Team leader Bob Allphin, K4UEE, has released the following update:
The Saba 2010 team has completed all preparations for the activation of Saba beginning October 10, 2010. As you know by now, that is the likely date that the Netherlands Antilleswill cease to exist and several new DXCC entities will be created as a result. One of those new countries should be Saba/St.
Eustatius Island due to their close proximity. Although, this is not a 100% certainty, it is likely enough to plan an operation.
Two teams, comprised mostly of members of the Southeastern DX Club (SEDXC) will operate over a two-week period beginning October 10th and ceasing operations the morning of October 23rd.
A reconnaissance trip was conducted to Saba Island in March this year, and two sites were selected. They are a minimum of 500 ft above the sea with a clear shot to the main target areas of Japan, North America and Europe. In March, this location produced many contacts all over the world with low power and wire antennas. We should be loud! Combine this QTH and the excellent operators and we believe DXers worldwide will have a great chance of making contacts for a brand new one.
We have created a website www.saba2010.com and we will be updating it periodically. It is our intention to upload to LoTW from Saba often. Please note that this operation is entirely self-supporting. The operators themselves will bear all the costs and provide their personal equipment for the stations and antennas.
YJ0VK – Vanuatu Chris, VK3QB updates us on this operation scheduled for August 27 to September 2. The YJ0VK team is fully prepared now. We fly out of the eastern seaboard of Australia on Thursday, August 26. We expect to be operational on 20 meters by 00.00 UTC August 27. Other bands will come on-line through the day. Our vertical antennas are constructed and tested and appear to be working very well.
We will be placing a special focus on the WARC bands, so please look for us on the following frequencies: CW - 10107, 18077, 24897 kHz; SSB – 10130 (our comment is - it is strange, the 10 MHz band is an exclusively CW band, how can SSB be used?).
On the traditional bands we will be operating on the following frequencies +/- QRM:
CW: 1820, 3511, 7011, 14011, 21001, 28011 kHz; SSB: 1860, 3670, 7170, 14170, 21270, 28470 kHz.
We have a limited station for 160 meters, but we'll certainly have it operational each day at our sunrise and sunset.
We welcome all QSLs; please send them to the address on our website or via the QSL bureau – the team hopes to achieve DXCC during these six days. For more information please visit our website:
http://yj0vk.vkham.com . Propagation Conditions
According to K7RA Solar Update, sunspot numbers and solar flux declined this week, with the average daily sunspot numbers down nearly 17 points to36.1, and the average daily solar flux down to 83.5. In the previous week, the average daily sunspot numbers had risen nearly 33 points to 53.
New sunspot groups appeared on August 11, 13 and 16, but on Tuesday and Wednesday (August 17-18), total sunspot area was one-fifth what it was on August 16, less than one-seventh the area on August 14 and less than one-fourteenth the area of August 12.
Projections for solar flux over the next 10 days, August 20-29: rising from 78 to 81 gradually. Predictions for planetary A index over those same days are 5 on August 27-29. Geophysical Institute Prague predicted unsettled conditions August 24-28.
B R O A D C A S T T I P S Eritrea. Eritrean Radio in July used the frequency of 9715 kHz but after Radio Saudi Arabia showed up there, has moved to 9710 kHz. The station was heard in Sofia at 03.55 hours with Identification Signal and news bulletin from 04.02 hours on 7150 and 7175 kHz – right in the 40 meter HAM band and on 9710 kHz.
Japan. NHK Radio Japan in Japanese was received in Sofia between 03 and 04 hours on 15195, 15325 and 17810 kHz from transmitters located in Japan.
St. Helena. As you may know, Radio St. Helena on the island with the same name in the South Atlantic has only one broadcast a year and always on the same frequency of 11092.5 kHz USB. Last year the broadcast took place in December and was received by a small number of listeners.
This year the broadcast will be on October 9 as follows: from 19 to 20.30 hours to Europe; from 20.30 to 23 hours to Asia and from 23 to 00.30 hours to North America.
India & Spain. Two radio stations broadcasting in English are received from 00 to 00.45 hours on one and the same frequency 6055 kHz – All India Radio and Radio Exterior de Espana. The Indian Radio is on till 00.45 hours and afterwards the Spanish radio is audible without interference.
Turkey. Radio TRY or Turkyie Radio and TV has extraordinary broadcasts and was reported on August 22 at 20 hours on 5960, 9460 and 702 kHz with a sports program and on 954 and 891 kHz with another music program. On August 23 there were broadcasts from this station from 03.30 hours on 702, 954 and 891 kHz. These frequencies haven't been used for a long time with small exceptions of 702 kHz.
Chagos Islands & USA. Music program with announcements in English was heard after 02.30 hours on 7811 kHz from a transmitter in Florida and on 12759 kHz from Diego Garcia Island in the Indian Ocean, both in USB mode. At 03.00 hours the station announced "This is the American Forces Radio."
Germany. Radio Gloria International in English was heard with a program of retro-songs on August 22 from 09 hours on 6140 kHz via a transmitter located in Germany. It is on the air once a month.
Ethiopia. With the strongest signal out of all local stations in this country Radio Oromya was noted on August 23 at 03.30 hours on 6030 kHz.
With this we have come to the end of our weekly DX Program. Your opinions and suggestions will be appreciated and all reception reports confirmed with the QSL card of Radio Bulgaria. Please address your letters to English Section, Radio Bulgaria, Sofia, Bulgaria or by e-mail to english@bnr.bg . An online reception report form is available at www.bnr.bg – click on English and navigate! So, 73 and DX!
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