Category - Blog

PJ4TEN QSL Preview

7 October 2020


PJ4TEN is a special event station active during October 2020 to commemorate the 10th anniversary of “10/10/10” – October 10th, 2010. On that date the former country of the Netherlands Antilles was dissolved and Bonaire became a ‘special municipality’ of the Netherlands. As a result, Bonaire became a new DXCC entity on that date. 

PJ4TEN OQRS & Log Search

To mark the 10th anniversary, Bonaire’s radio amateurs are organising a month-long operating event. A PDF award will be available to those who achieve 10 points by making contacts with PJ4 stations during October. 

Rules:
1. A total of 10 points are required.
2. A contact with PJ4TEN is worth 2 points.
3. A contact with any other PJ4 station is worth 1 point.
4. Exception: on the exact anniversary, between 0000UTC and 2359UTC on Saturday October 10th, all PJ4 stations count 2 points.
5. All stations may be worked more than once on different bands and / or modes for additional points. Example: QSOs with PJ4TEN on 14MHz SSB and 7MHz FT8, and with PJ4NX on 14MHz CW and 7MHz FT8, would count a total of 6 points (2+2+1+1). However, if all those QSOs took place on 10/10/20 a total of 8 points would be scored (2+2+2+2).
6. Only contacts made between 0000UTC on October 1st and 2359UTC on October 31st count towards the Bonaire 10/10/10 Award.
7. There is no fee and no QSLs are required.
8. To apply: send a list of contacts made, stating the date, time (UTC), band and mode to: [email protected]
9. The award is also available to SWLs on a ‘heard’ basis. For each contact logged, please list at least two stations with which the PJ4 station was in contact.

5Z4VJ Log update

21 September 2020

Log update for Andy 5Z4VJ in Nairobi Kenya has been uploaded to OQRS Last Date / Time of QSO: 30 Sep 2020 22:05 UTC

5Z4VJ OQRS 

Fast work Bureaus. Thank you

19 September 2020

A big thank you to the IARU Bureaus handing our outgoing Bureau cards. Already just 3 weeks after the mailing we have had the following reported by email being delivered. Please email me if you can add your bureau to the list of fast hard working working bureaus?

S5 Slovenia Parcel received by Milos S54G – S5 incoming QSL MNGR. 09/09/2020
LZ Bulgaria Parcel received 10/09/2020
YU Serbia received 12/09/2020
UA Russia received 15/09/2020
ARRL Area 9  – Cards reported being delivered 18/09/2020
E7 Bosnia Cards arrived 19/09/2020
HS Thailand cards arrived 20/09/2020
9A Croatia cards received 23/09/2020
UR Ukraine parcel arrived 30/09/2020
YV Venezuela – Package returned “Service Suspended”
Twitter – Axel Schernikau @DL6KVA

“wow .. requested the QSL for Andy 5Z4/G3AB on 23.08., received it today via DARC-bureau (a month later) … great job as always!”

VP8PJ Final Press Release

13 September 2020

Final Press Release
September 13, 2020
South Orkney Islands DX-pedition
VP8PJ (AN-008)
We have closed the books on the VP8PJ DX-pedition to the South Orkney Islands.
Due to the global pandemic our equipment was returned to California about two months later than planned. Nothing was missing or damaged during the extended journey. 
Thanks to the worldwide clubs/foundations, the DX community and our corporate sponsors, the project met all operational and financial goals. We appreciate the continued support from the DX community.
Consistent with our commitment to upload the complete VP8PJ log to LoTW six months following the DX-pedition, Tim M0URX will upload the complete log on 15 September. 
Planning for our next project is underway. Exact timing will depend on lifting of the global travel restrictions, issuance of the landing permit and ship scheduling, early 2022 is the plan.
Watch for press releases as this new project unfolds.
73,
VP8PJ Leadership Team
Website: https://sorkney.com/
Please direct your questions to: [email protected]

Not got your VP8PJ QSL yet? Request it direct here!

GB1WSP World Suicide Prevention Day

7 September 2020


The special event station is part of an alliance to raise awareness of World Suicide Prevention Day. Every year on 10th September, organisations and communities around the world come together to raise awareness of how we can create a world where fewer people die by suicide.

In 2018, in the UK and Republic of Ireland, more than 6,800 people died of suicide. And we know that suicide is preventable, it’s not inevitable.

GB1WSP (World Suicide Prevention) will be on air between 0700 and 2400 UTC on Thursday, 10 September 2020 mainly operating on the HF bands, 80m,40m and 20m.

The station will be managed by John (G0MTQ) on behalf of Samaritans of West Cumbria and stations contacted can get further details of the special event by visiting QRZ.com. John (G0MTQ)
QSL Via M0URX OQRS Log uploaded

OQRS Bureau Control

3 September 2020
On the latest OQRS update v5.3 we have now prevented repeated Bureau QSL requests where a QSL has been previously sent for the QSO.
The reason for this is that many people consistently repeat Bureau QSL requests. We cannot guarantee Bureau cards and we suggest that if you would like a replacement QSL then we ask you to request using OQRS Direct route.

Now, if you try to do a repeat bureau request you will get the following message. “Only one free Buro request is allowed. You cannot use Buro QSL cards because some of your selected QSO’s are already requested via the buro.”
___________________________________________________________
This was highlighted in the last bureau mailing when several (not just one) but several stations requested around 100 cards each. I am of the belief that these cards are not ‘needed’, but just ‘wanted’ because of the misinterpretation that they are ‘free’. This practice has to stop, it is simply not sustainable and is abusing my service. I have disabled Bureau route on OQRS for some older inactive call signs with consultation of those operators. These will be direct only.

Bureau Posting September 2020

1 September 2020
QSL cards have been posted to 85 World Bureaus – Tuesday September 1st, 2020
This mailing is a joint mailing between M0OXO Charles & M0URX Tim. (Thanks Chris G1VDP)
I would very much appreciate feedback from you when the QSL cards start arriving at World Bureaus or received by hams around the world? 
This mailing had been delayed due to Covid-19 restrictions. The cost of air freight for this mailing is considerably higher due to the lack of air freight capacity at this time.
The parcels are sent by Priority Business Mail to get to the Bureaus quickly.
Total amount of QSL cards dispatched: 25,891
Via M0URX 6,521,  Via M0OXO 18,462, Via MD0CCE 597, Via G4IRN 149, Via G4ZIB 162
Total Weight 90,253g (gross weight includes packaging)
Total Shipping Cost £623 – £6.90 per kg.
Average postage cost 2.4p per QSL card.
S5 Slovenia Parcel received by Milos S54G – S5 incoming QSL MNGR. 09/09/2020
LZ Bulgaria Parcel received 10/09/2020
YU Serbia received 12/09/2020
Russia received 15/09/2020
ARRL Area 9  – Cards reported being delivered 18/09/2020
HS Thailand received 20/09/2020
Brazil – Box returned 20/03/2021 “UNCLAIMED” No route to Brazil Bureau.
This Bureau mailing was sponsored by the call signs listed below.
Thank you everyone.
K3LU, N1ADX, K5YY, WB7BWS, AA6DY, K0DEQ, K2SLZ, K4BAI, K4RX, K5KG, K7VC, K8PT, KE0A, KH2L, N4TOL, NA5DX, NS9X, W0CVF, W1TC, W3FF, W3UR, W4DR, W6TMD, W7DGP, W7UT, W8GEX, W8UVZ, W9VA, WA9JWL, WB4DNL, WB6JJJ, R1A-644, G4IUF, K5YY KC3RT, JA2NQG, N2ZN, WK2Y, W3UR

If anyone wishes to make a donation to the costs of bureau shipments, you can do when you request a QSL and use the donation facility on OQRS.

 

VK8NSB QSL Route

28 August 2020
A large pile of QSL cards for VK8NSB has turned up at WIA in Australia. Unfortunately Stuie is NOT a member of WIA or RSGB so these QSL cards cannot be received.  
QSL Information for VK8NSB is clear QSL Via OQRS only. 
Please do not send Stuie Bureau cards as they will not be received. 
Before ANY QSL cards are requested Via Bureau you should always check the QSL route.
Thank you

Welcome to TI5/N3KS & TI7W

22 August 2020

Welcome to the United Radio QSL Bureau to TI5/N3KS, Kam and also for TI7W contest station. Kam has asked me to take over as QSL manger for his call signs in Costa Rica.
Logs will be available on OQRS very soon on the links below.
TI5/N3KS – OQRS & Log search. TI7W  – OQRS & Log search.
QSL cards are being printed and will be available for direct from early September.