[UPDATE] – Courtesy of info published on the ZD9W website, there’s now a feature that enables you to embed the position of “MV Lance”, so we duly have:

[NEWS UPDATE] – MV Lance is approximately half way to Tristan da Cunha.  Apparently, Yuris had seasickness during the first days of the trip. Now he feels OK. Internet is available for short text messages every 2nd day for a short time.

[SEPTEMBER 19] – In the evening Yuris wrote short message confirming the potential delay – ship captain’s latest forecast for reaching ZD9 is September 26th, subject to change depending on the actual weather conditions.

Free user account plans of vessel tracking websites do not show details of vessels which are obtained using SAT-AIS system, but looks like Lance (the ship) progresses towards ZD9 a bit slower than anticipated. In 4 days it has managed to do about 1050 km, with approximately 1750 km still left to go. And the speed of it is about 9-11 kmph. Weather forecast websites show headwind on the path. It seems like it might take a day or two longer than expected for the ship to reach ZD9. 

[SEPTEMBER 16] – The ship “MV Lance” is currently (1045z) in Cape Town awaiting to depart later today for ZD9. It takes approx one week to get to Tristan da Cunha. You can track the ship here or here. She make about six voyages to Tristan per year, carrying a maximum of 12 passengers each crossing – “Captain” Yuris is one of them today.

Captain Yuris !

MV Lance

[SEPTEMBER 11] – Yuris will fly from Riga, Latvia to Frankfurt, Germany. From there he will take the evening flight to Cape Town, South Africa. He will spend 3 nights there waiting for the ship to Tristan da Cunha. It takes the whole week for the ship to get to ZD9. Arrival to ZD9 is scheduled for September 22. At the moment luggage weighs 63kg – transceivers, power supplies, power amplifiers, 6m beam with the mast. He will pick up extra 30kg in Cape Town – Spiderbeam and low band vertical. 

[AUGUST 24] – Yuris updates to say the 6m band yagi for ZD9W DXpedition is ready and being tested at his home. It weights 2.6kg, plus 3kg of 8m high Spiderbeam 12m HD fiberglass mast without 4 top sections. 

[AUGUST 11] – Yuris, YL2GM (recently VU7W) will be active from Tristan da Cunha as ZD9W during September 24 to October 22, 2023. ZD9 is #44 in Club Log’s DXCC Most Wanted List as of August 2023.

A solo activity, you can find out full details including bands and modes by visiting the ZD9W page. DX-World will also regularly update on this activity once it begins.