VQ1DR 1962 Zanzibar

Operator: Dave Rosen W2GLM, later K2GM, Silent Key (2007). His XYL was Mary, WA2QDL and VQ1YL (1962).
Dave used a KWM-1 and dipole.

When I first saw this card, I really didn't give it a second look. I knew it was a good deleted country card but I have several of those. Then I noticed the "Room No. 18 - Pigalle Hotel" and thought - that's interesting that the operator would put that on the card. So I checked Wikipedia (what would we do without it!) and found a fascinating history of the property (see below). I always considered Zanzibar a place that sounded so exotic and interesting as well as coveted DX. I wonder what kind of equipment Dave (the apparent Op) was using - did he have a small homebuilt CW rig (remember this is 1962) or was he dragging some boat anchor around (he used a KWM-1 and dipole). Was he on a DXpedition or just on holiday. The QSL manager is still listed on qrz.com (he is around 90 years old) but no e-mail address. So this card has become one of my favorites - If anyone reads about this operation in the old magazines, please let me know.

History of Zanzibar Hotel http://www.zanzibarhotel.co.tz/history.html
During the 1930s, 1940s and until November 1950 Imperial Airways and then BOAC operated flying boat services from Southampton to colonial possessions in Africa. The aircrew resided in the hotel during their stopovers en route. After the revolution in 1964, the hotel was given to local ownership where years of neglect saw it deteriorate to a sad decrepit state. In 1999, an Omani with a dream began the long process of reviving the building and transforming it into the magnificent hotel it is today.

Oscar Baumann, the Austrian explorer and cartographer, was appointed Consular General to Zanzibar by the Austro-Hungarian Government in 1896, the same year he mapped the first detailed plan of Stone Town. According to his map the area and buildings what are now The Zanzibar Hotel were the "Commando Polizeitruppe" (housed the troops of the German city police).

Sir Lloyd William Mathews, KCMG, Royal Navy Lieutenant and First Prime Minister of the Zanzibar Government purchased the house in the late 1800's and converted it into a hotel, the 1902 records show that the name Zanzibar Hotel was used, thus becoming the first purpose built hotel in Stone Town. The present day restaurant is named in honour of his legacy.

From 1923 to 1956, the hotel was sold to a Mr Gulan Hussein Mohd Nasser Gindani resident in Mombassa, who renamed it the Pigalle Hotel. Seyyida Sheikah binti Salim bin Khalifan el Busaidia, related to the former ruling family then purchased the hotel for Tsh 60,000 with an annual rent of Tsh 6,000 who reverted back to the original name Zanzibar Hotel.

If you go to that website, you can see photos of the current hotel -
definitely looks 5 Star!! For more in depth history of the island, go to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zanzibar
73, Rick AI5P

The Pigalle Hotel must have been a good place to operate from. Here is another operation from the roof of that hotel by VQ1SSB back in 1959.
73, Tom K8CX

QSL from the estate of W3EPR
Info courtesy of AI5P, W5KNE