Ten X DX News
Dec. 2, 1997
Conditions on Ten Meters have improved! The
1997 CQWW DX contests are over and both the SSB
and CW weekends were very exciting. I worked a
total of 85 countries, 275 contacts and 29 of 40 zones
both weekends. Contacts into Europe, Africa, Asia
and Oceania were weak to medium strength signals
and all were welcome multipliers during the contest.
Central and South America were excellent signals
some well over S9. I had the pleasure of working long
path both contests into Asia from Texas, a great thrill
to point your beam east and work Indonesia! One of
the my friends with a big antenna on ten had a much
higher score than I did especially since he was using
a 6 element monoband yagi at 70 feet. Just on SSB, he
had over a 100 countries compared to my 72 using a
4 element yagi at the same height. The point is that
the band is now open for your enjoyment so lets crank
up the tower and lets see what happening on Ten..
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Kimbu, Kenya by 5Z4LL Christine Sachse #50437
and I worked on November 22 at 1717 Z with a 54
signal from her Kenwood TS450 and 5 element
antenna. Christine is a school teacher, mother of two
children eight and ten years old and the only licensed
YL in Kenya since 1988! She lives 20 kilometers
north of Nairobi the capital and she says the people of
Kenya are nice. Kenya is composed of 40 different
tribes and she enjoys her holidays traveling through
Africa and other countries. QSL direct to POBox
14425, Nairobi, Kenya and include return postage.
Guinea-Bissau J52IM Dave Bendt #24392 (EX:
4K0IM, YB0AIM, TL8IM, KH2AD, KC6GZ,
KC9IM/6) was a new 10-10 country for me last
month. (Note: J5 has been a confirmed 10-10 country
for years.) On Sunday mornings several of us have
been meeting on 28.555 at 1500-1630 Z trying to
work DX. It has been more than ten years since any
10-10 activity has come out of Guinea-Bissau, so I
appreciate Dave trying for several weeks to make a
contact. We have been waiting for the Solar flux to
get high enough for us to hear each other! Dave is
working as a communications specialist for the US
State Dept. and had this to say: "I try to check in to the
American Foreign Service Net every Sunday. We
start on 20M at 1500 on 14.316 then go to 15M at
1530 on 21.416 and finally to 10M at 1600 on
28.416." QSL to KB9XN #57389 Howard Barbrey,
306 Greenfield Cir., Geneva IL 60134 with a SASE.
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Willis Island by WA1S Ann #48144, IV3FSG
Elvira #54292, & VK4FW Bill #34297 and others,
was a big success for some during September. Bad
weather plagued their stay on the island but due to a
jump in the Solar flux, several thousand contacts were
made on Ten! The women used callsign VK9WY and
the men, VK9WM. Bill VK4FW, leader of the
DXpedition, has developed a problem with being a 10-
10 member. Apparently, some time in the past, Bill
had a situation with one of the 10-10 Chapters in
Australia and lost some money possibly including 10-
10 dues. Bill refused to give me his number while on
Willis! I was glad the other ladies were not so
stubborn as Ann gave out her number when asked. I
am in the process of asking questions trying to find out
more details. Obviously there was a problem that did
not get resolved for Bill by 10-10 and more details will
be forthcoming. You can see their WEB page at:
(http://www.keylink.com.au/odxg/odxgwillis97.html).
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Upcoming DXpeditions & New 10-10 Country
Activity: 5X1T Uganda by Peter ON6TT (ex-
ON4AAQ) #51565 was a new 10-10 country for me
on October 11. I had to look up his old number as he
had not used it in years! Peter has a QSL manager:
ON5NT Ghislam Penny, Lindestraat 46, B-9880
AALTER, OV, Belgium. (Ed: received my QSL card
within 10 days of sending it to his manager.) 9Q
Eastern Democratic Republic Of Congo (ex-Zaire).
Peter, ON6TT/5X1T #51565, and Mats,
SM7PKK/5X1Z, were in Kisangani, from November
3-7th. Peter operated as 9Q2T which still counts the
same as Zaire even though the name changed. Peter
works for the World Food Programme (WFP), the
United Nations food aid organization. WFP is the main
agency bringing in food relief for emergencies and
relief operations. Peter is now back in Uganda.
5X4F Uganda by Paul #12035 (ex.OA8V) will be
using call W4PFM when he soon returns to the US. I
worked him for a new one during the CQWW SSB
contest and asked for his number. QSL to K3SW
James D Kulp, Signal Hill Farm, 88 Signal Hill Ln,
Middletown, VA 22645.
Chagos Island VQ9. Start looking for Pres, N6SS
#21293, to be active once again from here as VQ9SS.
Activity will last until November. QSL via Preston
Smith, HC61 Box 1503, Dewyw AZ 86327. 8Q
Maldive Island Members of the 8Q7AA DXpedition
team in January 1998: Sally Martinez KM5EP #65064
& Dan Brown NA7DB #21616 on SSB. On CW look
for Stephen Towne, NN7X #39696. Maldive by
Bruce, KD6WW #13040, will be operating as 8Q7AJ
in November. Activity will be mostly on CW.
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1010 IOTA: Montserrat Keithly Chambers
VP2MU #54243 has recently moved into Olveston to
avoid the volcano on the island. He can be reached by
mail at PO Box 219 Olveston Montserrat W.I. Poland
SO: A group of Germans headed by Holger, DL7IO
#22401, operated from Wolin Island off the coast of
Poland in October using the call SO5OE/1 on SSB and
SO1HH on CW. QSL to DL7VRO #55523 or QSL
request via E-mail to "DL7VRO@aol.com" and the
card will go via bureau. Guam by Ray, WH6ASW
#65818, will sign WH6AW/KH2 from mid August
until December. QSL via VK4FW. Kure Island
DXpedition KH7K Sept. 26 to Oct. 4 by Randy K0EU
#4977 and Andy UA3AB #23433 and other ops.
French Polynesia FO. Bora Bora by Ron
N6VO/FO5VO #9550. Barbados 8P: John K4BAI
#45389. Look for him on CW using the call 8P9HT
and during the CQWW CW contest using 8P9Z. QSL
John Laney, POB 421, Columbus GA 31902. 8P6CV
by Steve KU9C #31988. QSL call book. Chatham
Island Ken ZL2HU #37889 reports a group of New
Zealanders operated ZL7AA from October 21-28.
Chagos Island VQ9. Rick, WB0BNR #1757, was
active as VQ9AI until mid-November. HC8,
Galapagos Island by Pedro HC1OT #38309, and
other operators will be active as HC8N . QSL via
Derek AA5BT #54007. KP2 & WP2, U.S. Virgin
Island. Dave, AG8L #9626, reports he used two
callsigns: KP2/AG8L and WP2Z for contests. QSL
via Mike NN6C #60345. TI, Costa Rica. Fred
K9VV #8707 and K6CT will be active as a entry in
the CQ WW CW Contest as TI5KD. AH8A American
Samoa by Bill #24324. QSL to: Ron Lago, POB
25426, Eugene, Oregon 97402. C21RK Nauru
Ruben #36955 POB 139 Nauru, Central Pacific. 3B8
Mauritius Island - Jacques, F6HMJ #52711 will be
3B8/F6HMJ on all bands from Mauritius (AF-049)
until December 12. 3B8, Mauritius. Jacques, F6HMJ
#52711, will be active as 3B8/F6HMJ from
November 26th to December 12th. V2, Antigua.
Darrell AB2E #9753 V26E, with two other ops, will
activate V26KW. 6D2X Mexico by Russell #11737
K5TSQ . QSL his address: R. K. Quin, POB 734,
Edinburg TX 78539.
Panama: QSL manager Jean, F6AJA, reports he has
the HP1XBI logs up to September 15th for Gerard
F2JD #63443. All direct QSLs are on the way. We
talked and swapped numbers when we had good
conditions into Panama in November. Gerard's job
will soon end and he is expected to leave in December.
Tajikistan EY by Karl, K4YT/DL4YT was active
for the last time as EY8/K4YT #37347 from Dushanbe
in November. QSL via W2TK.
SV, Greece. The "DX News Sheet" reports that
Charles, ex-S92SS, and his XYL Leslie, ex-S92YL,
will be active for the next four years as SV0LM and
SV0LN from northern Greece near Thessos Island.
Mali by Larry, TZ6VV #28997, has been active for
about the last 6 weeks, will return to the U.S. in
January 1998. Larry was worked on 28.403 at 1525Z.
(Or 28.424 at 1515Z). He will leave Mali December
31st and travel for three weeks in Africa before flying
back to the U.S. when he will come to Houston to pick
up a car about January 29st. QSL via AA0GL.
Zambia, 9J2FR by Renzo I2KRR #27983. We
worked on November 8 on 28.505 at 1650Z. He had
not used his 10-10 number in a long time and could
not remember it, so I looked it up under his old Italian
call and gave it to him over the air. QSL to IK2RZQ.
9J2CE by Ely IN3VZE #31856, was active in
November. QSL via Ely Camin, C SO# Novembre
136/2, Trento 38100 Italy.
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Propagation: Solar flux will range from 100-125
during the first quarter of 1998. As I write this, the
Solar flux is 117 the A index 2 and K index 1, now
that the Solar flux is steadily increasing with Cycle 23,
we are working some DX! Expect large swings of
flux numbers as new spots appear on the sun and the
sun moves into what I call the first phase of Cycle 23.
This first phase will last for 1-2 years. For stations in
the Eastern US, expect a 50% chance of DX
propagation to the East-West path into Europe or
Africa. For stations in the Western US, expect 25%
chance of DX into Europe. All of the US will get a
60% chance into Central & S.America. Expect
increased Sporadic E Layer conditions to diminish
during the Winter as F Layer skip begins to return as
Cycle 23 gets more active. Remember to listen for the
beacons (28.175-28.300) to check conditions.
New DX members for Fall: Here are the new DX
members for 10-10 during the last quarter: DF4PL
68932, DJ2VZ 68933, DL2KK 68934, DJ6SE 68935,
DJ5JO 68936, DK4QO 69087, VA3LGD 68937,
PU3LSP 68938. 73 from Carol K8DHK #29588.
The official 10-10 DXCC Country count is at 288
as N5EJS Russ has uncovered two new countries!
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Thanks too: The on-line DX Reflector, QRZ-DX
KH6BZF Reports, & 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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