BURKINA FASO ON 30M

BURKINA FASO ON 30M

Max DK1MAX is currently operating from the West African nation of Burkina Faso (formerly the Republic of  Upper Volta). Using the callsign XT2MAX, this DXpedition is running from April 17 to 25, using CW and FT8. From his QRZ.COM page, Max lists the planned operating frequencies for FT8:

FT8 Fox/Hound mode:
Planning to operate 5 kHz above the standard frequencies. This depends on band usage and QRM situation. Look for XT2MAX FT8 f/h here:

1845, 3578, 5357/5362, 7079, 10141, 14079, 18105, 21079, 24920, 28079 kHz

160m JA 1845/1908 kHz split.

I was delighted to make a QSO with XT2MAX on April 19, which was completed at 0654 UTC on 10141 kHz.  I had been chasing this one since it first started two days earlier. During those two days, I could hear all the callers but no signal from XT2. Then, checking at the same time on the third day, suddenly the XT2 signal was breaking through quite well. I had four shots at calling before getting a response from him and completing the contact. GOOD STUFF!! However, by 0725 his signal had faded here at Mount Evelyn, although there were plenty of callers trying for him in other parts of the world (especially Japan at that time).

Initially, I was not sure if his signal was arriving here in southeastern Australia via the long or short path. It could have potentially been either path, but I’m feeling now that it was more probably LP at 10 mHz, which would have been just past sunrise at the XT2 and near sunset for me in VK3. SP would be an all-daylight route, so probably less likely to make it that way. Additionally, I have a big hill behind my property that effectively blocks the SP route.

Another thing to like about this DXpedition was that I was able to have the contact confirmed within just a few minutes! Rather than having to wait weeks for DXpeditioners to arrive home, get their logs sorted, and then I have to spend $$$ on applying for the QSL cards, Max's operation uses ONLY eQSL and Logbook of the World (LoTW) for verification purposes. So, when I went to eQSL.cc about ten minutes after the QSO, my QSL card (see above) was already waiting for me, and the LoTW verification was already completed! MORE GOOD STUFF!! Clearly, parts of Burkina Faso have a better Internet connection than some African countries!

I am hoping to catch this DXpedition on other bands before the operation is completed.

UPDATED: April 20 at 0720 UTC
Have you heard of the old saying: "It never rains but it pours"? Well, sure enough, just 24 hours after my QSO with XT2MAX, I have had another contact into Burkina Faso! This time with another German amateur radio operator, Harald DF2WO. Harald is using the callsign XT2AW while he is stationed in Ouagadougou (the capital city). Again my QSO was on 30 meters at 0706 UTC on FT8. Harald will be in Burkina Faso until April 30. Check his QRZ.COM page for details of the operation and QSLing arrangements.

Remember Upper Volta?

In the second half of the 20th century, every African nation had its own shortwave service. Many countries on the continent were French colonies ("French Overseas Territories"), and Upper Volta was part of a sprawling region known as French West Africa. On December 11, 1958, the country became formally known as the Republic of Upper Volta. Upper Volta draws its name from the nation's location along the upper reaches of the Volta River. In 1960, the country finally gained true independence from France. Since then, tremulous times have been experienced through constant political upheavals. In August 1984, the country took on its current name of Burkina Faso.

Interestingly, the national broadcaster, Radiodiffusion Télévision du Burkina was one of the last African stations to retreat from shortwave broadcasting, ending during the course of 2010. Now, the entire country relies fully on FM broadcasting.

Here is my QSL card from a Radio Ouagadougou broadcast on 4815 kHz on August 23, 1972. The card took two months to arrive.

So.....it has been great to be able to renew an acquaintance with the country of Burkina Faso (Upper Volta) on shortwave after all this time!

73 and have a great weekend everyone!

Rob Wagner VK3BVW

 Subscribe!!

Follow @robvk3bvw

QRZ callsign lookup:

© Rob Wagner, Mount Evelyn DX Report, and contributors 2012-2019