The Ohio/Penn DX PacketCluster
DX Bulletin No. 891
January 5, 2009
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, K1XN & GoList, NE1B, NJ1Q, WV2B, NG3K, N4AA & QRZ DX,
K5XK, KH6BZF, AA8LL, K8CX, K8YSE, N8OFS, K9EL, DX-IS News Site, Pete’s-
DX-Newsdesk, A35RK, CX3AN, DK8JB, DL6KAC, DL7MAE & The DX News Letter,
F5NQL & UFT, F5PFP, I1JQJ/IK1ADH & 425 DX News, RSGB IOTA Web Site,
VA3RJ & ICPO and ZL3JT for the following DX information.
DXCC COUNTRY/ENTITY REPORT: According to the AR-Cluster Network for the
week of Sunday, 28th/December, through Sunday, 4th/January there were
216 countries active. Countries available: 3A, 3B8, 3D2, 3DA, 3V, 3W, 4J,
4L, 4O, 4S, 4U1U, 4X, 5B, 5N, 5R, 5U, 5V, 5X, 5Z, 6W, 6Y, 7P, 7X, 8P, 8R,
9A, 9H, 9J, 9K, 9L, 9M2, 9M6, 9Q, 9V, 9X, 9Y, A3, A4, A5, A6, A7, A9, AP,
BV, BY, C3, C6, C9, CE, CE9, CM, CN, CP, CT, CT3, CU, CX, D2, D4, DL, DU,
E4, E5/s, E7, EA, EA6, EA8, EA9, EI, EK, EL, EP, ER, ES, ET, EU, EX, EY,
F, FG, FK, FM, FO, FR, FW, G, GD, GI, GJ, GM, GU, GW, HA, HB, HB0, HC,
HI, HK, HK0/a, HL, HP, HR, HS, HZ, I, IS, J2, J3, J5, J6, J7, JA, JD/m,
JD/o, JT, JW, JY, K, KG4, KH0, KH2, KH6, 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, S2, S5, SM, SP, ST, SU, SV, SV/a, SV5, SV9, T32, T7, T8, TA, TF,
TG, TI, TJ, TK, TL, TR, TT, TU, TY, UA, UA2, UA9, UK, UN, UR, V2, V4, V5,
V7, V8, VE, VK, VK9N, VP2V, VP6, VP8, VP8/o, VP9, VQ9, VR, VU, XE, XU,
XW, YA, YB, YI, YJ, YL, YN, YO, YS, YU, YV, Z2, Z3, ZB, ZC4, ZD7, ZD8,
ZF, 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).
2008 A SPOTLESS YEAR! Lee, KH6BZF/7J1AAP, propagation guru, informed
OPDX that “We have experienced some very Sunspot lacking days during
2008.” There were 272 spotless days out of the 366 days (Leap Year) or
74.37% of the year’s days! August and December were the worst months
with 31 and 28 spotless days, respectively. June and November were the
best months with 19 and 15 spotless days, respectively. The rest of the
months (of the year) were all in the twenties.
2008 DX SOUND BITES! Tom, K8CX, has done it again. He has provided DXers
with 120 memorable DX sound clips from 2008. Visit Tom’s famous “HAM
GALLERY” Web at: hamgallery.com/dx2008
While there also check out some of his other features on his Web page,
such as: Rare DX Sound Clips of the past, QSL Card Museum, Dayton Photo
Galleries and Tribute to Silent Key Ham Operators.
2009 DX MARATHON (Now Underway!). John, K9EL, Program Manager of the CQ
DX Marathon, reports: “The 2009 edition of CQ Magazine’s 2009 edition of
the DX Marathon is now underway! Each year from January 1 to December 31,
CQ Magazine sponsors a challenge to work as many countries and zones as
possible in the calendar year. For complete rules and submission information,
please see our web site at: www.dxmarathon.com. The 2009 official DX
Marathon score sheet is now available for download. Remember to submit
your 2008 scores by January 31, 2009.”
3B7, ST. BRANDON ISLAND (Update - Also 3B6 and 3B9). Ron, K5XK, updates
OPDX that Rachid, 3B8FQ, reports that his working trip to St. Brandon
Island (3B7), may be rescheduled for February. His earlier 3B7FQ operation
was cancelled due to transportation problems. He is also planning a
personal holiday with ham gear to Rodriguez Island (3B9), in July, and
a return trip to Agalega Island (3B6) in November. The callsigns will
be 3B7FQ, 3B9FQ, and 3B6FQ. QSL all three operations via K5XK at his
new address per instructions on QRZ.com. More details will be provided
as they become available. Meanwhile, Rachid is often active on all bands,
40-10 meters using CW and SSB (from Mauritius).
8Q, MALDIVES. Just a reminder that Andy, G7COD, will be operational for
his fifth time from the Island of Embudu in the Kaafu Atoll (AS-013) using
the callsign 8Q7AK between January 11-27th (2009). Activity will be CW and
SSB on 40-10 meters including 30/17/12 meters. He plans to be operational
every day from approximately 0730-0830z, 0900-1030z, 1300-1500z and
1730-1800z. Suggested frequencies are:
CW - 7003, 10103, 14003, 18073, 21003 and 24893 kHz (+/- for QRM)
SSB - 7063, 14147, 18133, 21253 and 24953 kHz (+/- 10 kHz)
For comprehensive details on QSL information etc, please check 8Q7AK
on QRZ.COM.
A35, TONGA (6m History Continues). Paul, A35RK, continues to be active
on 6m enjoying the sporadic E season in the South Pacific. As well as
making the first A3/VK 6m digital QSOs on December 26th and the 27th,
Paul made the first 6m A3/ZL digital QSO with Duncan, ZL3JT, followed
on the 28th with John, ZL3AAU. A35RK to ZL3JT on RTTY is another 6m
“first” in amateur radio milestones.
A35, TONGA. World traveller and Uruguay DX Group member Bert, CX3AN,
will be active as A35HA from Tonga’s main island, Tongatapu (OC-049)
for one week starting February 14th. He informs OPDX that he will
be active on 40-6 meters with a special emphasis on 30/17 meters using
CW and SSB, and only 100 watts from his Icom 706 into dipole antennas.
His activity will be limited because he will be on a family holiday trip.
Bert will be operating alone this time, not like other trips where his
good friend Mario, CX4CR, usually would join him. QSL via CX3AN.
ANTARCTICA/POLAR WEB INFORMATION. Members of the “French Polar Team” have
been putting together some interesting information/pictures (with music)
of the different polar and sub-Antarctic regions. The Web page also has
details on how to achieve their “Polar Trophy”. They have created the
Polar Trophy with the aim to stimulate the radio contacts with these
regions as well as with the polar ships. This challenge is also sub-
divided into the Antarctic Challenge and the Arctic Challenge. Visit
this interesting Web page at: www.french-polar-team.fr/index.php
Also, view the following polar ships/stations/islands at:
Rothera (Station R) on Adelaide Island –
www.french-polar-team.fr/VP8_Rothera_Station_R_Ade……
Base H on Signy Island (South Orkney archipelago) –
www.french-polar-team.fr/VP8_Signy_Station_H_Signy……
Marion Dufresne II (Polar Ship) –
www.french-polar-team.fr/Polar_Ship_Marion_Dufresn……
Marambio base on Seymour Island –
www.french-polar-team.fr/LU_Marambio_Station_Seymo……
Juan Carlos I Station on Livingston Island –
www.french-polar-team.fr/EA0_Juan_Carlos_I_Station……
ASIAN TRIP (Update). Frank, I2DMI, has ended his A52RY operation from
Thimphu, Bhutan, on December 30th. However, he has announced that his
9N7DMI activity from Nepal must be cancelled. He returned to Italy on
January 1st. No other details were provided. Remember, A52RY QSOs will
be put on the LoTW and e-QSL the second week of January. Bureau cards
will go out the fourth week of March. You can QSL direct to I2DMI:
P.O. Box 55, 22063 CANTU, Italy. Include a self addressed envelope (SAE)
and sufficient return postage. Please QSL only to his P.O. Box # 55,
22063 Cantu (not his home address).
C5, THE GAMBIA. Niels, OZ8KR, will be active as C56KR from Bakuto between
January 9-14th. Activity will be on 40-10 meters SSB. His equipment is a
FT-857 and wire antennas. After travling in Senegal (6W - no activity
planned) he will be active again between January 23rd and February 4th.
QSL via his home callsign.
C6, BAHAMAS. Operators Karney/W2AFC, Dave/N1EMC and Bill/NE1B (C6AWB)
will operate from Nassau (NA-001, Grid Square FL15) with Tom/C6ANM during
the following contests: CQ WW 160 CW (January 23-25th), ARRL DX CW
(February 21-22nd), CQ WW 160 SSB (February 27th-March 1st) and ARRL DX
SSB (March 6-8th). Additional C6ANM DX activity will be on 160-6 meters
between January 1st and April 1st. QSL via LOTW.
CY0, SABLE ISLAND (DXpedition Postponed). Duane Traver, WV2B, the CY0
DXpedition Team Leader, sent out a press release on January 1st, that
states the following (edited):
“Dear Fellow DXers,
Reluctantly, due to the current U.S. economic situation, the DXpedition
team has decided to postpone the CY0 DXpedition planned for 2009. While
we are hopeful to reorganize the DXpedition {possibly for 2010}, we have
decided that rather than tie up the funds so graciously made available
by our sponsors, we will return donations received so the sponsorship
may be available to other DXpeditions for this year. Any sponsoring
organization may feel free to contact me with any questions regarding
the matter. We are hopeful that our kind sponsors will be willing to
renew their sponsorship when the Dxpedition is able to be reorganized
in the future. The sabledx.com website will remain functional for the
time being. Wishing all good DX and 73.
Sincerely, Duane Traver, WV2B Team Leader”
E4, PALESTINE (Update). The E44M is now active until January 11th. Activity
will be on 160-2 meters using CW, SSB, RTTY and all the digital modes
with a maximum power of 1KW. They will have 3 stations on the air active
with beams, verticals and wire antennas. The E44M arrived late on January
1st, but did not start setting up until the next day. Arturo, IK7JWY,
has been named as their pilot station for their activity. They state,
“The function of the pilot station will be to collect requests and
suggestions relating to the DXpedition, and then forward them to the
team, and communicate to the public any instructions or information
from the team.” The pilot station will be only using the forum at
www.hamradioweb.org/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=39
to receive messages from users in the special area of discussion.
The E44M Web page is at: www.dxcoffee.com/e44m
FO, FRENCH POLYNESIA. Phil, F5PHW, has received a 2 year assignment in
Tahiti which will begin during the summer of 2009. He intends to be
active on all HF bands from 80-10 meters using only 100 watts into a
few different antennas composed of a doublet or a HF6VX vertical, and
a Spiderbeam. Modes of activity will be mainly CW and Digital with very
little SSB. QSL will be by LoTW, and there may be a QSL Manager who will
be chosen later. More information is forthcoming, especially about his
callsign.
GB40, ENGLAND (Special Event). Look for special event station GB40WAB
to be aired between January 1st and December 31st to celebrate the 40th
anniversary of the Worked All Britain Awards Group (WAB). Activity will
not be at a permanant location and may be used from any of the 7 UK
countries. The GB40WAB callsign will be running for the entire year,
but other GB*WAB callsigns will also be on the air along with their
club callsigns of G4WAB and G7WAB, using the club identifier prefixes
of GX, GC, GS, GN, GP, GT and GH. Working these stations is an integral
part of the WAB award. The WAB does NOT require QSL cards to be sent to
them, but all contacts made by GB40WAB will be QSLed by them via the
bureau. For more details, please see their Web site at:
www.worked-all-britain.co.uk
ADDED WAB NOTE: The special event callsign GX4KPT (by the Keep People
Talking CASHOTA Club), used during the “Three Castles In One Day” operation
in December, has a new WAB book number of 18222. QSL via M0DOL, direct
or by the bureau.
H7/YN7, NICARAGUA. Operators Stan/AC8W, Hank/K8DD, Jim/KB8TXZ and Lee/
N8LJ will be active for one week starting February 14th. Their activity
will include the ARRL DX CW Contest (February 21-22nd). Emphasis will
be on 160/80 meters and 30/17/12 meters. Their callsigns (TBA later)
will be either be H7/homecall or YN2 callsigns. QSL via info on QRZ.com.
IOTA NEWS………………………….
NA-076. Wade, AA8LL, will be active as AA8LL/4 from Cedar Key, FL,
between 2200z, January 17th and 1700z, January 20th. Activity
will be holiday style on 80-17 meters, mostly CW on the IOTA
frequencies and RTTY using only 100 watts and wire antennas.
This operation also counts for USI: FL041S as Way Key. QSL
direct or by the bureau to AA8LL. Logs will also be uploaded
to the LoTW.
P4, ARUBA (SA-036). Peter, EA5GVH, will be active as P40PZ and on holiday
between January 12-28th. Activity will be on 80-6 meters using SSB and
the digimodes (PSK, Olivia, FeldHell, SSTV, RTTY and possibly others).
QSL via EA5GVH. Visit his P40PZ Web page at:
www.mydarc.de/df7dq/aruba2009.htm
PJ2, NETHERLANDS ANTILLES. Members of the Caribbean Contesting Consortium
(CCC) will activate Signal Point Station on Curacao (SA-006, WLOTA
LH-0942) as PJ2/homecall during the end of February. Operators mentioned
are Dan/N1ZZ, Geoff/W0CG, Jim/WI9WI, Mark/N5OT, Mal/NP2L, Jim/K6ZH and
Charles/WA9S. Their main goal is the ARRL DX CW Contest (February 21-22nd)
as a Multi-? entry using the callsign PJ2T. QSL PJ2T via N9AG or LoTW.
QSL all others via their home callsigns. Visit the CCC Web site at:
www.pj2t.org
QSL INFO AND NEWS…………………
QSL ROUTES by Johannes, DK8JB:
3Z0HNY via SP2FAP
KZ6C/KH2 via JA1CGH
RQ9I via RW9IM
YB8XM direct (PO BOX 151 AMBON 97001)
LOG ONLINE. The log for the special event station 4A1DXXE is now
available online at:
www.dxxe.org/logsearch/index.php?cmd=preselect&log……
It is planned to update the online log once a day until activity ends.
QSL for 4A1DXXE is via N7RO or LoTW.
NO LONGER THE QSL MANAGER FOR CT3BX. Hermann, HB9CRV, announced that
as of December 31st, 2008, he is no longer the QSL manager of CT3BX.
No new QSL Manager has been nominated and the logs are closed.
QSL UPDATES FOR HC8N and K5S (NA-082). Randy, W5UE, reports that all
direct requests received for HC8N as of December 19th, have been answered
and are in the mail. The remaining incoming QSLs of 2008 for HC8N should
be in the mail by January 5th. QSL cards for K5S/K5Z, East Ship Island,
MS (IOTA NA-082) activity in October have been received from the printer
and direct requests have started going out. The K5S team was expected to
have a “QSL Party” on January 3rd and the remaining direct requests
received to date should be answered then. Randy states, “I have also
started accepting online requests for direct cards for stations I manage.
The process is fairly simple. Make an online donation via PayPal to
cover my postage/card costs and send me QSO data via E-mail. My hope
is that this method will be more cost effective and efficient for both
you and me as manager. Please see my Web page for details at:
w5ue.net/qsl-w5ue.html
I welcome any feedback you might have on this process. Bureau requests
are now being answered via the GlobalQSL service. Several thousand
backlogged HC8N requests have already been entered and should be finding
their way into the bureau system soon. I apologize for my lack of bureau
responses since hurricane Katrina… this should put me back on track.”
HAVE PATIENCE! QSL cards are still being received for the many UA4WHX
operations. Vlad is still sending them out.
QSLS VIA LOTW: 5Z1A, 5Z4DX, ER0WW, H44MY, PZ5RA, SJ2W and XV4BM
QSLS RECEIVED VIA MAIL: 5N/LZ1QK, 9L0W, 9L1X, 9M6XRO/p, 9Q1D, C6AKX,
C6ATA, C91R, CN2B, CU2X, ER0WW, HB0/PA3FGA, OA4BHY/2, OJ0B, OJ0J,
PJ7/K1XM, S79NS/P, TO4X, UA9MA, V73NS, VK1ANU/5, VU4MY and YU8/OH2R
QSLS RECEIVED VIA THE BUREAU: 6W1SJ, 9A73AA, DR1A, HB9LH, HB10DX,
J48IO, J48YL, LY4L, 
LY2FN/P, OX3MC, PA20NAFRAS, R375I, SO9R, TA2DS/0,
TC0SV, TK/ON4AXU, V31FG/P and YI9RKB
QSL.NET & QTH.NET ANNOUNCEMENT. Al Waller, K3TKJ, announced on December
31st (2008) the following (edited):
Dear fellow hams,
After 13 years of providing hams with no cost web space, e-mail forwarding
and mailing list services through QSL.net and QTH.net, I have decided to
retire. All QSL.net and QTH.net servers and Internet connections at my
home QTH are being turned down.
Scott, KA9FOX, has graciously decided to pick up where I left off, and
he is in the process of migrating all services to new hardware. See below
(on ) for an update on the status of the
migration.
I want to thank all of you for all of your support over the years,
and I hope that you will support Scott as he takes over the reigns.
See you on the air! 73 - Al Waller, K3TKJ”
TS7, TUNISIA (Update/IOTA Op). Members of the France Provins ARC (F6KOP)
and some international operators will activate Kerkennah Island (AF-073)
using the callsign TS7C between January 8-19th (2009). This 12 day
operation would not be possible without the help of Mustapha, DL1BDF.
According to the latest press release (edited) by Maurice, F5NQL: “All
the luggage is packed and sorted by 25kg parcels (one per operator).
Mustapha, DL1BDF, team member, was a great help to so we could obtain
the use of the special callsign TS7C. As indicated in “Press Release No.1,
some new comers in the DXpedition have been included in the team, to
permit them to get some more skill, operating side by side with long time
experienced DXpeditioners. They are the future operators of F6KOP next
expeditions. We ask your indulgence for them; they are learning what to
do in the pile-ups, and for some of them, TS7C will be their first
DXpedition. We will stay on Chergui Island (IOTA AF-073 and WLOTA 3459),
in the Kerkennah Group. Their departure is scheduled from Paris, on
January 8th, in the early morning. The team will begin to set-up the
first station immediately when they arrive at the Kerkennah Hotel. So,
the first signals are expected the same day at the end of the afternoon
or early in the evening. The departure from Kerkennah is scheduled very
early in the morning of the 19th. So the operation end will happen sometime
around 1800 or 1900z, in the evening of the 18th. As usual, one station
will continue to be on the air in the evening as late as possible. For
the new bands and/or modes hunters, we will be operating on the HF bands,
160-10m, using CW, SSB, FM, and the Digital modes (RTTY, PSK31, BPSK,
SSTV). We will pay special attention on the lower bands, 160/80m. Of course
you’ll find operators on the other bands and modes. Six stations will
operate at the same time, 24 hours a day. Sometimes it will be possible
to hear TS7C on the same band but different modes. The antenna farm will
consist of vertical and wire antennas for the lower bands and Spiderbeams
for 40-10m. Since the first press release the team had to be changed a
little. The complete team going to Tunisia has been finalized and the
team consists of the following:
Frank/F4AJQ - SSB and Digimodes; Team leader and former leader of
all the past F6KOP DXpeditions
Mustapha/DL1BDF - SSB and Digimodes; Public relation with Tunisian
authorities
Bernard/F9IE - CW traffic leader
Bob/N6OX - SSB traffic leader
Jean-Paul/F8BJI - Digital traffic leader
Sylvain/F4EGD - SSB and Digimodes; He is also the QSL Manager of
the DXpedition.
Gerard/F2VX - SSB
Bill/N2WB - CW and SSB
Michel/FM5CD - CW, SSB and Digimodes
Sabastien/F5UFX - CW and SSB
Sabastien/F8IJV - SSB
Jean-Luc/F6BIV - SSB and Digimodes
Norbert/F6AXX - CW
Alain/F6ENO - CW
Dieter/OE8KDK - SSB and Digimodes
Stefan/OE8SKQ - CW
Mathieu/F5PED - CW
Eric/ON7RN - CW and SSB
Henri/F1HRE - SSB
Franco/F4EVR - SSB
Michel/F5EOT - SSB
Arno/OE9AMJ - CW and SSB
Joseph/F6CTT - SSB and Digimodes
Tony/G0OPB - CW and SSB
Gabriele/I2VGW - CW, SSB and Digimodes
XYL Anne Marie LAURENT, Photo reporter
BACK OFFICE (still the same):
Pilot Stations: Pascal/F5JSD, Serge/F6AML, Thierry/F4TTR and Bruno/F5AGB.
Webmaster: Vincent, F5MJV.
Internet Communications: Maurice/F5NQL (UFT mailing list) for TS7C. To
receive TS7C news/updates directly via your E-mail address
both in English and French, send E-mail to: f5nql[kringelis]aol[taskas]com
QSL via Sylvain, F4EGD, either direct or by the REF-Union Bureau (Please
only via this bureau). Details are available on the DXpedition’s Web site
on how to QSL. Support and donations are welcome. Those who want to sponsor
us can see how to do so on the sponsor’s page on the TS7C Web site.”
The TS7C Web page is: www.ts7c.net
V6, MICRONESIA. Paul, A35RK, informs OPDX that Mike/KM9D and Jan/KF4TUG
are on the move again. The “SV Don Henry” is now enroute to Pohnpei,
Federated States of Micronesia. Their ETA is currently unknown, operation
plans unknown, possible callsigns unknown, and their possible length of
stay unknown.
V8, BRUNEI DARUSSALAM. Sam, G4OHX, reports that he expects to fly into
Brunei on February 11th (from Singapore where he will be on holiday for
a day or two) and will be active as V8FHX until February 23rd. When he
leaves, he will fly to Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia, and fly
home on the 25th of February.
ZM1, NEW ZEALAND. Operators Jacky/ZL3CW, Akinori/ZL1GO, Romeo/ZL2RU and
Robert/ZL1AIH will be active as ZM1A during the ARRL DX SSB Contest
(March 7-8th) and ARRL DX CW Contest (February 21-22nd) as a Multi-Single
entries. QSL via ZL1AMO.
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