UK welcomes 2013, HNY !

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Created on Tuesday, 01 January 2013 10:38

Happy New Year from the UK to all of my readers.

Large crowds lined the banks of the River Thames in London and the streets of Edinburgh last night as the UK welcomed the start of the New Year.

Along the River Thames, up to 250,000 people watched a major fireworks display which saw the night sky illuminated with pyrotechnics to round-off a momentous year.

Revellers were able to watch clips from the 2012 Olympic Games during an 11-minute firework display set around the London Eye.

Millions more watched it all on television. Click this link to see images from the stunning firework display heralding the beginning of 2013 !!

Lord Howe on the horizon

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Created on Monday, 31 December 2012 13:22

With just over a week to go, the Lord Howe Team are anxious to get on the Island.

The team activating Lord Howe are in the main from Japan but with a few other Members from further afar. The operation will take place between the 11th and 18th January, 2013 from their base within the Blue Lagoon Hotel, on Lord Howe Island.

The operators will be using their home callsigns/VK9L (JH3PBL/VK9L etc etc) and will be Qrv on 80-6m, CW, SSB and RTTY.

Qsl card mailing news...

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Created on Sunday, 30 December 2012 09:37

This morning see's three packages (total 4.2Kilo) of Qsl cards on their way to the RSGB Bureau.

There are also just under 1.4 Kilo of cards that will be mailed in the next few weeks direct to the appropriate World Bureau's. There are cards for none-RSGB Members that I manage.

If you have any questions about cards or requests you have made you can contact me (details here) or if it is related to an OQRS request, then just log back into M0OXO OQRS and you will find all information regarding your request there.

Tokunoshima Island - AS-023

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Created on Sunday, 30 December 2012 09:15

Well its the first JA station I have worked in months!

Nevertheless a good one to log and a surprise too, not too many spots and a check on Qrz reveals the QTH as Tokunoshima Island, Japan, part of the AS-023 IOTA Group (Amami Islands), new IOTA for MØOXO !

Administatively it belongs to Kagoshima Prefecture. Three towns are located on the island: Tokunoshima, Isen, and Amagi.

So another new IOTA logged bringing my total to #551 worked and #479 confirmed.

V55A Qrv again...

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Created on Saturday, 29 December 2012 16:23

Listen out for sporadic activity over the next few weeks as Marc is Qrv again as V55A.

You will find V55A on SSB, CW, PSK & RTTY so give him a call !

Qsl cards via MØOXO OQRS

As promised, a beautiful event !

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Created on Friday, 28 December 2012 08:38

Well, as promised in a blog entry a few days ago, when the sun went down on Christmas, a pair of bright lights rose in the east; Jupiter and the Moon were having a holiday conjunction.

In Brazil, the pair were so close, the Moon completely covered Jupiter. Marcelo Domingues of Brasilia snapped this picture seconds before the occultation (tnx pic Marco!)

In case you missed it, there will be more lunar occultations of Jupiter in 2013. A complete list is available from the International Occultation Timing Association.

The K7RA Solar Update

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Created on Friday, 28 December 2012 08:32

Solar activity increased this week, but only slightly, geomagnetic indices up as well, but not by much.

The average daily sunspot numbers increased 24.5 points, to 72.1, while the average daily solar flux was up by 14.8, points to 117.5. Expressed as a percentage, the average daily sunspot number increase seems large, but it is still in the area of low solar activity. Sunspot numbers for December 13-19 were 77, 71, 88, 74, 83, 66 and 46, with a mean of 72.1. The 10.7 centimeter flux was 116.6, 119.2, 122.4, 119.5, 115, 116.2 and 117.5, with a mean of 102.7. The estimated planetary A indices were 3, 3, 7, 5, 10, 6 and 4, with a mean of 5.4. The estimated mid-latitude A indices were 2, 4, 7, 5, 9, 5 and 4, with a mean of 5.1.

The average daily planetary A index increased 3.4 points to 5.4, and the average daily mid-latitude A index increased 2 points to 5.1. This is still low activity, with the A index good for 160 meters, but the sunspot numbers are not what 10 or 15 meter operators would like to see. Read reviews & more by clicking the green banner

Read more: The K7RA Solar Update

Man in the Moon tunes in to Earth's Radio

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Created on Friday, 28 December 2012 08:24

Astronomers have reported that we are sending more signals into space than we know, and we might not be the only ones in the Universe listening in. 

Every breaking news story, Top 10 hit, football score, press conference and soap opera, mixed together in a noisy echo of all the Earth’s FM radio signals played simultaneously are transmitted into outer space and reflected by celestial objects.

The Moon reflects signals from our TV and radio stations in the FM band (87.5 – 108.0 MHz). PhD researcher Mr Ben McKinley from the ANU Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics worked with other astronomers from the ARC Centre of Excellence for All-sky Astrophysics (CAASTRO) using the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA) in Western Australia – one of three precursor instruments to Square Kilometre Array.

Read more: Man in the Moon tunes in to Earth's Radio

IZ0UIM Qsl preview

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Created on Friday, 28 December 2012 07:44

Qsl Cards for Alessio IZ0UIM should arrive in the mail soon.

I was informed yesterday by Alessio that they will mailed to the UK as soon as possible.

VK3HF Cards are also almost prepared. I have the final design from Gennady UX5UO and I am just awaiting the VK3HF Team 'signing off' on the design and then we can go to print. I will post image and details on the blog as soon as I have further information.

Lampedusa Island - IG9Y

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Created on Thursday, 27 December 2012 10:18

The Lampedusa 2013 DXpedition is comprised of an international team from 6 countries.

They will be on the air October l 17 thru October 30, 2013 running 4 stations on 160M through 6M (SSB/CW/RTTY).

This will be a great opportunity to work IOTA AF-019 if you still need it.

PY0F/PP1CZ – Fernando de Noronha

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Created on Thursday, 27 December 2012 09:21

Leo, PP1CZ will be active from Fernando de Noronha as PY0F/PP1CZ between January 15-21, 2013. He will pay most attention to the lower bands of 80 & 160m.

I have it confirmed on several bands including 40M but 80m would be nice.....but sadly no 80M antenna in the air at the moment ;-)

Fernando de Noronha is an archipelago of 21 islands and islets in the Atlantic Ocean, 354 km offshore from the Brazilian coast. The main island has an area of 18.4 square kilometres and had a population of 3,012 in the year 2010.

A63HI Umm Al Hatab Island IOTA AS-021

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Created on Thursday, 27 December 2012 08:59

Tnx to the members from EARS, Emirates Amateur Radio Society, who were active from 19 till 24 december 2012 from Umm Al Hatab Island IOTA reference AS-021.

Several bands slots logged ;-) and all time new Island for MØOXO.

IZ0UIL now on LOTW

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Created on Wednesday, 26 December 2012 10:37

Damiano IZ0UIL has now has his logbook uploaded to LOTW.

LOTW, or Logbook of the World, is a system operated by the ARRL where users from around the world can submit records of their contacts. When both participants in a QSO submit matching QSO records to LoTW, the result is a QSL that can be used for ARRL award credit. This is because LOTW is tightly controlled to verify submissions.

All QSO records are digitally signed using a certificate obtained from ARRL.

Image shows QTH of IZ0UIL.

Santa spotted at 60,000 feet

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Created on Monday, 24 December 2012 14:15

Not be long now Boys and Girls !!

7Z7AB AS-190 also in mailbox!

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Created on Monday, 24 December 2012 12:44

As the title says, also confirmed this morning is the card from Al Dhahran Island, IOTA AS-190.

Many thanks and Happy Christmas guys!

NH8S Swains Island Qsl arrives

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Created on Monday, 24 December 2012 12:40

Thanks for the prompt dispatch of the NH8S Qsl cards which arrived in the mail today.

Please to be another DXCC confirmed on paper ;-) Latest info from NH8S;

''Craig and I would like to thank everyone who worked us from Swains.  We made 105,500 qso's which made a lot of hams happy.  This is not a record but something we and the team are very proud of.  We had a great time but are glad to be back home with our families.

This was truly a remarkable trip in many ways.  We are very proud of our team as they performed remarkably well under unbearable heat.  As you may know by now, it was 125° F on the beach in the sun.  To put up antennas in the loose sand and heat, was quite a challenge.  During the duration of the trip, the crew walked many miles to get to the operating stations four times a day. Then they worked the endless pileups, which can be stressful.  Never did they complain about the job before them, making qso's in those hot tents.  Every crew member experienced some type of heat reaction at one time or another.  Some members endured other injuries as well, and two were hospitalized, so we had our challenges.  Everyone is home and fine now.''

Christmas Sky Show

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Created on Monday, 24 December 2012 08:38

Just when you thought Christmas was over: At the end of the day on Dec. 25th, a pair of holiday lights will pop out of the deepening twilight. Jupiter and the Moon are having a Christmas conjunction.

It’s a beautiful apparition, visible all around the globe. Even city dwellers, who often miss astronomical events because of light pollution, can see the show. Separated by less than 2 degrees, the bright pair will beam right through urban lights.

For anyone who gets a telescope for Christmas, the timing is perfect. Jupiter and the Moon are among the most satisfying targets for backyard optics. A quick sweep of the telescope from Jupiter to the Moon and back again will reveal Jupiter's storms and cloud belts, the Moon's mountains and impact craters, and of course the four Galilean satellites circling the giant planet like a miniature solar system.

Jupiter's trademark Great Red Spot will also be on display--and it is worth a look. Astronomers recently announced that the enormous swirling storm, twice as wide as the planet Earth, is "spinning up."

But you don't need a telescope to enjoy the show. Step outside at sunset on Dec. 25th and look east. After all, Christmas isn't really over until you've seen the holiday lights!

A new ScienceCast video previews the Christmas-night conjunction of the Moon and Jupiter. Play it

Happy Christmas from M0OXO

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Created on Monday, 24 December 2012 08:17

Can I take the opportunity to wish all my followers a very Merry Christmas from all at 'Chez OXO'

I hope everyone has a nice Christmas however you celebrate it and I hope that 2013 is a peaceful New Year to all. A big thanks to all that have helped me in anyway over the last 12 months and indeed to all the users of M0OXO OQRS. I try to keep M0OXO.com website up to date as much as possible and vary the topics as I feel at the time. These do not necessarily stick to the radio hobby directly but somewhere around the World I hope someone finds them of interest.

All the best, have a good few days and catch you on the other side!

73 from Charles, Debbie, Laura, Luke, Alex & Jack !

GB1WH - Event update

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Created on Sunday, 23 December 2012 11:05

Now that the GB1WH event has ended, here is a message from the station operator;

Hi all,  
I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who donated to the hospice or simply called in to say hello. This is without doubt the most worthwhile SES I've been involved with. So with money raised for the Hospice and over a thousand calls in the log I can safely say it's been a great success. Together we've raised awareness and funds for this great charity, and also promoted our great hobby.

73 de Ian M0IAA es GB1WH

Qsl Cards for GB1WH are available from M0OXO OQRS

Happy Christmas to Hexbeam'ers

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Created on Tuesday, 18 December 2012 13:34

This message from Anthony MW0JZE;

Hi Hexbeamer's

I hope all is well and the DX has been good to you all in 2012.

Well lots happening here at G3TXQ-Hexbeam.com with many alterations to the design in 2012

1. Anodized base plate.
2. Lighter weight flanges dropping the Hexbeam weight to 9.5KG.
3. Air coaxial centre-post design.
4. Teflon insulators for spacer cords, this applies to high power modes such as DATA & CW, this is still in development and can be added to new and old versions on request.
5. Ice support cords, this is an optional extra on the new versions.
6. 40m add-on kit. Have had many emails regarding this add-on but as yet I have not had time to build or test it for myself. Marc PC4U designed this add-on and has lots of info on his QRZ page. Marc is currently working on a 30m version, hopefully we will be able to give you more news on this in 2013, thanks Marc.
7. New website, hopefully you find this page better than the old version :-)

Always looking for ways to develop the Hexbeam, open to any suggestions that you may have.

Read reviews & more by clicking the green banner

Read more: Happy Christmas to Hexbeam'ers

V63PR OC-078 confirmed

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Created on Saturday, 15 December 2012 13:59

V63PR Qsl Card gratefully received today from Yoshi JJ8DEN.

Falalop Island on Ulithi Atoll in the Federated States of Micronesia was not a new Country for me having worked it on several bands but the IOTA (OC-078) adds another confirmation to the list.

MØOXO IOTA #549 worked, #477 confirmed