3DA0DL
Kingdom of Eswatini - October/ November 2024
Operation
Our next expedition will be to the Kingdom of Eswatini. From October 25 to November 9, 2024 we will be active with the callsign 3DA0DL. We will be active with up to five stations from 80 m through 10 m on CW, SSB and digital modes. Please check our News Page.
Our equipment consists of three Icom IC7300, two IC705, power amplifiers, bandpass filters, a vertical for 160 and 80 m, a 60 m loop, a 40 m loop, a 30 m loop, a Spiderbeam for 20 m through 10 m, a spiderbeam for 30 m to 12 m, loop antennas for 20/15/10 m, HB9CV antennas for 17/12 m and a beverage.
Other information
CQ Zone 38 - ITU Zone 57 - Grid locator KG53pl
Team
Our experienced crew includes:
- DK1BT, Manfred
- DL4WK, Wolf
- DL6SAK, Annette
- DL7BO, Tom
- DL7UFR, Frank
Pilots for this DXpedition are Sigi, DL7DF and Bernd, DF3CB. Please follow the DX Code of Conduct!
QSL Information
The QSL route is via DL7UFR either direct to:
Frank Rutter, DL7UFR
Hallberger Zeile 14
12437 Berlin
Germany
or via the German QSL bureau DARC to DL7UFR.
If you prefer a direct QSL please send a SASE or SAE with 1 new IRC or 2 US$ for a international letter. When sending IRCs please check the expiration date, the new ones are valid until the end of 2023. Any donations are very welcome and needed for the high shipping costs.
If you do not provide the right return postage or a self addressed envelope, we reply via the buro. Please only one call sign per envelope! If more than one, all additional cards go via the buro.
Postage needed for 1 envelope with 20 Gramm (FYI): A letter within DL = 85 Euro Cent, a international letter costs 1.10 Euro. 1 US$ is equal to 96 Euro Cent. So please keep in mind that 1 US$ - due to the bad exchange rate between the US$ and the Euro - does not cover the postage needed for an international air mail letter!
We will upload the full logs of the DXpedition to LoTW within 6 months after the DXpedition.
Sponsors
We would like to express our sincere thanks to all our sponsors for this DXpedition:
 |
 |
| www.funkamateur.de | www.QSL-Shop.com |
 |
 |
| Rudi - DM2XO (ex DL7VFR) | The South German DX Group - SDXG |
 |
|
| The Goggas Nest BNB and Restaurant - Matsapha |
Individual sponsors
| Bernd - DF3CB Taro - JR2WCX Kerry - G8VR Manfred - DL7UML Hartmut - DM2HK Thomas - DF9TW Gregg - N6ZUE Richard - VE9HF Temple - WT4DX Lutz - DL7UGO Kerry - G8VR |
The Kingdom of Eswatini
 |
Name: | The Kingdom of Eswatini |
| Capital: | Mbabane (administrative capital); Lobamba (royal and legislative capital) |
| Location: | The kingdom is the second smallest state on the African continent after Gambia. The landlocked country's neighboring countries are Mozambique in the east and the South African provinces of Mpumalanga in the north and west and KwaZulu-Natal in the south. |
| Area: | total: 17,363 sq km |
| Climate: | Varies from tropical to near temperate. |
| Terrain: | mountains and hills, with some moderately sloping plains |
| Population: | 1,138,089 |
| Ethnic groups: | predominantly Swazi; smaller populations of other African ethnic groups, including the Zulu, as well as people of European ancestry |
| Religions: | Christian 90% (Zionist - a blend of Christianity and traditional African religions - 40%, Roman Catholic 20%, other Christian 30% - includes Anglican, Methodist, Church of Jesus Christ, Jehovah's Witness), Muslim 2%, other 8% (includes Baha'i, Buddhist, Hindu, indigenous, Jewish) (2015 est.) |
| Languages: | English (official, used for government business), siSwati (official) |
A Swazi kingdom was founded in the mid-18th century and administered as a UK territory of Swaziland from 1903 until its independence in 1968. The country’s absolute monarchy adopted limited political reforms in a 2005 constitution. Swaziland changed its name to the Kingdom of Eswatini in 2018.
Reference: CIA - The World Factbook