May 14 2004 October's HF & IOTA Convention to be Held at Gatwick
The RSGB is pleased to announce that this year's RSGB HF and IOTA Convention will be held at the Europa Hotel, Gatwick. The dates for the Convention have previously been announced, being the 22nd to 24th of October. Apart from celebrating IOTA's 40th Anniversary, the event will cover all interests in the bands 136kHz to 50MHz. A special welcome is extended to newcomers to the HF spectrum who along with seasoned HF DXers, contesters and constructors will find the mix of lectures along with a state-of-the-art demonstration station and exhibition of equipment of great interest. Further details, booking and day-visitor information, will be published in RadCom on the RSGB website: www.rsgb.org/hfc
(RSGB)
=======
May 14 2004 GB3WSX 4-metre Beacon Increases its Output Power
The Wessex Repeater Group's 4-metre beacon GB3WSX increased its output power to 22dBW ERP on Thursday the 6th of May. The beacon, located at IO80QW in Yeovil, Somerset, is keying its callsign and locator on a 60-second cycle. The group would be very pleased to receive reception reports via: gb3wsx@twxrg.info
Future plans include synchronised antenna switching, and low level signal mode outputs - JT44, FSK441 and PSK31 as and when resources become available.
(RSGB)
=======
May 14 2004 New 6 Meter Beacon on the air
And members of the United Kingdom’s Blacksheep Contest Group have activated a new 6 meter propagation beacon located near the city of Hertfordshire, in grid square IO91. This, as a replacement for the GB3NHQ beacon which closed down some years ago.
The new GB3BAA beacon became operational on 50.016 MHz at 15:10 UTC on April 20th, and ground-wave reception reports from Normandy and northern England have already been received.
Further reports would be most welcome, and should be sent to Mr. I. Phillips, G0RDI, by e-mail to gb3baa@77hz.com
(AROnline)
=======
May 14 2004 BPL down under in Hobart, Tasmania
Last Wednesday week six amateurs were privileged to have attended the Aurora Energy building in Kirksway place to hear about the small BPL trial that is currently being undertaken by Aurora Energy. A presentation was given by Piero Peroni, who is the Business Manager for the BPL trial within Aurora Energy and Adrian Wild who is the Corporate Affairs Manager within Aurora Energy.
Martin, VK7GN gave an audible demonstration of the interference on his portable HF receiver and I think it would be fair to say by all accounts the Corporate Affairs Manager was quietly horrified at the noise!
Over in the Land Of The Free, the FCC, under the leadership of Michael Powell, is following an ideology where technical concerns appear to be secondary to market deregulation and broadband competition. Although BPL proponents propose to notch out the frequencies of concern to Amateurs and public safety organisations, by reading these comments you get the view that there may not be too much space left for BPL! Many of the comments by the FCC received raise concerns relating to public safety and Boeing in particular highlights the consequences in raising the HF noise floor to aviation safety. It's going to be a very close race.
(Thanks to vk7wi and QNEWS)
(RAC News Service)
=======
May 12 2004 New amateurs in India and South Africa
In India, free Amateur Radio classes have just started at the National Institute of Amateur Radio, Hyderabad and their Admin Manager Jose Jacob VU2JOS says anyone above 12 years of age can enroll in this free course. (A very interesting fact, VU Hams when renewing their Ham Licence need to be able to show they have indeed worked at least 500 QSO's during their previous 12 months! A REAL case of "use it or lose it!" )
In South Africa, 87 candidates have enrolled for the forthcoming Radio Amateurs Examination which will be written at 11 centres countrywide. Candidates who have remembered to hand in a licence application will be issued with a call sign together with their examination results straight away. Global Communications, the ZS Kenwood importers, are giving away a TH-F7 dual band transceiver for the highest scoring candidate in the May 2004 exams. Also they have lined up for South Africa's second examination service to be held November.
(Thanks to SARL via QNEWS)
(RAC News Service)
=======
May 10 2004 EURADIO Special Event Stations
Last weekend saw ten States being welcomed as new members of an enlarged European Union. Since Ireland at present holds the Presidency of the Union, the focus of this welcome was very much on this country. As a contribution to the welcoming celebrations, stations using the EI25 prefix and located in Dublin and in the ten towns and cities twinned with the new Member States operated over the weekend. These stations extended a practical welcome to our new partners in the EU through the medium of amateur radio.
Dick Roche, the Minister for European
Affairs, broadcast a message on the 80 metre band from the Dublin station
EI25EU, to the Irish stations at 1145 local on the Saturday to initiate
the event. In his message the Minister emphasised the significance of
radio amateurs participating in
the welcoming event since international friendship and co-operation are
the very ethos of our activities. At the conclusion of his message he described
the stations as welcoming ambassadors, extending a hand of friendship,
reaching out across the airwaves in an electromagnetic touch, to mark the
next step on our European journey.
All of the stations were in great demand and were kept busy all of the time. As you would expect, the stations generated particular interest from amateurs in the new Member States who were delighted at the initiative to mark, what was for them, a very special day.
Some excellent pictures of the event in Limerick which was twinned with Slovenia can be seen on the Limerick Radio Club website which is at www.qsl.net/ei4lrc Included is a picture of the Slovenian Prime Minister Anton Rep speaking from EI25SL in Limerick to Ivan S51DI. Well done to all of those involved in the special event stations and many thanks for your efforts. Details of the IRTS EURADIO Award associated with this event are available on the IRTS website at www.irts.ie
(Irish Radio Transmitters Society)
=========
May 29 2004 Amateur Radio Military Appreciation Day
Amateur Radio Military Appreciation Day will be held world-wide on Saturday, May 29th from approximately 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Central U-S time. According to Emery McClendon, KB9IBW, this will be a day-long operation to talk to troops, and associated groups around the globe in appreciation of their service and personal sacrifice.
The main operating location will be from Johnny Appleseed Park and Wizards Memorial Stadium in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, using Emery's KB9IBW call sign. That station will be on from about 4 p.m. Central Daylight Time through the end of the Wizards game.
Planners say that they know of at least 25 military bases and club stations that will be operating the event. This includes stations in Iraq, Kuwait, and bases around the globe. More information on this event visit: www.fortwayneradioclub.org
(KB9IBW)
========
May 12 2004 Swiss Radio International closed
Swiss Radio International (SRI) has reached the final phase of its retreat from international radio broadcasting after 70 years. From 13 April 2004, there are no more daily radio programmes in English, and at the end of October the shortwave transmissions will close down completely.
The decision was announced publicly by SRI/Swissinfo Director Nicolas Lombard in March 2001. But the budget cuts turned out to be much more severe than had been anticipated. The result has been the loss of 25 jobs, including all English radio production, not just the daily broadcasts but also features offered to other stations such as Swiss Mix. The Organisation of Swiss abroad is furious, and points out that "The Confederation is obliged to provide information to more than 82,000 voters abroad. There can therefore be no question of the Confederation pulling out of its co-financing of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation."
(RAC News Service)
May 10 2004 Operation for Visitors during the Olympic Games
Canadian visitors for the Olympic Games, with a valid amaituer radio certificate and CEPT permit (obtained from RAC) have the right to operate their amateur radio stations while their visit in Greece under the special prefix J42004 plus their call sign i.e. J42004/IT9YAE.
Alternatively, instead of their call sign amateurs may use a combination of up to three (3) letters after the special prefix, i.e. J42004/W or J42004/GGG. Written notification is applicable for the second category only. The ministry will not verify the written notifications unless there is a conflict with the special call signs. The period of use for all these activities will be from August 1st 2004 till September 15th 2004.
For further information please contact:
MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATIONS
Dept. of Communication Control (Tel.+30-2106508555)
2 ANASTASEOS & TSIGANTE STR.
11510
HOLARGOS ATHENS GREECE
Information provided by Radio Amateurs assn of Greece (R.A.A.G.)
More info for the above plus special award program can be found at: www.raag.org
Manos Darkadakis SV1IW
R.A.A.G. President
(Thanks to Tedd Mirgliotta, KB8NW,
and BARF80.ORG, Cleveland, Ohio)
(RAC News Service)
========
May 8 2004 Radio Amateurs attend Broadcast meetings in Geneva
During the last week of April and the first week of May, HF broadcasters met in Geneva to discuss their needs for more spectrum between 4 and 10 MHz. First estimates are that between 250 and 800 kHz of new spectrum will be required to meet current programming needs, and to allow for overlap as the new digital shortwave stations go on the air. Decisions on who will gain and who will lose between 4 and 10 MHz will be taken by spectrum users at the next World Radio Conference in 2007.
At these meetings Dave Sumner K1ZZ, and Ken Pulfer VE3PU represented the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU). Walt Ireland WB7CSL was there for the ARRL, and another radio amateur, Hans Blondeel Timmerman PB2T was a member of the Netherlands delegation.
The IARU attended the meetings to gain a better understanding of the broadcast spectrum needs, to begin to prepare arguments for moving broadcasters out from the top 100 kHz of the 40 metre band, and possibly to make a case for a 60 metre band at around 5 MHz. They were also interested in finding out which countries are likely to support the amateur cause, and which countries are firmly opposed to any new amateur spectrum at HF.
This year RAC will also be preparing plans for the 4 - 10 MHz range, and seeking the support of other spectrum users in Canada and abroad, for Canadian radio amateurs at the WRC. Although the conference is three years away, it is not too early to begin the planning process.
The possibility of interference to shortwave broadcasting from BPL was also discussed at the meetings. Broadcasters are taking the threat very seriously, and are gathering information about the level of interference that BPL systems may generate, and what can be done to prevent it.
(Ken Pulfer VE3PU)
(RAC News Service)
======
May 14 2004 New Faces at RAC 2004 Board meeting in Cornwall
This year three Regional Directors (Atlantic, Quebec, and BC and the Yukon) and three members on the Executive (the First Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer) participated for the first time in the annual Board meeting in Cornwall Ontario.
Murray Epstein VE2AUU the interim Director for Quebec has given us permission to use some of the pictures he took at the meeting. You can see them by visiting the RAC website at: www.rac.ca/news/new-faces.htm
(RAC News Service)
======
May June 2004 A message from President Daniel Lamoureux
My two requests in my last article, for a legal counsel and for a Treasurer have been answered, I have received three offers from very capable lawyers and someone with the right qualifications proposed himself for the Treasurer position. As I am writing these words, I am in discussion with them with a goal of fulfilling the open positions on the Executives. Thank you to these fine people to have come forward to help RAC.
***
Just like most of you, I am a member of a few Amateur clubs and I participate actively in their activities within my available time. I try to attend as many of their monthly meetings as possible and some of their events.
When it became known that I had been elected to the RAC Presidency, I was asked by most of these clubs to be their speaker at one of their meetings. So far, I could fit a few into my schedule and others are coming up.
I found that there is good interest when I address those groups and the though came to me that I should be offering to do this more often to as many clubs as possible.
Canada is a big country and I am far from having the budget that would be necessary to go and speak to all the clubs that might want it. Here is what I propose. I am willing to accept requests from clubs to address their meetings remotely. With today's technological possibilities, such communications can be done easily by telephone provided that the club could supply a speakerphone.
Easier still, a portable computer with a sound card and inexpensive speakers and connected to Internet would be excellent and cost would be more than acceptable. If you are interested, contact me and we will discuss specifics.
I know that I am taking a chance of being swamped with requests but I will do my very best to accommodate as many as possible.
***
Speaking of clubs, I am sure that you have noticed an increased difficulty to fill elected positions at the club level. Months before an election meeting, the sitting Executive is actively looking for individuals to fill the seats that will be vacated by retiring Board members. Very often, come Election Day, there is still not enough candidates to have a complete Board.
I have seen election meetings with five or six nomination tours, still not having enough candidates. We all have seen the arm-twisting going on to try to decide someone to ride for office, often to no avail.
I have questioned many that were seen as good candidates but that had turned the opportunity down. I asked them why they did not accept to run and the reasons most of the time were that the person was afraid of the workload involved or would not be up to the challenge.
Seeing the problem, I made a suggestion to a couple of clubs and it seems to be working. Here is how it goes.
Have your club create a position of Junior Executive on your Board. That position would be open to all that would want to see what it is to be on a club Board of Directors. A "prospect" would not be elected but accepted by the Board of directors and permitted to sit at the Board table for four or six months, without a vote and a restricted right to speak on issues. Our "Junior" would possibly be assigned easy projects and after his term in office (four or six months) would return to be a regular member. Somebody else could then take the "Junior" seat on the Board.
Such a practice would have several beneficial effects. Those that try the "Junior" seat will know what an elected position entails. They will no longer be afraid of accepting to serve and could talk others into it. All it takes is to allow the members to try the job and your club will then be able to count on enough volunteers to have full Boards in the future. Try it and tell me about it.
***
Earlier this month, (this column is being written in March), David Nimmo, VE1NN, our Director from Atlantic, resigned. We thank him for the contribution he made to RAC in the period he worked with us on the RAC Board.
This is a good opportunity to explain what the procedure is when we have to replace a Director in mid-term.
There are two possibilities. The remaining period to be filled in the departing Director's term could be more than one year or less than one year.
In the event that there is more than one year left until the next scheduled election in the Region, the Board of Directors appoints a replacement Director on an interim basis until an unscheduled election is held as soon as possible, to designate a permanent Director to finish the original term.
In the case that there is less than one year left to the resigned Director's term, the RAC Board appoints a replacement Director until the end of the original term and the regularly scheduled election is held in the Fall of the second year of the term.
If you would like me to address certain subject of interest to a majority of our members, tell me and I will be happy to oblige.
73, Daniel, VE2KA ve2ka@rac.ca
May 3 2004 Truro Amateur Radio Club MS Walk Report
The Truro Amateur Radio Club helped
with Radio communications during the MS walk in Truro on May 2, 2004. The
MS walk raised over $21,000.
Members of the club that helped
were:
Hal Rodd VE1LV
Betty Rodd VE1LVW
Paul Rodd VE1DGS
George Richards VE1XP
Jerry Watson VE1GLW
Lawrence Weatherby VE1JM
Bruce Harvey VE1II
Micheal Harvey VE1MBH
(Paul Rodd VE1DGS)
========
2004 Callbook Publishing Information
Delivery Date : 15 May 2004
at the Down East Flea Market in Halifax
Price : $12.00 for one ,
$22.00 for two, $30.00 for three Bulk orders available , price depending
on quantity )
Delivery : Pick up at the
Flea Market or a mail-out fee for one or two books will be added.
For information on the Down East
Flea Market go to: www.halifax-arc.org
Callbook Pre Order Information
: Contact Fraser VE1WO ve1wo@rac.ca
or via telephone at ( 902 ) 865-4198 to order.
D. Howard Dickson - VE1DHD
11346 Peggys Cove Rd.,
Seabright N.S.
B3Z 3A7
Email: dhdickson@hfx.eastlink.ca
Phone: 902-823-2024
========
May 29 2004 New Brunswick Spring Hamfest and Fleamarket
Sponsored by: The Loyalist
City Amateur Radio Club (Saturday, May 29, 2004)
Location: Gondola Point Recreation
Center, Quispamsis, NB Take exit 141 off of Highway 1 (about 20 km east
of Saint John) for Route 119 North. Go approx. 4.5 km north on #119 to
Meenan's Cove Rd., turn left (west)and go 1/2 km to Recreation Center Rd.,
turn left and go about 1/4 km to the Recreation Center.
Opens: Vendors 8 am, Public
9:30 am to 1 pm
Admission: $3, Tables
$2
Talkin: VE1EE 147.270
(+)
Notes: There will be
door prizes and a grand prize draw. Amateur licencing examinations including
code will be available on site, plus DXCC QSL card checking and a transmitter
Fox hunt in the afternoon after the flea market. RAC and commercial vendors
will be present.
For more info visit: http://www.qsl.net/ve9lc
May 17 2004 West Island Amateur Radio Club Meeting
Meetings are on the 3rd Monday of each month at 7pm (official start is 7:30). We meet at the Lakeside Heights Baptist Church 275 Braebrook in Pointe-Claire (western end of the Island of Montreal).
The club welcomes all visitors, so if you are going to be in Montreal and have some time, come down and join us.
For more info about this fine club visit: http://shell.pubnix.net/~wiarc
=======
May 30 2004 Hamfest du Québec 2004, 22ième édition
Sponsored by: Club radio
amateur Sorel-Tracy Inc
Location: Au Curling
Aurèle Racine et au Centre culturel de Sorel-Tracy, Place du Centre Civique,
sortie 181 autoroute 30
Opens: Vendeurs 06.30hres
Visiteurs 09.00hres
Cost: Entrée $5.00
tables $15.00 intérieur $7.00 extérieur
Talkin: VE2RBS 145.370-
tone 103.5
Notes: Démonstration
APRS, Forces Armées Canadiennes, Expositions de radios anciens
Full Details: www.ve2cbs.qc.ca
=======
Jun. 19 2004 Special Event Call Signs VA2RAQI and VE2RAQI
Authority has been granted to Radio Amateur du Quebec Inc to use the special event call signs VA2RAQI and VE2RAQI on June 19 for the Quebec QSO Party
(RAC)
May 19 2004 Ontario DX Association - Toronto Chapter Meeting
Date: Wednesday, May 19, 2004
Time: 7:15PM - 9:30PM EDT (GMT-04:00)
We meet at the Don Mills Library, 888 Lawrence Avenue East, near Don Mills Road. Admission is $5.00 with great door prizes. The doors open at 6:45 pm, the meeting starts at 7:20 pm and ends at 9:30 pm. There is free coffee, soft drinks, crackers and cookies at the break time. This location has free parking at the library or across the street at the mall. To get to the meeting by bus take Lawrence #54 East from Eglinton TTC station or the Don Mills #25 North bus from the Pape TTC station. The Meeting coordinator is: Brian Smith smith0004@rogers.com The topic for tonight will be on Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) www.drm.org Also a audio presentation.
(ODXA)
=======
May 30 2004 Amherstburg Hamfest
Sponsored by: The Amherstburg
Radio Club
Location: Amherstburg Recreation
& Cultural Center corner of Victoria & Richmond St. next to Amherstburg
Arena
Opens: Vendors 7:30 am, Public
9 am to 1:30 pm
Admission: Free, Tables
$5.00
Talkin: VE3EXT 145.290
(-) & 146520 simplex
More info: Carey Collard
at 519-736-7694 or VE3CFQ va3trl@rac.ca
======
Jun. 5-6 2004 Amherstburg Radio Club Special Event Station
The Amherstburg Radio Club will be on the air 1600z Jun 5 -2359 Jun 6 , from Windsor Ontario commemorating CKLW radio station on the air since 1932. Frequencies 28.460 14.260 7.160 Certificate.
Terry Greenwood VE3TMG
2210 Janette Ave. Windsor, ON. N8X
1Z8
=======
June 12 2004 Central Ontario Hamfest
Sponsored by: the Guelph and
the Kitchener-Waterloo Amateur Radio Clubs.
Date: June 12, 2004
Place: Fergus & District
Community Centre, Fergus ON. 10 km north of Guelph off Highway 6. See www.hamfest.on.ca
for a map
Time: Indoor Vendors 6 am;
Tailgaters 7 am; Public 8 am to 12:30 pm.
Admission: $5; Vendors: Inside
8' tables $10, Outside tailgater spaces $5, both plus admission.
Notes: 30th year. Famous for lots of elbow room, much to see. Enjoyed by both vendors and visitors. Clean, spacious, full hookup camping on site. Free draws for many items, including Grand Prize Gift Certificates.
Information: Contact Mike
VE3OGE by phone 519-822-3552, e-mail or website.
E-mail: <info@hamfest.on.ca>.
Website: www.hamfest.on.ca
(Mike VE3OGE, CoOrdinator)
========
RAC Ontario Section News
New RAC ARES Ontario Section Website
I would like to take this opportunity to introduce to amateur radio operators the new RAC ARES Ontario Section website at www.aresontario.ca This site has information for Amateur radio operators interested in ARES activities in the RAC Ontario Section.
The site contains:
* ARES news
items
* Links to
other ARES and emergency websites
* Maps of
ARES districts
* RAC Ontario
Section Bulletin
* Contact
info for the RAC Ontario Section Appointees.
I would also like to thank Jim Taylor VA3KU for maintaining this website.
(Paul Davidson VE3UUM Ontario Section Emergency Coordinator)
========
May 14 2004 Ontario Section Emergency Coordinator Report
Special Thanks to Jim Taylor, VA3KU. Jim stepped down as EC for the Provincial Operations Centre Radio Station, Assistant to the SEC,. Jim has only had the EC position for a short time but has been very helpful creating the initial ARES team for this station. I wish Jim the best, and am happy to know that Jim will be helping with this team as his circumstances permit.
Congratulations to Bob Chandler, VE3SRE who has accepted the appointment as the EC for the Provincial operations Centre, Assistant to the SEC. Thanks very much to both Jim and Bob for the speedy and smooth transition.
Special thanks to Elizabeth Johnson, VA3ELB who has stepped down as Red Cross Liaison DEC. Liz has preformed this task now for several years. Thanks very much, good luck and all the best to Liz.
Finally, Special thanks to Richard Budny, VA3RSA, who is stepping down as EC for York south. Wishing you all the best Richard, and good luck.
( Paul Davidson
VE3UUM SEC )
May 20 - June 22 2004 Special Event Callsign VC6X
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 Dunn (1833-1868) who is the the first to receive the Victoria Cross for his military heroism during the Crimean War of 1854-1856.
(RAC)
==========
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.
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
May 14 2004 Tad Cook K7RA Solar Update
Sunspot activity has been in the doldrums, which is expected at this stage of the declining solar cycle. Average daily solar flux and sunspot numbers have hardly changed over the past week. Now, both numbers are rising modestly due to quickly expanding Sunspot 606, which is squarely aimed at Earth. There's also some good news from the sun's far side, where helioseismic holography has detected another sizable sunspot group. Both sunspot and solar flux numbers have topped 100. The lowest recent sunspot count was 30 on May 6, and the solar flux dropped to 85 the following day.
Solar flux values should rise over this weekend, with the Friday through Monday, May 14-17, solar flux predicted at 105, 110, 115 and 115. Solar flux should stay in the vicinity of 115 through Thursday, May 20. The predicted planetary A index indicates unsettled conditions for Saturday, May 15, with the Friday through Monday planetary A index predicted at 12, 15, 12 and 8.
A new issue of the NOAA Space Environment Center [ www.sec.noaa.gov/weekly/pdf/prf1497.pdf ] Preliminary Report and Forecast includes some solar cycle predictions on pages 12-13. The forecast for the bottom of the cycle still looks to be around the end of 2006 or early 2007. For the higher HF bands, declining sunspots mean fewer or even no openings on 10, 12 and 15 meters, and probably a greater reliance on 20 or 17 meters for worldwide propagation during daylight hours.
Sunspot numbers for May 6 through 12 were 30, 34, 37, 57, 55, 46 and 83, with a mean of 48.9. The 10.7 cm flux was 86.4, 85.2, 87.2, 93.2, 93, 90.2 and 98.8, with a mean of 90.6. Estimated planetary A indices were 8, 17, 10, 6, 7, 10 and 11, with a mean of 9.9. Estimated mid-latitude A indices were 10, 13, 7, 3, 5, 8 and 9, with a mean of 7.9.
(W1AW)
Europe
May 15 2004 The GB2RS Propagation Update
Solar report and propagation forecast prepared, as usual, by Neil Clarke, G0CAS, and Martin Harrison, G3USF.
Solar flare
activity continued at low or very low levels, with only a handful of minor
flares. The solar flux began the week at 87, rising slowly to break
through the 100 mark on the 13th, with 110 on the 14th. The weekly
average of 96 was an increase of 7 on the previous week. However,
the 90-day average dropped a point at 105. The X-ray flux improved
from A6.6 to B1.4,
averaging
A8.4, a slight improvement on the week before. Geomagnetic activity,
averaging 9.3 Ap units, was mostly slightly unsettled with occasional 'active'
spells. Solar wind speeds recorded by the ACE spacecraft were below recent
levels, ranging between 311 and 402km/sec. Particle densities were mostly
low.
On the HF bands and 50MHz sporadic-E propagation became increasingly evident, with very strong signals up to and including 50MHz on several days. A late evening trans-Atlantic opening by multihop sporadic-E was reported on 28MHz. We also have one report of a contact between GM and W2 on 50MHz, also in the late evening. Again on 50MHz, a number of UK stations were able to work Malawi early on the evening of Saturday the 15th, probably be a linking of F2 and sporadic-E. Brief 70MHz openings have been reported between the UK and Slovenia.
During the
coming week the more active side of the Sun is expected to be looking our
way. While a very large new sunspot has emerged flare activity is
expected to remain predominantly low. The solar flux is expected
to rise a little beyond current levels, but seems likely to turn down again
later in the week. Geomagnetic activity should remain low or slightly
unsettled for most
of the week,
though there is a possibility it will increase towards next weekend.
MUFs at equal latitudes are expected to remain in the region of 23MHz in
the south and 20MHz in the north. Darkness hour lows will again be
about 12MHz. Paths to Japan this week will have a maximum usable
frequency, that's an expected 50 per cent success rate, in the vicinity
of 21MHz. The optimum working frequency will be around 17MHz.
The path should be best between 1100 and 1400UTC.
Sporadic-E should be more frequent, particularly at 50MHz, and perhaps also at 70MHz. However, this is still rather early in the season for it to reach 144MHz. Where openings do occur there they are often brief and unstable, putting a premium on operators' skills in identify the propagation pattern and respond promptly to what can be fleeting opportunities.
And that's all for another week from the propagation team.
May 11 2004 ARISS Roy Neal Commemorative Event Certificates in the Mail
An initial batch of upward of 100 Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) Roy Neal, K6DUE, Commemorative Special Event certificates have gone out in the mail from ARRL Headquarters. The certificates were designed by Mary Pat Hrybyk-Keith, a graphic design artist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland. She worked with fellow Goddard employee and ARISS International Chair Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, to bring the certificate from concept to reality.
"If you took part in the Roy Neal Commemorative Event, and want a customized certificate, send a 9x11 self-addressed envelope with two units of first class postage or two International Reply Coupons (IRCs)," said ARISS International-Treasurer Secretary Rosalie White, K1STO, who also manages ARRL Field and Educational Services. White says several certificate requests have been submitted since late April, but these have not yet been sent.
The on-the-air event to commemorate
Neal, who died last August 15, took place last December during the International
Space Station duty tour of Mike Foale, KB5UAC, and Alex "Sasha" Kaleri,
U8MIR. Foale and Kaleri returned to Earth in late April. Anyone who contacted
or monitored the ISS by voice (NA1SS) or packet (RS0ISS) from November
27 through the end of December 2003 is eligible to receive a copy of the
special event certificate.
Neal, a retired NBC science correspondent, producer and executive, chaired the Space Amateur Radio EXperiment (SAREX)/Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) Working Group. Through his extensive NASA contacts, he was instrumental in convincing NASA management to fly Amateur Radio aboard the space shuttle, said Bauer, who's also AMSAT vice president for human spaceflight programs. He also credited Neal with being instrumental in forming the ARISS international team and moderating its gatherings.
US certificate requests go to ARRL, ARISS Commemorative Certificate, 225 Main St, Newington, CT 06111-1494. Canadian requests go to Radio Amateurs of Canada, ARISS QSL, 720 Belfast Rd, Suite 217, Ottawa, ON K1G 0Z5, Canada. European requests go to ARISS-Europe QSL Bureau, c/o AMSAT-France, 16, rue de la Vallée, 91360 Epinay sur Orge, France. Requests from Japan and ITU Region 3 go to ARISS QSL, Mitsu Sugawara, JN1LQH, JARL International Section, Tokyo 170-8073, Japan.
Requestors should include name and call sign (if any), date and indicate whether they worked or monitored NA1SS (voice) or RS0ISS (packet).
ARISS is an international educational outreach program with US participation from NASA, ARRL and AMSAT
(ARRL News Service)
=========
May 12 2004 NASA to Name Supercomputer after Columbia Astronaut Kalpana Chawla
NASA will dedicate a new supercomputer this week to honor the memory of astronaut Kalpana "KC" Chawla, one of the seven crew members aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia, lost Feb. 1, 2003. The dedication ceremony will be held May 12 at NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif.
Before joining the astronaut program, Chawla worked as an aerospace engineer at Ames from 1988 to 1995. Chawla, the first Indian-born woman to fly in space, served as a flight engineer and mission specialist aboard Columbia.
"It is indeed an honor to name NASA's new SGI® Altix™ 3000 supercomputer after Kalpana Chawla," said Ames Center Director G. Scott Hubbard. "She was not only a member of the NASA family, but also a special member of our own Ames family. We all miss her and her many contributions to the agency."
At Ames, Chawla had the challenging task of computing the airflow surrounding a jet-supported delta-wing aircraft during landing. During an interview in 1995, Chawla predicted that her exposure to a wide variety of computer systems at Ames would be especially useful to her as an astronaut. Of the dozens of experiments successfully conducted by the Columbia crew, Chawla's favorite was the Israeli Mediterranean Dust Experiment, which involved pointing a camera at Earth to study the effects of dust on weather and the environment.
"Fittingly, the SGI® Altix™ 3000 supercomputer that will be named 'Kalpana' is being used to develop substantially more capable simulation models to better assess the evolution and behavior of the Earth's climate system," said Ghassem Asrar, NASA's associate administrator for Earth Science.
The new supercomputer is being used for a group effort by NASA Headquarters, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), Pasadena, Calif., NASA Ames and NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md., to deliver high-resolution ocean analysis in the framework of the ECCO (Estimating the Circulation and Climate of the Ocean) Consortium, which involves JPL, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass., and the Scripps Institute of Oceanography, La Jolla, Calif.
The new supercomputer 'Kalpana' is
not the first at NASA Ames to be named in honor of a person, and in fact,
follows a long tradition at the research center of naming its new supercomputers
after pioneers in the supercomputer industry or others in recognition of
their achievements. A total of six supercomputers at Ames are named as
follows:
For more information about NASA's 512 CPU SGI Altix 3000, visit: www.nas.nasa.gov/Main/Features/2004/Winter/altix.html
(SpaceRef.com)
=========
May 12 2004 Ham Radio-Carrying Rocket Hopes to Reach Space
An amateur rocket team this month will attempt to send a 21-foot-tall rocket carrying a ham radio avionics package into the fringes of space. The launch by the Civilian Space Xploration Team (CSXT) [ www.civilianspace.com ]could occur--Mother Nature and the technology willing--as early as Monday, May 17, from Black Rock Desert in Nevada. Some 20 months ago, the last CSXT try to reach space ended some three seconds after launch when the rocket's engine exploded. Avionics Team Leader Eric Knight, KB1EHE, says CSXT has since rebounded from that devastating blow with a newer, bigger vehicle.
"We are very pumped," the Connecticut
amateur told ARRL. "Our confidence level grows with each launch. All the
ingredients are there for success." Knight's avionics team includes eight
Amateur Radio licensees, most of whom also were involved in the 2002 launch
attempt. The entire CSXT team, headed by CSXT founder and Program Director--and
former Hollywood stunt man--Ky Michaelson of Minnesota, has 18 members.
The rocket, which CSXT claims is the most powerful amateur rocket ever--will
bear the name GoFast in recognition of corporate sponsor Go Fast Sports
and Beverage of Colorado.
[ www.gofastsports.com
] The Connecticut marketing firm Fuscient LLC [ www.fuscient.com
] has signed on as a lead sponsor for the 2004 launch and will provide
much-needed capital and Web site development.
In terms of Amateur Radio, the GoFast rocket will transmit telemetry on the 33-cm amateur band and Amateur TV at 2.4 GHz using a high-quality color camera. The avionics also incorporate multiple global positioning system (GPS) systems to record the vehicle's precise location and flight path, redundant data acquisition and storage systems, and a variety of data sensors.
"We're confident the technology will be ready," Knight said. "It's all based on ham radio technology."
Once the rocket goes up, appropriately equipped amateurs may be able to receive signals from the approximately 2 W transmitters onboard, even at some distance from the launch site, Knight says. Specific frequencies have not yet been selected, however. In addition, the team may set up an HF station at the launch site.
The avionics crew even managed to salvage a few electronic components for the 2004 launch from the avionics package that went up--and abruptly came back to Earth--on the 2002 attempt. The earlier package continued to function flawlessly until that mission's 17-foot rocket crashed into the desert, and Knight says, some parts were recoverable.
"I guess that's the nature of ham radio operators," Knight said. "We like to recycle and reuse, so in keeping with that same spirit we were definitely able to reuse some of the components. That kind of makes it extra-special to refly some gear that was flown on the last mission."
Plans call for the solid-fuel rocket to zip upward from the desert floor and reach a speed of more than 4000 MPH in about 9 seconds. Assuming all goes well, the suborbital vehicle will, on its own momentum, attain an altitude of 100 km or 62 statute miles--high enough to be considered "space"--linger there for a couple of minutes then arc back to Earth some 26 miles down range. The whole thing will take somewhat less than a half-hour, Knight says. If successful it would mark the first amateur rocket launch into space. The venture requires Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approvals, and FAA representatives will be on site for the launch.
The 10-inch diameter rocket tapers to a fine-pointed steel nose cone. The body of the rocket is aluminum. The avionics package for this launch, Knight said, will be farther down in the vehicle rather than compressed into the nose cone area, as it was in 2002.
This latest effort comes at no mean expense in terms of the team's personal time and money. Knight estimates "many tens of thousands of dollars" have gone into the current effort--some of it from team members' own pockets--and "incalculable hours of volunteer time" to assemble the electronics and the vehicle itself.
Knight is optimistic that the team
has gained valuable knowledge from its past failures. "We've learned a
lot that you can't get from a textbook," he said. "We feel we have a chance
to make history."
(ARRL News Service)
=========
May 9 2004 AMSAT Files Comments with FCC on BPL
Dr. Perry I. Klein, W3PK, AMSAT Vice President, Government Liaison, reports that comments to the FCC's Notice of Proposed Rule Making on Access Broadband over Power Line Systems (BPL) have been filed expressing AMSAT's concern on the potential for interference that these systems represent to he Amateur Satellite community.
While a lot of attention has been paid to the impact to HF operations, AMSAT raises the concern that harmonics and intermodulation products could extend the potential for interference well into VHF and UHF frequencies. AMSAT quoted existing Part 15 rules:
"To determine compliance with the radiated emission limits, if the highest frequency generated or used in the device, or on which device operates or tunes is 10 MHz, the upper frequency to be examined is 500 MHz."
AMSAT pointed out that 500 MHz is FIFTY TIMES 10 MHz and noted that the Commission, in this instance, was clearly concerned with harmonics, and possibly other out-of-band emissions. Nevertheless, AMSAT observed that no such language appears in the new rules proposed for Broadband over Power Lines in the Docket.
AMSAT also addressed a broader issue of the risk posed by the high voltage involved in BPL systems. AMSAT believes that a potential risk could be present by the existence of "couplers" or similar devices installed across transformers. If a short-circuit should occur in one of these devices, dangerously high voltages could be conducted to homes and offices, with potentially fatal results.
AMSAT urges the Commission NOT to allow Access BPL systems, even at current Part 15 radiation limits, and certainly not at higher ones as many of its proponents urge, until it has had a chance to review all of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration's (NTIA) analyses, including that to be contained in its planned Phase II report.
AMSAT also urges the Commission NOT to allow any further deployment of Access BPL systems until these steps have been taken and until the Commission has had an opportunity to assess ALL the aspects of Access BPL, including the potential interference threat posed by harmonics and other out-of-band radiation. This assessment should, of course, include a thorough review of the NTIA Phase II report. Furthermore, existing Access BPL systems should be shut down pending the outcome of this assessment.
The full text of AMSAT's comments can be found at: www.amsat.org/amsat/amsat-na/filings/et-04-37-comments.pdf
Perry noted that a lot of hard work and study went into getting these comments filed with the FCC in a timely manner. Ray Soifer, W2RS and Bill Tynan, W5XO were instrumental in helping pull these comments together along with contributions from other AMSAT Board Members and Officers.
(Perry, W3PK via AMSAT NEWS)
=========
Note: For information about
Amateur
Radio
on the
International
Space
Station
"ARISS"
visit the ARISS English language
web site: www.rac.ca/ariss
Hams in Action (ARES) (Public Service)
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
=======
May 14 2004 Hams in Northern Virginia support airport disaster drill
After months of planning and preparation, more than 100 Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) volunteer from Northern Virginia's Fairfax, Prince William and Loudoun counties provided emergency communication support May 8 for a mock disaster drill at Dulles International Airport near Washington, DC. The drill scenario consisted of an airplane crash with a fire and included treatment--at the "crash site" and at several area hospitals--and transport of simulated victims. The ARES volunteers set up several portable repeaters on and around the airport grounds to provide communications among agencies attending the crash site, those transporting the injured and participating hospitals. The volunteer radio operators also provided a live Amateur TV link between the crash site and the airport operations center--allowing airport management to monitor the drill's progress. Handheld transceiver-equipped amateurs shadowed selected officials at the crash site to provide instant communications to other temporary operational areas on and around the airport. Amateur Radio volunteers also accompanied the buses transporting ambulatory "victims" to local hospitals, providing voice communications and real-time position data via the Automatic Position Reporting System. Additional ARES members deployed to 10 area hospitals to help coordinate the arrival and departure of simulated victims.
Larry Hughes, K3HE
(ARRL News Service)
=======
May 10 2004 National Hurricane Center's WX4NHC sets annual test
The WX4NHC Amateur Radio station at the National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami will conduct its 2004 on-the-air station test Sunday, May 30, 1300-2200 UTC. "The purpose is to test all of our radio equipment, computers and antennas using as many modes and frequencies as possible," said WX4NHC Amateur Radio Coordinator John McHugh, KU4GY. "We will also be testing some new antennas and equipment that are being installed for this coming season." The test also will provide the opportunity to check for any RFI problems at the center and for a few new operators to get some hands-on training as the 2004 hurricane season gets under way. McHugh emphasized that the WX4NHC event will be just an equipment and operator test. No nets will be activated. WX4NHC will be on the air on HF, VHF and UHF as well as on APRS. HF operation will center on 7.268, 14.325, 21.325 and 28.525 MHz on SSB; 14.035, 21.035 and 28.035 MHz on CW; and 14.070 MHz on PSK31. WX4NHC will also be on IRLP and EchoLink South Florida-area VHF and UHF repeaters as well as 146.52 MHz FM simplex and 144.200 MHz SSB. Participating stations report call sign, signal report, location and a brief weather report ("sunny," "rain," etc). Include an SASE with QSL requests to W4VBQ. Due to security measures, no visitors will be allowed at NHC during this test. For more information, visit the National Hurricane Center WX4NHC Web page: www.wx4nhc.org
(ARRL News Service)
=======
May 10 2004 ARES team in Virginia responds to severe weather emergency
The Spotsylvania County, Virginia, ARES team activated May 7 after severe thunderstorms knocked out part of the county's emergency communications system. "The problem resulted when a strong series of thunderstorms passed through the area about 6:30 Friday evening," said Virginia Section Emergency Coordinator Tom Gregory, N4NW. "Lightning strikes associated with these storms knocked out a portion of the 911 radio communications system serving the various volunteer fire stations in Spotsylvania and the radio link between Spotsylvania and Stafford." Amateur Radio operators provided backup communication to each of the county's fire stations until normal communication was restored to the stations. Members of Stafford County ARES assisted Spotsylvania ARES by providing additional operators and a radio link between the Spotsylvania and Stafford sheriff's offices to maintain interoperability between the two departments while the normal radio link was down at the Spotsylvania County end.
(ARRL News Service)
=======
May 11 2004 Disaster relief volunteers honored at annual conference
Eight Southern Baptist Disaster Relief workers have been recognized for their commitment and sacrifice in disaster relief efforts across North America and the world.
More than 300 leaders from state Baptist conventions throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico were on hand for the recognitions during the 2004 Disaster Relief Roundtable meeting April 27-29 at First Baptist Church in Hendersonville, Tenn.
About 28,500 trained volunteers currently are part of the Southern Baptist Disaster Relief network nationwide. The disaster relief units generally are owned and operated by state conventions, local associations and churches and are coordinated nationally by the North American Mission Board.
In 2003, nearly 13,000 Southern Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers responded to 176 disasters and prepared more than 1.5 million meals.
Larry Koch, who has served as the disaster relief director for the Kentucky Baptist Convention since 1997, was presented the 2004 “Robert E. Dixon Award.” The award is named in honor of the Southern Baptist Texan who pioneered the Southern Baptist Disaster Relief ministry.
Koch, a former pastor, has responded to nearly 40 disasters since 1988.
Mickey Caison, adult volunteer mobilization manager with the North American Mission Board, described Koch’s leadership of the Kentucky Disaster Relief unit in the wake of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, as invaluable.
Caison said that while the Kentucky feeding units waited for their supplies to arrive, Koch led volunteers in prayer several times a day near their Brooklyn Bridge location. At least six people prayed to receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior as a result of the Kentucky unit’s witness.
Larry Murphy and Tim Bearden, disaster relief ministry leaders from Alabama and Tennessee, respectively, received the “Outstanding Service Award.”
Murphy has served as the Alabama Baptist Convention’s disaster relief coordinator since 1995. Most recently, he led a team of volunteers to Bam, Iran, following the devastating earthquake in December 2003. A retired military helicopter pilot, Murphy is a member of the Bethany Baptist Church in the Coffee Baptist Association.
Bearden, mission mobilization group leader with the Tennessee Baptist Convention, served as the state convention’s disaster relief director from 1995-2002, leading in more than 50 disaster relief responses. Bearden also served as the Georgia Baptist Disaster Relief director from 1981-87 before joining the staff of the former Brotherhood Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention.
Four disaster relief ministry leaders -- from Alabama, Florida, Kentucky and South Carolina -- were presented the “Distinguished Service Award”:
-- Jerry Butler, of Guntersville, Ala., has served since 1995 through the Alabama Baptist Convention’s cleanup and recovery disaster relief ministries. In 1999, Butler became Alabama’s cleanup and recovery chainsaw coordinator and now oversees 17 units in the state’s fleet. Butler also serves as pastor of South Sauty Baptist Church in the Marshall Baptist Association.
-- Dick Leonard has helped lead the Marion Baptist Association in becoming one of the largest and most active disaster relief teams within the Florida Baptist Convention. Leonard volunteered six times, serving a total of 40 days, in the disaster relief efforts in New York City in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. He has served more than 200 days as a disaster relief volunteer over the past eight years.
-- Bernard Randall, a member of Mount Zion Baptist Church in the Wayne County Baptist Association, volunteers through Kentucky Baptist Disaster Relief on chainsaw, mud-out and feeding units. Randall, who is retired from government service, is often part of the first team to respond to a disaster as well as part of the final team to conclude a project.
-- Terry Shinkle, a member of Belleview Baptist Church in the Northern Kentucky Baptist Association, leads the association’s cleanup unit. Shinkle has served in disaster relief since 1989.
-- Ken Norton, a member of First
Baptist Church in Greer, S.C., serves South Carolina Baptist Disaster Relief
as a state task force leader for communication and provides leadership
on the associational level as well. Norton, a ham radio operator, assisted
in the development of a national disaster relief communication manual for
multi-state responses.
--30--
(BP) photos posted in the BP Photo
Library at www.bpnews.net Photo
titles: KENTUCKIAN HONORED and SHARING THE HONORS.
(Lee Weeks of BP News)
=======
Haliburton Forest Ultra Marathon Sept. 10 & 11 2004
The Minden club needs help to support the runners in a 100 mile, cross country race. We start our shift work after the runners have been going for twelve straight hours. We keep track of their locations after sundown, and on to the end of the race at noon the next day. It's a great opportunity to use your equipment, batteries and skill to assist this group in a forest area that has no cell phone or telephone service.
Further information is posted at: www3.sympatico.ca/ghewit/ve3gih/ultramarathon
To volunteer for this great event, or get answers to specific questions, email Len Foster VE3LGF lfos@sympatico.ca
Gord VE3GIH
District Emergency Coordinator Scugog
Special Interest
May 14 2004 Digital TV at a Snails Pace
The General Accounting Office has issued a report saying that more than 80 percent of Americans are either unaware or only "somewhat aware" of the transition to digital television signals. They are also unaware that Congress plans to sell the analog spectrum that will become available when TV stations convert from analog to digital.
Lawmakers are counting on the money to help balance the budget. However, the digital transition may be years away unless more consumers start buying digital TVs to receive the new signals. Current sales of those expensive digital sets appear to be fairly flat at best.
(AROnline)
His Majesty King of Spain Contest--CW--sponsored by the Union de Radioaficionados Españoles (URE) from 1800Z May 15-1800Z May 16 (SSB is June 26-27). Frequencies: 160- 10 meters using IARU Region 1 band plan. Categories: SOAB, SOSB, and MS. Exchange: RST and serial number or EA province. QSO points: 1 pt/QSO. Score: QSO points × EA provinces counted once per band. For more information, send e-mail to ure@ure.es. Logs due June 25 (SSB by July 30) to concursoshf@ure.es or URE HF Contests, PO Box 220, 28080 Madrid, Spain.
US Counties QSO Party--SSB--sponsored by The Mobile Amateur Radio Awards Club from 0000Z May 15-2400Z May 16. Frequencies (MHz): 3.880, 7.240, 14.275, 21.340, 28.340. Work fixed stations once/band and mobiles once for each county and band. Categories: Mobile, Fixed. Exchange: RST and county or S/P/C. County line QSOs count as one QSO but separate multipliers. QSO points: US fixed stations-- 1 point, US mobile--15 pts, all others--5 pts, one station must be in a US county. Score is QSO points × US counties (counted only once). Mobiles sum score from each state. For more information: www.stpaulisland.net/countycontest.html Logs due June 18 to (US logs) wv2b@juno.com or Duane Traver, WV2B, 99 Oregon Hill Rd, Lisle, NY 13797-1002, non-US logs to snichols@mvosprey.com or Scott Nichols, VE1OP, 387 Rudderham Rd, Point Edward, NS B2A 4V6, Canada.
CQ WW WPX Contest--CW--sponsored by CQ Magazine from 0000Z May 29-2400Z May 30 For More Information: http://home.woh.rr.com/wpx
Great Lakes QSO Party--Phone/CW/RTTY/PSK31--sponsored by the Michigan DX Association from 0000Z May 29--2359 May 30, SO stations work 36 hours max. Frequencies (MHz): 160-2 meters, no repeater or satellite, CW--3.560, 3.720, 7.090, 7.135, 14.075, Phone--3.870, 7.260, 14.270, 21.370, 28.450. Categories: A (>100 W), B (5-100 W), C (<5 W), D (Club and MO), E (CW only), F (Mobile), G (Digital, one of RTTY or PSK31). Great Lakes are MI, IL, IN, WI, MN, OH, PA, NY, VE2, VE3. Exchange: Name, S/P/C, Great Lakes stations also send county. QSO points: Phone--1 pt, CW/Digital--2 pts, QRP or mobile--3 pts. Score: QSO points × Great Lakes counties (counted only once). Bonus points: 500 pts for QSO with W8DXI (once only), mobiles add 100 pts for each county with at least 10 QSOs. For more information: www.mdxa1.org/1aglqp.html Logs to bripaw@yahoo.com (Cabrillo format) or Brian Pawloski, W8BRI, PO Box 140012, Grand Rapids, MI 49514-0012.
QRP ARCI Hootowl Sprint--CW--sponsored by the QRP ARC International from 2000-2400 local May 30. For rules visit: http://2hams.net/ARCI/index.htm
MI QRP Memorial Day CW Sprint--sponsored by the MI QRP Club from 2300Z May 30- 0300Z May 31 www.qsl.net/miqrpclub
(ARRL)
May 21-22 2004 Swedish Sub on Air
The Swedish Gotland-class submarine, HMS Uppland, located in Karlskrona, will be on the air as SL8SUB on Friday and Saturday, the 21st and 22nd of May. Activity will be from 0600 to 1430 on Friday and 0730 to 1430UTC on Saturday. Stations will be active on HF and VHF, on both CW and SSB. The event marks the 100th anniversary of submarines in Sweden and the organisers say that while there have been special event stations on the air from museums and non-operative submarines before, this is the first time that an amateur radio station has been active from a Swedish submarine in use.
(RSGB)
=======
Springfield, OH: Westcott Wireless Preservation Association, W8AGA. 1700Z May 13-2200Z May 16. Frank Lloyd Wright's Westcott House Special Tour. 14.280 14.050 7.280 7.120. QSL. Matt Cline, KB8WFH, 825 S Tecumseh Rd, Springfield, OH 45506. www.westcotthouse.org/w8aga
Hartford, IL: Lewis and Clark Radio Club, K9L. 1400-2200Z daily May 14, 15 and 16. Bicentennial of Lewis & Clark departure from Camp DuBois, IL. 28.360 21.360 14.260 7.260. Certificate. LCRC, PO Box 553, Godfrey, IL 62035. www.k9ham.net/k9l.htm
Lebanon, OR: Santiam Amateur Radio Club, W7Z. 1500Z May 15-0100Z May 16. Grand reopening of Lebanon, OR, Railroad Depot. 28.400 21.330 14.255 7.230. QSL. SARC c/o Wm Barfknecht, 521 Williams St, Lebanon, OR 97355
Hammondsport, NY: Keuka Lake Amateur Radio Association, KV2W. 1300Z-2200Z May 22. Celebrate Birthdate of Aviation Pioneer Glenn H. Curtiss. 28.340 7.250 3.870. Certificate. Roy Koehler, PO Box 451, Avoca, NY 14809.
Lancaster, NY: Town of Lancaster Office of Emergency Management, KC2LAS. 0000Z May 22-2000Z May 23. Annual "How Ham Radio Can Save the Day" public demonstration. 21.350 14.250 7.250 3.950. Certificate. Town of Lancaster, Emergency Management Office, 525 Pavement Rd, Lancaster, NY 14086.
Asheville, NC: Western Carolina Amateur Radio Society, W4MOE. 1200Z-2000Z May 28. Thomas Wolfe Memorial Grand Reopening. 28.450 21.300 14.265 145.19. Certificate. Robert Dockery, WD4CNZ, 72 Ormond Ave, Asheville, NC 28806. www.wcars.org
Jefferson City, MO: Great Rivers Council BSA/Cupbord Creek Encampment-Discovery Corps, W0M. 0000-1800Z daily May 28 and 30. Re- enactment of Lewis and Clark Exploration of Louisiana Purchase on the Missouri River. 28.360 14.260 7.260. QSL. Doug Mallory, AB 0OA, 608 Sherwood Rd, Paris, MO 65275. www.bsa-grc.org/cupbord
Chestertown, MD: Kent Amateur Radio Society, K3ARS. 1400Z-2000Z May 29. The 230th Anniversary of the Chestertown Tea Party. 14.240 14.040 7.240 7.040. Certificate. Kent Amateur Radio Society, PO Box 921, Chestertown, MD 21620. www.qsl.net/k3ars
Fort Wayne, IN: Allen County Amateur Radio Technical Society and Fort Wayne Radio Club, KB1IBW. 1500Z-2400Z May 29. Amateur Radio Military Appreciation Day. General bands; PSK 31; IRLP nodes 9205 8380; Echolink Nodes 16686 106819. QSL. Emery McClendon, WB1IBW, 6116 Graymoor Ln, Ft Wayne, IN 46835-2313. www.fortwayneradioclub.org
Baton Rouge, LA: USS Kidd ARC/Baton Rouge ARC, W5KID. 1400Z-2200Z May 30. Memorial Day. General class bands, 14.250 to 14.320; CW QRP subbands. QSL. W5KID, c/o USS Kidd Museum, 305 S River Rd, Baton Rouge, LA 70802.
Belleville, MI: Yankee Air Force Museum, W8YAF. 1200Z-2000Z May 31. Observing Memorial Day at the Yankee Air Museum at Willow Run Airport. 7.270. Certificate. Frank A. Nagy, N8BIB, 24315 Waltz Rd, New Boston, MI 48164-9167.
Fall River, MA: Radio Operators for Missing Children, KB1HGK. 1300Z-1900Z May 31. From the USS Massachusetts, the 4th annual special event for missing children. 14.250 14.075 7.125 3.700. Certificate. Sheree Greenwood, K1SQ, PO Box 649, Warren, MA 01083. www.lyceumpress.com/ham_radio.htm
Fort Monmouth, NJ: Robert D. Grant United Labor Amateur Radio Association, N2UL. 1200Z-2200Z May 31. Remembering those who made the supreme sacrifice for our freedom. 449.975 28.460 14.260. Certificate. RDGULARA, c/o WA2VJA, 112 Prospect St, Nutley, NJ 07110-0716.
(ARRL News Service)
========
01/06/2004: Special event station OE80XRW will be activated on all bands and modes from 1 June to 31 December to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the broadcasting service from Austria, started by RAVAG on 25 October 1924. The web page for the operation is at: www.qsl.at/oe80 . [Tnx 425DXN]
========
Aug. 21-22 2004 International Lighthouse/Lightship Weekend 2004
This highly popular annual August event attracts hundreds of amateur radio stations at lighthouses and lightships (369 in 48 countries for the 2003 weekend .)world-wide. It is organised by Mike, GM4SUC, and Kevin, VK2CE is the web-master. This year the period of the event is from 0001 UTC on Saturday 21 August until 2359 UTC on Sunday 22 August 2004.
The event is NOT a contest. It is a special event weekend when amateur radio stations are established at lighthouses or lightships, they do not have to be adjacent to salt water, and each group decides how it will operate the station with regard to modes and bands. Participants are not committed to being on the air during the entire period - operate as much as you can. There are no restrictions on aerials or power. We wish operators to enjoy themselves and have fun while making contact with as many stations as possible whilst giving priority to other lighthouse/lightship stations. Please take some time to work the slow operator, the newly licensed and QRP stations.
As available space in many lighthouses is filled to capacity, participation in this activity does not have to take place inside the tower itself. Field day type set-up at the light or other buildings next to the light or adjacent field is OK. Permission MUST be obtained from any interested parties.
The International Lighthouse/Lightship Weekend is used to obtain maximum exposure for our hobby. We invite the press and, QTH permitting, also the public and try to underline the parallel between the international aspects in lighthouses, lightships, and amateur radio. As from last year, the World Lighthouse Day is held on the Sunday of the event and lighthouse keepers/managers/caretakers all around the world open their lighthouses to the public. www.lighthouse.fsnet.co.uk/events/intlighthouseday.html
We use the event segment of the 5 Classic bands, consider the following as a range of suggested frequencies.
CW
80m: 3.510 - 3.540 kHz
40m: 7.005 - 7.035 kHz
20m: 14.010 - 14.040 kHz
15m: 21.010 - 21.040 kHz
10m: 28.010 - 28.040 kHz
PHONE
*80m: 3.650 - 3.750 kHz
*40m: 7.040 - 7.100 kHz
20m: 14.150 - 14.290 kHz
15m: 21.150 - 21.250 kHz
10m: 28.300 - 28.400 kHz
* Some of the frequency ranges listed above are NOT legal in the United States of America. As a substitute, USA operators should consider these alternatives.
USA PHONE
80m: 3.950 - 3.990 kHz
40m: 7.250 - 7.290 kHz
However because the ILLW is NOT a contest, you can operate on any authorised QRGs as per your licence, including the WARC bands. Please be sure to observe band limits for your class of licence and your country.
To assist other stations in the identification of lighthouse/lightship stations, we request that participating stations using CW add LS after their callsign at a lightship and LT at a lighthouse. SSB and other modes should use LIGHT, LGT, LIGHTHOUSE or LIGHTSHIP after their call. UK stations normally obtain a GB callsign with the letter L in the suffix and USA stations can request a Special Event callsign from the ARRL.
A list of the lighthouses/lightships of the world, currently 10,764 in 209 DXCC countries, plus their Amateur Radio Lighthouse Society (ARLHS) Number can be found at http://arlhs.com/awards/arlhs-numbers.html The list is constantly being updating and added to as more data become available. You can help: If you see a correction or an addition needs to be made, please send an e-mail with the information to K2JXW@arrl.net
If you decide to join us, please register on-line at http://illw.net/index.html with details of your name, callsign to be used, lighthouse/lightship, Country, qsl route etc. Although registration is not compulsory, doing so enables us to maintain a detailed list of participants at http://illw.net/2004.htm showing QSL address, web site and any special event calls they may be using. E-mail addresses will be modified with unicode to minimise harvesting by spammers.
So come and join us in the fun of the weekend, already 78 stations have confirmed their participation, establish a station at a lighthouse, lightship or maritime beacon. If you are unable to find a lighthouse/ship you can still join in the fun by contacting the special lighthouse/ship stations. The more the merrier.
73 Mike GM4SUC
gm4suc@compuserve.com
gm4suc@btinternet.com
=========
July 24 2004 Special Event station VE3BPQ
Celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the Elvis Festival In Collingwood Ontario Canada on Saturday July 24 2004. The Collingwood Elective Radio Teaching School and Collingwood Amateur Radio Club would like you to contact us on: 7.180 and 14.180 or alternate Frequencies of 3.780 and 28.360, between 8am and 6pm local time. Certificates are available by sending your QSL Card and a SASE - Prepaid 9x11 envelope to address below.
VE3BPQ
248 Birch Street
Collingwood Ontario
Canada
L9Y 2V6
Larry, VE3SPQ
May 14 2004 DXCC DX Desk approves operations for DXCC credit
The following operations have been accredited for DXCC: Burundi, 9U5M, February 4-March 17, 2003; Chad, TT8XZ, December 4-19, 2003; Iraq, YI/N3YPI, August 22, 2003 through present; YI/AB8DY, July 2, 2003 through present; Democratic Republic of the Congo, 9Q0AR, January 1-March 31, 2004; 9Q1KS, January 1-March 31, 2004; Haiti, HH2SJR, January 1, 1998-present; Rivellagigedo, XF4IH, March 3-20, 2004.
For more information on the ARRL DXCC program--including rules, current and deleted DXCC lists and all forms needed to participate visit the DXCC Web site: www.arrl.org/awards/dxcc
(ARRL News Service)
=======
May 14 2004 YCCC announces DXpedition Award Program for new, younger hams
The Yankee
Clipper Contest Club (YCCC) has announced a new DXpedition Award Program,
aimed at encouraging new and younger amateurs to participate in contesting.
The club raised funding for the 2004-2005 contest season with a raffle.
YCCC will award the winning applicant up to $1500 to accompany--for up
to one week--a YCCC-authorized DXpedition or contesting operation anywhere
in the world to compete in one of four major contests: The ARRL International
DX Contest or the CQ World Wide DX Contest--CW or phone. The award will
help defray transportation and lodging costs and provide a stipend of $150.
Applicants must live within a radius of 175 miles of the club's center--Erving,
Massachusetts. Applicants must be 14-21 years of age to qualify in the
"youth" category, or licensed for less than one year (with no prior license)
to qualify in the "amateur" category. Applicants for both categories must
hold a General class or higher license. The application period deadline
for this contest season is July 15, 2004. One winner will be chosen and
announced at the New England Division Convention,
[ www.boxboro.org/2004/index.html
] August 14-15 in Boxboro, Massachusetts. The winner must use the award
within one year. For further details and an application, contact YCCC President
Jim McCobb, W1LLU, [ w1llu@verizon.net
]
978-363-1619; fax 978-363-2430. A contesting club with more than 400 members
that's been in existence for more than 25 years, the YCCC's territory includes
most of New England, as well as parts of New Jersey and New York.
To learn more, visit the YCCC Web site: www.yccc.org
(ARRL News Service)
=======
May 13 2004 ARLD018 DX News
This week's bulletin was made possible with information provided by the OPDX Bulletin, The Daily DX, 425DXnews, DXNL, WA7BNM and Contest Corral from QST. Thanks to all.
AZERBAIJAN, 4J. Inna, 4J0R has been QRV using PSK on 20 meters around 1800z. QSL direct.
BALEARIC ISLANDS, EA6. Peter, DL8YR is QRV as EA6/DL8YR/p from Mallorca, IOTA EU-004, until May 26. Activity is on all bands using CW, SSB and possibly RTTY. QSL to home call.
CANARY ISLANDS, EA8. Steve, EA8/G0SGB/p is active from various lighthouses on Lanzarote Island, IOTA AF-004, for about two weeks. QSL to home call.
MOLDOVA, ER. Station ER0ITU is QRV until May 17 to celebrate World Telecommunications Day. QSL via ER1DA.
FRANCE, F. A team of French amateurs will be QRV as TM1X from Aix Island, IOTA EU-032, from May 15 to 20. Activity will be on 80 to 10 meters using CW, SSB and possibly RTTY and PSK31. QSL via F4EEK.
SOUTH SHETLAND ISLANDS. Voytek, SP5QF is QRV as HF0QF from the scientific base Henryk Arctowski on King George Island, IOTA AN-010, until the end of the year. QSL via SP7IWA.
THAILAND, HS. Choon, E20HHK is working in the northern part of Thailand and QRV as E20HHK/6 and E20HHK/5 until May 23. He is active on 80 to 10 meters using mostly CW. QSL via E21EIC. Meanwhile, Charles, K4VUD is QRV as HS0ZCW until August 15. Activity is on 40, 20, 15 and 10 meters. QSL to home call.
SOUTH KOREA, HL. A group of South Korean amateurs will be QRV as D77A from Tok Island, IOTA AS-045, from May 20 to 23. Activity will be on 160 to 6 meters, using CW, SSB, RTTY, SSTV and PSK31. QSL via DS3EXX.
SOUTH ORKNEY ISLANDS. Martin, LU5DO is a new operator and is QRV until March 2005 as LU1ZA on the scientific base Orcadas on Laurie Island, IOTA AN-008. QSL via LU4DXU.
BELGIUM, ON. Daniel, ON7VZ will participate in the European Castles Day contest as ON8CE. QSL to home call.
BRAZIL,
PY. Special event station ZW1I is QRV until May 31 in celebration
of the 437th Anniversary of the city of Itaborai.
Activity is
on all bands using CW and SSB. QSL via PY1AMF.
GREECE,
SV. Jindrick, OK1AMM and Bob, OK2BOB are QRV as SV8/OK1AMM/p
and SV8/OK2BOB/p, respectively, from Corfu Island, IOTA EU-052, until May
23. Activity is on 160 to 10 meters using CW and
SSB.
QSL to home calls.
SOUTH GEORGIA ISLAND. Alex is QRV as VP8SGB from the British Antarctic Survey Jordan Cove base on Bird Island, IOTA AN-007. He is active using SSB, generally on 20 meters after 1800z. QSL via GM0HCQ.
CAMBODIA, XU. Oleg, ES1RA is QRV as XU7ARA and has been active on 17 meters around 1300z. He has also been active on 160, 80 and 40 meters between 2130 and 2300z. QSL to home call.
MACAO, XX9. Savio, XX9BB has been QRV on 17 meters around 1100z. QSL via operator's instructions.
THIS WEEKEND ON THE RADIO. The ARCI Newcomer's CW Run, The Manchester Mineira CW Contest, Baltic Contest, His Majesty King of Spain CW Contest, Portuguese Navy Day Contest, US Counties SSB QSO Party and the Anatolian RTTY WW Contest are all scheduled for this weekend. Please see May QST, page 99 and the ARRL and WA7BNM contest websites for details.
(W1AW)
============
May 15 2004 425 DX News
9L === Look for Massimo, 9L1MS to operate again as 9L1MS/p from Banana Island (AF-037) on 15 May. He expects to remain on the island indicatively from 11 to 17 UTC. [TNX 9L1MS]
EA === Special event call AO0FL will be aired from Spain on 21-30 May for the the wedding of Prince Felipe and Dona Letizia Ortiz. QSL via EA4RCU. [TNX F5NQL]
EA8 === Brian, GM4XQJ will operate as EA8/GM4XQJ/p from Fuerteventura (AF-004) until 25 May. This is a QRP CW activity with dipoles for 20 and 40 metres. QSL via home call. [TNX GM4XQJ]
EA8 === Antonio, EA8AKN reports that the Gran Canaria DX Group will operate for the very first time from Roques del Confital (AF-004, DIE S-348) on 16 May. They will be active as ED8GCR; QSL via EA8AKN.
EI === John, EI4GK plans to operate (on 0-80 metres SSB) as EJ4GK/p from Great Blasket Island (EU-007). Depending on weather conditions he hopes to be on the air from 19 May to the 21st or the 22nd. [TNX EI4GK]
ES === Vello, ES1QD will be active again as either ES1QD/0 and ES0QD from Muhu Island (EU-034) in 21-24 May. He plans to operate CW and SSB on 30, 20 and 17 metres. [TNX JI6KVR]
F === Fabrice/F5NBQ, Eric/F5LOW, Christian/F2EJ, Christian/F1SDQ, Jean-Philippe/F4EEK, Laurent/F5MNK and Jacky/F5OIU will be active as TM1X from Aix Island (EU-032, DIFM AT-023) on 15-20 May. They will operate on 80-10 metres CW and SSB (possibly RTTY and PSK31 as well) with two stations. QSL via F4EEK, direct (Jean-Philippe Herbouille, 12 rue Francois Mauriac, 16100 Cognac, France) or bureau. [TNX F5UJK]
G === Nigel, 2E0NJW reports he will be active from St Mary's, Isles of Scilly (EU-011) between 31 May and 5 June.
HL === Song/DS3EXX, Choi/DS1GBL, Choi/HL1MXR, Oh/HL1AKX, Jeon/HL0U, Yoo/DS5XVX, Kim/DS5YQQ, Kim/HL1IUV and Yoon/HL1KYX will operate as D77A from Tok Island (AS-045) on 20-23 May. They plan to operate on 160-6 metres SSB, CW, PSK31, SSTV and RTTY with two stations. Suggested frequencies, as well as other information, are available at http://www.d77a.com. QSL via DS3EXX, bureau or direct. [TNX HL0U]
I === Tony/IK8UHA, Tony/IK8VRH and Ciro/IW8EZU will operate (on 40, 20, 17 and 6 metres SSB, CW, RTTY and PSK31) as IR8DX/p from La Nave (EU-031, IIA NA-035) on 22-23 May. QSL via IK8VRH. [TNX IK8VRH]
I === IT9AAK, IT9EJW, IT9GAC, IT9TPJ, IT9VKY, IW9BCW, IW9BDV and IW9FY will operate as IF9RGE from Favignana Island (EU-054, IIA TP-011, MIA MI-025) between 29 May and 2 June. They plan to operate on HF (CW and SSB), 6 and 2 metres and to be active during the CQ WPX CW Contest. QSL via IT9EJW either direct (Alfio Bonanno, P.O. Box 18, 95028 Valverde - CT, Italy) or through the bureau. Further information at http://www.rgetna.org [TNX IT9EJW]
I === ARI Ostia (www.ariostia.it) and Alitalia ARC will operate field day stations IQ0OS and IR0AZI on 5-6 June. They expect to be active on HF, 6 metres and VHF-UHF. [TNX I0EKY]
IS0 === Luigi, IZ5FKK will operate on the HF bands (SSB, RTTY and PSK31) 6 and 2 metres as IM0/IZ5FKK from Maddalena Island (EU-041, IIA SS-001) on 5-15 July. QSL via home call, direct or bureau. [TNX IK5FKK]
J7 === Seth, SM0XBI and Leif, SM0FWW will be active from Dominica (NA-101) on 17-28 May. Plans are to operate SSB, CW and maybe RTTY/PSK; requested calls are J79XBI and J79FWW. QSL via home calls, direct or bureau. [TNX SM0FWW]
KH2 === Dick, JF1JPC will operate as KH2/JF1JPC from Guam (OC-026) on 15-16 May. Expect activity on 80-12 metres SSB, CW and above all PSK31. QSL via home call. [TNX JF1JPC]
OE === Lee, K1NT will be QRV as OE/K1NT from Austria on 20-25 May. On the 23rd, from 12 to 19 UTC, he will operate CW with an emphasis on the WARC bands from the Vienna International Centre station (4U1VIC). QSL via K1NT. [TNX K1NT]
P4 === Tony, N2KI will be active as P40KI from Aruba (SA-036) on 20-26 May. He plans to operate mainly RTTY and SSB on as many bands as possible. [TNX OPDX Bulletin]
PY === PT2ADM reports he will be active as ZW10AS until 31 May. This special call is in memory of F1 pilot Ayrton Senna, who died in 1994. QSL via home call.
SP === Special event station SNOLED will be active on all bands CW, SSB and FM from Lednica on 28-30 May for the VIII Meeting of the Youth Organization. QSL via SP3POH (bureau) or SP3OL (direct). [TNX SP3OL]
SV === Look for SV8/OK1AMM/p and SV8/OK2BOB/p to be active (on 160-10 metres CW and SSB) from Kerkyra (Corfu) Island (EU-O52) on 14-23 May. [TNX OK2BOB]
SV === Hellmuth, DF7XE will be active (on 10-80 metres SSB and CW) from Thassos Island (EU-174) on 14-26 May. QSL via home call. [TNX The Daily DX]
SV5 === Goran, SM0CMH willl be active as SV5/SM8C from Kalymnos, Dodecanese (EU-001) from 22 May to 5 June. He will operate CW on 10-80 metres (hopefully also on 160 metres). QSL via SM0CMH, direct or bureau. [TNX SM0CMH]
TA === Mike, DF8AN will be in Turkey until 17 May and will operate mainly CW on 20 and 40 metres from four different lighthouses: as TA1/DF8AN/LGT from Ahirkapi (TUR-056) and Rumeli Burnu (TUR-060) and as TA2/DF8AN/LGT from Kizkulesi (TUR-038) and Haydarpasa (TUR-024). QSL via DF8AN, direct (Michael Noertemann, Neustadt 18, D-37154 Northeim, Germany) or bureau. [TNX DF8AN]
TU === Gianni, IN3ASW and Franco, IN3DYG will be active as TU2WL from Aboisso, Cote d'Ivoire from 20 May to 1 June. They plan to operate SSB and possibily PSK31 and RTTY. QSl via IN3ASW (Gianni Fattore, Gianni Fattore, Via del Sera' 4, 38051 Borgo Valsugana- TN, Italy). [TNX IN3ASW]
UA === Serge, RA3XR and Nick, UA3YH will join a scientific expedition to Dikson Island (AS-005, RR-06-09) from 15 June to 15 September and will operate as RA3XR/0 and UA3YH/0 (or with a special call they hope to get). QSL via home calls, bureau or direct. The web page for the operation is at http://dx.obninsk.org/dikson_en.htm [TNX RA3XR]
UR === Special call EO60FO will be aired from the Odessa region of Ukraine until 27 August to celebrate the liberation of Odessa region back in 1944. QSL via bureau. [TNX UT5RP]
VK === Johan, PA3EXX will operate as VK4WWI/P from Marion Reef in the Coral Sea Islands Territory North Group (OC-???) on 8-12 November. QSL via PA3EXX. Further information will be available at http://home.tiscali.nl/~su042021/ [TNX PA3EXX]
VP8_sg === Amateur radio operator Alex Cottle is currently wintering at the British Antarctic Survey's base on Bird Island, South Georgia (AN-007) and is keen to be active as VP8SGB. Alex operates SSB only, he has little experience of amateur radio operations and no experience at all of pile-ups, so please be patient with him. Alex is likely to operate after 18 UTC, presumably starting on 20 metres. QSL via GM0HCQ. Further information will be posted on Mike's web site (http://www.gm0hcq.com) once he is back home in early June. [TNX GM0HCQ]
YI === James, KC4MC is on a 6-month deployment to Iraq and will be active as YI9MC as time permits. QSL via N2OO. [TNX N2OO]
YO === Jean-Michel Duthilleul, F6AJA, Editor of "Les Nouvelles DX" (http://LesNouvellesDX.free.fr), reports he will once again be active in his free time as YO/F6AJA from the QTH of Silviu, YO8FZ in Suceava, Romania on 24-30 May. QSL via F6AJA.
AFRICA TRIPLE HOP === Dave
Anderson, K4SV and Neil King, VA7DX return to Africa
in late July and will be QRV follows:
* from Lesotho as 7P8DA (Dave) and
7P8NK (Neil) on 29 July - 6 August;
* from Swaziland as 3DA0SV (Dave)
and 3DA0WC (Neil) on 7-11 August;
* from Mozambique (callsigns TBA)
on 12-17 August.
CW, SSB, RTTY and other digital
mode operation is planned on 10-160 metres, subject to daily
propagation conditions, with focus on the low bands at night. Special
effort will be made to work the general portion of the bands. Verticals
will be used on 160 to 30 metress with 4 element A4S and WARC
beams for the higher bands. The QSL manager for the entire operation will
be K4YL (Stephen M. Grose, P.O. Box 183, Flat
Rock, NC 28731-0183, USA). Information on how to
QSL and daily online logs will be available at http://www.K4SV.com [TNX
K4SV]
Good to Know
10M CONTEST === The second edition of the 10 Meter Italian Contest, sponsored by the Mediterraneo DX Club (http://www.mdxc.org/contestitalia), will be held on 15-16 May. Participation is limited to Italian amateurs only.
EUCW 160M CONTEST === The results for the 2004 event are now available at http://perso.club-internet.fr/jacar/resultats/res_04_f.html. Next year the contest will be held on 8 January (20-23 UTC) and 9 January (4-7 UTC). [TNX F5NQL]
EU PSK DX CONTEST 2004 === The Scottish-Russian ARS invites the radio amateurs all over the world to participate in the first European Digital DX Contest to be held from 12 UTC on 22 May to 12 UTC on the 23rd. The objective of the contest is to establish as many contacts as possible between radio amateurs around the world and radio amateurs in Europe using the BPSK31 mode on 80, 40, 20, 15 and 10 metres. Full information is available at http://www.srars.org/eudxpsk.htm [TNX MM0DFV]
J42004 === This is the special prefix that foreign amateur radio operators visiting Greece from 1 AUGUST to 15 SEPT. (not November, as reported in 425DXN #679) can use to celebrate the Olympic Games. Official information on procedures and formalities can be found on RAAG's (Radio Amateur Association of Greece) web site at http://www.raag.org/index-en.html
QSL AS-067 === Those who want a QSL card for JA4PXE/6 and JH4WXV/6, who operated from Uji Island (AS-067) a couple of weeks ago, are invited to send their requests now. For questions please e-mail to ja4pxe@jarl.com or jh4wxv@jarl.com [TNX JI6KVR]
QSL HF0QF === Wanda, SP7IWA
has received the HF0QF cards from the printer and has started processing
direct requests received so far. The QSL cards for HF0POL operated
by Voytek, SP5QF/HF0QF will be printed later this year.
[TNX SP7IWA]
QSL ON8CE === The QSL manager for this call (including /P or /A), which will be used during the European Castels Day (16 May), is Daniel, ON7VZ. [TNX ON7VZ]
QSL TL8DV === Dave, TL8DV
has left Africa and is back to the US. Cards for TL8DV (as well as for
TL8ALD and DU1/W1DV) should be sent to W1DV, either direct (David
A. Vittum, 5 Resthaven Drive, Phelps, NY 14532, USA)
or
through the bureau. [TNX The Daily
DX]
QSL MANAGER OFFERED === Alan
Roocroft, VK4AAR has room for several more stations on his list. Those
interested in using his QSL Manager services (from Zimbabwe, now
that they have no bureau, or any other part of the world) can e-mail Alan
at almee@dodo.com.au. Currently Alan is the QSL manager for
9V0A, 9V1DX, C21RH, KH2VM, P29RH, V63PD, VI0ANARE, VK0MM, VK6AN (OC-266),
VK6BM (OC-234), VK6BSI (OC-243), VK6LI (Pasco Island,
OC-071),
VK8AN, VK8AN/6 (OC-154), VK8AN/8
(OC-229), VK8AV/3 (OC-136), VK8DP, VK8MI (OC-173), VK8RH, VK8XC,
VU3RSB, YJ8AA, ZK2JJ and ZK2PJ.
QSL VIA SM1TDE === Eric, SM1TDE says he has cleared the backlog for HN0Z (WPX SSB Contest opeation by YI9ZF) and 5H3/SM1TDE. New requests are now processed on a daily basis.
UKRAINIAN DX DIGI CONTEST === This year this new annual event will be held on 26-27 June. Rules can be found at http://www.qsl.net/ur5fav/udrpc [TNX UR5FAV]
ZIMBABWE QSL BUREAU === Don, G3BJ reports that on 3 May the Zimbabwe Amateur Radio Society decided to close their QSL Bureau because of the excessive cost.
============
May 15-21 2004 I.C.P.O. Bulletin Islands, Castles & Portable Operations - I.C.P.O.
15/05/2004: Francois, F5JNE will be QRV May 15th to 25th as F5JNE/p from Belle Ile en Mer (IOTA EU-048, DIFM AT-015). Activity will be on 40 and 20 meter CW and SSB. QSL via home call, direct or bureau. [Tnx F5NQL]
15/05/2004: Francois, F5JNE will be QRV May 15th as F5JNE/p from the Port Maria Lighthouse in Quiberon (PB-199, ARLHS reference FRA-430). QSL via home call, direct or bureau. [Tnx F5NQL]
15/05/2004: Marco, IZ6ASI/p, and Stefano, IK6VGO/p, will be active from the lighthouse at Senigallia (WAIL MA-004, ARLHS ITA-181) on May 15th and 16th. QSL via home calls. [Tnx 425DXN]
15/05/2004: Franco, IK4DCS/p, will be QRV May 15th from one of the following references for the Italian Castles Award: FE-001 Castle of Hundreds; FE-002 Fortified residence or Palace of the Pretura of Hundreds; FE-003 Fortified residence or Giovannina Villa of Hundreds. Activity will be on 40 and 20 meter SSB and CW. The castles are located in the Region of Emilia Romagna, Province of Ferrara (FE). QSL via home call, direct or bureau. [Tnx IK4DCS]
15/05/2004: Look for Alfonso, IZ8DDP/p, to be QRV May 15th and 16th from Torre di Torre D'Amore a Battipaglia [Tower of D'Amore Tower to Battipaglia] (DCI reference SA-118, for the Italian Castles Award). Activity will be on 40 through 10 meter SSB. This new reference is located in the Region of Campania, Province of Salerno (SA). QSL via home call, direct or bureau. [Tnx IZ8DDP]
15/05/2004: Tony, N2KI, will be active as P40KI from Aruba (SA-036) between May 15th and 22nd. His activity will be mainly on RTTY and SSB. He will try and cover as many bands as possible. QSL via N2KI. [Tnx OPDX]
15/05/2004: A French team consisting of F5NBQ (Fabrice), F5LOW (Eric), F2EJ (Christian), F1SDQ (Christian), F4EEK (Jean-Philippe), F5MNK (Laurent) and F5OIU (Jacky) will be active as TM1X from Ile D'Aix (IOTA EU-032, DIFM AT-023, WW Loc. IN96ka) and lighthouse (DPLF PB-036, ARLHS FRA-069) between May 15th to 20th. Activity is planned for 80-10 meters on CW and SSB, and may be the digital modes (RTTY, PSK31). They will have two 100 watts stations using wires and beam antennas. QSL via F4EEK, either by the bureau or direct to: Herbouille Jean-Philippe, 12 rue Francois Mauriac, 16100 COGNAC, France. [Tnx OPDX]
15/05/2004: Doug, VE3CWO
and Ron, VE3CGR plan to be QRV May 15th as VE3CGR/3 from Georgina Island
(CIsA reference ON-024, for the Canadian Islands Award). If the weather
is not appropriate on May 15th, or if they have so much fun they want another
day of it, they may possibly return there again on May 16th. Activity will
be on 80, 40 and 20 meter
SSB, but will also operate CW from
time to time. Look for them around 3.766, 7.066 and 14.146 for SSB. QSL
via home call, direct or bureau. [Tnx VE3TPZ]
16/05/2004: Look for
Manfred DL8DXL/p, Norby DL/LX1NO/p and possibly others to activate the
following IOTAs and lighthouses. Information provided was very vague. No
bands or modes of activity were provided.
Here is the planned schedule:
May 16-19th Baltrum EU-047,
GIA:N-06
May 20-23rd Neuwerk EU-127,
GIA:N-12, GLHA:38, WLH:2311, ARLHS:FED-165
May 22nd Scharhoern EU-127,
GIA:N-11
May 24-27th Oland EU-042,
GIA:N-20, GLHA:new, WLH:0712, ARLHS:FED-174
May 27-29th Langeness EU-042,
GIA:N-19
May 29th Langeness EU-042,
GIA:N-19, GLHA:new, WLH:1245, ARLHS:FED-134
QSL via home call, direct or bureau.
[Tnx OPDX / DE0MST]
16/05/2004: Francois, F5JNE will be QRV May 16th as F5JNE/p from the Fort du Bugul (DFCF 56017) as an entry in the European Castles day. QSL via home call, direct or bureau. [Tnx F5NQL]
16/05/2004: For the European Castle Day (May 16th) Jean Michel F5PRR/p will activate Fort Est (DFCF regerence 83063). Activity will be on all bands, but will favor 15 and 20 meters during the day. QSL via home call, direct or bureau. [Tnx F5PRR]
16/05/2004: The following
stations will be active May 16th for European Castle Day:
- ED8GCR: Los Roques de Confidal
S-358 QSL: EA8AKR (d/b)
- F0EAZ/P: Panard Castle DFCF:53004
QSL: H/C (d/b)
- F0EAZ/P: Panard Mill DMF:53004
QSL: H/C (d/b)
- F0EGV/P: Pierrefonds Loc:JN19li
DFCF:60011 QSL: H/C (d/b)
- F1MKG/P: Pierrefonds DFCF:60011
QSL: H/C (d/b)
- F5CBU/P: Cotes d'Armor DFCF:22020
QSL: H/C (d/b)
- F5DXN/P: Echarcon Castle
DFCF:91034 QSL: H/C (d/b)
- F5IRC/P: Aygues Castle DFCF:76029
QSL: H/C (d/b)
- F5KEM/P: Campagnac Castle
DFCF:24014 QSL: F5OVZ (d/b)
- F6KHT/P: Saint Loup Castle
DFCF:47019 QSL: F5GFA (d/b)
- F5KLP/P: Salvert Castle
DFCF:49014 QSL: F5AAR (d/b)
- F5MFL/P: La Basme Castle
DFCF:41111 QSL: H/C (d/b)
- F5NQL/P: Les Boisseaux Castle
DFCF:89235 QSL: H/C (d/b)
- F5OGC/P: Pescheray Castle
DFCF:72027 QSL: H/C (d/b)
- F5PEZ/P: Kerlois Castle
DFCF:56022 QSL: H/C (d/b)
- F6IKW/P: Caudouroue Castle
DFCF:47018 QSL: F5GFA (d/b)
- ON4LCY/P: Bargettes Castle
HT-027 QSL: H/C (d/b)
- ON5UY/P: Le Chateau des
Comtes HT-022 QSL: H/C (d/b)
- ON6RM/P: Bargettes Castle
HT-027 QSL: H/C (d/b)
- ON8CE: Castles of Europe
QSL: ON7VZ (d/b)
- TM4P: Lafox Castle DFCF:47017
QSL: F6CXJ (d/b)
16/05/2004: Scott, K7ZO, will be QRV May 16th to 20th from Adak Island (IOTA NA-039, USI:AK-008S) as K7ZO/KL7. Activity will be on 20 meter SSB with 100w into a vertical or dipole. Specific operating times are uncertain. QSL via K7ZO. [Tnx OPDX]
17/05/2004: Look for
GM3OFT/p to be QRV June 17th to July 1st from the following Islands in
the Shetland Island (EU-012) Group:
Thursday 17th -
Bressay SI-08 SH-06 0930z late Bressay
Friday 18th -
Bressay 0400-0600z
West Burra SI-03 SH-22 1000-1400z
East Burra SI-02 SH-23 1500-2000z
East Burra
Saturday 19th -
East Burra 0400 0900z
West Burra SI-03 SH-22 1000-1500z
Trondra SI-05 SH-21 1600z late Trondra
Sunday 20th -
Trondra 0400-0700z
Mainland SI-11 SH-01 0900-1500z
Papa Stour SI-12 SH-14 1900z late
Papa Stour
Monday 21st -
Papa Stour 0400-0800z
Vaila SI-10 SH-12 1400z late Vaila
Tuesday 22nd -
Vaila 0400-0600z
Foula SH-07 1600z late Foula
Wednesday 23rd -
Foula 0600z all day Foula
Thursday 24th -
Foula 0400-0600z
Outer Skerries - SH-08 1800z late
Outer Skerries
Friday 25th -
Outer Skerries - 0400z late Outer
Skerries
Saturday 26th -
Unst SI-26 SH-02 1100z late Unst
Sunday 27th -
Unst 0400-0600z
Uyea SI-24 - 1100-1800z Unst
Monday 28th -
Fetlar SI-22 SH-04 1100z late Fetlar
Tuesday 29th -
Fetlar 0400-0600z
Hascosay SI-21 SH-15 1000-1600z
Yell SI-20 SH-03 2000-2200z (?)
Yell
Wednesday 30th -
Whalsay SI-15 SH-05 0900z late Whalsay
Thursday July 1 -
Whalsay 0400-0600z
Muckle Roe SI-18 SH-29 1130-1530z
Ferry home
NOTE: FOULA, OUTER SKERRIES
and PAPA STOUR depend on good weather and calm seas. If any of these prove
impossible, another more accessible island will be activated. [Tnx F5NQL]
17/05/2004: Andre, GM3VLB/p and Alex, GM0DHZ/p will be QRV May 17th to 19th from Coll Island (SCOTIA DI-12, IOSA NH-05), Inner Hebrides (EU-008). QSL via home calls, direct or bureau. [Tnx 425DXN]
17/05/2004: Seven German operators will be activating Ummanz Island (IOTA EU-057, O-06 for the German Islands Award) on May 17th to 23rd. They will operate on all bands CW, SSB, RTTY and PSK31. Operators mentioned are: DL1APR (Frank), DL1APW (Bernd), DL1NUF (Rolf), DL5AOJ (Uwe), DL6AMA (Achim), DL9NDS (Uwe) and DM3BJ (Karl). QSL via their home callsigns. [Tnx OPDX]
19/05