The Ohio/Penn DX PacketCluster
DX Bulletin No. 526 BID: $OPDX.526 August 27, 2001 Editor Tedd Mirgliotta, KB8NW
Provided by BARF-80 BBS Cleveland, Ohio
Online at 440-237-8208 28.8k-1200 Baud 8/N/1
Thanks to the Northern Ohio Amateur Radio Society, Northern
Ohio DX Association, Ohio/Penn PacketCluster Network, AB5K &
the AR TelNet Clusters Network, KF2TI, N3SL, W3UR & The Daily
DX, N4AA & QRZ DX, W4WX, WA4FFW, KH6BZF, W6DXO, AL7KC, K7ZZ,
NH7A, K8YSE, DH5JG, DL1EK & DX News Letter, DL2VFR, F5NQL,,
GW0ANA, IV3TAN, JH8KYU, RW3RN, UA6MF, VA3RJ, VE1JS, VK6CQ and
YS1RR for the following DX information.
EDITOR'S SPECIAL NOTE (by KB8NW): I know I
said that "There will 'NOT' be an OPDX bulletin for August
27th", but due to some significant and important
announcements I decided to send one out anyway before going on
vacation (Call me "dedicated to my readers" or
"crazy" as my wife would say!)
DXCC COUNTRY/ENTITY REPORT: According to the
AR-Cluster Network for the week of Thursday, 16/August, through
Thursday, 23/August there were 228 countries active. Countries
available: 3A, 3B8, 3D2, 3DA, 3V, 3W, 4J, 4L, 4S, 4W, 4X, 5A, 5B,
5H, 5N, 5R, 5U, 5V, 5X, 5Z, 6W, 6Y, 7Q, 7X, 8P, 8R, 9A, 9G, 9H,
9J, 9K, 9M2, 9M6, 9N, 9V, 9Y, A4, A5, A6, A7, A9, AP, BV, BY, C3,
C6, C9, CE, CE0A, CE0Z, CE9, CM, CN, CP, CT, CT3, CU, CX, D2, D4,
D6, DL, DU, E4, EA, EA6, EA8, EA9, EI, EK, EL, EP, ER, ES, ET,
EU, EX, EY, EZ, F, FG, FJ, FK, FM, FO, FR, FW, FY, G, GD, GI, GJ,
GM, GU, GW, H4, H40, HA, HB, HB0, HC, HI, HK, HK0/a, HL, HP, HR,
HS, HV, HZ, I, IS, J2, J3, J5, J6, J7, J8, JA, JT, JW, JX, JY, K,
KG4, KH0, KH2, KH6, KH8, KL, KP2, KP4, LA, LU, LX, LY, LZ, OA,
OD, OE, OH, OH0, OJ0, OK, OM, ON, OX, OY, OZ, P2, P4, PA, PJ2,
PJ7, PY, PY0F, PZ, R1FJ, S2, S5, SM, SP, SU, SV, SV5, SV9, T2,
T32, T7, T8, T9, TA, TF, TG, TI, TJ, TK, TL, TR, TT, TU, TY, TZ,
UA, UA2, UA9, UK, UN, UR, V3, V4, V5, V6, V7, V8, VE, VK, VK9N,
VP2E, VP5, VP8, VP9, VQ9, VR, VU, XE, XT, XU, XX9, YB, YK, YL,
YN, YO, YU, YV, Z2, Z3, ZA, ZB, ZC4, ZD7, ZD8, ZF, ZK1/s, ZL, ZP,
ZS.
* PLEASE NOTE: The report "could" contain
"Pirate/SLIM" operations. As always, you never know -
"Work First Worry Later" (WFWL).
3D2, CONWAY REEF. Raymundo, YS1RR, reports
that he received a phone call from Hrane, YT1AD, and was told he
couldn't get landing authorization for KH1 this time (see KH1
below), so he will go again to Conway Reef in October. Team
members will be YT1AD, YU7AV, YZ7AA, YU1AU, YU1DX, Z32ZM, YT6A
(possibly), RZ3AA and K1LZ. One member of their team is also a
journalist. The team will leave from Fiji on September 30th, on
the ship "MV Princess 2" and arrive on Conway Reef on
October 1st. They should be active on the same day and then for
the next 10 days (October 10th). The callsigns will be announced
the first day of the operation (one call for CW and one call for
SSB/RTTY). Their license is valid until December 31, 2002, and
they estimate the cost of the operation is approx. 45000 USD. All
donations are welcomed via YS1RR. Two stations will be active on
160-6 meters, including the WARC bands, around the DX windows.
Pilots stations for this DXpedition will be YU1AA and VEJEXY. QSL
CW QSOs via YT1AD: Dr. Hrane Milosevic, 36206 Vitanovac,
YUGOSLAVIA.QSL SSB/RTTY QSOs via Z32AU: Dragan Kostevski, P.O.
Box 35, 6000 OHRID, MACEDONIA, Europe. A Web site will be
available after September 10th, for "Conway Reef 2"
operation at: http://www.kragujevac.co.yu/3d2.
4W, EAST TIMOR. Jose, CT1EEB (aka VK8CS,
4W6EB, CU3/CT1EEB), informed the DX community that Amateur Radio
won't be forgotten in East Timor now that the only active DXers
in the Territory have left or are about to leave. Carlos Poinho,
CU3FT, active DXer from the Azores Archipelago and a Telecom
Tech. for the Portuguese Air-Force, is in Tour-of-Duty for UNTAET
in Dili, Capital of East-Timor, and will try to be as active as
possible with the callsign 4W/CU3FT. The license has just been
received from the United Nations in New York, and the creditation
procedures is in process by DXCC. Special attention will be given
to the WARC bands and 6 meters, especially the upcoming F2
openings in October/November. Also, he will work with ETARA
(East-Timor Amateur Radio Association) and the local authorities
to set up a future licensing authority after East Timor receives
its full independence. Jose will also help in introducing Amateur
radio to the East-Timor nationals. QSL via Manager CT1EEB: Jose
Emanuel Ribeiro de Sa, P. O. Box 79, P-3860 Estarreja, Portugal.
9E, ETHIOPIA. Silvio, IV3TRK, will be active
as 9E1S Friday, August 24th through September 4th. Activity will
be mainly CW. He will also be active on the low bands. The only
problem is that his antenna for the Top Band is a simple T
antenna because he doesn't have enough space to install a better
antenna for reception. The RX conditions on the low bands in
Ethiopia are very poor during this season (rainy season). E-mail
sked can be made via: et3vsc@telecom.net.et.
QSL via IV3TRK.
C6, BAHAMAS. Several MDXA members are
planning to operate in the CQWW SSB Contest (October 27 - 28th)
from C6A. They will be active the week before the contest
(October 20th) with individual callsigns operating SSB, CW and
perhaps some RTTY. They have rented the villa offered by Ken
Helton, KC4SZE / C6AHN on Treasure Cay, Abaco Island (NA-080).
This is the same QTH used by the C6AJX group for the 1999 CQWW CW
Contest. Confirmed operators as of now are: Ernie - W5OXA/C6AKO,
Randy - W5UE/C6ARB, Alan - N5PA, Stan - K5NY and Bernie - KK5EW.
Details are still being worked out, so watch their web site for
up to the minute information at: http://mdxa.org/c6a-2001.html.
CN, MOROCCO. Al, NH7A, will be active in the
CQWW SSB Contest as a Single Op/All Band entry as CN2AC. QSL via
F6BEE. Also, F6BEE will be active in CQWW CW Contest as a Single
Op/All Band entry as CN2JS. QSL via F6BEE.
IOTA NEWS...
AF-004. Frank, DH5JG, will be on holiday
and active from Lanzarote Island from August 29th until
September 10th, signing EA8/DH5JG. He will work mostly on
CW on 40-10 meters, with a focus on the WARC bands.
However, he will also participate in the WAEDXC SSB
Contest. He will use an IC-706, 100w, with a dipole. QSL
via home callsign, bureau or direct CBA (on www.qrz.com).
EU-048. Didier, F5BJW, will be active
from Ile de Groix, September 15-24th. Activity will be on
80-10 meters on SSB (100 watts) with dipole and GP
antennas. Callsign will be TM2A. QSL via F5BJW. Look for
info and photos after the expedition on the Web page: http://castres.dx.gang.free.fr/.
OC-142. Look for VK4HF to be active from
Fraser Island, August 27-31st. Activity will be on 80-10
meters SSB. QSL via VK4HF.
KG4, GUANTANAMO BAY. Bill, W4WX, member of
the Florida DXPedition Group (FDXPG), will be operating from
Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, September 7-14th as KG4DX (ex-KG4GC). He
will be active on RTTY and some SSB along with activity on the
WARC bands and 6 meters. QSL direct or via bureau to his home
call.
KH1, BAKER AND HOWLAND ISLANDS. Hrane, YT1AD,
states that they have "received provisional permit for
disembarkation of our expedition" from the United States
Fish and Wild Services, " and this is a main step for our
activity."
KH3, JOHNSTON ATOLL. Just a reminder that
Dan, KH6UW, will lead a group of four operators including AL7KC,
W7TSQ and K7ZZ on a trip to Johnston Island (OC-023) from
September 11-18th. The group will be active on 160-6 meters
including the WARC bands using CW and SSB, using the callsign
K3J. Two 24-hour stations will be used, with a third activated as
needed. European contacts will be emphasized when band openings
permit. In response to many requests, a six-meter station (with
beacon) has been added to the group's capabilities. A web site,
which will contain log checking, may be found at: http://www.qsl.net/k3j/.
Many people have contributed to the success of the trip, but
special thanks goes to Force 12 for antenna support. QSL via
AH6HN.
QSL INFO AND NEWS...
3B6RF QSL STATUS. Steve, N3SL, informs
OPDX that they ran out of 3B6RF cards the weekend of
August 11-12th. Rene and Christina (2 members of the
3B6RF team) drove to Germany and picked up more QSL cards
(where Funk Amateur provided the printing). Steve
received an E-mail Friday, August 17th, stating that 500
more QSL cards were mailed directly to him this past
Wednesday, August 15th. The last batch of QSL cards took
12 days to arrive from Germany. Right now Steve has just
over 200 cards waiting to be answered. He is presuming a
significant number of people will wait until they know
cards are coming out, then send for theirs, as these 200+
cards have arrived in the past 10 days or so. The day the
new batch of blank QSLs arrive, they should be able to
knock out the current pile in one evening. This includes
those who QSLed via WF5E.
3Y0C QSL STATUS. Mac, WA4FFW, reports
that 5000 3Y0C DX station QSL cards were mailed out
August 17th. This did not include any stateside cards or
bureau cards. They processed the DX cards first so as to
give them some extra travel time in hope that they could
be used for this year's submission. "It has been our
goal to get the cards out in time to allow everyone to
get them turned in before the September deadline."
Stateside cards will be processed and mailed within the
next two weeks. There are a lot of "NOT IN
LOG", but they will check every one of these against
the paper log before rejecting any request. The rework
"NIL" verifications and bureau cards will be
processed immediately following the stateside mailing.
Joe/N4OL and Gene/WJ4T are assisting Mac with the QSL
duty and things are going well and quick. They see no
reason all stateside cards will not be mailed in two
weeks. Please do not send E-mail inquiring or asking for
special favors. They are processing as fast as they are
capable of doing. They received the cards from the
printer the first week of August and they have mailed
over 5000 out to date. They can't respond to requests and
process at the same time. Thank you for your help in this
area. This first mailing does not include bureau cards,
they will be processed after stateside cards. For those
that did not send an SAE or envelope, these will get
answered but after all the rest of the cards are mailed.
Mac could not see delaying everyone's cards just to stop
and fill in addresses. They will get answered along with
the bureau cards. In regard to turning in the cards for
this year's submission, they have not received any word
from The ARRL as to the operation's approval. All
documentation has been submitted.
CORRECTION. John, VE1JS, active from
Brier Island (NA-127) should be QSLed via VE1JS, direct
or via Bureau (not VE2JS as reported). His address is
good in any callbook since 1999. All cards will be
answered in the method that they are received!
VK0LD E-QSL (Good News!). Alan, VK6CQ
(aka VK0LD), informs OPDX (in a long press release) that
after having received several requests over the past few
months for "valid" or "real" VK0LD
QSL cards as well as suggestions as to how the existing
VK0LD eQSL cards could be authenticated sufficiently for
DXCC purposes, he has found an acceptable way to have the
VK0LD eQSL valid for DXCC. It is IMPORTANT to read the
following instructions from Alan to have your eQSL count
for DXCC:
Anyone who had a valid QSO with VK0LD and downloaded
a VK0LD eQSL card from the eQSL website who wishes to
submit such a card to DXCC can forward the eQSL card
to Alan for personal authentication.
Alan will check the card against the original log and
sign the reverse of the card, stamp it with a special
VK0LD rubber stamp and return the card to sender. He
would then suggest that the card be laminated by the
sender.
The ARRL has advised Alan that this will be sufficient to
make the VK0LD eQSL card valid for Macquarie Island
according to the ARRL rules for DXCC accreditation. Cards
should be sent to the following address and it is
IMPORTANT that the envelope is clearly marked PRIVATE
& CONFIDENTIAL: Alan Cheshire, c/o Station Engineer,
West Coast Radio, PO Box 688, Mandurah, Western Australia
6210, AUSTRALIA. Please include a correct sized SAE and
funds to cover return postage (ONE Greenback is
sufficient to cover the A$1.50 for international mail
from Australia). Alan requests to Please:
DO NOT Send Australian Stamps (Australia Post now
uses special international only stamps - other
Australian stamps are no longer valid for
international post out of Australia)
DO NOT Send IRC's. Half of the ones Alan has received
in the past are not accepted for exchange by the
Australia Post, either due to being incorrectly
stamped at originating office or being more than one
year old). All in all, IRCs are a general pain to
redeem. He will therefore not reply to cards sent
with IRCs.
He is not a member of the Wireless Institute of
Australia and does not use the QSL Bureau.
DO NOT put VK0LD or any other callsign on the
envelope.
There is no need to make a donation to Camp Qualityor
the Children's Cander Hospital in Sao Paolo as these
were a VK0MM/AX0LD thing.
Lastly, Alan's "complete" press release will be
sent out to all OPDX InterNet Subscribers as an addtional
bulletin.
Glyn, GW0ANA, QSL Manager for the ZD7K
and ZD8K operations, informs OPDX that all direct QSL
cards for their DXpedition have gone out as of August
18th. He is now working on the Bureau cards as they come
in.
RI6, EUROPEAN RUSSIA. Ivan, UA6MF, informs
OPDX that a group will be planning an island DXpedition to the
Azov Sea. Activity will be from the RR 17-04 island group for the
"Russian Robinson Award ( RRA )". The callsign will be
RI6LAP as well as their home callsigns: UA6LGR/p, UA6LAM/p and
UA6MF/p. Operations will be on August 24-26th. Activity will be
on 40-10 meters CW/SSB. QSLs for RI6LAP is OK via UA6MF, the
bureau or direct to: Ivan. A. Gudima, P. Box 47, Rostov-on-Don,
344007, Russia.
SILENT KEY. Mac, WA4FFW, reports with deep
sorrow of the passing of Joe Curlott, W4CTG. Many knew him as
K5CTG before he changed his call to represent the 4th district as
W4CTG. Joe lost a very quick 6 week fight with cancer and the
swiftness was a shock to all. He was at Dayton this year and
started having problems shortly after returning home. He became a
Silent Key July 30. Many knew Joe as the Anchor and Beacon
Station for 80 METER DXING. He gathered both Stateside and DX
stations on 3772 kHz nightly for the past 16 years. Although he
had worked and confirmed around 320 on that band, he was always
there stirring up contacts for others to work. He was a gentleman
and always willing to help someone work a new one on 80. He will
be greatly missed.
SPECIAL EVENT. Look for special event station
UM8LA to be active on all bands between August 27th and September
5th to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the independence for
Uzbekistan. QSL via RW3RN: Alex Kuznetsov.Box 57,Tambov-23,392023
Russia.
T2, TUVALU. Hiro, JA0SC, will be active as
T22SC from Funafuti, August 23-30th. Activity will be on SSTV and
RTTY. QSL via JA0SC, direct or via the bureau.
TI, COSTA RICA. Hide, JH8KYU
(ex-3W2KYU/9M6HTT), will visit TI5KD's shack in Costa Rica from
September 27th through October 2nd. The main purpose of his trip
is to participate in the CQ/RJ RTTY Contest as a Single Op/All
Band entry. The callsign used will be TI5U in the contest. Hide
won the Oceanian low power record in that contest from KH0 last
year. He wants to make many more contacts than last year's
contest, so he will use some great antennas and a high power
amplifier. Hide will also operate as TI5/JH8KYU on SSB/CW outside
the contest. QSLs for both TI5U and TI5/JH8KYU go to Hide's CBA.
Z2, ZIMBABWE (QRP Safari Op). Harry, W6DXO,
informs OPDX that he is pleased to announce, thanks through the
courtesy of the Zimbabwe Amateur Radio Society, that he will be
operating as Z2/W6DXO, September 27th through October 5th, from
the Linkwasha Wilderness Camp, and the Victoria Falls Hotel both
in Zimbabwe. Working conditions mandate QRP Ops. He will
concentrate on 20 meters. QSL via W6DXO direct only.
SPECIAL NOTE BY EDITOR: If you are having a problem receiving
bounced mail by sending mail to me via "kb8nw@barf80.nshore.org",
please send mail to me via "kb8nw@arrl.net"......
TNX de Tedd KB8NW
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
28.8k/14400/9600/2400/1200 and leave a message with the Sysop or
send via InterNet Mail to: kb8nw@barf80.nshore.org
- OR - kb8nw@arrl.net. 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
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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
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