DX  IOTA  NEWs  QTC  ----->>

3B9 Rodrigues   
3B8 Mauritius
    Look for Slavo, 3B9/SP2JMB, Apr 1st through 8th on Rodrigues (AF-017). Before and after
    (through Apr 24th) he will hit the airwaves from Mauritius (AF-049) as 3B8/SP2JMB.
    Slavo prefers CW.

3W  VIETNAM 
    Remember to look for Jack, F6BUM, to be active again as 3W3M until April 2nd. Activity
    will be CW and SSB on 40/30/20/17/15/12/10 meters using only 100 watts into a vertical
    antenna. He plans to activate the following IOTA:
   AS-130           - Dao Con Island; March 29th (1000z)  to April 2nd (0600z)
   QSL via F6BUM,direct or by the bureau.Visit it his Web page at: www.f6bum.net

5R MADAGASCAR
    Franck, F4DBJ will be QRV as 5R8HT from March 30 to April 15. Activity will be on 80 to
   10 meters in his spare time while on holiday.                        QSL to home call.
 
7P  LESOTHO
    A large group of operators will be QRV as 7P8FC from Katse Dam from March 27
    to April 3.  Activity will be on 160 to 10 meters, except 30 meters, using CW,
    SSB, RTTY and PSK.                                             QSL via ON4CJK.

9Q  Democratic Republic of Congo
    Thorbjorn, SM7RME, is in Congo already since late 2007 and will stay some more months.
    Mar 19th he received his licence and will be on as 9Q/SM7RME in his few spare hours.

DU PHILIPPINES
    In commemoration of the 75th Founding Anniversary of the Philippine Amateur Radio
    Association, callsigns 4D75A through 4D75Z are active until the end of October 2008.

EL  LIBERIA
    Bruno, HB9BEI and Chris, HB9AUZ are QRV as EL8BK and EL8CB, respectively, until
    the end of April.  They will use CW and digital modes in their spare time. 
                                                 QSL via operators' instructions.
G  ENGLAND    
    The  Royal  Air  Force  Amateur   Radio  Society   (www.rafars.org)celebrates its
    70th anniversary this year and will be active as GB70RAF from 28 March to 6 April.
    On 1 April  expect them to sign GB90RAF for the 90th anniversary of the formation
    of the  British Royal Air Force. A number of other GB#RAF special event  stations
    will be activated that day.

I  ITALY   
    Members of the Vecio Piave Team and ARI Treviso will activate special station
    II3PIAV on all bands and modes through 31 August to commemorate the 90th anniversary
    of the end of the first World  War. A free of  charge certificate will be available
    for working II3PIAV on four different bands.                       QSL via IK3GES.
 
JX  Jan Mayen
    Svein, LA9JKA, promises intense activity on SSB and digimodes on 160 through 6 m
    during his stay Mar 27th through Oct 8th 2008 as JX9JKA on Jan Mayen (EU-022).
                                                                       QSL via home call.

R1  ANTARCTICA (Russian Expedition)
    A large Russian Antarctic Expedition did start last March 13th, at 0800z, leaving from
    Cape Town,South Africa,on board the ship "Academician Fedorov" on a route to Antarctica.
    Planned goals are to visit the following Antarctic bases:Station Progress,Station Mirnyj,
    Station Molodezhnaya and Station Novolazarevskaya. There are plans for visiting 2 more
    Antarctic bases including possibly Maitri Base.
    Leading the expedition is Valey Sushkov, RW3GW, who did replace Yuri Zaruba, UA9OBA,
    who is actually very busy. The team also includes Michael Botchkarev (ex-UA0XB) the head
    of film radio expedition. Look for the callsign R1ANT to be used. While on board
    the "Academician Fedorov", they will use R1ANT/MM starting March 24th. They will use
    a FT-897D with only 100W and the following antennas:6BTV,20m Delta loop and 20m Vertical.
    Activity will be on 40/30/20 meters on SSB, CW, RTTY and PSK. For a special card,
    QSL via RW3GW - the general producer and the author of the project "Antarctica".
    Dates and more details on operations in Antarctic will be available after April 2nd.
    Watch the WAP Web site under "News & Information" at:    http://www.waponline.it
    Changes in program may be possible on the way there depending on the logistics and
    weather conditions.

S9  SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE
    Luciano, CT1HHP is QRV as S92FM until April 2.  Activity is on all HF bands, including
    60 meters, using RTTY and PSK31.                                   QSL to home call.


UA  RUSSIA
    Станцията R9J е активна сега по "Великого северного пути",това е научна експедиция,
    която е стартирала от Санкт-Петербург на 4 марта и трябва да завирши на 7 април,като
    ще изминат 4800 км. QRV ще е на 3600, 7070, 14120 и 14180 kHz. Планира се също работа
    с инициал R9J/1 от о-в Вайгач (EU-086).  За работата с R9J на два различни обхвата
    ще се издава диплома|: http://www.dxawards.com/REALSHORT.htm#North . QSL via  RV9JD.
 
VP2E ANGUILLA
    Frank, DL9GFB and Jan, DJ8NK will be QRV as VP2EFB and VP2ENK, respectively, 
    until April 8.Activity will be on 160 to 10 meters using CW,SSB,RTTY and PSK.
                                                                    QSL to home calls.
VP5 Turks & Caicos-Islands  
    Look for W5CW to be active as VP5/W5CW from 27 March to 9 April.He plans to operate
    CW and SSB on 160-6 metres and to participate in the CQ WW WPX SSB Contest as VQ58V.
                                                                     QSLs via home call.
XU Cambodia   
    Look for  Retu,  XU7MDY  to  be  active  again  from  Sihanoukville, Cambodia
    on 3-14 April. He plans to  operate on the HF bands using CW, SSB and various digital
    modes.                                                 QSL via OH4MDY, direct only

YK SYRIA
    YK9G will be active from Damascus, the capital of Syria 9-15 April 2008, CW only.
    Two stations + amplifiers will be QRV around the clock. We will have antennas for
    all bands 160m - 10m, but 40m - 17m will probably provide most openings.
    Our thanks to the Syrian Scientific Technical Amateur Radio Society (SSTARS) for
    making this DX-pedition possible.
    The operators are Roger G3SXW, Nigel G3TXF, Fred G4BWP, Lionel G5LP and Rob GM3YTS.
    YK9G will transmit on frequencies ending in 3 and listen split, up 1-2 plus kHz.
                                                                        QSL via G3TXF.
YO22 ROMANIA 
    The past fifteen years have witnessed the emergence of new challenges in the security
    environment. As a result, the frequency of NATO summit meetings has increased.
    From the founding of NATO until 1990 - over forty years - there were ten summit
    meetings. The following sixteen years saw eleven more. In total, twenty-one summit
    meetings have taken place. Between April 2-4th, the next summit meeting will in
    Bucharest, Romania. To mark this event, look for special event station YO22NATO to be
    on the air between March 28th and April 9th. Activity will be on all bands and
    different modes.                                                   QSL via YO3KAA.
==============================
IOTA               
Island activities:
==============================
AF-013 Madagascar Islands
    Franck, F4DBJ, will be active as 5R8HT Mar 30th through April 17th on Madagascar.
    Activity on the island of Nattes (AF-090) is on his scedule also.     QSL via HC.

EU-120 Holy Island
    Chris, M0DOL, will be active as M0DOL/p and GX4KPT from Lindisfarne Castle on
    Holy Island starting April 5th for six days. The CASHOTA reference number will be
    given when QSOs take place.                                        QSL via M0DOL.

EU-171 Jylland North Group
    Ela, OZ/DL1TM, and Tor, OZ/DJ4MG, will be active from Vendsyssel-Thy  
    until Apr 10. They will work with two stations in SSB on 160/80/40/20/15m
    and in PSK31 on 40m/20m. Antennas they will use will be a spiderbeam, a 160m loop
    and a DK9SQ loop. Check also: http://dj4mg.dyndns.org       QSLs via homecall.

EU-174 Samothraki Island 
   Steve G4EDG, Jeff G4ELZ, Vasko LZ1CL and Tony LZ1JZ will be QRV as SY8JZ from
   Samothraki Island, IOTA EU-174, until April 5. They will use mostly CW
   with some SSB.                                                     QSL via LZ1JZ.

NA-102 Guadeloupe
   F6GWV and F6HMQ will be active as TO6T from Guadeloupe (NA-102) until 8 April.
                                                                      QSL via F6HMQ.

OC-047 SOLOMON ISLANDS
   Bernhard, DL2GAC will be QRV as H44MS from Honiara, IOTA OC-047, until
   April 27.He will also be active from Lighthouse WLOTA LH-0086.         QSL DL2GAC.

OC-073 MINAMI TORISHIMA 
   Masa, JA6GXK, will once again be active as JD1BMM until April 7th. His activity
   is usually limited to his spare time, but he will be on the HF bands, CW, SSB and
   the Digital modes.                                                 QSL via JD1BMM.

OC-164 Rottnest Island
   Operator John,VK6HZ,will be active as VK6ARI from Rottnest Island (WLOTA LH-2197),
   March 27 to April-3rd. This will be a holiday style operation using an IC-7000 on
   SSB, PSK and RTTY, possibly CW. Antenna will be a Buddipole. Activity will be
   around the usual IOTA frequencies.He will also be active during the CQWW WPX SSB C
   Look for him to be active on the 17/12 meters bands before and after the contest.
   Online logs will be available during his operation at:   http://www.vk6hz.com
   Logs will also be uploaded to LoTW.                              QSL is via VK6NE.


PACIFIC TRIP
   Rick,AI5P, will be travelling through the South Pacific during March/April 2008.
   He confirms QSLs also via the bureau to his homecall.
   And this is his travel plan:     
   OC-028   Kwajalein     Mar 24-Apr 5       V73PX    
   OC-028   Rota          Apr 7 -Apr 16      AI5P/KH0        

==============================
QTC QTC QTC QTC QTC  . . .
==============================
 BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA --->
 Back in August 2007 the ITU allocated the new  prefix block E7A-E7Z to 
Bosnia and  Herzegovina (BiH),  replacing T9A-T9Z.  Amateur radio operators will begin
using  their new callsigns  (E7#xx or E7#xxx, for the time being) on 22 March at 23 UTC.
------------------------------
 JT DX CONTEST --->
 Celebrating fifty years of amateur radio in Mongolia,the Mongolian  Amateur  Radio  Society
(MARS)  organizes  the  international  JT Hamradio 50 Anniversary DX Contest, to take place
(on 160, 80, 40, 20, 15 and 10 metres SSB and CW) from 00.00 UTC on 15 November to 00.00 UTC
on the 16th.
Please e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for further information.
-----------------------------
 RTTY  GATHERING  ---> 
 The  DL-DX  RTTY  Contest  Group  organizes  the   5th International  RTTY  Gathering   on
27   June,  during   HamRadio  2008   in Friedrichshafen (Germany). Complete details can be
found at  http://drcg.de/
-----------------------------
SPDX CONTEST (75th Anniversary)
 Tony, SP8AJK (SP75N), wants to remind everyone that 2008 SP DX Contest (April 7-8th) is
getting very close. This year it is a very special contest edition celebrating the 75th
anniversary of the SP DX Contest (first organized in 1933). To celebrate the SP DX Contest,
the Polish Amateur Radio Union and SP DX Club are sposnsorig a special Jubilee Award:
The SP DX Contest - 75th Anniversary Award. The award is free for all licensed operators
and SWLs. Please look at the award rules and visit the Web page at:
                                                              http://www.spdxcontest.info
-----------------------------
ZS8, MARION ISLANDS
 Rhynhardt, ZS6DXB, reports (edited): "Following the fairy tale of 3Y0E Bouvet Island,
Petrus Kritzinger, ZS6GCM, sets out to yet another unique amateur radio venture that many
DX'ers around the world can only dream about. Petrus will be QRV from Marion Island #6 on
the 'DX Magazine 2007 Most Wanted List' as ZS8T. He is expected to be QRV by May 2008
depending on his work load. Building on the success of the 3Y0E Bouvet Island operation,
Petrus wanted to take his amateur radio activity to the next level. Having more time to
effectively plan the operation from Marion Island as ZS8T, work began to set a team
together that could rise above the high standards that were set during the 3Y0E
Bouvet Island operation.
The ZS8T team consists of the following people:
    Rhy  ZS6DXB      - Press Officer/Logistical Support
    Don  N1DG        - Finance/Logistical Support
    Tom  N4XP        - Finance Support
    Emil LZ3HI       - QSL Manager
    Christian DL6KAC - Website construction
    Col MM0NDX       - Website construction
    Stan SQ8X        - Website design, graphics & multimedia, media
                       & PR advisory
One of the first tasks was to start work on a website that could take DXpedition Web sites
to a new standard. Chris/DL6KAC, Col/MM0NDX and Stan/SQ8X really stood up to the challenge
and created an interactive website that will change the future of DXpedition Web sites.
The team has built in a unique news cluster into the site that you can subscribe to that
will enable you to receive all the latest news from the team behind ZS8T direct.
Please register to the Web site on the following link:    http://zs8t.net/newsletter/
The second challenge was to obtain better radio gear that was used during 3Y0E.
The ZS8T team is proud to announce the following principal sponsors to the ZS8T operation;
these principal sponsors were strategic in getting the hardware needed for ZS8T.
Without these sponsors ZS8T would never off made it out of the harbor...
    * ICOM America donated an IC7000
    * Spiderbeam donated a 5 band HD Spiderbeam yagi
    * NCDXF donated funds to obtain an Ameritron AL80 Amplifier, with
            a SteppIR Vertical.
    * Tigertronics donated a Signalink USB digital interface
    * Mr. Emil LZ3HI at Gold Print Services donated all QSL cards and
            QSL management services
    * INDEXA, GDXF, GMDX, EUDXF, Chiltern DX Club, Clipperton DX Club,
      David Topp W5BXX, Mile Hi DXA, Aurum Telemedia, Funkamateur, Passau
      DX Club, Danish DX Group, DXXE and EUDXF made financial donations
      to offset costs. Donations from kind individuals during 3Y0E, we are
      pleased to announce some of that money helped offset the cost of
      radio equipment now being used on Marion Island. It also greatly
      assisted with shipping costs to South Africa. In addition, Marios
      5B4WN, offered his awesome online log facility that has been used
      with great success at VP6DX, TX5C etc. for ZS8T online log look-ups.
The team behind ZS8T would like to thank each and every organization and individual
that has contributed to date in making the operation a full success.
Petrus, ZS6GCM, has also undergone extensive training and will be active on the following
bands 160, 80, 40, 30, 20, 17, 12 and 10 meters. He will be active on the following modes:
SSB, CW and RTTY. A detailed timetable with frequencies and modes will be made available
closer to the QRV date. Petrus will also be communicating with Rhy, ZS6DXB, on a regular
basis, and you can expect regular updates with photos and even the possibility of videos
from the Island as the year progresses. ZS8T will be uploaded to LOTW on completion of
the operation.
Without any further ado, please join us on a life changing journey to Marion Island,
official website address:      http://zs8t.net
Within ZS8T.net you will find an abundance of information, discussions, images/movies and
enough viewing to entice you into working Petrus. The entire ZS8T Team would be delighted
if you joined us in following Petrus by subscribing to the RSS-feed at:
                                                                     http://zs8t.net/feed/
Or our ZS8T-newsletter at:            http://zs8t.net/newsletter/
73.... Rhynhardt Louw ZS6DXB"
ADDED NOTE: There is an interesting 12 minute audio interview with Petrus, ZS6GCM, about
his upcoming ZS8T operation available on the Web at:
                           http://zs8t.net/interview-with-petrus-kritzinger-zs6gcm-zs8t/
------------------------------
 New ARRL Six Meter Award
ARRL to Offer Award for 6 Meter Operations: Attention 6 meter operators -- there's a new
award to work toward! The ARRL Board of Directors approved a new award honoring the late
Fred Fish, W5FF, the only amateur who worked and confirmed all 488 grid squares in the 48
contiguous United States on 6 meters. The Fred Fish Memorial Award will be granted to any
amateur who duplicates Fish's accomplishment. Fish was a mainstay on the VHF+ bands for
many years, having achieved Worked All States (WAS) on 6 meters through 432 MHz, as well
as DXCC for 6 meters. He is widely regarded as a gentleman operator and one of the finest
amateurs in the VHF+ community. ARRL Contest Manager Sean Kutzko, KX9X, will oversee this
award. Kutzko, an avid VHF+ operator himself, said, "We hope the new award will increase
6 meter activity throughout the US and the world. We also hope it will lead to
the activation of rare grid squares in the US by encouraging the native ham population of
a rare grid square to give 6 meters a try, as well as through so-called 'Grid DXpeditions.
' We actively call on the 6 meter community to help educate VHF+ newcomers to the fun that
is available on 6 meters." Complete details on the Fred Fish Memorial Award will be
available soon. The ARRL Letter, Vol. 27, No. 5, February 8, 2008
-------------------------------

 

 

Additional information