Ohio/Penn DX Bulletin No. 404
April 12, 1999

The Ohio/Penn DX PacketCluster
DX Bulletin No. 404
BID: $OPDX.404
April 12, 1999
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, KP2BH, N6HR, WA6KBL, N7WDX, K8YSE, AH0W, BA1DU, DJ5AV & DX News Letter, EA5FID, G4BUE & DX News Sheet, HJ3PXA, LW8EZU, OK1JR, PP8EB, PS7AB, RA3DQ and VE7TLL for the following DX information.

3B9R UPDATE. The Rodrigues Island DXpedition is now QRT. They were expected to go QRT as of 2200z, April 10th (this is when their license was to expire). Frank, AH0W, reported last Thursday that he hoped the team would end up with 40K QSOs in the log by the end (they were 35K at the time of the report). I am sure Frank will provide a DXpedition wrap-up upon his return to the states.

5N99, NIGERIA. Stan Matejicek, OK1JR, informs OPDX that he has been in Lagos since March 31st, on a short business trip. He was able to receive his licence from NARS (The Niregia Amateur Radio Society - he is a Life member) and has received the callsign 5N0MSV. Stan will stay here until the end of the May. He is working/operating from the Embassy of the Czech Republic. Look for him to be on the bands during their afternoon time (Stan states, "We are one hour +GMT). He was spotted this week during various times (between 1530 and 0000z) on 10/12/15/17/20/40 meters. Stan mentions 40 and 30 meters look like very interesting bands during the night, however not very many QSNs have been reported. He should be able to produce an excellent signal on 20/17/15/12/10 meters using a TS-950SDX and a 1K amp into a 12 element Log-Periodic. SPECIAL NOTE. Stan states that he is now using the 5N99 prefix until the end of April because the 1999 World Soccer Championship (for young played through the age of 21) is being held in NIGERIA. On May 1st, Stan will go back using his callsign 5N0MSV. QSLs go via his home callsign OK1JR, Stan Matejicek, Moskevska 1464 Praha10, Czech Republic. Stan will be here for the next two months and has promised to send all direct QSL cards back as quickly as possible during June and July of 1999.

8J1, ANTARCTICA. The "DX News Letter" reports that the Japanese club station 8J1RL is situated on Ongul Island (IOTA AN-015). OPDX has found this station active on 21246 kHz between 1600-1630z. QSL via JARL bureau.

9N7, NEPAL. Charlie, K4VUD, who is currently here, has had his callsign changed. Look for him now to sign 9N7UD instead of 9N1UD. It has been reported that foreign visitors are now designated with a "7". Meanwhile, Charlie has been active on 20/15 meters. Look for him on/around 21295 kHz between 1400 and 1500z, and on 20 meters CW/SSB (14022/14200) after 0130z. QSL via K4VUD.

DX CONVENTION. The Lynx DX Group has announced that "Convention'99" will be held May 7-8th, at the Rocas Blancas Hotel in Alicante, Spain. Anyone interested in joining them may contact Juan, EA5FID, from the Organization Committee, via E-mail at: ea5fid@jet.es Also visit their Web site at: http://web.jet.es/lynx/

EG, SPAIN. There has been a lot of questions being asked about the EG prefixes being used by Spanish operators, and OPDX would like again to point you to OPDX.402 (if you do not have it, send an E-mail to: opdx-request@nshore.org -- Put the word archive on the subject line -- and the following command in the body of the text: get volume99/402.0 ) Basically, the EG prefixes are to celebrate 50 years of the URE. Those callsigns will be used throughout April, 1999, and there is even an award available. For more details also check out the Web page at: http://www.ure.es/aniversario/diploma.html

IOTA NEWS........

• NA-051. On April 10th, VE7QCR and VE7TLL were active as VE7ISL/p from another new Canadian Island, Maude Island. This was a one day operation only. If you were lucky to work them, QSL via VE7TLL and for all VE7ISL operations.
• NA-169. Hillar/N6HR and Elsie/N7WDX report that they have been able to reach a Memorandum of Agreement with the Makah Nation Tribal Council, and that they have received permission to land and operate from the rare Tatoosh Island. The island off of Cape Flattery in Northwest Washington is a sacred "Makah Indian" burial ground. They state that the full report will be released at the IOTA Meeting in Fresno. They did mention that they will be on the air during the IOTA Contest July 24/25th with at least two KW stations giving out NA-169 QSOs to the deserving. Look for more details to follow.
• SA-027. Look for PY5B (SSB) and PV5L (CW) to be active from Arvoredo Island (DIB 46), May 13-17th. Look for them on the IOTA frequencies and Brazilian nets. QSL via PP5LL, Jayme Lira, PO Box 08, Florianopolis/SC, 88010-970, Brazil. E-mail address: pp5ll@netplan.net
• SA-047. Look for PR5B (SSB) and PT5L (CW) to be active from Mel Island (DIB 34), April 21-28th. Look for them on the IOTA frequencies and Brazilian nets. QSL via PP5LL, Jayme Lira, PO Box 08, Florianopolis/SC, 88010-970, Brazil. E-mail address: pp5ll@netplan.net

QSL INFO AND NEWS......

• ZY8A is QRT now! Eduardo, PP8EB, reports that the Anavilhanas Archipelago DXpedition made some 2320 QSOs on SSB and CW. He would like to thank the people that put them on the DX Clusters and for making contacts with them. A special thanks goes out to IBAMA - the Brazilian Institute of Enviroment and Nature, Brazilian Army and Brazilian NAVY that led them to the archipelago by ship. The correct way to QSL via PP8KB at: P.O. Box 691, Manaus Am Brasil, Zip 69011-970
• FT5ZH QSLS. Jeffrey, WA6KBL, (for F6KDF, the Lyon DX Gang) reports that the first 2000 cards have been filled out and were sent to the European DX Council to be stuffed into envelopes along with the addresses to go onto the envelopes. They should be sent out very soon, but this is now out of the hands of F6KDF members so they don't know precisely how long before they are mailed. The rest of the cards have been printed in Germany, and there was a misunderstanding about the transport of these boxes of cards to France. This has been cleared up this week, and they are on their way to the F6KDF radio club. The F6KDF group is sorry about the delay but rest assured that everyone will get their cards. Jeffrey states that he will be bringing one card to the Fresno DX Convention if anyone is dying to see one.
• BY1PK, the official station of Chinese Radio Sports Association, participated in last weekend's Japan International DX CW Contest. The operators were BA1AA, BA1AB, BA1DU, BA1OK, BA1RB and others. QSL via P.O.Box 6106, Beijing 100061, CHINA.

SAD NOTE. OPDX was informed that well known DXer, William Elasmar, HK3RQ, has recently become a "Silent Key, SK", after a long and stressfull coma. HK3RQ was very well known to many old timers who had their first HK QSO confirmed through his activity on SSB and CW. OPDX sends out our deepest sympathy to the family and friends.

SPECIAL EVENT. The Cadena El Conquistador, Inc. (NP3P) announces that the XXII Vieques Cultural Festival will be held from April 16-18th, at the Fort Count Mirasol. The Vieques Cultural Festival is sponsored by the Yaureibo Cultural Center of Vieques in coordination with the institute of Puerto Rico culture and the Municipal administration of Vieques. The fort was built in 1845 by orders of the Spanish governor of Puerto Rico, Rafael Aristegui y Velez, better known as Count of Mirasol. The sponsoring Radio Club of the S. E. is the CADENA EL CONQUISTADOR, Inc. (NP3P). The four main frequencies of operation will be 28350, 21350, 14300, and 40 and 80 meters. The starting time is 1600z on April 17th and the ending time is 1600z April 18th. The first 500 stations to contact NP3P will get a certificte. To request a certificate send QSL to: CADENA EL CONQUISTADOR, Inc. (NP3P), P. O. Box 161, Fajardo, PR 00738-0161 For more information and details, send E-mail to: np3p@hotmail.com

SPECIAL EVENT. The Argentina hams have plans to be active in celebration of the 75th anniversary of the contact between Carlos Braggio, r-CB8, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Ivan O'Meara, z-2AC, in Gisborne, New Zealand, that established the world record of distance in 1924. The Radio Club Argentino, LU4AA, will celebrate this anniversary between May 16th and 23rd. The following will be applied:

1. The official station of RAC will use during this period the special callsign L75CB; every QSO with this station will be confirmed with an special QSL card.
2. On May 21st (the day of the anniversary), L75CB will transmit continously (24 hours), on CW, the mode used by Braggio and O'Meara during that contact. Stations contacting L75CB on this mode that day will also receive an award.
3. During the period between 0000z, May 16th, and 2400z May 23rd, every amateur radio station in Argentina is allowed to use a Special International Prefix. Stations beginning with LU will use L2 (ex. LU4AA will use L24AA). Stations beginning with LW will use L3 (ex. LW8EZU will use L38EZU). Stations beginning with AZ will use L4 (ex. AZ1AAA will use L41AAA).

L75CB QSLs are via LU4AA by the Bureau or P.O. Box 97 - Zip Code 1000 Buenos Aires, Argentina, For more details or questions/comments send an E-mail to: lu4aa@lu4aa.org (The E-mail address of the RCA, LU4AA) You can also visit LU4AA's web page at: http://www.lu4aa.org

THE ENDING OF THE DXNS. It was announced this week, in a letter from the RSGB dated March 29th, that effective June 30, 1999, "the RSGB will no longer be producing the RSGB DX News Sheet. The decision was made by the RSGB's Management Committee on the recommendation of Peter Kirby, G0TWW, General Manager in the face of a diminishing number of subscribers and the existence of a number of packet and Internet alternative sources of DX information. All inquiries about the closure of the DXNS should be referred to Barry Cooper, G4RKO, Commercial Manager at RSGB HQ." Your editor would like to say that the DXNS was one of Europe's finest printed DX bulletins, and I will sadly miss the change of DX information with DXNS's current editor Chris Page, G4BUE.

ZS, SOUTH AFRICA. Victor, RA3DQ, informs OPDX that he and another amateur Oleg, UA3HK, are planning a 2 week trip to Cape Town (ZS1) from April 16-29th. They plan to be on the air 80-10 meters (Yaesu FT-900) on CW/SSB. They are currently looking for Cape Town HAMs for possible assistance! Victor can be contacted at: ra3dq@qsl.net Also, visit Victor's Web site at: http://www.qsl.net/ra3dq/

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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