Ohio/Penn DX Bulletin No. 344
February 16, 1998


The Ohio/Penn Dx PacketCluster
DX Bulletin No. 344
BID: $OPDX.344
February 16, 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, WB2RAJ/WB2YQH & The 59(9) DXReport, K4UVT, N4RN, W4WX, WD4JNS, KZ8E, WZ8D, KJ9I, KP2BH, EA3NY, F5CCO, F6AJA & LNDX, G3HSR, G4BUE & DX News Sheet, GM4FDM, HB9BRM, IK5MDF, LU1DZ, RN6BN, SM5MX, VE3NQK, YS1FEA and ZS5BBO for the following DX information.


3C0, PAGALU ISLAND. The "DX News Sheet" reports that the proposed March multi-national DXpedition has been postponed due to the armed coup in Equatorial Guinea on January 20th.

3X, GUINEA. Steve, GOAEV, will be active from February 16 through March 31st, and possibly for six weeks after Easter while he is on a work assignment. Activity will be on CW/SSB, mainly on 10 and 6 meters and then the other bands. QSL via home call.

4S7, SRI LANKA. Mario, HB9BRM, will be active from here for about three months beginning March 3rd as 4S7BRG. QSL via bureau to HB9BRM or direct (Callbook 98).

7P8, LESOTHO. Look for John, KA3DBN, to be active sometime between March 1-19th. Activity should be on all bands CW/SSB and RTTY while he is based in South Africa. Also, the "DX News Sheet" reports that John will be active from South Africa and possibly from A2, Z2 and 3DA when he travels there. QSL via K3BEQ.

8Q, MALDIVES. Lorenzo, IK5MDF, states he will be active from here May 2-8th. His call sign will be 8Q7DF. His activity will be on 80-10 meters from Alimatha Island (IOTA AS-013). For more information and updates, please visit the following Web site: http://www.qsl.net/ik5mdf

9K, KUWAIT. The special 9K2F DXpedition has been postponed due to the current problems in the area.

C6, BAHAMAS. It has been reported that "Wild Man" Joe Pater, C6AJR/W8GEX (ex-WB8GEX), and John Walker, C6AIE/WZ8D, are going back to the Bahamas again February 25th through March 4th. John has indicated they had such a great time in early December working the Ten Meter Contest on all the bands (which included 400 QSOs on 6 meters), that they wanted to get back as soon as possible. Their main event will be the CQ 160 meter SSB Contest. The call for the contest will be C6AIE. They will be active on all bands including six meters (looking for E, TEP, F2, propagation or whatever six meters will deliver. Sorry no 2 meters this time. John states he is still waiting for QSL cards from the printer to mail out from their last trip. He requests, "Please be patient, it always takes longer for picture QSLs." Jim, KB8YKR, has already mailed out all non SASEs and bureau cards up to date to the QSL Bureaus. John has about 800 cards with SASEs that will get the new picture QSL cards when they are received. If you would like to get one of these, please send your cards direct to John Walker, WZ8D, 1930 Meredith Dr. Loveland, Ohio 45140-7216. Include a S.A.S.E for U.S.A. and outside U.S. include at least 1 IRC and S.A.E. All cards for C6AJR will go to W8GEX, (ex-WB8GEX), 1894 Old Oxford Rd. Hamilton, Ohio 45013.

EK, ARMENIA. "The 59(9) DXReport" states that Sergei, EK4JJ, is now active as 4K1700JJ to celebrate 1700 Years of Christianity. QSL via GW3CDP.

EP, IRAN. Look for Rino, EP3GI, to be active until May. SSB activity is mainly on 40 and 20 meters. QSL via EA5XV. Meanwhile, EP2MKO continues to be active on 20 meters CW (around 14004 kHz) between 1330 and 1500z.

FS5, SAINT MARTIN. Eddie, EA3NY, will be active in another ARRL SSB Contest, this time as FS5PL. He will be here from March 4-9th. During nights he will be looking for Europeans on 40 and 80 meters. He will also try RTTY during some part of the evenings before the contest and during weekends, working as many U.S. stations possible for ARRL SSB Contest. He will be active on all bands during the contest as a Single Operator High-power. His anntenas will be an A4 (4 elements from Cushcraft) with 40 meters kit, dipoles for 80 and 160, they will not be very high. Also see NP3 down below.

FT5Z, AMSTERDAM ISLAND. Mehdi, F5PFP, reports he has permission to land and operate from here next December. He will be able to stay for about one month. Mehdi states this operation will be a DXpedition, and he will do nothing else except operate. Activity will be on all bands and modes, with beams and amplifier.

HP, PANAMA. Gerard, F2JD, has returned (as February 15th) to Panama as HP1XBI for about one and one half months. After that he will be in Honduras for one month as HR5/F2JD.

HK0, SAN ANDRES & PROVIDENCIA. Silvano, KB5GL, will operate from IOTA NA-049, Providencia, February 26th through March 2nd (maybe longer), as KB5GL/HK0. Activity will be on SSB only, suggested frequencies are (+/-): 3792, 18125, 14180 and 14260, 21260 and 21280, 21310 (for Generals), 24940-24945 and 28460 kHz. QSL to Ron Lago, AC7DX, POB 25426, Eugene, Oregon 97402 USA.

HR6, ROATAN ISLAND (Honduras). A team from the Florida Contest Club will operate from Roatan Island (IOTA NA-057) from March 3-10th. Their main event is the ARRL DX SSB contest using the contest callsign HR6/W4OVU. The operators are: Bruce, HR6/W4OVU (QSL via W4OVU), and Julio, HR6/WD4JNS (QSL via WD4JNS). They plan to operate on 80-6 meters, CW, RTTY, SSB and RS-12 satellite.

KG4, GUANTANAMO BAY. You still have time to work the group that went here to be active in the 4th Annual World-Wide RTTY WPX Contest. Operators Bill/KG4GC(W4WX), Rusty/KG4AU(WV3N), Jan/KG4QD(K4QD), Joyce/KG4OS (WA4OMS), Wayne/KG4WD and Clayton/KG4PK should be active until the 20th. The team planned to be active after the contest on all modes and bands. QSL KG4GC Contest QSOs to: Bill Gallier, KG4GC/W4WX, 4094 Sandy Run Drive E., Middleburg, FL. 32068. Please include a SASE. Bureau cards will also be answered. Non-contest QSOs go to home call. Any comments or questions can be sent to: w4wx@bellsouth.net

LU1ZC NEW DEPARTURE DATE. The latest departure date for LU1ZC (operating from Deception Island) by the Argentine icebreaker "Almirante Irizar" is March 8th. Then the last day of full operation will be 2/3 days before the departure date. The team will be able to operate a full 48 hours during the ARRL CW Contest.

NP3, PUERTO RICO. Eddie, EA3NY, will visit here before the ARRL SSB Contest (Also see FS5, above). He will be active on 40 and 80 meters during the nights for Europe. The days he will be here are February 28th through March 3rd.

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

RM6, RUSSIA (Attention Prefix Hunters!). Sam, RN6BN, reports to OPDX that a team of Shakhan Contest Club members will be working in all 1998's contests (SSB/CW/RTTY) as RM6A. This is a good chance to get a new prefix for the WPX award. QSL via RW6AWT, bureau or direct to: 350062 (no name, just a number was given), P.O.BOX 600, Krasnodar, Russia

SPECIAL EVENT. The "Cadena el Conquistador, Inc (NP3P) and the Yaureibo Cultural Center of Vieques, Puerto Rico, will be active from Vieques Island (IOTA NA-099) celebrating the 21st Vieques Cultural Festival. The special event will be operational from 1200z April 17th through 2000z on the 19th from Fort Count of Mirasol. The suggested operating frequencies will be: 28350, 21350, 14300 and also activity on 40/80/160 meters. The first 500 contacts with confirmation will receive a 8x11 certificate. The QSL adress is: Cadena el Conquistador, Inc., PO Box 161, Fajardo, Puerto Rico 00738.

T48, CUBA (Update). The No-Name Dx-Group will be using T48RAC during their trip to Santiago de Cuba from late February and early March. They plan to use this special callsign during the CQ 160 Meter and the ARRL SSB DX Contest. QSL via VE3ESE. Also, check the Kitchener-Waterloo ARC's (KWARC) Web page to see if you are in the log. A special link will appear on the web page. Go to: http://www.kwarc.org

T8, BELAU. David/KJ9I, Rudolph/NF9V and John/NZ9Z plan to be active from here December 8-17th, as T88II. Activity will be 160-10 meter with an emphasis on the topband. QSL via KJ9I (contributions appreciated): David Schmocker, N7298 County Trunk Highway F, Oconomowoc, WI 53066-9040 U.S.A.

TXK8, NEW CALEDONIA (NOT a misprint! Attention Prefix Hunter). The "LNDX" reports Eric/FK8GM, Franck/FK8HC and Alain/FK8FI will use the special callsign TXK8DX (that is T X K 8 D X) during the WPX Contest. The TX is a special prefix for French overseas territories and the K is for New Caledonia. The team plans to use a 4 element delta loop for 10m, 3 element for 15m, 3 element for 20m, 2 elements for 40m, dipoles and a square for 80m, L inverted for 160m. QSL via WB2RAJ.

V2, ANTIGUA. Operators GM3NIG, GM3UTQ, GM3COB, GM4FDM (all who recently operated from St Kilda EU-059), GM0UKZ, GM0NAI and maybe GM0GAV will be active during the upcoming IOTA Contest as V26VG. The group also hopes to be active from Antigua a few days before and after the contest using the callsigns V2/homecalls. There will be activity on the WARC bands before and after the contest. QSLs for the Dxpedition should go to GM4FDM either direct or via the bureau. Requests for bureau cards may be obtained via E-mail from GM4FDM at wylie@scotsboy.sol.co.uk

XA, MEXICO (Update). We reported in OPDX.343, that the Texas DX Society would be active from here. The TDXS will now join with the Club de Radio Afficionados del Norte de Tamaulipas Asociacion (CRANTAC) and will activate XA5T on all bands for the ARRL DX CW contest. QSL to N5TU.

XV, VIETNAM. Anders, SM0ORV, has recently been licensed as XV7SV in Hanoi (not to be mixed up with XV7SW). He has rather modest antennas, and would be happy to QSO anyone who can pick up his signals. As the rule is in Vietnam, he has been assigned a set of fixed frequencies: 3526, 7026, 10135, 14212 and 21235 kHz. QSL via his home call SM0ORV, where he will handle all cards when he returns to Sweden in June.

XV7SW WRAPUP. For those who had a chance to work Rolf, SM5MX (aka XV7SW), he has sent OPDX this personal note to all that he made a contact with: "Hi fans, Having served in Hanoi, Vietnam, for four years, I have now returned to my native Sweden. You can still obtain QSL cards for contacts with me as XV7SW by writing to my home address: Rolf T Salme, SM5MX, Korpstigen 5 B, S - 135 51 Tyreso, SWEDEN or via my QSL manager SM3CXS, either directly or via the bureau. Summing up my operation from Hanoi, it was a particular thrill to be able to activate 160 meters and offer XV on Top Band to those in need. When operating from the center of a big city, it certainly helps to have an embassy garden at your disposal for suspending elevated radials. During my stay there, I got a lot of assistance from a lot of people overseas. Special thanks go to my patient and faithful QSL manager SM3CXS, to W8ZF who furnished us with his DXBASE Log Program and to K5ESW and JE1JKL who provided me with a lot of advice and any hardware or software I needed.... 73 de Rolf SM5MX/XV7SW"

YS, EL SALVADOR. Federico, YS1FEA, reports to OPDX that due to the lack of YS stations on the air (currently ONLY about 10 stations active on HF) three Salvadoreans stations will be operational every night on 7055 kHz from 0200 to 0330z. Operators are: Federico/YS1FEA, Roberto/YS1CQ and Oscar/YS1SH. QSL all three to: PO Box 517, San Salvador, El Salvador, Central America.


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
"Totally devoted to Amateur Radio" - 24 Hrs a day 8/N/1 14.4k-300 baud