H4ØAA Bulletin 01

The Temotu Islands--A New DXCC Country!
13 March, 1998

The South China Sea DX Team (SCSDXT) has extensively studied the new DXCC
criteria which will become effective on 31 March, 1998.  This research has
led to the discovery of several potential new DXCC entities. 

The task ahead is now clear--to further research these potential new ones,
to file the applications for inclusion on the Holy List, and most
importantly to activate these new entities.  It is left as an exercise for
the keen student of DX to independently "re-discover" these new DXCC
counters.  With this in mind, however, the first target entity has been
selected and its activation is hereby announced.

The Temotu Islands, located in the South Pacific, collectively form the
easternmost province of the Solomon Islands, an independent country since
1978.  Because Temotu is separated by more than 350 km from the rest of
the Solomon Islands, it should easily qualify as a new DXCC entity.  The
SCSDXT has teamed with the Solomon Islands' IARU member organization, SIRS
(Solomon Islands Radio Society), in organizing a full-scale DXpedition to
Temotu, as well as preparing the application for new DXCC status.

The team for this operation includes members from four continents: 

H44GP, H44GR, JA5DQH, N4GN, N7NG, OHØXX, OH1RY,
OH2BC, OH2BE, OH2BH, OH2TA, W6OSP and 9V1YC

In recognition of its new status, the Solomon telecommunications
authorities have agreed to assign the previously unused H4Ø prefix to
Temotu for all future amateur operations.  This first Temotu DXpedition
has been issued the special call sign H4ØAA.

Visiting team members will begin arriving on 21 March and may be found on
the air using their individual H44 call signs while making final
preparations for the main event.  These early operations--including
all-band activity in the CQ WPX SSB Contest, 27-28 March--will count for
DXCC credit as the Solomon Islands, under the current rules.  The IOTA
number is OC-100. 

At 2359Z on 31 March, the H4ØAA call sign will be debuted on the air, at
which point QSOs will count for Temotu DXCC credit, presuming the
application for new DXCC status is eventually approved.  The H4ØAA
operation will continue for approximately two weeks.

H4ØAA operating frequencies:

  CW:  1824, 3504, 7004, 10104, 14024, 18074, 21024,
       24894, 28024 and 50104 kHz
 SSB:  1824, 3775, 7045, 14195, 18135, 21295, 24945,
       28495 and 50104 kHz
RTTY:  14083 and 21083 kHz

Two small aircraft have been chartered to transport the operators and
equipment from Guadalcanal to the Temotu Islands.  Although very remote,
Temotu has a rich and colorful history, dating back to the 15th century
B.C. 

There will be no Internet log search capability DURING the operation. 
DXers are encouraged to make every effort to confirm their QSOs "the old
fashioned way"--by listening carefully!  It is understood, of course, that
there can still be cause for uncertainty at times, despite the best
efforts on both ends of the pileup.  Internet log search capability will
likely be made available a few weeks AFTER the operation. 

The H4ØAA team will employ Yaesu FT-1000MP and FT-900AT transceivers, as
well as Alpha and FinnFet amplifiers.  A variety of beam and vertical
antennas will be used, inlcuding several new FinnFet models.

QSLs for H44 "warm up" QSOs (for Solomon Islands DXCC credit) will be via
the home call of the individual operators.  The H4ØAA Temotu QSLs will be
handled by OH2BN:

Jarmo J. Jaakola, OH2BN
Kiilletie 5C30
Helsinki 00710
FINLAND

SIRS has kindly requested that DXers NOT send any cards for these
operations via the H4 QSL bureau.  OH2BN will reply to H4ØAA requests via
the OH bureau after the initial batch of direct requests are serviced. 

The team would like to especially recognize the valuable support of Yaesu
Musen Co. Ltd., Mikrolog Ltd., FinnFet Ltd., the Northern California DX
Foundation and INDEXA. 

Further details will be announced in the coming days.