SB DX @ ALLBBS $OPDX.149
Ohio/Penn DX Bulletin No. 149

The Ohio/Penn Dx PacketCluster
DX Bulletin No. 149 
BID: $OPDX.149
February 28, 1994
Editor Tedd Mirgliotta, KB8NW
Provided by BARF-80 BBS Cleveland, Ohio
Online at 216-237-8208 14400/9600/2400/1200/300 8/N/1

Thanks to the Northern Ohio Amateur Radio Society, Northern Ohio DX
Association, Ohio/Penn PacketCluster Network, DL7VEE & DXNL, DF4RD, 
OH2BH, N3II, K3ZO, K4CEF & Southeastern Cluster Group, KJ4VH, WA4MCZ,
WB4IUX, PI4KGL and IK5AAX for the following DX information.

3Y0PI, PETER I ISLAND (UPDATE). Last week OPDX forgot to list one of
the 3Y0PI operators; Luis, XE1L, should have been included in the list.
Thanks to Bill, WA4MCZ, for bringing it to our attention. As this 
bulletin was being prepared, information from Tony, WA4JQS, by telephone
to Ada (Tony's mom), indicated that the 3Y team is now on South Shetland.
The team, as of February 25th, are unable to fly out of South Shetlands
at the moment due to fog and blizzard. (ed. GEEEE! How much can these
guys endure?)

ACTIVITY ON THE SATELLITE (AO13). Look for the following stations on
AO13: 5T5JC - 145.919/2100z, 8P6SM - 145.900/2242z, 9K2WA - 145.891/1602z
9Y4DG - 145.908/2339z, PY5BYE - 145.915/2310z, UN7CY - 145.937/1527z,
VK4ABW - 145.889/0840z, VU2TS - 145.855/1708z and Z21HJ - 145.833/1445Z.

BV9P, PRATAS ISLAND. Word from Martti, OH2BH, is that preparations are
proceeding just fine with no problems so far for the upcoming DXpedition.
The targeted date is March 16 for 10-days. There are 14 operators
scheduled to go, and the group may include limited foreign participation
as well. Some detailed information may be released after Martti's visit
to Taipei during this coming week.

MORE ON THE VOA STORY ABOUT "BY" OPS. Fred, K3ZO, who has just recently
returned from Thailand where he operated as HS0ZAR, had doubts about the
Voice of America (VOA) report that all BY hams have been rounded up and
sent to labor camps. Fred stated he heard and worked plenty of BAs, BYs
and BZs while in Thailand, so he decided to investigated the Voice of 
America broadcast and found the following information:

 Here is the exact VOA text, which was based on a news item that was on
 the REUTERS news wire on February 16th: "Police in China have cracked
 down on the country's largest group of amateur radio operators, and 
 have sent three of the group's leaders to labor camps. 
 
 The "Official China Business Times Today" (Wed. Fed. 16th) Identified
 the group as "Radio-Air-Salon", based in Henan Province (BY6). It said
 police have caught 61 members of the group -- which had effectively
 taken over some 27 radio channels.
 
 The report said Radio-Air-Salon members often interrupted regular
 broadcasts with their own conversations and illegally listened in on
 restricted frequencies. It said the use of technical equipment to 
 create chaos in the airwaves is a new type of illegal activity.......
 
Fred comments he has tried to work as many different Chinese stations
as possible while he was in Thailand, but he never heard BY6. The ARRL
reports that their information shows only one licensed amateur radio
station in PRC, club station BY6SRA, licensed to the Shanxi Branch of
the China Radio Sports Association (CRSA). CRSA is the IARU member 
society for China. Fred points out that the VOA broadcast only mentions
that three members of one club were sent to "re-education camps", this
is a far cry from "ALL BY's". This is a prime example of how RUMORS can
spread like wildfires and blow things out of proportion Also, the press
has often referred to all manners of radio hobbyists as "AMATEUR RADIO
OPERATORS." The group of hobbyists mentioned in the broadcast may be
engaging in SWL and CB type activities rather than actual amateur
operations. Fred states such activities are widespread in Asia and has
experienced pirate "CB" operations on the 40 meter band while operating
from HS-land. So in summary, amateur radio is alive and well in PRC.
Reports of activity this week by BY1QH on both 40 and 80 meters is
proof. Also, Martti, OH2BH, was in Beijing recently and visited the
operators and station of BY1PK. Martti stated things were just fine 
and no one is rounded up in the labor camps. As matter of fact, foreign
operators may be licensed in PRC soon. (TNX to K3ZO, N8II and OH2BH)

P5, NORTH KOREA. During Martti's (OH2BH) recent visit to Beijing, where
he was involved in some tennis tournament, he was able to communicate
with some high level individuals not only from PRC administration but
also from P5-land. "We are getting there, sooner or later," states 
Martti. (Keep Your Fingers Crossed!)

PACIFIC DXPEDITION (KC6/KH2/V63). JR6IQI and JK6UER are spending their
honeymoon at various places in the Pacific, and will operate all bands
both CW and SSB. Their itinerary is as follows: Belau - March 13-16 as
KC6KT and KC6UA; Micronesia (V63) - March 16-18, call unknown; Guam 
(KH2) - March 18-20, KH2/JK6UER.

SU, EGYPT. The operation by SU2MT in the ARRL CW DX contest was by a
West Coast DXer who is presently working in Egypt. More operations are
planned for both CW and on the lower bands in order to make Zone 34 more
accessible. Activity is also being planned for the ARRL SSB DX Contest
on an all band operation for March 5-6.

TM50DAY CANCELLED. Willem, PA3BIZ, informs OPDX that the special event
station in Normandy, France to commemorate the 50th anniversary of
D-DAY as been cancelled. The two Dutch groups who have been planning the
operation for more than a year were to be active from June 6-9, 1995.
The group was issued the special call sign in July 1993. But since then
the French license authorities have withdrawn the call sign stating they
made a mistake by giving the group a two digit prefix. Meanwhile, there
is word that the French operators might be organizing a special event
station.

FAX YOUR DX INFORMATION NOW! Faxing is available Monday/Wednesday/Friday 
from 0430 to 2330z only. The number is 216-237-8208 and the FAX card is
sharing the same phone line as BARF-80 BBS using a data/fax/phone switch.

Excerpts and distribution of The OPDX Bulletin are granted as long as
OPDX/BARF80 receive credit. To contribute DX info, call BARF-80 BBS
online at 216-237-8208 14400/9600/2400/1200/300 and leave a message with
the Sysop or send InterNet Mail to: aq474@cleveland.freenet.edu or send
BitNet Mail to: aq474%cleveland.freenet@cunyvm or send PRODIGY Mail to:
DFJH48A or send a message via packet to KB8NW @ WA8BXN.OH.USA.NA

/EXIT