TenX DX March 2013 by Mike N5MT DX Editor

[N5MT]

TenX DX News March 1, 2013
Mike Davidson N5MT, #24949

The Spring contest season has brought a change of propagation that has helped us have a good Winter QSO Party from Texas this year. However, the weekend DX contests have produced fewer contacts on Ten as compared to previous years. The predicted second peak of this Cycle 24 has failed to appear and a lower solar flux will result in fewer DX contacts in your electronic log in 2013.

My favorite contest has been the ARRL Ten Meter weekend in December. Last year, I made more CW contacts than SSB and I had 26 fewer countries than in 2011, so my score was lower. The solar flux did get high enough for us to hear Europe so that helped put a few countries in the log but the opening was for only a few hours. The lack of a good stateside skip meant fewer multipliers in the contest, so the total score was definitely lower than in 2011.

I like using the ARRL LoTW QSL service as it saves you a lot of postage. You must have a computer logging program that allows you to upload your log to the LoTW server and the software will begin matching your QSO’s quickly. The setup of LoTW is a bit tricky so read up on the process a few times and get your certificate from the ARRL to begin uploading. The LoTW process is hard to understand because of the security procedures that are required for you to follow to be sure it’s your data going into the LoTW server.

New 10-10 country activity from the Republic of South Sudan on CW by Ken K4ZW/Z81Z #18573 took place on January 9th as reported by Ken G3XPO #70614.

A DXpedition to Cambodia took place from December 5-17th using call sign XU1A. Kazu VR2KF/JH1OGX #69615 could be the first 10-10 worked from XU.

Just a reminder. All contacts with Turkmenistan EZ prefix, have been on hold since August 2006. The ARRL DXCC are not accepting cards for this country until a change happen with their country status. The only 10-10 member is Alex EZ8BD #23458. The old prefix was UH8.

I am posting this to the 10-10 website on March 1st, and there are few DX signals on Ten coming into my radio.

Countries Award: There were two upgrades issued to one member this past quarter and no basic awards issued. All are taking advantage of the NO QSL cards required for awards. When you apply for any 10-10 award, you need to use an approved form at the 10-10 website or use software that prints the forms for emailing.
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General 10-10 DX reported in the past quarter:

3D Fiji. Bill N7OU/3D2OU was on Fiji from February 2-7th. Then from February 8-21st, he was on Rotuma as 3D2RO operating mostly CW into a vertical antenna. He may have used call 3D2RX for the contest. LoTW.

5X Uganda. Flo F5CWU #71812, Gerard F2JD #63443, and Jean-Paul F8BJI #71704, were with a large group of operators in Uganda from February 6-18, 2013.

5X Uganda. Reg NH6T/5X1C #49442, received his license in February. Reg is an apartment builder and is very busy with work at this time.

6V/6W Senegal. Istavan HA0DU #23432 and a friend HA0NAR, will be using 6V2R from Senegal starting February 9th. They will move to Guinea Bissau as J5NAR. They may operate from two islands as portable/calls.

9A Croatia. Charlie NF4A #35224, will be in Croatia from February 25th to March 4th as 9A5PC. In the SSB contest he will be one of the ops at 9A1A. LoTW.

C6 Bahamas. George W4BUW #9126 and Joe W8GEX #41393, were on the Bahamas from January 20-27th using callsign C6AGH on SSB, CW and RTTY.

CU Azores. Hermann HB9CRV #72110 was on Flores Island, Azores from January 22-25th as CR2W. The call changed to CR2V until February 8th. LoTW.

ET Ethiopia. Ken K4ZW #18573, was in Ethiopia for the CW contest February 23-24th at the ET3AA club station.

J7 Dominica. Bernie W3UR #25731 and his dad Tony N3ME #14478 were in Dominica but no activity on Ten reported January 22nd to February 11th as J77A.

KG4 Guantanamo Bay. Bill W3WV/KG4WV #26180, was expected to return to Gitmo on February 17th and stay until March 1st. The ham shack roof was fixed and Bill will work on antennas and operate as time permits.

KP2 St. Croix. Fred K9VV #8707 and friends, operated during the ARRL CW contest February 16-17th as KP2M.
Matt KP2/K0BBC #76064 was on St. Thomas from February 26th to March 5th. Brad K7EUG #76474 will be with a friend during the CW contest using call NP2N on February 16-17th.

KP4 Puerto Rico. A Caribbean tour begins in Puerto Rico for David K3LP #13394 on December 18th. He moved to KP2, on the 23rd, then V4, then J73, then J3, then KP2 US Virgin on the 28th and then back to KP4 until 31st.

ON Belgium. Berkin TA3J #74303 operated from Belgium as portable ON/TA3J from December 7-11th.

P4 Aruba. John W2GD #14109, was active as P40W from Aruba in the CW contest February 16-17th. LoTW.
Howard WA2NHA #21504 is expected to be on Aruba from March 3-17th operating mostly on CW.

PJ4 Bonaire. Carl KP2L #47405, went to Bonaire from January 20-25th for scuba diving and ham radio. He used a Yaesu 857D with a Buddipole antenna. L0TW.

TI Costa Rica. Kam N3KS/TI5W #11541, was in the CW contest February 16-17th.

TX Clipperton Island. Luis XE1L #18056 and Rick KF4ZZ #7178, will be using call TX5K on Clipperton from February 27th to March 16th. QSL to Bob N2OO #12732. Online QSO Log at: http://TX5K.org .

V3 Belize. John AD8J #16120 operated with W3NO during the Ten Meter Contest as V31NO.

V6 Micronesia. Haru JA1XGI/V63XG #55571, was on Yap Island from December 5-12th mostly CW. He used an IC-7000 and a small yagi. LoTW.

VP2M Montserrat. Will AA4NC/VP2ME #15774, was on from February 13-20th. LoTW.
Jack KB8RJ/VP2MRS #24068, operated from February 22nd to March 13th only on SSB from Montserrat.

VP5 Turks & Caicos Islands. Vernon AC0W #71644, was using call VP5S in the CW contest February 16-17th.
Jeff VP5/K0UU #68974, was active during February.

XU Cambodia. Kaxu VR2KF/JH1OGX #69615 was using call XU1A with friends from Cambodia the first two weeks of December 2012. Most of their operating time on Ten was at night for us in the USA, so you probably would not have heard him on Ten unless you were in Asia.

YN Nicaragua. Scott K7ZO #55678, will operate from February 23rd to March 3rd as YN5Z. LoTW.

Z8 South Sudan. Ken K4ZW/Z81Z #18573, gave out his 10-10 number for one day in January. He will return to South Sudan for a work assignment on February 25th for ten days. Ken was in Ethiopia for a few days at club station ET3AA in February.

ZL9 Campbell Island. A DXpedition to Campbell Island was from December 1-8th using call sign ZL9HR. The only 10-10 member was Gene K5GS #15119. Web site: www.ZL9HR.com .

Upcoming DX & New 10-10 Activity:

3V/TS Tunisia. Antonello IK2DUW #18397 and friends will be on a DXpedition to Djerba Island from April 29th to May 6th with call sign TS8TI.

C6 Bahama Islands. Paul K1VK #9756, will be in the ARRL SSB Contest March 2- 3rd as C6ANM with friends.

CO Cuba. Doug CO8DM #72112, has started to put his log on LoTW. His QSL mgr is Steve KU9C #31988.

FO French Polynesia. Al KZ3AB #63030, will be in Tahiti from May 3-13th using call sign FO/KZ3AB. He will operate from his hotel and ship. QSL via WA3EOP.

FP St.Pierre & Miquelon. Eric KV1J #31247, will be on the island from July 6-16th. Web site: www.kv1j.com .

FS St. Martin. Andy DK5ON #54260, will be on the French & Dutch sides of the island from March 10-29th.

I Italy. Dale N3BNA #32100 and friends will be on Lampedusa Island off Sicily in October for the CQ SSB contest. Http://www.IG9.uu9p.com .

J7 Dominica. Richard KK4GV/J79GV #39793, will be active from March 8-17th only SSB. LoTW. Terry N0TW/J79TRW #36547 and Gerry WA6POZ #21274, will be on from August 2-6th in the Summer QSO Party.

K USA. Lou W0FK #8677 will be on the Gulf Coast of Florida on Longboat Key island from March 2-16th. Allan KV4T #38824, Robert AJ4T #58364 and Steve KI4GGJ #76061, will be on Dauphin Island from June 19-24th.

KP2 Virgin Islands. John KP2/W3JH #28715 will be on from the Virgin Islands from March 13-19th.
Stan K8MJZ #6204, will be with friends on the island for the WPX SSB contest March 30-31st as WP2Z.

KP2 Virgin Island. Tony N2TK #22425, will be in the SSB contest the first weekend in March as KP2M.

PJ7 Sint Maarten. Randy N0TG #12990, is making plans to be on from PJ7, Sint Maarten, from March 15-23rd of 2013. Look for PJ7/N0TG, along with Ron AA4VK #12423 and N1SNB from the island in 2013.

T2 Tuvalu. Tom GM4FDM #31864 will use call sign T2GM from March 13-23rd. Website: www.T2GM.org .

T2 Tuvalu. Tim NL8F #32796, will be on the island from March 19th to April 2nd. No call has been issued yet.

T33 Banaba Island. Arnie N6HC #29959, Cliff KD6XH #4427, Jay AA4FL #8436, will be using call sign T33A on Banaba Island from March 26th to April 9, 2013.

V3 Belize. Lee N8LJ/V31LJ #61088 and Stan AC8W/V31AC #62885 will be in Belize from February 27th to March 5th and in the ARRL DX SSB contest.

V6 Micronesia. Sho JA7HMZ #30900 and a friend, will be on Pohnpei island from April 15-20th.

VE9 Canada. Jim AE1C/V9 #17864, will be on Grand Manan Island from August 18-25th. LoTW.

VP5 Turks and Caicos Islands. Urb W1UL #21534, will be on from March 7-13th on CW as VP5/W1UL.

ZL New Zealand. Les ZL3AB #4434 and friends, will be active as ZL3X in the WPX SSB contest March 30-31st.

ZL7 Chatham Island. Jim ZL1LC/ZL7LC #76528, is going to Chatham Island from March 14-21st. He will be using an IC-7200 into a Buddipole vertical sending PSK31.

Miscellaneous Items & Notes:
Propagation forecast: http://www.solen.info/solar/ .
DX Calendar: http://www.dxwatch.com/ .
More propagation: http://dx.qsl.net/propagation/ .

Propagation: Propagation during the Winter of 2012 has not been as good as in Winter of 2011 when a maximum solar flux was recorded. The highest flux in 2012 was in July at about 135 and not as high as in the Winter of 2011. I expect the daily solar flux to range from 100-135 this next quarter as solar cycle 24 continues. It’s time for NASA to change it prediction of a peak of this cycle to be this summer which I do not think will happen like the double peaks in cycle 23.
On March 1st the solar flux was 106, the A index was 7 and K index 4. Look for the best conditions: March 1-3rd & 27-30th, April 24-27th, and May 21-24th. Over the next three months, for USA stations, expect a 25-40% chance of DX in the mornings to Europe or Africa and a 30% chance into Asia, South America or the Pacific in the late afternoon. To see what DX paths are open, listen for the beacons from 28.175-28.300 (especially 28.200).

New DX members’ December To February 2013:
Dec 2012: 76585 KP4BZ; Jan 2013: none; Feb 2013: 76652 VE9GLB; 76655 VE6DJT; 76670 VE6EC; 76676 VE3HED; 76683 VA7WWV.

Thanks to the QRZ-DX, DXNL, The Daily DX by W3UR #25731, Lee KH6BZF #8888 & Ohio/Penn DX Bulletins. Info to Mike Davidson, 3518 Bellefontaine, Houston, TX 77025 USA Email: N5MT@aol.com.

DX IS! 73 Mike Davidson N5MT #24949
Copyright © 2013 by N5MT