Author - Tim Beaumont

The Sebatik Island OC-295 Team are ready for the long drive from their base in Kota Kinabalu. 9M6XRO John sent me his latest log update today with the following text.

“I just thought I’d clear the decks before leaving for Sebatik Island in the morning so I will send you the 9M6XRO log up to date. We have the CRV all packed and ready to roll at 6am in about 7 hours time for the 550km to Tawau, overnight there, then boat to Sebatik about noon L/T on the 24th. We hope to have at least one station on by the 24th evening but I think we can manage to get both set up with a bit of luck. We met the deputy headmaster of the Wallace Bay school for lunch today in KK and from his description things have improved a lot since 2006 and sounds like we will have no problem setting up the two stations and antennas on the jetty which he says is 300 ft long with lighting along its length.

OK, we’ll see. I’ll get this off to you then pack the laptop – and my camera this time!  73 – John – 9M6XRO”

9M6XRO/P (CW) and 9M6DXX/P (SSB) are now both active on IOTA OC-295. This is only the second time that OC-295 has been active, the last time was in July 2006 with 3,600 QSOs logged with the call sign 9M4SEB. So we are expecting this activity to be in demand by IOTA hunters. There will be two QSL cards printed, one for each callsign so if you do work both please check my Direct & Bureau Instructions for QSL Info.

Where is Sebatik Island? Click Here > Map of Sebatik Island OC-295
The log will be uploaded AFTER the activity in a few days.

Following their operation from Sebatik Island (OC-295) from 24 to 27 September (see below), John, 9M6XRO; Steve, 9M6DXX, and Gordon, G3USR, will operate as 9M6XRO/P, 9M6DXX/P and 9M6/G3USR respectively, from Labuan Island OC-133, from 5 to 8 October inclusive (and possibly approx 0000-0200GMT on 9 October). Activity will be on SSB, CW and RTTY with two stations using amplifiers to a Hexbeam, verticals and a 160m inverted-L very close to the ocean. All bands from 10 to 160 metres will be used. QSL 9M6XRO/P and 9M6DXX/P via M0URX, and 9M6/G3USR via home call.
73, Steve, 9M6DXX

A number of “Not in log” QSL cards have recently been returned to sender for reasons that I would like to bring to the attention of readers. There was a pirate operating at some point and also when Andy gets persistent callers there has been the case where band police interfere saying “xxxx you are 59!

I was talking to Andy this week and discussed this with him and Andy told me that he is strict with logging, a correct signal report exchange MUST be confirmed both ways for you to be logged. After all this IS the correct way that a 2 way QSO should be conducted.

Andy WILL NOT reward any bad operating; persistent callers who do not stand by will not be logged. LISTEN carefully and before you send me your QSL card check my online log search.

United Radio QSL Management Bureau are pleased to support and promote the following appeal.
I ask all readers of my Blog please read the press release below and consider a donation to this fund. A very worthy cause…

Press Release [in full] by GD6TWF: 

The following appeal was made on DX World. Net Assistance Required 

Hi! I am Abel (ex-9E2ABL). What I want to ask about is that I have passed the RSGB exam[1] and am now properly licensed.. but when I apply for the license here I am required to have a radio & I may pay for the custom duty here but for the radio that I cannot afford … so if there is a way like an organization to support or anything…that I can get a radio it will be so helpful. I hope I will get a positive response.

Thank you, 73 Abel 

Following this appeal Sid May ET3SID a British National Resident in Ethiopia for decades contacted DX World.Net to say he had coached four young Ethiopians – all members of the Ethiopian Amateur Radio Society (“EARS”) through the examination including Abel – and stated that all four were in the same position; they had the qualification to get a license but could not afford the cost of buying, shipping and importing equipment. 

As a result of this request several amateurs made offer of help and it was decided to form a simple appeal to raise funds and accept donations of equipment so that these four young amateurs could get on the air. 

The appeal is called Amateur Radio In Ethiopia (“ARIE”) and a webpage has been launched at http://tinyurl.com/ETproject which gives all the information and details on how to donate.

We have already had offers of equipment and cash donations from UK, Germany, New Zealand, UK, USA and Isle of Man. 

The appeal has been designed so anyone can donate according to means. That old rig gathering dust on the shelf would change someone’s life. A small donation would allow us to buy PL259’s or a few metres of coax. A big donation would allow us to ship a donated rig out.

We welcome donations from individuals, clubs, societies, associations, dx-groups any where in the world. If your business is interested in being involved please contact us to see how we can work together. 

We passionately believe that this organisation will have a lifelong impact on the recipients, help people enjoy their hobby who, without your help, would not be able to do so. Contributed towards equipping Ethiopian hams who will be making contacts and giving many other hams a new DXCC country while at the same time developing their own valuable technical skills and career prospects. 

[1] Radio Society of Great Britain (‘RSGB”) International Examination. The cost of which was met by the RSGB.

The Logo may be used in publications or online provided it is attributed. The logo is available in a variety of formats and file sizes from Chris Wood [email protected]  please specify your requirements.

For any questions please look at our website http://tinyurl.com/ETproject or contact Chris Wood

John Plenderleith 9M6XRO reports this week, John says:
“We had a great time at the 6th All Borneo Amateur Radio Festival in Brunei over July 23-25th hosted by BDARA whose members could not do enough for us. I kept the BARC banner flying high by winning the CW and General Knowledge Competitions!

As it so happened the 25th was the Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah’s 64th birthday and all Bruneians turn out for it. Everyone at the Hamfest was also invited. BDARA was allotted booth number 64 at the Padang and after the welcoming ceremony the Sultan makes the rounds of all the booths most of which are for local people from the outlying villages. At the BDARA booth the Sultan was presented with a gold-plated morse key and up to that point I was not aware of the Sultan’s interest in ham radio but it seems he has the call V85HB and the booth had on display images from the past of the Sultan operating on 2m and working YB on HF!

I have attached photos of the gold-plated key, and one of yours truly with the talented young musicians from Kampong Bebuloh who were adjacent to our booth and performing traditional music on their gongs. I am sure some of the youngest members were no more than 5 or 6 years old and were barely visible behind the larger gongs but they never missed a beat!

Clubhouse Repairs
On Thursday I went out to Langkah Syabas resort with 9M6GY and set up the station for a JA visitor, JE9MBV. I spent Friday at the BARC clubhouse repairing the low band inverted vee. A barrel connector and two PL-259 plugs were cremated so once again I suspect a lightning strike close by as the culprit. I have been busy but not on the air!

9M6XRO’s Noisy Electricity Pole Gets a Visit!
One other thing. I had a call from the MCMC last Thursday and was told that the SESB (Electricity Board) were sending engineers out to inspect the noisy pole I’d been complaining about. I quickly headed out there clutching my MFJ noise meter and let them listen to the problem. The result is that it is now on their work list so one of these days it should get done. I just hope it is the last one and the problem doesn’t jump to the next dodgy pole along the line!”