Ten X DX News
June 15, 1997
A unfortunate DXpedition to BS7H Scarborough Reef by
Jim Duffy W6EU (ex-WA6AUE #4722), along with a group
of Japanese, American and Chinese, began on April 30.
Using two Chinese Research ships for transport, the BS7H
operation was suppose to last until May 6, but they left
unexpectedly after three days of operating. The ten mile long
reef located in the South China Sea just west of the
Philippines and is claimed by China but the reef is in an
Exclusive Economic Zone owned by the Philippines. The
Chinese can pass through this part of the South China Sea
but China can not receive any economic benefits from the
area due to treaty. At the time the DXpedition was starting,
three Chinese warships were operating 200 miles south of
the reef near the Spratley Islands. The Spratley area is a
heavily disputed area and the Philippine government was
concerned about this activity. Philippine Air Force jets flew
low over Scarborough and two military ships arrived to
investigate the activity. This caused the Chinese to terminate
the ham radio operation and to leave the area.
This was the third time Scarborough has been activated and
many hams need it for DXCC. The operators left the reef
just before the weekend and many people were upset since
they had been promised seven days of activity! Several
news services carried stories of the incident since Philippine
President Ramos made comments that they had a claim to the
area and that they had placed their flag on the reef. Well,
enough said for now, but this is developing into another
disputed DXCC country. To read more on this subject, the
BS7H 97 Home Page at http://www.iglou.com/n4gn/sr/ .
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DL7FT Frank Does Not Have A 10-10 Number. Back in
September 91, Frank applied for his 10-10 number and got
#54238 issued by Lee Pasewalk. Frank did not like the
number and returned it, 10-10 then reissued it to GM4BKR
Bob #54238. I talked with Frank over the air several years
ago and he told me he wanted #77777 or #67777. I have
started an inquiry with my 10-10 source in Germany to find
out what actually happened and why Frank is giving out
54238 as his number. Maybe he did not understand but
more likely he is upset with 10-10 and has decided to cause
problems by using #54238. As of this writing, QSL's for the
following have NOT BEEN allowed: D68FT 4-10-91,
HU1FT 4-3-92 & 3-7-92, 5R8DJ 3-15-93. So, nothing
official has been decreed about Frank but I know one official
has agreed with possibly banning him from being a future
member because of his present actions. There is nothing we
can do about him giving out a bogus number except to tell
you he is NOT VALID FOR 10-10 DXCC.
NEW HF BEACON. Martin, G3USF, IARU Region 1 HF
Beacon Coordinator, reports another of the five-band HF
beacon network stations is now operational. The VK6RBP
beacon, sited near Perth, is like all the other IBP beacons
where the power steps down from 100 watts to 0.1 watt in
four stages, transmitting 10 seconds on the IBP frequencies
on the 14, 18, 21, 24 and 28.2 MHz. Also, the JA2IGY
beacon which operated on the 14100 kHz frequency only, is
now understood to be operational on all five bands.
According to Martin, this leaves BY, UA, OA and ZL
beacons not as yet operational. There are 14 beacons now on
the air, and all these beacons are sponsored by NCDXF.
N5EJS Russ, the 10-10 Countries Manager, continues to
enter applications into the 10-10 DXCC Database. He now
has 528 members entered, which represents 22000 contacts
or 41 countries per application. We now have 30 members
with over 100 countries! Russ hopes to finish before the 10-
10 Convention this summer. Russ has identified another new
10-10 country: Bangladesh by S2/WZ6C Erik #38879.
This brings the official 10-10 DXCC Country count to
284!
Upcoming DXpeditions & New 10-10 Country Activity:
A DXpedition to St. Croix, KP2 US Virgin Island by Bob
N2OO #12732, Beth KF2BQ, and John N2LD #18241 will
occur on July 24-31 during the IOTA contest using the call
KP2/N2OO from NA-106. They will be on 160-10 cw/ssb.
For Beth & Bob, this will be their first DXpedition since a
Honeymoon DXpedition in 1991 to V85, 9M6 & VS6. For
John, N2LD and his non-ham wife Linda, this trip will be
their first DXpedition. Remember, only Bob and John have
a 10-10 number and QSL via their home calls.
MONACO, 3A. I1YRL Luc #58966 and IK1OWC Luca
#42002 will be QRV as homecalls/3A using only CW on
June 14 and 15. QSL to home calls.
Willis Island by WA1S Ann #48144, John NJ1V and ten
other ops will begin on Sept. 11, 1997 for 12 days. They
will leave Australia on Sept 9 on a 60 foot boat for the 30
hour trip to Willis. Also during this trip they may activate a
new IOTA in the Coral Sea Island Territory.
Pago Pago, Am. Samoa by AH8A William #24324 has a
QSL Manager AC7DX Ron Lago POB 25426, Eugene
Oregon, 97402. AC7DX has computer logs back to 1994.
Bahamas, C6. Joe, WB8GEX #41393, was active as
C6AJR from May 30 to June 2. QSL to his home call.
Philippines, DU. Gary K9AW/DU6 is active from Negros
Island. This is another vanity callsign reissue and is not Chas
K9AW #3620 who is not listed as SK in the XXIP database.
HP, PANAMA (HR, HONDURAS, possible). Bill, WT4K
#40800, will be active as HP3/WT4K, June 23-27th. He
will be active on SSB and RTTY. QSL to home call with
SASE. If travel arrangements can be made, he will also go
to Honduras as HR6/WT4K June 30th through July 4th.
V7, Marshall Islands. The "DX News Sheet" reports Tim
N2PC #21568, will be active from here for 4/5 years. No
QSNs have been reported yet, but look for V73AT to be
active on all bands. QSL via K2CL.
St.Lucia. J69EB John, ex KB3AMD #63076, was active
in March. John will be there for a while as he said to QSL via
his home call for now until he gets a manager. His address:
John Joseph, 7301 Sheffield Dr. Camp Springs, MD 29748.
ZY0SK St. Peter & St. Paul Rocks - Karl Leite, PS7KM
#39920, will present a program August 22 at the New
Orleans International DX Convention at the Royal Sonesta
Hotel on Bourbon Street in the historic and colorful French
Quarter. This convention is one of the best for DX,
hospitality and ham radio. If you worked Karl on SSB, QSL
to Karl M Leite, Rua Estacio de Sa 1838, 59054-580 Natal,
RN, Brazil. ZY0SG on CW only to PT7AA Tino.
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Propagation: Solar flux will range from 71-85 during the
Summer of 1997. As I write this, the Solar flux is 71, the A
index 4 and K index 1, with the Solar flux staying in a very
narrow range, the same conditions as my last article. The
transition into Cycle 23 is taking much longer than past
history. Expect large swings of flux as new spots appear on
the sun for the first time. For stations in the Eastern US,
expect a 8% chance of DX propagation to the East-West
path into Europe or Africa. For stations in the Western US,
expect no chance of DX into Europe. All of the US will get
a 20% chance into S.America. Expect increased Sporadic E
Layer conditions during the summer to be short skip that
will travel 300 to 1500 miles. F Layer skip will return as
Cycle 23 gets more active. Remember to listen for the
beacons (28.175-28.300) to check conditions.
Its been a year since I picked May 28, 1996 as the start of
Cycle 23. The slow increase in solar flux levels and the data
by NOAA, indicates we have started the next cycle. Why
haven't we seen much activity yet from the new cycle? The
NOAA projection based upon past cycles, indicated an
average sunspot number of 44 by July. They predicted a
solar flux of 77 for January, 80 for February, 84 for March,
and 100 by July. Currently, actual conditions are behind
these projections. The upswing of the new cycle is going to
be slower than the previous but I expect the flux to be over
100 by the January 1998.
Suriname K3BYV/PZ5DX #33844. "Just thought you
might like to know of my recent trip to Suriname. The lead
time for the 10-10 News was too long for me to get the info
to you ahead of departure. Some stats: 6 Apr 97 made 14
QSO on 28.405 between 1716-1758Z, eight were US call's
and six DX. All had good, steady and strong signals (Only
3 had 10-10 nrs.), 7 Apr made 1 QSO on 28.495 at 1621Z
with a fellow in NC. No other signals were heard and I called
CQ for some time and often. 24 Mar made 9 contacts on
28.352 between 1453-1531Z from Florida to Virginia and
KY. Continued to call CQ for awhile but no answers.
Where was everybody? With the condition of the band at the
time I was making those contacts there should have been a
hip deep pile-up. 73 & C U L K3BYV Bob #33844."
SK: 3B8CA Jack #52706 now a silent key, was the only
active member on Mauritius Is. QSL's have been returned.
Felix Riess DL8OBC #55519 now has callsign N5BC.
Anyone work him from Turkey recently? GU, Guernsey by
Bob W7MAE #4090 ex.K7RDH could have been active in
April as MU/W7MAE. Anyone hear him?
Lee, KH6BZF #8888, advises that he is the QSL Manager
for Dave, T9/WA5IKQ #14256 , and would like to clean up
any and all requests for BOSNIA QSLs that might be
wandering around. QSL T9/WA5IKQ via KH6BZF (+IRCs,
or SASE + Amount in US AIRMAIL Postage): Lee Wical,
45-601 Luluku Road, Kane'Ohe, HI 96744-1854.
Panama by HP1AC #10107 is Camilo who is active in
most major CW contests. Do not QSL via KM7Z. QSL to
Camilo A Castillo, Box 6-583, El Dorado, Panama.
Guinea-Bissau Africa by Dave Bendt J52IM #24392 is on
the air. Dave expects to be in J5 until 1998. QSL KB9XN.
New DX members for March to June: F6DHI #68908,
DH4JQ #68909, VR6TY #68910, ON4LBQ #68911,
DF7KHK #68912, DJ9UW #68913, DF0IA #68914,
DF2WF Franz #68915, DL5DXS Steffen #68916.
VE3BMR #5247 is now VA3RJ address is: 411-96 Jameson
Ave. Toronto, On Canada M6K 2X7. Hope this helps you
find and welcome new DX members. 73, Carol K8DHK
#29588 Email: K8DHK@juno.com .
Thanks too: Russ Gauthier (N5EJS@linknet.net) for his
assistance; To everyone for the letters and photos that you
have been sending; To the on-line DX Reflector, QRZ-DX
& Ohio/Penn DX Bulletins. Send photos to Mike Davidson,
3518 Bellefontaine, Houston, TX 77025 USA or NEW
Email: N5MT@aol.com. Remember, DX IS!
Good DX & 73. ... Mike Davidson N5MT #24949
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