From ARVic, original post here.

The DX world is awaiting the planned visit to the rare DX entity by P5/3Z9DX this year, despite a claim to the contrary that labels it as a fake.  However, were able to confirm that correspondence has been received by the ARRL from Polish radio amateur Dom Grzyb 3Z9DX.  But there has been no determination yet made by the DXCC Desk.

It any such an activation the DXCC Desk has a number of rules it must be meet to prove that an operation occurred and was documented and authorised by the licensing authority of that country.

A brief communication from Don 3Z9DX in recent days says: “there is no comments from me until ARRL will make decision – no one else can do that.”

The letter to the ARRL is understood to seek endorsement of the earlier activation on December 20, which Dom P5/3Z9DX says several hundred contacts were made in a demonstration.  (see earlier story).  He hopes to return early this year to North Korea and activate the rare DX entity.

From ARVic, original post here.

With a decline in lower VHF spectrum use for several years by the Land Mobile Service the prospect of VK radio amateurs getting a slice of spectrum at 70MHz is always on the agenda.

The so-called 4m band is popular in Europe and gives an alternative between the current 10m and 6m bands, and is opening up spectrum exploration possibilities.  The WIA has that band on its agenda with the ACMA but there will be a lot of work to do before a secondary allocation becomes a reality.

In the meantime nothing prevents listening on that band for signals that may appear from time to time.  The latest antenna for such a purpose is the Super J-Pole, which is an antenna consisting of a five eighth wave vertical radiator, a half wave tuning section and a half wave top section.

Such an antenna is described here.

From the WIA, original post here.

Date : 15 / 01 / 2016 
Author : Jim Linton – VK3PC

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) automatically allows all radio amateurs to substitute their normal VK callsign prefix with the letters AX, every Australia Day.  Our national day this year falls on Tuesday January 26.  This gives radio amateurs the chance to be part of the commemoration the First Fleet’s arrival in 1788 at Sydney Gove and the establishment of a European settlement at Port Jackson, with the raising of the British flag by Governor Arthur Phillip.

On Australia Day many celebrate our country and culture.  This includes the granting of awards, honours and the welcoming to citizenship of many immigrants.  National flags will be flown and the celebrations include fireworks displays.

The AX prefix is popular among prefix hunters and others.  The use of a special QSL card is encouraged by the Wireless Institute of Australia.  The same alternative AX prefix applies on ANZAC Day, April 25 and International Telecommunications Day, May 17.

From ARVIC, original post here, with supplementary info from priyom.org.

Over-The-Horizon radar from China is often heard in IARU Region 3 on the 20m, 40m and 80m bands.  These are affecting large parts of Australia and can be heard too on the west of the United States.

The IARU Region 1 newsletter also reports that long lasting carriers are on 14000 kHz and 21000 kHz, with them being observed coming from South China.

Russian military traffic including radar is on 40m.  The Russian “Buzzer” is also on 6998 kHz, close to 40m.  Radio Tajikistan has a troublesome third harmonic audible on 14295.174 kHz.

Among other long term intruders, the Russian taxi service in Moscow is on 28 MHz, and the Spanish fishery the top end of the 15m band.  The IARU Region 1 Monitoring System newsletter is here.