ZL7 and ZL - EME activations on the 1296 and 144 Mhz bands.

Hello to all EME enthusiasts,

The next destination on the map is Chatham Island. I plan to be active from March 21st to 26th, 2026, as ZL7/LY3UM(QTH loc: AE16rb).

On the morning of March 27th, I’ll fly back to Auckland and will operate as ZL1/LY3UM for a couple of days. I haven’t found a place to stay yet; the last thing I want to do is navigate the traffic of a 1.7-million-strong city with left-hand driving. That will probably be my toughest challenge! )))

The ZL7 window with Western Europe is very short — only 30 to 60 minutes on both MR and MS. Therefore, G, PA, and ON stations are my top priority.

I will start as usual on 1296.100 in 30B mode. I’ll keep the QSOs as brief as possible: I’ll first respond to those calling with a report, send a return report (e.g., R-22), and as soon as I receive “RRR”, I’ll move straight to the next caller. Please do not crowd at 1000 and 1500 Hz. Instead, spread out at 200 Hz intervals to allow more stations to get through.

To keep things interesting, I’m also bringing a 144 MHz setup: 2 x 9 el (17 dBi) and an 800W PA. Chatham Island is known for very strong winds, and I’m afraid my mesh dish will struggle in these latitudes. If the weather permits, I will focus primarily on the 23 cm band. However, if the wind gets too strong, I’ll switch to 2 m, as the antenna has a much lower wind load. That said, during my MS and MR, I will prioritize 23 cm whenever possible.

As always, check this page for updates. Once I reach New Zealand, I’ll post logs and comments for each location.

73 to all!

Alex, EA8DBM (LY3UM)