Krish, W4VKU will be active from Andaman Islands, 27 November - 11 December 2024.
Information from his QRZ page:
Recent DX Spots VU4A
Krish will be back in VU4 in late November to mid December 2024.
Since many of you were unable to work VU4, due to the noise levels encountered during the previous VU4N trip, the needed permission was sought back in January 2024 to return back and finish the effort.
Plans are for SSB and FT8.
Equipment is about the same as the last trip. May change the antennae plans slightly.
More updates to come. Please stay tuned.
Donations - Not expecting any upfront support, since unlike in the past, where i used to be able to constantly update the list of donors, send them QSLs first and also thank them on the air. But given the insane work hours, i am not able to dedicate much time to curate the information and do justice for the generosity. If you still feel like, you wish to donate, you could send them at a later date, after the operation. Here is the paypal address VU4A_DX@yahoo.com. Please make sure, your callsign is available with any donation.
Log update requests - VU4A_Log@yahoo.com
If you are looking for the 2015 VU4A operation, the QSL's are available via VU4I.
Some notes on the 2024 VU4A QSL:
1) Please no paper cards via Bureau. I will open up clublog Oqrs for Bureau requests later on, once the direct OQRS requests are done with.
2) Ideally, even direct paper qsl reqeusts take a lot of time to process, so the preference is clublog OQRS. But, i understand that we have a subset of hams, who refrain from using paypal. So, for those, it is alright to mail the requests, but i work 12 hour days over the weekdays and on weekends, i am busy with my business. So please bear with me.
3) If multiple operation QSL cards are requested in a single envelope, then it will be the last to process, since i will need to generate the QSL records for multiple operations and then print the labels. I usually finish it for one operation and switch to the other. So you will need to have patience.
4) FT8 log corrections are difficult. Please take screenshots. Will need to see valid QSO's before and after your QSO in the FT8 software, for me to locate the timeperiod to reconcile. Best is to try to work again.
Previous activity:
VU4A Log search Special callsign issued for HAMTECH 2015, International Conference on Amateur Radio Communications organised by National Institute of Amateur Radio (NIAR), Hyderabad, India.
VU4A : Operated by Foreign Radio Amateurs
VU4I : Operated by Indian Radio Amateurs
Location: Port Blair, Andaman & Nicobar
Dates: 6 to 18 March 2015
QSL via DL4KQ
Andaman and Nicobar Islands
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are a large archipelago located in the Bay of Bengal. Administratively, the territory belongs to India and is governed by the authorities of this country. Of the huge number of islands (a total of 570) that make up the group, only 40 are inhabited.
Many people who have visited the Andamans say that they are a real paradise on Earth. Warm tropical climate without sharp temperature changes, abundance of bright green vegetation, snow-white beaches, rich underwater world give these places a completely unique character.
The Andamans are a former British colony. The islands were used by the British as a place of exile and were considered a “ruinous place”. The memory of those times is captured in the museum exhibits and tourist attraction, which is organized in the building of the former prison. Nowadays Andaman Islands are developing as a separate territory with its own economic, cultural and ecological peculiarities. An important place in the economy of Andaman is occupied by tourism. Travelers are attracted, first of all, by ecological safety, untouched nature of the archipelago. The fact is that the Indian government decided to preserve the islands as a nature reserve. The number of enterprises, ports, densely populated areas is minimized. Even visiting the islands by foreigners must be formalized with a special permit (which, however, is very easy to obtain).
That is why the archipelago has preserved pristine tropical thickets, white sand, clean ocean waters, unique flora and fauna. But the most striking fact is that the Andaman Islands are still inhabited by tribes whose way of life can be called primitive. However, it is possible to see these people only in photos and videos: visiting their settlements is strictly prohibited.
Why come to the Andamans? Goal one: excellent diving. In the protected waters surrounding the islands, you will find a huge variety of underwater life. Not only can you scuba dive here, but you can also snorkel, as there are many shallow spots where fish and other marine life can be seen. For snorkelers in Port Blair there is a diving center where you can hire an instructor and rent equipment.
Goal two: escape from civilization and immerse yourself in the elements of primitive nature. Quiet solitude, relaxing on sparsely visited white beaches, swimming, walking, yoga... If this kind of pastime appeals to you, the Andamans are a great place to spend an unforgettable vacation. There are still few tourists in the Andaman Islands, only those who want to see our world in its original form are drawn here. Fans of noisy parties, animators, fashionable hotels and restaurants rarely appear in the Andamans. The beach island on the islands is quite different from what we are used to in the most popular resorts. There is no such service here, but there is a vast expanse of ocean, the clearest sky and half-empty beaches.
Goal three: to get acquainted with the amazing atmosphere of the Andaman Islands, to add to your arsenal of tourist experiences. Andamans are ideal for those who have already traveled half of the world and want to see something new. The unique tropical nature, the life and culture of the locals, the peculiar color of local settlements - all this is of great interest to experienced travelers. There are curious museums in Port Blair (maritime, forest, anthropological, former prison building).
Most hotels in the Andamans are small bungalows with minimal amenities, but you can also find more comfortable modern hotels. Due to the fact that the islands have the status of a natural-historical reserve, visiting them is regulated by the state. Having obtained a visa and a special permit, tourists can visit a limited number of islands, and on some of them you can live, and others - only to visit during the day or to explore from a boat.
It is safe to say that the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are one of the most exotic places on our planet. Having decided to spend a vacation here, you will surely experience a lot of bright sensations and will never be able to forget this protected land.
