27 Oct 2008

NEW FROM ICOM - IC7600


THE ALL NEW ICOM - IC-7600



The above photo illustrates the IC-7600 as presented at Tokyo HamFair 2008. The IC-7600 is a 100W-class HF/6m HF transceiver, utilizing Icom's well-known and proven IF-DSP architecture and feature set. Note the large TFT display screen. More information will be provided as this radio becomes available.


In the photo below, it will be noted that the elimination of the moving-coil meter has freed up sufficient front-panel space to accommodate the IC-7600's larger TFT display.

IC-7600 and IC-756Pro3 front panels compared. Photo: L. Gentili, I
ØGEJ.

Salient Points:

  • 13.8V, 100W-class HF/6m transceiver

  • 4-pin DC power connector on rear panel

  • 3 roofing filters (Performance in DW reduced due to roofing filter width)

  • Dual Watch

  • +30 dBm IP3

  • Single USB port on front (USB thumb drive/keyboard, TBD)

  • Single USB port on rear (Rig Control)

  • RTTY/PSK31 Encode/decode

  • APF/TBF (Twin Bandpass Filter for Digital)

  • Separate RX-OUT and RX-IN antenna ports

    • allowing connection of external preselectors, multicouplers etc.

  • Transverter port

  • Audio controls similar to IC-7700

    • TBW

    • TX/RX audio controls

  • Spectrum Scope features identical to IC-7700

  • AM/CW auto tune

  • Items not fitted:

    • Digi-Sel

It will be interesting to see what this radio will do on the air!!!

73's

NEWS UPDATE

DX Bulletins

Willis Island Dxpedition

A team of mainly German radio amateurs have been
operating from Willis Island, in the Coral Sea,
north-east of Australia, since earlier this month,
using the call sign is VK9DWX.

The group's signals have been heard on most HF bands in
EI and GI, with 31 EI call signs and 25 GI call signs
in the log by Thursday 23rd October, for a total of 124
QSOs. 20 metres and 17 metres have been the best bands
to work Willis Island from Ireland, however the group's
logs show QSOs with Irish stations on all HF bands
except 10 metres. Monday the 27th October, is
expected to be the final day for the DXpedition.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Radio Rallies

1-2 November: North Wales Radio Society 22nd North
Wales Amateur Radio Show Llandudno Radio Rally The new
site is the brand new John Bright high school in
Llandudno.

2nd November: Foyle & District Amateur Radio Club
Annual Rally in The White Horse Hotel Campsie,
Londonderry Doors open at 11:30 a.m. for Disabled
access Main event at 12-noon info www.mn0aku.org

Sunday 23rd November: Mayo Radio Rally, Belmont Hotel,
Knock, Co. Mayo. Doors open at 11:30 a.m. Rally
Director, Padraic Baynes, EI9JA info www.ei7mre.org


-------------------------------------------------

IOTA Contest Results

Provisional results for this year's Islands On The Air
Contest have been published. Scores for the EI and EJ
entries are available on the IRTS web site, which also
includes a link to the full provisional results.

The top scoring EI/EJ station was EJ0GI, a combined
team from South Dublin Radio Club and City of Belfast
Amateur Radio Society, who operated from Inis Oirr.
This group achieved 6th place worldwide in their
category. The other EI/EJ stations with scores in the
million-plus range were EI0W (Dundalk Amateur Radio
Society) and EI9HX (Pat O'Connor). Other EI/EJ stations
also achieved high category placings, as can be seen
from the contest results page on the IRTS web site.

Another joint EI/GI entry was GI0MPG, operating from
Rathlin Island, who achieved 13th place worldwide in
their category. This year's IOTA contest attracted more
than 1800 entries worldwide, making it one of the most
popular contest of the year.


-------------------------------------------------------

Global Simulated Emergency Test November 2008

The next IARU EmComm Party on the Air is scheduled
for Saturday the 8th of November between 0400 and
0800 hours UTC. The time of each exercise changes to
allow more stations to participate from around the
world as well as recognising that emergencies can
happen at any time

This is an exercise between stations interested in
emergency communications and is not a contest. Activity
will be concentrated around the IARU Emergency Centre
of Activity frequencies which are 3760, 7060, 14300
and 21360 kHz.


----------------------------------------------------------


Great news for 5 MHz

Good news at last. After a long process of contacts
between the military authorities and ComReg the first
of the 5 MHz licences issued on Friday week last
October 17th. We hope by now that all of those who
applied have received the necessary permission. The
permission varies the terms and conditions of the
licences concerned so as to include three 3 kHz
channels with centre frequencies of 5280, 5400 and 5405
kHz. The practice is to use Upper Sideband for voice
transmissions on these channels. As these are centre
channel frequencies and the actual dial readout on
upper sideband is 5278.5, 5398.5 and 5403,5 kHz
respectively i.e. 1.5 kHz on the low frequency side of
the centre of the channel. The maximum power allowed is
200 watts. CW stations are encouraged to use the bottom
300 Hz of the channels as this permits the use of the
channel for SSB at the same time.

It should be noted that military cadet stations in the
UK which use special non amateur call signs are allowed
to participate in the 5 MHz experiment in the UK. EI
stations with 5 MHz permissions can not communicate
with these stations and may only communicate with other
licensed experimenter or amateur stations.

Dave EI3IO was one of the first EI’s on the band and
has sent us some observations. He indicates that 5 MHz
with its near optimum Near Vertical Incidence Skywave
(NVIS) properties provides superb and stable
communication during daylight hours around the Western
European Isles of EI, G, GI, GW and GM. At night,
stations in North America on the East Coast and the Mid
West were easily workable.

After 48 hours with the 5 MHz permission Dave worked
12 DXCC countries including Bermuda, Greenland and
Puerto Rico. In all he had 82 QSO’s in that period
with the best DX being K5RK in Alvin Texas at 7189
kilometres. Other EI’s heard on the band were EI7CD,
EI6IZ and EI7CC.

Finally a word of thanks to ComReg and to the primary
spectrum user for facilitating the release of the three
channels at 5 MHz for experimentation

-------------------------------------------------------

Morse Code tests at Mayo Rally

There will be Morse Code tests available at the
upcoming Mayo Rally on the 23rd of November. These
tests must be booked in advance by contacting Sean
Donelan EI4GK telephone 01 2821420.


-------------------------------------------------------

Learn Morse Code Online - K8ASA

WOW! The whole purpose of this website is to encourage new no-code hams,
and others, to try the C.W. mode. No one can know how great it is until they
experience it for themselves. There has always been a problem of learning
Morse code in the first place. Well rest assured I came across this interesting Blog.

A Blog devoted to preserving the unique, and vital, CW amateur radio environment,
Morse Code, as well as the great hobby of Amateur Radio in all its apparitions.

Enjoy, 73's

22 Oct 2008

TV Stations reports of Amateur Radio ISS school contact

On Friday 17th October, the pupils at Budbrooke School in Warwick, UK, spoke to Richard Garriot W5KWQ on the International Space Station.

Video of the BBC and ITV News reports of the contact can be seen on the web at:

BBC TV News Report - Children call outer space
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7677274.stm

ITV news report
http://www.itvlocal.com/central/news...15&void=247290


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS):
http://www.rac.ca/ariss/

Richard Garriott to contact Budbrooke School, Warwick, UK http://www.southgatearc.org/news/oct...event_1710.htm

AMSAT-UK website
http://www.uk.amsat.uk/

Join AMSAT-UK online at https://secure.amsat.org.uk/subscription/

SSB Field Day - 6 &7 September 2008

SSB Field Day

6 &7 September 2008

By EI9JA

From 13:00 UTC Saturday to 13:00 UTC Sunday

After a few suggestions and many comments as to where we would set up our station for the SSB Field Day, http://www.irts.ie/cgi/irts_c.cgi we agreed to go back to our favourite place Slieve Cairn IO53LU. For the reasons being, that we would take part in the MRG SSB VHF/UHF Challenge http://www.geocities.com/ei2mrg the next day, Sunday 7th September after the SSB Contest.

It had been six days since we were here. The rain that week had made the track very wet and slippery, much worse than the previous week.

The Sun was shining as we set about to find a place to put our antenna. We had decided to put up a light weight antenna and had brought along all the material to do so. Jimmy, EI2GCB, decided on the location and screwed the base (purchased from ALDI in Castlebar!) for our pole into the bog. We had one of those fishing poles (another great purchase from ALDI!) to support our antenna. As you can see only the best and most sophisticated equipment was used!!! The antenna was made from two lengths (15.54m approx) of copper wire cut for a dipole, and an egg insulator with a roll of orange builders’ line attached at both ends. An open wire feeder, 300 ohm ribbon (10.36m) was attached and this was what we had to couple to the RG213 cable, to link to our radio in the van, that was now to be referred to as the “shack”!! We fitted some clamps on ferrite noise suppressors, to prevent RFI near the joint. With everything in place, I attached the centre piece near the top of the fishing pole with a few cable ties and then extended the sections one by one, making sure to twist lock them as they extended. As all this was going on, there was a gale brewing and this is where the fun began!!

Jimmy, EI2GCB, and Shauna, SWL, was holding the lines attached to the dipoles. John, EI3JM, with a line for a back stay all struggled to either pull or release as we shouted orders at each other. The fishing rod bent and flexed and would do everything but stand up straight. I cursed and dammed it and swore that, the next time I would have something more ridged, (well after all it is for fishing, stupid!), as we battled with the wind, which was now bending the pole into the shape of a C . After a half an hour of flexing and twisting, we got it tied. It looked like a “banana,” but it was up, or nearly was anyway! At this stage, patience had worn thin and we would settle for anything that would be off the ground, even the bent fishing rod. We had not checked the antenna before putting it up, but we were hoping the gods would look favourable on us! After connecting the analyser to it, they did. We connected up to the Icom 706 MK2g, and got up and running. With such a struggle to get on air, we found out the contest was well on. The conditions must be good, as the signals were very strong, up and down the bands, and reports were up in the high numbers from central Europe, as we tried to get into a rhythm, running 60-80watts to save on battery power. We concentrated on 20meters; it was the busiest band and got the contacts in the log.

Jimmy EI2GCB was crowned “hero of the day”, because we were in for a surprise! He had brought along the “FOOD”. The beautiful smell from the barbecue filled the shack and the sandpit where we had parked the van. As the fresh pork chops, burgers and a mixture of different flavoured sausages and onions wafted threw the camo it reminded us that we were starving, the contest now was on who would be fed first! The man at the helm, John, EI3JM, was operating the station, and needed to be fed so it was agreed. “That was beautiful” he said as he was handed more. Those who have eaten barbecued food, knows how delicious it tastes out in the open and ours was even better on top of a cold mountain. “Try it”...

Everybody got well fed and watered; it tasted so beautiful I nearly bit off my fingers eating my share. “Top marks Jimmy”.

David, EI3ECB, called around to lend a hand, being our entry was into the restricted section we had only one radio and one antenna and that was all that was in operation. Sorry David, maybe next time! Even though he was disappointed that he could be of no help, he assured me it was worth his while; he got some wonderful photos of the country side, and had a bit of crack with the group. As he left, I heard him saying this looks like fun, “let me know, in advance, when the next Field Day is”.

Darkness soon covered us, and with a clear sky over us, it soon got very cold. We donned our jackets and closed up the windows and doors of the van and settled in for a few hours of contesting. John, EI3JM, had done his term on radio, and together with Shauna, they left for home. Jimmy, EI2GCB, took over the station. After a few hours, we noticed that our power had dropped considerably. Our batteries were failing and needed charging; perhaps it was time to call it a night? We considered connecting to the battery of the van and start it and keep it running. It would serve two purposes, to keep the battery charged but most of all heat up the surroundings! I did that, but shortly after, we disconnected the cable from the radio and YES headed for home with the intentions of being back in the morning…. early!

Jimmy, EI2GCB, was on the mountain early and got a station running, conditions had changed with some of the bands he worked the previous day. He found 40m and 20m were very busy, with short openings on 15m and 10m.

John, EI3JM, was next to get there. He took over operating the radio while Jimmy fired up the barbecue once more for the breakfast. John, EI5GHB, got to the top of the mountain ahead of Shauna and me. We were greeted with the full Monty, chops, rashers, sausages, burgers, and yes “the mushrooms” he had even brought along the kitchen sink. “Grub ready” did not have to be repeated, as the word spread around. So good was the breakfast, that the radio was abandoned for a period while we dined in the sunshine. On behalf of everybody “Thank you Jimmy” it was greatly appreciated.

With everybody fed and watered once more, all hands were on deck. We proceeded to assemble the 2 meter and 70 centimetre antennas for the MRG VHF / UHF Challenge 2008 starting at 1500 hrs to 1800 hrs. Our jigsaw takes time to complete, but we are improving. No need for the ropes today, it was another beautiful morning; you could light and burn a match it was so calm. Little did I know that, by the end of the Challenge I was going to have LUMPS on me as big as marbles. I never seen or felt such large “So an So midges” before. Don’t talk to me about them I still have the marks! Up she goes, and yes, she turns. All set for BLAST off. All while we were putting up the tower, John, EI3JM, was working away in the van.

In a short time, the contest had finished and the bands had an eerie silence all over them. It reminded me of the calm after the storm.

We released the ties on the fishing rod, and it straightened up in the air. If only we had conditions yesterday similar to the calm and sunshine of today. Life would have been much, much, nicer. Needless to say, removing the antenna today was much quicker than putting it up the day previous; such is the joys of radio Hi. Hi.

There would only be a short break between the contests, so we had work for doing.

We had to relocate the “shack” (van) as the tower was setup near the top of the mountain. The dry days had improved the track. With a light foot on the hammer I scratched my way up to where we were the Sunday previous and got hooked up for the challenge.

Conditions were poor”, and contacts were scarce, even though we had perfect swr on our antennas, we thought we had a problem and dropping the tower to double check everything, even changed radio’s, but still no improvement, was it just a bad day?......We did not know how bad those midges were biting until we went outside, the protection of the van had saved us from them. What I would give if only we could hook up and drive away!! It had to come down and be dismantled again (anything that fitted in the van or jeep went in whole). We finally got it all packed away and we were ready for off.

As we drove into the sunset off the mountain, we chatted to some of our good friends through the repeater, about the events and what beautiful weather we had for the weekend. Tired but content that everything was a brilliant success.

A memorable two days was had by all who participated in the field days, and many thanks to everybody who played a part.

The team EI7MRE/P, was made up of Jimmy Kelly EI2GCB, John McAndrew EI3JM, Padraic Baynes EI9JA, and Shauna Baynes SWL. David Hatfield EI3ECB and John Walsh EI5GHB came along and joined in the occasion.

Sín é

dah di dah

73s

Padraig Baynes, EI9JA.

EI9JA's MOBILE SHACK

EI2GCB WITH THE FOOD

SHAUNA IS LOOKING AFTER THE GRUB!!!



VHF/ UHF ANTENNAS


SHAUNA (SWL) AND JOHN EI3JM

THE BASE AND HF SUPPORT MAST

HF MAST IN THE IRISH WEATHER
SOME OF THE VIEW

20 Oct 2008

Listening to the ISS


Perhaps most interesting this weekend was taking the time to have a listen to the International Space Station (ISS) on 2m. Alerted to the activity by a friend at the work QTH, I had a listen to a couple of passes on 145.800 FM.

The passes I listened to were good overhead affairs with good strong signals.

If like me, you'd rather listen to some audio - take a listen to the audio file that Paul M3JFM and Pete M3PHP recorded of the QSO between the ISS and Bugbrooke Primary School near Warwick. - it's great.

Well done Paul and Pete - thanks for your enthusiasm on the project - it inspired me to take a listen where I normally wouldn't have done!


The International Space Station Amateur Radio
Gallery has now started to show pictures received
from around the world of the test images being sent
by the ISS. They can be seen at
http://www.amsat.com/ARISS_SSTV/ The ISS SSTV
pictures are transmitted on 145.800 MHz FM.

They should be receivable on an Amateur Radio 2 metre
handheld or a scanner radio connected to an external
quarter wave ground plane or discone antenna. If your
radio has different filter settings for 12.5 kHz and 25
kHz FM then select the 25 kHz filter for best results.

19 Oct 2008

News Updates

Global Simulated Emergency Test November 2008

The next IARU EmComm Party on the Air is scheduled
for Saturday the 8th of November between 0400 and
0800 hours UTC. The time of each exercise changes to
allow more stations to participate from around the
world as well as recognising that emergencies can
happen at any time

This is an exercise between stations interested in
emergency communications and is not a contest. Activity
will be concentrated around the IARU Emergency Centre
of Activity frequencies whdich are 3760, 7060, 14300
and 21360 kHz.



------------------------------------------------------

New Sunspot


A"new-cycle" sunspot belonging to Solar Cycle 24 is
emerging near the sun's north eastern limb. This is
the third time in as many weeks that a new-cycle
sunspot has interrupted the year's remarkable run of
blank suns.

The accelerating pace of new-cycle sunspot production
is an encouraging sign that, while solar activity
remains very low, the sunspot cycle is unfolding more
or less normally. We are not stuck in a permanent solar
minimum. Readers with solar telescopes should train
them on the sun this weekend to observe sunspot genesis
in action.


------------------------------------------------------------


China to Launch its first Hamsat


Originally knows CAS-1 but now known as XW-1. XW-1 will
carry a beacon and three cross band transponders into
space. One is for FM, another is linear, and the last
is designed for digital operation.

Plans call for it to be launched by a CZ-2C rocket into
a sun synchronous orbit in June 2009,from the Taiyuan
Satellite Launch Centre in North China.


-------------------------------------------------------------

Recession hits Amateur Radio


French Amateur Radio Magazine, Megahertz has gone QRT.
It closed due to market factors, production and
distribution costs. Megahertz has been in production
for 26 years.


---------------------------------------------------------------------

Contest News


One of the major international contests of the year -
the CQ WW DX SSB Contest - takes place over the weekend
of 25th/26th October. This contest always attracts
considerable interest in Ireland, and a number of
competitive EI and GI stations are expected to be
active. The contest is on all bands, except for WARC
bands, so expect the SSB portion of most bands to be
busy over next weekend

Swaziland, 25-26 October David GI4FUM / EI4DJ will be
active during CQWW SSB from the former IRTS AFRI75
Dxpedition site & antenna farm in Hawane using the
call 3DA0DJ. The 3DA0DJ call will be active from
18-28 October QSL via GI4FUM - see 3DA0DJ details on
“QRZ dot com”

---------------------------------------------------------

European Common Allocations Table


In February last as a result of an initiative by IRTS
based on a technical paper by Dave EI3IO, ComReg raised
at the CEPT Working Group on Frequency Management WGFM
the question of the inclusion of a mention of
allocations to the amateur service in the region of 70
MHz in the European Common Allocations table (ECA).
There was no mention of these in the table despite the
fact that an increasing number of countries were giving
operating facilities to the amateur and experimenter
stations in that part of the spectrum.

This initiative has now yielded results as the revised
ECA finalised and published very recently by the
European Radio communications Office (ERO) includes a
new footnote which reads as follows ‘EU9 In a growing
number of CEPT countries parts of the band 70.0 to 70.5
MHz is allocated to the Amateur service on a secondary
basis.’ During the consultation period on the draft ECA
which ended on 16 August, the IRTS, with the Finnish,
British, Czech Republic, Dutch and Norwegian IARU
Societies made submissions supporting the inclusion of
the footnote and pressing for its retention in the
final table.

The new footnote now in the finalised table will assist
Societies in CEPT countries which have been reluctant
to grant allocations at 70 MHz because up to now there
had been no mention of such allocations in either the
ITU Radio Regulations or the European common
allocations table.

We are very grateful to the Frequency Management side
of ComReg for their assistance and cooperation in
bringing this initiative to such a satisfactory
conclusion.

______________________________
________________

Major Award goes to EI

The First Class CW Operators’ Club (FOC) is an
international group of CW enthusiasts whose central aim
is to encourage a high standard of operating and
behaviour on the amateur bands.

FOC sponsors the Al Slater, G3FXB, Memorial Award. This
is given once a year to an individual, group or society
for an outstanding contribution to the hobby that
reflects the attitudes and approach of G3FXB, a former
President and a keen contester.

The 2008 award was presented to Paul, EI5DI, at the
FOC’s annual dinner on 4th October, which celebrated
the 70th anniversary of the Club’s formation. Paul
is a past-President of IRTS and the author of SD
contest logger.

______________________________________________

Radio Rallies in Ireland & UK

18th October: Carrickfergus Amateur Radio Group Rally
in Downshire Community School Carrickfergus doors open
12 noon info www.gi0lix.eu

24-25 October: Amateur Radio Show Donington Park,
Leicester Details www.lars.org.uk

1-2 November: North Wales Radio Society 22nd North
Wales Amateur Radio Show Llandudno Radio Rally The new
site is the brand new John Bright high school in
Llandudno.

2nd November: Foyle & District Amateur Radio Club
Annual Rally in The White Horse Hotel Campsie,
Londonderry Doors open at 11:30 a.m. for Disabled
access Main event at 12 noon info www.mn0aku.org

Sunday 23rd November: Mayo Radio Rally, Belmont Hotel,
Knock, Co. Mayo. Doors open at 11:30 a.m. Rally
Director, Padraic Baynes, EI9JA info www.ei7mre.org

UK's first internet streamed D-star live link

UK's first internet streamed D-star live link currently connected to GB7AU and reflector 5 Alpha

The live link is currently run by Duncan 2E0TDA located in Chesham Buckinghamshire

3 miles north of GB7AU and may occasionally be connected to other repeaters.

The link is a live stream therefore will have a slight delay (normally around 20-30 secs

They now have a live link for GB3AM and are working on a live link for GB3TU. Autostart is disabled so click play on the player you would like to listen to.


Here is the link : http://www.77hz.com/live.html


Amateur Radio SSTV pictures from Space Station

The ARISS-SSTV Gallery has now started to show pictures received from around the world of the test images being sent by the ISS.

They can be seen at
http://www.amsat.com/ARISS_SSTV/

Images received from the AO-51 testing can be uploaded, but they will not be shown on the gallery.


The ISS SSTV pictures are transmitted on 145.800 MHz FM. They should be receivable on an Amateur Radio 2 metre handheld or a scanner radio connected to an external quarter wave groundplane or discone antenna. If your radio has different filter settings for 12.5 kHz and 25 kHz FM then select the 25 kHz filter for best results.

Free Slow Scan TV Software MMSSTV:
http://mmhamsoft.amateur-radio.ca/

Free IZ8BLY Vox Recoder that enables you to record the ISS SSTV pictures on 145.800 MHz while you're away at work
http://xoomer.alice.it/aporcino/VoxRecorder/

AMSAT Online Satellite Predictions (enter ISS):
http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/tools/predict/

Google Earth Satellite Tracking:
http://www.n2yo.com/

Satscape Satellite Tracker:
http://www.satscape.co.uk/

SatSignal
http://www.satsignal.eu/

Ham Radio Deluxe
http://www.ham-radio-deluxe.com/

ISS Fan Club:
http://www.issfanclub.com/

AMSAT Bulletin Board AMSAT-BB
http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/tools/maillist/

ARISS:
http://www.rac.ca/ariss/

12 Oct 2008

DX NEWS

This bulletin was made possible with information provided by NC1L, the OPDX Bulletin, DXNL, 425 DX News, The Daily DX, Contest Corral from QST and the ARRL Contest Calendar and WA7BNM web sites. Thanks to all.

KENYA, 5Z. Sam, G4OHX is QRV as 5Z4/G4OHX from Diani Beach in Mombasa until October 20. QSL to home call.

MALDIVES, 8Q. Mike, CT1IUA is QRV as 8Q71U from Kuredu Island, IOTA AS-013, until October 20. He is active holiday style on 80 to 10 meters using CW and SSB. QSL to home call.

GAMBIA, C5. Andre, ON7YK will be QRV as C56YK from October 13 to November 9. Activity will be on 160 to 10 meters using CW, SSB, RTTY and PSK31. QSL to home call. In addition, several DX4DX Team members will be QRV as C56EA from October 14 to 24. Activity will be on all bands using CW, SSB and RTTY. QSL via EA4BT.

SOUTH SHETLAND ISLANDS. Tomas is QRV as CE9/CE3VPM until November from the Chilean station Presidente Eduardo Frei Montalva on King George Island. Activity is generally on 40 meters using CW and SSB. QSL via CE1KR.

EASTER ISLAND, CE0. Tsuyoshi, JJ2NYT will be QRV as CE0Y/JJ2NYT from October 16 to 19. Activity will be on 40, 20, 17 and 15 meters, and possibly 80 meters, using CW, SSB and RTTY. QSL to home call.

MADEIRA ISLAND, CT3. Stan, OK1JR is QRV holiday style as CT3/OK1JR until October 13. Activity is on 80 to 10 meters using mainly CW around 1400z. QSL to home call.

ANGOLA, D2. Vasily, UA0QMN is QRV as D2QMN from Vila Catoca in the Lunda Sul province. Activity is on 40 to 10 meters using CW, SSB, RTTY and PSK. QSL via RZ3EC.

MARQUESAS ISLANDS, FO. Willi, DJ7RJ is QRV as FO/DJ7RJ near the coast on Ua Pou Island, IOTA OC-027, until October 19. He is active using mostly CW on 160 to 15 meters. QSL to home call.

SCOTLAND, GM. Paul, 2E1EUB will be QRV as 2M1EUB from October 11 to 21. Activity will be on all amateur radio satellites from northeast and northwest Scotland. QSL via operator's instructions.

MINAMI TORISHIMA, JD1. Masa, JA6GXK will be QRV as JD1BMM from October 16 to November 6 while on work assignment. Activity will be on 160 to 6 meters during his spare time. QSL to home call.

BELGIUM, ON. Members of Belgium's UBA Waasland section are QRV using special event callsign ON50WAASLAND in celebration of the club's 50th anniversary. QSL via ON6WL.

SEYCHELLES, S7. Tom is QRV as S79TF ands has been active on 30 meters around 1800z. QSL via DJ6TF.

BANABA, T33. Toshi, JA8BMK will be QRV as T33ZZ from October 12 to 22. Activity will be on the HF bands. QSL to home call.

CHAD, TT. Jovica, E78A is QRV as TT8JT until November 18 while on work assignment. Activity is in his spare time on all bands using mostly CW. QSL via E73Y.

MARSHALL ISLANDS, V7. Sei, JA7LU and Yohji JH1AWN are QRV as V73LU and V73WN, respectively, from Majuro, IOTA OC-029, until October 13. Activity is on 40 to 10 meters using CW and SSB. QSL to home calls.

AUSTRALIA, VK. Tad, VK2LNX and Suzanne, VK2FSNJ are QRV for six months from Maatsuyker Island, IOTA OC-233, located off the coast of Tasmania. They are volunteer caretakers at the lighthouse here. QSL to home calls.

NORFOLK ISLAND, VK9N. Tomas, VK2CCC is QRV as VK9CNC until October 15. He is active holiday style on the low bands. He will also be an entry in the Oceania DX CW contest. QSL to home call.

WILLIS ISLAND, VK9W. A large group of operators are QRV as VK9DWX until October 27. Activity is on 160 to 6 meters with four stations operating simultaneously. QSL via DJ2MX.

SOUTH AFRICA, ZS. Look for special event station ZS08YL to be QRV from October 13 to 18 during the International YL and XYL Meeting that will take place in Cape Town. The station will also be active from Joburg, Durban and Cape Town. QSL via bureau.