Author - Tim Beaumont

It may be helpful to alert DX’ers that Ukraine has suspended post to Crimea and the City of Sevastopol post codes 95000 – 99999 are affected. Mail is being returned endorsed “UPU IB Circular No 71” The  UPU explanation for this is below.

The world’s postal administrations have been advised that they should no longer dispatch international mail addressed to the Crimea region via Ukrainian Post.

The Universal Postal Union passed on a message from the national postal service of the Ukraine last week confirming that it has difficulties delivering postal items to locations in the Crimea and the city of Sevastopol.

The guidance comes following the annexation of the territory by Russia in the wake of a local referendum described by the United Nations as “invalid”.

The UPU confirmed that it passed on the message to all its members, the postal administrations of 192 countries, stating that they should suspend dispatch of international postal items addressed to the Ukrainian postal codes 95000-99999.

The UPU said Ukrainian Post would inform global postal operators about the resumption of deliveries “as soon as the situation changes”.

According to the UPU, Ukraine received about 20m letters and more than 2.5m parcels from abroad in 2012.

Commenting on the situation, UPU director general Bishar A Hussein said he hoped the parties involved would soon find an operational solution.

UPDATE – I am now aware that mail to the affected posted codes 95000 – 99999 has been re-assigned an extra digit on the code and is handled Via Russian Federation.

As you likely know my antenna elected not to travel with me due to some “machine problem” in Doha. Travelling independently it arrived Singapore last night and will be shipped to Dili on tomorrow’s flight.

Fortunately I have fallen on my feet here. My Australian hosts and their Timorese staff are amazing. Having received VIP treatment at the airport I was taken shopping for wire and coax to facilitate jury rigging a temporary antenna. Dili is no place to shop for this kind of stuff but despite this within less than an hour of arrival I had managed to purchase 100m of PVC covered antenna wire and a 20m length of 50R coax. However the cost however was enough to make my e yes water. When only one place in town has what you need they can take your money through your nose While I was shopping for wire my host located a 10m bamboo and had it delivered to site. What service. My team of Timorese pole erectters and antenna riggers did fantastic work once I had figured out the required wire lengths.

The antennas for 17/30m were rigged just as it got dark last night but the 30m anchor fell prey to the night tide. Repair work will be underway shortly when the tide falls back. The location is amazing with my bamboo antenna support only around 1m from the sea when the tide is in and around 10m when it’s out.

Signals on 17m early evening Timor time were amazing. Pleased to already have a bunch of Gs and CDXC members in the log. I plan to flip between 17/30m until the HF9V arrive s as re-rigging the bamboo pole could cause me to use all my expensive wire in a hurry. I am here until 21 Oct so plenty of time to get on the other bands.

Although the HF9V works pretty well on 80m an inverted L on the bamboo pole may give some advantage. An option for later.

Thanks for the Qs so far. Hope to see you on multiple bands. Bob 4W/G3ZEM

Bob 5B4AGN plans to be QRV from Timor-Leste as 4W/G3ZEM between 8 – 20 October.
This will be a man in a tent style expedition, so not exactly 5 star. Location will be on the north shores of Timor-Leste, running a Elecraft K3 & KPA 500 combo with an HF9V for HF and an 18m Spider pole for 160/80m. With luck I will be QRV all 9 bands but with emphasis towards LF if conditions allow. Operation will be primarily CW.
QSL Direct via M0URX.
For Bureau please use OQRS.(No incoming cards are needed)

73 Bob, 5B4AGN