Radio amateur Paulo Bauer Jorge, F5VMJ / G0MUW, member QO-100 DX Club No. 715, represents an exceptional example of systematic portable activation via the geostationary satellite QO-100 (Es'hail-2). According to the QO-100 DX Club database (as of June 21, 2026), Paulo was active 285-krát z 269 rôznych lokátorových štvorcov. Jeho aktivácie pokrývajú viacero európskych krajín a v rámci satelitnej komunity sa stal príkladom toho, ako kombinovať portabilnú prevádzku s prísnym dodržiavaním prevádzkových procedúr a etiky.
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Year 2022 – start of rover operations
The first recorded activations date back to November 2022. At that time, Paulo was broadcasting as F5VMJ/P from the locators JN08, JN09, IN98 and IN99 – i.e. exclusively from the territory of France. In five activations in two trips, he verified the technical solution of the portable station for access to QO-100 and confirmed the functionality of the system in open terrain.
Year 2023 – first foreign activations
In 2023, the range of activations expanded significantly. Paulo gradually covered dozens of new locator squares within France and for the first time also operated from abroad. In July 2023, he activated locators in Belgium (ON/F5VMJ/P, JO11, JO21) and Germany (DL/F5VMJ/P, JO30, JO31, JO40, JO41). In September 2023, he added Italy (I/F5VMJ/P, locators JN34–JN56) and other German squares. In the fall of 2023, he went to Ireland and Northern Ireland, where he operated under the call signs EI5LF/P and GI0MUW/P from several locators including IO41–IO65. The year 2023 thus included activations from France, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Ireland and Northern Ireland.
Year 2024 – Greece, United Kingdom, Iceland and other countries
V roku 2024 Paulo rozšíril svoju aktivitu ďaleko za hranice strednej Európy. Vo februári 2024 operoval z pevninského Grécka ako SVx/F5VMJ/P (call oblasti SV1, SV2, SV3, SV4, SV7) a neskôr z ostrova Kréta ako SV9/F5VMJ/P – celkovo aktivoval viaceré lokátory v rozsahu KM06–KN31. Komunita QO-100 DX Club sledovala jeho presun v reálnom čase prostredníctvom priebežných noviniek na webe klubu. Neskôr v roku 2024 nasledoval výjazd do Spojeného kráľovstva. Na stretnutí AMSAT-DL počas Ham RADIO Friedrichshafen 2024 prezentoval prehľad svojich aktivácií a bol uznaný certifikátom za príkladný záväzok v propagácii prevádzky cez amatérske satelity.
Year 2025 – Iceland and beyond
V roku 2025 Paulo pokračoval v rover aktivite a navštívil Island, kde pracoval ako TF/F5VMJ. Okrem SSB využil pri aktiváciách aj mód FT8 – which was his first time on a major tour after a positive experience in the UK. His methodology and technical solution for the portable station for the QO-100 presented at the RSGB 2025 Convention, where the lecture was also made available online.
Year 2026 – QO-100 DX Club Award
In June 2026, the QO-100 DX Club administrators decided to award the first annual QO-100 DX Club Award. The award is given to an operator who, in the club’s opinion, “went above and beyond” in operating for the benefit of the entire QO-100 DX community while maintaining high operating standards and ethics. The 2026 award went to Paulo Jorge, F5VMJ, for his long-term rover activity. He was presented with his diploma in person on Saturday, June 28, 2026, at the QO-100 DX Club Meeting in Friedrichshafen.
"Recently we (the administrators) decided to issue an annual award, to recognize the amateur that, in our view, went 'the extra mile' while operating for the benefit of the whole QO-100 Dx community, keeping a very high standard of operating procedures and ethics." — QO-100 DX Club, June 2026
Overview of F5VMJ activations by year
| Year | Countries (selection) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | France | Start of rover activity, 5 activations |
| 2023 | France, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Ireland, Northern Ireland | First foreign activations, including EI5LF/P and GI0MUW/P |
| 2024 | Greece (including SV9/Crete), United Kingdom | AMSAT-DL Certificate for the Promotion of Satellite Operations |
| 2025 | Iceland (TF/F5VMJ) and others | First use of FT8 on tour, RSGB 2025 lecture |
| 2026 | Activations continue | QO-100 DX Club Award, 285 activations from 269 locators (as of 21. 6. 2026) |
Educational dimension of rover activations via QO-100
Portable operation via QO-100 is technically significantly different from regular SOTA or IOTA activity – it requires a 2.4 GHz transmitter, a parabolic or flat patch antenna, power supply, an LNB for 739 MHz reception and a solution for the satellite elevation window for a given geographical location. Paulo repeatedly shows in his presentations that even in locations with low elevation angles, operation is possible with the right antenna position and orientation. Each activation from a new locator square adds value to hundreds of hunters who follow the VUCC score via satellite.
A call for more activators
QO-100 DX Club vedie verejný zoznam rover staníc a rebríčky aktivátorov podľa počtu DXCC entities and locator squares. If you are considering portable operation via QO-100, a complete list of F5VMJ activations, locator map and club rules are available at qo100dx.clubEvery new locator square or DXCC entity activated from a portable station is automatically entered into the common database - for the benefit of the entire community.