The Ohio/Penn Dx PacketCluster
DX Bulletin No. 1140
BID: $OPDX.1140
December 9, 2013
Editor Tedd Mirgliotta, KB8NW
Provided by BARF80.ORG (Cleveland, Ohio)

Thanks to the Northern Ohio Amateur Radio Society, Northern Ohio DX Association, Ohio/Penn PacketCluster Network, AB5K & the AR TelNet Clusters Network, K1XN & GoList, NJ1Q & W1AW, W1AW Bulletins, W2IJ, NG3K & ADXO, W3UR & The Daily DX, K4MQG, N4AA & QRZ DX, K8GI, K8PGJ, K8YSE, W8GEX & 60m News, WB8RFB, AT International, CO8ZZ, DJ7PR, DK8JB & The DX News Letter, DL1SBF, DxCoffee.com, DX-World.Net, E21EIC, ES1CW, F5NQL, F6AJA & Les Nouvelles DX, G3SWH, G3XTT, I1JQJ/IK1ADH & 425 DX News, I2MQP & DX Italia News, OH2BN, OZ6OM & 50 MHz DX News, Pete's DX-Newsdesk, PY2SEX/DL1NX, RSGB IOTA Web Site, Sixitalia Weekly, VA3RJ & ICPO, the VHF-DX-Portal (MMMonVHF), YF1AR and YV5GRB for the following DX information.

DXCC COUNTRY/ENTITY REPORT
According to the AR-Cluster Network for the week of Sunday, 1st-December, through Sunday, 8th-December there were 228 countries active. Countries available: 3A, 3B8, 3B9, 3D2, 3D2/r, 3DA, 3V, 3W, 4J, 4L, 4O, 4S, 4U1I, 4X, 5B, 5R, 5T, 5U, 5V, 5W, 5X, 5Z, 6W, 6Y, 7Q, 7X, 8P, 8R, 9A, 9G, 9H, 9J, 9K, 9L, 9M2, 9M6, 9V, 9X, 9Y, A4, A5, A6, A7, A9, AP, BV, BY, C3, C5, C6, CE, CE9, CM, CN, CP, CT, CT3, CU, CX, D2, D4, DL, DU, E5/s, E6, E7, EA, EA6, EA8, EA9, EI, EK, EL, EP, ER, ES, EU, EX, EY, EZ, F, FG, FH, FJ, FK, FM, FO, FR, FS, FW, FY, G, GD, GI, GJ, GM, GU, GW, HA, HB, HB0, HC, HH, HI, HK, HL, HP, HR, HS, HV, HZ, I, IS, J2, J3, J5, J6, J7, J8, JA, JD/o, JT, JW, JY, K, KG4, KH0, KH2, KH6, KL, KP2, KP4, LA, LU, LX, LY, LZ, OA, OD, OE, OH, OH0, OK, OM, ON, OX, OY, OZ, P2, P4, PA, PJ2, PJ4, PJ5, PJ7, PY, PZ, S2, S5, SM, SP, ST, SU, SV, SV5, SV9, T32, T5, T7, T8, TA, TF, TG, TI, TJ, TK, TN, TR, TT, TU, UA, UA2, UA9, UK, UN, UR, V2, V3, V4, V5, V6, V7, V8, VE, VK, VP2E, VP2V, VP5, VP8, VP8/h, VP9, VR, VU, VU7, XE, XT, XU, XX9, YA, YB, YI, YK, YL, YN, YO, YS, YU, YV, Z3, ZA, ZB, ZD7, ZD8, ZF, ZL, ZP, ZS, ZS8

* PLEASE NOTE: The report "could" contain "Pirate/SLIM" operations or more likely a "BUSTED CALLSIGN". As always, you never know - "Work First Worry Later" (WFWL).

1A, SOVEREIGN MILITARY ORDER OF MALTA
The "DXCOFFEE" Web page is reporting that activity from 1A is planned between January 2-7th (2014). Look for more details to be forthcoming.

5V, TOGO
Philippe, F5MVB, is planning to be active as 5V7MP from Togo next year. Look for more details to be forthcoming in January.

5X, UGANDA
If you missed Alan, G3XAQ, as 5X1XA from the capital city of Kampala, he is expected to return again and be active between February 25th and March 16th (2014). Activity will be CW only. He will also be in the RSGB Commonwealth Contest (March 8-9th). QSL 5X1XA via G3SWH.

8P, BARBADOS (Reminder)
Operators Mike/KI1U (8P9IU), Mike/N1TA (8P9TA) and Bruce/K0BJ (8P9BJ) will be active from Barbados between December 9-16th. Their main activity will be the ARRL 10 meter Contest (December 14-15th) and will sign as 8P8T. QSL via KI1U. Prior to the contest, operators will be using their own callsigns.

9H, MALTA
Leo, DJ7PR, is once again active as 9H3YQ from Malta (EU-023) until December 11th. Activity is holiday style and has been mostly 40 meters CW this past week. However, Leo informs OPDX, "My antenna is a small vertical for all bands built up on my balcony and I only work CW. With 100 watts and CW, it works perfect. Also for DX. My working hours are mostly in the evening which means 1700-2300 GMT and mostly 20m and 40m. I don't think it is a good time for USA. I also try 10m between 0900 and 1200 GMT if the band is open." QSL via his home callsign.

9Q, DEM. REPUBLIC OF CONGO
Earlier in the week there were a few reports stating that after 3 years of negotiations with the Congolese government and official approval from the Ministry of Telecom (ARPTC) the national club station 9Q0AR and its special callsign 9Q0HQ were finally given permission to operate again. This would be great and also the first legal activity from 9Q-land in several years. On QRZ.com (under 9Q0AR) it suggests to listen on 21310 kHz between 1000-1400z.

A3, TONGA
Operators Klaus-Dieter/DK1AX and his XYL Heidi/DK1MA will be active as A35AX on a holiday style DXpedition from Tongatapu Island (OC-049) and Vava'u Island (OC-064) between February 24th and March 7th (2014). Activity will be on CW, SSB and RTTY. QSL via the OQRS on ClubLog.

CT8, AZORES
Siegfried, DF9WB, is now active as CT8/DF9WB from (EU-009) until December 18th. Activity has been on 20/15/10 meters SSB. QSL via his home callsign, direct or by the Bureau.

HK0, SAN ANDRES
Tim, LW9EOC, will be active as HK0/LW9EOC from San Andres Island between April 18-25th (2014). Activity will be on 80-10 meters using CW and SSB. QSL via LW9EOC.

INDEXA NEWS (PRESS RELEASE #2 - Additional Support For The Amsterdam Island DXpedition)

"Hello fellow DXers and INDEXA Members: The officers of the International DX Association, INDEXA, have agreed to send an additional donation of 2,500.00 USDs to the Amsterdam Island, FT5ZM, DXpedition team. INDEXA's financial support for this DXpedition has now grown to 10,000.00 USDs. Our membership of worldwide DXers has been generous to us this year with donations. Thus, INDEXA felt further support to the FT5ZM team was appropriate.

It is now just over one month before this international team of DXpedi- tioners leaves home for many weeks of DXpeditioning from a harsh environ- ment. All of this to give out a new DXCC entity or band country to DXers worldwide. Certainly many will send in a contribution with their QSL card or required OQRS contributions, but the team could certainly use additional funding now.

INDEXA would like to thank our members for supporting us this year. We hope our DXpedition support has added to your DXCC account this year and other DXpeditions that are planned next year.

Support INDEXA via the web at and your membership supports many annual DXpeditions to rare locations.

Regards, INDEXA Officers:
Gary Dixon, K4MQG, President
John Scott, K8YC, Vice President
Dick Williams, W3OA, Secretary-Treasurer
Bill Jennings, W4UNP"

OC-150. Burkhard, DL3KZA, is now active as YB9/DL3KZA from Lombok Island. Length of stay is not known. Activity has been on 20/15 meters SSB. QSL via his home callsign, direct or by the Bureau.

OC-272. Operators Budi/YF1AR, Imam/YF4IR and Joppy/YB8XM will be active from Kisar Island in the Barat Daya Islands IOTA Group between December 21-25th. Look for the following callsigns:

YF1AR/8 - Radio Yaesu FT-450D with tuner FC-707 power 100W; antennas vertical Dipole 40m band and HB9CV 20/15/10m
YB4IR/8 - Radio Kenwood FT-950 power 100W; antennas G5RV 40m band and Yagi Mini Multi 20/17/15/12/10m
YB8XM/p - Radio Yaesu FT-845 power 100W; antennas Spiderbeam 20/17/15/12/10m

SA-008. The Santana de Fora Island ZW5W operation was cancelled this past weekend due to bad weather. No word on when or if it will be rescheduled.

CE, CHILE
Roberto (Bob), YV5IAL, will be active as CE2/YV5IAL from Chile between January 2-30th (2014). He plans to operate PSK31 daily on 14070.15 and occasionally on 10, 15 and 40 meters (PSK31 and SSB). QSL via his home callign, direct or by the Bureau.

E6, NIUE (Reminder)
By the time you read this, operators Alan/VK4WR and Graeme/VK4FI will once again be active as E6RQ and E6SG, respectively, from the Coral Gardens Motel, Alofi, Niue (OC-040), until December 17th. Activity will be on the HF bands. Alan informs OPDX [edited],

"Our operation is primarily for 6 meters as we are going in the middle of the southern hemisphere sporadic E season. Hopefully, there will also be TEP into Asia and who knows what else on the magic band. We will have some HF, am taking an OCF dipole for 40 through 10 meters and plan to have a play in the ARRL 10meter Contest. 100 Watts only."

FO/A, AUSTRAL ISLANDS
A group of six operators from the UK will operate from the Island of Raivavae in the Australs (OC-114) between March 20th and April 1st (2014). Activity will be on all bands using CW, SSB and RTTY. The operators are Don/G3BJ, Chris/G3SVL, Nigel/G3TXF, David/G3WGN, Don/G3XTT, Hilary/G4JKS and Justin/G4TSH. They plan to run up to three stations, each consisting of a K3 plus amplifier. Antennas will consist of various vertical systems on the beach.

The team will upload logs to Clublog, and bandwidth permitting, will also be uploading to LoTW as the DXpedition progresses. QSL will be handled by G3TXF and requests can be made directly or via the Clublog OQRS facility. After the DXpedition most members of the team will be attending the International DX Convention at Visalia. A Web site will be launched with further details once the callsign and other details are confirmed.

J3, GRENADA
Bob, G3PJT, will once again be active as J34G from Grenada (NA-024, WLOTA 0718) between March 3-10th (2014). Activity will probably be holiday style using a K2 w/100 watts and vertical antennas. He plans to also be in the RSGB's Commonwealth Contest (March 8-9th). Look for him outside of the contest, especially on 80 and 30 meters. QSL via his home callsign.

JW, SVALBARD (Update to OPDX.1139/Callsign)
Alex, PY2SEX/DL1NX, informs OPDX that he just got permission from Norwegian Post Communication Authority to use his home callsign as LA/PY2SEX and JW/PY2SEX. So look for Alex to be active from Svalbard (EU-026) during Christmas (December 24-25th) for only those two days as JW/PY2SEX. QSL via DL1NX with SAE and a valid IRC or 2 green stamps.

LCL QSO PARTY
The Amateur Radio Lighthouse Society (ARLHS) invites you to participate in the ARLHS's annual "Lighthouse Christmas Lights 2013 QSO Party" which is held between 0001z, December 21st (7:00 PM EST, Dec. 20th) and 2359z, January 1st, 2014. Rules, operating guidelines, logging requirements, and prizes can be found at:

NEW AMATEUR RADIO VIDEO
A new educational video about Amateur Radio is now available free to view and share. It is found here:

PROPAGATION FORECAST/REPORT (December 9-15th)

 Dec/09th AN      Dec/12th  AN      Dec/14th  AN
 Dec/10th AN      Dec/13th  AN      Dec/15th  AN
 Dec/11th AN


   SOLAR REFERENCE KEYS/INDEXES AND GEOMAGNETIC REFERENCE
   ======================================================
    NORMALITY               GEOMAG       K Values    Alpha
   -----------------        ------       --------    ------
   AN  - Above Normal       Quiet        K=0-1       0-7
   HN  - High Normal        Unsettled    K=2         8-15
   LN  - Low Normal         Active       K=3         16-29
   BN  - Below Normal       Minor Storm  K=4         30-49
   DIS - Disturbed          Major Storm  K=5         50-99
   VRY DIS - Very Disturbed Severe Storm K=6-9       100-400

  QSL-INFO from DB0SDX (December 8th)
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------
  3A60ARM via 3A2ARM           K9FD/KH6 via K9FD        SG30RM via SK6RM
  4L8A via K1BV                KP2/K3TEJ via K3TEJ (d)  SN0YOTA via ON9CFG
  6Y5/W8YCM via W8YCM (d)      LO4D via LW1DTZ          TF3AM via TF3MHN
  BU2AW via JN3TVX             LZ125VZ via LZ2KLR       TM1TLT via F8KFP
  DM50PCK via DL0PCK (B/e)     N9NC via OM2SA           V63XG via JA1XGI
  E6RQ via VK4FI               OL6P via OK2WTM          W6/UA3TT via UA3TT
  E720IARU via E70ARA          PX2B via PY2LED          XR150CBS via XQ7UP
  ED4URQ via EA4URQ            R1941MB via R2DX         YB9/DL3KZA via DL3KZA
  EN100ZKM via UT5ZY           R1941OM via RW3FB        YL95CW via YL3CW
  GI100RSGB via M0VFC          RB110RAEM via RW0UM      ZD8UW via M0OXO
  HG85MRASZ via HA-Bureau      RR110RAEM via UA9LP
    (e) eQSL only  (d) direct only   (B) Bureau only  (L) LoTW only

T33A LOG/QSOS UPDATE. The T33A team has just compiled the final logs from the island and uploaded them to Clublog on November 29th. This upload does not reflect corrections that are presently being made via the inquiries sent to the QSL Manager. The QSL Manager is working to clear all the inquiries and then will upload that new file upon com- pletion. He expects to clear all inquires by mid to late December and will upload that file. To those with missing calls or possible busted calls, they'd recommend patience prior to making an OQRS request and allow the QSL Manager to complete the inquiries that he receives.

Please visit Clublog occasionally to see if the corrections have been imple- mented for those with inquiries. The E-mail for contacting the QSL Manager (W2IJ) is Banaba2013@outlook.com. To all with questions please forward your concerns to that E-mail address. He has now begun to respond to those inquiries. The QSLs won't be ready for at least 6-8 weeks.

ZC4LI UPDATE. Phil, G3SWH, reports: "I've at last finished importing all the hundreds of individual log files into a single file and uploaded it to both ClubLog and LoTW. I'm afraid that it is obvious that there are a number of log files missing, although I have managed to recover some 312,000 QSOs. The QSO data that is available is fully searchable at:

*PLEASE* check the online log before requesting QSLs, as I will be unable to confirm any QSOs that are not in the log. Also, please note that, following a decision by the RSGB QSL Bureau not to process out- going cards for non members, paper QSLs for this station are *ONLY* available DIRECT. OQRS is much preferred. Replies to QSL requests received so far will be mailed within the next few days.
73 for now.... Phil Whitchurch, G3SWH and AD5YS"

QSL RECEIVED VIA LoTW: 4U1ITU, 9X0NH, A41OO, C6AUM, DL1BKI, E7DX, EA8/RW3DO, EB5CS, ES9C, F4BKV, G8NEO, J79XBI, JA1CQK, JA1HGY, JA7BWT, JA8BNP, JI1CPN, JR1EMO, K9W, KH6/N2A, KH8/N7AFW, M0CNP, MM0DHQ, OA4/N7CW, RT6A, UA1AJW, US4EX, XR0ZR, XT26DJ, XV2LRR, YB3MM/2, YT5CT, ZC4LI, ZF2EZ and ZM90DX

QSLS RECEIVED VIA MAIL: 5H1DX, 8R1A, 9L1BTB, A92HK, CN8IG, D44TXT, FO/KH0PR, FW5JJ, KL7KY, OX5YL, T32AU, T77C, XV2V40J and YN2PX

QSLS RECEIVED VIA THE BUREAU: 5H1HS, 5H1HS/3, 5W0M, 7T50I, 7U1MA, 7U50I, 7X2ARA, CT9/DL3OHB, CT9/DL3KWF, CT9/DL6TF, CT9/DL7JAN, EA6/UR5EKQ/QRP, HS0ZGV, IS0BRD, PJ2/DH2AK, XU7DLH and YB9/DL5CO

RADIO ARCALA LANDSCAPE IS ONE SHORT (Press Release dated December 6th)
Jarmo, OH2BN, reports: "While driving to the Arctic region north of the city of Oulu at 65degrees North, you will now find the wintry landscape more naked than before. Something is missing from the landscape, a reflec- tion of the challenges facing the stormy and icy North. Sorrow has descended on the population of the village of Arkala.

It was the recent storm Oskari creating gusts of up to 68 knots (78MPH) that not only knocked down the massive 330ft (100m) 40+ ton 160/80M array but also left 200,000 homes in Finland without electricity. The mammoth structure collapsed peacefully, not hitting any of the other six towers, not hurting people or damaging buildings.

As professional engineering efforts had up to now ensured the survival of this 5-year old structure, inspectors are busy trying to evaluate the cause of the failure. It is suspected that automation designed to enable the array to find its most comfortable position in high winds somehow locked up and caused the structure to corkscrew. Consequently the giant crumbled down on its on base just like the WTC building in those other sad years.

But life goes on at Radio Arcala at OH8X and you may soon hear Santa Claus from the North of Finland bringing you the joy of Christmas in the form of OF9X, beaming over the North Pole on 20 meters and capitalizing on the famous Polar Path during the Holiday Season.

Thank you for your interest in Radio Arcala and many of its unforgettable endeavors. In summary, we would like to share with you this short poem and these consoling words of wisdom from the late Professor Hugh Cassidy, WA6AUD:

'The grief we feel we cannot tell. A sad day it was as our tower fell.'" A picture is available in the HTML format version of the OPDX at:

RI20, SOUTH SHETLAND ISLANDS
To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Russian Robinson Club (RRC), RRC club members/operators Alexander/RW3RN (RRC #256??) and Oleg/UA3HK/ZS1OIN (RRC #349) will be active as RI20ANT from the Russian Antarctic station "Bellingshausen" on the Island of King George (AN-010) between December 17-31st. Activity will be mainly on 20 meters using CW and SSB. Equipment is a Yaesu FT-1000MP transceiver and an all band antenna. QSL via RW3RN. At the Bellingshausen station, the beacon RI1ANG works around the clock on frequency 14101 kHz. If the beacon is heard, you can then callsign RI20ANT on frequency 14160 kHz ± QRM. For more information about the Russian Bellingshausen station, read the article written by its chief Oleg Neruchev (RI1ANU) "Antarctica, 58th RAE" in the journal "Radio" issue number 10 dated 11/2013 at:

T32, EAST KIRIBATI (Update)
The T32RC is currently active from Christmas Island (OC-024) until December 11th. Activity is to celebrate the 12th anniversary of the Russian Robinson Club. Operations are on 160-10 meters using CW, SSB and RTTY. QSL via ClubLog's OQRS (preferred) or LoTW (6 months after operation). Also QSL via N7RO, direct or by the Bureau. No eQSL. For more details and updates, visit:

W100, UNITED STATES (Special Event)
A special ARRL bulletin (ARLX013) reports:

"The FCC has authorized the Maxim Memorial Station W1AW to also use the call sign W100AW during 2014, the ARRL's centennial year. Contacts made from the Maxim Memorial Station in Newington, from regional Centennial conventions, and during the IARU HF Championship will use W100AW, with portable designators as appropriate. The "W1AW WAS" operations throughout 2014 from each of the 50 states will use W1AW, not W100AW.

Bulletins and code practice transmissions during 2014 also will still use W1AW. Contacts with W100AW will be worth 100 points in the ARRL Cen- tennial QSO Party. To help kick off the ARRL Centennial, special W100AW activity will begin at 0500 UTC on January 1, 2014 (midnight in Newington), and will include participation in ARRL's Straight Key Night; one CW station will use Hiram Percy Maxim's straight key. Activity will continue through- out New Year's Day."

ZF, CAYMAN ISLANDS
Pete, K8PGJ, will be active as ZF2PG on the sunny Grand Cayman Islands (NA-016) during the week of January 11-19th (2014). Activity when not diving will occur on 10 thru 20 meters SSB during the morning and afternoons on weekdays, and he hopes one night on 40 thru 160 meters. Pete plans to activate the Caymans for the NAQP Contest on 10 thru 160 meters. LoTW will be utilized and QSL to his home callsign.

PLEASE NOTICE (as of February 12, 2007), NEW ADDRESS CHANGES FOR THE OPDX INTERNET HELP/SUBSCRIBE/UNSUBSCRIBE REQUEST:

Help: opdx-request@barf80.org Subject:help
Subscribe: opdx-request@barf80.org Subject:subscribe
Unsubscribe: opdx-request@barf80.org Subject:unsubscribe

OPDX WORLD-WIDE WEB HOME (provided by John, K8YSE (k8yse@papays.com):
http://www.papays.com/opdx.html

ALSO VISIT THE NORTHERN OHIO DX ASSOCIATION'S WEB HOME PAGE:
http://www.nodxa.org

http://www.facebook.com/NorthernOhioDxAssociation