425 DX News #1509

4 April 2020 A.R.I. DX Bulletin
No 1509

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*** 4 2 5 D X N E W S ***
**** DX INFORMATION ****
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Edited by I1JQJ & IK1ADH
Direttore Responsabile I2VGW

Owing to the ongoing and fluid nature of the COVID-19 situation globally,
announced activities might be cut short, postponed, cancelled or even
extended at any time and without notice.

4X & LY- Special callsigns 4Z0GAON from Israel (QSL via LY2QT) and LY300GAON
from Lithuania (QSL via LY2QT) will be active on 1-30 April to
commemorate the 300th anniversary of the birth of Eliyahu ben
Shlomo Zalman, known as the Vilna Gaon (1720-1797), one of the most
influential figures in rabbinic study since the Middle Ages. A
certificate will be available, see qrz.com for information.
9G - Matteo, IZ4YGS will be active again as 9G5GS from Sanzule, Ghana
from 14 April to 15 May. In his spare time (typically 21-00 UTC,
and sometimes also 12-14 UTC) he will operate FT8 (Fox & Hound only
on 3567, 7056, 10131 and 14090 kHz) and SSB on 160-10 metres. He
also plans some USB activity on the QO-100 Geostationary satellite.
QSL via Club Log's OQRS, LoTW, eQSL, or direct to home call.
A6 - The Emirates Amateur Radio Society (EARS) has several "StayHome"
stations active to raise awareness for social distancing and
sheltering in place during the COVID-19 pandemic:
A60SH/1 operated by A61M QSL via A61BK
A60SH/2 operated by A61Q QSL via EA7FTR
A60SH/3 operated by A61NN QSL via A61NN
A60SH/4 operated by A61BK QSL via A61BK
A60SH/5 operated by A61DD QSL via A92AA
A60SH/6 operated by A61QQ QSL via A61BK
A60SH/7 operated by A61FJ QSL via LZ1YE
A60SH/8 operated by A61K QSL via A61BK
A60SH/9 operated by A61AY QSL via A61AY
A60SH/10 operated by A61FK QSL via A61BK
Other "stayhome" special callsigns include 8A1STAYHOME (Indonesia),
9K9STAYHOME (Kuwait), AX2020STAYHOME (Australia), HZ1STAYHOME
(Saudi Arabia), TC1STAYHOME (Turkey), VC2STAYHOM and XM2STAYHOM
(Canada, without the "E" at the end as the regulator only allows
suffixes of up to seven letters). QSL via operators' instructions.
Stay at home and get on the air!
EA - EE1MGY is a special callsign for EB1LO to commemorate throughout
April the sinking of the RMS Titanic during her maiden voyage (15
April 1912). He will operate CW, FT8 and WSPR on 160 metres - see
why on qrz.com. QSL via EB1LO, direct or bureau.
G - GB0NHS is a special callsign for United Kingdom stations to use in
appreciation of the National Health Service (NHS), the publicly
funded healthcare system which is "at the forefront of saving lives
in the war against COVID-19". Operating schedules and QSL informa-
tion will be posted to https://www.qrz.com/db/GB0NHS. Also active
with the same intent are GB8NHS (see qrz.com for QSL information)
and GB5NHS (QSL via LoTW only) from Northern Ireland.
H4 - Bernhard, DL2GAC has been active as H44MS from Malaita (OC-047),
Solomon Islands since 7 February [425DXN 1499]. He expected to
leave the country on 23 April, but all of his flights have been
cancelled. H44MS will be QRV "for some more time" on 17 and 40
metres SSB and FT8. [TNX DX World]
HR - Gerard, HR5/F2JD expected to remain in Honduras until 4 April
[425DXN 1491], but the COVID-19 situation is causing him to stay
longer. Unless he can catch a "flight opportunity", he is likely to
be there until early June. QSL via F6AJA. [TNX F6AJA]
I - II5MPI is the special callsign for the Mediterraneo DX Club's Pisa
District to celebrate its 10th anniversary on 1-30 April. QSL via
LoTW. See qrz.com for more information.
OE - Austrian special event station OE20M will be active on 24-26
April to commemorate the anniversary of Guglielmo Marconi's birth
(25 April 1874). QSL via OE1WHC (bureau) or direct to DokuFunk,
OE20M, An den Steinfeldern 4A, 1230 Wien, Austria.
PY - PT2ADM will be active as ZW75FEB from 1 April to 31 May to cele-
brate the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II, and as a
tribute to the Forca Expedicionaria Brasileira, the Brazilian Expe-
ditionary Force that fought alongside the Allied powers in Italy
during the conflict. QSL via PT2ADM, direct or bureau.
SP - SN0KURP is a special callsign for Radio Club Baza (SP5KVW) to
promote the Polish ethnic region of Kurpie from 5 April to 31 May.
QSL via the bureau.
TA - The Turkey Radio Amateur Club's branch of Subesi (YM3KB) will be
active as TC100KIDS on 1-30 April to mark the National Sovereignty
and Children's Day (23 April).
ZL - The New Zealand Association of Radio Transmitters (NZART) has
Been granted approval by Radio Spectrum Management to treat the
COVID-19 lockdown period as a "special event." This means that, for
the duration of the lockdown, New Zealand amateur radio operators
are allowed to replace their ZL prefix with ZM.

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*** 4 2 5 D X N E W S ***
**** GOOD TO KNOW ... ****
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Edited by I1JQJ & IK1ADH
Direttore Responsabile I2VGW

Access to the main functions of www.425dxn.org is provided by the 425DXN App
for Android. It is available on Google Play - free of charge, no ads. Enjoy!

INTERIM WPX CONTEST DIRECTOR ---> Randy Thompson, K5ZD has been appointed
interim director of the WPX Contest, following the resignation of Terry
Zivney, N4TZ. Randy has also previously served as director of the CQ WW DX
Contest, is a long-time CQ Contest Committee member and administrator of the
various CQ contesting websites. Experienced contesters who are interested in
administering a major contest are invited to apply for the position of WPX
Contest Director. Inquiries and applications should be directed to CQ Editor
Rich Moseson, W2VU (w2vu[@]cq-amateur-radio.com).

VP8PJ: PHOTOS ---> Eight albums are currently available on the DXpedition's
Website (https://sorkney.com/): Part 1, Part 2, Punta Arenas, Aboard
Braveheart, Arrive Signy Island, The Ladder, Campsite and Radio Operations.
Hover over "VP8PJ Photo Gallery" to see the dropdown menu. More pictures
will be added.

R207RRC ---> The three operators heading to Kosa Dvukh Pilotov (AS-207, new
one for IOTA) [425DXN 1502] have been in Egvekinot since 1 April, waiting
for local conditions to improve. Reportedly, the road to their next waypoint
(Vankarem) is impassable due to a heavy snowfall and the related risk of
avalanches. The team's plans were to be QRV as R207RRC between 3 and 10
April.

VP8PJ: QSL ---> "We are approaching 6,000 requests for QSL cards, direct and
bureau", M0URX reported on 29 March. "731 Not in Log requests have been in-
vestigated and answered", a few more were to be processed over the past
few days. "For those who have not yet reported a Not in Log problem, please
use the form on the QSO entry page on https://www.m0urx.com/oqrs/. LoTW pro-
cessing is up to date: all donor LoTW records were uploaded, and current
OQRS LoTW uploads are processed daily. The QSL cards are being designed by
the team". Please note that due to the COVID-19 situation, Tim has been
asked "to report to work 7 days per week, for a 10 hour shift. I will
continue to process QSL confirmations and research issues as time allows,
please be patient".

RSGB HOPE QSO PARTY ---> This a series of 90-minute daytime contests that
has been introduced on a temporary basis to help and support radio amateurs
who are isolated at home and would appreciate contact with other people. The
series runs from Monday through Friday for six weeks in a row, starting on 6
April and ending on 15 May. Each event will be limited to one mode (SSB, CW,
RTTY or FT4) for QSOs made on 80, 40, 20, 15 and 10 metres on a "Anyone
Works Anyone" basis. The Hope QSO Party is for Single Operator Fixed sta-
tions only. See https://www.rsgbcc.org/hf/rules/2020/rhqp.shtml for com-
plete details, and the RSGB HF Contest Calendar (https://www.rsgbcc.org/hf/)
for the dates.

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QSLs received direct or through managers: 5I4ZZ (AF-032), 5I5TT (AF-032),
5N7Q, 5R8UI, A50BOC, BG5BWZ, BH1SVR, C6ATF, EK1RR, KP4/AA7CH (NA-249),
LZ1908IK, LZ34WGI, MU2K, PJ7T, PU0FDN, V47UM, VK9CZ, VP5K, VP5M, VP6R, YP0H
(EU-183), ZC4UW, ZD7BG.

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425 DX NEWS HOME PAGE: http://www.425dxn.org
425 DX NEWS MAGAZINE: http://www.425dxn.org/monthly

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425 DX News is a free of charge weekly bulletin
edited by Mauro Pregliasco, I1JQJ and Valeria Pregliasco, IK1ADH

Its contents may be used, reproduced and distributed
in part or full provided that
"425 DX News" or "425DXN" receive proper credit

Contributors are invited to send their DX information to
Mauro Pregliasco, I1JQJ (i1jqj.mauro@gmail.com)
The deadline is 12 UTC on Fridays

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Direttore Responsabile
Gabriele Villa, I2VGW
Giornalista Professionista - Tessera n. 071675
Ordine Nazionale dei Giornalisti
Roma, Italia