Marzo/March 2010

GS3PYE/P - IOTA EU-010

Members of Camb-Hams will once again be active as GS3PYE/P from the Isle of Harris between May 1-14th. Operators mentioned are: Voi/G0BOE, Geoff/G0DDX, Adam/G1UAF, Bob/G1SAA, Terry/ G3VFC, Martin/G3ZAY, Colin/G4ERO, Mike/G7VJR, Lawrence/M0LCM, Mark/M0MJH, Frederick/M0RFD, Robert/M0VFC and Gavin/M1BXF. QSL via M0VFC.

Check out their 2009 activation via the Camb- Hams Web page at:

http://www.camb-hams.com/coming-events/2009-dxpedition

[SOURCE: OPDX Bulletin 949 March 1, 2010]

IOTA Stateside Tour

Pete, VE3IKV, will once again be active from the following stateside islands:
 

    March 6-7th - St. Simons; NA-058, USI GA-003S, Glynn county, Georgia
    March 8-13th - Key West; NA-062, USI FL-040S, Monroe county, Florida
    March 11-12th - Garden Key, Dry Tortugas; NA-079, USI FL-013S, Monroe county, Florida.
 

His callsign will be W4/VG3RA. Activity will probably be on 40 meters CW using 100 watts into a sloper antenna.

Also, look for him on 6 meters using CW and SSB. QSL via VE3IKV, direct or by the Bureau.

[SOURCE: OPDX Bulletin 949 March 1, 2010]

KH0 - Mariana Islands

Yoshi, JE2EHP, informs OPDX that he will be active as K1HP/KH0 from Saipan (OC-086) between March 21-25th. Activity will be on all the HF bands and 6m, using CW, SSB and RTTY. QSL via the Bureau to home callsign JE2EHP.

[SOURCE : OPDX Bulletin 949 March 1, 2010]

T31 - Central Kiribati

After his recent trip from the Pacific, team leader, Hrane/YT1AD announced that an international team of operators will activate Tokelau (ZK3), Canton Island (T31 - Central Kiribati) and Wallis Island (FW) during the following updated tentative schedule:

September 29th - Loading in Apia and departure Apia to Fakaofo Atoll in the Republic of Tokelau Island
September 30th - Arriving at Fakaofo Atoll
September 30th - Departure from the Island of Tokelau
October 1st - Traveling to Canton Island
October 2nd - Arriving at Canton Island in the early morning
October 2-11th - Activity from Canton Island
October 11th - Activity and afternoon departure from Canton Island
October 13th - Arriving Wallis Island
October 13th - Departure from Wallis Island
October 16th - Arriving at the Fiji Islands

Operators mentioned are: Hrane/YT1AD, Drgan/YT3W, Vel/YT3WW, Mladen/ YT6W, Miki/YU1AU, Chuck/JT1CO, Atilano/PY5EG, Vangelis/SV2BFN, Aleksej/ UA4HOX, Krassimir/K1LZ, Dave/K3LP and Doug/N6TQS.
Pilot stations are: Toma/YU1AB and Aca/YU1AA. Consultant is: Larry/AH8LG. Activity will be on 160-2 meters using CW, SSB, RTTY, SSTV and PSK31.

T31 team will be QRV from Central Kiribati on 2m and 6 EME with WSJT65 A,B,C on next qrg :

50.375 MHz and 144.375 MHz
BEACON 50 MHz 50.095 MHz

Suggested frequencies available are:

http://www.yt1ad.info/t31/frq.html
More information will be forthcoming. Watch for updates at:
http://www.yt1ad.info/t31/index.html

[SOURCE: OPDX Bulletin 949 March 1, 2010]

8Q7QQ 6m EME DXpedition

Here is some preliminary information about the upcoming 8Q7QQ 6m EME DXpedition March 24-31, 2010. Pierre HB9QQ has been very busy optimizing the 6m EME station he will be taking next spring for his JT65A operation. He will be using a low noise external preamp, 500w Falcon amplifier and a 7 element yagi overlooking the ocean. Watch for details to be coming in the future, but plan now to be available for this great chance to contact a rare one! There are some great horizon-only windows for NA stations with Pierre while he has ground gain on the horizon at the same time! EME CNDX also are optimum during their period of operation.

[SOURCE: OZ50MHZ Web-site]

VE7BQH 6m Antenna Comparison Table

From W7GJ web-site

Over the last quarter century, antenna performance has improved dramatically. Thanks to the development of computer modeling software, antennas can now be designed  to provide excellent results. Many older antennas are still in use around the world that were built using less sophisticated techniques. A number of 6m  operators have  wondered if it is time to upgrade their antenna systems.

There is no question that each operator has different interests and constraints. Some want to arrange various antennas to "fill in the nulls" in ground gain patterns so they  can be assured of not missing signals coming in at certain angles. Others want to increase maximum signal strengths while still fitting the antenna in their garden. And  still others are interested in assembling an antenna system that will have enough free space gain to enable them to complete EME contacts while the antenna is elevated  (without any ground gain). With the differences in how antennas are marketed and what pecifications are published, it is no wonder that many hams have expressed confusion when they try to compare antennas to determine what would be the best choice for their particular situations.

Lionel Edwards, VE7BQH, is well known for his pioneering work in EME and his knowledge of antenna design. His comparison table of 2m antenna designs has been a  valuable resource for weak signal enthusiasts on that band. The recent increase in larger antennas for this band, along with the growth of interest in 6m EME, has resulted in many requests for such a table.  Lionel now has generously put together a table comparing a number of popular 6m antennas to help guide  Magic Band operators on antenna decisions. This table was painstakingly prepared to include the free space gain of each yagi with respect to a dipole, the optimum  and 75% of optimum stacking distances for both two and four yagis and resulting gain figures, and the SWR of a single antenna 150 kHz from the design frequency. The SWR value provides an indicator of the "Q" of the antenna, and how likely it is to be affected by rain, ice and snow; the narrower the bandwidth of the antenna, the more susceptible it is to such detuning by the weather. Please join with me in thanking Lionel for graciously agreeing to undertake the very laborious challenge of preparing  such a table.

Further on http://www.bigskyspaces.com/w7gj/6mTable.htm

V21ZG - Antigua 

Babs, DL7AFS and Lot, DJ7ZG will be active as V21ZG from Antigua
from 16 March to 4 April. They will operate mainly RTTY, PSK and
SSB on 80-6 metres. QSL via DL7AFS, direct or bureau. Further
information and log search at www.qsl.net/dl7afs/
[SOURCE: 425 DX News #983]

8Q7NC - Maldives

Noel, F6BGC will be active as 8Q7NC from Madoogali, Maldives
(AS-013) on 13-21 March. He plans to operate holiday style on 80-6
metres. QSL via home call, direct or bureau.
[SOURCE: 425 DX News #983] 

VA2NU - Grid Dx-Pedition 

We received a direct mail from Vittorio VE2HAY/VA2NU that inform us that he will be active at the half on June 2010 from the rare grids FO90-FO80-FO70-FO60. Stay tuned for further details. 

In last June 2009 he activated the FN58-59-68, you can see pictures on http://www.qrz.com/callsign/VA2NU

FP - St. Pierre & Miquelon

Operators Paul/K9OT and Peg/KB9LIE will once again activate Miquelon Island (NA-032) between July 5-14th. Callsigns will be FP/homecall. Activity will include the IARU HF Championship Contest (July 10-11th) as two Single-Operator entries. They will operate CW and SSB on 80-10 meters with a possibility of 160m and 6m, if conditions are good. They hope to have internet access from the Motel de Miquelon. Visit their Web site at:

http://www.hamradio.pnpfarms.com
QSL via their home callsigns, direct (w/return postage), by the Bureau or LoTW.

[SOURCE: OPDX Bulletin March 15th 2010]

VP5/W5CW - Turks & Caicos 

Dave, W5CW will be active as VP5/W5CW from 23 March to 6 April,

including an entry in the CQ WW WPX SSB Contest as VP50V. Before

and after the contest he will operate CW and SSB on 160-6 metres,

with a focus on 30, 17 and 12 metres. QSL to P.O. Box 88, Morris

OK 74445-0088, USA.

[SOURCE: 425 DX News #985]

8Q7QQ - Updated # 2

The team arrived save on the island, all equipment is here also. We will check everything on Monday and we will set-up the stations. If all goes well, we will be QRV 144 from 23. March moonrise.

50 MHz: we we try to be QRV 22. March from 6.15z on 50.183 1st. We do have a very limited window for 50 MHz. So we will put an effort to be QRV from 22. to 24th of March, not sure we can be QRV later. Please look for us during those days. We will be QRV from moon-rise up to 20dgr and from 20dgr to moon-set. GL to all.

73, Dan, for the 8Q7QQ team

FR/F4EGZ - Reunion

Cedric "Ced", F4EGZ, is once again active as FR/F4EGZ from St Pierre until April 19th. Activity will be on 20-6 meters, including 17/12m, using a Hexbeam for HF and a 3 element wire beam for 6m. He also plans to be in the CQWW WPX SSB Contest (March 27-28th) as a Single-Op/Low- Power entry, but only on 20/15/10 meters. QSL via his home callsign.
PLEASE NOTE: Ced will accept 6m skeds via E-mail at: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

[SOURCE: OPDX Bulletin 953]

FG/F6AUS - Guadeloupe

F6AUS will be active from Guadeloupe (IOTA NA-102) till march 2010 as FG/F6AUS
He will be active on 160-6m
He will be active in CQ WW DX CW Contest 28-29 November 2010 as TO4D
QSL via home call http://dxing.at-communication.com/en