Archive - November 2014

The video (click on image to the left) was compiled from time-lapse videos recorded from the International Space Station, courtesy of the Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, NASA Johnson Space Centre.

Click image to view movie.

Dom 3Z9DX, Jorge TI2HMJ and Jon K7CO plan to activate Cocos Island early next year. Activation dates are February 16-23, 2015.

Cocos Island is DXCC most wanted #26.

More information on their website at http://www.nielsen.net/ti9a/

Also received today;

YB8RW/P (OC-213, Batudaka Island, Togean Islands) and YB8RW/P (OC-236, Siladen Island).

Thanks to Din for securing these cards and providing the OQRS faciilty to request them. Cards were received just over a week after request through OQRS, excellent service again! Thanks Din!

Received in todays mail, the following confirmations;

YB4IR/8 (Obi Island IOTA OC-222) and also YB4IR (Taliabu Island OC-076). Thanks to Imam for the activations and of course for allowing an OQRS service, the best way to receive cards.

QSL via M0OXO OQRS preferred. Please DO NOT send your cards via the bureau, they are not required and may not arrive here.

Please use OQRS for ALL bureau requests where possible.

Thanks to Vlad UA4WHX for the latest Qsl confirmations I received this morning.

I received via Direct Mail confirmations for CE7/UA4WHX/P (IOTA SA-043), CE7/UA4WHX/A (IOTA SA-064), PY0F/UA4WHX (IOTA SA-003), HC8ART (IOTA SA-004) & CP4WHX.

If you need confirmations from UA4WHX then just use his PayPal address, it is 100% secure and works every single time!

This message just received from the IOTA Manager;

IOTA Management has received a number of complaints that QSL card requests sent to Kadek, YB9BU in accordance with his QSLing instructions on QRZ.com have not received a reply and similarly that email enquiries are not being answered. Emails from the IOTA Manager and mutual friends have also gone unanswered.

In the circumstances it can only be assumed that there is an interruption in the QSL manager service for all the many operations for which YB9BU acts as QSL manager and people would be well advised not to send further cards. We would also advise YB island operators for whom YB9BU acts or normally acts as manager to make other arrangements to ensure satisfactory QSLing.

Acceptance by IOTA Management of further IOTA operations by YB9BU must be regarded as on hold until and unless the matter is resolved.

Another very fast turn around of Qsl confirmation after the activation of Dong-Yin Island on the 15th September 2014.

BO0D IOTA AS-113 arrived in the mail today after a Direct request via ClubLog OQRS. I wish more teams would use a Manager or at least a qsl route that offers the OQRS facility!

Many thanks to Sin and the team.

17 and 20m are the best bands for an ATNO and we will try to keep 2 stations on those bands. During daylight, 20m and 17m are almost dead and start to wake-up in the afternoon and works well up to the middle of the night.

We worked on low bands with some West coast and Pacific stations at our sunrise and sunset. We will try to continue to have 40/80 and 160m at these moment +/- 1h. Today again we worked many US on 80 at our SS. We were also on 160 but with no luck. We will try agin tomorrow. We now know we have a good RX towards EU-NA, but still need to improve JA side.

We ask other stations to be cooperative. Too often, our TX frequencies get deliberate QRM, especially on low bands. We are aware of this when reports need to be sent 10 times for each station. To avoid time losses, we are doing a QSY to another band or mode. Yes, that’s a pity !

We made the request of our LoTW certificate just before our departure and sent all documentations to the ARRL HQ. Once on the island, we sent the remaining document to let them validate the certificate. We took the decision to upload immediately the log on LoTW (during the operation). This is a simple way to thank all of you for your help and support and we think that’s part of a good operation when possible.

We are now close to the 60K contacts. We are very tired due to the lack of sleep but we are ready for the last weekend ! Good luck to all of you !

3D2YA QSL Card arrived this morning foir the operation from Mana Island, Mamanuca, Fiji IOTA OC-121.

Qsl Card was received just 4 weeks after the operation, excellent service from Aki JA1NLX.