12:10
Well, what is the latest on these QSOs in my log??
100%
Rating: 5 of 5
Peter
  • Callsign: DL8AAB
  • 2025-02-08 15:30:53
Final answer takes too long - now i am sure, operation was illegal!
100%
Rating: 5 of 5
James O'Brien
  • Callsign: W4AMP
  • 2025-02-03 13:51:17
Strike Mt. Athos from DXCC all together. Problem solved. If OH2BH is not good enough for this governing body, then no one is.
100%
Rating: 5 of 5
Peter
  • Callsign: DL8AAB
  • 2025-02-03 13:16:43
Hi, How long we have to wait for your final Statement? 73
100%
Rating: 5 of 5
Nick
  • Callsign: SV7OAC
  • 2025-01-31 13:37:32
Mount Athos is a peculiar situation and everything has to be approved by Holly Epistasia primarily as well as the greek civil authorities if needs to. Unfortunately, during the recent years Holly Epistasia has shown an adamant character to deny any expedition whatsoever (scientific, educational etc.) that does not conform with the spiritual character of Mt. Athos. As the members of this dxpedition have not applied for a normal diamoneterion through Holly Epistasia but were issued a special diamoneterion from the monastery that hosts them, they only got the approval of the abbot of the monastery and not of the official governing body.
100%
Rating: 5 of 5
William
  • Callsign: VK3DOB
  • 2025-01-31 12:31:15
OH2BH did similar thing in P5 around 25 years ago and that only lasted about 3 or 4 hours before Kim-Jong 'Rocket-Man' found out and was closed-down then frog-marched to Panmunjom DMZ border crossing or something.  Lucky he wasn't thrown into labor camp and used as a bargaining tool for food- aid like some other westerners have been. Didn't "open the doors to other teams" in P5 back then ~ probably had exact opposite effect and hardened Kim-Jong regime attitude towards ham radio forever!  And now history repeats itself at Mount Athos.......! They did a lot of damage, so why everyone think these guys some kind of DX-Super Heroes?
100%
Rating: 5 of 5
AL
  • Callsign: n1api@cox.net
  • 2025-01-30 22:33:43
If not a full fledged operation is will be a shame if the ARRL authorizes credit.
100%
Rating: 5 of 5
Al
  • Callsign: n1api@cox.net
  • 2025-01-30 22:27:11
Found on competing web page NEWS UPDATE] by OH2BH – While waiting for an answer from the local authorities that issued our permit, the SV1GA/A team decided to leave Mt. Athos. Team members Adrian, KO8SCA and Gabi, YO8WW left yesterday and Aris SV1GA, Niko OH2GEK and Marti, OH2BH are on their way home today. We are hoping to provide further details soon.
100%
Rating: 5 of 5
Lars
  • Callsign: OZ1HPS
  • 2025-01-30 17:57:09
it's dead annoying with all the extraneous advertisements.
100%
Rating: 5 of 5
eeltje luxen
  • Callsign: PA0LUX
  • 2025-01-30 15:49:22
Please make a deal if needed and please stay there some extra days if possible. Most Hams are very very glad that you are there. Never know when the next time will be. Please ignore those who do not know what Ham spirit is about.
100%
Rating: 5 of 5
Demetreos
  • Callsign: SV2GWY
  • 2025-01-30 15:42:30
In May 2015, four YL radio amateurs led by Yuri YL2GM had announced a ten-day dxpedition in Mount Athos. They had “DIMONITIRIO” (permit to enter as pilgrims) but upon entering the ferry, Customs officers saw the equipment and after consultation with the Holy Administration, they GENERALLY prohibited their entry, not even as pilgrims ! I believe now they are on the “persona non grata” list. Almost a month later, the Holy Administration issued the now well-known Administrative Circular, where it hardens its stance towards amateur radio broadcasts from Mount Athos, meaning that it is allowed to Monks amateur radio operators living in Mount Athos and to individuals or Groups of amateur radio operators with a Special Call Sign approved by the Ministry of Digital Governance and the Holy Administration. This is still valid today, but I AM VERY AFRAID, after the well-known recent unpleasant events (Holy Administration, Police, Prosecutor, interrogation, detention, deportation etc) with team-leader Martti OH2BH Group at fault, the Holy Community will issue a new Administrative Circular with even more unfavorable terms! If this really happens, I hope and pray that the voices calling for the deletion of Mount Athos will not be heard. Martti, you have caused us great inconvenience and you will probably cause even greater damage. So let the countries you plan to visit…beware.
100%
Rating: 5 of 5
Demetreos
  • Callsign: SV2GWY
  • 2025-01-30 15:39:34
Ioan, the last 4 days many accuses from many hams to Martti about his "permit" to operate from Mt Athos. If you were in his place and you were ritgh, you would publish your permit at once. We are all curius to see. SV2GWY
100%
Rating: 5 of 5
Chrys
  • Callsign: SV1HEP
  • 2025-01-30 15:30:40
loan Can you share with us a copy of this license, because are you sure for this, or just because the famous call sign involved you are believer to them.
100%
Rating: 5 of 5
Ioan
  • Callsign: YO2LEA
  • 2025-01-30 12:28:43
Demetreos, you are full of poison and malice man. OH2BH - Marti activated so many rare countries, has a lot of experience, I'm sure has the permission to work there from someone. Your comments doesn't help anyone.
100%
Rating: 5 of 5
William
  • Callsign: VK3DOB
  • 2025-01-30 10:43:20
Bernie W3UR: "Many unsubstantiated rumors and expressions of ill-will......" . You can hardly call a communique from Mt. Athos Holy Community stating that SV1GA/A is illegal and has been closed down as an unsubstantiated rumour! C'mon, Martti & his mates cut-corners, tried to pull a fast one and got caught with their pants down! Time to fess-up and move on.
100%
Rating: 5 of 5
Demetreos
  • Callsign: SV2GWY
  • 2025-01-29 12:03:43
Operations like this one, made the Holy Administration of Mount Athos harsh and unyielding in applications for amateur radio activities on Mount Athos. With cunning and behind-the-scenes moves, with the intention of mocking the Monks who are not obliged to know all the provisions of their Constitution. They tried to do something similar with YL Group in 2015 who they were expelled from the first moment during the Custom Check. Much earlier, the DJ6SI, but this was a habit for him (Spratly etc). In any case, this Holy Place as a self-government has decisions and regarding amateur radio broadcasts from Mount Athos it allows ONLY Monks linving in Mt Athos and amateur radio groups with a Special Callsign after approval by the Holy Administration and the Ministry of Telecommunications. Simple….but difficult. If the team leader Martti OH2BH overlooked what is Legal on Mount Athos then he has suffered the consequences. If he tried to get informed but due to the language, he was not understood, then he should have addressed the Official Amateur Radio Association of Greece. If he did not do so, then he has suffered the consequences. Just because he has a Huge Resume with DXpeditions does not mean that he is above the Law. NO ONE is. As I have been involved for many years and several times about ham radio from Mount Athos, it takes time, patience and submission to the terms and institutions of this Holy Place, something that Martti OH2BH did not pay attention to. They are very lucky that the Abbot of the Monastery anticipated the relevant procedures of the protocol and "extincted" so smoothly ! They will not be sanctioned, nor will their equipment and personal belongings be confiscated and most importantly, their Criminal Record will not be tainted. They remain as pilgrims in the Monastery and I don't know if they will become "persona non grada" on Mount Athos for now on. However, what is not going to be fixed is the reputation of team leader Martti OH2BH, which I doubt will find operators for his next (?) expedition.
100%
Rating: 5 of 5
Emanuele
  • Callsign: IW2NKV
  • 2025-01-29 00:08:49
The problem is: how could they have a licence to broadcast if the call prefixes for Mount Athos are SV2A, SY? This is why so many have raised doubts about the legitimacy of the call in the context. It would be preferable to get an answer from RAAG and not from the stakeholders at this point. Also because if you tell me that you are in order, at the first email from a Serbian amateur radio operator they block your operations something is wrong, and excuse me but at this point I no longer trust the word of an operator, I would prefer to hear from the Greek amateur radio association.
100%
Rating: 5 of 5
Greg
  • Callsign: WB2CLL
  • 2025-01-28 17:59:53
It’s amazing how those first lucky operators who stumbled on the Mt Athos operation are cheering for Martii and those only dreaming of being in that log are trashing them and hoping they get struck by lightning!
100%
Rating: 5 of 5
Emanuele
  • Callsign: IW2NKV
  • 2025-01-28 11:31:34
See here https://raag.org/sv-operating/ ‘Please note that the agreements are only for CEPT full licence holders and that the agreement does not cover Mount Athos’. ‘It does NOT cover Mount Athos! It's English , not even in Greek which I can tell you (but that's your business that you didn't understand) that you misunderstood it!
100%
Rating: 5 of 5
Al
  • Callsign: 4L5A
  • 2025-01-28 09:47:22
I think the members of the expedition now need our support moral and not only. So let's support them at least with warm words.
100%
Rating: 5 of 5
Ron
  • Callsign: N0SL
  • 2025-01-28 02:26:44
I worked them on 30m FT8 for an ATNO #314. Was hoping to get them on other bands and CW. Looks like my QSO will not count. There statement before the shut down “We would like to think that this activation of Mt. Athos is just a first step to open the doors for other teams to activate this desired amateur radio entity. Our goal is to show that amateur radio DX expeditions have no impact on the monastic life of the Holy Mountain.” IMHO, Looks like they did show an impact on the monastery. This could torpedo and future dxpeditions. This sucks!
100%
Rating: 5 of 5
John
  • Callsign: K5MO
  • 2025-01-27 23:13:39
Thanks for the QSo!
100%
Rating: 5 of 5
Ed
  • Callsign: K6EGF
  • 2025-01-27 22:48:18
I don't believe for a second they did not have permission to operate from there. I'm with Mike (W0MU) on this. Time to remove it from the DXCC List,
20%
Rating: 1 of 5
Nick
  • Callsign: dl0ga
  • 2025-01-27 18:23:57
Hrane says that operation is illegal
100%
Rating: 5 of 5
Mike
  • Callsign: W0MU
  • 2025-01-27 18:11:13
Might be time to remove Athos from the DXCC. It is no more a country than an indian reservation or even a church. Another ARRL mistake like BS rocks.
100%
Rating: 5 of 5
Jaime Eloy
  • Callsign: CU3AK
  • 2025-01-27 16:13:54
Who is operating as SV1GA and from where ? This station operates in several bands at the same time. Pirate ?
100%
Rating: 5 of 5
Team
  • Callsign: SV1GA/A
  • 2025-01-27 09:37:46
SV1GA/A News January 26, 2025 Our Mt. Athos written amateur radio permit allows us to operate for 10 days which means that we will be on the air until February 3, 2025. We have about 10K QSOs in the log and have been on the air on multiple bands including 160m and QO-100 satellite. Yesterday we have made the first log upload to ClubLog and enabled OQRS. ClubLog: https://clublog.org/charts/?c=SV1GA/A We will be deploying our last antennas today for the 80m and 60m bands. Please note that all our FT8 operating is Fox/Hound using the latest version of the WSJT-X software (ver. 2.7 RC8). We would like to think that this Mt. Athos activation is just a first step in opening the doors to other teams to activate this desired amateur radio entity. Our goal is to show that amateur radio DXpeditions have no impact on the monastic life of the Holy Mountain. On the contrary, it creates goodwill and allows the 3 million amateurs around world to see this beautiful and serene place with different eyes. All proceeds from the SV1GA/A DXpedition are donated to the Mt. Athos monasteries to support them in their efforts to restore and maintain the historical sites on the Holy Mountain. The donations are done by PayPal through GRACE CHARITABLE FOUNDATION which is listed as a Public Charity 501(c)(3) entity (tax deductible donations) in the USA. Mount Athos has been listed as a World Heritage Site since 1988.
100%
Rating: 5 of 5
Joel Bagley
  • Callsign: KJ0I
  • 2025-01-27 01:01:55
EB7DX is listed as QSL manager
100%
Rating: 5 of 5
Al
  • Callsign: 4L5A
  • 2025-01-26 23:27:27
Hi Marc! I dont know why but SV1GA/A not announce QSL route. As soon as we will receive info we will publish it.
100%
Rating: 5 of 5
Marc
  • Callsign: WB9DBD
  • 2025-01-26 23:25:56
SV1GA/A has no address; no mention for QSLING?? Why???