Timor Lorosae – Timor Leste
I was the second Radio Amateur to activate the new entity of East Timor.
Ross Ballantyne, VK1UN (4W6UN) received his licence a few days before me and he made the first contacts from East Timor after several decades of radio silence. Ross was mostly active on 50 Mhz and I was more interested in the HF bands.
When I left East Timor, I held the doubtful pleasure of being one of – if not the longest surviving staff member of the UN that served in East Timor.
A few expeditions came to East Timor after it became a new entity for DXCC during my stay.
Bernie McClenny, 4W/W3UR operated from my station in Baucau. He made approximately 10,000 contacts. I learned a lot from him on how to handle the pileups.
Kan Mizoguchi, 4W/JA1BK operated from his room at Hotel Dili.
Dennis, 4W/K7BV and Dick,4W/N6FF made 13,000 contacts from my station in Baucau.
A look inside the EMTRON DX-3 .
This amplifier is without a doubt the finest HF amplifier available in the world today. Please visit Emtron’s website for more information on these fine amplifiers.
I would also like to thank Emtron for sponsoring the printing of the 4W6MM QSL cards.
I also used an Emtron DX-2SP amplifier in East Timor. Both amplifiers are now in use in my TF4M station.
I used WriteLog for Windows for my daily logging. I imported the files into my main logging program – DX4WIN. I have since switched to TR Log for my daily logging and contesting, but retaining WriteLog for RTTY operations.
DX4WIN stands head and shoulders above any logging program I have tried and it makes the QSLing chores very easy.
I made more than 42,000 QSOs from East Timor as 4W6MM and 2000 QSOs as 4U1ET .
I also made more than 15,000 QSOs as 4W3DX for a total of 60,200 QSOs from East Timor.
Antennas at 4W6MM:
2 element Yagi for 6M at 155 feet. – direction JA
6 element Yagi for 6M at 140 feet. – direction JA – now has broken director.
Force12 C3S – direction USA – broken elements – useable only on 20/15
sloping dipole for 40M at 150 feet.
K8UR vertical dipole for 80M – direction USA – High SWR
Full size horizontal 160M Dipole at 150 feet. – elements North/South – Local residents have rearranged the end supports – not useable any more.
Delta Loop receiving antenna.
All transmit antennas were fed with Heliax.
The 4W6MM/4U1ET operation was not a DXpedition. I was working long hours 7 days a week.
150 foot tower The 150 foot tower in Dili. This tower has since fallen down during heavy rains, taking the antennas with it.
This is one of 12 towers left over from an old portuguese telecommunications center in Dili. The district is called “Markoni”.
150 foot tower Each antenna is fed with 1/2″ Heliax except for the Force12 C3S which is fed with 7/8″ Heliax. Since I have to do all my antenna installations by myself, I have had to improvise to get the heavy cables up to the top of the tower. The 7/8″ Heliax was especially hard to pull up. I used the following method: I put the rope through a carabiner at the top of the tower and tied the end of the rope to my climbing belt and jumped off the tower. My bodyweight was enough to pull the cable to the top!
150 foot tower The 150 foot tower now with a 6 element beam for 6M from VK2QF installed at 140 feet. This antenna was very difficult to get to the top of the tower as it got tangled with the guy wires and I had to climb down and carry it tied to my climbing belt up the tower – quite difficult.
Working on the 150 foot tower which later fell down after heavy rain.
The 4W6MM station in Dili.
My assistant – Anthony. I set him free in the mountains near Baucau. He was most likely killed by the wild monkeys…
220 foot towerThe 220 foot tower I used in Baucau. This tower is now known as Thor’s Tower among the UN’s Communications staff.
If you look closely, you may be able to see the Force12 C3S yagi at the top.
This is the site that N6FF and K7BV operated from.
DXCC NEWS RELEASE
March 13, 2000
For Further Information Contact: Bill Moore, NC1L
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
New DXCC Entity – East Timor
United Nations Temporary Administration of East Timor (UNTAET)
The International Telecommunications Union has communicated to the United
Nations the assignment of the prefix block 4WA-4WZ for use by radio
stations within the areas administered by UNTAET. This prefix assignment
is for the use of UNTAET as long as it exists, and will be released to the
ITU at the end of its existence.
UN stations within East Timor may be assigned 4U prefixes for official
use, while UN Amateur stations may use the prefix 4U1. This includes the
UN Amateur Radio Club station, 4U1ET. Licensed operators operating these
stations will act in a manner as to be consistent with the primary purpose
of the Amateur Service, as defined by the ITU, and will avoid
participation in activities which may imply official commitment or
approval by the United Nations or in activities of a commercial nature or
otherwise inconsistent with the Amateur Service.
All other private and Amateur Radio stations in East Timor will use the
prefix 4W6. Individuals who expect to be there less than one year would
use 4W6/ home call, while those who will be there in excess of one year
may obtain 4W6 callsigns. Permanent residents of East Timor who were
previously licensed may also obtain permanent callsigns.
Radio equipment used must be designed or modified exclusively for Amateur
Radio use, not currently in use military or commercial units. Radio
equipment used in the Amateur Service may not be used for other services
within East Timor.
CEPT licenses are accepted, with the provision that all users of such
licenses must give prior notification to the UN Telecommunications
Offices, and wait for approval by the UN prior to operating. Notification
must include a copy of the operator’s license, and a mailing address.
Third party traffic is permitted within the area, and with countries that
permit third party traffic.
Those who might want to operate from East Timor should have all entry
clearances in hand before applying for operating permission, including
notifying the UN of intention to use a CEPT license, and receiving the
approval of the UN before commencing operations.
Notifications or applications should go to:
Mr. Alain C. Moerenhout
Telecommunications Service
405 East 42nd Street
Room S-1931B
New York NY 10017
FAX: (212)-963-3669
For DXCC purposes, UN Temporary Administration of East Timor will be added
to the DXCC List with the effective date of March 1, 2000. QSL cards for
QSOs made after that date will be accepted on and after October 1, 2000.
NEW DXCC ENTITY–EAST TIMOR–IS ACTIVE
East Timor–now under United Nations administration–has become the latest
DXCC entity, and two stations already have been on the air from the former
Indonesian territory. The International Telecommunication Union has assigned
the prefix block 4WA-4WZ for use by radio stations within the areas
administered by the UN Temporary Administration of East Timor–or UNTAET.
The prefix assignment is for the use of UNTAET as long as it exists. It will
be released to the ITU at the end of its existence.
UN stations within East Timor may be assigned 4U prefixes for official use,
while UN Amateur stations may use the prefix 4U1. This includes the UN
Amateur Radio Club station, 4U1ET. All private Amateur Radio stations in
East Timor will use the prefix 4W6. Permanent residents of East Timor who
were previously licensed also may obtain permanent call signs. Third-party
traffic is permitted within the area, and with countries that permit
third-party traffic.
For DXCC purposes, UN Temporary Administration of East Timor will be added
to the DXCC List with the effective date of March 1, 2000. QSL cards for
QSOs made after that date will be accepted starting October 1, 2000.
Licensed operators operating these stations will act in a manner consistent
with the primary purpose of the Amateur Service, as defined by the ITU, and
will avoid participation in activities which may imply official commitment
or approval by the United Nations or in activities of a commercial nature or
otherwise inconsistent with the Amateur Service.
Ross Ballantyne, VK8UN–a UN Political Affairs Officer who’s been in East
Timor since last year–has been issued 4W6UN. He’ll also serve as custodian
for 4U1ET, a station to be established at the UNTAET Headquarters in Dili.
4W6UN QSL Manager Steve Gregory, VK3OT, reports that that Ballantyne has
been somewhat active on 20, 15 and 10 meters SSB running a trapped vertical
antenna, but that he is not set up for CW at this point. He also has a very
limited amount of time in his schedule for ham radio.
This week, Thor, TF1MM, was licensed as 4W6MM. The QSL route for 4W6MM will
be announced. He’s been active on 10, 15, and 20-meter CW, up 6 kHz from the
Extra band edge. Other 4W6 operations are pending.
Dili, East Timor
4W6DX – DXpedition
An International team from Finland, Portugal and the United States has been
formed to help celebrate the birth of a new DXCC entity, East Timor. Members
of the team will arrive late this week for a 7 to 10 day operation.
The group has been invited to stay in the home of Thor Stefansson, 4W6MM. His
QTH is a DXers dream location including ten (10) 150-foot towers, which will
be utilized by the group.
The team will include Olli Rissanen, OH0XX/4W6xx; Jose de Sa, CT1EEB/4W6EB;
and Bernie McClenny, W3UR/4W6DX and Pertti Turunen, OH2RF/4W6RF who will join
in the middle of the operation after finishing up at TX0DX. Several UN
personnel stationed in East Timor may also join in on the operation depending
on their work duties including Ross, 4W6UN; Thor, 4W6MM; and Antonio, CT1EGH.
In order to work as many of the Deserving as possible the group will use the
callsign 4W6DX on all bands from 10 to 160 meters on CW, SSB and possibly
RTTY.
The 4W6DX group will be working closely with the TX0DX team in the
Chesterfield Islands in order to minimize interference and confusion. For the
first several days of operation concentration will be given to CW and SSB on a
few bands that will be open around the clock.
Planned operating frequencies are:
CW 1826.5, 3524, 7024, 10107, 14007, 18087, 21007, 24907, 28007
SSB 3799, 7062.5, 14150, 18115, 21200, 24935, 28400
4W6DX QSL via OH2BN, Jarmo J. Jaakola, Kiilletie 5-C-30, 00710 Helsinki,
FINLAND.
This operation would not be possible with out the cooperation and support of
Ross Ballantyne, 4W6UN; Thor Stefansson, 4W6MM; Yaesu Musen Co Ltd, ARRL,
Force12, Kan Mizoguchi, JA1BK; Martti Laine, OH2BH; Doug Brandon, N6RT and The
Daily DX.
