Ohio/Penn DX Bulletin No. 347
March 9, 1998


The Ohio/Penn Dx PacketCluster
DX Bulletin No. 347
BID: $OPDX.347
March 9, 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, K2WE, WB2RAJ/WB2YQH & The 59(9) DXReport, W3UR & The Daily DX, N4AA & QRZ DX, AI5P, N6ED, K7BV, EA5XX, EA2CLU, EI6FR, EI2GX, F5NOD, G3RTE, G3SWH, G3XTT, G4BUE & DX News Sheet, G4LVQ, IT9JPK, JARL, and YS1RRD following DX information.


3W, VIETNAM (plus an XU operation). Steve, K2WE, called the OPDX/BARF80 answering machine (number is listed below) and informed us that he and Les, W2LK, will be active this month as 3W6WE and 3W6LK, respectively. They will leave New York on March 20th and expect to be in Vietnam on the 22nd. Their callsigns will only be good for 6 days between March 25-31st. Before and after these days, they have access to use and operate from the Kasati Ham Club station 3W6KA. This station is equipped with kilo watt amp and a tri-band beam mounted on a 75 ft. tower. The station also has antennas for 40/80 meters. Also, they will be operating from the club station during the CQ WPX SSB Contest (March 28-29th). Steve mentioned that their license is good to operate for 24 hours a day on 80-10 meters. Also, their license has already been show to the League and has been approved. Steve stated that 3W6WE will probably be used on SSB and 3W6LK on CW. QSL 3W6WE via K2WE and 3W6LK via W2LK. QSL for the 3W6KA club station go to: Kasati Ham Radio Club, P.O. Box 76, Saigon, Vietnam. SPECIAL ADDED NOTE: Steve and Les will be the first Americans licensed to operate in Vietnam. This operation will be something special to Steve, who told OPDX that he is a Vietnam Vet and spent 2 1/2 years there (he states, "Almost 30 years to the date!"). Also, Steve mentions he may be going to XU-land with Hiroo, JA2EZB, who has helped in obtaining the licenses. Details should be forthcoming.

4H, PHILIPPINES. Robin, DU9RG, reports he will be active in the CQ WPX Contest as 4H9RG.

9M0C DXPEDITION WRAPUP. An excerpt from a press release by Don Field, G3XTT, reports that "the 9M0C operation closed down on Tuesday, February 24th, after making well over 65k QSOs with over 180 DXCC countries." The DXpedition was highly successful in every respect with all goals being achieved. Don states full write-ups will appear in a number of the key magazines including CQ Ham Radio (Japan), Radio Communication (UK), Funk (Germany), etc. Also, 9M0C presentations are scheduled for Visalia, Dayton, Friedrichshafen, the RSGB HF Convention, the Clipperton DX Club Convention, VERON (Netherlands) and elsewhere. The full press release containing more details such as band QSOs break downs will be sent to all OPDX InterNet Subscribers.

AADX CONTEST, 1997 RESULTS. The Japan Amateur Radio League, Inc. (JARL) announced that the results of the 38th (1997) All Asian DX Contest have been uploaded to their Web site: http://www.jarl.or.jp/English/4_Library/A-4-3_Contests/1997/97index.htm They want to remind everyone the dates of the 1998 AADX Contest will be June 20-21st (CW) and September 5-6th (Phone). The rules for the contest will be same as last year except the dates.

ES80, ESTONIA. Currently there are several stations active using the special prefix ES80 in celebration of the 80th Anniversary of the Estonian Republic. Look for ES80R (QSL via ES7RE), ES80Q (via ES5MQ), ES80J (via ES1AX), ES80L (via ES6PL) and ES80M (via ES1QD). Length of their activity is unknown.

F, ILE DE SEIN (France). Jim, G3RTE, and Phil, G3SWH, will be active from the French island (IOTA EU-068) Friday, March 27th, until Monday, March 30th. They will be active on all bands 80-10 meters. Jim will use SSB on the usual IOTA frequencies as F/G3RTE/P and Phil will use CW as F/G3SWH/P. Special QSLs will be available for both calls from G3SWH (21 Dickensons Grove, Congresbury, Bristol, BS49 5HQ, U.K.) or via the RSGB bureau.

FH, MAYOTTE. The "DX News Sheet" reports that Conny, DL1DA, is expected to be active as FH/DL1DA, on CW and details on his stay are not known.

FK, NEW CALEDONIA. The "DX News Sheet" reports Philippe, F5PFO (ex-J28FO), will be active for the next three years beginning at the end of March. His callsign is not yet known.

FT5Z, AMSTERDAM & ST. PAUL ISLANDS. The Lyon DX Gang announces the next FT5Z DXpedition will take place in December, 1998. They have reportedly received all the authorizations for their one month operation. The callsign FT5ZH was issued to the team. Their main goal is to go there and ONLY operate. Activity will be 160-10 meters with operations on CW, SSB and RTTY. They will have amplifiers and beam antennas. The group is looking for sponsors and donations. Donations can be sent to their club Treasurer F5PXT (via postal order or registered mail): Mr. Eric Blanchard, 2 Rue Bichat, Bat 32, 69002 Lyon, France. For update-to-date information, check out the WEB site: http://perso.easynet.fr/~f5nod/ft5z.html

GM, BUTE ISLAND (Scotland). The Otley Amateur Radio Club will mount a DXpedition to this Scottish island (IOTA EU-123) for this year's IOTA Contest (July 25-26th). Their entry will be Multi/Single, and a special call sign has been applied for. Operators will be G0SNV, G0NIG, G0WNT, M0ARK, M0AMA, G8HDN and G7RDJ.

IOTA 98. The IOTA Convention this year will be held May 1-3rd, at Las Palmas, Canary Islands. This is an unique opportunity to attend one of the most important conventions in Europe. For more information, check out the WEB site http://www.ure.es or send an e-mail to ure@ure.es.

J8 DXPEDITION UPDATE. Jose, EA2CLU, reports to OPDX that their expedition to St. Vincent and the Grenadines as J80R, which is set for March 21st through April 1st, has now a WEB site available. You can see up-to-date info, like callsigns/QSLs/frequencies, etc.. at: http://www.ctv.es/USERS/ea2clu/home.htm

OPERATIONS COMING TO AN END (Wow! What month for DX!). By the time you read this, the German group (ZL7DK) active from Chatham Island will be going QRT. Next to follow will be the Dateline DX Association group signing homecall/KH9 which will go QRT on March 11th. Also ending will be the SSIDXG and MKDXF group's KH1 operation which is scheduled to end on March 12th. All three operations have provided the DX ham community with excellent operations and excitement over the last few weeks.

PACIFIC DXPEDITIONS CONTINUE BY THE OKDX GROUP. The OKDX group should now be active from Tonga. Look for A35TN and A35KT to be active until March 14th. From Tonga, they go onto Western Samoa as 5W0SZ and 5W0VV from March 14-23rd. Activity will end in Fiji with a possibility of a Rotuma operation (if transportation can be arranged).

PACIFIC/ASIA DXPEDITION CONTINUES. Michael, DF8AN, continues on his long leg of DXpeditions. He will be in three different countries this week. Michael currently is in DU land signing DU1/DF8AN until March 11th. He will then spend a few days in Guam (March 11-14th) as KH1/DF8AN. Michael will then travel to Micronesia (V6) and be there from March 14-22th. His last stop will be to activate Koror Island (T8, Belau) between March 22-28th. Currently, no callsigns have been assigned for his V6 and T8 operations. His activity and operations should be mainly CW on all bands (including the WARC bands). QSL via bureau or direct (to his new address): Michael Noertmann, Neustadt 18, D-37154 Northeim, Germany.

QSL INFO AND NEWS.....

VP5, TURKS & CAICOS ISLANDS. Don, KN4UG, will be active in the coming weeks (March 16-24th) from Providenciales. His callsign has not been reported yet. QSL via homecall.

YB AMATEURS OFF THE AIR! Dennis, K7BV, received a message from an Indonesian friend stating that Indonesian amateurs are under a "radio silence" order covering the period of February 23rd through March 14th. Reportedly, this is taking place during the Indonesian Parlement board meeting in Jakarta, apparently for their president's 5th year in office.

ZL9, CAMPBELL ISLAND (Update for the January, 1999 DXpedition). The Kermadec DX Association, which had a very successful DXpedition to Raoul Island, Kermadecs under the callsign ZL8RI, is pleased to announce that plans are now at an advanced stage for the January, 1999 DXpedition to Campbell Island ZL9. The neccessary permissions have been obtained, transport arranged and the logistics needed to put together an operation from this remote island are well in hand. An international team of operators has been selected from New Zealand, Japan, Canada, The United States and Ireland. The operation should begin activity on January 9th, 1999, and remain on the air until January 25th. The team will operate on SSB/CW/RTTY and on all bands. The team leader Ken Holdum, ZL2HU, has previously written to major DX clubs worldwide seeking their financial support for this DXpedition which is costing in the region of $65,000 (U.S.) to mount. If you would like to contribute to the success of the ZL9 DXpedition by helping to meet the enormous costs, send donations:

  Ken Holdum ZL2HU (Team Leader)       Declan Craig EI6FR (Team Member) 
  The Kermadec DX Association          The Kermadec DX Association (Europe)
  P O Box 56099                        167 St. James's Road
  Tawa, Wellington             - or -  Greenhills, Dublin 12
  New Zealand                          Ireland
All donations will be acknowledged on receipt, and in the event of the DXpedition not proceeding, will be returned.

ZS26, BIRD ISLAND (South Africa). Several bulletins report that a new IOTA will be activated this week. Activity will be from March 9-13th. Operators ZS1B, ZS1FJ, ZS1KC and ZS1LL will sign ZS26BI on all bands both CW/SSB. Watch the IOTA frequencies. QSL via ZS1FJ.

1998 INTERNATIONAL DX CONVENTION. Between May 1-3rd the convention will be held at the Holiday Inn, Visalia, CA, [telephone: (209) 268-1000]. Further information can be obtained from Rick, W6SR, co-chairperson at 714-993-0713 (home), 310-616-3912 (work) or via the E-mail address at: scdxc@primenet.com.

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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