The Ohio/Penn Dx PacketCluster
DX Bulletin No. 1141.1
BID: $OPDX.1141.1
December 18, 2013
Editor Tedd Mirgliotta, KB8NW
Provided by BARF80.ORG (Cleveland, Ohio)

Thanks to the Northern Ohio Amateur Radio Society, Northern Ohio DX Association, Ohio/Penn PacketCluster Network, AB5K & the AR TelNet Clusters Network OH2BN and QRZ.com for the following DX information.

Breaking News from the Land of Santa Claus

OF9X ­ OLD FATHER 9 XMAS

Do you remember the Ho-Ho Santa Claus who penetrated the bands and talked to children all over the world from Santa’s homeland - Finnish Lapland?

If you don't ­ just refresh your memory at QRZ.com (www.qrz.com/db/OF9X). Santa's helpers are now whispering that the white-bearded Old Man will be on the air this year again. The focus is on this coming weekend to remind you of the fun period of Christmas and to create the right spirit for families with children throughout the world. Just as last year, this will happen on the radio waves and hopefully on a variety of bands. Not many people knew then that Santa can even send Morse code!

Already tonight and over the next few days, Santa will appear around 14.235 kHz while loading up his sleigh for the weekend's world tour. Just go for it and get involved ­ let your children or grandchildren feel the true coming of Christmas and the presence of Santa Claus.

The upcoming Friday announcement may again include Santa's personal token to those who truly believe in Santa Claus.

Season's Greetings from the Land of Santa Claus!

December 18, 2013

CHRISTMAS GREETINGS FROM REPUBLIC OF KOSOVO

History was made on Saturday, 14 December 2013, when 52 young Kosovars aged between 18-21 years were seated in the amphitheater of the Technical University of Pristina to take the first ever amateur radio exam under the new laws of the Republic of Kosovo.

To everyone's great delight, fifty (50) of them walked away as new amateur radio operators qualifying for a U.S. General level license. The administra- tors were not yet prepared to receive higher class exams as procedures are now in place only to take the equivalent of U.S. General or CEPT Novice exams. The procedural framework is set to follow the U.S. structure, and several ARRL manuals were given to the national association for Amateur Radio in Kosovo (SHRAK) as well as to the Telecom administrators - thanks to the ARRL for their kind support.

IARU Region 1 President Hans, PB2T, and Martti, OH2BH, of Project Goodwill Kosovo were working earlier on Saturday with the Exam Commission to help with adjustments made to new question pools. They also attended the opening ceremony and were present overseeing the actual exam. The administrators wished the students good luck and emphasized to the future hams their role as representatives of their newborn country.

It was an historical and emotional event in many ways, more than doubling the amateur radio population of the country. Another encouraging sign was that the young Kosovars were genuinely excited about this great passion, and many had already made numerous friends and QSOs using a virtual ham radio simulator -- www.hamsphere.com/ -- the potential of which should be fully explored as another tool providing fair start-up motivation.

Assessing the overall weekend, PB2T and OH2BH felt strongly that the whole amateur radio community ought to have the pleasure of welcoming these young people during this Christmas. As the exam/license cost is 50 EUR (70 USD) per person, a major expense for today's youth in Kosovo, radio amateurs worldwide are invited to help the new hams with this entry level cost, and in return obtain personal details and a picture of their "grandchild" in amateur radio.

PayPal is set up at www.qrz.com/db/Z60A for transfering potential funds. Fifteen (15) license donations are already pledged by organizations including Daily DX, Yasme Foundation, DX University, European DX Foundation, and ClubLog.

You have the option of giving a personal gift to catch the Christmas spirit and to become a godfather in Amateur Radio.

Please kindly inform Hans, PB2T at president@eudxf.eu or Martti, OH2BH at oh2bh@sral.fi of your desire to help.

Let your Happy Christmas be extended to these young Kosovars. Season's Greetings and Thank You!

PLEASE NOTICE (as of February 12, 2007), NEW ADDRESS CHANGES FOR THE OPDX INTERNET HELP/SUBSCRIBE/UNSUBSCRIBE REQUEST:

Help: opdx-request@barf80.org Subject:help
Subscribe: opdx-request@barf80.org Subject:subscribe
Unsubscribe: opdx-request@barf80.org Subject:unsubscribe

OPDX WORLD-WIDE WEB HOME (provided by John, K8YSE (k8yse@papays.com):
http://www.papays.com/opdx.html

ALSO VISIT THE NORTHERN OHIO DX ASSOCIATION'S WEB HOME PAGE:
http://www.nodxa.org

http://www.facebook.com/NorthernOhioDxAssociation