Tim Beaumont, Author at M0URX

4W/G3ZEM Timor-Leste 9th October

9 October 2014

Heavy seas have put paid to tonight’s plans. The improved sea anchor is still no match for the forces of nature. Torn free once again but this time the antennas have also been ripped clean off the mast.

Plan B will be invoked tomorrow. This will aim to remove reliance on the sea anchor. You know what Albert said about folks who keep doing the same thing but expecting a different result.

Much as I would love to continue to paddle in the treacle that is the European pile, I will have to make do with wine and song for the rest of tonight.

The life of a solo DX-peditioner can be tough. 73 Bob 4W/G3ZEM

UPU IB Circular No 71 – Post suspended to Crimea

9 October 2014

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.

4W/G3ZEM Timor-Leste – 8th October

8 October 2014

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

4W/G3ZEM Timor-Leste

6 October 2014

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

Letter to RSGB

21 September 2014

As some of you are aware if you are RSGB members, there have been problems getting QSL cards to RSGB members through the RSGB Bureau. So please be assured if you are an RSGB member and had difficulties receiving my QSL cards I am doing everything I can to resolve the mattter.

At the request of the RSGB General manager I have removed the copy of the letter I sent to the RSGB. The GM says that the RSGB do not have a ban on QSL cards to RSGB members.

I can only apologise to the RSGB members that have had cards defaced. These cards will be replaced and will be sent to you direct at my expence.

MW0JZE 7 Band Hexbeam Announced

15 September 2014

Great news today for the users of the Hexbeam as Anthony MW0JZE has announced his new version of the antenna and it includes 40M !

Anthony says: ”Over the past 9 months I have been planning, designing and developing the new Hexbeam concept. I have done much research on the 40m full size Hexbeam but came to the conclusion it was just too big to erect in an average size garden. The wind load would be so high that any strong gales could cause destruction to the fiberglass arms limiting its life span. The compromise I came to was to design a non-trapped Di-pole antenna with as little loss as possible while maintaining a modest turning radius.”

Read more on this 6M thro 40M antenna by visiting Ant’s site by clicking the image above… Good luck Ant !

Story credited to Charles M0OXO.

What does United Radio QSL Bureau do?

15 September 2014

A desire to provide DX’peditions a “One Stop Shop” QSL Management, QSL Design and high quality professional printing. All in one!

United Radio QSL Bureau

United Radio QSL Bureau was started in 2007 by Max ON5UR and Tim M0URX to provide a one stop shop for all QSLing services. Here are a few of the services that we provide.

ON5UR as part of this, sourced and designed a “DXpedition & Contest QSL” in runs of 5,000 & 10,000 cards where the design, card and print quality are better than what is on the market and cheaper too!

I send out 10,000 samples every year with all my direct QSL cards.

M0URX & M0OXO offer a full free QSL manager service to all DXpedition, IOTA and rare DXCC stations, Contest Stations are charged only for the first print run of cards, the same for NON DX stations.

M0URX also offers an online posting service for all UK QSL Managers. This service gives up to 70% discount on stamp prices and is essential that DXpediitons make the most of this service. For example on larger mailings of 1.5 kg to a country, 15g letters to the USA could be sent for as little as 32p using Priority Air Mail.

(Contract mailings like this are sorted BEFORE stamped items hence “Priority”)

M0URX & M0OXO Together provide an Outgoing QSL Bureau going to all IARU Bureau every 4 months. February, June and October.

M0URX & M0OXO both have a tailored OQRS system to speed up both Direct and Bureau postings.

A passion for DX and a desire to promote professional QSL Management, Design and Printing for all radio amateurs. Of course we are also dedicated to the phenomenon called DX!

To give support to DXpeditions, to give postal advice and assistance to UK based QSL managers.

We welcome International DX Teams to use our postal facilities. We offer discounts on postage costs and can send all your outging international and national mailings, saving YOU time and money. Substantial savings on larger malings especially to USA & Japan.