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Project Star Reach (3B9C) – Bulletin No. 5 22 March 2004  As
everyone is no doubt aware, we are safely on Rodrigues, and QRV. We have
already put a number of photographs on the Website and there is a daily
bulletin, including answers to some frequently asked questions. We appreciate all the messages we have been receiving via our special email account. As I write this (early Monday afternoon) we have just passed the 30,000 QSO mark, but the really good news is that all the bands have been buzzing, including daily 6m openings to Japan, Central Asia and the Mediterranean. On 160m we have over 500 QSOs in the log, over 1,200 on 80m and 350 on 6m. We are aware that West Coast USA is one of the toughest paths from here, and have been making a point of catching all the openings. On 40m there is a long-path opening of up to 5 hours, somewhat less on 80m, and nothing heard so far on 160, but we assure everyone that we are there daily and will continue to do so. Colvin Award In March 2004, the ARRL Colvin Award Committee announced that the latest Colvin Award was being made to the 3B9C DXpedition. This financial award has made an invaluable contribution to the expenses incurred in mounting our major DXpedition. The award will be used to help cover the logistical cost of shipping four tonnes of equipment by container from the United Kingdom to Rodrigues Island - and back. Members of the 3B9C team are delighted that the ARRL Colvin Award Committee has seen fit to give this prestigious award to our DXpedition and thank the committee for their consideration. We understand that one of the reasons that we were selected for the award was that we are specifically aiming to extend our reach to a much wider audience than the usual DX chasers, and are using 3B9C as an opportunity for education and training in respect of HF propagation, antennas, new modes, etc. The Colvin Award is a result of an endowment gift made to ARRL, by Lloyd Colvin, on his death in 1993. Lloyd, W6KG and his wife Iris, W6OL, visited and activated over 100 DXCC countries between the 1960s and early 1990s. Iris died in 1998. General Notes We will probably not start datamodes activity until after the WPX contest weekend. SSTV will come later. We will also be on 10m FM in due course – this proved very popular during our D68C operation. And for those asking about YL operators, one is here but yet to be QRV, the other is due to arrive next week. Remember, 3B9C still has over 3 weeks to run. We will also be making a point of checking for those with limited band segments, for example US General Class operators. We have been able to operate simultaneously on both modes on 10m and 15m, but this has proved impossible on both 20m and 80m due to inter-station interference. Some stations already have 14 or more band slots worked, towards the Nevada Trophies. This looks like being a popular Awards programme! Online Logs Logs are being posted roughly every 24 hours, with 24,000 QSOs uploaded so far. We will not be changing callsigns in online logs. If you feel your call has been broken, either work us again or take up the matter when you QSL. QSL Route A reminder of the QSL route. As stated in our last press release, direct cards should be sent to FSDXA, PO Box 73, Church Stretton, SY6 6WF, UK. Bureau cards go via the RSGB bureau. There is also a form on the Web page for requesting bureau cards. Finally, just a reminder that we do not respond individually to your e-mails (except in the case of EME skeds, which will be answered within the next few days), but we do discuss your feedback at the daily team meeting. We will also respond to any frequently-raised points by way of the daily bulletins on the Web page. Best wishes from everyone here on Rodrigues. Don Field G3XTT, NK1G (g3xtt@lineone.net) 22 March 2004 (3B9C Publicity Officer) |
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