ZS8W Marion Island By YL2GM.
According to DXNews.com, “Yuris, YL2GM will be active as ZS8W from Marion Island, Prince Edward Islands, IOTA AF – 021, 21 April – 16 May 2025. He will operate on 160 – 6m, CW, SSB, Digital modes.”
Normally I’d be excited at the chance to work ZS8W but there’s a couple items that have tempered my enthusiasm on this specific activation.
First of all Yuris/YL2GM doesn’t work much CW and he barely works SSB, if at all. This DXpedition has all the signs of being just another lazy computer scripted text messaging activation. Secondly he’s a solo DXpeditioner. There’s no “team” here – it’s a one man operation.
Here’s data I pulled from a few of YL2GM’s latest DXpeditions. The percentages:
ZD9W: 11% CW, 4% Phone & 85% FT8
K8K: 4% CW, 0% Phone, 96% FT8
VK9LA: 2.5% CW, 0% Phone, 97.5% FT8
VK9CY: 26% CW, 0% Phone, 74% FT8
VU7W: 10% CW, 1% Phone, 88% FT8
I seriously doubt much will change with his upcoming Marion Island activation as ZS8W. My guess they’ll be a little CW, almost no SSB and over 85 to 90% lazy computer scripted text messaging. Anybody that thinks different would you like to place a bet (or two)?
For all the real Ham Radio Operators left in the hobby we’ll have to take our chances his computer will lock up and become useless forcing him into actually communicate via the “human modes”. For the lesser non-communicating Text Messengers best hope his computer virus software is up-to-date so you can pretend you (and not your computer) actually worked Marion Island.
On the off-chance there’s a CW or SSB pile-up I hope to see you real Hams in the mix!
N0UN
–.- … –
Updated, Edited To Add 1500Z 30/April/2025
I saw on Club Log yesterday evening ZS8W had started working some CW on 40 Meters. 281 Q’s of 7,241. With those 281 CW Q’s his overall CW count went from 0% to 3.9%. Sad to say there were NO CW Q’s with North America on 40 Meters, zero.
From past experiences working ZS8M, ZS8C and ZS8Z in the early morning 20 Meters Long Path from Colorado, before I hit the rack for the evening I pointed my GXP 18-4 Beam to Asia at 298 degrees and tuned up the amplifier in the CW portion of 20 Meters on the chance ZS8W would recognize our North America Long Path window.
And when I woke early this morning guess who was there to greet me with a booming signal?
N0UN working ZS8W 20 Meters CW
I have to say that pile-up at OVER 20 kHz wide was absolutely BRUTAL!
But yet, so sooooo satisfying when you finally break through!
Hopefully we get more Human Mode pile-ups! I’ll see you there!
N0UN
–.- … –
Updated, Edited To Add 0400Z 6/May/2025
As of the latest log update a few hours ago ZS8W has worked 0% SSB, 9% CW and 91% FT8 overall.
Quite dismal for North America as only .75% of his Q’s s are NA CW.
Yes, not even 1%! .75 CW, 0% SSB – The 108 that actually earned their Q:
DX Bulletins on the Internet are also reporting ZS8W is off the air for the next 3 days (again). Even more news on the Internet show a couple disgruntled Hams from South Africa and Australia that are reporting the coworkers of ZS8W want Yuris and his Ham Radio’s sent back to the S.A. Agulhas II Supply Ship, and his entire operation disqualified for DXCC.
These are the same self-proclaimed “experts” that tried to derail the 2025 Mount Athos DXpedition (13,500 Q’s) and 2023’s successful Bouvet DXpedition (18,500 Q’s). Both are valid for DXCC. They’re also after the 2026 Peter I Island and 2027 Bouvet DXpeditions. All I can say is good luck with that.
Like I’ve said before, if on the off chance there’s some Human Mode pileups after his 3 day break and before he leaves Marion Island – that’s where you’ll find me. Hope to see you there!
N0UN
Final QSO numbers were 27,379 on FT8. 4,242 on CW and 51 on Phone for 31,672 total Q’s. That is exactly what you said he would do, “My guess they’ll be a little CW, almost no SSB and over 85 to 90% lazy computer scripted text messaging. Anybody that thinks different would you like to place a bet (or two)?”
You must have been part of the ZS8W preparations knowing he was going to do this is all I can think. Either that or you have some mystical power to see into the future.
Absolutely TERRIBLE operation. Only 1 ham from my Texas club worked him on CW. Too much FT.
With one day left your prediction is on the money. I thought to bet you but I am glad I did not. 27,387 contacts. 23,461 on FT. Where do you hang around these days? Herb.
Herb, still around but nowhere in particular. Pretty rare to hear any good DX on SSB or CW anymore. Shoot me an email and let’s set up a sked!
N0UN
FT8NoFT8, I wholeheartedly agree!
N0UN
Wow, from your recording you heard him really good on the long path, congratulations! I was working the morning you worked him and haven’t heard him yet on CW. I need him for an ATNO.
Chas, no doubt he was strong – tough part was breaking that 20-25kHz pileup! I went up 3 and parked there. Hope you get’m!
N0UN
i really pissed off with this ft-8 textpeditioners. until o great voice arise and take in control of this will no ever be real dxpeditions anymore. i would not donor or fund any club organization or dxgroup that will take their look aside.
I really think ARRL or another arise organization should set quotes for being valid. about 33% on real typical modes and other percent as they want.
Somebody tolds me , you cant regulate operators like, mode of peration they want.. no you cant, but can impose a regulation to be valid on lotw. but why nobody do it? beacuse this is a raising money machine for both parts. i really hopes a great national club arise and take this really by their horns. Do you want my money, so keep real ham radio.
anthony, day after day of “a lot of nothing” sure is frustrating!
N0UN
But why don’t I see you guys just activate those places in SSB of CW than?
Tarkan, we don’t need the money like the TXTer’s do. We are real DXer’s, not TXTer’s chasing the $$$.
N0UN
Terrible operation. When I saw it was Yuris YL2GM I also knew it would be nothing more than a money making FT8 expedition. I’m no longer sending my donations to the NCDXF that support these type of operations. I am OVER it.
I read the ZS8DX post on their Facebook page. Sounds like Dom 3Z9DX is jealous Yuris beat him to ZS8. I haven’t sent the Rebels a penny in years either. I felt they are holding the radio community hostage for QSL payments. I wasted hundreds of dollars on his failed Bouvet and charter membership scam. I’ll never trust him again. When I saw his post in January of this year that he was planning Bouvet again I had a good chuckle.
I haven’t heard you on the air in quite some time, but I do get your Website emails. Keep them coming!
73, CDX
I haven’t heard you around either CDX! What gives?
N0UN
This is not amateur radio. 1st log in 100% ft8. This old man zs8w is only on radio for money. He go travel places and make the money for computer qso. He sold himself like whore for money. Same for rebel group. Whores for money.
Felix, I’m embarrassed I co-founded that Group.
N0UN
ZS8W versus ZS8DX – Misery Loves Company. A race to the bottom of the hobby:
https://dxnews.com/forum/forum/clubs/65328-rebel-dx-group-zs8dx
The Big Money Grab in play
How embarrassing, hahaha
N0UN
The reality of current dxpeditions is that FT8 allows you to make over 100k qsos, which equates to $2-5 for Qsls.
So its a financial decision to prioritize FT8
Of course it is – the Big FT8 Money Grab:
https://www.n0un.net/the-big-ft8-money-grab/
N0UN
I am afraid you are right …. This is the same guy who ruined the Scottish VK9X dxpedition Nov/Dec 2023 (by going just one week earlier and not announcing that other than only 2 weeks ahead, https://www.dx-world.net/vk9xgm-christmas-island/). Anyway, we have to wait and see, for the time being he is stuck on the boat due to bad weather. Supposedly, there is a fair chance on landing on Saturday Apr 26. I have ZS8 in SSB but the real thing for me is CW, so this one would feel as a real ATNO. Active till May 15 or so … Pile ups will be like a real war zone (remember FT8WW …?).
Hello Enno, I remember FT8WW well. And not for the activation, but the promise of CW & SSB as the “priority” while fundraising prior to the DXpedition, but then getting there and running FT8 as the priority (71%).
FT8WW Crozet On The Air | N0UN.net
N0UN
I’m with you. The only way to deal with this problem is getting on the air and calling cq and making real contacts. Sure it may take a while , but I don’t care, a few real dx contacts are worth it for me. This textpeditions will keep going but let them have it , I’ll still be on the air making traditional contacts. When I hear this school club roundup stations and people
On ssb banging their heads try to make contacts going unanswered I always get them a contact, we all should do the same, encourage these cw and ssb ops, ft8 is not going away , and neither am I
I
AJ, same. I occasionally get on and call CQ but it seems my N0UN Fan Club starts QRMing, making noises and disrupts some pretty good DX runs anymore. But like you we stay the course! See ya’ ’round!
N0UN
Yeah I feel the same way as you and not getting any hopes up. I’m sick of this FT8 mess
Tony, TXTpeditioners chasing the FT8 money and real DXers chasing the human modes. One big “open circuit” for many.
N0UN
Amen brother. N4KS
More riding, less radio. Good to hear from you brother from another mother!
N0UN