Ohio/Penn DX Bulletin No. 654
March 29, 2004

The Ohio/Penn DX PacketCluster
DX Bulletin No. 654
BID: $OPDX.654
March 29, 2004
Editor Tedd Mirgliotta, KB8NW
Provided by BARF80.ORG (Cleveland, Ohio)

Thanks to the Northern Ohio Amateur Radio Society, Northern Ohio DX Association, Ohio/Penn PacketCluster Network, AB5K & the AR TelNet Clusters Network, KA1GJ/V73GJ, K1XN & GoList, NC1L, NG3K, W3HC, W3UR & The Daily DX, N4AA & QRZ DX, WB5ZAM, WQ5W, K6JAT, AC7DX, K8YSE, WD8MGQ, 4X4PG, DK1II, DL5EBE, DL/VE3ZIK & www.contesting.info, DL1EK & The DX News Letter, DL2VFR, F5CWU & La Gazette du DX, F5NQL & UFT, G3SXW, I1JQJ/IK1ADH & 425 DX News, IZ1CCE, JI6KVR & JA-IOTA Islands News, LU6EF, PA3GIO, SP5XVY, SV2AEL, TA3J, UX0FF, VA2KSH, VA3RJ & ICPO and the ARRL Letter for the following DX information.

DXCC COUNTRY/ENTITY REPORT: According to the AR-Cluster Network for the week of Sunday, 21st/March, through Sunday, 28th/March there were 236 countries active. Countries available: 3A, 3B8, 3B9, 3C, 3D2, 3DA, 3V, 3W, 3X, 4J, 4L, 4S, 4U1I, 4X, 5B, 5H, 5N, 5R, 5T, 5U, 5V, 5W, 5X, 5Z, 6W, 6Y, 7Q, 7X, 8P, 8Q, 8R, 9A, 9G, 9H, 9J, 9K, 9M2, 9M6, 9Q, 9V, 9Y, A3, A4, A5, A6, A7, A9, AP, BV, BY, C3, C5, C6, C9, CE, CE0Z, CE9, CM, CN, CP, CT, CT3, CU, CX, D2, D4, DL, DU, EA, EA6, EA8, EA9, EI, EK, EL, EP, ER, ES, ET, EU, EX, EY, EZ, F, FG, FJ, FK, FM, FO, FR, FY, G, GD, GI, GJ, GM, GU, GW, H4, HA, HB, HB0, HC, HH, HI, HK, HK0/a, HL, HP, HR, HS, HZ, I, IS, J2, J3, J6, J8, JA, JD/m, JD/o, JT, JW, JY, K, KG4, KH0, KH2, KH6, KH8, KL, KP2, KP4, LA, LU, LX, LY, LZ, OA, OD, OE, OH, OH0, OK, OM, ON, OX, OY, OZ, P2, P4, PA, PJ2, PJ7, PY, PZ, R1FJ, S0, S2, S5, S7, S9, SM, SP, ST, SU, SV, SV5, SV9, T30, T5, T7, T8, T9, TA, TF, TG, TI, TJ, TK, TR, TT, TU, TY, TZ, UA, UA2, UA9, UK, UN, UR, V2, V3, V5, V6, V7, V8, VE, VK, VK9N, VP2E, VP2V, VP5, VP8, VP8/h, VP9, VQ9, VR, VU, XE, XT, XU, XX9, YA, YB, YI, YK, YL, YN, YO, YS, YU, YV, Z2, Z3, ZA, ZB, ZC4, ZD7, ZD9, ZF, ZK1/s, ZK2, ZL, ZP, ZS

* PLEASE NOTE: The report "could" contain "Pirate/SLIM" operations or more likely a "BUSTED CALLSIGN". As always, you never know - "Work First Worry Later" (WFWL).

3B9C RODRIGUES ISLAND DXPEDITION (Update). As this was being written on Sunday morning, the 3B9C team has hit over 90,000 QSOs (possibly 100,000 by late Sunday). Remember, their activity will last until April 13th, so who can guess what their total QSO count will end up as. During the past weekend the group was active in the WPX contest as a Multi-Multi entry. After the contest the team is expected to start showing up on the digital modes with SSTV and 10m FM later. The DXpedition is now a recipient of the ARRL Colvin Award. According to the ARRL Letter, 3B9C Publicity Officer Don Field, G3XTT/NK1G, states, "This financial award has made an invaluable contribution to the expenses incurred in mounting our major DXpedition." Field said the $4000 award would go toward the cost of shipping several tons of gear by container from the UK to Rodrigues Island and back. He said 3B9C team members were "delighted" to get the grant. For the complete story, please see The ARRL Letter (Vol. 23, No. 13 -- March 26, 2004). QSL via the RSGB QSL Bureau or direct to: FSDXA, PO Box 73, Church Stretton, SY6 6WF UK. For more information and updates about the DXpedition (plus online log and a form to request bureau cards), please visit the 3B9C Web page at: http://www.fsdxa.com/3b9c/

4X/4Z, ISRAEL (Attention Contester and Award Chasers!). You may want to mark your calendar for this one. Moshe, 4X4PG, wants to remind OPDX readers that the "2004 Holyland Contest", organized by the Israel Amateur Radio Club, will be held on Staurday, April 17th from 0000-2359z, on both CW and SSB. It will provide a good opportunity to work many 4X/4Z stations towards the "Holyland Award". Full details are available on the Web page (under contests) at: http://www.iarc.org The Contest Manager is Mark, 4Z4KX (E-mail: 4z4kx@iarc.org ).

DXCC NEWS. Bill Moore, NC1L, ARRL DXCC Manager, reported that the following are approved for DXCC Credit:

EN35, UKRAINE. Nikolay, UX0FF, was active over the past weekend in the CQ WPX Contest (as SOSB 15m) using the special callsign, EN35F, to commemorate his first QSO 35 years ago. He is expected to use the special callsign again during the CQ WPX CW Contest (May 29-30th). QSL via UX0FF, by the bureau or direct to: Nikolay Lavreka, P.O.Box 320, Izmail, 68609, Ukraine.

FT1Z, AMSTERDAM ISLAND (Attention 6m Ops!). Sebastien, FT1ZL, has been active on 6 meters over the past week. Watch on or around 50110 kHz between 0900-1000z and 1530-1730z.

GACW DX CONTEST. Raul, LU6EF, GACW Coordinator, wants to remind everyone that the GACW World Wide DX Contest will be held during the third weekend of April (17-18th). Complete details and rules are available on the GACW Web page at: http://gacw.no-ip.org

HN0, IRAQ (Attention Prefix Hunters!). Kaspars, YI9ZF (YL1ZF), was active during the CQ WPX SSB Contest this past weekend as HN0Z. If you missed him using this new prefix that has NEVER been issued before, you will have another chance. Look for him to be active again as HN0Z during the CQ WPX CW Contest (May 29-30th) as a Single-Op/All-Band/Low-Power entry. QSL via SM1TDE.

IOTA NEWS...................

J42, GREECE. Members of Northern Greece Contest Team (NGCT) were active again using the special callsign J42T as a Multi-Operator/Single-Transmitter in CQ WPX SSB Contest. QSL via SV2BFN. According to their Web page the NGCT will be active again using their special callsign in the CQ WPX CW Contest (May 29-30th). For more info and their online log, visit the NGCT home page at: http://www.qsl.net/sv2ngct/

J69, ST. LUCIA. Bill, WB5ZAM, plans a very low key DXpedition here, May 2-16th. He will use the callsign J69/WB5ZAM. OPDX asked Bill what his activity will be and he said, "We'll be local mostly on VHF/UHF and trying the 'link' that they have set up between the islands. I have several contacts there and will try to do some work from one of the ham's places there, probably 40 meters. Primarily a real vacation and operating on the side. Not a Dx-pedition per se."

KH4, MIDWAY ISLAND. Jeffrey, KA1GJ/V73GJ, informs OPDX that he will be operating as KA1GJ/MM from April 16th through May 12th, and is expected to be on Midway Island from April 23-25th. He will be active as KA1GJ/KH4. QSL via V73GJ: P.O. Box 1050, APO AP 96555 USA.

LX, LUXEMBOURG. Operators SP5HNK, SP5MBQ, SP5UAF, SQ5IRO, SP6T, SP7NJX and SP7VC will be active as LX/homecall from Wiltz, April 1-6th. Activity will be on 160-2 meters. Operations will be on CW, SSB and RTTY (also possibly PSK31 and SSTV). QSL via SP Bureau or direct via their home callsigns. The group also plans to participate in the SP DX Contest as LX5A (QSL via LX bureau).

P4, ARUBA. After 2 years without a tower and antennas, Emily's, P43E, new QTH has a station again. Antennas are TH7 and a dipole for 160/80/40 meters. Look for hER to be active again in contests. She was heard this past weekend in the CQ WPX SSB Contest. Over the past week, Emily was heard on 20 and 15 meters CW/SSB. Watch 14190 (or possibly 14010 kHz) after 2330z and 21015 kHz after 1715z. QSL via the buearu or direct to: Emily Thiel, P.O.Box 614, ARUBA. Visit his Web page at: http://www.qsl.net/p43e/

QQP WEEKEND. Radio Amateurs du Quebec Inc., the provincial organization of amateur radio operators, is very proud to announce the creation of a new annual amateur radio contest: the Quebec QSO Party. The Quebec QSO Party wishes to invite all amateur radio operators across the world to participate on June 19th (2004) from 1700-0300z. The contest is held every summer on the Saturday immediately preceding June 24. The Quebec QSO Party has a site on the Internet containing rules and other related information. The site is located at: http://www.raqi.ca/qqp/ Radio Amateurs du Quebec Inc, who sponsors the event, sees the Quebec QSO Party as an unique opportunity of the amateur radio community to showcase their technical prowess, allowing all regions of the province to be on the air for this event. For further information: Me. Guy Lamoureux, VE2LGL, General Director, Radio Amateur du Quebec Inc.

QSL INFO AND NEWS....................

SPDX CONTEST. Robert, SP5XVY, would like to invite everyone to participate in the 2004 SP DX Contest (April 3-4th, 1500-1500z). He also wants to inform you that the contest has new rules and a new Web site at: http://www.contest.spdxc.org.pl In this year's contest they have a little surprise. For each station outside of Poland that can obtain the criteria for two Polish diplomas, "POLSKA" (you need only 16 QSOs) and "SPPA Powiat", the diplomas will be sent for free. The rules for the diplomas can be found on the Web page at: http://www.pzk.org.pl

T33, BANABA ISLAND. Just a little reminder that the T33C operation is scheduled to possibly start on April 4th (or 5th) and last until 16th. There will be 19 operators. To get yourself prepared, visit their Web page at: http://www.dx-pedition.de/banaba2004/

V31, BELIZE. Alan, WQ5W, announces his upcoming DXpedition to Placencia, Belize (Grid Square EK-56), April 22-29th. The Belize Public Utilities Commission has issued him the callsign V31RR. Alan says "I realize that V31 is probably not high on anybody's most-wanted list, but I hope to be able to help DXers out with needed band/mode countries to fill in V31 for their DXCC single band or mode or DXCC Challenge Awards on HF. I will also be emphasizing 6m and hope to catch some early-season E-skip openings!" This operation will operate 160-6 meters, CW/SSB/RTTY/PSK/WSJT, but will emphasize the WARC bands (mostly on CW) and the digital modes like RTTY and PSK-31. Alan will have a dedicated radio listening constantly for openings on 6m. Meteor scatter via WSJT will also be attempted and schedules can be set up prior to the expedition by E-mailing Alan at: v31rr@hotmail.com This DXpedition will be fully compatible with the ARRL Logbook of The World (LoTW). Logs will be uploaded to LoTW throughout the expedition and immediately following its conclusion. Paper QSLs will also be available via WQ5W. Alan has set up a Web page with complete details. Pictures and news from the trip will be updated throughout the DXpedition. The Web page is at: http://www.qsl.net/v31rr/

VK9L, LORD HOWE ISLAND. Look for Skip, JE2HCJ, to be active this week as VK9LU from March 31st to April 9th. Activity will be on 160-6 meters mostly CW. QSL via JE2HCJ.

VP9, BERMUDA. Lou, K1YR, will be active as VP9/K1YR in the CQ WPX CW Contest (May 29-30th) as a Single-Op/All-Band/Low-Power entry. QSL via K1YR.

ZL7, CHATHAM ISLAND (Update to OPDX.653). Both Franz/ZL2III/DK1II and Dom/DL5EBE, members of the "Rhein-Ruhr DX Association" (RRDXA) and "Radio Telegraphy High Speed Club" (HSC), have informed OPDX that they will be active from Chatham Island over the Easter Holidays from April 7th (arrival) until April 14th (departure). They plan to be active on all bands, mainly CW and SSB and also digital modes (PSK31 and RTTY). They will have linears and a kite supported verticals / delta loops for 160 and 80 meters. Their callsigns are ZL2III/7 and ZL7/DL5EBE; however, they have applied for a special callsign which will be announced after it is granted. QSL via DL5EBE, using the callbook address.

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