Another European administration opens up 40 metres

Although the WRC 03 decision to have European and Asian broadcasters vacate the band from 7200-7300 kHz does not come into effect until 2009, some countries are granting amateurs operating privileges in that band on a non-interfering basis. Canadian dx-ers will be happy to hear that San Marino has decided to do the same.

In a recent message to IARU member societies, J Julian, ARRSM President says " I'm happy to inform you that the P.T. Administration of the Republic of San Marino, from 25 February 2004, has authorized the increase of the 7 Mhz band (WRC-03)to ARRSM as follows:
7.000- 7.100 exclusive primary basis
7.100- 7.200 not to interfere secondary basis"

VE3PU

(RAC News Service)

=============

Mar. 6 2004   Amateurs participate in BPL discussions at the ITU in Geneva

At a recent set of meetings at the Radio Bureau of the ITU in Geneva, users of the HF fixed service, and government spectrum administrators from many countries discussed the possible need to protect the fixed service from possible interference from broadband signals carried over outdoor medium and high voltage power lines (BPL).

The fixed service includes point-to-point, and point-to-multipoint, radio stations which are situated at fixed locations, but excludes amateur stations. Typical fixed service users are national defense and public security systems. Radio Amateurs are following these discussions closely, since the fixed service may turn out to be an important ally in our fight to ensure that BPL does not mean the end of amateur radio at HF.

WB7CSL representing the ARRL, and VE3PU representing the IARU, were present at the meetings and took part in the discussions in a working group chaired by VE3PU. For this first set of meetings, a process was put in place to collect characteristics of HF fixed service receivers, which might be appropriate for use in the studies. The protection requirements of the fixed service were discussed, but no conclusion was reached on what level of protection might be necessary to avoid interference from BPL.

Also discussed in the meetings, was the use of the frequency range 135.7-137.8 kHz by the fixed service, and the possibility of interference to such users, if a new LF amateur band is approved at WRC 2007.

As well, fixed service users discussed the review of the use of the range 4-10 MHz which will be undertaken in preparation for a possible change in frequency allocations at WRC 07. HF broadcasters have stated that they need more spectrum, and other users such as the fixed, mobile and amateur services might be affected.

VE3PU

(RAC News Service)

==========

Mar. 11 2004  Researchers rescued from icy outpost, site of R0PA amateur station

A dozen Russian scientists were rescued March 6 from an Arctic research station near the North Pole that was nearly destroyed by what's being described as "a freak wall of ice." The North Pole Drifting Station SP-32 scientific and educational facility had been the site of the R0PA Amateur Radio operation. Russian news media say helicopter teams facing frigid sub-zero conditions managed to reach the stranded researchers and saved all 12 explorers and two dogs. Hams around the world have reported working R0PA, for which DL5EBE is listed as QSL manager. The station's researchers reportedly were unharmed after having to huddle for three days in the remains of the outpost, some 450 miles from the nearest solid ground. According to Russian TV reports, a wall of ice that pushed up from the surrounding ice floe March 3 nearly destroyed the station. The rescue mission was slowed not only by the distance involved and the frigid temperatures but by difficulties encountered while trying to land heavy helicopters on the ice sheet. Little remains of the meteorological station, set up last April by the non-profit Center Pole organization with support from the Russian government and the Russian Academy of Sciences. It had been expected to remain in operation for several years. Information on SP-32 is available on the Polus Arctic and Antarctic Expedition Centre Web site: www.polus.org/cgi-bin/sborka.cgi?name=sp2003

Some history and photographs of past Russian floating scientific outposts are available on the National Snow and Ice Data Center's Arctic Climatology and Meteorology Web site: http://nsidc.org/arcticmet

(ARRL News Service)

=============

World Amateur Radio Day is April 18 2004.

The IARU has decided on  "Pioneers in Bridging Barriers to World Understanding" for the theme of World Amateur Radio Day 2004 April 18. Something for Clubs to think about in planning their upcoming activites.

(RAC News Service)

=============

Mar. 11 2004  VERON to mark anniversary with special call sign

From May 1 until May 16, the PI4AA club station of the Society for Experimental Radio Research in the Netherlands (VERON) will celebrate 75 years on the air by using the special call sign PI75AA. "During the 1929 'Radio Salon' in Scheveningen, a local club station was granted use of the call sign PA0AA," VERON said in a news release. "This was even before the official radio exams in the Netherlands took place." VERON, the Netherlands' IARU member-society, plans to commemorate that occasion during the 15-day special event with daily transmissions in RTTY, PSK31 and slow-scan television (SSTV) that will recount the Radio Salon 75 years ago. "All photos taken at that time will be transmitted in slow-scan," VERON says. Past and present PI75AA staff members, operating from their own stations, will operate on all bands and modes and will confirm all contacts with a special QSL card. Special transmissions will be made May 10-16, 2030-2130 UTC on 3.603 MHz and on 14.120 MHz.

Website:  www.veron.nl/maine.htm

(ARRL News Service)

8th Friendship Radio Games August 14 to 18 2004

As a promotion of 'cultural' exchange, Victoria's sister cities Khabarovsk and Suzhou have separately extended an invitation to
Victoria hams (or any Canadian ham) to attend events this coming summer/fall.

Khabarovsk, in the Russian far east, will host the 8th Friendship radio games August 14 to 18. These games include a HF operating contest, morse sending and receiving, and a 2m direction finding contest. There will be time to tour sites in Khabarovsk and visit with host amateur stations.

Suzhou, about an hour by train inland from Shanghai in eastern China, will host a Chinese national Amateur Radio Direction Finding (ARDF) contest in October 2004--exact date is not yet firm. There will be an 80meter and 2meter hunt on separate days. Non-Chinese nationals are also invited, and the Suzhou Radio Sports Association have extended a specific invitation to their sister city Victoria hams.

Participants would be responsible for their own travel arrangements, possibly a participation fee of about $150, and incidental purchases, but accommodation, local transportation to events and food would be provided.

As organizing these events with international participation takes quite a bit of time, the respective organizing committees in Khabarovsk and Suzhou need advance notice of possible attendance as soon as  possible. A firm commitment would be needed by about June.

The Friendship Amateur Radio Society Canada in Victoria has been the  point of contact for these overtures.  If anyone is interested in either of these events, please contact ve7bfk@rac.ca  ASAP.

(Joe, VE7BFK, RAC ARDF Coordinator)

==========

Industry Canada expected to announce UWB Policy soon

One of the most controversial technologies being discussed at the ITU these days, is UWB or Ultra Wide Band. Most systems using UWB are designed to operate in the UHF and microwave frequency range. A UWB transmitter spreads a signal over an extremely wide band, from 500 to 5000 MHz, and uses very simple and inexpensive components. It's low cost makes it attractive for use in many applications presently using regular narrow band transmissions.

UWB can be used for very short range, low power communications, and is also used for short range radar such as ground penetrating radar and "through the wall" personnel detection. One application for UWB would be for communication between devices within a home, to eliminate wires and cables. The catch is that UWB  uses frequency bands already allocated to other services.

Regular communication services such as amateur satellite receivers, cellular telephones, portable phones, and computer wireless local area networks may be subject to interference from UWB.

A special Task Group has been formed at the ITU to study the technical side of UWB transmissions, and in particular to study its compatibility with existing services. The Task Group is chaired by Dr Salim Hanna from Industry Canada.

On the home front, Canada is developing its own set of regulations. Will UWB devices be licensed or licence-exempt? Will they operate only in clearly defined frequency bands? Will there be controls on maximum power used, and how will the problem of cases of interference be dealt with?

Stay Tuned. A policy paper form Industry Canada should be available later this year.

For more information about UWB, visit one of the many web site tutorials. One reference is:

http://www.palowireless.com/uwb/tutorials.asp

VE3PU

(RAC News Service)

==========

Industry Canada consulting on the use of the 5 GHz band.

Last June, WRC 2003 introduced some changes to the way the 5 GHz band could be used.

Of particular interest to the amateur services was a decision to allow the mobile service to use the band 5470-5725 MHz for wireless local area networking. This new band overlaps part of the 5 GHz amateur band, and in particular the 5650-5670 Amateur Satellite uplink band.

Although the allocation to the mobile service is a primary allocation, and Amateur Radio has only a secondary allocation, there is the question of the status of licence-exempt LANs operating in the mobile band. Would they be required to accept interference from the amateur service, and not cause interference to the amateur service as has been the case in the past?

Industry Canada has not yet decided, and through a recently released policy paper, is consulting spectrum user's on this amongst many other issues. Amateurs, particularly those who are interested in satellites, will be watching with interest.

Ken, VE3PU

(RAC News Service)

===========

Mar. 3 2004   RABC EMC Committee  discusses BPL

On March 3rd, the Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) committee of the Radio Advisory Board of Canada (RABC) met in Ottawa, and heard a number of presentations on the topic of Broadband over Power Lines (BPL).

Industry Canada outlined their activities to date, and talked about how BPL might be regulated in Canada.

Amperion, a BPL equipment provider, described the trials that are currently underway in Sault Ste Marie, and a  representative of TelecomOttawa spoke about studies of possible BPL deployment in Ottawa.

Ken Pulfer VE3PU, representing the IARU, gave the group a brief update on the work taking place at the ITU in Geneva to determine possible interference to HF receivers from BPL, and Jim Dean VE3IQ,  representing RAC talked about some of the experiences and concerns of the amateur radio community about possible BPL deployment.

The RABC will continue to monitor the BPL situation in Canada, and will eventually make recommendations to Industry Canada on the use of BPL and the protection of users of the HF spectrum.

(RAC News Service)

==========

Mar. 11 2004 RAC HQ Bulletin 04-03E - Special Event Callsign

Authority has been granted by Industry Canada to Mr. Bill Metcalfe of Beaumont, AB to use the Special Event Callsign VC6X to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of Lieutenant Alexander Roberts (1833-1868) who is the first to receive the Victoria Cross for his military heroism during the Crimean War of 1854-1856. The authority is valid from May 20, 2004 to June 20, 2004

Atlantic Maritime Section

Maritime Swap Shop

The Maritime Swap Shop is held every Tuesday evening at 2330z on 3.750Mhz. 80 meters. All are invited to drop on, list their articles for sale and listen for those great bargains!

(VE1LV)

=============

Congradulations...A new Amateur in Truro
 

Congradulations Martin Fisher VE1LXD.  March is Red Cross Month - Celebrate Humanity! Martin Fisher, Home Partners Assistant Canadian Red Cross, NS Region 798 Prince Street Truro, Nova Scotia   B2N 1H1 Telephone:  (902) 895-3894

www.redcross.ca

(VE1LV)

Mar. 27 2004  Hamfest 2004 du Club Radio Amateur Laval Laurentides

Sponsored by VE2CRL
Location: Polyvalente George-Vanier 3995, boul. Lévesque Est, Laval (Qc) Près de l'autoroute 25 ( à l'ouest )
Opening:  Ouvert aux exposants à 7h00 Ouvert au public à 9h00
Cost: Entrée 5 $ Table 10 $
Talkin: Radioguidage sur VE2CRL 147.315 (+)
For more info: www.ve2crl.qc.ca/hamfest.htm

Mar. 20 2004  HAM-EX 2004 Hamfest

Sponsored by  The Brampton and Mississauga Amateur Radio Clubs

Location:  Brampton Fall Fairgrounds Located on Heart Lake Rd at Old School Rd Brampton, Ontario, Canada
Opening: Vendors:7AM Public Fleamarket:9AM to 1PM Exhibits, Demos & Seminars:9AM to 5PM Banquet:6PM
Cost:  Entrance fee to public: $6CDN Raffle tickets: $2CDN each, 3 for $5CDN Tables: 8'- $30CDN ea, 6' - $25CDN ea Banquet cost: $18CDN each
Talkin:  PARC Repeater: 146.880 MHz(-),103.5 Hz; MARC Repeater: 145.430MHz(-), 103.5 Hz
Notes:  Speaker will be spokesperson from IC talking on AMateur Radio related topic(s)

Full Details:  www.peelarc.org  or   www.marc.on.ca

==========

Museum of Science and Technology Event Mar. 19 2004

Last October the OVMRC celebrated 35 years of association with the Museum of Science and Technology which started in 1968. And, on 19th March 1974, VE3JW was officially opened.

In order to celebrate VE3JW 30th anniversary, OVMRC will hold a Special Event Day on Friday, 19th March 2004, from 9am to 5pm at the Amateur Radio Exhibit Station VE3JW. As the station is dedicated to Jim W Cotter, first blind Radio Amateur, the Cotter family will be invited to participate. Also invited to participate are all regional or visiting Amateurs.

The object is to have each participant complete at least one radio contact. Those doing so will be awarded a special commemorative card showing a colour picture of the VE3JW station, a memento inscribed with the contact coordinates, and your name and call.

So join us through this special day, during Museum hours, 9am to 5pm.

For information please call or contact: Maurice-André  VE3VIG at ve3vig@rac.ca
 

The Manitoba Repeater Society appeals for help.

It seems like after 30 years of a very successful working relationship, the CBC has decided that they would like to charge $2400.00 per year to allow the VE4MAN repeater to reside on their Starbuck tower. The executive of the Manitoba Repeater Society (MRS) has tried to explain that they just can not afford such a cost, and would like to be exempt from their corporate financial policy. Their request has been rejected.

MRS are urging everyone who uses the VHF & UHF repeaters &/or linking system to  write a letter to their Member of parliament, listing the fact that Amateur radio provides a public good and aid in times of emergency, and urging them to support an exemption to the CBC's new policy on charging for access to their tower space.

(Thanks to The Manitoba Repeater Society for this story)

http://ve4.net/mrs/manhelp.html

(RAC News Service)

==========

Mar. 28 2004  B. C. Amateur Radio Coordination Council

BCARCC Annual General Meeting, March 28, 2004
Location:  North Shore Emergency Management Office 147 E. 14th Street, 2nd Floor. One block east of Lonsdale Avenue in RCMP building. Street parking is limited to 2 hours; use Pay Parking at Safeway lot or Lions Gate Hospital, or in surrounding streets.

Registration:  0915; Meeting 1000 - 1230 PST
Cost:  Yearly dues $15.00 per club delegate; no fee to observers
Talkin:  VE7RNS 147.26 +

Note:  The B.C. Amateur Radio Coordination Council is an association of amateur radio clubs, for the purpose of coordinating fixed-frequency repeaters within B.C., to interface with Industry Canada, and other Coordination Councils, and to publish a master repeater list for the province. All B.C. amateur radio clubs are invited to join the Council. Membership forms and repeater coordination forms can be downloaded from www.bcarcc.org

Full Details: www.bcarcc.org

============

Winnipeg Amateur Radio Club  Meeting

Our meetings consist of a short business portion, a coffee break for socializing, and a presentation normally related to radio.  Every meeting also features a raffle open to all attendees and a door prize for members.

• April 19, 2004: Our "Home Brew Night"
• May 10, 2004: Ed, VE4YU, will be giving a presentation on "Digital Communication"
• June 14, 2004: TBA

Meetings are held on the second Monday of each month. The meeting will be on the third Monday if the second is a statutory holiday. No meetings are held in July & August  Mettings are held in the theatre or cafateria of  Sturgeon Creek Regional Secondary School  Ness Ave. at Thompson Dr. in Winnipeg 7:30 p.m.

All are welcome!

Club Website:  http://ve4.net/warc

America's

Mar. 12, 2004  K7RA Solar Update

As expected, conditions weren't bad last weekend for the ARRL International DX Phone Contest.  Solar flux and sunspot numbers didn't rise, but geomagnetic indices stayed stable.  Average daily sunspot numbers dropped from the week before (February 26 to March 3) by nearly 24 points, and average daily solar flux was about the same, down by slightly more than two points.

On March 9, the earth passed into a solar wind, and geomagnetic indices rose. For March 9-11 the planetary A index was 21, 40 and 26, the mid-latitude Fredericksburg A index was 11, 36 and 17, and the high latitude (Alaskan) College A index was 42, 47 and 61.

This meant that at mid latitudes HF bands were probably usable on March 9 and 11 (but not on the 10th) but in Alaska, the bands probably sounded dead.  This was no doubt the case for KB7MBI and AL7FS over the past few days.  Alan Dujenski, KB7MBI near Seattle and Jim Larsen, AL7FS in Anchorage have been comparing QRP logs and are frustrated by the lousy propagation of late in Alaska.  Alan wrote to ask about Alaskan propagation, and commented that his friend Jim often hears nothing on HF frequencies.

This propagation, or lack of it, is normal for Alaska, at least when geomagnetic conditions are active or stormy.  Those magnetic lines of force converge toward the poles, and all that energy gets concentrated, yielding polar cap absorption.  The convergence and concentration was intense enough this week that aurora was visible down into northern parts of the "lower 48" states.

Over the next few days geomagnetic conditions should settle down. The predicted planetary A index for March 12-15 is 20, 15, 10 and 8. Solar flux should drop down to around 100 by the beginning of the week (Monday, March 15).  We are moving toward spring propagation conditions, with the vernal equinox about a week from now.

Currently a large sunspot, number 570 is moving into the center of the visible solar disk, directly facing the earth.  It is a possible source of flares.  A holographic image of the sun's far side shows a modest sunspot group, which may visit us before the end of the month.

For more information concerning propagation and an explanation of the numbers used in this bulletin see the Propagation page on the ARRL Web site at http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/propagation.html.

Sunspot numbers for March 4 through 10 were 53, 55, 61, 53, 55, 40 and 56 with a mean of 53.3.  10.7 cm flux was 97.5, 106.7, 104.5, 106.1,107.8, 108.7 and 112.6, with a mean of 106.3.  Estimated planetary A indices were 7, 8, 5, 6, 6, 21 and 40, with a mean of 13.3.

(W1AW)

Europe

Mar. 14 2004  GB2RS Propagation Update

Flare activity has remained low or very low, with a single smallish M-class flare on the 6th and a handful of the smaller C-class flares, which had little influence on propagation. The solar flux bobbed up and down either side of 110, averaging 109 - six points up on the previous week. The 90-day average gained one point at 112. The X-ray flux was stable, averaging B2.3. At the beginning of the week geomagnetic activity was quiet, with the Ap index in single figures. However, from midweek, the dominant influence on the radio weather was a high speed stream from a recurring coronal hole. The solar wind speed registered by the ACE spacecraft increased from 300km/sec on the 7th to 908km/sec on the 10th, receding to under 600km/sec by the 13th.

The low levels of geomagnetic activity last weekend brought reasonable HF conditions for the ARRL SSB contest, though propagation at 28MHz was well down on recent years. However, as forecast, the high speed coronal stream just mentioned caused a deterioration in conditions from the 9th onwards, with minor storm levels being reached at times. The 10th was the most disturbed day, with an Ap index of 40. The geomagnetic field remained unsettled to active for the rest of the week. 28 and 24MHz were in particularly poor shape, although even Ten produced many contacts with the 5V4C expedition in Niger over several hours on the 11th and 12th. Auroral working was reported on 50 and 144MHz during the afternoon and early evening of the 9th, 11th and 12th, but mainly benefitted Scottish and Scandinavian operators, with only brief forays south of the border.

During the coming week the slightly more active side of the sun will look our way. However, solar flare activity will remain mostly low, though there could be an increase from midweek with the return of a region that was active during the last rotation. Solar flux levels are likely to remain in the range 100 to 120. Initially, the geomagnetic field will reach 'active' level at times. Activity should recede to 'quiet-to-unsettled' for a few days. However, it seems likely to increase again towards next weekend with the return of a coronal hole. MUFs at equal latitudes are likely to be down to 26MHz in the south and 23MHz in the north. Darkness hour lows, now increasing seasonally, should be around 10MHz. Paths to the east coast of North America should have a maximum usable frequency - that's a fifty per cent chance of a contact - of about 25MHz. The optimum working frequency, where contacts should be possible on all but the more disturbed days, will be about 19MHz. The path should be best between 1200 and 1800UTC.

And that's all for this week from the propagation team, Neil Clarke, G0CAS, and Martin Harrison, G3USF.

Mar. 11 2004  South Carolina Middle Schoolers Log Successful Space Contact

Students at a South Carolina middle school who spoke via ham radio with the International Space Station March 8 enjoyed the experience so much they're already eager to do it again. Youngsters at DuBose Middle School in Summerville questioned ISS Crew Commander Mike Foale, KB5UAC, about life aboard the space outpost. The contact was arranged via the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) program. Operating from NA1SS, Foale told the sixth through eighth graders that he was able to see prominent features of South Carolina from his vantage point in space. In response to another question, he said the ISS crew can see eclipses and other planets in space as well.

"The moon just went by Jupiter, and it was really an amazing sight to see as I was going into the dark side of Earth," Foale said. The ISS was passing above the US West Coast at the time. In a follow-up question, he described the inky darkness of the cosmic void and how stars and planets appear. "It is totally black in space," he said. "There are some parts of space where there are no stars visible at all, because there are gas clouds out there in the galaxy. And that is so dark, it's hard to imagine." Foale said stars appear brighter and more colorful from space than they do from Earth.

One youngster wanted to know if astronauts could wear such appliances as hearing aids, braces or contact lenses in the zero-gravity environment of the ISS. "Actually, I wear ear plugs just because it's noisy up here," Foale replied. "If I had braces, they wouldn't be a problem, and lots of astronauts do wear contact lenses."

Foale said the main mission of the crew is to keep the ISS working and doing science. "I'm sort of like the tender," he said. "I am a scientist by training, but I look after many, many different types of scientific experiments." Foale heads the Expedition 9 crew, which consists of Flight Engineer and Cosmonaut Sasha Kaleri, U8MIR, and himself.

As he's indicated in past ARISS school group contacts, Foale said he "absolutely" would like to participate in a future mission to Mars, but he said he expected that job would fall to younger generations. "I do believe you and your classmates and your friends have a better chance of doing that than I do," he said.

Handling the earthbound side of the ARISS contact were Bill Hillendahl, KH6GJV, and Herb Sullivan, K6QXB, at Santa Rosa Junior College club station W6SRJ in California. An MCI teleconference circuit handled two-way audio between the two coasts to make the contact possible. Glenn Little, WB4UIV, served as the ham radio coordinator at the school, while Will Marchant, KC6ROL, moderated the event.

During their approximately 10-minute contact, the 19 participating DuBose students managed to ask 20 questions before the ISS went below the horizon. "This was the best experience I have had since I started teaching," eighth-grade science teacher Alene Wilkins, KG4NKD, said afterwards. Several media representatives were on hand to cover the event.

(ARRL News Service)

========

Mar. 11 2004  Moonbounce Pioneer Bob Sutherland, W6PO, SK

Robert I. "Bob" Sutherland, W6PO (ex-W6UOV), of San Mateo, California, died January 11. He was 78. An active VHF-UHF operator in the 1960s through the 1980s, Sutherland was on the West Coast end of the first Amateur Radio moonbounce (EME) contact in 1960 when the Eimac Radio Club's W6HB and W1BU worked each other on 1296 MHz EME. An employee of tube manufacturer Eimac for nearly 50 years, Sutherland, who directed the Advanced Products Lab, developed some of the more famous Eimac tube-based amps. His Eimac 8877 VHF amplifier design still is referred to as "the W6PO amp."

"His contributions to the Amateur Radio field are legendary," said well-known VHF-UHF and EME operator Dave Olean, K1WHS, when told of Sutherland's passing. Olean says that while most amateurs know Sutherland for his EME work and his accomplishments at Eimac, "most of his great deeds went unnoticed by many except for the legion of moonbounce operators whom he helped along the way." Olean says he was one of them. "Bob had his connections and would bend over backward to help people in any way he could," he said, describing how Sutherland helped him set up an EME station for 432 MHz.

Between the 1960s and the 1980s, Sutherland, an ARRL member, authored eight articles for Ham Radio magazine describing various VHF and UHF projects, including "Design Data for a Two-Kilowatt VHF Linear" in 1969 and "High-Performance 144-MHz Power Amplifier" in 1971. He also wrote "A High-Power Cavity Amplifier For The New 900-MHz Band" for QST in 1982. Sutherland was the recipient of the John T. Chambers Award in 1977 for "his dedicated efforts in bringing EME technical information to amateurs worldwide through distribution of the famous Eimac EME Notes," which remain in circulation within the EME community along with his amplifier designs.

In a posting on the Stanford VHF Reflector, EME operator Peter Shilton, VE3AX, praised Sutherland as "truly one of the greats." He said he's still using Sutherland-designed 144-MHz and 222-MHz amplifiers. Noted VHF-UHF-EME op Al Ward, W5LUA, related a similar experience. Ward says he could not have gotten his 144 MHz and 222 MHz 8877 amplifiers going without Sutherland's help. "These two amplifiers have been working flawlessly at W5LUA for 25 years," he added. "That says something about Bob's designs and the tubes! He will be missed by all."

Former QST "The World Above 50 MHz" Editor Bill Smith, W5USM, said he was saddened to learn of Sutherland's death. "I was privileged to work with Bob through the 'World Above' column during the early EME days," he recalled. "Bob was a modest, kind man of considerable intelligence with passion for his professional and Amateur Radio work." Smith credited Sutherland with much of the success moonbounce enjoys today. "He was accessible and willing to help," Smith said, adding, "I suggest looking toward the moon and saying, 'Thank you, Bob. Well done.'"

(ARRL News Service)

========

Mar. 11 2004  AMSAT-NA marks 35 years

Haighton, VE3FRH, has extended congratulations to all AMSAT-NA members, past and present "and particularly to those farsighted individuals" who brought AMSAT--the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation--into existence 35 years ago this week. AMSAT was incorporated in the District of Columbia on March 3, 1969. The original incorporators were George Kinal, W3HPK; Jan King, W3GEY, Perry Klein, W3PK (then K3JTE); C.A. Petry and James Puglise, K9CQ. "With the growth of AMSAT into international organizations based on all habitable continents, the AMSAT is more than the sum of its technological parts, promoting peace, education, technology and communication skills," Haighton said. "I feel honored to have had the opportunity to have taken a part in AMSAT's life."

(AMSAT News Service; Bruce Paige, KK5DO)

========

Mar. 10 2004   A glimmer of hope for AO-40

 A weak "noise" on the AO-40 2.4-GHz beacon frequency has raised hopes that AO-40 may still be alive. AO-40 has been silent since January 27 (UTC), in the wake of a precipitous voltage drop. The satellite's controllers believe that one or more shorted battery cells are at the root of the problem. Colin Hurst, VK5HI, of the AO-40 command team reports that on March 9 between 0310 and 0320 UTC (orbit 1541) he "noted a noise peak of 4 to 5 dB" in the vicinity of the expected beacon frequency after he'd issued a transmitter reset command sequence to the satellite. "The width of this peak was about 5 kHz," he said. After listening for about 15 seconds, he issued a command to shut down the transmitter, and the noise peak disappeared. Hurst said he also transmitted several commands involving the auxiliary batteries but did not attempt to turn the beacon on again. "This tends to suggest that the IHU [Internal Housekeeping Unit computer] and L Band [1.2 GHz] receiver are operational," Hurst said. The AO-40 command team theorizes that a cell in the main battery pack has shorted, clamping the bus voltage below the point where it can operate the satellite. The spacecraft's auxiliary batteries are believed to be in parallel with the main batteries, and commands sent so to swap to the auxiliary batteries have been unsuccessful. AO-40 Earth stations are continuing to send commands to the satellite in order to switch the batteries. Updates on AO-40 are available on the AMSAT-DL Web site:  www.amsat-dl.org/journal/adlj-p3d.htm

(ARRL News Service)

========

Note: For information about Amateur Radio on the International Space Station "ARISS" visit the ARISS English language
web site:  www.rac.ca/ariss

Note: "Hams in Action" is a new area in the bulletin and is in need of articles and stories of events from your local club or ARES Group. Submission to Hams in Action:  Bulletin Editor: va3ku@rac.ca

===============

FIRESTORM 2003 PROVINCIAL REVIEW, 04/02/27

- Report on the British Columbia Firestorm and Evacuation of 50,000 people –

The Honorable Gary Filmon has just released his report into the 2003 British Columbia Interior Fires. Two areas of the report deal specifically with the role of amateur radio and their volunteer work:

"In the consultation process, the Review Team also heard about the important role that amateur radio operators played during Firestorm 2003. When emergency radio systems failed and cellular coverage was lost in some areas, the amateur radio operators were an invaluable, but at times overlooked resource.

During the wildfires, the amateur radio operators proved to be very resourceful, and demonstrated their commitment and dedication by relaying vital information over the airwaves. However, some people did not consider them to be an integral part of the emergency response system. There appeared to be a lack of understanding and appreciation among some emergency agencies about the value of local amateur radio operators."

"The Review Team Recommends:

Include Amateur Radio Operators in Emergency Response - All Emergency Operation Centres should include a provision for amateur radio operators, including power and antenna space, in case they are needed.

The amateur radio operators who provided emergency communications systems when cell phone and wired systems crashed are another excellent example of the valuable contributions volunteers can and did make.

The Review Team believes that, as much as possible, volunteers should be kept ‘in the loop’ and fully informed of policies, event status and expectations in recognition of their value as team members, and as communicators to the evacuees and clients of the Emergency Services Centre. Volunteers should be treated with the same respect and kept as well informed as all members of the emergency management staff."

Thanks to (Tom Cox VE7TOX)

(RAC News Service)

=============

Rick Williams VE7TK has also provided extracts from the  Gary Filmon "Firestorm"  2003 BC forest fires report.

Another key communications issue brought to the attention of the Review Team was the varying state of emergency communications technology across British Columbia. By emergency communications, the Review Team is referring to systems and procedures by which calls for service are received, processed and prioritized and then used as the basis for alerting and dispatching emergency responders to the scene. Communications technology is used to receive the request for assistance, coordinate the response, record the incident and dispatch resources.

During the 2003 interface fires, it was apparent that there were many emergency communications technology issues. For example:

• the capacity of some systems was exceeded;
• emergency phone systems were overwhelmed with calls; and,
• radio systems built for fire departments were not sufficiently expandable to manage all of the additional responders who arrived to assist.

As well, there were problems with compatibility of various systems, preventing complete communications between crews from various regions of the province and from outside the province.

Though many of these deficiencies were known prior to the 2003 fire season, it took an event like last summer’s firestorm to demonstrate the problem. The Review Team received a number of presentations that pointed out the non-compatibility of communications equipment and, in some cases, the absence of it. The comment was made that at times, this left the communication of fire, weather, and other vital information up to chance.

Specific problems encountered with communications equipment include the following:

• some of the responding fire departments use proprietary radio systems that currently do not function in more remote areas.
• some designated VHF emergency radio channels cannot be programmed into some of the newer radios.
• many fire departments have inter-operable radio systems but police, ambulance, forestry and air support may lack this compatibility.

The Review Team Recommends:

Achieve Emergency Radio Inter-Operability The British Columbia government should develop and implement a provincial strategy for emergency communications technology focused on moving over time to total inter-operability across agencies throughout the province.

Amateur Radio

In the consultation process, the Review Team also heard about the important role that amateur radio operators played during Firestorm 2003. When emergency radio systems failed and cellular coverage was lost in some areas, the amateur radio operators were an invaluable, but at times overlooked resource.

During the wildfires, the amateur radio operators proved to be very resourceful, and demonstrated their commitment and dedication by relaying vital information over the airwaves.

However, some people did not consider them to be an integral part of the emergency response system. There appeared to be a lack of understanding and appreciation among some emergency agencies about the value of local amateur radio operators.

The Review Team noted that when the amateur radio groups were finally called upon, in some instances they were forced to improvise in order to support the communications effort. At times, the amateur operators were not assigned space in the Emergency Operations Centre.

The Review Team Recommends:

Include Amateur Radio Operators in Emergency Response
All Emergency Operation Centres should include a provision for amateur radio operators, including power and antenna space, in case they are needed. Communications Systems should be regularly exercised to ensure that equipment, policies and procedures are functional.

(RAC News Service)

Eastern VHF/UHF Conference set for April

The 30th annual Eastern VHF/UHF Conference, sponsored by the North East Weak Signal Group www.newsvhf.com, will be held April 16-18 at the Radisson Hotel in Enfield, Connecticut. The conference has been moved from August to April to help eliminate conflicts with other ham radio activities and vacation schedules. Guest speakers, articles for the conference Proceedings, volunteers and prize donations are being solicited. Confirmed speakers include ARRL Contest Branch Manger Dan Henderson, N1ND, on the status of ARRL VHF/UHF contesting and awards; Jeff Klein, K1TEO, "16 Years of Contesting From Connecticut;" Gerald Youngblood, AC5OG, "Software Defined Radios SDR-1000 Beta" and Fred Stefanik, N1DPM, "Yagis: Bigger isn't Always Better." More information is on the Eastern VHF/UHF Conference Web page www.newsvhf.com/vhfconf.html

(ARRL News Service)

============

A Chilling Possibility

By disturbing a massive ocean current, melting Arctic sea ice might trigger colder weather in Europe and North America.

March 5, 2004: Global warming could plunge North America and Western Europe into a deep freeze, possibly within only a few decades.

That's the paradoxical scenario gaining credibility among many climate scientists. The thawing of sea ice covering the Arctic could disturb or even halt large currents in the Atlantic Ocean. Without the vast heat that these ocean currents deliver--comparable to the power generation of a million nuclear power plants--Europe's average temperature would likely drop 5 to 10°C (9 to 18°F), and parts of eastern North America would be chilled somewhat less. Such a dip in temperature would be similar to global average temperatures toward the end of the last ice age roughly 20,000 years ago.

Some scientists believe this shift in ocean currents could come surprisingly soon--within as little as 20 years, according to Robert Gagosian, president and director of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Others doubt it will happen at all. Even so, the Pentagon is taking notice. Andrew Marshall, a veteran Defense Department planner, recently released an unclassified report detailing how a shift in ocean currents in the near future could compromise national security.

"It's difficult to predict what will happen," cautions Donald Cavalieri, a senior scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, "because the Arctic and North Atlantic are very complex systems with many interactions between the land, the sea, and the atmosphere. But the facts do suggest that the changes we're seeing in the Arctic could potentially affect currents that warm Western Europe, and that's gotten a lot of people concerned."

Ice is Key
There are several satellites keeping an all-weather watch on ice cover in the Arctic. NASA's Aqua satellite, for instance, carries a Japanese-built sensor called the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer-EOS ("AMSR-E" for short). Using microwaves, rather than visible light, AMSR-E can penetrate clouds and offer uninterrupted surveillance of the ice, even at night, explains Roy Spencer, the instrument's principal investigator at the Global Hydrology and Climate Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Other ice-watching satellites, operated by NASA, NOAA and the Dept. of Defense, use similar technology.

The view from orbit clearly shows a long-term decline in the "perennial" Arctic sea ice (the part that remains frozen during the warm summer months). According to a 2002 paper by Josefino Comiso, a climate scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, this year-round ice has been retreating since the beginning of the satellite record in 1978 at an average rate of 9% per decade. Studies looking at more recent data peg the rate at 14% per decade, suggesting that the decline of Arctic sea ice is accelerating.

Some scientists worry that melting Arctic sea ice will dump enough freshwater into the North Atlantic to interfere with sea currents. Some freshwater would come from the ice-melt itself, but the main contributor would be increased rain and snow in the region. Retreating ice cover exposes more of the ocean surface, allowing more moisture to evaporate into the atmosphere and leading to more precipitation.

Because saltwater is denser and heavier than freshwater, this "freshening" of the North Atlantic would make the surface layers more buoyant. That's a problem because the surface water needs to sink to drive a primary ocean circulation pattern known as the "Great Ocean Conveyor." Sunken water flows south along the ocean floor toward the equator, while warm surface waters from tropical latitudes flow north to replace the water that sank, thus keeping the Conveyor slowly chugging along. An increase in freshwater could prevent this sinking of North Atlantic surface waters, slowing or stopping this circulation.

AMSR-E is collecting new data that will help scientists evaluate this possibility. For one thing, it provides greatly improved ground resolution over previous all-weather sensors. AMSR-E images reveal smaller cracks and fissures in the ice as it breaks up in the spring. This detail allows scientists to better understand the dynamics of ice break-up, says Cavalieri, a member of the AMSR-E team.

"Other important pieces of the puzzle, like rainfall, sea-surface temperatures, and oceanic winds, are also detected by AMSR-E. Looking at those variables together should help scientists assess the likelihood of a change in the Atlantic currents," adds Spencer.

Deja Vu?

Once considered incredible, the notion that climate can change rapidly is becoming respectable. In a 2003 report, Robert Gagosian cites "rapidly advancing evidence [from, e.g., tree rings and ice cores] that Earth's climate has shifted abruptly and dramatically in the past." For example, as the world warmed at the end of the last ice age about 13,000 years ago, melting ice sheets appear to have triggered a sudden halt in the Conveyor, throwing the world back into a 1,300 year period of ice-age-like conditions called the "Younger Dryas."

Will it happen again? Researchers are scrambling to find out.

On Feb. 13, an expedition set sail from Great Britain to place current-monitoring sensors in the Atlantic Ocean that will check the Gulf Stream for signs of slowing. The voyage is the latest step in a joint US / UK research project called Rapid Climate Change, which began in 2001. Another international project, called SEARCH (Study of Environmental Arctic CHange), kicked off in 2001 with the goal of more carefully assessing changes in Arctic sea ice thickness.

Much depends on how fast the warming of the Arctic occurs, according to computer simulations by Thomas F. Stocker and Andreas Schmittner of the University of Bern. In their models, a faster warming could shut down the major Atlantic current completely, while a slower warming might only slow the current for a few centuries.

And, inevitably, the discussion turns to people. Does human industry play a major role in warming the Arctic? Could we reverse the trend, if we wanted to? Not all scientists agree. Some argue that the changes occuring in the Arctic are consistent with large, slow natural cycles in ocean behavior that are known to science. Others see a greater human component.

"The sea ice thawing is consistent with the warming we've seen in the last century," notes Spencer, but "we don't know how much of that warming is a natural climate fluctuation and what portion is due to manmade greenhouse gases."

If the Great Conveyor Belt suddenly stops, the cause might not matter. Europeans will have other things on their minds--like how to grow crops in snow. Now is the time to find out, while it's merely a chilling possibility.

(RAC News Service)

Contest News

Wisconsin QSO Party--Phone/CW--sponsored by the West Allis RAC from 1800Z Mar 14-0100Z Mar 15. Frequencies (MHz): CW--3.550, 3.705, 7.050, 14.050, 21.050, 10 meters; Phone--3.890, 7.230, 14.290, 21.350, 28.400; All modes-- 6/2 meters, UHF. No repeater QSOs. Categories: SO, MS, MM and Mobile. Mobile operators may not operate on county lines. Exchange: S/P/C or WI county. QSO Points: Phone--1 pt, CW--2 pts. Score: QSO pts × WI counties (max 72) + S/P/C (WI stations only) ×2 (< 5 W), 1.5 (<150 W). WI mobiles/portables add 500 bonus points for each county with 12 or more QSOs. For more information: www.warac.org. Logs due Apr 14 to k9kr@powercom.net (in WARAC Cabrillo format--see Web site) or Wisconsin QSO Party, West Allis RAC, PO Box 1072, Milwaukee, WI 53201.

Russian DX Contest-CW/SSB--from 1200Z Mar 20-1200Z Mar 21. Frequencies: 160-10 meters. Categories: SOAB -HP and -LP (<100 W), SOSB, MS (10 minute rule), SWL, SO may enter Mixed Mode, CW, or SSB, MO and SWL are Mixed only. Exchange: RS(T) + serial number, RU stations--RS(T) + Oblast designator. QSO points: own entity--2 pts, different entity, same continent--3 pts, diff cont--5 pts, with Russians--10 pts. Score: QSO points × DXCC entity + Oblasts, counted once per band. For more information: www.rdxc.org. Logs due 45 days after the contest to rusdxc@contesting.com or to Russian DX Contest, PO Box 88, 119311 Moscow, Russia.

Virginia QSO Party--Phone/CW--sponsored by the Sterling Park ARC 1800Z Mar 20-0200Z Mar 22. Frequencies (MHz): CW--1.805 and 50 kHz up, Phone--1.845, 3.860, 7.260, 14.270, 21.370, 28.370, Novice/Tech--28.370, VHF/UHF--50.125, 144.200, 146.58, 223.50, 446.00. No repeater or cross-mode QSOs. Categories: SO, MS, MM fixed station and Mobile. Exchange: serial number and SPC or VA county/city. QSO Points: Phone--1 pt, CW--2 pts, VA Mobile-- 3 pts. Score: QSO Points × VA city/counties + SPC (counted only once). VA mobiles add 100 pts per VA city/county activated. Add 500 pts for QSO with K4NVA. For more information: www.qsl.net/sterling. Logs due April 15 to nq4k@arrl.net or Virginia QSO Party, Call Box 599, Sterling, VA 20167.

Spring QRP Homebrewer Sprint--CW/PSK31--sponsored by New Jersey QRP Club, 0000Z-0400Z Mar 22. Frequencies: QRP CW and PSK31 frequencies on 80-10 meters, CW and PSK31 are considered separate bands. Exchange: RST + S/P/C + Output Power. QSO Points: Commercial Equipment--2 pts, Homebrew Xmtr or Rcvr--3 pts, Homebrew Xmtr and Rcvr or Xcvr--4 pts. Kits okay as homebrew. Power Multiplier: 0>250 mW = ×15, 250 mW>1 W = ×10, 1>5 W = ×7, >5 W = ×1. Score: QSO Points × S/P/C (counted once per band) × power multiplier. For more information: www.njqrp.org/data/qrphomebrewersprint.html. Logs due 30 days after the contest to n2cq@arrl.net (text format) or Ken Newman, N2CQ, 81 Holly Dr, Woodbury, NJ 08096.

10-10 Mobile Contest--any mode--sponsored by 10-10 International, from 0000Z-2359Z Mar 20. Frequencies: 10 meters only. Categories: Fixed, Mobile. Exchange: call, name, S/P/C, county (US, Canada and England) and 10-10 membership number, if any. QSO Points: 1 pt/QSO. Score: Fixed--QSO Points × counties, Mobiles--QSO Points × counties worked + counties activated. For more information: www.ten-ten.org. Logs due Apr 3 to tentencontest@alltel.net or Steve Rasmussen N0WY, 312 N 6th St, Plattsmouth, NE 68048.

============

CLARA and Family HF Contest March 2004

This year’s HF Contest, sponsored by the Canadian Ladies Amateur Radio Association (CLARA), will be held over the weekend of March 20th and 21st, 2004. Commencing at 1700Z March 20th and continuing until 1700Z March 21st, 2004. The Contest is open to all CLARA members and their families and also to all Amateurs.

These are suggested frequencies only for easier location of contacts: Call “CQ CLARA”.
FREQUENCIES:
• CW 14.033, 21.033, 7.033, 3.688
• Phone 28.300, 21.225, 14.120, 14.285, 7033, 7.200, 3.750, 3.900
Can work stations once per band/mode. Cross-mode contacts count as phone for both stations.

LOGS: Logs must include the date, time (GMT), mode, call sign of contact, contact name, contact QTH (city, town, etc.) and whether the contact is a CLARA member, family member, non-member YL, or OM. Logs are to be received by the Contest Manager no later than April 24th, 2004 and must include call sign, address and claimed score. Because we are in the age of computerization, electronic logs are encouraged. You can also e-mail your logs to me in Plain Text, MS Word or MS Excel format. For the white cane operators, other arrangements can be made for transmitting your logs. Please contact me, or Helen VA1YL at hfarchibald@ns.sympatico.ca in advance.

SCORING:
• Contact with CLARA member (includes CLARA to CLARA) – 5 points
• Contact with CLARA family member, (OM’s, sons, daughters, in-laws, etc.) – 2 points
• Contact with non CLARA member YL – 3 points
• Contact with OM (includes OM to OM) – 1 point MULTIPLIERS:
• 1 for each Canadian call area (14 possible)
• 1 for each ARRL DX Country contacted if the op was a YL
• No multipliers for DX OM’s
Points claimed – (Contact Points) x Multiplier

PRIZES:
• Mini prize draw from all logs submitted
• Trophy – Highest scoring CLARA member
• Certificate – 2nd highest scoring CLARA member
• Certificate – 3rd highest scoring CLARA member
• Certificate – Highest scoring DX YL
• Certificate – Highest scoring OM

Contest Manager:
Paulette Schouten, VE7VPE
c/o VECTOR, 3301 East Pender Street, Vancouver, B.C. V5K 5J3 Canada
e-mail: ve7vpe@rac.ca

New Port Richey, FL: Gulf Coast Amateur Radio Club, K4C. 1200Z Mar 18-2000Z Mar 28. The 82nd Annual Chasco Fiesta. 28.360 21.250 14.250 7.245. Certificate. GCARC-Chasco, PO Box 595, New Port Richey, FL 34656-0595.

Princeton, NJ: Mercer County ARES/Central NJ American Red Cross, N2ARC. 2300Z Mar 19-2300Z Mar 21. March is Red Cross Month, celebrating ARES/ARC partnership. 28.445 14.255 7.240 3.952 2 m 220 MHz APRS. Certificate. Gerry Jurrens, N2GJ, POB 147, Kingston, NJ 08528. users.tellurian.com/gjurrens/n2arc_special_event.htm.

Macon, GA: Macon Amateur Radio Club, W4BKM. 1500Z-2200Z Mar 20. 22nd Annual Cherry Blossom Festival. 14.240 21.335 7.055 14.055. Certificate. Macon ARC, PO Box 4862, Macon, GA 31208.

Brampton, ON, Canada: Peel/Mississauga Amateur Radio Clubs, VE3XR. 1300Z-1700Z Mar 20. HAM-EX Annual Hamfest. 14.240 7.240. QSL. Michael Brickell, 2801 Bucklepost Cres, Mississauga, ON, Canada L5N 1X6.

Virginia Beach, VA and Moss, Norway: Virginia Beach Amateur Radio Club, Inc and Mossegruppen av NRRL, W4UG and LA5M. 1300Z Mar 20-2200Z Mar 21. 113th anniversary of the Norwegian Lady. 14.278 14.040 7.280 7.040. Certificate. VBARC, PO Box 62003, Virginia Beach, VA 23462.

Wellsboro, PA: Nessmuk Amateur Radio Association, W3BGK. 1500Z Mar 24-2100Z Mar 28. 200th anniverary of Tioga County. 14.240 7.240. Certificate. Nessmuk ARA W3BGK, PO Box 101, Wellsboro, PA 16901. For more information contact jantonio@epix.net.

Ebensburg, PA: Conemaugh Valley Amateur Radio Club, W3C. 1300Z Mar 26-0300Z Mar 27. Cambria County Bicentennial. 21.300 14.250 7.230 3.985. QSL. David Knepper, PO Box 34, Sidman, PA 15955. www.cambriacobicentennial.com.

Timonium, MD: Baltimore Amateur Radio Club, W3FT. 1300Z Mar 26-2000Z Mar 27. Celebrating the Greater Baltimore Hamboree and Computerfest. 14.265 7.265. Certificate. W3FT C/O GBH&C, PO Box 95, Timonium, MD 21094.

Waco, TX: Lake Whitney Amateur Radio Society, WA5BU. 1600Z-2000Z Mar 27. Activating the Baylor University Ham Club Radio Station. 28.425 21.300 14.250 7.250. QSL. Allen Newton, PO Box 1181, Whitney, TX 76692.

Mar. 11  2004  ARLD010 DX News

This week's bulletin was made possible with information provided by HB9AAP, NC1L, W1NK, QRZ DX, the OPDX Bulletin, The Daily DX, 425DXnews, DXNL, WA7BNM and Contest Corral from QST.  Thanks to all.

SWAZILAND, 3DA.  Look for Frosty, K5LBU, Chuck, W4GMY, Paul, N0AH, and Don, W0DM to be QRV as 3DA0CF, 3DA0CG, 3DA0AX and 3DA0DM, respectively, from March 13 to March 21.  Activity will be on 160 to 10 meters, including the newer bands, using CW, SSB, RTTY and PSK31. QSL to home calls.

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO, 9Q.  Gus, SM5DIC is QRV as 9Q0AR until March 20.  Of late he has been active on 20, 17, 15 and 10 meters using CW, SSB, RTTY and PSK31.  QSL via SM5BFJ.

TAIWAN, BV.  Amateurs BV8BC, BV8BM, BV8BQ, BV8CM, BX8AAA and BM8BTM are active as BV9O from Orchid Island, IOTA AS-155, until March 15. QSL direct via BV8BC.

MADEIRA ISLANDS, CT3.  Rosel, DL3KWR and Hardy, DL3KWF are QRV as CT3/homecalls until March 18 from Ilha da Madeira, IOTA AF-014. Activity is generally during their late afternoon and evening hours, mainly on the newer bands using CW.  QSL to home calls.

ANGOLA, D2.  Joao, CT1BFL and Durval, CU3BW are working in the capital city of Luanda during the next six months and are QRV as D2U and D2DB, respectively.  Activity is on all bands and modes.  QSL via EA7JX.

JERSEY, GJ.  Ron, G4DIY and Lee, G0DBE will be QRV as GP0STH from March 15 to 20.  QSL via G4DIY.  Meanwhile, Pete, K8PT and Craig, K3PLV are QRV as MJ/homecalls until March 17.  Activity is on all bands using CW, SSB and RTTY.  QSL to home calls.

SWITZERLAND, HB.  During 2004 the Swiss Amateur Radio Club, USKA, is QRV as HB75A in celebration of its 75th anniversary.  QSL via operators' instructions.

SWEDEN, SM.  Special calls SC0AG, SC1AG, SC2AG, SC3AG, SC4AG, SC5AG, SC6AG and SC7AG are QRV throughout the year to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Scandinavian CW Activity Group.  QSL via operators' instructions.

WEST KIRIBATI, T30.  Rolf is QRV as T30ZF and has been active on 20 meters from around 0700 to 0900z.  He has also been QRV on 40 meters around 1600z.  QSL via DK2ZF.

MALI, TZ.  Boe, TZ6BOE has been QRV on 20 meters around 1730z.  QSL via LA7OF.

UZBEKISTAN, UJ.  Fedor, UK9AA has been QRV on 160 meters around 0130z.  QSL direct.

CANADA, VE.  Special event station VB5C is QRV until March 30 to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Canadian Curling Brier.  QSL via VA5DX.

IRAQ, YI.  Jerry, K6MD is licensed as YI9MD and expects to be in Mosul until January 2005.  QSL via W6OAT.

THIS WEEKEND ON THE RADIO.  The Pesky Texan Armadillo Chase, YL International Single Sideband System QSO Party, RSGB Commonwealth CW Contest, AGCW QRP Contest, Oklahoma QSO Party, SOC Marathon Sprint, North American RTTY Sprint, UBA Spring CW Contest, NSARA Contest and the Wisconsin QSO Party will certainly keep contesters busy this weekend.  Please see March QST, page 100 and the ARRL and WA7BNM contest websites for details.

(W1AW)

============

Mar. 13 2004  425 DX News

425 DX NEWS TROPHY

The ST0RY expedition to Sudan (March-April 2003) has been voted the 425 DX News DXpedition of the Year for 2003. Full results of this survey can be found at http://www.425dxn.org/trophy_2003/

425 DX NEWS MAGAZINE

The 425 DX News monthly edition (February issue),edited by Maurizio Bertolino (I1-21171/IZ1CRR), is now available for free downloading in either.pdf or .doc formats at http://www.425dxn.org/monthly/. In this issue you can find a report with pictures on XF1K's operations from Parajos Island (NA-166); a large number of pictures about FK/AC4LN (Belep, OC-079), V63MB (Mog, OC-078), H44VV (Nggela, OC-158), P29VVB (Karkar, OC-258), II0RAI, OA4/F6BUM (SA-010), TO4E and Z38M, as well as the usual features and much more.

3B9 - Robert, 3B9FR will join the 3B9C team as a full member, taking time off work to be a part of the upcoming all-band all-mode DXpedition [425DXN 661], which is due to start around 20 UTC on 19 March. Full details on the operation can be found on the expedition's most comprehensive web site at http://www.fsdxa.com/3b9c (shorcut www.3b9c.com). See also 3B9C Trophies, 3B9C Video, Contacting 3B9C and QSL 3B9C in the "Good To Know" section below.

4U_un - 4U1UN plans to be active on 12 March. Activity will be on 10-80 metres, depending on propagation, primarily CW, with some SSB and PSK, and possible QRV on 60m (SSB) late in the afternoon (NY time). The operators will be Theo, PB7CW and Henry, KT1J (PA0AFN). The QSL route given for this activity is via HB9BOU (direct or bureau). [TNX KA2RTD]

5H  - Eric, SM1TDE will be active as 5H3/SM1TDE from Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania on 4-18 April. He plans to operate barefoot mainly CW on the WARC bands, with some RTTY and a little SSB on the other bands as well. There might be a side trip to Zanzibar (AF-032) during the second week. QSL via SM1TDE, direct or bureau. [TNX SM1TDE]

9G  - Rob, PA3DEW and Vincent, PA3FQX are currently active as 9G1AA from Dormaa Hospital in Ghana. Look for them around 17 UTC on +/- 14140 kHz. QSL via PA3ERA, direct or bureau. [TNX PA3AWW]

C6  - Joe/W8GEX, Wayne/K8LEE, Mike/K9AJ and Phil/W9IXX will operate as C6DX from Double Headed Shot Cay (NA-219), Bahamas on 25-29 March. They plan to operate on all bands and modes with at least two stations and to be QRV also during the CQ WPX SSB Contest. QSL via K9AJ. The web page for the operation is at http://www.wb8xx.com/c6dx2004.htm. This most wanted IOTA group was activated only once back in October 2000 by W5BOS/C6A, whose operation was cut short by bad weather. [TNX The Daily DX]

DL  - Look for Andy, DL4OK/p will be active from Staberhuk Lighthouse (ARLHS FED-226) on Fehmarn Island (EU-128) on 18-25 March. He will operate on 10-80  metres CW and SSB. QSL via bureau. [TNX www.islandchaser.com]

EI  - Eleven special event stations (EI25CY, EI25ES, EI25HA, EI25LY, EI25ML, EI25OK, EI25OM, EI25SL, EI25SP, EI25YL and IRTS's HQ station as EI25EU) will be activated from Ireland on 1-2 May to celebrate the enlargement of the European Union to 25 members. The Irish Radio Transmitters Society (IRTS) is issuing an award for amateurs (and for SWLs on a heard basis) who work these stations; full information will be published in the next issue of the 425 DX News Magazine. [TNX EI7CC]

HB0 - HA5AUC (Pista), HA5BWW (Ed), HA5OJ (Pisti) and HA7PC (Karcsi) will operate as HB0/homecall/P from Masescha (1350m asl), Liechtenstein on 1-8 April. They will be active with two stations on 160-10 metres CW with some SSB. QSLs via home calls, direct or bureau. They will also try to operate on 144 and 432 MHz, CW and SSB, as HB0/HA5KHC/P (QSL via HA5KHC, direct or bureau). [TNX HA5BWW]

HB9 - The Swiss Amateur Radio Club (USKA) celebrates its 75th anniversary in 2004 and special callsign HB75A will be aired throughout the year to mark this event. QSL via HB9A. [TNX HB9AAP]

HR  - Henry (HR2H), Gustavo (LU1DY/HR), Cesar (HR2P), Carlos (HR2SB), Antonio (HR2AHC) and Manuel (HR5MJC) plan to operate as HR2RCH/3 from Cayos Cochinos (NA-160) from 22 UTC on 20 March to 6 UTC on the 22nd. Look for activity on 40, 20 and 15 metres SSB. They may also operate PSK-31, MFSK-16 and Hellschreiber on 20m. QSL via HR2AHC. [TNX VA3RJ]

HS  - Charles, K4VUD will be active again as HS0ZCW from Thailand from around 7 May to around 15 August. He will operate on neither the WARC bands (not allowed in Thailand) nor 80 and 160 metres. QSL via home call. [TNX K4VUD]

I   - Special event station II6CC will be operated on all bands and modes by ARI Ancona and ARI Senigallia from 6 UTC on 15 April to 22 UTC on the 18th. QSL via IZ6FUQ. Requests for direct cards with special cancellation for philatelists can be sent to Sezione ARI di Ancona, P.O. Box 122, Via dell'Artigianato, 60100 Ancona - AN, Italy before 14 May (please enclose 1 EUR or 1 USD). For further information please visit http://web.tiscali.it/stefanocatena/ii6cc.htm or e-mail ii6cc@tiscali.it
[TNX IZ6FUQ]

JA  - Nine operators will be active (on 160-6 metres CW, SSB and digital modes) as JO1ZZZ/3 from Awaji Island (AS-117) on 20-21 March. QSL via JO1ZZZ (bureau) or JL3SIK (direct). [TNX The Daily DX]

JA  - Yoshiro, JA1AMP will be active as JA1AMP/6 from Tarama Island (AS-079) on 9-11 April. He plans to operate on 40-6 metres CW, SSB and digital modes. QSL via bureau or direct to JL3SIK. [TNX JA1AMP]

KH6 - Goffredo, KH6/I0TWA and Max, KH6ZM will be QRV for Europe through the end of March at 4-6 UTC on 7005/7007 kHz, at 6-7.30 UTC on 14014 or 14195 kHz and at 7 UTC on 10110 kHz. [TNX I0MWI]

KL  - Roger, WL7CPA will be active until 31 December 2006 from Unalaska Island (NA-059), Alaska, where he now lives. Further information at http://www.geocities.com/wl7cpa. [TNX VA3RJ]

LU  - Look for LU2XX (Radio Club Rio Grande, http://www.qsl.net/lu2xx/) to be active from Tierra del Fuego (SA-008) from 28 March to 2 April. QSL via LU8XQB. [TNX LU1XS]

PA  - Look for PA3EEQ and PA0XAW to operate (on 40 and 20 metres SSB and CW) from Den Helder Lighthouse (NET-005) on 20 March. QSL via bureau or direct. Information on the "Dutch Lighthouse Award" can be found at http://www.qsl.net/pi4alk [TNX PA0XAW]

SV  - Charles, KE2SP will be active on 10-20 metres as SV8/KE2SP from Hydra (EU-075) until 15 June. QSL via home call. [TNX VA3RJ]

T30 - Rolf, DK2ZF had to cancel his 9-15 March trip to Nauru [425DXN 670] and is currently active as T30ZF from Tarawa, Western Kiribati. QSL direct to home call. [TNX The Daily DX]

T33 - Alan Eshleman, K6SRZ confirms that T33C should start operations from Banaba by April 4 or 5 [425DXN  668]. All of the equipment that was shipped from Europe has now cleared Kiribati customs and is ready for transfer to Te Taobe, the boat that will take the team from Tarawa (T30) to Banaba. T33C's likely operating frequencies are now posted on http://www.dx-pedition.de/banaba2004/. The operators are aware that there will be other DXpeditions on the air at the same time. For that reason, their frequencies may change from time to time. To prevent overlap and confusion with other operations, they will try to maintain splits and spreads that do not conflict. As soon as the operators establish a reliable  PACTOR link, they will send daily logs and bulletins to the web site. However, "if there is any doubt whether or not you are our log", they say, "please work us again". All logs will be refreshed upon their return to Tarawa on 18 April. The pilot stations will be:
Europe          Martino, IK3RIY (ik3riy@libero.it)
West Coast NA   Larry, N7DF (n7df@yahoo.com)
East Coast NA   Woody, KQ4NW (kq4nw@rbnet.com)
Asia            Toshi, JA1ELY (ja1ely@bb.mbn.or.jp)
Oceania         Gary, KH6GMP (kh6gmp@hawaii.rr.com)
South America:  Daniel, PT7BI (MiltomMoutinho@aol.com) and Freddy, PY3YD (py3yd@radioamador.com)

W   - Look for Dick, K2ZR/4 to be active on 40-10 metres from Key West (NA-062) until 1 June. QSL via home call. [TNX VA3RJ]

W   - Brad, NL7AU will be active from Upper Matecombe Key (NA-062) until 31 December. QSL via home call. [TNX VA3RJ]

W   - Lee/K1NT and Marvin/AG5I will operate special event callsigns K5O and K5K mobile during the Oklahoma QSO Party (13-14 March). QSL via KW5DX. [TNX K1NT]

W   - St. Georges Reef (NA-184) and Lighthouse (ARLHS USA-793) will be activated by WA6LUT and K0NW from 30 April to 2 May. The call sign will be WA6LUT and plans are to operate primarily on SSB on the usual IOTA frequencies. QSL to WA6LUT. [TNX K0NW]

XU  - Jack/ON4AJT (XU7AJV) and Wim/ON6TZG (XU7TZG) [425dxn 657] will be active as XU7POS from Koh Poah (AS-133) from 12 March until the local morning of the 15th. [TNX JI6KVR]

YA  - Club station  YA0J is expected to participate in the CQ WPX SSB Contest (27-28 March) as a Multi Operator entry. Activity might be limited, as it will depend on the operators' work schedules. QSL via JG1OWV. [TNX JG1OWV]

YB  - Look for Adi, YC3MM/M to operate (on 15 metres mainly CW and digital modes with some SSB) from Madura Island (OC-237) on 14 March 2004. He will run 50 watts into a homemade mobile antenna. QSL via IZ8CCW. [TNX IZ8CCW & YC3MM]

YU - YU0HST is a special call issued to celebrate the IV European and IARU Region I High Speed Telegraphy Championships in the city of Nis. QSL via YU1AST (P.O. Box 76, 18106 Nis, Serbia and Montenegro). [TNX
4N1JA]

ZB  - Steve, G0SGB will be active as ZB/G0SGB/p from the Europa Point Lighthouse (ARLHS GIB-001), Gibraltar on 20-21 March. He also plans to operate the other four lighthouses in Gibraltar during this time period. QSL via home call. [TNX VA3RJ]

PACIFIC TOUR ---> A35DH (QSL via DH3WO), A35DJ (QSL via DJ2HD) and A35DA (QSL via DL5DAN) will operate from Fafa Island (OC-049), Tonga on 15-29 March. Look for activity on 10-80 metres (but not on 30m) SSB, RTTY and PSK31. The team will then move to the Northern Island of New Zealand (OC-036) and operate as ZL/DH3WO, ZL/DL5DAN and ZL/DJ2HD and maybe other islands and/or lighthouses for two weeks. QSL via home calls. [TNX The
Daily DX]

ANTARCTIC OPERATIONS (*)

ANTARCTICA - Paul, UX2HO is again active as EM1HO from Akademik Vernadsky Station on Galindez Island (AN-006). Reportedly he will be there for one year; plans are to operate on all bands (160-6 metres) and modes. On 6m he should have an amplifier and a 3 or 4-element yagi (home made). QSL via I2PJA, direct or bureau. [TNX I2PJA]

SOUTH SHETLANDS - Oleg, R1ANF has been active as DP1ANF from the Eduard Dallmann Laboratory on King George Island (AN-010) since 10 March. According to Dominik, DL5EBE Oleg expected to be there for about four days. QSL via RK1PWA.

(*) As far as base names, locations and accessory information are concerned, the reference source is the WABA Directory 2003 (which is also an acknowledged reference source for the RSGB IOTA Programme). The WABA Directory is downloadable at http://www.425dxn.org, but please note that 425 DX News is not and has never been involved in WABA management, so please refrain from contacting us on WABA matters.

GOOD TO KNOW

AMATEUR RADIO ON TELETEXT ---> Thanks to Dan/S50U, Joze/S52JK and the Cerkno ARC (S50E), RTV Slovenija features two Teletext pages (with five sub-pages) devoted to amateur radio, including SK3BG's Contest Calendar (page 396/3), DX spots from S50CLX (397/1) and 425DXN's calendar (397/2). RTV Slovenija can be found on Eutelsat Hot Bird (12.303 GHz, Pol. V, SR 2750, FEC 3/4). Web page at http://teletekst.rtvslo.si/S39701.HTML

6M MARATHON ---> The Six Meters Marathon 2004 is open to all amateur radio operators worldwide. The objective is to work as many DXCC entities as possible on 6m between 8 May (00.00 UTC) and 8 August (24 UTC). The results will be continuosly updated at http://www.50mc.tk. For further information please contact Hannu Saila, OH3WW (marathon@saila.org). [TNX OH5DX]

3B9C TROPHIES ---> A wide range of trophies will be available for working 3B9C on different band/mode slots. The objective of the "Nevada Rodrigues Award Programme" is to encourage amateur radio stations (as well as SWLs) to make contact with this all-band all-mode major expedition; details can be found at www.3b9c.com.

3B9C VIDEO ---> A 45 minute video tape of the 3B9C DXpedition will be made and edited by Don, G3BJ. Those who order it, will receive also a copy of the as yet un-released "limited edition" D68C DXpedition video free of charge. All surplus funds from the sales of this combined video (total 90 minutes) will be used to fund future FSDXA DXpeditions. Details can be found at www.3b9c.com; any queries to G3BJ (g3ozf@btinternet.com).

CONTACTING 3B9C ---> The 3B9C team believe that, with current levels of Internet use, the traditional concept of regional pilot stations is no longer applicable. Instead, there is a single e-mail address for contacting 3B9C (deserving@3b9c.com): messages will go direct to the island, and be dealt with by members of the team. Note that you will not receive a personal response and that responses will be placed on www.3b9c.com.

DIE CONTEST ---> The 10th edition of the DIE Contest for working stations located on Spanish islands will be held from 6 to 12 UTC on 20 June. The DIE Contest software is available from Paco, EA5OL (http://www.ea5ol.net/die). [TNX EA7CYS]

DX SPOTS ---> Rod Elliott, VE3IRF has collected the DX spots from the OH2AQ Web Cluster since January 1997. The collection - from January 1997 up to February 2004 - is available at http://www.425dxn.org/dxspots/.

LOW BANDS IN THAILAND ---> Champ, E21EIC reports that Thailand's licencing authority has renewed the 160 & 80m operating permission through 31 december 2004. Thai amateur radio operators can use the following frequencies during contests only: 1800-1825 kHz, 3500-3505 kHz, 3524-3536 kHz. Those who need Thailand on 80 metres SSB can look
for Chai, HS1NGR to be QRV on 3536 kHz (QSX 3795 kHz) during the weekends between 17 and 20 UTC.

QSL 3B9C ---> The QSLing task will be shared by a team of volunteers, centrally co-ordinated through StarQSL, a piece of software developed especially by John, G3WGV for the purpose. Direct cards should be sent to FSDXA, P.O. Box 73, Church Stretton, SY6 6WF, UK. Bureau cards go via the RSGB bureau (a form for requesting bureau cards is available at
www.3b9c.com).

AS-049:  Information on the recent operation by JA6PSE and JA6PSI from Takara Island [425DXN 664] can be found at
http://www.aa.alpha-net.ne.jp/ji5rpt/index.html [TNX JI6KVR]

LOGS:  On-line logs for the recent XF1K operation from NA-166 can be found at http://www.425dxn.org/dxped/na166/logs.html

LOGS:  On-line logs for the recent ZK3SB opeation from Tokelau are now available at http://www.qsl.net/i2ysb/zk3/logs.htm

QSL DB:  Boye Christensen, OZ7C has updated his QSL DBase (which now contains 345,390 unique records) for Packet Cluster. The package can be downloaded at http://www.qsl.net/oz7c/qsl [TNX OZ7C]

============

Mar 11 - 25, 2004   I.C.P.O. Bulletin Islands, Castles & Portable Operations - I.C.P.O.

11/03/2004:  Bert, PA3GIO, will be QRV March 11th to 18th as PA3GIO/HI9 from Las Terrenas, Dominica Republic (NA-096). He plans to operate on 80, 40, 20, 17, 15, 12 and 10 meter SSB. QSL via home call, direct or bureau. [Tnx 425DXN]

11/03/2004:  Look for Gaetano (I8IHG), Nello (IK8HVJ), Salvatore (IK8NTN), Achille (IZ8CKS), Luigi (IZ8ENR) and Andrea (IK8GDA) to be QRV March 13th from Vivara Island (IOTA EU-031, IIA NA-005). Activity will be on 80 through 6 meter SSB. QSLs via home calls, direct or bureau. [Tnx 425DXN]

12/03/2004:  Look for Fred (HB9AAQ), Gusti (HB9AZA) and Andy (HB9JOE) to be QRV as CE8/home call between March 12th and 16th. Activity will be on 80 through 10 meter CW, SSB and PSK31 and they hope to operate from one
of the IOTA groups in that call area. QSL via home calls. [Tnx 425DXN]

12/03/2004:  Look for Victor, RN1NU/p, and Dmitry, UA1NFA/p, to be QRV March 12th to 14th from Suysar Island (RRA reference RR-20-03, Not IOTA), in Lake Onega (RDA reference KL-19, for the Russian Districts Award). QSL via home calls. [Tnx RN1NU]

13/03/2004:  Keith, GM4YXI will be active again as 9M2/GM4YXI from Kuala Lumpur, West Malaysia. He plans one or two IOTA trips on March 13-14 and March 20-21: target destinations are AS-073, AS-046 and/or AS-097, but it will depend on finding accommodation. QSL via N3SL. [Tnx 425DXN]

13/03/2004:  Christian F5DXN/p will be QRV from the Castle of Reaux (Chateau des Reaux), commune of Soisy sur Ecole (DFCF reference 91-031) and the Mill of the Valleys (Moulin des Noues), commune of Soisy sur Ecole (DMF reference 91-006. He intends to make these activations during the mornings of March 13th to 19th, on 20 meter SSB (14.240 - 14.260 MHz). QSL via home call, direct or bureau. [Tnx F5DXN]

13/03/2004:  Look for I8IHG, IK8GDA, IK8HVJ, IK8NTN, IZ8CKS and IZ8ENR to be QRV March 13th from Vivara Island (IOTA EU-031, IIA NA-005). The will be signing IC8/home call. Activity will be on 80 through 10 meters, plus 6 meter SSB. QSL via the individuals home call. [Tnx 425DXN]

14/03/2004:  Jun, OE1ZKC/JH4RHF, will be on the air from Mauritius (AF-049) on his way to/back from the 3B9C DXpedition, March 14th to 16th and April 1st to 3rd. His callsign will be decided upon arrival. He will operate from 3B8CF's shack. Jun will probably be on 40 through 10 meter SSB, CW, RTTY and SSTV on request. QSL via OE1ZKC. [Tnx OPDX]

14/03/2004:  Gerd, DL7VOG, will be QRV from Isla Palma (SA-078), Colombia, between March 14th and 18th. He will operate as HK0GU/1. Then look for him to be active as HK0GU from Providencia (NA-049) starting March 19th; he will depart April 5th. During his stay he will be active in the BARTG Spring RTTY Contest and the EA-RTTY Contest. QSL via  his home call, direct or bureau. [Tnx OPDX]

14/03/2004:  Harry, W6DXO, will be QRV as KP2/W6DXO from the island of St. John in the US Virgin Islands (NA-106) between March 14th and 19th. Activity will be focused on 17, 12 and 10M. SSB and PSK activity planned. QSL via home call, direct or bureau. [Tnx W6DXO]

15/03/2004:  A35DH (QSL via DH3WO) A35DJ (QSL via DJ2HD) and A35DA (QSL via DL5DAN) will be QRV March 15th to 29th from Fafa (OC-049). Activity will be on 80, 40, 20, 17, 15, 12 and 10 meter SSB, PSK31 and RTTY. [Tnx
F5NQL]

15/03/2004:  Ron (G4DIY, GP0STH) and Lee (G0DBE) will be active from the Isle of Jersey (IOTA EU-013) March 15th to 20th, as GP0STH. Their bands and modes of activity were not provided. QSL via G4DIY. [Tnx OPDX]

15/03/2004:  The Lockyer Valley Radio Club will be QRV March 15th to 19th as VK4FRI from Fraser Island (OC-142). Activity will be on all HF bands using CW, SSB, PSK and SSTV. QSL direct only to P.O. Box 101, Laidley, QLD 4341, Australia. [Tnx 425DXN]

17/03/2004:  Moscow Contest Club members RD3AF, RN3AZ, RU3AV, RZ3DU, UA3DX and UA3AKO will operate as R1FJ from Franz Josef Land (EU-019) between March 17th and 25th, from the Island of Zemlya Aleksandry (RRA reference RR-05-04, RDA reference AR-32). They will operate on all bands CW, SSB and RTTY, and will participate in the Russian DX Contest (20-21 March). QSL via DL6ZFG (Rolf Rahne, P.O. Box 15. 39241 Gommern, Germany) or, For Russia and CIS countries, via UA3AKO (Victor Slabodchikov, P.O Box 867, Moscow, 119334, Russia). Financial support will be appreciated via either DL6ZFG (dl6zfg@dl6zfg.de) or UA3AKO (ua3ako@mail.ru). [Tnx 425DXN]

18/03/2004:  Look for Andy, DL4OK/p, to be QRV March 18th to 25th from Staberhuk Lighthouse (ARLHS reference FED-226) located on Fehmarn Island (IOTA EU-128, GIA O-01 for the German Islands Award). Activity will be on 80 through 10 meter CW and SSB. QSL via the DARC bureau to DL4OK. [Tnx DL4OK]

19/03/2004:  Look for Steve, EA/G0SGB/p to be QRV March 19th, 22nd and 23rd from various lighthouses in Spain. Activity will be mainly on 14.264 MHz or on other bands around ??.264 MHz (+/-) as conditions permit. QSL via home call (QRZ.com). [Tnx G0SGB]

19/03/2004:  Gerd, DL7VOG, will be QRV as HK0GU from Providencia (NA-049) starting March 19th; he will depart April 5th. During his stay he will be active in the BARTG Spring RTTY Contest and the EA-RTTY Contest. QSL via his home call, direct or bureau. [Tnx OPDX]

20/03/2004:  A multinational team (so far including DL7AKC, EI5DI, G0MRF, G0OPB, G3NUG, G3BJ, G3IZD, G3NHL, G3RAU, G3SED, G3WGV, G3WKL, G3XTT, G4FRE/WW2R, G4JKS, G4KIU, G4TSH, G4VXE, GU4YOX, JA1RJU, JH4RHF, KF7E, M0DXR, M0GMT, N7CQQ, NK7C and W3EF) will operate from Rodrigues Island (AF-017) as 3B9C for over three weeks, including four weekends. The first members of the team will arrive on 15 March, and expect to spend the first two to three days installing antennas and equipment. Expect the team to be QRV by March 20th. Station breakdown will start on 12 April, though operations may continue for a further day or two after that. Activity will encompass SSB, CW, RTTY, PSK31 and, as appropriate, FM. There will also be satellite activity and possible EME. QSL route will be announced shortly.[Tnx 425DXN]

20/03/2004:  Keith, GM4YXI will be active again as 9M2/GM4YXI from Kuala Lumpur, West Malaysia. He plans one or two IOTA trips on March 20-21: target destinations are AS-073, AS-046 and/or AS-097, but it will depend on finding accommodation. QSL via N3SL. [Tnx 425DXN]

20/03/2004:  Henry (HR2H), Gustavo (LU1DY/HR), Cesar (HR2P), Carlos (HR2SB), Antonio (HR2AHC) and Manuel (HR5MJC) plan to be QRV as HR2RCH/3 from Cayos Cochinos (NA-160) from 22:00 UTC March 20 to 06:00 UTC March 22, 2004. Activity will be as follows: SSB - 7.055 - 7.098 Mhz, 14.260 Mhz and 21.260 MHz. They may also operate PSK-31, MFSK-16 and Hellschreiber on 20 meters. QSL via HR2AHC (QRZ.com). [Tnx LU1DY]

20/03/2004:  A team of JA's will be QRV from Awaji Island (AS-117) March 20 and 21, 2004, as JO1ZZZ/3. Activity will be on 160 through 6 meter CW, SSB, RTTY, PSK31 and MFSK16. QSL via JL3SIK (QRZ.com). [Tnx JI3DST]

20/03/2004:  Operators SV1QN, SV1AIN, SV1GYG, SV1EQU and SW1GYN will be QRV March 20th to 28th as SX8K from Kythira Island (EU-113) and Kapsali Lighthouse (ARLHS GRE-077). QSL via SV1QN (all QSOs will be confirmed automatically via bureau). [Tnx 425DXN]

20/03/2004:  Zig, KM9M, will be QRV March 20th to 28th as V26CW from Antigua (NA-100). QSL via home call. [Tnx 425DXN]

20/03/2004:  Look for Steve, ZB/G0SGB/p, to be QRV March 20th and 21st from the Europa Point Lighthouse (ARLHS reference GIB-001, WW Loc. IM76hc), Gibraltar. He also plans to activate the other 4 lighthouses in Gibraltar during this time period. The other lighthouses are: South Mole, "A" Head (ARLHS reference GIB-002), Detached Mole, "B" Head (ARLHS GIB-003), Detached Mole, "C" Head (ARLHS GIB-004) and North Mole, "D" Head (ARLHS GIB-005). Activity will be on all bands as conditions permit. QSL via home call (QRZ.com). [Tnx G0SGB]

21/03/2004:  The members of the VK6 DX Chasers Club wish to advise that we will be conducting an expedition to Woody Island (OC-170). This will take place from around 06:00 UTC on March 21 to around 16:00 UTC on March 27. This is our second visit to this island which is part of the Recherche Archipelago, located 15 km from the town of Esperance and some 600km South East of Perth. Up to 3 stations will be active on 40 through 10 meters including 12 meters and 17 meters. There may be some 80 meter operation if conditions and static levels permit. The callsign is yet to be advised. Operators will be, VK6NE, VK6NU, VK6APK, VK6YEL, VK6KTN and VK6ZPP. All requests for QSL's are to go to Neil, VK6NE. [Tnx VK6APK]

22/03/2004:  Look for Steve, EA/G0SGB/p to be QRV March 22nd and 23rd from various lighthouses in Spain. Activity will be mainly on 14.264 MHz or on other bands around ??.264 MHz (+/-) as conditions permit. QSL via home call (QRZ.com). [Tnx G0SGB]

22/03/2004:  Two members of the Florida DXPedition Group, William N2WB and Bill W4WX will be in Sardinia (IOTA EU-024, IIA SD-001) between March 22nd and 27th. They will operate using the calls IS0/N2WB and IS0/W4WX Look for them on the HF bands on CW, SSB and RTTY. QSL IS0/N2WB via N2OO and IS0/W4WX direct or LoTW. [Tnx The Go List]

24/03/2004:  RZS Amateur Radio Club's (W2RZS) members Bob (WB2NVR), Mike (WA2VQW), Adam (N2DHH) and Bob (N2DVQ) will be operating from Jamaica (NA-097) between March 24th and 30th, including an entry in the CQ WPX
SSB Contest as 6Y2RZ. Before and after the contest they will be active as homecall/6Y5. [Tnx 425DXN]

25/03/2004:  Marc, DL1VKE, and Volkmar, DF2SS, will be active as 5W0SS and 5W0KE from Western Samoa (OC-097) between March 25th and April 10th. They plan to operate SSB, CW and RTTY on all the HF bands. QSL via DL2MDZ. [Tnx 425DXN]

25/03/2004:  Marc, DL1VKE, and Volkmar, DF2SS, will be active as KH8/homecall from American Samoa (OC-045) between March 25th and April 10th. They plan to operate SSB, CW and RTTY on all the HF bands. QSL via DL2MDZ. [Tnx 425DXN]

25/03/2004:  Rich, M5RIC, will be active as MU5RIC/P from Guernsey (EU-114) between March 25th and 29th, including an entry in the CQ WPX SSB Contest as MU2Z. QSL via M5RIC. [Tnx 425DXN]

QRV, QRV -

Until 31/03/2004:  Kim, DS4BHW, will be QRV March 1st to 31st from Cho Island (AS-060). Activity will be on 80 through 6 meters. QSL via DS4BHW either direct (Kim, P.O. Box 27, Sunchon, 540-600, South Korea) or through the bureau. [Tnx G0UIH]

Until 01/06/2004:  Look for Dick, K2ZR/4, to be QRV from Key West (IOTA NA-062, USI FL-040S, Monroe county), Florida, until June 1, 2004. Activity will be on 40 through 10 meters. QSL via home call (QRZ.com). [Tnx K2ZR]

Until 15/06/2004:  Charles, KE2SP, will be QRV as SV8/KE2SP from Hydra (EU-075) between February 21st and June 15th. Activity will be on 20 through 10 meters only. QSL via home call (QRZ.com). [Tnx KE2SP]

Until 31/12/2004:  Brad, NL7AU, will be QRV until December 31, 2004, from Upper Matecombe Key (IOTA NA-062, USI FL-060S, Monroe county), Florida. QSL via NL7AU (QRZ.com). [Tnx NL7AU]

Until 31/12/2006:  Look for Roger, WL7CPA, to be active until December 31, 2006, from Dutch Harbor, Unalaska Island (IOTA NA-059, USI AK-005S, 3rd S. Central county), Alaska, where he now lives. Further information can be found on his web site at: http://www.geocities.com/wl7cpa . [Tnx WL7CPA]
 

LOOKING AHEAD -

10/05/2004:  Look for Steve, EA8/G0SGB/p, to be QRV starting May 10th for two weeks from various lighthouses on Lanzarote Island, Canary Islands (IOTA EU-004, DIE S-007 for the Spanish Islands Award). No particular lighthouse was mentioned, but Steve did say he will activate anything he can find. Activity will be on all bands as conditions permit. QSL via home call (QRZ.com). [Tnx G0SGB]

20/05/2004:  Authority has been granted by Industry Canada to Bill Metcalfe, VE6BF, to use the Special Event Callsign VC6X to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of Lieutenant Alexander Roberts (1833-1868) who is the first to receive the Victoria Cross for his military heroism during the Crimean War of 1854-1856. The authority is valid from May 20, 2004 to June 20, 2004. QSL direct to VE6BF (Bill Metcalfe, 5704 - 48 Avenue, Beaumont, AB &nbsp;T4X 1C3, Canada) with SASE or SAE + sufficient return postage. [Tnx RAC]

73 and Good Hunting!
Dave Raycroft - VA3RJ

Home of ICPO: www.qsl.net/va3rj
Mirror: http://webhome.idirect.com/~va3rj
Join ICPO e-Group:  www.qsl.net/va3rj/icpo.html
E-mail: va3rj@rac.ca

===============

Note: A complete list of  Prefixes assigned by International Telecommunications Union can be found on the Trans Provincial Website: www.tpn7055.ca/callsign.html

Mar. 11 2004  Scott Redd, K0DQ, named Coalition Provisional Authority deputy administrator

Retired Vice Admiral Scott Redd, K0DQ, has been appointed deputy administrator and chief operating officer of the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) in Baghdad, Iraq. Redd, an ARRL member who lives in Marietta, Georgia, is one of two deputy administrators reporting to CPA Administrator L. Paul Bremer. Redd will direct the CPA's programs for the reconstruction of Iraq's infrastructure. That task includes awarding $18.4 billion in contracts through the project management office for major improvements to Iraq's electricity, oil, transportation, water resources, education, housing and construction, and communications networks, a CPA news release said. He also will be responsible for policy affecting Iraq's security programs. Those include the new Iraqi Army, the Iraqi Civil Defense Corps, Iraqi Border Patrol and Facilities Protection Services. Redd retired from the US Navy in 1998 as director of strategic plans and policy for the Joint Chiefs of Staff. During 36 years of active duty, he commanded eight organizations, founded the Navy's Fifth Fleet--the first new US Navy fleet in more than 50 years--and served in several senior Pentagon positions. Redd also led all U.S. Naval forces in the US Central Command from 1994 until 1996. After retiring from the Navy, Redd served as chairman, president and CEO of NetSchools Corp, a high-tech startup. He's a 1966 graduate of the US Naval Academy and a Fulbright scholar. Last year, Redd was the keynote speaker for ARRL's second donors' reception held in conjunction with Hamvention.

(ARRL News Service)

===========

Mar. 11 2004  W9KMP appointed to Salvation Army Amateur Radio post

ARRL member Kenneth Panczyk, W9KMP, of Mt Prospect, Illinois, has been appointed Amateur Radio liaison officer for The Salvation Army Metropolitan Division. He succeeds Bill Davidson, W9SWW. Centered on Chicago, The division includes 11 counties. An amateur operator since 1969 and a former teacher and school administrator, Panczyk is an avid CW operator and scuba diving teacher and enthusiast. "The Metropolitan Division has a traditionally active disaster response team that has greatly benefited from its amateur SATERN [Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network] component, said SATERN National Director Pat McPherson in announcing the appointment. "I appreciate Bill's good work for the last eight years and the willingness of Ken to accept this important and demanding office."

(ARRL News Service)

===========

Ham Community rallies to help injured Amateur

The Amateur Radio community has rallied to the aid of well-known Colorado 6-meter operator and ARRL member Mike Newbold, K0YO. Newbold, 52, is recovering from injuries he received last December in Baja, Mexico, at the hands of assailants who beat him savagely, stole his vehicle and radio gear--virtually everything he owned was in his pickup truck--and left him for dead. Now back home, he's had lots of support from the amateur community.

"My ham friends are some of the best in the world," Newbold said. "I am making great progress on a long road which is made easier by their kindness." His main physical problem is his eyesight, which suffered as a result of head injuries received in the attack. Most of his medical expenses are being covered.

Newbold's friend Gary Yantis gyantis@midtec.com, W0TM, has been tracking Newbold's progress and set up a Web page http://www.w0tm.com/k0yo that provides information for those interested in assisting K0YO. "Well wishes have meant as much, or more, to Mike than replacement of any of the items that were stolen," Yantis says. "He mostly needs to hear from people who care."

Newbold retired early from coal mining due to medical problems that have kept him largely unemployed. He resides in modest circumstances in a remote area, and ham radio, which Newbold took up in 1995, has provided him with "a window to the world," Yantis said. Newbold's son, Travis, is KC0VQJ, and the two sometimes keep in touch via ham radio. K0YO is also an avid QRPer, DXer and CW op, among other things.

One bright spot for Newbold when he returned home from his hospital stay in California was a QSL card from Hawaii--the last one needed for Worked All States on 6 meters.

Cards, letters or e-mails can be sent to Mike Newbold <newbold@cmn.net>, 27200 Rte 14, Oak Creek, CO 80467.--some information provided by Phil Kirchbaum, N0KE

(ARRL News Service)

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