FJ/OH2AM – Saint Barthelemy
All info courtesy of Daily DX:
DXpeditioners have been monitoring the status of St. Barthelemy (FJ) for several months. Immediately after the addition of St. Bart??s to the United States State Department??s Dependencies and Areas of Special Sovereignty list an initial two man seasoned DXpedition team flew to the Caribbean this past weekend.
OH2BH, Martti Laine, and OH0XX/HP1WW, Olli Rissanen, will be the first two operators of the team and are now in the process of building up two stations.
about 2 years ago
about 2 years ago
Tnx for the new one, Martti! What a birthday present. Saint Barthelemy became a new entity on my birthday, Dec 14th.
Merry Christmas!
about 2 years ago
Thank you Martti, Excellent Pileup Management and Operation.
Merry Christmas, God Bless and 73,
Dennis
N3DG
about 2 years ago
New countries are hard to find these days with only two left to work. As usual from Marti it is a well done operation. A Merry Christmas OM.
about 2 years ago
In one word: scandale!!
the finnish behavior like conquistador !!
There are local amateur radio ON THIS ISLAND +++
FJ5CQ and I (FJ5BL) had worked to obtain the FJ prefix separate from FS, 20 years ago.
FJ5DX had worked with the dxcc comittee…
So the new dxcc recognizion must be the opportunity to do a local ceremony
with first QSO by the local amateur radio team +++
I’m sure Marti – OH2BN likes to be in the spot light. He likes it when everybody knows his name …
Where is the ham spirit in this kind of attitude ??!!!
He holds in contempt the amateur radio of the island of St Barth?Šlemy!
I hope arrl dxcc comittee will not agree this kind of non ham spirit and do not valid the dxcc from the 22 february 2007!
This expedition must not count as a new dxcc.
73 Laurent F6GOX / FJ5BL
President of the ARP Radio-Club de Paris
about 2 years ago
I agree,
I work since november with the DXCC Desk (NC1L) for FJ up-grade as new country on the DXCC List.
At this time, ARRL et DXCC commitee have not approved FJ as new country. Any more, the normal starting date is JULY 15 2007 (date of the vote of the President), NOT BEFORE !
Association des Radio-amateurs de St Barth and members are very despite by the non ham spirit about Finland team. Absolutely no contact before the trip with FJ Association or FJ stations.
If the FJ stations are not active in this moment, it’s only because all waiting for the accreditation from DXCC desk for starting the celebration and go on the air.
This celebration is break definitively !
Thank you Finland for intruder and invinder a new territory without a minimal respect.
Sincerely for all
FJ5DX President Association of St Barth.
about 2 years ago
From DXCC Desk:
LINK
about 2 years ago
TO FJ5DX , FJ5BL AND ALL FJ HAMS . PLEASE PUT SAINT BARTHELEMY ON WITH A CELEBRATORY SPECIAL OPERATION. A NICE TOUCH WOULD BE A CALLSIGN LIKE FJ0A . MANY OF US WANT THIS. 73 , HUBERT , K6HFA
about 2 years ago
Why using OH2AM callsign ?? Is it legal to use the call of anybody who is not in the expedition ? why not using FJ/OH2BH ?
about 2 years ago
Thank you Martti for a new one. Merry christmas and a happy new year.
73 de DL6RA, Adi
about 2 years ago
Back OH2BH only?
GA boys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Regards
Zygi SP5ELA
about 2 years ago
Congrats to the FJ hams for obtaining new entity status ! We look forwrad to hearing you on the air.
My first expedition in 1978 was to St Barth’s (then FG0EUU/FS) ; great place, and great people…
73
Paul F6EXV
about 2 years ago
about 2 years ago
Thanks Martti, third time you have given me a “new one”.
Merry Christmas and good luck with DXpedition to St. Barthelemy.
about 2 years ago
Dont worry Martti, there is always hams who are jealous! You are keeping up the good dx-spirit from all ower the world where you work !! Merry X-mas & Happy Ney DX-Year!
about 2 years ago
I thought Scarborough Reef when I worked them was the last one I needed for DXCC. I guess not. So thank you Martti for the new Country! Merry Christmas & Happy New Year.
about 2 years ago
Thanks for the new one!
73, Merry Christmas, es God bless.
Dan, N8IE
about 2 years ago
Marti,
Good show, Merry Christmas.
about 2 years ago
Hello Sir ,
We have a problem:
When you lesson from 14.100 to 14.140 no other QSO can be made from 14.100 to 14.140 and any direction…
For example : I’m in Montreal Canada and this morning I was in QSO with some friends in Europe but as soon as the pile up start NO WAY to lesson them anymore : pile up from 14.100 to 14.140 anywhere… anytime…and you can not letting known the frequency is in use because station are not lessening their TX frequency but your RX frequency…and certainly they don´t care!
Anyway, we try to make QSY but it was really impossible to find any frequency from 100 to 140. I’m not alone with this felling…I read a lot a comments regarding your 40 Khz bandwith on the DXcluster
May I suggest to you to use a little less bandwith ( like 10 to 20 khz and maybe from 14.140 to 14.160 : then maybe station from US country will answer to you much easier(because it’s seems US station are not allowed by ARRL in phonie below 14.150)
Thansk for reading me and thanks in advance to correct this situation in the future
Sorry again for my poor english
73’s
Robin
about 2 years ago
Thanks to the fine dx-peditoneers for remaining clear of the SSTV and digital picture/voice frequencies between 14.230 and 14.236. The digital pioneers only have 2 frequencies on 20 meters. Digital is the future of ham radio and they deserve to have their little space in which to operate. Thanks guys!
about 2 years ago
Sorry to write you again
Same problem today : Pile up from 14.100 to 14.140 anywhere so it was IMPOSSIBLE to make ANY QSO from 14.100 to 14.140 during 4 hours…
sorry for my complaint I recognize the hard work of this activite and I thank again Marti and Olli of their work except for this 40 Khz bandwith.
I never heard a so large bandwith …why not 100 Khz !
Can someone telll them to lesson less than 40 Khz !
I suggest again to use a little less bandwith ( like 10 to 20 khz and maybe from 14.140 to 14.160 : then maybe station from US country will answer much easier(because it??s seems US station are not allowed by ARRL in phonie below 14.150)
Maybe they forgot that they there other stations on the 20 metres between 14,100 and 14,140…even during a so nice expedition, the frequence does not belong just to them…
Best 73 to all
Robin
about 2 years ago
Thanks Martti and Olli for a great operation! First QSO with Saint Barthelemy ever. It has to be Finns to wake up a sleepy Frensh island (that was Swedish 1784-1878), thanks again guys!
about 2 years ago
Hi,
Tnx for a new one.
To the locals: Get on the HF working the pile-ups, instead of complaining. It’s not more difficult than that.
HNY
about 2 years ago
Specially to SM1OII & SM4OTI, just imagine than Gotland Island becomes a new dxcc after years of local hams efforts and few guys just come when you are working and preparing the fest… Just imagine few secondes… Your commentaries are poor ethic and totally without friendly ham spirit.
See below my letter to the ARRL President, and the story is not end…
—
David,
I agree with you that this is absolutly not a volontary act from the ARRL and the DXCC committe againts the St Barth’s hams.
DXCC committee had taken an administrative decision in accordance with the rules of these award program and for that we are extremely happy.
Our words said the angry against an “ego” activity, more during christmas time… What a symbol for hams!!
The problem is these two finnish hams behaviors, so different from our ham spirit values promotion.
See here the Christmas card sent to the ARP from two finnish hams wellcome in Paris in last July…
http://arp75.free.fr/PortailARP/index.php?lng=fr
OH2BH & OH0XX are not representative of the spirit of the Finland and definitively of the ham spirit!
We are very disappointed and angry by these two men who rob the cake on the table that we have just prepared for the fest. The fest is breaking down…
The activity of the local club FJ5KH would begin this weekend, due that local hams are working, as usual not ?
We forget these two finnish hams but not this story…
So as the DXXC committee must be pronounce a decision to accept or not these “dxpedition”, be sure this committe will receive documents and infos to not accept the “FJ/OH2AM” as a valid activity.
All the St Barth hams and I will work with ARRL to not permit at these two men to put trouble in friendly relations and ham spirit.
Together, we can not accept to promote this regrettable image of the amateur radio activity.
There is a way to fight this behavior.
73
Laurent BEUGNET
F6GOX / FJ5BL
about 2 years ago
Many thanks for this great operation with great operators.
Kiitos paljon.
Bert
about 2 years ago
Hello Everybody:
Thanks for a new one! FJ is my favorite Christmas present.
Merry Christmas and a healthy and happy New Year!
73
Joe, DL4CF
about 2 years ago
Martti is using a vertical and is loud and very easy to hear; the locals are inaudible – what are they using, coat hangars for antennas??
about 2 years ago
SPLIT 14190 / 14120 NO CORRECT !!!!!!!
about 2 years ago
Tnx fer the new country. Sorry u are not home for Christmas. Merry Christmas and a great New year.
73, Al, W6JNU
about 2 years ago
Thanks for the qso’s on 75 and 20. Signal was good on 40 tonight as well.
73 Merry Xmas
W4AMP
about 2 years ago
Well Laurent F6GOX / FJ5BL… If Gotland Island becomes a new dxcc and other guys come here working the pile-ups it would be GREAT!! Then even more people are given the chance to work a new one! The more stations running – the better! Start working the pile-ups! MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
about 2 years ago
To K9LA
If the “locals” are inaudible for you, them YOU have a problem with your “coat hanger”
I contacted them easily on 14 MHz in Europe !!
about 2 years ago
What a great Christmas present ! The hamworld thanks you Santa Martti
73
K4WY
about 2 years ago
Carl, Laurent has a valid point. No need to belittle the local FJ hams with a comment like that
best regards
keith W9RM
about 2 years ago
Dear SM1OII,
I completly agree with you except few details… as the fact that….
These two finnish operators are entered on the island of St Barthelemy without going through immigration services or declare their materials??
Even without contacting local radio amateurs??
Why such discretion if they did not want to rob this special event and not share it with the local people as a great common ham fest? ??
They had received the visit of the local authorities…
They could also wait few days and come after our local fest… But “Ego” is stronger…
When welll educated hams knock at the door, we invite them with great pleasure to share our radio activity pleasure and even invite to sleep at home.
Last example ? Andy KL1A/RW3AH in Paris as 4U60UO guest operator, which is UNESCO HQ, and I had offered him my hospitality at home…
See the back of the 4U60UO qsl, right side,
http://arp75.free.fr/GalerieARP/picture.php?/1680/search/651
We have definitively not the same values than these two finnish…
And we think the radio amateur community must not support this behavior.
We believe than radioamateurism values are more than a cross in a DXCC table !!
This story is not end.
Wait some days before sending your QSL to be sure this activity will be validate by DXCC committee…
In case of not, I hope for you had also contacted FJ5KH, local radio-club.
With my best 73
Laurent F6GOX / FJ5BL
about 2 years ago
More precisions after the local authorithies controls:
- They had arrived by private boat,
- The captain of the boat had given their name to the immigration service,
- They have a temporary paper for the material from the Customs.
- One is leaving St Barth this tuesday and the second thursday.
- FJ5AB had meet them monday to say his words.
- FJ5DX receive by email a lot of annoucement of dxpedition from US radio-club
- So “FJ” would be very active in the next weeks, specially in contest.
So we are waiting two days more to forget this regrettable history.
It is appear than a good decision the CQ DX Award to count “FJ” immediatly after February 21, 2007, date of the new political entity.
“CQ DX Awards Manager Billy Williams has announced that the Caribbean island of St. Barthelemy – prefix FJ – has been added to the CQ DX Awards entity list, effective immediately, for confirmed contacts with the island made on or after February 21, 2007. For purposes of the CQ DX Field Awards, St. Barthelemy is in grid field FK.
Until now, the island (along with surrounding smaller islands) has been considered part of French St. Martin (FS) for awards purposes. Last February 21, the French government gave St. Barthelemy a new status as an “overseas collective,” leading the U.S. State Department last Friday (December 14) to add the island to its list of “Dependencies and Areas of Special Sovereignty.” Presence on this list is one of the criteria used to designate a location as a separate entity for award purposes. ”
We send infos to DXCC committee to try to invalidate this activity, but the committee is sovereign in their decision award.
We now hope our accurate arguments were enough pertinent to convince the committee, even for these “famous” people, that sometimes they don’t go too far outside the border…
Best 73 Laurent F6GOX / FJ5BL
about 2 years ago
Martti’s Thanks for a new one! FJ is my Christmas present.
Merry Christmas to your’s and happy New Year 2008 ! Tks Sayonara!!
about 2 years ago
Dear OMs,
The temporary activity FJ/OH2AM is now end.
We never try to stop them or do anything against the operators or their transmissions, even it will be so easy to stop immediatly them.
Please wait few weeks before sending our qsl card the final decision of the dxcc committee.
It appears this activty illegal, not valid because it does not respect the french law.
Many accurate evidences will be sent to ARRL DXCC Committee next week.
Now, the ball will be in the ARRL DXCC Committee area…
We will see if the committe will respect their own awards rules.
There is only one question at this step of the story : Is the ARRL DXCC committee ethic?
All foreign amateurs are wellcome to activate FJ with mutual respect of the people, the french law and with friendly ham spirit.
Best 73
Laurent F6GOX / FJ5BL
about 2 years ago
Thanks for a new one guys, you are great ops. i worked you on 80 40 20 17 cw and 20-40 ssb along with my XYL NE1F on 20-40 SSB. sorry to read about controversy on this forum . I did try to hear the local station i saw spotted but could not hear. you guys were always strong and well coordinated.
73
Barry
about 2 years ago
I am also sorry to hear of all of the controversy. Martii has done such an excellent job over the years of promoting positive images of Ham Radio. I cannot imagine that he would embark on a campaign to override the local Hams on St. Barts.
I did try to work the “local” station, but for whatever reason, he was a 2 X 2 in California most of the time, while the Finnish station was 5 X 9. Maybe they will do better in the upcoming contests.
It was a fun, if not hard, time working them. Has not been much to do with regard to DX this past couple years, so the excitement was outstanding.
Congrats to all who participated. Hopefully someday the Ham community will come together and work towards the common goal of friendship, fellowship, and above all else, world peace.
God bless, and a Happy and wonderful 2008 to all!
73,
Denny WG6P
about 2 years ago
Couple of FJ/OH2AM You Tube videos appeared.
about 2 years ago
For those who apparently have some difficulties to understand our position, please read a received email from an other point of view and my balanced answer.
Best 73. Laurent F6GOX.
———————
Jim Brookmon :
I have been reading your letters about the OH operation. As a DXer I welcome two excellent operators activating a new country.
However I agree with your comments and sentiments about how the operation from a new country should happen. St. Barths is a beautiful French territory. The operation should have started with a commeration ceremony and some very good French champagne followed by excellent cuisine fran?§aise.
A new country status calls for a celebration. FJ should not just be a # on a DXCC certificate like some piece of rock two feet above water. This is a beautiful country with lots of people who live and work there. It is their homeland, however many seem to not care. When I go to France I want to see France and eat French food and try and speak French not eat McDonalds and stay at a Holiday Inn.
Good luck in your future operations.
73 Jim WA4PXP
Hello Jim,
Many thanks for your words which go to our heart.
I agree with you that the aim is this kind of personnal behavior and not the opportunity offers to all licencied amateur radio to activate a dxcc everywhere in the world and offer it to the ham community.
This was the opportunity to promote friendly relations between amateur radio who is the most important component of the famous “ham spirit”.
But it seems that for some people forgot this fondamental aspect of the hobby in place of futile “ego” competition.
Don’t forget to send us a email if you go to Paris, you are wellcome.
Xmas and best 73
73 Laurent F6GOX / FJ5BL
President of the ARP Radio-Club de Paris.
about 2 years ago
Dear OMs,
to undestand the official request sent this morning to NC1L, Bill MOORE, the President of the DXCC Committee with copy to K1ZZ, David SUMNER, President of the ARRL.
In english
http://arp75.free.fr/Lettreaucomitedxcc_english.pdf
in french
http://arp75.free.fr/Lettreaucomitedxcc_french.pdf
To be complete, you must be careful with the different article number between the french and the english version of the CEPT TR-61-01.
We are waiting the final decision of this sovereign committee.
Best 73
Laurent F6GOX / FJ5BL
about 2 years ago
To the FICORA,
Finnish Communications Regulatory Authorities
Dear Sir,
It was brought to the attention of the FICORA the violations of the regulations French-CEPT TR/61-01 (sections 2.3 and 3.1) by finish amateur radio “OH2BH” and “OH0XX” who used the call sign “FJ/OH2AM” from 18 to 27.12.2007 at St Bartholomew, french territory.
Please find the files who was also sent to the ARRL.
As they are amateur radio, we did’t want to apply french law penalties as we could do, so they can come back at home without problems.
It would be nice that the FICORA explains to these two radio operators the respect of the host country law in the CEPT community area.
With my best regards.
Laurent BEUGNET
F6GOX / FJ5BL
President of ARP Radio-Club de Paris
about 2 years ago
So we have a huge number hams happy with FJ/OH2AM operations, just few thinking other way.
Laurent why you do so much effort to cancell OH2BH/OH0XX efforts, why dont you put same efforts to be heard on the bands?
Can you stay 24/7 for whole week on the band?
Hope you can, beacouse so far it looks like revange only.
73
hear you soon
Jacek SP5DRH
about 2 years ago
I am agree with Jacek, SP5DRH. Laurent wrote that did nothing against FJ/OH2AM operation. If it was illegal why did nothing? And since DX-pedition finished and huge number of Hams have worked with all time new one he tried to make them “more happy”? Sounds at least strange to me.
about 2 years ago
It’s typical, don’t do anything that can block other’s work results. Local amateurs can show better activity at once!
Hny,Les sp3doi
about 2 years ago
Dave – K…. wrote
Hello Laurent:
For what it is worth I support your position – FJ/OH2AM should NOT be allowed !! I worked both FJ/OH2AM and the FJ club stn but I will not be sending QSL request for the FJ/OH2AM contacts. Basically, if one cannot honor all of the rules and is allowed to prevail then we have “cheapened” the long standing DXCC image.
Happy New Year.. 73
Dave – K…
Hello Dave,
Thanks for your support.
I had always tried to have a clearly and balanced opinion.
I believe this is the heart of the aim : keep this situation to make an example and reinforce the ethic image of the DXCC committee.
It will be good *both* for the respect of the dxcc rules with the respect of the local hams people and the host country law – in this case french – cept regulations.
It must be clear for all that we have not any kind of specific animosity to these operators because it is not worth the trouble.
But if time to time, the DXCC committee can regulate some border lines behaviors, that will be good for all the hams community.
As I always meet local people as the most important time of my travels thru the world, or organize my job to meet at least one hour two us hams tourist in Paris this summer and invite then to lunch, it must be clear that the hams friendly relations are our gold. I have memories for all my life with these hams relations.
In case of agreement of our request, we believe that the DXCC committee will be strongest in the mind of a lot of hams.
If not, the door is open…
Best 73 Laurent
F6GOX / FJ5BL
about 2 years ago
Ho, ho, ho,
Trow in the towel and wait for FJ to become as rare as KP4,CO,HI,VP2,PJ2 or any other
country in Caribean. There will be plenty of activity from St Barths and it’s fairly
easy to work from anywhere in the world.
Back to my reindeers now! Meeerry Christmas.
about 2 years ago
Dear OMs,
For those who already have some very agressive regrets in case of the “FJ/OH2AM” dxpedition would be declarate “non valid” by the DXCC committee, they must know that we have received a very strong support from the ham community.
More than five dxpeditions groups will appear in the next weeks on St Barths, most of them plan to leave their equipment on the island to improve the local club station.
“FJ” will be present in the next 2008 major contests.
We help them and they are wellcome…
This is first hand information… So keep cool guys
Best 73 Laurent F6GOX / FJ5BL