De Max ON5UR
”Where do we go next…? The question that was haunted by different heads. Finally it’s time, we’re going to Bhutan.
It was quite exciting days… behind the scenes, there was a lot of work in Japan and Bhutan to get all the official documents in order. Almost daily we received messages from ms ishidade the secretary of Zorro jh1ajt. No news, still no news, something hope visa will be soon etc etc… finally yesterday came the redeeming news, all visas and documents were ok. Pfff what a nice feeling, only five days before our departure.
Callsign:
A50BOC (Bhutan Olympic Committee ).
A50BPC (Bhutan Paralympic Committee).
Kingdom of Bhutan.
Team:
JH1AJT Zorro – Japan.
E21EIC Champ – Thailand.
DJ9ZB Franz – Germany.
KO8SCA Adrian – USA.
ON5UR Max – Belgium.
Date: 11 December-20 December 2019.
Bands: 160 – 6 mtr.
Modes: CW | SSB | Ft4 | ft8
Some facts that might be interesting to know:
Bhutan is a very isolated country located in the Himalayas between India and Tibet. There is a special experience because the airport is located at a height of 2236 meters in a deep valley. Making the airport the most dangerous airport in the world. There is only one runway of 1986 meters. There are only 12 pilots in all the world who have the permission to put a device on the ground. Countries and takeoff is only possible during the day through the high peaks that can be up to 7000 meters high. In bad weather, flights are often postponed for days.
You can’t just travel to Bhutan on your own. A lot of documents were needed that were very thoroughly checked by the gouvernment. Everyone was also seriously screened by the National Security Department because our location is very close to the royal family. Only if all the documents were ok we got a “go” for this DX-Peditie.
The Government wants to keep the country as pure as possible and therefore is not waiting for tourists. That’s why you need a visa. This Visa costs you a lot of money, namely 40 $ + 250 $ “per day – per person” that you stay in the country.
In All Bhutan you don’t find a single traffic light. A real infrastructure is hardly there. It is therefore one of the least developed countries in the world. The unique thing about Bhutan is that the people here, probably, have less problems than you would expect. Where as good as every government in the world strives for economic prosperity, the king of Bhutan has chosen ‘gross national happiness’. All laws and measures are aimed at keeping the happiness of the inhabitants as big as possible.
Our DX location is located at more than 3000 meters above sea level.
Twenty years after marc demeuleneere on4ww was the first Belgian ever to participate in the a52a DX-Peditie, I am in this team his successor. I’m secretly proud of it.
We are looking forward to this new challenge. We hope to make a lot of photos with you.
73 ‘ Max”
