Tropical Cyclone Maysak disrupted the two-person V6Z DXpedition to Micronesia’s Truk (Chuuk) Island (OC-011) on March 29, when it took down all of their antennas. Chris Tran, GM3WOJ/ZL1CT and Keith Kerr, GM4YXI, plan to be active until April 9 from Chuuk Island, which counts for Micronesia for DXCC purposes (number 88 on ClubLog’s Most Wanted DXCC List). V6Z is operating from the Blue Lagoon Resort at the southern tip of the island. The cyclone killed five people on the island and destroyed three dive boats, according to GM4YXI QSL manager Steve Larson, N3SL. They also received a tsunami warning.

The pair was down for part of the day on March 30 repairing their antenna systems. Their Internet service also was disrupted or spotty, but were able to post their first logs on ClubLog at as well as to Logbook of The World (LoTW).

ESA Astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti, IZ0UDF, was able to photograph the spectacular typhoon from above on April 1 as it continued to spin in the far western Pacific Ocean with winds peaking at an estimated 160 MPH. Typhoon Maysak was forecast to weaken and hit the Philippines over the weekend. The typhoon strengthened into a super typhoon on March 31, reaching Category 5 status on the Saffir-Simpson scale.

According to NASA, the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) and Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) satellites, both co-managed by NASA and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, captured rainfall and cloud data that revealed heavy rainfall and high thunderstorms in the strengthening storm.

V6Z has been mostly on SSB, but has operated some CW on 160, 80, and 40 meters. “We are both keen contesters — we want to work big split pile-ups and tens of thousands of stations from V6Z !” the pair posted on the V6Z website.

Chuuk is one of the four states of the Federated States of Micronesia. -- Thanks to The Daily DX; NASA