First Transatlantic 144 MHz contact

A historic contact was made on Sunday the 16th June 2019 when the Atlantic was spanned for the first time on 144 MHz.

D41CV on Cape Verde Islands off the coast of Africa managed to work FG8OJ in Guadeloupe on 144.174 MHz using the FT8 digital mode. The distance was an incredible 3,867 kms.

Rotterdam Tramway Company

The RTM (Rotterdam Tramway Company) Museum in Ouddorp houses a collection of steam and diesel locomotives, as well as beautifully restored carriages and goods wagons, of which some are still in use today.  
You can wander round the depot and admire the old post van and the last surviving camping coach.

I made this photo of the tracks:

Steam tram from 1906:

Diesel tram inside the depot:

www.rtm-ouddorp.nl

First 2m QSO with UK

After completing the prototype of the interface circuit I was able to operate with FT-8 using the almost 40 year old FT-480R transceiver. June 1 I made some FT-8 contacts of which the one with Mike, G3YPP (QTH loc. JO02rv) was quite interesting for me, since this was my first 2m QSO with UK on 144 MHz (using a modest discone antenna at 4 meters above sealevel and 5 Watts RF).

Protoype interface: