The Ohio/Penn DX PacketCluster
DX Bulletin No. 447
BID: $OPDX.447
February 7, 2000
Editor Tedd Mirgliotta, KB8NW
Provided by BARF-80 BBS Cleveland, Ohio
Online at 440-237-8208 28.8k-1200 Baud 8/N/1
Thanks to the Northern Ohio Amateur Radio Society, Northern Ohio DX Association, Ohio/Penn PacketCluster Network, K1XN & The Golist, NC1L & DXCC, K2KQ, WB2RAJ & The 59(9) DXReport, W3UR & The Daily DX, KI4RU, N4AA & QRZ DX, N4HT, KL7J, K8YSE, A35RK, DJ5AV & DX News Letter, F5NOD, FG5FR, I2YSB, LU1DK, OM3LZ, PY2YP, VE3NQK and ZL2HU for the following DX information.
3D2, FIJI. Paul Kidd, A35RK, informs OPDX that he and his QSL Manager Bob Preston, W7TSQ, will be arriving in Suva, Fiji on February 7th. They will be visiting Craig Thompson, 3D2TC, (ex-A35CT) and will be active from that location for 2 weeks. Bob will be signing 3D2SQ, and Paul will be using 3D2RK. Their activity will be on all bands 80-6 meters CW/SSB/RTTY. Hopefully, both 3D2SQ and 3D2RK will be able to operate simultaneously. 3D2SQ will concentrate on SSB, and 3D2RK will work CW and RTTY. Special attention will be given to Europe, band conditions permitting. QSL both 3D2SQ and 3D2RK via W7TSQ. Bob, W7TSQ, will leave Fiji to head to New Zealand (ZL) and Indonesia (YB) (see below) while Paul will stay in Suva until February 25th before he returns to Tonga. Look for 3D2RK to enter the ARRL CW DX Contest.
3W, VIETNAM. Mal, VK6LC, will be returning to Vietnam sometime this week and stay until early March. He will operate from Ho Chi Mihn City only for a short while as his free time is very limited. Over the next 2-3 weeks, Mal states that he will be able to take off the weekends and go from Vung Tau to visit a friend in Ho Chi Mihn City and operate his radio. He will no longer use his temporary callsign 3W6LC (January 2000) because he now has a permanent licence with the callsign of 3W2LC which is not restricted to a single frequency. Mal will try this time to be active on or about 14270 and 21270 kHz looking for EU and NA. He has found the best times for NA is on 20 meters between 2230-2400z because of less noise. His operating times will be mainly in the evenings and mornings from about 0600-2400z. Look for him on the following weekends: February 12-13th and 19-20th (if he can make it). QSL Manager VK6LC: Mal Johnson, 9 Abinger Rd., Lynwood WA 6155, AUSTRALIA
6Y, JAMAICA. Look for Reiner, DL2AAZ, to sign /6Y5, now through February 14th. He will be active on CW/SSB 40-10 meters (including the WARC bands). He will use a TS-50 with wire antennas and verticals. QSL via DL2AAZ.
9G, GHANA. Zdeno, 9G5ZW, is very active on HF and was heard on 12 meters this past week. Check around 24950 kHz after 1200z. His QSL Manager Miro, OM3LZ, informs OPDX that from October, 19999, until the end of January, Zdeno has made 22000 QSOs, mostly JAs. He was active on 30-6 meters. In January, he made 7000 QSO. As of January 10th, Miro states that he has started replying QSLs, and all QSL received at the end of 1999 were answered (600 direct QSLs). Bureau QSLs will be answered in March, after he takes a short winter holiday now through February 13th. He will be in W0-land (Aspen, CO) together with OM3RG. Miro hopes to be active.
A2, BOTSWANA. Rayne, A22RM, was very active this past weekend on 10 meters between 28440 and 28505 kHz from 1545-1815z. Also, check 15 meters around 21305 kHz after 1700z. QSL to P.O. Box 41295, Gaborone, Botswana. Also, the "DX News Letter" reports that Said, A22EW, should be active again now through February 27th. Activity will be on all bands. Look for him between 2230-0030z calling for North American stations on 80 meters. QSL via KB2MS.
BV9P, PRATAS ISLANDS. "The Daily DX" mentioned this past week to look for an announcement to be made for an operation to take place in April.
D2, ANGOLA. Jesus, EA1BF, signing D2BF, was heard active on a couple of days during this past week on 28511 kHz between 1145 and 1400z. Reports state that he has been active since before Christmas. Look for him to be active on 20/17/15/10 meters CW and SSB. QSL via EA8EE.
DXCC NEWS RELEASE. The DXCC Desk announced the new enhanced "DXCC Card Checking Program" this past week. Under the new program, "DXCC Card Checkers" will be able to check all awards except 160 meter DXCC, and all QSLs from any current DXCC Entity. This will apply to both new awards and endorsements. QSOs made up to ten years prior to the current year will be eligible for checking in the field, while older cards and Deleted Entities may still be sent to ARRL HQ. The current "DXCC Field Checking" program will end on March 31, 2000, with the new program beginning on April 1, 2000. Reappointment of "DXCC Card Checkers" under new criteria will be necessary. Nominations may be made by Section Managers and ARRL affiliated DX Specialty Clubs of 25 members or more. The complete press release will be sent to all OPDX InterNet Subscribers as an additional bulletin.
FG, GUADELOUPE (top band). Frantz, FG5FR, has been very active on 160 and 80 meters. Check around 1836 or 3505 kHz between 0330 and 0500z. He also informs OPDX that his address in the 1998, 1999 and 2000 callbook is incorrect. His address is: C.Frantz Selbonne, Villa le "Ferrick", Rocade de Paul, 97129 Lamentin, GUADELOUPE F.W.I. You can also use his QSL Manager F6FNU: Antoine Baldeck, PO Box 14, F- 91291 Arpajon, Cedex FRANCE. Frantz's address is OK in BUCKMASTER and QRZ.
FR/T, TROMELIN ISLAND. The Lyon DX Gang is proud to announce a Dxpedition to Tromelin Island (FR/T) during summer 2000. They don't know the exact dates, but this should be during August of 2000. This DXpedition to Tromelin Island is very expensive. The team will be renting a plane from Reunion Island and arrange full transportation for 4 operators on the island during the 2 weeks operation. There will be 3 stations active on 160/80/40/30/ 20/17/15/12/10/6 meters SSB/CW/RTTY. The island is really remote and is a scientific preserved area. They state that this Dxpedition will only take place if they can gather enough funds. They are looking for sponsors and associations for donations. Donations can be made to:
CIC Lyonnaise de Banque (France)
ACCOUNT NUMBER : 022 9 62086 L
Or via their Treasurer F5PXT (pay to the order of Lyon DX Gang only): Eric Blanchard, 2, Rue Bichat, Allée 32, 69002 Lyon- FRANCE The FR/T Web site is available at: http://perso.easynet.fr/~f5nod/
IOTA NEWS..............
J3, GRENADA. Don, K2KQ, expects to be operational from here as either J3A or yet a unnamed J37 callsign for the ARRL DX CW Contest. The operation will be Single Op/High Power entry from the usual EOC site from which he has done the CQWW contests a few times. Also, look for Bill, K4LTA, as J3/K4LTA from the beach. Activity will be mainly CW on the usual frequencies. However, QRZ DX reports that his wife, Rudy, K4UPS, will operate on SSB 20/15/10 meters. Look for Bill to use J38A during the ARRL CW Contest too.
JW, SVALBARD. Ken/LA6WEA and Ragnar/LA7FD will be active from here February 21-27th as JW7FD and JW6WEA. Ken states that he will, as always, be active on 160 and 80 meters. He also mentions that he will be listening during the CQWW 160m Contest, not as serious entry, but will be glad to give you a multiplier QSO if he is able to copy you.
MILLENNIUM ACTIVITY. Bob Treacher reports that M2000A continues to be active daily from 0830z to 1900z until February 29th. The station is a special event station to celebrate the new Millennium. It is situated on the 0 degree Meridian at Greenwich, London. The station has made 24,000 QSOs so far in only 265 hours of operation - 150 DXCC entities worked, WAS and WAZ. A color certificate is available for working M2000A on 5 bands. QSL via G4DFI. Full details of the station, activity and awards are available at the Web site: http://www.qsl.net/m2000a/
PI, NETHERLANDS (IPA station). Begin looking for the Dutch "International Police Association Radio Club" (IPARC) station, PI4IPA, to be active on Tuesdays at 1400z on 14165 kHz (when possible). Working this station you can collect points for the following: 1) The Windmill Award and 2) The Sherlock Holmes Award.
PJ9, SINT MAARTEN. "The 59(9) DXReport" reports that Jim, W1HL, will be active from February 29th through March 5th as either PJ9/W1HL or PJ9/W1FC.
QSL INFO AND NEWS................
SPECIAL EVENT. Look for special event station K4L to be active February 12th from 1300-2100z. The special callsign is to commemorate the anniversary of the birth of the U.S.A.'s 16th President, Abraham Lincoln. Operations willl be conducted from the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Site, Hodgenville, KY, on the grounds where Lincoln was born in a one-room log cabin on February 12, 1809. K4L invites all stations to look for them near 7230, 14260, 21360, and 28460/28560 kHz. DX stations may request schedules via E-mail to: N4HT@aol.com Please send requests prior to 2200z February 11th, giving only the band you want for a QSO and a range of times you are available. Specific schedules will be given in return E-mail from K4L in order to accomodate their operating needs.
T48, CUBA. Look for the "No-Name DX- Group" using the special callsign T48RAC during the ARRL SSB DX Contest the first week of March. Members from Canada (VE3ESE, VE3NXB, VE3SND) and the Cuban University Club will be operating from the University in Santigo, Cuba. They hope to surpass their previous scores. QSLvia VE3ESE (Don Fisher).
TX0DX, CHESTERFIELD ISLANDS. It was reported this week by a couple of sources that the DXAC has been asked or is looking/reviewing charts of the area to determine whether Chesterfield Island meets the distance requirement to qualify as a new entity.
V7, KWAJALEIN ISLAND. Bruce, AC4G, currently signing V73CW was heard this past weekend on 12 meters (24942 kHz around 2100z). He reported this past week that he will be leaving the island on March 11th and head back to the states. Bruce states, "I am going to try to be active as much as time permits on all bands, especially top band!"
VK0, ANTARCTICA. "The 59(9) DXReport" reports that Lance, VK0ERZ, on Davis Base is often active daily on 14255 kHz from 1200z. QSL via VK2FUN.
VK0, MACQUARIE ISLANDS. Alan, VK0MM, continued to please many last week. He was active last week on 30 meters between 1100 and 1300z. AN ADDED NOTE FROM ALAN. On Alan's Web site, he suggested the following on working him on CW: "Please use full break-in QSK if you are able & AS if requested. ( " ........ " ). Once I have a full callsign down, I will resend it twice. If it is correct, you only need to give me my RST. If I have copied your call incorrectly, please send your full call + RST. QSL means you are in the log. I dislike rules etc. as much as anyone else. However as I'm sure most will agree, if all stations can cooperate with this CW strategy, there will be many more QSOs per hour than would otherwise be possible. This also obviates the need for working by callsign number & makes the sched more equitable to all areas. You will stand a much better chance of a QSO if you send your last two & then full call on contact. My understanding of FCC regulations is that you can send your last two as often as you like, as long as you send your full call once every ten minutes. Stations persistently calling out of turn will not be responded to & will have their callsigns flagged with QRU by the logging software."
XF4, REVILLA GIGEDO. QRZ DX reports that XE ops will be operating here March 3-18th as XF4LWY. Activity will be on CW/SSB. No bands were mentioned. QSL via XF4LWY.
XZ, MYANMAR. As this bulletin was being prepared, the XZ0A team was finish- ing up their operation with stateside working them on 17 meters. A press release was sent out late Saturday evening by Warren, K7WX, stating the following (excerpt): "XZ0A is now in its final day of operation. Contacts will end at 23:59 GMT on February 6, 2000 and preparations will then begin for transporting equipment off the island. As of February 4th, there were approximately 75,000 QSOs in the log." The complete press release will be sent to all OPDX InterNet Subscribers as an additional bulletin.
YB, INDONESIA. Bob, W7TSQ, will travel here after his New Zealand operation (see below), where he hopes to re-activate his old callsign, YB3ASQ. Bob will be active from Indonesia until March 26th. QSL via W7TSQ.
ZL, NEW ZEALAND. Bob, W7TSQ, will leave Fiji (where he operated as 3D2SQ, see above) on February 16th and travel to New Zealand. Here he will operate using either ZL/W7TSQ or another ZL callsign to be assigned upon arrival (...possibly ZL2SQ). Bob will be in New Zealand until March 2nd before he heads to Indonesia (YB, see above). Also, Bob plans to enter the ARRL CW DX Contest using his ZL callsign. QSL via W7TSQ.
OPDX INTERNET SUBSCRIBE/UNSUBSCRIBE REQUEST: opdx-request@nshore.org
OPDX WORLD-WIDE WEB HOME (provided by John, K8YSE):
http://www.en.com/users/k8yse/opdx.html
ALSO VISIT THE NORTHERN OHIO DX ASSOCIATION'S WEB HOME PAGE:
http://www.en.com/users/k8yse/nodxa.html
Excerpts and distribution of The OPDX Bulletin are granted as long as KB8NW/OPDX/BARF80 receive credit. To contribute DX info, call BARF-80 BBS online at 440-237-8208 14400/9600/2400/1200/300 and leave a message with the Sysop or send InterNet Mail to one of the two following addresses: kb8nw@barf80.nshore.org -or- aq474@cleveland.freenet.edu - OR - Send a message via packet to KB8NW @ WA8BXN.OH.USA.NA - OR - Use the VOICE or FAX answering machine at 440-237-8208 which shares the same phone line as BARF-80 BBS using a data/fax/phone switch. To access: 1) Dial Number. 2) Wait for first ring (the second ring should be a false ring from the fax/data switch box) and then dial four quick ones ("1111"). (NOTE: Some FAX machines that send single "BEEPS" every second will not have to do this step.) 3) The phone will pick up and after the "BEEP" leave your voice message or FAX.
Tedd Mirgliotta KB8NW
InterNet: kb8nw@barf80.nshore.org
Basic Amateur Radio Frequency BBS (BARF-80) +1 440/237-8208
"Totally devoted to Amateur Radio" - 24 Hrs a day 8/N/1 14.4k-300 baud