BS7H 1997 Bulletin 07

The BS7H team continues to put QSOs in the log at a rapid clip. Most areas of the world have reported strong signals, while propagation to central and eastern North America has suffered from a moderate increase in geomagnetic activity.

Tim, N4GN, has received numerous e-mails and faxes from DXers around the world commenting on signal strengths, band openings, operating strategies, etc. This input is not only welcomed, but encouraged! Please understand that time does not permit a personal reply to each message, but every comment will be given careful consideration. The information is collected, analyzed, summarized, and relayed to the operating team through stations in the 'operations support network' or via satellite telephone connection.

There have also been several questions regarding BS7H 1997. Following is an attempt to answer the two most frequent:

1) There will be no on-line Internet log search capability during the BS7H 1997 operation. The team is using paper logs, and there is no acceptable method of transmitting the data from the reef. The BS7H team is considering whether to provide such a feature after the operation, but that decision has not yet been made.

2) There is no e-mail reflector dedicated to BS7H 1997. Bulletins such as this one are posted to the DX Reflector and the BS7H 1997 Home Page. Discussion regarding BS7H 1997 may be posted to the DX Reflector, provided it is within the guidelines found in the reflector FAQ. Specific comments which may not be of general interest to other DXers should be sent directly to N4GN (see below).

The following message was received today from Martti, OH2BH, who was one of the principal organizers of the two previous BS7H DXpeditions:

     I have made a new country counter contact to my beloved
     rocks today, Thursday at 1554Z.  The operator Jim, W6EU,
     reported that he and Wayne will stay overnight for this 
     long night-shift.  Their signals are 20 over S9 in Europe!
 
     Judging the size of the pileup, Old Timers and QRPers
     alike have fully accepted this small piece of land to be 
     their target QSO for this week.  Considering that two 
     people can stay overnight comfortably makes this country a
     dream for many who would like to establish themselves as 
     the only resident operator of a specific DXCC country.
 
     Here's the country waiting for the first who would like 
     have a country only for himself.
 
     DX is alive and well this week again.
 
     Martti Laine, OH2BH, ex-BS7H