Some years have passed, but the memory of this beautiful holiday and my first experience of DXers is still vivid in my mind.                 All began like a joke. During my usual Saturday’s QSO with IK1MAP and IK1YEV I announced them our next vacations to Maldives Islands, so they advised me to take my Kenwood TS-50.
At the moment it didn’t seem a good idea, but every times I met them on air they insisted on this DX Spedition, so that I was persuaded to do this new experience.
On my side it was not so easy to convince of this fact my husband Fulvio, OM too-IZ2EXA, but with a lot of patience… at the end he made me a dipole for this adventure of mine!
My first call on 20 mt. was not much successful because of the time: 15,00 GMT; I had to wait for an hour before writing my first QSO as 8Q7LY on the Log.
I got immediately good reports from OM from India, who I consider very nice gentlemen and good friends for the pleasant QSO during the day, when propagation was not good enough.

On Aug.20th, 2002 I “lived” my first pile-up: terrifying! I thought to be really crazy; on my log as IZ2ELV I wrote about 70 HF-QSO, made in 7 months and now there were a lot of stations waiting for my call! I held out only 90 minutes, in which I worked 32 European stations.
Fulvio’s dipole was really great: it resonated on 10, 20, 15, 18 mt. – SWR 1.2 ÷ 1.4 and I got very good reports, not less then 54…in Alaska! I always begged to give me real reports and not of courtesy because I’m a YL.
During the following days I tried to work other bands, but I wasn’t able to do any QSO, I supposed because of bad propagation.
In the evening, considering the 6 hours of difference, I began to call at 17.45 GMT and in about two hours I worked about 70-100 stations.
Considering the distance I had great pleasure to contact KH6HH Shel from Hawaii, KL7HRN Edward from Alaska, LU6DF Roberto from Mar del Plata but it was really a great emotion and enjoyment for me, at my first experience, to contact ALL THE 700 STATIONS I worked, which I thank a lot!

This vacation will remain in my heart forever, both for the beautiful of Velavaru Island and for this wonderful experience.

A special thank to the Tour Operator Hotelplan, who collected for me the license and to Velavaru's Staff, who gave me a valid help for hanging up the dipole.

Once at home, when I wrote this article for the 425 Magazine for a few minutes I felt a real DXer and this opportunity  made me meet  the man who later became my great teacher, Maury IZ1CRR who taught me all the secrets to operate in radio ... and designed my QSL card!

73'  de Emanuela, 8Q7LY/ IZ2ELV