CQ Magazine's Annual DX Marathon

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2021 Helpful Hints

 

Last Update - 14 June 2021

 

Bad Spots

Callsign Notes

Invalid Callsigns

Zone 2 Callsigns

Shetland Is (GM/S) Callsigns

CQ Zones for Antarctic Callsigns

Map of Antarctic Bases

Map of Turkish Callsigns

China WAZ Zone Map

USA/VE Zone Definitions

CQ Statement on Crimea

 

  • Each year there are pirates, operations that are not approved, callsigns that are copied incorrectly and unusual operations that are valid.   We attempt to document as many of these operations as possible - see the lists of valid callsigns, invalid callsigns,  and callsign notes.  We encourage you to share your findings on pirates, illegal operations or confusing callsigns with us.  Please send your callsign updates to the DX Marathon administrator at: k9el at dxmarathon.com

  • Many points are lost each year due to bad spots on the packetcluster network.  We have assembled an extensive list of bad spots - please check the list before entering any of these callsigns!

  • Please check USA/VE zones carefully - use www.qrz.com to check zones before submitting.   The number in the callsign does not necessarily match the location.  Did you know that West Virginia (W8) is in Zone 5?  and that Alabama (W4) is in Zone 4?  See US/VE zone detail below.

  • Check Zone 2 submissions carefully - see Zone 2 information below.

  • When a prefix can count for more than country (e.g. E51) double check your entry.

  • Although you can use the same QSO for a country and a Zone, if there is an error, two points will be lost!  We suggest using a different QSO for country and zone.

  • Review your submission carefully and make sure your logging program country database is up to date.

    •

    Valid Callsigns & Callsign Notes

    CALLSIGN NOTES
    3A Many pirates - makes ure you can confirm your QSO
    4U0WFP Counts as Italy
    4U1A Valid callsign - Same as 4U1VIC
    4U1GSC Counts as Italy
    4U1WB Counts as USA
    4U13FEB Counts as Italy
    4U29MAY Counts as Italy
    4U75A Valid callsign - Same as 4U1VIC
    4U75B Counts as Italy
    4UNR Valid callsign - Same as 4U1VIC
    5A0YL Pirate on FT8 - February 25, 26.
    5N/KE5GUR he is in Nigeria, but not sure if he is licensed.
    5N7MSF Valid for 2021 DX Marathon
    9M7DX East Malaysia
    B3CRA Operating from Zone 23
    C7A Valid callsign - Same as 4U1VIC
    DT8A Valid for South Shetlands
    GB0SI Counts GM/S - Shetland Islands
    HC8MA Activity on 9 Feb was from HC not HC8
    J88CD FT8 activity on 16 & 17 April is very suspicious.   Pirate activity is possible.
    JD1BMH All 60m activity is from a pirate
    PJ2ND 60m QSOs on May 8th were from a pirate
    T5/IT9HRK As of 13April, no license was issued by Somalia
    TC18QRP Asia Turkey
    TC1919ATA Asia Turkey
    TC23TC Europe Turkey
    TC3A Asia Turkey
    TC5OCK Asia Turkey
    TC568FA Europe Turkey
    TC7G Asia Turkey
    TO1K Same as FS - 22Mar to 5Apr
    TO3F Same as FM - 23May - 5 June
    TO7O Same as FM - 30-31 October
    TO9PL Same as FS - 4-7 June
    TO11A Same as FG - 12 June - 5 July
    TX7O Planned Dxpedition to Marquesas
    TY5AB Valid for Benin for 2021 DX Marathon
    VK9HR Activity on 1 April was from a pirate
    VP8/SQ1SGB Same as CE9 - Zone 13
    W1UC/KP2 Operating from a boat - not valid for the DX Marathon
    ZS6JSI/TY Valid for Benin for 2021 DX Marathon
    ZS7ANF Same as CE9 - Zone 38
       

     

    Invalid Callsigns

    INVALID CALLSIGNS
    1A0KM Pirate on 20 January
    3D2DOM Not valid - operating from a boat
    3D2JK Not valid - operating from a boat
    3D2ZK Not valid - operating from a boat plus license is invalid.
    3V8BB Pirate - call not used since 2014
    9Q3RAD Pirate  
    DP0POL/MM Not valid - operating from a boat
    E67A Bad spot
    EP4IRN No documentation as of February
    EZ  No EZ callsigns are accepted.  Turkmenistan has been off the air since August 2006.
    FK8IK/MM Maritime Mobile stations not valid for the DX Marathon
    FM/PE1IGM Not valid - operating from a boat
    IK7VJZ Uses remotes in other countries with no portable designator - QSOs NOT valid for DX Marathon
    IK7XNF Uses remotes in other countries with no portable designator - QSOs NOT valid for DX Marathon
    J88HF Not valid - operating from a boat
    JH1YJR Operating a remote in grid DM58 
    KL4NE Operating remote or portable in Florida but gives Alaska grid
    KL7J Activity on 6M on 20May was from a pirate
    N2EL/C6A Not valid - operating from a boat
    PA9RD/FR Pirate
    S2TJ Pirate - 80m FT8 April 9th
    T2J Not active in 2021
    TU2ED Presumed pirate 
    TY7C No operation in 2021
    VU2GSM Contacts with VU2GSM not valid for the DX Marathon as he uses remote receivers.
    YK1AH Pirate - license holder is SK
    ZC4A Pirate

     

    Zone 2 Information and Callsigns

    Zone 2 Official Definition: Northeastern Zone of North America: VO2 (Labrador), the portion of VE2 Quebec north of the 50th parallel, and Nunavut Territories east of 102 degrees (Includes the islands of King Christian, King William. Prince of Wales, Somerset, Bathurst, Devon, Ellesmere, Baffin and the Melville and Boothia Peninsulas, excluding Akimiski Island, Bear Islands and East Pen Island in Hudson Bay).

    Nunavut Territory is Canada is the most difficult to determine as it lies within 3 WAZ Zones.  Click here for a detailed Nunavut map.

     

    The following callsigns are good for Zone 2.  As 2021 expeditions are announced, more callsigns will be added.

    VE2CSI Resident
    VE2IDX Contests only
    VE2IM Resident
    VO2 (any) All VO2 stations are in Zone 2
    VY0ERC Resident

     

    Known Shetland Islands Callsigns

    The following stations are known to have operated from the Shetland Islands (GM/S) at some time over the last few years.  Not all are currently active.

    2M0SPX GM/S
    2M0VIK/MM0VIK GM/S
    GB0DAW GM/S
    GB1COR GM/S
    GB2AES GM/S
    GB2ELH GM/S
    GB2QM GM/S
    GB2SAA GM/S
    GB2SLH GM/S
    GB2SUM GM/S
    GB2WAM GM/S
    GM0EKM GM/S
    GM0GFL GM/S
    GM0JDB GM/S
    GM3ZET GM/S
    GM4JPI GM/S
    GM4LER GM/S
    GM4S  GM/S
    GM4SLV GM/S
    GM4SSA - Silent Key GM/S
    GM4WSB/P GM/S
    GS0AAA GM/S
    GS3BSQ GM/S
    GS3ZET GM/S
    GS7V GM/S
    GZ1DVP GM/S
    GZ5Y GM/S
    MA0XAU GM/S
    MM0SHF/P GM/S
    MM0VIK GM/S
    MM0XAU GM/S
    MM0ZRC GM/S
    MM1FEO GM/S
    MM5PSL GM/S
    MM6IIP GM/S
    MM6PTE GM/S
    MM7CGR GM/S
       
    MS0OXE GM/S
    MZ5A GM/S
    MZ5B GM/S

     

    Known CQ Zones for Antarctic Callsigns

    CALLSIGN CQ ZONE COMMENTS
    4K1A 39  
    4K1B 29  
    4K1C 29  
    4K1D 36  
    4K1E 29  
    4K1F 13  
    4K1G 30  
    4K1H 32  
    4K1J 13  
    8J1RL 39 Syowa Base 
    8J60JARE 39 Syowa Base 
    8T2BH 39  
    D8A 30  
    DH5CW 38 AN016; Neumayer station, Dec 2017-Feb2019
    DP0GVN 38 Neumayer Station III
    DP1POL 38  
    EM1UA or EM1U 13 Vernadsky Base, AN006
    FT3YL 30 Dumont D'Urville, F6KPQ, Start Feb 2017 AN017
    HF0POL 13  
    HL5BDS 13  
    IA0/DK6SQX or DK5SXQ 29 Concordia
    IA0/IZ1KHY 29 Concordia Jan2019
    IA0MZ 30  
    KC4/N2TA    
    KC4AAA 12,13,29,30,32,38,39  
    KC4AAC 13  
    KC4AAD 13  
    KC4AAE 29  
    KC4USB 32  
    KC4USN 12,13,29,30,32,38,39  
    KC4USV 30  
    LU1ZAB 13 Argentine Matienzo Base (LU4DXU)
    LU1ZG 13 Base Belgrano II
    LU1ZV 13 BASE ANTÁRTICA ESPERANZA 
    LU3HRS/Z   ITU Zone 73
    LU4ZA   Marambio Base; LU4DXU
    LU4ZS 13  
    OJ1ABOA    
    OP0LE 38  
    OR4TN 38  
    R1ANC 29 Vostek Station
    R1ANN 38  
    R1ANR 38  
    R1ANT 29  
    RI01ANT 29, 38 Vostek Station
    RI1ANA 39 Molodyozhnaya Base, till March 2017
    RI1ANC 29 Starts again 10 Feb 2020 with new op
    RI1AND 38  
    RI1ANL 38 Novolazarevskaya AN-016 Mar2018 to March2019
    RI1ANL 39 March 18, 2018 ONLY - Molodezhnaya Station
    RI1ANM 38 Mirny Base
    RI1ANN 38 Progress station till 2/22
    RI1ANP 39  
    RI1ANR 38  
    RI1ANT 29  
    RI1ANV 29 Vostek Station
    RI1ANW 38 Novolazarevskaya
    RI1ANX   NEED INFO
    RI1ANZ 39  
    VK0GM 29  
    VK0HZ 39 Davis Base
    VK0JJJ 39  
    VP8CTR 13 AN006
    VP8DMH    
    VP8DPJ 13  
    VP8HAL   Halley VI Base (SQ1SGB)
    VP8ME 38  
    VP8ROT 13  
    VU3LBP/P   Bharati Station 
    ZL5A 30 Scott Base
    ZL5AA 30  

     

     

     

    Map of Turkish Callsign Prefixes

     

    Note: Only TA1 Callsigns are in European Turkey

     

    USA/VE Zone Listing

    Zone 1. Northwestern Zone of North America: KL (Alaska), VY1/VE8 Yukon, the Northwest and Nunavut Territories west of 102 degrees (Includes the islands of Victoria, Banks, Melville, and Prince Patrick).

    Zone 2. Northeastern Zone of North America: VO2 Labrador, the portion of VE2 Quebec north of the 50th parallel, the VE8 Northwest and Nunavut Territories east of 102 degrees (Includes the islands of King Christian, King William, Prince of Wales, Somerset, Bathurst, Devon, Ellesmere, Baffin and the Melville and Boothia Peninsulas, excluding Akimiski Island).

    Zone 3. Western Zone of North America: VE7, W6, and the W7 states of Arizona, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington.

    Zone 4. Central Zone of North America: VE3, VE4, VE5, VE6, VE8 Akimiski Island, and W7 states of Montana and Wyoming. W0, W9, W8 (except West Virginia), W5, and the W4 states of Alabama, Tennessee, and Kentucky.

    Zone 5. Eastern Zone of North America: 4U1UN, CY9, CY0, FP, VE1, VE9, VY2, VO1 and the portion of VE2 Quebec south of the 50th parallel. VP9, W1, W2, W3 and the W4 states of Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia and the W8 state of West Virginia.

    CQ Special Statement on Crimea