10-10 DX News

 TenX DX News    June 15, 2006

Mike Davidson N5MT, #24949

The news in the DX world is what will happen to the old Yugoslavia now that Montenegro and Serbia are parting ways.  Montenegro went into a federation with Serbia in 1992. On June 3rd the Parliament of Montenegro declared the independence of Montenegro, which confirmed a vote held on May 21st. Montenegro has now begun the process of getting world recognition and membership with international organizations like the UN.  Now for DXCC status two things can happen to give them new country status.  If the UN gives them membership or the ITU grants them a callsign prefix that will automatically make it a new DXCC country.  This process could take a few weeks before the ARRL adds Montenegro to the DXCC list.   Serbia is already a member of the UN so its DXCC status will not change.  Just wait and see if the DXCC changes its name from Yugoslavia to Serbia on the list of countries.

There is an E7 and E9 prefix that can be allocated by the ITU for Montenegro.  There is always the possibility that the old YU prefix could become obsolete if Serbia requests a new prefix.  Assuming that

Serbia continues to hold its current seat in the UN; it will remain on the DXCC list as a pre-existing and continuing DXCC country.  Then the next question will be, do I have to work them again for DXCC credit? Assuming you already have credit for YU, you will have credit for Serbia.   Therefore, you will only have to work the new Montenegro for a new credit effective after the date they get UN membership or the ITU prefix.  Just wait and see what rules are adopted by the ARRL DXCC.

 _______________________________________________

    Last quarter we talked about the poor solar conditions and how they are adversely affecting the band.  DX conditions have not improved except for some stateside summer skip that has helped bring back some life to a quiet band.

I did see a report this week that there was an opening from Europe to the US and a few days before that, Japan worked into Texas.  I noticed that my online logbook has a lot fewer contacts in it compared to last year at this time.
Most of the big DXpeditions did most of their work on the lower frequencies but keep watching the beacons for your window of opportunity.  You can see the solar progress and graphs at this NOAA site: www.sec.noaa.gov/SolarCycle _______________________________________________

    I worked only a few stations during the 10-10 Spring CW QSO Party last month as I could not operate Saturday.  The propagation was poor and I only had one opening on Sunday.   Jack’s K5CC Hill Country Picnic was held on May 28th, and they had a nice afternoon net with many check-ins.  I worked seven new members and a one new county for my log.  Last year I could not hear Jack at all on backscatter and he is about 150 miles west of Houston.

Countries Award: 
There are now a total of 617 basic certificates.  I issued 10 upgrades and 3 basic awards this past quarter to eight people. Upgrades cost nothing but an SASE and you can copy your QSL and eQSL cards instead of sending the originals.  Copies are not returned to save postage.  See the website for more details before you send your application and please email any questions to me.

The count of 10-10 countries worked remains at 313 confirmed and 26 countries without any 10-10 activity.

The Sunday 10-10 DX Net on 28555 at 1400 UTC is over until the first Sunday of November 2006.

General 10-10 DX reported in the past quarter:

4L Georgia.  Bill NG3K #53411, was using a special 4L8A callsign during the WPX contest March 25-26th.

S65 Singapore.  Selva 9V1UV #73109, was active on RTTY from March 18-19th using a special callsign S65X.

GJ Jersey Island.  Pete K8PT #24099, Tom W8JWN #72426, and two friends

Craig K3PLV and Jim N1NK were on the Channel Islands from March 8-15th.

HC8 Galapagos Islands.  Trey N5KO #26780, was one of five operators using HC8N in the CQ WPX SSB contest March 25-26th. QSL via W5UE.

HH Haiti.  Jan K4QD #13423 and Bill W4WX #62600, were at the NW Haiti Christian Mission on March 20-31st.

J6 St. Lucia.  Jack K9JE #14851, reports he was active as J68AR from March 17-28th but little ten meter activity.

TA Turkey. Berkin TA3J #74303, was active between April 1-10th from Rat Island using the call TA3J/0.

V2 Antigua.  Bob W4OWY/V25WY #21678, and Mark W9OP/V25OP #12879, were in Antigua March 13-19th.

VU4 Andaman Islands.  All licensed participants of the Port Blair Andaman Hamfest from April 18-20th were permitted to operate from Andaman Islands for a period of about 8 days.  The permitted operations covered all Indian HF bands.  Many different callsigns were used since each operator was issued a callsign and several groups worked together, like Doug N6TQS #72301, Andrea IK1PMR #62272, Moudar F5CWU  #71812, David K3LP #13394 and possibly other operators.  Activity on ten meters was poor especially since they were limited to 100 watts.

YX Aves Island.  Ramon YV5EED #8498, team leader/doctor and a dozen other YV friends activated this uninhabited island in the Caribbean started April 19th.  Unexpectedly, Jose Rodriguez YV5LIX suffered a fatal heart attack and died on the island about the second day of the DXpedition.  Ramon escorted the body back to Caracas, Venezuela and did not return to the island. The others remained on the island and changed the callsign to YX0LIX in memory of their SK friend until the Venezuelan Navy came back to pick them up April 28th.

ZD8 Ascension Island.  Justin G4TSH #42972, was active from March 26th to April 7th only on CW as ZD8Q.

Upcoming DX & New 10-10 Activity:

3W  Vietnam.  Stan OK1JR #20103, is using callsign 3W9JR and could be in Hanoi for two years.  He was reported on ten CW on March 14th. QSL via OK1JN.

5A Libya.  It's been four years since Abubaker 5A1A #69222, was active from Libya. A European team has been put together for a November operation. They will be on all bands/modes with digital using a special prefix call 5A7A from November 14-28th.  They will set up near the Mediterranean just outside the capital city of Tripoli. Team members will include David K3LP #13394; Pirmin HB9DTE #73771; and seventeen non-members. Website at:http://5a7a.gmxhome.de/

5W, Samoa.  Jeff N8CC #14612 and several others will be on the air from July 28th to August 10th.  No callsign yet.

BY  China.  Rene DL2JRM #69623, from May 31st to June 19th operated as DL2JRM/BY4RRR from Nanjing.  He can only operate during his spare time on CW with 100 watts and wire antennas.

C9 Mozambique.  Frosty K5LBU #51322 (C91CF), Wayne W5KDJ and Tom WW5L

#41485 (C91TL), will be active from June 29th to July 13th including the IARU HF contest. Frosty will try to give out C9 on EME.

CU7 Azores.  Three special callsigns will be used in the Azores in July.
             CU7X will be manned by Manuel CT1BWW #64689, and two friends EA2RC
             and EA3GHZ, on Faial Island, from July 10-16th.  They will move to
             Pico Island using CU6X from July 17-21st.
             Then to S. Jorge Island using CU5X from July 21-25th.

HH  Haiti.  Ned N4LS (ex KA4AXS) #26801, is operating in his spare time while on a missionary trip to Haiti. Look for him to be on as HH4/N4LS from June 1- 8th.

OZ Denmark.  Jan OZ5JR #64665, and three friends will be active as OZ8MW/p from Anholt Island starting July 27th to August 1st.

SV9 Crete.  Alain SV9/ON6MG/p #73413, will be on from Crete until June 23rd running low power to dipoles.

T6  Afghanistan.  Mika OH6MKL #42006, will be active as T66T from Afghanistan through July. Look for him on all bands and both modes. QSL via home call.

TA/YM Turkey.  Mill LX1CC #25556, will operate on all bands with the call YM3CC from Turkey on June 9-28th.

VE Canada.  Doug VA7DP #71008, said he will operate as VA7UNEF from June 5th to July 5th to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the founding of the UN Emergency Force. QSL via home call, direct only.

VP5, Turks & Caicos Islands. Tom K4ZGB #26754, will be active as VP5/K4ZGB from Providenciales, between July 25th and August 1st. Look for activity on all bands, CW and SSB. Tom also plans to be in the IOTA Contest July 29-30th.

W USA. Terry W6WTG #49407, Larry KF6JOQ #71297, and Mark KG6ZBL, will be on SSB from Channel Islands off California on June 10th and 11th.

W USA.  Eric N8YC #67623, Lynn WD8JAW #71350, Phil KG8AP, and Brian K4BRI are planning to  operate as K8SCH #46888 (club station) from Deer Isle in Hancock County, Maine  between September 25-29th.

W USA.  Kyle W4KTF #74461, will be active as W4KTF/p from Emerald Isle in Carteret County NC, now through June 17th, mainly SSB.

W USA.  Susan W7KFI/mm #72973, sailed from Pearl Harbor, Hawaii headed for Johnston Island but had to turn back to California.  Susan sails a Hunter 42 boat and will leave CA for Hawaii on June 13th, which could take three weeks. After a rest in Hawaii she will be off to Johnston.

Miscellaneous items & Notes:

    The Universal Postal Union announced a new IRC will replace the current edition which expires at the end of 2006. The new IRC is to go on sale July 1, 2006.  IRC's purchased after January 1, 1975 have an unlimited exchange period and are still good postage as per the International Mail Manual part 372.1 regulations.  Note some of the older IRC coupons are not valid for Airmail postage, so read each coupon.

Information on IRC’s/US$ needed for postage to the USA is at:

http://www.qsl.net/w9ol/ircchart.txt

QSL help: http://files.billnjudy.com

Solar Forecast: http://www.sel.noaa.gov/forecast.html

DX Calendar:

An interactive DX Calendar based on 425 DX News is available at http://www.dxwatch.com

OPERATING: 

Mark Demeuleneere ON4WW #49103, is the author of "Operating Practice", an informative and useful article that makes good reading for novices and old timers. It can be found at http://www.on4ww.be/op.html

Propagation: 

Average daily solar flux for April 2005 to April 2006 was 85.9, 99.5, 93.7, 96.5, 92.4, 91.9, 76.6, 86.3, 90.8, 83.4, 76.5, 75.5 and

88.9. There are still a few DX openings, but they are hard to find. Expect the daily solar flux will range from 64-91 and the average monthly flux will stay below 88 until Solar Cycle 24 begins in 2007.

Cycle 23 is ten plus years old.  The flux remains in its lowest range with many days of zero sunspots and resulting in few DX openings. On June 12th, the solar flux was 74 the A index 6 and K index 1 which is two points higher than three months ago. Expect the best conditions on June 11-13th, July 8-10th, August 4-6th, and Sept. 1-3rd.  Starting in June, USA stations, expect a 5% chance of DX to Asia, Europe or Africa and a 10-15% chance of working into South America or Pacific in the afternoon. To tell what DX paths are open, use the beacons from 28.175-28.300 (especially 28.200).

New DX members March to May 2006: 

March: 74314 VA3DDN, 74315 VA3JBM

April: 74317 VE3UMA, 74456 NH7PE

May:   74316 VE3DDR, 74318 DK0NN.

Thanks to the DXNL, The Daily DX by W3UR #25731, QRZ-DX, Lee KH6BZF #8888 & Ohio/Penn DX Bulletins.  Send photos/info to

Mike Davidson,
3518 Bellefontaine, 
Houston, TX 77025 USA
Email: N5MT@aol.com
 
DX IS!  73 Mike Davidson N5MT #24949 Copyright 2006 by N5MT
 

Updated 6-20-2006

Return to Home Page