The monthly newsletter of the Carbon Amateur Radio Club

February 2000

By Lamar N3AT

There are several items of interest to QRP'ers this month. The first is Atlanticon 2000, A QRP weekend Forum that will be filled with all kinds of interesting things. The Forum will be held March 24-25 at the Ramada Inn in Glen Mills, PA. Speakers will include Chuck Adams (K7QO), Dave Bensons (NN1G- designer and owner of Small Wonder Labs, and producer of a number of excellent QRP kits), Joe Everhart (N2CX) producer of a number of portable antennas and other items for QRP use), Gary Diana (N2JGU - producer of the Tick series of electronic keyers), and several other leaders of the growing QRP movement in ham radio. QRP'ers will be bringing their projects for display and judging in 2 different categories: Manhattan style construction, and kit building of other types. Registration cost is $10, and may be sent to George Heron, N2APB, at 2419 Feather Mae Court, Forest Hill, MD 21050. Make checks payable to George.

For those who want to stay overnight special rates are available at the Ramada. Call the Ramada Inn and ask for a room in the special-piced block set aside for Atlantican attendees. The price wil' be $79 plus tax.

A second item for this month is the construction project we have been talking about for the past few months - a Vectronics receiver kit. We need to firm up plans if we are going to actually do this project. We need the names of any or all who want to participate, so a group order can be placed.

I had the pleasure of working KT4MM a couple of months ago when he was using both a Vectronics transmitter and receiver. He was running 1 watt, from Georgia, and we had a good QSO. He told me that the receiver kit is very easy to put together. He said, "There is enough complexity

in the kit to teach your groups about the various components that make up our radios. Good eyesight is helpful with the 1/8 watt resistors. The tuneup for the receivers requires either a calibrated rf generator or a ham receiver."

He also told me that his 1 watt transmitter, in the last arrl dx contest worked 2 or 3 europeans, and he said he was very surprised to hear them come back. So the receiver could be a good introduction to some new ham, wanting to get into ham radio, but not wanting to spend a whole lot of

money to do so.

If any member (or non-member) of Carc would like to become involved in this building project, please let me know your definite intentions by the time of our February meeting, so we can go ahead with it.

72 de Lamar

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We're starting the countdown to Atlanticon QRP Forum ... only 7 more weeks before the biggest QRP event on the east coast happens on March 24-25 in the Philadelphia suburb of Glen Mills.

Each week we'll present and overview one of the QRP topics being presented by our staff of leading QRP experts from around the country. And as a reminder, each paper is being published in the "Atlanticon 2000 QRP Forum Proceedings", being made available to all attendees that weekend, and for sale to others after the Forum. Our illustrious speaker/author staff includes: Chuck Adams (K7QO), Dave Benson (NN1G), Joe Everhart (N2CX), Ed

Hare (W1RFI), Jim Kortge (K8IQY), Mike Gipe (K1MG) and Gary Diana (N2JGU). What a line-up for Atlanticon's all-day Saturday seminars!

The first Atlanticon presentation we'll profile is that of Dave Benson, NN1G. Dave will discuss the relatively new PSK31 mode and what it means for QRPers and homebrewers. He'll have a demonstration setup to show off this mode in action, and (antenna-setup permitting), we should be able to log some live QSOs at Atlanticon. Everyone has undoubtedly been hearing the excitement and growing interest in this new digital mode of operation ... as chief designer and owner of Small Wonder Labs, NN1G will have some interesting news coming our way concerning PSK31.

DAVE BENSON, NN1G graduated from the University of Connecticut in 1976 (Electrical Engineering), and he first worked in Phoenix and Albuquerque for Honeywell's Flight Systems Division. Part of a displays design group, Dave was responsible for a number of video and communications terminal designs. (If you've seen the F-15 bomb-camera recordings from the Gulf conflict on the evening news, that's his handiwork.) Dave holds several design patents in this area. More recently, he'd been contributing on a helmet-mounted display program for the Army's new Comanche helicopter. Dave began writing for the QRP Quarterly in 1990, despite the dire predictions of

most of his high school English teachers. He served as technical editor of QQ before 'going commercial' with his venture, Small Wonder Labs, in 1994. This grew from his work on the classic '40-40' project for the New England QRP Club. As of 1996, he's devoted full-time to this activity, and continues to publish, most recently in NorCal's QRPp and the ARRL's QST magazine.

Dave is a member of the NJ-QRP Club and is our technical advisor again this year for the Atlanticon QRP Forum organizing staff. We sure appreciate NN1G's participation in the program!

We hope as many QRPers as possible can take advantage of the prolific lineup of speakers and fun we have arranged for Atlanticon this year. All the information concerning reservations, travel and lodging discounts, maps and directions, fun-filled QRP events on Friday and Saturday evenings (including the Building Contest and Snap Kit judging) is available on the Atlanticon web page (http://www.njqrp.org/atlanticon/ ), or can be obtained

automatically by email. (Send an email to [email protected] with the words

SEND ATLANTICON in the body of the message. An automated reply will be sent

almost immediately.)

An "Atlanticon Info Package" (maps, hotel details, area sites and activities, etc) is being mailed out this week to all registered QRPers, and thereafter too upon receipt of new registrations received. Also contained in the Info Package is the SNAP KIT ... a Manhattan-style QRPp transmitter kit for all Atlanticon attendees to construct and bring along for the Building Contest on Saturday evening of that weekend. (Again, for details see http://www.njqrp.org/atlanticon/snap.html )

72, George N2APB

Provided by Bob K3PH

The Ohio/Penn Dx PacketCluster

DX Bulletin No. 447

February 7, 2000

Editor Tedd Mirgliotta, KB8NW

Provided by BARF-80 BBS Cleveland, Ohio

Online at 440-237-8208 28.8k-1200 Baud 8/N/1

Thanks to the Northern Ohio Amateur Radio Society, Northern Ohio DX Association, Ohio/Penn PacketCluster Network, K1XN & The Golist, NC1L & DXCC, K2KQ, WB2RAJ & The 59(9) DXReport, W3UR & The Daily DX, KI4RU, N4AA & QRZ DX, N4HT, KL7J, K8YSE, A35RK, DJ5AV & DX News Letter, F5NOD, FG5FR, I2YSB, LU1DK, OM3LZ, PY2YP, VE3NQK and ZL2HU for the following DX information.

3D2, FIJI

Paul Kidd, A35RK, informs OPDX that he and his QSL Manager Bob Preston, W7TSQ, will be arriving in Suva, Fiji on February 7th. They will be visiting Craig Thompson, 3D2TC, (ex-A35CT) and will be active from that location for 2 weeks. Bob will be signing 3D2SQ, and Paul will be using 3D2RK. Their activity will be on all bands 80-6 meters CW/SSB/RTTY. Hopefully, both 3D2SQ and 3D2RK will be able to operate simultaneously. 3D2SQ will concentrate on SSB, and 3D2RK will work CW and RTTY. Special attention will be given to Europe, band conditions permitting. QSL both 3D2SQ and 3D2RK via W7TSQ. Bob, W7TSQ, will leave Fiji to head to New Zealand (ZL) and Indonesia (YB) (see below) while Paul will stay in Suva until February 25th before he returns to Tonga. Look for 3D2RK to enter the ARRL CW DX Contest.

3W, VIETNAM

Mal, VK6LC, will be returning to Vietnam sometime this week and stay until early March. He will operate from Ho Chi Mihn City only for a short while as his free time is very limited. Over the next 2-3 weeks, Mal states that he will be able to take off the weekends and go from Vung Tau to visit a friend in Ho Chi Mihn City and operate his radio. He will no longer use his temporary callsign 3W6LC (January 2000) because he now has a permanent licence with the callsign of 3W2LC which is not restricted to a single frequency. Mal will try this time to be active on or about 14270 and 21270 kHz looking for EU and NA. He has found the best times for NA is on 20 meters between 2230-2400z because of less noise. His operating times will be mainly in the evenings and mornings from about 0600-2400z. Look for him on the following weekends: February 12-13th and 19-20th (if he can make it). QSL Manager VK6LC: Mal Johnson, 9 Abinger Rd., Lynwood WA 6155, AUSTRALIA

6Y, JAMAICA

Look for Reiner, DL2AAZ, to sign /6Y5, now through February 14th. He will be active on CW/SSB 40-10 meters (including the WARC bands). He will use a TS-50 with wire antennas and verticals. QSL via DL2AAZ.

9G, GHANA

Zdeno, 9G5ZW, is very active on HF and was heard on 12 meters this past week. Check around 24950 kHz after 1200z. His QSL Manager Miro, OM3LZ, informs OPDX that from October, 19999, until the end of January, Zdeno has made 22000 QSOs, mostly JAs. He was active on 30-6 meters. In January, he made 7000 QSO. As of January 10th, Miro states that he has started replying QSLs, and all QSL received at the end of 1999 were answered (600 direct QSLs). Bureau QSLs will be answered in March, after he takes a short winter holiday now through February 13th. He will be in W0-land (Aspen, CO) together with OM3RG. Miro hopes to be active.

A2, BOTSWANA

Rayne, A22RM, was very active this past weekend on 10 meters between 28440 and 28505 kHz from 1545-1815z. Also, check 15 meters around 21305 kHz after 1700z. QSL to P.O. Box 41295, Gaborone, Botswana. Also, the "DX News Letter" reports that Said, A22EW, should be active again now through February 27th. Activity will be on all bands. Look for him between 2230-0030z calling for North American stations on 80 meters. QSL via KB2MS.

BV9P, PRATAS ISLANDS

"The Daily DX" mentioned this past week to look for an announcement to be made for an operation to take place in April.

D2, ANGOLA

Jesus, EA1BF, signing D2BF, was heard active on a couple of days during this past week on 28511 kHz between 1145 and 1400z. Reports state that he has been active since before Christmas. Look for him to be active on 20/17/15/10 meters CW and SSB. QSL via EA8EE.

DXCC NEWS RELEASE

The DXCC Desk announced the new enhanced "DXCC Card Checking Program" this past week. Under the new program, "DXCC Card Checkers" will be able to check all awards except 160 meter DXCC, and all QSLs from any current DXCC Entity. This will apply to both new awards and endorsements. QSOs made up to ten years prior to the current year will be eligible for checking in the field, while older cards and Deleted Entities may still be sent to ARRL HQ. The current "DXCC Field Checking" program will end on March 31, 2000, with the new program beginning on April 1, 2000. Reappointment of "DXCC Card Checkers" under new criteria will be necessary. Nominations may be made by Section Managers and ARRL affiliated DX Specialty Clubs of 25 members or more. The complete press release will be sent to all OPDX InterNet Subscribers as an additional bulletin.

FG, GUADELOUPE (top band)

Frantz, FG5FR, has been very active on 160 and 80 meters. Check around 1836 or 3505 kHz between 0330 and 0500z. He also informs OPDX that his address in the 1998, 1999 and 2000 callbook is incorrect. His address is: C.Frantz Selbonne, Villa le "Ferrick", Rocade de Paul, 97129 Lamentin, GUADELOUPE F.W.I. You can also use his QSL Manager F6FNU: Antoine Baldeck, PO Box 14, F- 91291 Arpajon, Cedex FRANCE. Frantz's address is OK in BUCKMASTER and

QRZ.

FR/T, TROMELIN ISLAND

The Lyon DX Gang is proud to announce a Dxpedition to Tromelin Island (FR/T) during summer 2000. They don't know the exact dates, but this should be during August of 2000. This DXpedition to Tromelin Island is very expensive. The team will be renting a plane from Reunion Island and arrange full transportation for 4 operators on the island during the 2 weeks operation. There will be 3 stations active on 160/80/40/30/ 20/17/15/12/10/6 meters SSB/CW/RTTY. The island is really remote and is a scientific preserved area. They state that this Dxpedition will only take place if they can gather enough funds. They are looking for sponsors and associations for donations. Donations can be made to: CIC Lyonnaise de Banque (France) ACCOUNT NUMBER : 022 9 62086 L Or via their Treasurer F5PXT (pay to the order of Lyon DX Gang only): Eric Blanchard, 2, Rue Bichat, Allée 32, 69002 Lyon- FRANCE The FR/T Web site is available at: http://perso.easynet.fr/~f5nod/

IOTA NEWS

SA-021. Members of the Western Buenos Aires DX Group will activate Trinidad Island in the Buenos Aires Province West Group from February 25-27th. Activity will be on CW/SSB 80-10 meters. Operators will be LO0D (LU1DK), LU8EEM, LU8DWR, LU8VCC, LU7DP, LU7DYS, AY5E (LU5DV), L44D (LU4DA) and LU7VCH. QSL LO0D via F6FNU. All others via their home callsign.

J3, GRENADA

Don, K2KQ, expects to be operational from here as either J3A or yet a unnamed J37 callsign for the ARRL DX CW Contest. The operation will be Single Op/High Power entry from the usual EOC site from which he has done the CQWW contests a few times. Also, look for Bill, K4LTA, as J3/K4LTA from the beach. Activity will be mainly CW on the usual frequencies. However, QRZ DX reports that his wife, Rudy, K4UPS, will operate on SSB 20/15/10 meters. Look for Bill to use J38A during the ARRL CW Contest too.

JW, SVALBARD

Ken/LA6WEA and Ragnar/LA7FD will be active from here Febraury 21-27th as JW7FD and JW6WEA. Ken states that he will, as always, be active on 160 and 80 meters. He also mentions that he will be listening during the CQWW 160m Contest, not as serious entry, but will be glad to give you a multiplier QSO if he is able to copy you.

MILLENNIUM ACTIVITY

Bob Treacher reports that M2000A continues to be active daily from 0830z to 1900z until February 29th. The station is a special event station to celebrate the new

Millennium. It is situated on the 0 degree Meridian at Greenwich, London. The station has made 24,000 QSOs so far in only 265 hours of operation - 150 DXCC

entities worked, WAS and WAZ. A color certificate is available for working M2000A on 5 bands. QSL via G4DFI. Full details of the station, activity and awards

are available at the Web site:

http://www.qsl.net/m2000a

PI, NETHERLANDS (IPA station)

Begin looking for the Dutch "International Police Association Radio Club" (IPARC) station, PI4IPA, to be active on Tuesdays at 1400z on 14165 kHz (when

possible). Working this station you can collect points for the following: 1) The Windmill Award and 2) The Sherlock Holmes Award.

PJ9, SINT MAARTEN

"The 59(9) DXReport" reports that Jim, W1HL, will be active from February 29th through March 5th as either PJ9/W1HL or PJ9/W1FC.

QSL INFO AND NEWS

AX0LD QSL ROUTE. Alan, VK0MM, has nominated the CW Sao Paulo Group (CWSP) as his QSL Manager for the one day AX0LD operation from Macquarie Island and declines to accept any excess monies from the QSLing process. Instead, he requests that stations wishing to obtain a AX0LD QSL each make a small donation to cover the postal costs, the remainder to be donated to a nominated charity. CWSP will be supplying and covering the costs of printing the QSL cards and has nominated the Children's Cancer Hospital of Sao Paulo as the receipient. At the end of the QSLing pro- cess, all incoming monies minus postal costs will be presented to them with a card saying "From the international Amateur Radio community as a mark of thanks to Alan Cheshire who operated from Macquarie Island as AX0LD on 26th January 2000". CWSP will also make public the accounts. Any extra donations you may wish to make to the Children's Cancer Hospital of Sao Paulo will be sincerely appreciated. QSL AX0LD "DIRECT ONLY" please, via PY2YP: Sao Paulo CW Group, PO Box 1807, Sao Paulo, SP 01059-970, Brazil. Cesar, PY2YP, reports that they will be working fast in order to have the cards printed and ready to go as soon as possible. Since the Honor Roll members may wish to apply for the DXCC before March 31st, they will try to ship the cards to them before March 1st. He suggest that the Honor Roll guys put the letters "HR" outside the envelope and Cesar will do his best to give them a priority. HR members may wish to mail directly to Py2YP home address: Cesar Augusto C Rodrigues, Al Min Rocha Azevedo, 495 AP 121, Sao Paulo, SP 01410-001, Brazil

Joe Duffin, W2ORA, is stating that he is receiving cards for EI8GS and that he is NOT the QSL Manager for this station.

TN7OT QSLS. Hazel, whose home call is AL7OT, is back home in Soldotna, Alaska, after a year in TN7-land. For those waiting for a QSL confirmation, she has finished all QSL cards received and is mailing them this week. The TN7OT QSL route still is CBA for AL7OT.

SAD NEWS

It was reported this past week that Ron Wills, ZL2TT, became a "Silent Key" (SK). Many may remember Ron's involvement in the May, 1996 DXpedition to Raoul Island by the Kermadec Group. OPDX would like to send our deepest condolances and sympathy to his wife Win, ZL2GI, and family.

SPECIAL EVENT

T48, CUBA

Look for the "No-Name DX- Group" using the special callsign T48RAC during the ARRL SSB DX Contest the first week of March. Members from Canada (VE3ESE, VE3NXB, VE3SND) and the Cuban University Club will be operating from the University in Santigo, Cuba. They hope to surpass their previous scores. QSL via VE3ESE (Don Fisher).

TX0DX, CHESTERFIELD ISLANDS

It was reported this week by a couple of sources that the DXAC has been asked or is looking/reviewing charts of the area to determine whether Chesterfield Island meets the distance requirement to qualify as a new entity.

V7, KWAJALEIN ISLAND

Bruce, AC4G, currently signing V73CW was heard this past weekend on 12 meters (24942 kHz around 2100z). He reported this past week that he will be leaving the island on March 11th and head back to the states. Bruce states, "I am going to try to be active as much as time permits on all bands, especially top band!"

VK0, ANTARCTICA

"The 59(9) DXReport" reports that Lance, VK0ERZ, on Davis Base is often active daily on 14255 kHz from 1200z. QSL via VK2FUN.

VK0, MACQUARIE ISLANDS

Alan, VK0MM, continued to please many last week. He was active last week on 30 meters between 1100 and 1300z. AN ADDED NOTE FROM ALAN. On Alan's Web site, he suggested the following on working him on CW: "Please use full break-in QSK if you are able & AS if requested. ( " ........ " ). Once I have a full callsign down, I will resend it twice. If it is correct, you only need to give me my RST. If I have copied your call incorrectly, please send your full call + RST. QSL means you are in the log. I dislike rules etc. as much as anyone else. However as I'm sure most will agree, if all stations can cooperate with this CW strategy, there will be many more QSOs per hour than would otherwise be possible. This also obviates the need for working by callsign number & makes the sched more equitable to all areas. You will stand a much better chance of a QSO if you send your last two & then full call on contact. My understand- ing of FCC regulations is that you

can send your last two as often as you like, as long as you send your full call once every ten minutes. Stations persistently calling out of turn will not be responded to & will have their callsigns flagged with QRU by the logging software."

XF4, REVILLA GIGEDO

QRZ DX reports that XE ops will be operating here March 3-18th as XF4LWY. Activity will be on CW/SSB. No bands were mentioned. QSL via XF4LWY.

XZ, MYANMAR

As this bulletin was being prepared, the XZ0A team was finishing up their operation with stateside working them on 17 meters. A press release was sent out late Saturday evening by Warren, K7WX, stating the following (excerpt): "XZ0A is now in its final day of operation. Contacts will end at 23:59 GMT on February 6, 2000 and preparations will then begin for transporting equipment off the island. As of February 4th, there were approximately 75,000 QSOs in the log." The complete press release will be sent to all OPDX InterNet Subscribers as an additional bulletin.

YB, INDONESIAM

Bob, W7TSQ, will travel here after his New Zealand operation (see below), where he hopes to re-activate his old callsign, YB3ASQ. Bob will be active from Indonesia until March 26th. QSL via W7TSQ

ZL, NEW ZEALAND

Bob, W7TSQ, will leave Fiji (where he operated as 3D2SQ, see above) on February 16th and travel to New Zealand. Here he will operate using either

ZL/W7TSQ or another ZL callsign to be assigned upon arrival (...possibly ZL2SQ). Bob will be in New Zealand until March 2nd before he heads to Indonesia (YB, see above). Also, Bob plans to enter the ARRL CW DX Contest using his ZL callsign. QSL via W7TSQ.

Excerpts and distribution of The OPDX Bulletin are granted as long as KB8NW/OPDX/BARF80 receive credit. To contribute DX info, call BARF-80 BBS online

at 440-237-8208 28.8k/14400/9600/2400/1200 and leave a message with the Sysop or send via InterNet Mail to:

The January CARC Meeting was cancelled due to inclement weather. Please monitor the W3HA repeater or subscribe to the CARC email reflector for meeting cancellations and late-breaking news.

Goody K3NG will be giving a demonstration of PSK31 at the February meeting. PSK31 is a narrowband digital mode that requires just a computer with a sound card connected to your HF rig.

N3DVF, K3CT, KB3BPR, and WB3ESS now have a new address : 4626 Steven Lane, Walnutport, PA 18088

A DX Cluster Node that is accessible via the Internet is available for CARC members. No packet radio equipment is necessary, just a computer connected to the Internet. Contact Goody K3NG for instructions on how to get connected.

Please complete your 2000 Membership application and bring it to the February meeting or mail it to K3PH if you have not done so already.

Spring is coming. Think foxhunting !

** Denotes CARC supported or sponsored events

Bold indicates items of local interest

February 12: YL-OM Contest SSB, North American Sprint CW

February 17: *** CARC Meeting – 19:30 Local – Carbon County EMA Center, Route 93 ***

February 25: CQ 160 Meter Contest SSB

February 26: North Carolina QSO Party

February 27: High Speed CW Club Contest

March 4: ARRL International DX Contest

March 11: QCWA QSO Party

March 12: North American Sprint CW, Wisconsin QSO Party

March 16: *** CARC Meeting – 19:30 Local – Carbon County EMA Center, Route 93 ***

March 18: Virginia QSO Party, CQ WW WPX Contest SSB

Vice President: Glenn O’Donnell K3PP [email protected]

Secretary: Bob Schreibmaier K3PH

Treasurer: John Schreibmaier W3MF

W3HA Callsign Trustee: Bill Dale WY3K

W3HA Repeater Trustee: John Bednar K3CT

Public Information Officer: Bill Kelley KA3UKL

Skywarn Coordinator: Mike N3XYU

John Bednar K3CT, Bruce Appleton N3RXJ, Bert Rex W3OWP

Editor: Goody K3NG [email protected]

Contesting: Glenn K3PP [email protected]

DX : Bob K3PH

Foxhunting: open

Propagation and Commentary: Larry N3CR [email protected]

QRP: Lamar N3AT [email protected]

Technical: John K3CT

Newsletter Printing, Folding, and Mailing: Bob K3PH

CARC Website: http://www.cpals.com/~elitehom/carc/

Webmaster: Robert KB3BYT [email protected]

Regular Membership is $15.00, Regular with Autopatch is $20.00.