.The Canadian Amateur Radio Bulletin
The Canadian Amateur Radio Bulletin is a weekly service that brings you the latest in Amateur Radio News from around the world. Providing over 30 pages of information every week to keep you up to speed with current events on the Amateur Radio Scene, delivered to over 2400 hams every week.

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Many European hams get early access to  7100 - 7200 kHz   2004-11-3 After WRC 03, the European countries decided that "on condition that harmful interference is not caused to the broadcasting service, administrations may allow stations in the amateur service in Regions 1 and 3, from 1st January 2005 until April 2007, to use frequencies in the band 7100 – 7200 kHz on a secondary basis, using a total radiated power not exceeding 24dBW" (24 dbW is about 250 watts).

ARRSM informed us 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: 7.100- 7.200 on a non interference secondary basis.

Norwegian amateurs have early access with a secondary status as from 1 April 2004 with a maximum power of 100 Watts.

Since 19 April 2004 amateurs in Iceland have access to 7100 - 7200 kHz with a maximum power of 100 Watts.

Amateurs in Ireland have early access from 20 October 2004 with a maximum power 100 Watts. See http://www.comreg.ie/_fileupload/publications/ComReg0277R5.pdf

Amateurs in UK have early access from 31 October 2004 with a maximum power 400 Watts See http://www.ofcom.org.uk/licensing_numbering/radiocomms/am_radio/ap_forms/notice_full/?a=87101

The National Allocation Table of Serbia & Montenegro (version 13 August 2004) shows a primary allocation for the Amateur service in the segment 7100 - 7200 kHz, however until 29 March 2009 the Broadcasting Service also has a primary allocation in this segment.

As a birthday present from the Swiss Regulatory Authority BAKOM to USKA at their 75th anniversary, it was announced that 7,1 – 7,2 MHz will be available for all HB9 amateurs on a secondary, non-interference basis with a maximum power of 100 Watts as from the 1st of January 2005. See http://www.uska.ch/html/de/hfvhf/40m.htm

Other countries where Member Societies have approached their authorities for an early access are Belgium, Czech Republic and Netherlands.

Current studies of the existing segment between 7100 and 7200 kHz during the summer broadcasting season indicates that there is little use of this segment by broadcast stations in Europe during daylight hours. Those stations that are active appear to be targeting programming into Eastern Europe and the Middle East and are unlikely to be caused interference by a low powered service operating in their transmitted signal null.

The subject was brought up by IARU Region 1 in the CEPT Working Group Frequency Management Meeting in Budapest on 22 September 2004. The proposal to change the European Allocation Table (with an additional Recommendation) was supported by Netherlands, Norway, Switzerland and United Kingdom and will be on the agenda of the next WGFM meeting in January 2005 (The January meetings normally address ECA changes)

Outside Region 1
Salomon Islands (H44) allow amateur operations in the segment 7100 kHz - 7200 kHz with 400 W effective July 2004. Source: Bernhard Stefan, DL2GAC/H44MS.

Thanks to IARU Region 1 External Relations Committee Chairman Hans Blondeel Timmerman PB2T

(RAC News Service)

The final log book of one of the UK’s best-known radio amateurs has been saved for posterity. The late Louis Varney, G5RV, was one of the founder members of the Chelmsford Amateur Radio Society in 1936, so when eagle-eyed Chelmsford club member Duncan, M0KGK, spotted that G5RV's last ever logbook was being auctioned on e-bay, the club decided to buy it. Duncan did the bidding and despite fierce competition managed to secure the logbook in the last eight seconds of auction.

(RSGB)

UK Hams get expanded 40 Metre Privileges Ofcom and the Radio Society of Great Britain are pleased to announce that all necessary procedures required for early access to the 7.1 to 7.2MHz spectrum for all UK radio amateurs have been finalized and that access is allowed from 01.00 UTC on Sunday 31st October 2004.  Early access is granted on a Secondary (non-interference) basis using a maximum of 26dBW (400 watts) PEP.

(Jeremy Boot, G4NJH)

Australia looks AR VOIP Rules The Australian Communications Authority -- the A-C-A -- says that it is reviewing telecommunications regulations to cover fast-emerging voice over Internet protocol services.  In a discussion paper released about a week and a half ago, the A-C-A says that it aims to identify any regulatory challenges resulting from the increased availability of VoIP services and recommend to the government how those challenges might be met.  What affect any changes might have to ham radio VoIP interconnects in Australia is to early to assess at this time. (WIA News)

DERA Relief Team Gives a Leg up to Haiti Ham Radio Disaster Communication (Nov 3, 2004)

Thanks to a husband-wife team, Amateur Radio in Haiti has taken a giant step toward being able to meet that Caribbean country's present and future disaster communication needs. Under the banner of the Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Response Association (DERA) and Many Waters Resource Network, ARRL member Catherine Lawhun, KG4UKI, and another ham radio volunteer already had tickets and passports in hand to travel to Haiti to provide communication support for flood relief in the hard-hit city of Gonaives.

Full Story:  www.arrl.org/news/stories/2004/11/03/3/?nc=1

(ARRL News Service)

Big changes to the Canadian Amateur Radio Bulletin

We have had several recommendations come in over the past few months on what you, the ham radio public would like to see in the bulletin. Following many of these recommendations the 'Canadian Amateur Radio Bulletin' will include the following new features.

1) Feature articles, including pictures of events happening in the Amateur Radio Community.  2) More local content, we have been working hard at trying to gather information from all the Provinces and are pleased to announce that we now have an Atlantic Region Correspondent (please see Atlantic Regions news  area for full details). Working at bringing in help from other Provinces at this time. If you feel you would like to take on the role of correspondent in your Province and gather information for the bulletin please contact the bulletin editor.

4) Subscribers will still enjoy the comfort of receiving the bulletin delivered to there e-mail box every Sunday, however it will remain a text only bulletin without pictures and larger feature articles. This decision was made as not to bog down e-mail boxes with a very large publication as many subscribers are on dial-up connections.

5) On a final note, all amateurs are encouraged to send in articles of club events, ARES news and items of interest to the Amateur Radio Community.

It is hoped these new features will make the 'Canadian Amateur Radio Bulletin' a more enjoyable and informative publication for all.

73 Jim Taylor VA3KU
Bulletin Editor
www.hfradio.net

Oct.26 2004  QCWA 2004 International Convention in Ottawa great success The Quarter Century Wireless Association held its 2004 International Convention in Ottawa, Canada the weekend of October 15. Delegates were welcomed from the United States and various regions of Canada.

Ken Oelke VE6AFO discussed “Moonbounce Basics and Beyond”, with emphasis on how to get started. This was followed by Brice Wightman VE3EDR describing the record-breaking organizational and technical achievement of Category 35A at Field Day 2000 by local Ottawa amateurs. Dick Bonnycastle VE3FUA.explained the popular rechargeable battery types, and the charging methods for each. In his talk “Using RF Fingerprinting & Wireless Profiling”, Elias Zaydan VE3EKZ, showed us some of the latest developments in radio frequency security and how criminals and terrorists can be located and identified. Well known for his antenna articles, Jack Belrose VE2CV, spoke on “Truths and Untruths about Electrically Small Antennas” including mini-loops. Jim Dean VE3IQ, substituting for Ken Pulfer VE3PU, spoke on “Spectrum Challenges & Opportunities” and the role of the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU). Don’t take the amateur radio bands for granted! We are just guests in some of them.

Convention attendees met and enjoyed the evening Meet & Greet! Between sessions and during the evenings, delegates were able to socialize in the convention hospitality suite hosted by Doreen and Ed Morgan VE3CGO and VE3GX.

Clare Fowler VE3NPC in his talk “Past-Present-Future of Amateur Satellites” provided lots of how-to and getting started information. Regrets were presented by Clare on behalf of Gerald Youngblood AC5OG who was to speak on “Software-Defined Radios for the Masses” but had to cancel his trip up from Texas. Dave Conn VE3KL presented his developing “Antenna Family Tree” web site with its overview of most antenna types, comparing the performance of each. “Super-Regenerative Receivers” by Lea Barker, reviewed this interesting technology from another era. This was followed by a nostalgic illustrated history of Airborne Radio Equipment by Ralph Cameron VE3BBM. “What’s That Racket?” Ken Asmus VA3KA and Richard Bandla VE3CVG explained the various current HF Digital Modes, what they sound like, and how to get started. An informative talk on “Noise in Receiving Systems” by Dave Conn VE3KL showed what to expect and how to reduce receiver noise level at your home location. Bert Barry VE3QAA described his reversible 160 M Beverage receiving antennas to an envious audience. Larry McCalvy WA9MJO took us on an imaginary cruise, which could become real, should we attend the 2005 QCWA Alaska Cruise in August of next year!

The convention highlight was the banquet featuring a humorous and interesting tale of Canada’s Secret Nuclear Bunker and Communications Centre by guest speaker Brian Jeffrey VE3UU.

Were we finished? Not quite – All Aboard for the steam train through the Gatineau hills and fall colours of Quebec to Wakefield!

In addition to Convention Chair George Roach VE3BNO and Past President Croft Taylor VE3CT, were these additional convention volunteers from host Chapter 70: Keith Bedal VE3GFI, Ernie Brown VA3OEB, Gord Grant VE3DY, Don Heaslip VE3NJH, Margaret Heaslip VE3EQE, Graham Ide VE3BYT, Guy Ladouceur VE3WGL, Marjorie Lalonde, Elsie & Joe Parkinson VE3JG, Dave Parks VE3AV, Joan Powell VE3ZC, Susan & Paul Scott VA3PFS, and Bob Zieman, VE3ATN.

(Thanks to Doug Leach, VE3XK)

Nov. 11 2004   A Day of Remembrance On November 11th, we have the opportunity to remember the efforts of those special Canadians. In remembering, we pay homage to those who responded to their country's need. On November 11th, we wear poppies. We pause for two minutes of silent tribute, and we attend commemorative ceremonies in memory of our war-time dead.

RAC Canada Winter Contest  Dec. 18 2004 In December each year, the Radio Amateurs of Canada (RAC) sponsors the Canada Winter Contest. Amateurs all over the world are invited to participate. Contest Period: 0000 UTC to 2359 UTC on December 18, 2004.

(RAC News Service)

Nov. 2 2004  The Canadian Amateur Radio Bulletin needs your help.

I am asking all hams that enjoy the many website services to help out with a small contribution. Full details on how this can be done can be found online at: www.hfradio.net/about.html

Thank you for your continued support,
Jim Taylor VA3KU
Administrative Services

From the desk of  D. Howard Dickson - VE1DHD

On the one hand I have been most impressed by the quality of the product, and the effort that Jim puts into the production of this weekly bulletin with information for all Radio Amateurs in Canada. On the other hand I have been disappointed that there has not been more information in this publication on the many and varied activities of Hams in the Atlantic Region. I hope to change that – BUT….I will need your help. The Canadian Amateur Radio Bulletin is an ideal way to highlight the many and varied activities of Radio Amateurs in the Atlantic Provinces and to make this available to colleagues in this region and across the country. In other words, it provides us with a stage to "strut our stuff", and from my perspective, we have a great deal to be proud of, to share and to make known to others. If your Club publishes a newsletter, please do send me a copy – electronic version preferred and I will (with your permission) to extract appropriate material to send on to Jim.

The cost for the meal and an evening of fun and camaraderie is $13.95 per person, with a discount for those over 60.  All Radio Amateurs and their families are invited to join with members of the Halifax Amateur Radio Club.

Reservations are required - to reserve a place please contact Tom Caithness - VE1GTC - at: tom.caithness@ns.sympatico.ca

We hope to see you on the 15th.

Halifax Amateur Radio Club Supports JOTA 2004

In my former life as a teacher and researcher at Dalhousie University, the one thing that I truly looked forward to each academic year was the day spent judging the Regional Science Fair in Halifax.  The eager anticipation and the excitement that these young people display for science is always thrilling to see.  This fall I discovered the Amateur Radio counterpart to the Science Fair, and it is the Jamboree on the Air (JOTA).

I and three colleagues - Dick Grantham (VE1AI); Win Hartlin (VE1WIN) and Andrew Crawford (VE1VAC - a recent graduate of our local Basic Ham Classes in Halifax) and I set up at the Minesville Scout Camp just up the Eastern Shore from Dartmouth.  Thirty, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed scouts, ranging in age from eleven to thirteen, were on hand to greet us at 8am on a foggy and cool October 16th morning.  They pitched in and helped us to erect a thirty-foot pole that served as the top end for a 20-metre inverted-"V" dipole.  That, together with a seven-element 2-meter beam, allowed us to get the Scouts onto both HF and the IRLP system through the VE1HNS repeater in Halifax.
 

The young people had a wonderful time.  One of the Scouts who comes from an Acadian family was fluent in French and he was delighted to spend time with François Clouthier - VE2KT in Quebec City - conversing in his mother tongue.  Another Scout - an eleven-year old Korean lad - was astounded to be able to talk with Dale Tongue (HL9NP) in Seoul South Korea.  While the bands that weekend were not that great, the HF station was also able to make a number of excellent contacts into the UK and all around the USA. If you have never participated in a JOTA event, I would recommend it highly to you and your Club.

. Dick - VE1AI - demonstrates CW to an excited young Scout

The excitement generated on the faces of these young people is all the thanks that you will need for a day of truly memorable Amateur Radio.

73 - Howard Dickson - VE1DHD
Secretary, Halifax Amateur Radio Club

Twenty-four Prospective Hams take the Basic Amateur Radio Classes in Halifax

The Halifax Amateur Radio Club is again offering its Basic Ham Radio Classes this year. When the registration topped a dozen we were forced to abandon our plan to hold the classes in the Club Station in the Bloomfield Centre in Halifax.  Fortunately, Tom Caithness - VE1GTC - a former fire fighter in Halifax, with good upper-level connections in the fire service was able to secure the fire training school classroom in the Knightsridge Fire Station for our use.   This was a good move, as the registration continued to grow and we now have twenty-four - now actually only twenty-three students, because Andrew Crawford was forced to drop out when his wife's work schedule changed and he become the designated baby sitter on Thursday evenings.  However, the good news is that Andrew has a strong background in electronics and has always wanted to be a Ham.  He boned up on the Q-codes and the IC Regulations, and three weeks into the course he wrote and passed the exam.  Andrew is now licenses as VE1VAC and is already working on getting his CW qualification.

The students in the class this year come from a variety of backgrounds.  We have an Air Canada Jaz pilot, several members of our local Ground Search and Rescue Team, and two couples who are avid sailors and want to compliment their marine SSB capabilities with Amateur Radio.  We also have several students from the military in Halifax, an optometrist, a water resource manager, and a retired Lt. Col. from the Artillery, to mention but a few.

Classes started in early September and we expect to have twenty-four new Hams on the air by the end of March 2005.

Recent Halifax Ham-course Graduate Develops a Musical Approach to Learning CW

Andrew Crawford - VE1VAC - is not only a recently licenses Ham, but he also sings in the Dartmouth Coral in Metro Halifax.  Andrew has combined his love for music and the need to get up to 5 WPM in Morse Code, by developing a novel approach to learning CW that involves putting dits and das to music.  If you are finding it difficult to learn Morse Code, the musical approach that Andrew has taken may appeal to you.  Visit his site at: http://www.cognimetric.com/acrawford/codemusic - Andrew is happy to have you down-load the two mp3 files that you will find there.

As Andrew says: "If you are musically inclined you might find that you can learn the rhythms of Morse characters by listening to music. Here is some music (I use the word "music" in a rather loose sense!) which you can use as part of your learning process. In truth, no one is going to listen to this stuff for its compelling musical qualities - but that's not the intention!"

Maritime Provinces Callbook - 2004

Every three years or so, the Halifax Amateur Radio Club (HARC) undertakes the massive task of producing the now greatly anticipated and highly valued Maritime Provinces Callbook.

I naively agreed this year to serve as Editor for the Callbook and quickly learned just how much I had been taking for granted when it came to this undertaking.  It is a massive job.  Not only is it necessary to check each of the 4500 or so callsigns in the region to ensure that they are accurate - we can thank Bill Elliott (VE1MR) for this part of the task - but the latest updates need to be gathered from all of the ARCs in the region and all repeater data verified and plotted on provincial maps.  Yes, a huge job, but one that is well worth the effort, and one that is made much easier by a team approach.  I was fortunate to have a group of nine colleagues to share the load. The production of the Callbook provides the Halifax Club with a major source of income, which to used to support other Club activities, including the many public service contributions that members make each year.  Other clubs in the region gain financially from the work of HARC as well, because Callbook bulk orders are sold to Maritime

By the way, there are still a few Callbooks remaining from our 2004 press run of 1200 books, so if you need one, please contact Fraser MacDougall - VE1WO@RAC.ca.

Howard Dickson - VE1DHD
Callbook Editor

Maritime Swap Shop

The Maritime Swap Shop is held every Tuesday at 2330z or 7:30 local time on 3.750 MHz. All station are invited to checkin and post their wants and items for sale. The Maritime Swap Shop list can be found on many places on the internet, here are just a few: The Loyalist City Amateur Radio Club ,  hfradio.net ,    VE1AIC's Home Page  and  Truro Amateur Radio Club

Club meetings are held at the St. Ignatius of Loyola Parish Church which is located at 4455 West Broadway (the corner of West Broadway and Terrebonne) in the N.D.G. District of Montreal. The meetings will be held in the Lounge which is the rearmost door on the south side of the building unless we have reason to hold it in the Parish Hall which is the first door on the South side of the building. An informal fleamarket and ragchew session starts at 19:30 with the formal meeting starting at 20:00. The STM Buses 51, 162 and 105 stop nearby. Any one interested in Amateur Radio is welcome to visit one of our meetings enjoy the presentation and talk to the members.

Meetings are on the 3rd Monday of each month except July 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.

QRP Special Event Station VC3W Jeff Hetherington VA3JFF, of Welland Ontario says will be operating QRP Special Event Station VC3W from 0000Z 23 October 2004 until 2359Z 23 December 2004. The call sign will be used to commemorate the 175th Anniversary of the Opening of the original Welland Canal.

ARCI Fall QSO Party
CQWW Contests
Canada Winter Contest
November 13 1700Z on 14.260 from The Island, ON-109 for Canadian Islands Program
November 14 1700Z on 14.260 from Merritt Island, ON-110 for Canadian Islands Program

Jeff will be active on all bands, 2 through 160 at some point in time over the period of authority for VC3W.
QSL Route is direct or bureau to VA3JFF.

(RAC News Service)

Oct. 29 2004  QCWA Chapter 73 announces new level of membership

QCWA, Fred Hammond Chapter 73, which meets at "The Plainsman" restaurant (on highway 5, Flamboro On.) twice a year for a luncheon announces a new level of membership called "A Friend of Chapter 73".

This membership  only applies to non licensed persons, or to amateurs licensed less than 25 years. It allows you to join us for the luncheons, receive the mailings, and meet your on the air friends. Once you reach the 25 year licensed mark, the membership is revoked, as we hope you would join QCWA and Chapter 73 at that time.

As a "A Friend of Chapter 73" you help to support the scholarship program for college or university students as well. You cannot vote or hold office in the Chapter as "A Friend".

If interested, an convenient application form is available at: www.hfradio.net/QCWA_app.doc

(Ernie VE3OU)

Looking for that special piece of radio gear to finish off your ham station? Do you have extra radio gear you'd like to turn into some cash?

The Swap Shop list is posted every Monday on the Trans Provincial Net website, Ontario Swap Shop Listings , the swap shop list can also be found on packet by calling up VE3DID

(Nick VE3NJG)

Ken Raymer VE3PNY Silent Key   Oct. 30 2004

I regret to announce the passing of Ken Raymer VE3PNY. In addition to his active participation in Amateur Radio, Ken was a professional radio operator for Air Canada for 30 years prior to his retirement.

The following is his obituary taken from the Brampton Guardian.

RAYMER, Kenneth On Saturday October 30, 2004 at the Brampton Memorial Hospital at the age of 83. Predeceased by his wife Kathleen (2002). Loving father to Janine and her husband Randy Barnett. Cherished grandad of Erin Bumbaca and her husband Eric, Paul Barnett and Jonathan Barnett. Proud great-grandfather to Madison Bumbaca. Mr. Raymer was employed by Air Canada for 30 years. Friends may call the Andrews Community Funeral Centre 8190 Dixie Road, Brampton (North of Steeles Ave.) 905-456-8190 on Friday, November 5, 2004 from 2-4pm and 7-9pm Funeral Service to be held at Bramalea Baptist Church 9050 Dixie Road, Brampton on Saturday November 6, 2004 at 11am. Private interment at Dixon Hill Cemetery, Markham. In lieu of Flowers, memorial donations to Overseas Missionary Fellowship (OMF) and a visit with Mrs. G., would be greatly appreciated by the family. "To Be With Christ is Far Better"

(Submitted by Don Cassel VE3XD)

Amateur Radio Emergency Service News (Public Service) Ontario Region

Oct. 23 2004 Simulated Emergency Test at the Owen Sound Fire Hall:
This article appeared in the Monday, Oct 25, edition of the Owen Sound Sun Times

Ready for the real thing By Denis Langlois Sun Times staff

Amateur radio operators from Grey County simulated a municipal disaster Saturday in Owen Sound to practise their emergency communications skills. Operators used the Owen Sound Emergency Amateur Radio Station, located in the city's fire department, and their own radios to send simulated emergency messages.     The scenario is part of annual nationwide simulated emergency tests. They're an important way to prepare for real emergencies and to keep operators' skills fresh, participants noted.  "They're very important for us, because whenever you're dealing with any kind of emergency situation, you don't want to find out there are problems with the system when there's an emergency. If there's any bumps in the road, so to speak, or if there are any difficulties or some part of your procedure just doesn't work, you want to find that out during friendly times.

Nov. 7 2004  Maple Ridge ARC Giant Ham & Computer Swap Meet
Sponsored by:  The Maple Ridge Amateur Radio Club
Location:  The Old Rec Center 12460 Harris Road Pitt Meadows 1 Block South of the Lougheed Hwy on Harris Road. Pitt Meadows BC
Opens: Vendors 7 am, Public 9 am to 1
Cost: Admission $3, Tables $20
Talkin: VE7RMR 147.800 (-) 600 Tone 156.7
Notes:  Pancake Breakfast between 8:am and 9:am includes 2 Pancakes 3 sausages and Beverage of choice Tea, Coffee, or Juice. After (:am Concession will have Donuts and Coffee. Lots of room for vendors. Plenty of space for public to move around.
For more info visit: http://www.qsl.net/ve7rmr

The Regina Amateur Radio Association will be holding their Fall Flea Market on Saturday Nov. 13, 2004 at the SGI Claim Center (North) - (kitty-corner NE from Sherwood Mall )  1121 McCarthy Blvd. North  Regina, SK from 9:00 am to Noon  The Regina Amateur Radio Association is a group of amateur radio enthusiasts who meet the second Wednesday of each month, except for July and August, at the Saskatchewan Science Centre in Regina at 7:30 pm.

Nov. 5 2004 Tad Cook K7RA Solar Update The quiet geomagnetic conditions and big sunspots of last week couldn't last forever, and unfortunately there was some geomagnetic upset on Saturday, October 30, the first day of the CQ World Wide DX Phone weekend. Conditions weren't terrible, although higher latitude and polar paths were more difficult.

This weekend is the ARRL Sweepstakes CW contest. With active geomagnetic conditions predicted for Saturday, it could be a bit rough. High latitude and polar paths are affected most. Since this isn't a DX contest, propagation over the poles isn't much concern, but working VE8 and KL7 multipliers could be a bit rough. We hope it is more moderate than the current prediction, but the prediction is for higher A and K indices than last weekend.

Now that October has passed, we can calculate and compare monthly averages of daily sunspot numbers and solar flux, perhaps to see some trends. Although both measures were up slightly in October, this solar continues to decline.

The monthly average of daily sunspot numbers, October 2003 through October 2004 were 118.9, 103, 75.7, 62.3, 75.6, 81, 59.3, 77.3, 77, 87.8, 69.6, 50 and 77.9.

The monthly averages of daily solar flux for the same period were 155.5, 140.8, 116.1, 114.1, 107, 112.1, 101.2, 99.8, 97.4, 119.8, 110, 103 and 106.

For more information concerning propagation and an explanation of the numbers used in this bulletin see the ARRL Technical Information Service propagation page: www.arrl.org/tis/info/propagation.html

(ARRL News Service)

Nov. 6  2004  Solar and propagation report, compiled by Neil Clarke, G0CAS,and Martin Harrison, G3USF.

Solar activity over the last week was moderate to high. Numerous M class solar flares have taken place. Along with these flares, sudden ionospheric disturbances and coronal mass ejections also occurred. solar flux levels increased slightly from 136 units to 141. The average was 138 which is 9 units up on last week. The 90 day solar flux average rose 3 units compared to last week and stands at 109. X-ray flux levels averaged B4.6 units and varied little. Despite a number coronal mass ejections, none were large enough to cause a magnetic storm. In fact, the Ap index remained in single figures most days. The average was Ap 8 units. solar wind speeds declined from 480 kilometres per second to 340 by Friday. Particle densities were around 15 particles per cubic centimetre for most of the period.

With the relatively high solar flux levels and the geomagnetic field quiet on most days HF band conditions were yet again very good. 28MHz was open most days to all continents with the lower HF bands much the same but remaining open later in the evening than 10 metres. Even 50MHz, saw a few brief sporadic E openings, particularly earlier in the week.

Prospects for the coming week look rather good. Solar activity should be at least moderate on most days. A major solar flare is possible over the next few days. Solar flux levels should start to decline by midweek and by next week be around the 120 mark. Today could see the geomagnetic field at active levels. The possibility of Earth directed coronal mass ejection and a moderate to severe magnetic storm exists till at least midweek. MUFs at equal latitudes should be about 27MHz in the south and 24MHz in the north. Darkness hour lows, now in seasonal decline, will be in the region of 7MHz. Paths this week to Australia should have a maximum usable frequency with a 50 per cent chance of around 25MHz. The optimum working frequency with a 90 per cent success rate should be about 19MHz. The best time to try this path will be between 0900 and 1400 hours UTC. However, the polar paths will be the first to suffer during any mag storm that may take place.

That's all for this week and 73s from Neil, G0CAS and Martin, G3USF

(G3USF)

And some possible god news for hams tired of the rather poor High Frequency band conditions these days. It comes from the GB2RS News Service which says that American physicist David Hathaway believes that the next solar minimum could arrive sooner than previously predicted.

GB2RS News quotes on an article on the 'Science at NASA' website. It predicts that the next solar minimum could occur in late 2006.  That's about a year earlier than previously thought

Dr. Hathaway bases his prediction on data from the last eight solar cycles, which show that solar minimum follows the first sunspot-free day on the sun by 34 months.  In this solar cycle, the first spotless day was on 28th January this year and more recently, on 11th and 12th October, there were two more spotless days.

Hathaway goes on to state that the next solar maximum might also come early.  He is quoted as saying that solar activity intensifies rapidly after solar minimum.  That in recent cycles, the Solar Max has followed Solar Minimum by just four years.  If that is the case, the next solar maximum could be not all that far away in 2010 and a Solar Max is good news for D-Xing.

(GB2RS)

ISS Ham Station temporarily QRT

Ken Ransom, N5HVO confirms that the ham radio station on board the International Space Station is back on the air in packet mode.  It had been off for several days without explanation but on Wednesday, October 19th, Astronaut Leroy Chow, KE5BRW, was able to check on the radio first thing today and resolved a minor setting discrepancy.  Information on its operation is on-line at  www.ariss.net and www.issfanclub.com.

Four years ago this week, the Expedition 1 crew arrived aboard the International Space Station, home of the first permanent Amateur Radio station in space. Just weeks earlier, the FCC granted the station's distinctive NA1SS call sign. Full Story: www.arrl.org/news/features/2004/11/03/1/?nc=1

A full scale model of the original OSCAR satellite has been put on display at the Smithsonian's Udvar Hazy Facility. Housed in the James S. McDonnell Space Hangar which opened for the first time on November 1, 2004, OSCAR was joined by the thermal mass model of PCsat and an engineering model of NUSAT 1, built by students at several Utah universities.

As Discovery continues to be processed for its launch planning window of May 12 to June 3, 2005, technicians progress with important orbiter power-up system testing. This testing is required prior to the vehicle rolling over to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB). Once in the VAB, the orbiter will be mated to its twin Solid Rocket Boosters and External Tank.  Checkout of the new Multi-functional Electronic Display System, or “glass cockpit,” was successfully completed.

Atlantis (OV-104)   Final power-down work continues in the Orbiter Processing Facility prior to Atlantis’ scheduled power up the week of Nov. 15. During the extensive power-down period, technicians performed the Return to Flight modifications which included wiring installation for the External Tank separation camera, wing leading edge sensors and relay units, and the Orbiter Boom Sensor System.

Freon coolant loop servicing continues. Freon is scheduled to be added to the loop today. Leak checks were successfully completed on water spray boiler No. 3 and it has been reinstalled on the vehicle. Each Water Spray Boiler cools a corresponding Auxiliary Power Unit’s lube oil system and hydraulic system by spraying water on its lines. Thermal Protection System blanket installation continues in the payload bay.

Endeavour (OV-105)   Space Shuttle Endeavour is in its Orbiter Major Modification period, which began in December 2003. Electrical modifications continue in the crew module. Three-String Global Positioning System wire routing in the avionics bay and flight deck continues.

Installation of the left outboard elevon is underway. Left- and right-hand forward payload bay doors No. 1 and 2 closeout inspections continue. Orbiter electrical wire harness and connector closeouts are progressing well.

(SpaceRef.com)

Useful life of UO-22 satellite appears over, AMSAT-UK reports

According to AMSAT-UK, the UO-22 satellite is not in good shape its useful life may be over. "The SSTL [Surrey Satellite Technology Limited] Ground Station control centre at the University of Surrey have attempted several times in recent weeks to reactivate the satellite," AMSAT-UK reports. "After one attempt it did come back to life, but only briefly. Other attempts have failed completely." The SSTL ground control station may make further attempts to reactivate UO-22, "but it seems unlikely that they will be completely successful." The cause of the satellite's failure is not known for certain, but SSTL believes it may be related either to the spacecraft’s batteries or to the fact that the satellite is very hot due to orbital precession, which has put it generally in full sunlight. The elevated ! temperature has been causing problems with the receivers as well as with the batteries. Launche! d on July 17, 1991, from Kourou, French Guiana, UO-22 has served for many years as the 9k6 baud store-and-forward satellite for the Amateur Radio packet radio worldwide SatGate service, which linked packet radio networks in many countries. AMSAT-NA reports UO-22 as "non-operational." For further information on UO 22 contact Jim Heck, G3WGM g3wgm@amsat.org.

For full details: www.uk.amsat.org

An Open University research student will reveal her findings on what caused one of the world's 'Big Five' mass extinctions at the Geological Society of America's annual meeting in Denver, USA, this month.  PhD student Charlotte Pearce will input into the debate as to whether a meteorite impact or volcanic eruption caused the Cretaceous Tertiary Boundary (KTB) mass extinction 65-million-years-ago.

The cause of this mass extinction has received much attention from scientists over the last 25 years, since the detection of iridium-rich cosmic debris at the boundary layer around the world -- an element known to be rare on earth. This led to the theory that a meteorite impact could have been responsible for the debris and the mass extinction; the 180 km wide Chicxulub impact crater was eventually discovered in the Gulf of Mexico.

However, on the other side of the world, massive volcanic eruptions, known as the Deccan Traps continental flood basalt province, were simultaneously reaching their peak, forming a 2.5km thick pile of lava.

"Both the Chicxulub impact and the Deccan eruptions would have had the potential to induce detrimental environmental changes serious enough to significantly affect terrestrial ecosystems," says Charlotte.

"Dust-induced darkness, acid rain, wild fires and global warming would all have played a role in inducing biospheric trauma, but the timescales over which these were effective would be expected to be different, dependent on the event that caused them," she adds.

Charlotte used chemical and isotopic fingerprinting techniques on molecular fossils from North America, and more recently from New Zealand, to investigate patterns which would establish whether there was instantaneous change (as the result of a meteorite impact) or gradual change within the ecosystem (as caused by prolonged volcanism).

"Carbon isotopes can tell us a lot about the stability of an ecosystem and, together with the identification of molecular fossils, enables past variations in habitat, climate and biology to be investigated.

"The aim of my project is to compare and contrast samples from several terrestrial and marine KTB successions, at varying palaeogeographical distances from the locations associated with the two putative causes of end-Cretaceous environmental stress. In effect the project examines the effects of these two environmental disasters working outwards from the 'ground zero' locations," says Charlotte.

Results taken from samples in the Western Interior of North America show that the ecosystem experienced a short sharp shock at the boundary consistent with a meteorite impact. Early analysis of the New Zealand samples also point to a meteorite impact.

(SpaceRef.com)

The big bang could be a normal event in the natural evolution of the universe that will happen repeatedly over incredibly vast time scales as the universe expands, empties out and cools off, according to two University of Chicago physicists.

"We like to say that the big bang is nothing special in the history of our universe," said Sean Carroll, an Assistant Professor in Physics at the University of Chicago. Carroll and University of Chicago graduate student Jennifer Chen are scheduled to post a paper describing their ideas at http://arxiv.org Thursday evening.

Carroll and Chen's research addresses two ambitious questions: why does time flow in only one direction, and could the big bang have arisen from an energy fluctuation in empty space that conforms to the known laws of physics?

The question about the arrow of time has vexed physicists for a century because "for the most part the fundamental laws of physics don't distinguish between past and future. They're time-symmetric," Carroll said.

And closely bound to the issue of time is the concept of entropy, a measure of disorder in the universe. As physicist Ludwig Boltzmann showed a century ago, entropy naturally increases with time. "You can turn an egg into an omelet, but not an omelet into an egg," Carroll said.

But the mystery remains as to why entropy was low in the universe to begin with. The difficulty of that question has long bothered scientists, who most often simply leave it as a puzzle to answer in the future. Carroll and Chen have made an attempt to answer it now.

Previous researchers have approached questions about the big bang with the assumption that entropy in the universe is finite. Carroll and Chen take the opposite approach. "We're postulating that the entropy of the universe is infinite. It could always increase," Chen said.

To successfully explain why the universe looks as it does today, both approaches must accommodate a process called inflation, which is an extension of the big bang theory. Astrophysicists invented inflation theory so that they could explain the universe as it appears today. According to inflation, the universe underwent a period of massive expansion in a fraction of a second after the big bang.

But there's a problem with that scenario: a "skeleton in the closet," Carroll said. To begin inflation, the universe would have encompassed a microscopically tiny patch in an extremely unlikely configuration, not what scientists would expect from a randomly chosen initial condition. Carroll and Chen argue that a generic initial condition is actually likely to resemble cold, empty space-not an obviously favorable starting point for the onset of inflation.

In a universe of finite entropy, some scientists have proposed that a random fluctuation could trigger inflation. This, however, would require the molecules of the universe to fluctuate from a high-entropy state into one of low entropy-a statistical longshot.

"The conditions necessary for inflation are not that easy to start," Carroll said. "There's an argument that it's easier just to have our universe appear from a random fluctuation than to have inflation begin from a random fluctuation."

Carroll and Chen's scenario of infinite entropy is inspired by the finding in 1998 that the universe will expand forever because of a mysterious force called "dark energy." Under these conditions, the natural configuration of the universe is one that is almost empty. "In our current universe, the entropy is growing and the universe is expanding and becoming emptier," Carroll said.

But even empty space has faint traces of energy that fluctuate on the subatomic scale. As suggested previously by Jaume Garriga of Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona and Alexander Vilenkin of Tufts University, these flucuations can generate their own big bangs in tiny areas of the universe, widely separated in time and space. Carroll and Chen extend this idea in dramatic fashion, suggesting that inflation could start "in reverse" in the distant past of our universe, so that time could appear to run backwards (from our perspective) to observers far in our past.

Regardless of the direction they run in, the new universes created in these big bangs will continue the process of increasing entropy. In this never-ending cycle, the universe never achieves equilibrium. If it did achieve equilibrium, nothing would ever happen. There would be no arrow of time.

"There's no state you can go to that is maximal entropy. You can always increase the entropy more by creating a new universe and allowing it to expand and cool off," Carroll explained.

Source: University of Chicago

US Coast Guard Auxiliary seeks radio amateurs  (Nov. 4 2004)

CQ, CQ CQ! The US Coast Guard Auxiliary is looking for Amateur Radio operators or prospective amateur licensees. "Like every other emergency based service, the Coast Guard operates every day, in good weather and in bad," says Wayne Spivak, KC2NJV, of the USCG's National Public Affairs Department.

Visit the US Coast Guard Auxiliary Web site to start the process. www.cgaux.org

(ARRL News Service)

Disaster Numbers for 2003

If you are involved in emergency communications, these numbers will be of interest to you.

According to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, natural disasters killed 76,806 people in 2003.  This is three times the number of victims than died in 2002 with the rise due in part to extremes in the global climate.

The joint society report noted that an earthquake that killed 31,000 people in the Iranian city of Bam and a heat wave in Europe that killed 35,000.  They say that these were major contributing factors in the higher toll victim toll.

All of this is a good reason for hams to be prepared for any emergency situation.

(ARNewsline)

New release of PacTerm 3 for Windows

Creative Services Software has announced the release of PacTerm 3 for Windows.  This latest software includes a new user interface in a single window,  a built in generic logging program, the M T 63 soundcard mode, a PSK 62.5 mode, TCP/IP support and much much more. Full details at www.cssincorp.com

(CSS)

Japan International DX Contest--Phone, from 0700Z Nov 13 to 1300Z Nov 14  http://jidx.org/jidxrule-e.html

50th Anniversary European DX Contest (WAEDC)--RTTY, from 0000Z Nov 13 to 2359Z Nov 14. Same rules as WAEDC Phone and CW, except everyone works everyone. QTC can only be exchanged between continents. The WAEDC Super Bowl is new this year at www.darc.de/referate/dx/xedcws.htm

OK/OM DX Contest--CW, sponsored by the Czech Radio Club (CRC) from 1200Z Nov 13-1200Z Nov 14. Frequencies: 160-10-meters. Categories: SOAB-HP (>100 W), SOSB-HP, SOAB-LP, SOSB-LP, SOAB-QRP (<5 W), MS, SWL, packet spotting allowed for all categories. Exchange: RST plus serial number or OK/OM district. QSO Points: EU to OK/OM--1 pt, non-EU to OK/OM--3 pts. Score: QSO points × OK/OM districts (OK/OM stations use WPX prefixes) counted once per band. For more information:http://okomdx.radioamater.cz. Logs due Dec 1 to okomdx@crk.cz or OK-OM DX Contest, CRK, PO Box 69, 113 27 Praha 1, Czech Republic.

RCA QSO Party  - November 6th

From the contest calendar, word that Saturday, November 6th is the date for this years Radio Club of America 20 and 75 meter QSO Party.  The event will start at 4 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on 14 point 280 MHz upper sideband and at 8 p.m. E-S-T move to 3 point 910  lower sideband.  Both frequencies are plus or minus any Q-R-M.  During the party, W2RCA which is the club station of the Radio Club of America will also  be activated.  Logs and suggestions for this contest go to W2ZE by e-mail to mrraide@cbs.com

(W2ZM)

In news of special event operations, the radio group supporting the U-S-S Salem  will be activating K1USN on November 11th for Veterans Day.  Activities will be on most bands using CW and SSB.  During the operation the ship will be open to the public as well as radio amateurs.   A special QSL has been created from the official 2004 Veterans Day Poster. Stateside QSL requests with a S.A.S.E. go to Harold Pugh, K1RV, at his callbook address.  DX cards go via the W1 Bureau

(1VV)

Nov. 15 2004  Brinnon Amateur Radio Club

I would like to invite you and your school radio club to work with our school located in southern NJ for a contact to promote Amateur Radio.  The instructors of our Air Force Junior ROTC class have allowed us to use a class period to introduce Amateur Radio to the students and teacher. This quick introduction is to allow the instructors a chance to see what amateur radio is about and possibly allow further pursing of the hobby within the school. The plan, provided all goes well, is to  introduce and explain what our hobby is about, this introduction will not take long and will quickly move to the radio.

Explanations of emergency communications and such services like The Military Affiliate Radio System (MARS) will be introduced. I am requesting your radio club to do is provide a live HF radio contact within school hours. I would like this time to be used to make a few contacts and give the students the chance to talk on the radio. The event will be held on Monday November 15, 2004 at roughly 1 PM (17:00 UTC) We will be operating on SSB on the 40 7.240  and 20-meter 14.240

(Robert W. Slippey, KC2NLM)

Baton Rouge, LA: USS Kidd ARC/Baton Rouge ARC, W5KID. 1500Z-2300Z Nov 11. Veterans 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.

Nutley, NJ: Robert D. Grant United Labor Amateur Radio Association, N2UL. 1200Z-2200Z Nov 11. CQ Veterans Day. 449.975 28.460 14.260. Certificate. RDGULARA, c/o WA2VJA, 112 Prospect St, Nutley, NJ 07110-0716.

Marysville, KS: Marshall County Amateur Radio Club, W0GCJ. 1400Z Nov 11-0500Z Nov 12. 150th anniversary of Marysville and the 1st KS Territory Post Office. 14.250 14.050 7.250 7.050. Certificate. David Crawford, 905 Pomerory, Blue Rapids, KS 66411. www.qsl.net/w0gcj/event.htm.

Albuquerque, NM: Albuquerque Amateur Radio Club, N5VA. 1500Z Nov 11-0300Z Nov 12. Commermorating Veterans Day at VA Hospital. 28.460 21.360 14.260 7.250. QSL. Thomas R. Lea, 1009 Clancy Dr NE, Albuquerque, NM 87112. www.qsl.net/albuquerquearc

Arlington Heights, IL: Armored Force Amateur Radio Net, KA9NLX. 1800Z Nov 11-2200Z Nov 14. Veterans Day. 21.375 14.325 7.283 7.040. Certificate. John Paskevicz, 1423 North Ridge Ave, Arlington Heights, IL 60004. jpaskev@aol.com.

Madison, MN: West Central Minneota Amateur Radio Club, K0D. 1400Z-2200Z Nov 13. Annual Norsefest (Lutefisk) Celebration. 28.450 21.350 14.260 7.260. Certificate. WA0KNP, 221 10th Ave, Madison, MN 56256.

Stuart, FL: Martin County Amateur Radio Association, K4ZK. 1300Z-1800Z Nov 13. 30th anniversary of MCARA. 14.253. Certificate. MCARA, PO Box 1901, Stuart, FL 34995.

Waterloo, IA: Five Sullivan Brothers Amateur Radio Club, W0FSB. 1500Z Nov 13-2200Z Nov 13. Anniversary of the loss of USS Juneau and the 5 brothers. 146.340 21.240 14.240 7.240. Certificate. Five Sullivan Brothers ARC, 4015 Independence Ave, Waterloo, IA 50703.

San Antonio, TX: San Antonio Radio Club, W5SC. 0000Z Nov 13-0600Z Nov 14. Coral-Gold: San Antonio Radio Club's 85th anniversary. 28.360 21.360 14.260 7.260. QSL. Steve Cerwin, 1619 CR 270, Mico, TX 78056. www.w5sc.org.

Little Rock, AR: Arkansas Section, ARRL, CAREN, ARES Club, W5C. 1500Z Nov 13-2200Z Nov 14. William Jefferson Clinton Presidential Library dedication. 21.360 14.260 14.040 7.250. Certificate. Dennis Schaefer, 181 Schaefer Dr, Dover, AR 72837. www.arkansashams.org

Hackensack, NJ: WW2 Submarine USS Ling, NX2ND. 1300Z-2100Z Nov 14. 4th anniversary of NX2ND/USS Ling. 21.380 14.280 14.055 7.040. Certificate. Bill Stagg, KC2BLN, 38 Rutgers Dr, Oakland, NJ 07436. www.10-70.org.

Nov. 4 2004 ARLD0424 DX News

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

RODRIGUES ISLAND, 3B9.  Robert, 3B9FR has been QRV using SSTV on 10 meters around 1345z and 20 meters after 1630z.  QSL direct.

MAURITANIA, 5T.  Nicolas, 5T5SN has been QRV on 12 meters using CW between 1230 and 1300z.  QSL via IZ1BZV.

PAKISTAN, AP.  Ijaz, AP2IA has been QRV using RTTY on 10 meters before 1200z and on 12 meters after 1200z.  QSL direct.

CHINA, BY.  David, BA4DW is QRV as BA4DW/4 from Changdao, IOTA AS-146, until November 8.  QSL to home call.

TAJIKISTAN, EY.  Jacques, F5LYF and Jean Louis, F5NHJ are QRV as EY/F5NHJ until March 2005.  Activity is on all HF bands and 6 meters, using mainly CW.  QSL via F5NHJ.

PHILIPPINES, DU.  Jon, DU9/N0NM has been QRV on 160 meters around 1100z.  QSL via W4DR.

MAYOTTE, FH.  Gerard, F6BEG is QRV as FH/F6BEG until November 12. Activity is on 20, 15 and 10 meters using CW and SSB, generally from 0400 to 1200z.  QSL to home call.

NEW CALEDONIA, FK.  Masayoshi, JF1UIO is QRV as FK/homecall from Loyalty Island, IOTA OC-033, until Nov. 8  Activity is on 40 to 10 meters using CW and SSB.  QSL to home call.

JAPAN, JA.  JA5BEX/5 and JE5HXJ/5 plan to be QRV from Odesima Island, IOTA AS-076, on November 6 and 7.  QSL via bureau.

SVALBARD, JW.  Erik, LA2VOA is QRV as JW2VOA from Bear Island, IOTA EU-027, until November 25.  Activity is on 80 to 10 meters using mostly SSB.  QSL to home call.

PUERTO RICO, KP4.  Rich, KE3Q will be QRV as WP3R in the ARRL CW Sweepstakes.  QSL to home call.

LITHUANIA, LY.  Ben, OZ5AAH is QRV as LY/OZ5IPA until November 8. He will participate in the IPARC Contest.  QSL to home call.

SOUTH SHETLAND ISLANDS.  Lunkes, PT2HF and Stuckert, PT2GTI will be QRV as ZX0ECF and ZX0GTI, respectively, from the "Estacao Commandante Ferraz" station, IOTA AN-010, on King George Island, from November 11 to 19.  Activity will be on 160 to 6 meters using CW, SSB, RTTY, SSTV and PSK31.  Weather permitting, they may also try to be active from Elephant Island on November 7 and 8.  QSL both calls via PT2GTI.

PALAU, T8.  Aki is QRV as T88QQ and has been active on 30 meters between 1215 and 1530z.  QSL via JA1KAJ.

ANGUILLA, VP2E.  Bill, W5SJ will be QRV as VP2EJ from November 5 to 11.  Activity will be on 80 to 6 meters, using mostly CW.  He will place an emphasis on 6 meters.  QSL via W5FO.

SOUTH ORKNEY ISLANDS.  Mike, GM0HCQ is QRV as VP8SIG in his spare time from Signy Base, IOTA AN-008.  QSL to home call.

AFGHANISTAN, YA.  Rene, DL2JRM is active as YA7X until November 17. Activity is on 160 to 10 meters using CW and SSB.  QSL via DL1JJI.

THIS WEEKEND ON THE RADIO.  The ARRL Sweepstakes CW Contest, IPARC CW Contest, Ukrainian DX Contest, The Radio Club of America QSO Party, North American CW Collegiate ARC Championship, IPARC SSB Contest, High Speed Club CW Contest and the DARC 10-Meter Digital "Corona" Contest will certainly keep contesters busy this weekend. Please see November QST, page 102, and the ARRL and WA7BNM contest websites for details.

(ARRL)

Nov. 6 2004  4 2 5  D X  News Report

3D2 - Naoyuki, JK1FNL will operate as operate as 3D2NA from Mana island (OC-121), Fiji on 19-24 November. Look for him on 80-6 metres SSB, CW, and RTTY. QSL via home call, direct or bureau. [TNX JK1FNL]

3D2 - Team Vertical will operate on 10-160 metres mainly CW from Taveuni Island (OC-016), Fiji on 20-30 November, including a Multi-Multi entry as 3D2XA in the CQ WW DX CW Contest. They will have six low-power stations and ocean-front vertical arrays on all bands and will concentrate on working Europe, with a special emphasis to be be given to 80 and 160 metres. The 160m QRG will be 1825.5, "up 2" for EU/USA, and "down 2" for JA. The operators are AG9A (3D2EE), K2KW (3D2KW), WA6O (3D2OK), W2VJN (3D2SS), N6BT (3D2TS) and KE7X (3D2XA). All QSLs via WA4WTG. More information is available at http://www.k2kw.com/3d2/ [TNX K2KW]

6W  - Dany, F5CW will be active as 6W7RV from Senegal on 19-30 November, possibly including an entry in the CQ WW CW Contest. He will operate from the QTH of 6W7RV, which according to Dany is going to become the first shack available for guest operations in Africa (http://www.le-calao.com/). QSL via F8CMT. [TNX F5CW]

9M2 - Look for Ian, 9M2/G3TMA to operate from Pulau Ketam (AS-074) on 13-15 November. QSL to Ian Buffham, Bekay Court, 7 Lorong Enau (off Jalan Ampang), 55000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. [TNX OPDX Bulletin]

C6  - Randy, W6SJ will be active as C6AWS from 26 November through 2 December, including an entry in the CQ WW DX CW Contest. During non-contest periods he will concentrate on the WARC bands. QSL via home call. [TNX W6SJ]

CX  - Shalom, 4X1UN will be active as CX/4X1UN from Gorriti and Lobos Islands (both count for SA-039) on 11-16 November. He plans to operate SSB and CW on 15 and 20 metres. QSL via home call. [TNX 4X1UN]

DL  - The DL-RTTY-DX-Contest Group (http://www.drcg.de) will participate in the WAE RTTY Contest (13-14 November) as DL0TTY. QSL via bureau. [TNX DL9NEI]

F   - Special call TM6OST will be aired on 14-28 November to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Strasbourg. QSL via F5PWH. [TNX F5NQL]

FK  - Masayoshi, JF1UIO is expected to operate (on 10-40 metres SSB and CW) as FK/JF1UIO from the Loyalty Islands (OC-033) until 8 November. QSL via home call, direct or bureau. [TNX JI6KVR]

FR  - Didier, F5TNI will operate (mainly on CW with some RTTY and PSK) as FR/F5TNI from Reunion Island (AF-016) on 2-22 February. He will also operate as 3B8/F5TNI from Mauritius (AF-049) for one week. QSL via home call, direct or bureau. [TNX F5TNI]

FY  - Jean-Pierre, F5AHO will oerate as FY/F5AHO from French Guiana on 11-24 November, including a side trip to the Salut Islands (SA-020, DIFO FY-008) on 13-14 November. [TNX F5NQL]

HB  - The HB9MM Amateur Radio Club (http://www.hb9mm.com/) has been granted permission to be active as HE3RSI until 3 December. They will operate on 10-40 metres from the former Radio Suisse International (RSI) facilities. RSI has stopped broadcasting on short waves and the station is going to be dismantled. QSL via HB9MM. [TNX F8IXZ]

HI  - Mike, GW3UOF will operate (mainly CW, with some SSB and digital modes) as GW3UOF/HI3 from the Dominican Republic between 28 November and 12 December. QSL via home call, direct or bureau. [TNX GW3UOF]

HV  - Look for HV5PUL to be activated on the HF bands from the Pontificia Universita' Lateranense, Vatican City on 9, 11 and 13 November to celebrate the opening of the 2004-05 academic year. [TNX IW0DJB]

JA  - Look for JA5BEX/5 and JE5HXJ/5 to operate from Odesima Island (AS-076) (JIIA new one) on 6-7 November. QSL via home call, direct or bureau. [TNX JI6KVR]

LU  - A group of operators (callsigns not provided) will be active on all bands and modes as homecall/D from Wood Island (SA-021) on 12-14 November. QSl via LU7DSY (Carlos Almiron, P.O. Box 709, 8000 Bahia Blanca, Argentina). [TNX LU7DR]

LX  - Les, G3VQO will operate as LX/G3VQO (SOAB LP) during the CQ WW DX CW Contest. Before and after the contest he expects to operate on 30 metres, and maybe 17 and 12 metres if conditions permit. QSL via home call, direct or bureau. Logs will be uploaded to LoTW. [TNX G3VQO]

PY  - Ark, PY2ZX and Luiz, PU2OCZ will operate as homecall/PY2 from Comprida Island (SA-024, DIB 021, WWL GG64BX) on 13-15 November. They will concentrate on 50, 144 and 440 MHz SSB, CW and FM; skeds are welcome at py2zx@terra.com.br. QSL via home calls. [TNX PY2ZX]

R1A_ant- Dmitry, RZ3DJ reports that Vlady, RU3HD is heading for Antarctica, where he expect to spend about four months at the Russian base Novolazarevskaya (UA-08 for the Antarctica Award, IOTA AN-016). He plans to operate on all the HF bands as either R1ANN and RU3HD/ANT. QSL via RZ3DJ. [TNX UA9MHN]

V5  - Felix, DL5XL (http://www.dl5xl.de/) will participate in the CQ WW DX CW Contest as V51/DL5XL (SOAB HP) from Namibia. Activity will continue for a few days after the contest. QSL via home call, direct (Felix Riess, Mittal 3, D-31073 Delligsen, Germany) or bureau. [TNX DL5XL]

V7  - Toshi/JA1ELY, Taki/JH3QFL, Nob/JA6WIF and Yasu/JA6WJL will operate from Majuro (OC-029), Marshall Islands on 20-24 November. Requested calls are V73EY, V73B, V73IF and V73WJ, and plans are to operate on all bands and modes with three stations. QSL via home calls. [TNX JA1ELY]

VK  - The Ballarat Amateur Radio Group (BARG) will be operating special event station VI3BML on all bands and modes from 27 November to 5 December to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the rebellion at the Eureka Stockade. QSL via bureau or to VK3BML. [TNX VK3UR]

VP2M - Trond, LA9VDA will be active (160-10 metres CW, SSB and RTTY) as VP2MLA from Montserrat (NA-103) on 19-30 November, CQ WW DX CW Contest included. QSL via home call, direct or bureau (e-amil requests for bureau cards can be sent to la9vda2003@yahoo.no). [TNX LA9VDA]

VP5 - Roger/W7VV, Ralph/VE7XF, Rick/KT7G and Dick/K7BTW will operate as VP5/homecall from Providenciales (NA-002), Turks and Caicos Islands on 21-30 November. They plan to concentrate on the WARC bands and 6 metres
with CW, SSB and digital modes. QSL via home calls. They will participate in the CQ WW DX CW Contest as VP5W (QSL via W7TSQ). [TNX NG3K]

VP8_sg - Mike, GM0HCQ (VP8CMH) has arrived at King Edward Point, South Georgia (AN-007) and has already been active as VP8SGK. He hopes to be able to operate for a few hours each evening. QSL via GM0HCQ. Regular updates are posted at http://www.gm0hcq.com/

W   - Several special event stations (K1G, K2G, K2K, K3A, K3G, K4G, K6A, K8E, K8G, N2A, N2K, N3G, N5I, N6C, N8G, N9A, W4A, W4W, W8A, W8C, W8E, W8G, W8R plus ISAR station N4I) will be active on 6 November to celebrate the the 65th anniversary of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and the fifth International SAR (Search  And Rescue) competition to be held on 5-6 November in Portsmouth, Virginia (http://www.internationalsar.com/). QSL via operator's instructions.

W   - The USS Salem Radio Club (http://www.qsl.net/k1usn/) will activate K1USN on 11 November (Veterans' Day) with operation from the museum ship berthed in the Fore River in Quincy, Massachusetts. QSL via K1RV. [TNX F5NQL]

XU  - Pete, SM5GMZ will be active as XU7ADI from Cambodia from 22 November to 5 December. He will operate mainly CW on all bands, WARC included, and will participate in the CQ WW DX CW Contest. QSL via home call. [TNX NG3K]

YJ  - YJ0ACC and YJ0ASG are the callsigns issued to Carlo, IK6CAC and Elvira, IV3FSG for their 5-13 November activity form Vanuatu [425DXN 700]. [TNX IK6CAC]

YV  - The Caracas DX Group will operate on all modes as YW1F from Cayo Peraza (SA-089) on 19-21 November to celebrate its 15th anniversary. [TNX YV5EED]

ZF  - Pete, N2LM will operate (on 10-80 metres mainly SSB and RTTY) as ZF2PD from Grand Cayman (NA-016) from 26 December through 4 January. QSL via home call. [TNX N2LM]

PACIFIC TRIP ---> Michel/F6COW, Dominique/F6EPY and Radi/F6GNZ will be going on a one-month Pacific DX vacation in November-December, and will operate as follows: 24 Nov-09 Dec ZK1COW, ZK1EPY, ZK1GNZ Rarotonga (OC-013), South Cooks 11 Dec-23 Dec FO/F6COW, FO/F6EPY, FO/F6GNZ Hiva Hoa, Marquesas (OC-027) They will have two stations and will operate mostly CW and SSB with some digital modes (PSK31, RTTY, SSTV) on demand. Expect activity on 80-10 metres, with some 160m if conditions allow, with a priority to the low bands. QSL via home calls. More information is available at http://perso.wanadoo.fr/dominique.auprince/ [TNX F6EPY]

Good to Know

CTC ---> The Croatian Telegraphy Club (Franjevacka 5, 42220 Novi Marof, Croatia) was founded on 12 December 2001 and gathers members from all over the world. For further information please e-mail ctc@hamradio.hr or visit www.qsl.net/ctc [TNX 9A3FO]

40 METRES (IRELAND) ---> The 7100-7200 kHz segment of 40 metres was released to Irish (EI) amateur radio operators on 22 October. Operation in this segment will be on a secondary basis and is subject to a power limit of 20dBW (ERP). [TNX EI2BB and EI7CC]

40 METRES (SWITZERLAND) ---> USKA President Friedrich Tinner, HB9AAQ reports that effective 1 January 2005 amateur radio operators in Switzerland will gain access to the 7100-7200 kHz segment of 40 metres, with a power limit of 100 watts (ERP).

EU-008 ---> Jurij, MM0DFV (http://www.scotham.net) reports that the following amateur radio operators are resident on the Isle of Mull (IOSA NH-15, SCOTIA CN-10) in the Inner Hebrides (EU-008): GM0PRO, GM3JZK, GM4EHB, GM6UIZ and MM0JRM. A sixth callsign, GB2IMM, is for the Isle of Mull Museum at Tobermory. Further information on the Isle of Mull can be found at http://www.scotham.net/modules.php?name=News&amp;file=article&amp;sid=324

PUCCINI AWARD ---> The 7th International "Giacomo Puccini" Award and competition, organized by the Italian YL Radio Club (www.arrl.it/ylrci) with the participation of the Puccini Festival Foundation (www.puccinifestival.it) and the patronage of the City of Viareggio, is open to licenced amateurs and SWLs and will be held on 1-10 December. For further information please contact Emanuela Trevisan, IZ2ELV (iz2elv@yahoo.it)

QSL VIA F5PBL ---> Claude, F5PBL/LZ5KF reports that effective 1 January 2005 he will no longer be able to receive cards through the REF bureau. The new QSL route is via LZ5KF (bureau) or F5PBL (direct only). This apply to QSL card requests for 3W2KF, F5PBL and LZ5KF.

QSL VIA  NY3N ---> Ray Shankweiler, NY3N (ex 5R8FK, 7P8SR, EP2SR, JY9SR, SV0AU, etc) was killed in a motorcycle accident in Macedonia on 24 April 2004. The QSL cards have been printed (thanks to the sponsorship of W4MPY QSLs and The Daily DX) and mailed to Ray's wife, Nonie. She will reply to direct requests sent to: Nonie Shankweiler, 16522 Rainbow Lake Road, Houston, TX 77095, USA. [TNX The Daily DX]

QSL XF4IH ---> Enrique, XE1IH says that XF4IH (Socorro Island, Revillagigedo) requests sent to his POB can get "lost". It is advisable to use registered mail and send the requests to his home address: Enrique Garcia Munive, Av. Insula Edificio 15-A-301, U. H. Acueducto de Guadalupe, 07270 Mexico City, Mexico. [TNX XE1IH]

UKRAINIAN DX CONTEST ---> It will take place on 160-10 metres (WARC bands excluded) CW, SSB and RTTY, from 12 UTC on 6 November through 12 UTC on the 7th. Full rules and results are available at http://www.ucc.zp.ua/ or http://www.qsl.net/ut1ia/ [TNX UX0FF]

Nov. 8-15 2004    I.C.P.O. Bulletin Islands, Castles & Portable Operations - I.C.P.O.

08/11/2004:  OC-New!  VK4WWI/P  MARION REEF -
Johan, PA3EXX will operate as VK4WWI/P from Marion Reef in the Coral Sea Islands Territory North Group (OC-???) between November 8th and 12th. QSL via PA3EXX. [Tnx 425DXN]

11/11/2004:  NA-069  VA3QSL/W4  FLORIDA ISLANDS -
Look for Jeff, VA3QSL/W4, to be QRV on IOTA NA-069 between November 11 - 13, 2004. He plans to activate Estero (USI FL-035S, Lee county) and possibly Sanibel (USI FL-021S, Lee county) and Captiva (USI FL-020S, Lee county) Islands, Florida. Activity will likely be on 14.260 +/- SSB. QSL via home call, bureau or direct with 1 greenstamp or 1 IRC. [Tnx VA3QSL]

11/11/2004:  AN-010  ZXŘ  COMANDANTE FERRAZ BASE -
ZX0ECF (PT2HF) and ZX0GTI (PT2GTI) are the calls to be used in November from the Brazilian station "Comandante Ferraz" (PY-01 for the Antarctica Award) on King George Island, South Shetlands (IOTA AN-010). The activity is expected to take place November 11-19th on 160 through 6 meter SSB, RTTY, PSK31, CW and SSTV. PT2DX/MM might be aired from the "Ary Rongel" during the voyage; weather permitting, there might be also some activity from Elephant Island (AN-010) on November 7-8th. QSL via PT2GTI. [Tnx 425DXN]

12/11/2004:  NA-079  N4BP/P & NE4LS/P  GARDEN KEY -
Bob, N4BP, and Nelson, NE4LS, will be QRV November 12-14th as homecall/p from Garden Key, (USI FL-013S), Dry Tortugas (IOTA NA-079, Monroe county), Florida. They will also activate the Dry Tortugas lighthouse (TWLH reference K-066, WLH LH-0274, ARLHS USA-316).Activity will be QRP CW on 14.060 (+/-), 14.007 - 14.020 and 10.103 - 10.120 MHz. QSL via home calls (QRZ.com). [Tnx NE4LS]

13/11/2004:  AS-074  9M2/G3TMA  PULAU KETAM -
Ian, 9M2/G3TMA, will be QRV November 13-15th from Pulau Ketam (IOTA AS-074). QSL via Ian Buffham, Bekay Court, Lorong Enau (off Jalan Ampang), 55000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. [Tnx OPDX]

13/11/2004:  SA-024  PY2ZX/PY2 & PU2OCZ/PY2  COMPRIDA ISLAND -
Ark, PY2ZX/PY2, and Luiz, PU2OCZ/PY2, will be active November 13-15th from Comprida Island (IOTA SA-024, DIB-021, WW Loc. GG64BX). They will concentrate on 50, 144 and 440 MHz activity, using SSB, CW and FM. For skeds, e-mail Ark at py2zx@terra.com.br . QSL PY2ZX/PY2 via home call direct only. QSL PU2OCZ/PY2 via home call, direct or through the bureau. [Tnx PY2ZX]

13/11/2004:  CIsA:ON-110  VC3W  THE ISLAND -
Jeff, VA3JFF, has been granted the special callsign VC3W to commemorate the 175th Anniversary of the Opening of the Welland Canal, and he hopes to be able to activiate the following two islands that are in the old and current canals in November: The Island (CIsA reference ON-110, NOT IOTA) November 13th starting at 17:00 UTC; and Merritt Island (CIsA reference ON-109, NOT IOTA) November 14th starting at 17:00 UTC. There may be other opportunities for Jeff to operate from these islands during the time of the callsign validation (23 October to 23 December), but he will try to keep his schedule free for the 13/14 of November to have a scheduled operation from both islands. QSL VC3W via VA3JFF direct (QRZ.com, with SASE) or via the bureau. [Tnx VE3TPZ]

14/11/2004:  CIsA:ON-109  VC3W  MERRITT ISLAND -
Jeff, VA3JFF, will be QRV November 14th as VC3W from Merritt Island (CIsA reference ON-109, NOT IOTA). Activity will start around 17:00 UTC. QSL VC3W via VA3JFF direct (QRZ.com, with SASE) or via the bureau. [Tnx VE3TPZ]

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

Hamvention Announces 2005 Theme

"Bringing Hams Together From Around The World" will be the theme of the next Dayton Hamvention now slated for May 20th to the 22nd of 2005.  The announcement was made this past week by the events General Chairman Gary Des Combes, N8EMO, who added a personal thank you to everyone who made suggestions and helped to select this theme.  Des Combes said that all of these efforts were very valuable and sincerely appreciated.  More information about Hamvention 2005 is on the World Wide Web at:  www.hamvention.org

(Hamvention)

W1AW 2004/2005 Winter Operating Schedule

Morning Schedule:

Time                                  Mode     Days
-------------------             ----     ---------
1400 UTC (9 AM EST)   CWs      Wed, Fri
1400 UTC (9 AM EST)   CWf      Tue, Thu

Daily Visitor Operating Hours:

1500 UTC to 1700 UTC - (10 AM to 12 PM EST)
1800 UTC to 2045 UTC - (1 PM to 3:45 PM EST)

(Station closed 1700 to 1800 UTC (12 PM to 1 PM EST))

Afternoon/Evening Schedule:

2100 UTC (4 PM EST)    CWf      Mon, Wed, Fri
2100  "      "         CWs      Tue, Thu
2200  "  (5 PM EST)    CWb      Daily
2300  "  (6 PM EST)    RTTY     Daily
0000  "  (7 PM EST)    CWs      Mon, Wed, Fri
0000  "      "         CWf      Tue, Thu
0100  "  (8 PM EST)    CWb      Daily
0200  "  (9 PM EST)    RTTY     Daily
0245  "  (9:45 PM EST) VOICE    Daily
0300  "  (10 PM EST)   CWf      Mon, Wed, Fri
0300  "      "         CWs      Tue, Thu
0400  "  (11 PM EST)   CWb      Daily

Frequencies (MHz)

CW:    1.8175 3.5815 7.0475 14.0475 18.0975 21.0675  28.0675 147.555
RTTY:     -   3.625  7.095  14.095  18.1025 21.095   28.095  147.555
VOICE:  1.855 3.990  7.290  14.290  18.160  21.390   28.590  147.555

Notes:

CWs = Morse Code practice (slow) = 5, 7.5, 10, 13 and 15 WPM
CWf = Morse Code practice (fast) = 35, 30, 25, 20, 15, 13 and 10 WPM
CWb = Morse Code Bulletins = 18 WPM

CW frequencies include code practices, Qualifying Runs and CW bulletins.

RTTY = Teleprinter Bulletins = BAUDOT (45.45 baud) and AMTOR-FEC (100 Baud).  ASCII (110 Baud) is sent only as time allows.

Code practice texts are from QST, and the source of each practice is given at the beginning of each practice and at the beginning of alternate speeds.

On Tuesdays and Fridays at 2330 UTC (6:30 PM EST), Keplerian Elements for active amateur satellites are sent on the regular teleprinter frequencies.

A DX bulletin replaces or is added to the regular bulletins between 0100 UTC (8 PM EST) Thursdays and 0100 UTC (8 PM EST) Fridays.

In a communications emergency, monitor W1AW for special bulletins as follows: Voice on the hour, Teleprinter at 15 minutes past the hour, and CW on the half hour.

FCC licensed amateurs may operate the station from 1500 UTC to 1700 UTC (10 AM to 12 PM EST), and then from 1800 UTC to 2045 UTC (1 PM to 3:45 PM EST) Monday through Friday.  Be sure to bring your current FCC amateur license or a photocopy.

The W1AW Operating Schedule may also be found on page 98 in the November 2004 issue of QST or on the web at,
http://www.arrl.org/w1aw.html .

(ARRL Bulletin)

Subscribe to this bulletin and have it delivered to your e-mail box automatically every week, please put your name and callsign (if you have one) in the body of the text.  hfradio@look.ca