Ohio/Penn DX Bulletin No. 277, November 4, 1996

The Ohio/Penn Dx PacketCluster
DX Bulletin No. 277
BID: $OPDX.277
November 4, 1996
Editor Tedd Mirgliotta, KB8NW
Provided by BARF-80 BBS Cleveland, Ohio
Online at 216-237-8208 14400/9600/2400/1200/300 8/N/1

Thanks to the Northern Ohio Amateur Radio Society, Northern Ohio DX Association, Ohio/Penn PacketCluster Network, WD5N, KH6BZF, W6RGG, KF7AY, K8YSE, KA8MVJ, W9UI, WA0RJY, EY8MM, G3SXW, G4BUE & DX News Sheet, LU1BR, ON6TT, PS7AB and SM7PPK for the following DX information.

5X, UGANDA. Paul, 5X4F, is planning an all band (160 through 10) Multi-Single entry in the CQWWDX CW Contest from Arua in northwest Uganda. Operators are Dave/KE4EW, Dale/N3BNA and Paul/5X4F. Before the contest, Dave will be operating with the call 5X4DLI. QSL to KE4EW. The QSL Manager for 5X4F is now K3SW. Dave is helping Paul install a 60' tower. The Battle Creek Trapper will be hung off of the tower for 160 to 40 meters. An Explorer 14 will be installed on the tower. A SGC Solid state AMP will also be in operation on the lower bands. All power for the operation will be from a solar charged battery system.

5V, TONGO (UPDATE). Rodger, G3SXW, (Note the callsign change that was orginally announced 5V5A.) reports the 5V7A project for CQ World-Wide CW Contest is just about ready to roll. There are ten operators, six stations and 17 antennas in the multi-multi category: AA7NO, G3SXW, G4FAM, GM3YTS, K5VT, K7GE, KC7V, N7BG, W6RGG, WB7SRW. This is the same team that did TY5A (1995) and 9G5AA (1994). First departures are on November 13th, and the team will travel by road through Ivory Coast and Ghana to reach Togo. There will be some activity before the contest, while the team is testing antennas on various bands using their personal callsigns: AA7NO/5V7MB, G3SXW/5V7A, G4FAM/5V7FA, GM3YTS/5V7RF, K5VT/5V7VT, K7GE/5V7JL, KC7V/5V7MF, N7BG/5V7BG, and WB7SRW/5V7PN. They hope to be active on all bands including the WARC bands between November 20-24th. On 160 meters look for them low in the band. All activity will cease at the end of the contest as they will leave for home the next morning. News updates are posted frequently to the WWW Home Page:

http://www.getnet.com/~kf7ay/5v5a.html

9M2, WEST MALAYSIA. The DXNS report Don, G3OZF, will be active November 7-10th as 9M2/G3OZF from Pangkor Island (IOTA AS-072). Activity will be on CW/SSB and 80-10 meters. QSL to CBA.

9U, BURUNDI. 9U5DX has been active over the past weekend on 15 meters (21285, 21291 and 21298 kHz) at various times (1230, 1300 and 1630z). QSL via F2VX.

C21, NAURU (Where will Martti, OH2BH, go next?). The well known DXer will be heading to C21-land for his birthday and will be active as C21BH. It is interesting that Nauru is the exact spelling of a Finnish word which, according to old popular Finnish wisdom, "it extends life in the spirit of a good life". The Finnish dictionary describes the word Nauru as a fit of laugher and an island republic in the Central Pacific. So it was no surprise that Martti Laine, OH2BH, has invited his friends to share his 50th birthday in Nauru, in the spirit of Nauru. November 20th will mark the departure of his very special flight out of Manilla, the Phillipines, heading to Nauru Republic. The festivities will begin 6 P.M. on November 20th at the Nauru Republic Government House, hosted by the Minister of Finance, H.E. Ruben James Kun, C21RK, and some signals may be expected out of Nauru on that same night. Four stations, all signing C21BH, will hit the airwaves for a week. They will be working the CQ WW DX Contest in the Multi/Multi setting, using three different sites with beam antennas. While Yaesu has provided the FT-1000MP transceivers and Cuschraft all the antennas, the amplifiers will be light weight briefcase ones succesfully used on many recent DXpeditions. While SSB/CW will be mostly used on the frequencies that will be announced shortly, full RTTY capabilities will be on hand. All the activities will begin November 20th and end the 27th. These dates will include activity in the CQWW CW Contest. Operators will included: DU3YL, DU9RG, KJ4VH, K8YSE (a member of NODXA), JA1BK, JP1NWZ, OH1RY, OH2BC, OH2BE, OH2BH and SM7PKK. More detailed information will be released at a later day on SM7PKK Web-site:

http://home1.swipnet.se/~w-17565/dxis.html

DX USENET GROUP. Many still do not know about the DXer's UseNet group available via InterNet. Try: rec.radio.amateur.dx

HS0, THAILAND. Jack, WA0RJY, will be here from November 16th through December 1st. He plans to be in the CQWW CW Contest as a Single-Op all band entry with the callsign of HS0/WA0RJY or possibly as part of a Multi-Op team, but one way or another HS will be available during the contest. He states that he will definitely be active before and after the contest as HS0/WA0RJY. QSLs to Jack Fleming, POB 581, Seattle, WA 98111.

J6, ST. LUCIA. Bob, W9UI, reports members of SouthWest Ohio DX Association (SWODXA) will be active as J6DX for the CQWW DX CW Contest as a Multi/Single entry. The group will be active bewteen November 19th and December 1st. Members will use their individual callsigns outside of the contest: (Names/callsigns/QSL routes) Bob/J68AE/WB8ENR/CBA; Steve/J68AG/WD8IXE/CBA; Dean/J68AH/AC0S/CBA; Kirk/J68AK/W8QID/CBA; Jack/J68AR/K9BQL/new address - Jack Ekstrom, 203 Juniper Drive, North Aurora, IL 60542; Scott/J68AS/N9AG/ CBA; Bob/J68ER/W9UI/CBA; and Traudel/J68TE (J6 call is uncertain and a call will be issued when she arrives in St Lucia.)/WD6CTL/CBA. The group plans to be active on 160-6 meters including the WARC bands with operations on CW, SSB, RTTY and the Satellites (HF). QSL routing for J6DX is via Scott Lehman, PO Box 803, Greenville, OH 45331 (this is the same for all the operations of J6DX over the past years) with an SASE or via the bureau.

KH6BZF'S PROPAGATION REPORT THE GOOD NEWS: Possible 6 meter activity centered around 15-19th November. On November 5th and 12th, watch for Taurids Meteor Showers. On 17th November, watch for Leonids Meteor Shower and on 13th December, Geminids Meteor Shower, and Ursids Meteor Shower on the 22nd December 1996. Some good DX days may be expected on: 24-30 November; 1-2, 08-11 and 14-15 December, 1996. Watch and check for Long Path openings during this period. Expect 20-30-40-75/80 and 160 meters openings especially on the evening/darkness path. SOME BAD NEWS: Expect some Coronal Hole Activity and accompanying Solar Winds between 15-19 November and centered around 06-07, 11-13 December, 1996. HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND GOOD DX HUNTING....LEE de KH6BZF

L75, ARGENTINA. Look for L75AA during the CQWW DX CW Contest. LU1BR and LU2AH are operating this special prefix celebrating the "Argentine Radio Club 75th Anniversary". QSL via LU4AA.

NEW OFFICERS DIRECTORS FOR "The Northern California DX Foundation" (NCDXF): President - Len Geraldi, K6ANP; Vice President - Bob Vallio, W6RGG; Secretary - Tom McShane, NW6P; Treasurer- Bruce Butler, W6OSP; Directors: Eric Edberg, W6DU; Jack Troster, W6ISQ; Dick Dievendorff, AA6MC; Rusty Epps, W6OAT; Dave Leeson, W6QHS; Steve Thomas, N6ST; and Lou Beaudet, K6TMB. The Board of Directors is assisted in many of the Foundation's projects by a group of Advisors. They are: Jim Maxwell, W6CF; Merle Parten, K6DC; Bob Fabry, N6EK; Ron Steiner, K6KEO; Bob Ferrero, W6RJ; Al Lotze, W6RQ; Bud Bane, W6WB; and Howard Brainen, WZ6Z. A newsletter published twice a year is edited by Steve Thomas, N6ST, and is mailed to all Foundation members. For further information on the Foundation, please check out their Web-site at: http://www.ncdxf.org

OPDX INTERNET SUBSCRIBERS will receive the following additional information: C21 Press Release and VK0 Heard Island Update.

PACIFIC DXPEDITION. According to the "DX News Sheet", Ed, K8VIR, plans to be active from FW, VK9, YJ, ZK2 and ZL7 during the next few months if band conditions are favorable. Dates and times were not reported and hopefully they will be forwarded to OPDX before Ed begins his trip. Stay tuned!

PY1, PAQUETA ISLAND, BRAZIL (DIB-026 - NOT IOTA Island !!!). Look for PY1AF/p and PY1ADU/p between November 15-17th. Activity will be on all bands and CW/SSB. Also, look for them on the Brazilian DX Net, Sat/Sun, 14222 kHz at 1900-2100z. QSL via PY1AF (Bureau).

QSL NEWS AND INFORMATION..... All QSLs for EY1ZA, EY50V, EY2Q, EY8CQ/R3Q, EY8AB, UJ8JCQ, RJ8JAB must be sent via EY8CQ. The direct address is Alex Rubtsov, box 32, Moscow, 117449, Russia or via Tajik Amateur Radio League Bureau.

VP5, TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS. Dave, WD5N, will be active in the CQWW DX CW Contest (November 23-24th) as VP5EA. He will be active a few days before and after as VP5/WD5N. QSL via WD5N, to 1997 CBA ONLY: 103 Osage Dr., Leander, TX 78641 (or via W5 bureau).

XU, KAMPUCHEA (CAMBODIA). Following his activities from XX9-land with (OH2BH and crew) Pekka, OH2BVF, flew on Tuesday morning, October 29th, directly to Cambodia for a one-week stay. In Phnom Penh he was active as XU6WV and operated mainly on CW. Reports state that all of the low-band antennas used at XX9X were transported to Phnom Penh. He will probably be QRT by the time you read this. QSLs to: Pekka Holstila, OH2BVF, Linnaistent 7, SF-01640 Vantaa, FINLAND

SPECIAL NOTE FROM THE EDITOR. Please send all DX announcements/information "ONLY" to the addresses below and "NOT" to the distribution InterNet address of: dxinfo@barf80.nshore.org

OPDX WORLD-WIDE WEB HOME (provided by John, K8YSE):

http://www.en.com/users/k8yse/opdx.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 216-237-8208 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 216-237-8208 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.

Additional Bulletins for OPDX InterNet Subscribers

Date: Tue, 29 Oct 1996 06:59:03 -0500
Message-ID: <961029065902_1780073830@emout15.mail.aol.com>
Subject: Update on Heard Island DXpedition

UPDATE ON THE HEARD ISLAND DXPEDITION - JAN 97
prepared by KK6EK and K4UEE

A milestone in the preparations for the 1997 Heard Island DXpedition was reached on October 10, when the second of two 20-ft. containers of gear was shipped from Oakland to Reunion Island, the departure point for the expedition. The gear includes complete life support for 20 persons for the three-week stay on Heard Island, plus all the equipment for five complete radio operating on all HF bands, RTTY, and amateur satellite.

Preparations for the expedition have been in high gear for most of the past year. Following the 1995 attempt, which resulted in financial disaster for the team, the project was reorganized, and the team enlarged to 20 radio operators in order to reduce the cost per person. Additional equipment, procedures, and travel arrangements were incorporated to ensure safety and travel success.

The team has been essentially intact since it was formed in January, 1996. Currently it includes: EA8AFJ, HB9AHL, K0IR, K4UEE, K9AJ, KK6EK, N6EK, N6MZ, NP4IW, OE9AMJ, ON6TT, PA3DUU, RA3AUU, VK2TQM, W6OTC, W8FMG,WA0PUJ, WA3YVN, and 9V1YC. During the last weekend in September, part of the team assembled in the SF Bay area for a training and checkout session, during which they erected one of the shelters, set up the galley and sleeping equipment, and operated an HFstation. It was an opportunity for the team to practice a rapid setup of a shelter and life support and to begin to form new friendships.

The two containers of gear weigh over 10 tons and include four shelters 12x24 ft. each for sleeping, eating, meeting, the Satellite station, an HF station and storage. There are two additional shelters 8x8 ft. which will house two HF stations each. The radios are Yaesu FT1000MP's, FT900's and ETO 91B linears. The team has shipped large quantities of antennas. Low band antennas are mostly verticals including four-square arrays for 160, 80, 40 and 30m. On the higher bands, monobanders and tribanders will be employed. The reason for so many antennas is to have plenty of spares in case a major storm destroys some or all of the erected antennas.

The team will log using a CT-network. Every day the logs will be uploaded via Pacsat to a central site for posting on the Web. Anyone will be able to enter basic information about a QSO, and receive confirmation that the QSO is in the log. We will not send out e-QSLs or pre-emptive printed QSLs as was done on the Easter Island (XR0Y/Z) expedition.

The team will assemble on Reunion Island during the last week of December. On Jan. 3, 1997, they will leave aboard the 300-ft. French vessel Marion Dufresne for a 10-day sail to Crozet and then Heard Island. If weather permits, the equipment will be put on the island by helicopter; if not, it will be landed by boat. The stations will come on the air on or before Jan. 15, 1997, using the callsign VK0IR. The NCDXF 5-band HF beacon will be set up immediately upon arrival to transmit continuously during the stay.

The total cash budget for the expedition is $320K. Almost 2/3 of this cost is transportation to Heard Island, which is remote from any normal shipping lanes. The balance of the budget is required for special gear and services, such as the shelters, food, fuel, and transportation of the equipment. An example of the high cost of this operation is the charge for shipping and storing the containers of gear, more than $20K. As of mid-October 1996, about $260K has been raised or is guaranteed, leaving about $60K yet to be obtained.

This project has been developed with the following principles foremost: (1) safety of the participants; (2) reliability of schedule and radio operations; (3) advancement of the art and science of DXing and DXpeditioning. To that end, we have opted for a large team, reliable (albeit expensive) transportation, and considerable backup gear and plans. We believe that there is no way this expedition can fail, short of a major environmental disaster. We also believe that to make less investment would seriously compromise one of the principles listed above.

Donations are greatly appreciated at one of the addresses listed below. Donations are not at risk. The expedition team is taking all financial responsibility until the expedition is completed. Should the project fail due to other than an Act of God, the donors monies will be returned.

Donations are gratefully accepted via:

Heard Island DXpedition c/o Bob Allphin, K4UEE
4235 Blackland Dr.
Marietta, GA 30067 USA
mallphin@aol.com

Heard Island DXpedition
c/o Peter Casier, ON6TT
Oude Heerbaan 30B-9230
Wetteren, Belgium
pcasier@innet.be

NCDXF
P.O. Box 2368
Stanford, CA. 94309-2368
(for US tax deductible donations over $100)

The Heard Island DXpedition team is committed to carrying out this operation in an exemplary manner. This project represents the most difficult and complicated DXpedition ever attempted. What we learn through this project will aid others in carrying out operations in the field safely and reliably, and will serve as a guide for those to follow. We hope you will enjoy and support this expedition and will be proud to say "I helped make it happen!".

The most complete set of information about the expedition is available on the Web pages, accessible at:

http://www.ccnet.com/~cordell/HI

Welcome to the OH2BH 50th Birthday Celebration!

Where do we go next? NAURU ISLAND - C21BH: Nauru is the exact spelling of a Finnish word and according to old popular Finnish wisdom, it extends life in the spirit of a good life. The Finnish dictionary describes the word Nauru as a fit of laugher and an island republic in the Central Pacific.

So it was no surprise that Martti Laine, OH2BH invited his friends to share his 50th Birthday in Nauru in the spirit of Nauru. November 20th will mark the departure on this very special flight out of Manila, the Phillipines, heading to Nauru Republic.

While the festivities will begin 6P.M. on November.20th at the Nauru Republic Government House, hosted by the Minister of Finance, H.E. Ruben James Kun, C21RK, some signals maybe expected out of Nauru already on that same night.

Four stations, all signing C21BH, will hit the airwaves for a week including the CQ WW DX Contest in the multi-multi setting, using three different sites with beam antennas. While Yaesu has provided the FT1000MP transceivers and Cuschraft all the antennas, the amplifiers will be light weight briefcase ones, succesfully used on many recent DXpeditions.

While SSB/CW will be mostly used on the frequencies that will be announced shortly, also a full RTTY capabilities will be on hand.

Strategies and station information:

Dates: 20 November - 27 November 1996 (including CQWW CW)

Operators: DU3YL, DU9RG, KJ4VH, K8YSE, JA1BK, JP1NWZ, OH1RY, OH2BC, OH2BE, OH2BH and SM7PKK

Station logistics:

Station A: This will be located in the main hotel, including WARC-bands and probably one other major band in the contest. FT1000MP and Alpha 91B with A3S and Create 80/40 vertical. Station Master The Old Timer himself.

Station B: With the best low-band location on the Island together with OH1RY's expertise to generate super 160-80-40 signal. This can also do low-bands in the contest. FT1000MP and OH1RY solid state amp with A3S and dipoles for low-band. Station master OH1RY.

Station C: At the house of C21RK with the beam and amp. This can run 20M thru 10M DX, including CQ WW CW. TS940 and TL922, 3-el beam and some low-band antennas. Station master KJ4VH.

Station D: At the main hotel JA1BK's Yeasu Radio and OH1RY solid state amp with WARC band wire antennas.

More information will be released later on at this site. So don't hesitate to look back in and enjoy the pages.

The particular page is: http://home1.swipnet.se/~w-17565/dxis.html

Tedd Mirgliotta KB8NW
InterNet: kb8nw@barf80.nshore.org
Basic Amateur Radio Frequency BBS (BARF-80) +1 216/237-8208
"Totally devoted to Amateur Radio" - 24 Hrs a day 8/N/1 14.4k-300 baud