Ohio/Penn DX Bulletin No. 339
January 12, 1998

The Ohio/Penn Dx PacketCluster
DX Bulletin No. 339
BID: $OPDX.338
January 12, 1998
Editor Tedd Mirgliotta, KB8NW
Provided by BARF-80 BBS Cleveland, Ohio
Online at 440-237-8208 28.8k-1200 Baud 8/N/1 (New Area Code!)

Thanks to the Northern Ohio Amateur Radio Society, Northern Ohio DX Association, Ohio/Penn PacketCluster Network, WA4FFW, KP3L, K4VUD, N6RT, KI6WF, KN6DV, K7WX, W8AV, W8CNL, KG9N, HB9LEY, OH2BVE, PB0ALB and PA3AWW for the following DX information.

8Q7AA, MALDIVES (Update). From an updated press release provided by Warren Hill, K7WX: The upcoming 8Q7AA DXpedition to the Republic of the Maldives by members of the Central Arizona DX Association (8Q7, Zone 22) remains on course. The team leaves from Los Angeles on January 15th, and will be active from the Indian Ocean beginning January 18th or 19th, with 24 hour operating on most bands through January 28th. They will be located on Alimatha Island in the Felidu Atoll, latitude: 03 degrees 35' N and longitude: 73 degrees 30' E. This location is also designated as IOTA AS-013. Members of the 8Q7AA DXpedition team will be as follows:

Bruce Sawyer, N6NT, will also run HF RTTY as operating time permits. Ibrahim Ahmed, 8Q7QC, will help with HF SSB and provide local assistance. There will be four stations running Yaesu FT-1000MP transceivers and Alpha amplifiers on 160 through 10-meters, including all WARC bands. Many of this team were also members of the 1996 XZ1N Myanmar operation. A concentrated effort will be made on the low bands with adequate power and antennas. Several in the group will focus on 40, 80 and 160-meters, with special attention being given to both sunrise and sunset terminator openings at North America. It is understood that 8Q7 is not all that rare for European stations, but for North America, and especially on the low bands, this is a very difficult path. For this reason, many of their efforts will be directed towards working into zones 3, 4 and 5, where the need for zone 22 is still quite strong. QSLs requests for confirmation of contacts with 8Q7AA can be made by either direct, QSL bureau or E-mail routes. Cards should begin to go out within two to four weeks of their return. Direct QSLs go to: Steve Thompson, N7TX, 119 E. Jasmine St., Mesa, AZ 85201-1811 USA (Please enclose an SASE with adequate postage). Bureau QSLs cards should be clearly marked: 8Q7AA via N7TX. Internet Bureau QSLs can be requested by sending e-mail to: 8q7aa@cadxa.org (The SUBJECT line should read "8Q7AA QSL REQUEST", followed by the appropriate information in the body of the message.) More complete details are available at their WWW home page: http://www.cadxa.org/8q7aa/ ADDED NOTE: OPDX InterNet Subscribers will receive the complete (long) press release by Warren, K7WX, as an additional bulletin.

9G, GHANA. Three Dutch opertors (PA3AWW, PA3DEW and PA3FQX) will once again activate 9G1AA, February 4-25th. Operations will be from Dormaa Hospital in Ghana. Operations will be on CW and Phone, with activity on all HF-bands, including 50 MHz. They will have a 6 meters beacon on the frequency 50.123 MHz. They will also train some local amateurs in using the Yaesu FT 920, donated by the STARS-organization, IARU region 1. The QSL Manager will be PA2FAS.

9K, KUWAIT. Bob, 9K2ZZ, is once again active from Kuwait. His stay this time will be about 1 year. It is reported that, at the moment, Bob has only a 40 meter dipole, but it is very high atop an apartment building. He will be installing a TH6DXX soon. Currently he is running a TS-930 with an AL-800H amp. His QSL Manager is trying to work out a "Battle Creek Special" on loan for 160 meters. Bob will work the WARC bands in the future and is active on CW and SSB and maybe RTTY later in year. He can be found on 40 meters CW most days between 1900 and 0200z between 7003 and 7005 kHz. Per his QSL Manager Ray, W8CNL, "At his (Bob) instructions, no bureau cards will be accepted or answered. Only S.A.S.E. or S.A.E. and postage to me direct."

9N, NEPAL. Charles, K4VUD, will be traveling here February 19th, and states he will be active as 9N1UD. He will return to the USA on March 8th. He plans to be active in two contests during the two weekends after the 19th (ed. probably the ARRL International CW DX Contest and CQ 160 Meters Phone Contest). Also, he is looking for any donations (prior to February 15th) of equipment/gear for 9N1AA. Charles's E-mail address is "harpole@pegasus.cc.ucf.edu", and his snail mail is: Charles Harpole, 3100 N. Hwy. 426, Geneva, FL 32732-9761. ADDED NOTE: While Charles is in Nepal, he will make a side trip (with NO radios) to Bhutan (A5) between the above dates.

HB0, LIECHTENSTEIN. Joe, HB9LEY, will be active from here as HB0/HB9LEY next weekend. He states that he will look for North America stations between 0430 and 0630Z, and for JA and Pacific stations between 2030 and 2230Z (January 17th and 18th) on 1830 khz. QSL to JH1BSE, Masa Yamamura 2-10-6 Arai, Nakanoku Tokyo 165 Japan.

NEW OFFICIALS. The SCDXC (Southern California DX Club) has announced their newly elected board: President - Will Angenent, KN6DV; Vice President - Harvey Laidman, W8DX; Secretary - Jim Zimmerman, N6KZ; Treasurer - Charlotte Iseda, KB6FXS; Membership - Harvey Shore, K6EXO; Board members - Neil Kaltman, K6SMF; Cathy Gardenias, KF6LFB; and Larry Shapiro, K6RO.

OOOPPPSSS! There was a mistake in last week's bulletin (OPDX.338). The operator and QSL Manager mentioned under 9M8 (East Malaysia) was incorrect. Operator/QSL Manager should have been Peter, PB0ALB, and not PA0ALB. Please make the necessary changes.

QSL INFO AND NEWS....

TG0, GUATEMALA (Update). Jari, OH2BVE, provided OPDX with the following update to the Finnish operation to TG-land which will take place January 18th to February 5th. The Finnish team is hoping to used the callsign TG0OH, but this has yet to be comfirmed. Operators will be Toni/OH1TD, Heikki/OH3JF, Hessu/OH6XY and Raija/OH7LIX. Jari states, "Contrary to some bulletins indicating OH2NSM will be in the group, this is not true. Oliver, OH2NSM is busy building up new house/QTH for himself and his family. Therefore he cannot attend this expedition." QSL via the bureau or direct, but Jari indicates that the following addresses should be used to QSL. For RTTY QSOs, QSL via OH6XY, Carl-Heinz Ikaheimo, Meijeritie 2 AS 28, FIN-21530 Paimio, Finland (NOTE: The address in Callbook for OH6XY is old and should not be used!) For CW/SSB QSOs, QSL via OH3JF, Heikki Tamminen, Eprantie 4, FIN-11710 Riihimaki, Finland.

VP5, TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS (A special callsign to be used). Look for the Caribbean Contesting Consortium (CCC) to activate the Turks and Caicos Islands from Jody Millspaugh's site (VP5JM) February 14-28th. The group plans to be a major multi-transmitter unlimited entry in the 1998 ARRL DX CW Contest. Operators will be Doug/K4LT, Dan/K8RF, Jeff/KU8E, Goose/W8AV, Tom/W8TK, Noel/W9EFL, Ken/WA9S and Geoff/W0CG. The operation will also include a support crew consisting of Lora/K8LJK, Anita/KC8BBE, Steve/N8LGP and several of the non-ham XYLs. A special callsign of VP5FXB will be used during the contest in memory of longtime FOC member and avid contester Al Slater, G3FXB (SK).("No finer gentleman ever graced the ham bands!") Individual operators will sign use VP5/homecall outside the contest. QSLs for VP5FXB go to W8AV either direct with an SASE containing sufficient return postage, or via the bureau. Direct cards mailed without an SASE will be answered via the bureau. All contacts will be confirmed. QSLs for the individual operators are via their respective homecalls. Look for significant post-contest publicity on the operation, including a presentation in the Contest Forum at the Dayton Hamvention in May. The team would like to send a special thanks to Ten-Tec Corporation for support of this undertaking. Also, for more details please take a look at their WWW site at: http://asgard.kent.edu/ccc/vp5fxb/vp5fxb.htm The CCC crew is presently searching for additional operators to participate in the contest. Anyone interested should contact W0CG (ghoward@kent.edu), K4LT (k4lt@fuse.net)

IMPORTANT NOTICE! Users of the online BARF-80 BBS (Home of the OPDX Bulletin) take note, the area code has change as of August 16th. The new 440 area code will replace the 216 area code. Currently both area codes can be used, but the 216 area code will be permanently replaced in April 1998. BARF-80 BBS online at 440-237-8208 28.8k-1200 Baud 8/N/1

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 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
OPDX SPANISH WEB SITE. (provide by "QTC Magazine" and Tony Pernas, EA1CSI):
http://www.intercom.es/qtc/qtcopdx.htm

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
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