Here is the bulletin of DX information for Australian DXers. Solar and ionospheric news, DX observations, announcements of DX activations, operating tips, and anything else that may be of interest to DXers in our part of the world may be found here. Reader’s observations and suggestions for content are welcome.
Propagation notes
Solar activity was very low for most of May, apart from the appearance of one sunspot group in the middle of the month.
Around the bands
There was little activity on 160 m, apart from a few die-hard North American operators. This coincides with the increased storm static in the Northern Hemisphere as they head into Spring time. Eighty metres was more active, with night time propagation to most parts of the world.
Forty metres has been quite good, with propagation to most parts of the world.
Thirty and twenty metres still offer reasonable conditions, with occasional lifts in activity.
Seventeen and fifteen metres have been patchy, but there is still a bit of FT8 activity happening most days.
Twelve and ten metres has been very quiet, apart from the odd opening across the Pacific and to East Asia, again mostly FT8.
DX Heard or Worked
Nobby G0VJG operated from Fiji as 3D2AS and from Wallis Island as FW5JG. The Japanese Antarctic Research station 8J1RL has been active East Ongle Island using FT8. Z81D Diya in South Sudan has also been on FT8. S79HA has been active from Seychelles. DXpedition E31A has been very active from Eritrea, and should be on until 3 June.
Other News
3D2CR Conway Reef
The Rebel DX Group is presently in Fiji waiting for calm weather to sail to Conway Reef. They will be operating for an unknown length of time from Conway Reef, then to three other Pacific entities, yet to be announced.
Callsign announced for South Orkney Island DXpedition
The callsign for next year’s South Orkney Island DXpedition by the Perseverence DX Group will be VP8/VP8DXU.
SV2ASP/A Monk Apollo SK
Monk Apollo of the Docheiariou Monastery, Mount Athos passed away on 5 May. He had been ill with brain cancer the past three years. Apollo gained his Amateur Radio licence in 1988, after a medical emergency where a monk was injured, during a long period where the telephone was out order. He was granted permission to operate by the Council of Elders in 1990.
Upcoming Activations of Interest
Details of upcoming activations will be brief, and not include every announced operations. For more details of any activation listed below, and others, visit NG3K’s excellent “Announced DX Operations” calendar https://www.ng3k.com/misc/adxo.html
DXpedition activity scheduled for June includes the following:
XV9DG Vietnam, 1 – 14 June. UA9KDF and some other operators on Nha Trang Is (AS-157), 160 – 10 m.
5W0H Samoa, 1 – 10 June. A group of five operators from Uruguay will be on Upolu Is (OC-097), 80 – 6 m, CW and SSB. QSL via EB7DX.
XV9DXB Vietnam, 1 – 15 June. HB9DXB operating on Nha Trang Is (AS-157), with a focus on 20 m CW and SSB. End date unspecified. QSL via EB7DX.
S9A Sao Tome & Principe (AF-023), 6 – 18 June. Seven operators on HF, SSB, CW and FT8. QSL via EB7DX.
DX0S, Philippines 7 – 10 June. “The Unsinkable Ship”, a four level battleship Fort Drum, made of reinforced concrete, and occupying the entire island of El Fraile, was built in 1909. It will be activated by DX1HAM operators in June. For more information see DX0S on QRZ.com
9G5GS Ghana, 7 June – 2 July. IZ4YGS operating 160 – 6 m, FT8 F/H. QSL via LotW.
JW Svalbard (EU-026), 12 – 16 June. JW/EA3NT and JW/OJ0Y, HF, SSB, CW and Digital. QSL via Club Log.
PJ8SK Sint Maarten, 13 – 15 June. JI1DFO on 40 – 17 m, FT8. QSL via LotW or Club Log.
TO1T Guadeloupe, 14 – 25 June. F6HMQ on HF. QSL via F6HMQ.
FS/AG5CR Saint Martin, 15 – 18 June. JI1DFO on 40 – 17 m, FT8. QSL via LotW or Club Log.
6O1OO Somalia, 15 June – 31 July. EP6CQ mainly on 6 m FT8, maybe HF.
V6K Micronesia, 17 – 24 June. JA1XGI operating from Kosrae Is (OC-059), 40 – 10 m, CW, RTTY, FT8. QSL via LotW.
V63PSK Micronesia, 19 – 22 June. JA1FMN operating from Weno Is (OC-011), 80 – 6 m, FT8, FT4, JT65. QSL via JA1FMN or Club Log.
ZF2CJ Cayman Islands, 23 – 25 July. JJ2RCJ operating from the ZF1A station, 80 – 10 m, focus on FT8. QSL via LotW or Club Log.
PJ5/W9DR Saba & Sint Eustatius, 25 June – 2 July. W9DR operating from St Eustatius (NA-145), 6 m SSB, CW and FT8. QSL via W9DR direct.
6Y3Y Jamaica, 26 – 28 June. JJ2RCJ operating from the 6Y5WJ station, 80 – 10 m, focus on FT8. QSL via LotW or Club Log.