The Ohio/Penn Dx PacketCluster
DX Bulletin No. 295
BID: $OPDX.295
March 10, 1997
Editor Tedd Mirgliotta, KB8NW
Provided by BARF-80 BBS Cleveland, Ohio
Online at 216-237-8208 14400/9600/2400/1200/300 8/N/1

Thanks to the Northern Ohio Amateur Radio Society, Northern Ohio DX Association, Ohio/Penn PacketCluster Network, WT4K, K5FUV & DXCC Desk, KK6EK, NL7TB, K8PYD, KF8VW, W0YR, CT1EEB, EA3NY, G4BUE & DX News Sheets, G4ZVJ, I4UFH, JA1IDY, JA4DND, LU2BAR, LX1NO, ON6TT, PA3DMH and RW0MM for the following DX information.

1997 RUSSIAN DX CONTEST. This contest is sponsored by the Union of Radioamateurs of the Russia. Contest activity will be on CW/SSB, 160-10 meters, and it begins 1200z March 15th to 1200z March 16th. Entry classes: A-Single-Op/Multi (CW/SSB/MIX); B-Single-Op/Single Band (MIX only); C-Multi-Op/Multi (MIX); D-SWL Exchange RS(T) and QSO number (Oblast for Russian station). Contacts with Russia count 10 points. Multipliers are the oblast abbreviations + Antarctica, Malyj Vysotskij Island and Franz Josef Land. Final score is QSOs point' x (times) multiplier per band. Separate the logs per band. Awards: Plaques will be awarded to the top world-high scorers. Special certificates to any station working 200 QSOs. Mail logs by April 15th to: 1997 Russian DX Contest, P.O.Box 59, Moscow 105122 Russia.

5R, MALAGASY REPUBLIC. The "DXNS" reports 5R8KH, 5R8DG and 5R8EW are now active on SSTV. Keep a look out on 14230 kHz.

5X, UGANDA (and VK0IR QSLs update). On Sunday March 9th, Peter, ON6TT, left Kampala, Uganda, to pick up his job again, as regional Telecom Manager for the UN. He left his job at the end of November last year to join the VK0IR team to Heard Island. Peter states, "The past 14 weeks have been the most busy, but also the most rewarding and exciting weeks of my life. It was a pleasure sharing it with you, and I hope to hear you on the bands again as 5X1T." Meanwhile, just before leaving for 5X-land, Peter reports the layout of the QSLs and selection of the pictures for VK0IR, TO0R, TO0R/MM, QSL are finished, and the package was sent to the printer, in Funkamateur, Germany. The printer will have the QSLs ready in 10 days. He will airfreight the 60,000 cards to the QSL manager shortly after that. ADDED NOTE: There will be an additional bulletin sent to all OPDX InterNet Subscribers (from Bob, KK6EK) about details on ordering the VK0IR video.

7O1A AND DXCC STATUS. In a "DXCC News Release" by Bill Kennamer, K5FUV, the following was reported: "Questions have been asked about the status of the 7O1A operation from Aden, Yemen. ARRL HQ has been in communication with The Ministry of Communications resulting in the following information: The Ministry of Communications in Sana'a, capital of Yemen, has advised us by both fax and telephone that while it is aware of a document issued by its Aden office, the Ministry of Communications in Sana'a, as the main body responsible for communications, had never issued an official authorization for Amateur Radio. In accordance with this communication, the 7O1A operation cannot be accepted for DXCC credit." Meanwhile, Zorro, JH1AJT, has stated in the Japanese DX Magazine of FIVE NINE (Feb. 1997), that he and others will return to 7O-land again some time at the end of April. They will be active on CW, RTTY and 6m in addition to the usual SSB and HF operations.

8P, BARBADOS. Look for David, VE3VET, to be active from here March 25th to April 3rd, as 8P9IJ. Activity will be on all bands with operations SSB with some RTTY. He will also be active in the CQ WPX SSB Contest as a Single-Op/All Band entry. QSL to home call.

9G, GHANA. Andy, G4ZVJ, plans to sign 9G5VJ from Accra, from March 7-17th. This includes activity in the RSGB Commonwealth Contest on March 8-9th (British Commonwealth QSOs only). Activity will be CW ONLY on all HF bands. Suggested frequencies are: 1827, 3503, 7003, 10103, 14027, 18077, 24897, and 28027 kHz +/-. QSL via G4ZVJ via the bureau or direct to: Andy Chadwick, 5 Thorpe Chase, Ripon, North Yorkshire, HG4 1UA, U.K.

CARIBBEAN DXPEDITION (Vacation). JA4DND and JA5AUC will be active as VP2END and VP2EUC from Anguilla, March 16-21st. From VP2E-land, they will travel to St. Martin and be active as FS/JA4DND and FS/JA5AUC from March 21-26th. Their schedule may be changed without announcement. They will be active on 160-10 meters CW/SSB. They plan to bring a TS-690, IC-735, FL-2100Z, CV48 (vertical for 75m/40m), APA80 (multiband vertical) and a FD4 (dipole). QSL to home calls.

HEY! WHERE IS MY DXCC YEARBOOK? It has been reported to OPDX that the yearbook is still at the printers. NO date was mentioned on the distribution.

IZ9, LAMPEDUSA ISLAND. The members of MCC (I4UFH, IV3TAN, I4JMY, IK2SGC, IT9EQO and IT9GSF) will activate this African Italian island (AF-019, CQ Zone 33) with the semi-rare callsign/prefix IZ9Z during the WPX SSB Contest. QSLs will be handled from IT9EQO direct/buro.

J5, GUINEA-BISSAU. Antonio, LX2DW, will be active as J52DW, from March 24-28th. He has stated explicitly that he will not participate in the upcoming CQWW WPX SSB Contest (unfortunatly). He will be using a log periodic for 20-10 meters, and there might be a possibility for some 80 and 40 meters operations. He will operate SSB only. QSL via LX2DW, bureau or direct.

J7, DOMINICA. Be looking for Larry/AA6MV and Marti/N6ULI to be active this week from March 11-19th. Activity will be mainly on CW, but there will be some SSB. Operations will be on 40-10 meters. Their callsigns will be issued upon their arrival. QSL both via AA6MV.

KG4, GUANTANAMO BAY, CUBA. From March 14-21st, operators Bill, WT4K/KG4GC; Rusty, AE4WH/KG4AU; and Wayne, KG4WD, will be active in the BARTG Spring RTTY Contest as a Multi-Op/All band entry. They will use the callsign KG4AU in the contest. QSL to WT4K, Bill Gallier, 4094 Sandy Run Drive E, Middleburg, FL 32068.

OOOPPPSSS DEPARTMENT. Last week under "JW, SVALBARD" we mentioned OZ8RO's name as "Ray", this is wrong. It should have been Rag.

OK8, CZECH REPUBLIC. Norby, LX1NO, and others (OK1RR, OK1MD and LX2KW) are planning to be active in the CQWW WPX SSB Contest as OK8AUY as a Multi/Single effort. QSL to LX1NO (do NOT use the 96 call-book address!).

PORTUGUESE IOTA DXPEDITION. The Northern Portugal DX Group (NPDXG) and The Portuguese DX Group (GPDX), will be active in a joint DXpedition from Insua Island (IOTA EU-150), from the July 24-28th. Activity will include a Multi/Single entry in the 1997 IOTA Contest. The group requested the callsign CQ2I for the contest, but outside the contest the operators will use "/" portable callsigns. They will be active on the usual IOTA stand-by frequencies. Operators will be CT1AHU, CT1BQH, CT1CJJ, CT1DVV, CT1EEB, CT1EEN, CT1ENQ, CT1ESV, CT1FMX and G3TMA.

QSL INFO AND NEWS...

• STATUS OF QSLS FOR 4U1UN. QSL Manager, Jerry, WB8LFO, reports the following: "In order to respond to the comment that has appeared concerning the status of 4U1UN QSLing, we thought it could be useful to furnish some info on this question. Currently, we have about 300 direct response cards on hand, and between 600 and 700 cards to be answered through the bureau. We refer to 4U1UN and variant call signs such as 4U/special anniversary series, e.g. 4U49UN etc. In addition, we are now processing 4U51UN cards and have about 600 cards to be replied. If you have not received a reply to your QSL request, please check to see where the cards were sent to. In the past there have been several routings for 4U1UN cards. Cards should now be sent to WB8LFO via the bureau or direct to: WB8LFO, Jerry Kurucz, 5338 Edgewood Drive, Lorain, Ohio. 44053. If you wish to query us regarding an overdue card please E-Mail us at: wb8lfo@centuryinter.net"
• C9RRJ/C91J QSL CARDS. The original QSL route was to W8GIO, but it is now reported that QSLs are being forward to N5FTR. The report states W8GIO has health problems, and even though the operation is over, there is a large amount of cards to be answered yet. Anyone still needing QSLs from these stations should submit a request for card(s) to N5FTR.
• 9K2ZZ BUREAU CARDS. Leo, K8PYD, of the 8th Area District, reports bureau cards for 9K2ZZ going to QSL Manager W8CNL are being pitched. W8CNL told Leo that he only answers cards that he receives direct and he no longer answers bureau cards at the request of the former operator of 9K2ZZ. Although the operation is now completed, there is still a large amount of cards still arriving at the bureau. If anyone really wants a card it is recommended they QSL direct to the manager W8CNL, with SASE. He has a limited stock of cards on hand. Leo states, "Eventhough we have been authorized at the bureau to 'pitch' the cards, we have taken the liberty to return some cards to the original sender, via the bureau, noted as 'unclaimed'."
• D25L Cards. Alex, PA3DMH, states the D25L QSLs have arrived from the printer, and they will be in the mail as early as next week. Requests received after the 1st week of February will be processed when the other backlog is cleared. Bureau requests will start hitting the bureau in early April.
• QSL MANAGER CHANGE. It has been reported that K7EHI is no longer manager of T30A. The new manager is Steven, KU9C. OPDX was told that you can ask Steven by E-mail if your contact is in the log before sending the envelope with the QSL direct. His E-mail address is: ku9c@ix.netcom.com

SSTV (DX) ACTIVITY. The "DXNS" report the following active on Slow-Scan TV. Look for these station to be active on 14230 kHz:

• 5R, MALAGASY REPUBLIC. 5R8KH, 5R8DG and 5R8EW.
• CN, MOROCCO. CN8LI and CN8NK.
• D6, COMOROS. Jean-Pierre, D68ZJ. QSL via CBA.
• FR, REUNION. FR5AB and FR5SD.

T8, SEBORGA. Eddie, EA3NY, states he will be here during the CQWW WPX SSB Contest. He will be a Single-Op/Multi Band low power entry. He will use the callsign T0NY (Tango-Zero-November-Yankee). Seborga is located in Northwestern Italy close to France, Monaco and Italy.

PUSI ALERT (new NC island). Mark your calendars for the Portsmouth Island QRP DXpedition which will take place April 4-6th, starting around 2100z, by the Knight Lites on their Spring Hamventure. The Knight Lites are a group of amateurs who specialize in QRP operations. They will sign WQ4RP. QSL via K4HQ. ADDED NOTE: When qualified (ie- 25 contacts with 2 countries minimum) for USI, the island will be assigned NC-009S. Portsmouth also counts as NA-67. For more information, please visit their Portsmouth Island website at: http://www.ipass.net/~aa4xx/ocra1.htm

ZL9, AUCKLAND ISLAND. Mike, HA/W0YR, currently in Budapest, informed OPDX he had a QSO on March 3rd, at 0639z with Ed, ZL4/K8VIR, and he reports the following: "Ed, K8VIR, will leave the South Island of New Zealand on March 30th for Auckland Island (ZL9) with a group of scientists for an indefinate stay on ZL9. He is the only amateur of the group, and his operation is a sideline. It is a scientific trip. The expected arrival date at ZL9 is April 2nd. They may have to lay off the island behind a sheltering island if the weather is bad. The call will be ZL9/K8VIR. He said he would work mostly SSB (14.260 start freq) and some CW. QSL to: ZL9/K8VIR, P.O. Box 9, Teanau, New Zealand (No postal code was given.)."

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

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 216-237-8208 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 216-237-8208 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) +1 216/237-8208 "Totally devoted to Amateur Radio" - 24 Hrs a day 8/N/1 14.4k-300 baud