IK5ROS Ham Site

2008 A SPOTLESS YEAR! Lee, KH6BZF/7J1AAP, propagation guru, informed OPDX that "We have experienced some very Sunspot lacking days during 2008." There were 272 spotless days out of the 366 days (Leap Year) or 74.37% of the year's days! August and December were the worst months with 31 and 28 spotless days, respectively. June and November were the best months with 19 and 15 spotless days, respectively. The rest of the months (of the year) were all in the twenties.

2008 DX SOUND BITES! Tom, K8CX, has done it again. He has provided DXers
with 120 memorable DX sound clips from 2008. Visit Tom's famous "HAM
GALLERY" Web at:                http://hamgallery.com/dx2008
While there also check out some of his other features on his Web page,
such as: Rare DX Sound Clips of the past, QSL Card Museum, Dayton Photo
Galleries and Tribute to Silent Key Ham Operators.

2009 DX MARATHON (Now Underway!). John, K9EL, Program Manager of the CQ
DX Marathon, reports: "The 2009 edition of CQ Magazine's 2009 edition of
the DX Marathon is now underway! Each year from January 1 to December 31,
CQ Magazine sponsors a challenge to work as many countries and zones as
possible in the calendar year. For complete rules and submission information,
please see our web site at: www.dxmarathon.com.  The 2009 official DX
Marathon score sheet is now available for download. Remember to submit
your 2008 scores by January 31, 2009."

3B7, ST. BRANDON ISLAND (Update - Also 3B6 and 3B9). Ron, K5XK, updates
OPDX that Rachid, 3B8FQ, reports that his working trip to St. Brandon
Island (3B7), may be rescheduled for February. His earlier 3B7FQ operation
was cancelled due to transportation problems. He is also planning a
personal holiday with ham gear to Rodriguez Island (3B9), in July, and
a return trip to Agalega Island (3B6) in November. The callsigns will
be 3B7FQ, 3B9FQ, and 3B6FQ. QSL all three operations via K5XK at his
new address per instructions on QRZ.com. More details will be provided
as they become available. Meanwhile, Rachid is often active on all bands,
40-10 meters using CW and SSB (from Mauritius).

8Q, MALDIVES. Just a reminder that Andy, G7COD, will be operational for
his fifth time from the Island of Embudu in the Kaafu Atoll (AS-013) using
the callsign 8Q7AK between January 11-27th (2009). Activity will be CW and
SSB on 40-10 meters including 30/17/12 meters. He plans to be operational
every day from approximately 0730-0830z, 0900-1030z, 1300-1500z and
1730-1800z. Suggested frequencies are:
 CW  - 7003, 10103, 14003, 18073, 21003 and 24893 kHz (+/- for QRM)
 SSB - 7063, 14147, 18133, 21253 and 24953 kHz (+/- 10 kHz)
For comprehensive details on QSL information etc, please check 8Q7AK
on QRZ.COM.

A35, TONGA (6m History Continues). Paul, A35RK, continues to be active
on 6m enjoying the sporadic E season in the South Pacific. As well as
making the first A3/VK 6m digital QSOs on December 26th and the 27th,
Paul made the first 6m A3/ZL digital QSO with Duncan, ZL3JT, followed
on the 28th with John, ZL3AAU. A35RK to ZL3JT on RTTY is another 6m
"first" in amateur radio milestones.

A35, TONGA. World traveller and Uruguay DX Group member Bert, CX3AN,
will be active as A35HA from Tonga's main island, Tongatapu (OC-049)
for one week starting February 14th. He informs OPDX that he will
be active on 40-6 meters with a special emphasis on 30/17 meters using
CW and SSB, and only 100 watts from his Icom 706 into dipole antennas.
His activity will be limited because he will be on a family holiday trip.
Bert will be operating alone this time, not like other trips where his
good friend Mario, CX4CR, usually would join him. QSL via CX3AN.

ANTARCTICA/POLAR WEB INFORMATION. Members of the "French Polar Team" have
been putting together some interesting information/pictures (with music)
of the different polar and sub-Antarctic regions. The Web page also has
details on how to achieve their "Polar Trophy". They have created the
Polar Trophy with the aim to stimulate the radio contacts with these
regions as well as with the polar ships. This challenge is also sub-
divided into the Antarctic Challenge and the Arctic Challenge. Visit
this interesting Web page at: http://www.french-polar-team.fr/index.php
Also, view the following polar ships/stations/islands at:
Rothera (Station R) on Adelaide Island --
  http://www.french-polar-team.fr/VP8_Rothera_Station_R_Adelaide_Island.php
Base H on Signy Island (South Orkney archipelago) --
  http://www.french-polar-team.fr/VP8_Signy_Station_H_Signy_Island_South_Orkney.php
Marion Dufresne II (Polar Ship) --
  http://www.french-polar-team.fr/Polar_Ship_Marion_Dufresne_II.php
Marambio base on Seymour Island --
  http://www.french-polar-team.fr/LU_Marambio_Station_Seymour_Island.php
Juan Carlos I Station on Livingston Island --
  http://www.french-polar-team.fr/EA0_Juan_Carlos_I_Station_Livingston_Island.php

ASIAN TRIP (Update). Frank, I2DMI, has ended his A52RY operation from
Thimphu, Bhutan, on December 30th. However, he has announced that his
9N7DMI activity from Nepal must be cancelled. He returned to Italy on
January 1st. No other details were provided. Remember, A52RY QSOs will
be put on the LoTW and e-QSL the second week of January. Bureau cards
will go out the fourth week of March. You can QSL direct to I2DMI:
P.O. Box 55, 22063 CANTU, Italy. Include a self addressed envelope (SAE)
and sufficient return postage. Please QSL only to his P.O. Box # 55,
22063 Cantu (not his home address).

C5, THE GAMBIA. Niels, OZ8KR, will be active as C56KR from Bakuto between
January 9-14th. Activity will be on 40-10 meters SSB. His equipment is a
FT-857 and wire antennas. After travling in Senegal (6W - no activity
planned) he will be active again between January 23rd and February 4th.
QSL via his home callsign.

C6, BAHAMAS. Operators Karney/W2AFC, Dave/N1EMC and Bill/NE1B (C6AWB)
will operate from Nassau (NA-001, Grid Square FL15) with Tom/C6ANM during
the following contests: CQ WW 160 CW (January 23-25th), ARRL DX CW
(February 21-22nd), CQ WW 160 SSB (February 27th-March 1st) and ARRL DX
SSB (March 6-8th). Additional C6ANM DX activity will be on 160-6 meters
between January 1st and April 1st. QSL via LOTW.

CY0, SABLE ISLAND (DXpedition Postponed). Duane Traver, WV2B, the CY0
DXpedition Team Leader, sent out a press release on January 1st, that
states the following (edited):
  "Dear Fellow DXers,
    Reluctantly, due to the current U.S. economic situation, the DXpedition
   team has decided to postpone the CY0 DXpedition planned for 2009. While
   we are hopeful to reorganize the DXpedition {possibly for 2010}, we have
   decided that rather than tie up the funds so graciously made available
   by our sponsors, we will return donations received so the sponsorship
   may be available to other DXpeditions for this year. Any sponsoring
   organization may feel free to contact me with any questions regarding
   the matter. We are hopeful that our kind sponsors will be willing to
   renew their sponsorship when the Dxpedition is able to be reorganized
   in the future. The sabledx.com website will remain functional for the
   time being. Wishing all good DX and 73.
   Sincerely, Duane Traver, WV2B Team Leader"

E4, PALESTINE (Update). The E44M is now active until January 11th. Activity
will be on 160-2 meters using CW, SSB, RTTY and all the digital modes
with a maximum power of 1KW. They will have 3 stations on the air active
with beams, verticals and wire antennas. The E44M arrived late on January
1st, but did not start setting up until the next day. Arturo, IK7JWY,
has been named as their pilot station for their activity. They state,
"The function of the pilot station will be to collect requests and
suggestions relating to the DXpedition, and then forward them to the
team, and communicate to the public any instructions or information
from the team." The pilot station will be only using the forum at
       http://www.hamradioweb.org/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=39
to receive messages from users in the special area of discussion.
The E44M Web page is at:  http://www.dxcoffee.com/e44m

FO, FRENCH POLYNESIA. Phil, F5PHW, has received a 2 year assignment in
Tahiti which will begin during the summer of 2009. He intends to be
active on all HF bands from 80-10 meters using only 100 watts into a
few different antennas composed of a doublet or a HF6VX vertical, and
a Spiderbeam. Modes of activity will be mainly CW and Digital with very
little SSB. QSL will be by LoTW, and there may be a QSL Manager who will
be chosen later. More information is forthcoming, especially about his
callsign.

GB40, ENGLAND (Special Event). Look for special event station GB40WAB
to be aired between January 1st and December 31st to celebrate the 40th
anniversary of the Worked All Britain Awards Group (WAB). Activity will
not be at a permanant location and may be used from any of the 7 UK
countries. The GB40WAB callsign will be running for the entire year,
but other GB*WAB callsigns will also be on the air along with their
club callsigns of G4WAB and G7WAB, using the club identifier prefixes
of GX, GC, GS, GN, GP, GT and GH. Working these stations is an integral
part of the WAB award. The WAB does NOT require QSL cards to be sent to
them, but all contacts made by GB40WAB will be QSLed by them via the
bureau. For more details, please see their Web site at:
                   http://www.worked-all-britain.co.uk
ADDED WAB NOTE: The special event callsign GX4KPT (by the Keep People
Talking CASHOTA Club), used during the "Three Castles In One Day" operation
in December, has a new WAB book number of 18222. QSL via M0DOL, direct
or by the bureau.

H7/YN7, NICARAGUA. Operators Stan/AC8W, Hank/K8DD, Jim/KB8TXZ and Lee/
N8LJ will be active for one week starting February 14th. Their activity
will include the ARRL DX CW Contest (February 21-22nd). Emphasis will
be on 160/80 meters and 30/17/12 meters. Their callsigns (TBA later)
will be either be H7/homecall or YN2 callsigns. QSL via info on QRZ.com.