NEWS UPDATE by XZ2A — The station is currently off the air (on all bands), while I wait for an extension of my operating permit. This was applied for about 2 weeks ago, but I’m still waiting for the extension permit.
LoTW/Club Log – I uploaded my QSOs to both LoTW and Club Log just now. If there are any missing QSOs or incorrect date/time entries, please contact me and I’ll do a manual search of my log.
QSL cards – All requests for QSL cards have been processed, the QSL cards are written, put in envelopes and addressed. All these cards are now at my home in Thailand. I will return to Bangkok around 24th October for a short holiday and will post all these cards by air mail from the post office!
Charity Donations (TeacherSimon.org) – I very much appreciate every $ that has been donated to my educational charity work in Myanmar. Hundreds of school text-books and learning resources have been purchased and donated to many different schools (full details, purchase receipts etc are available on request for inspection). I will continue my charity work, regardless of where my next physical location might be.
MAY 26, 2018 – Just now, the first ever (and totally unscheduled) SSTV QSO from Myanmar took place, when I was in contact with Miya, callsign JR1ENT who is in Tokyo.
This QSO took place on the 15 metre band SSTV frequency of 21340 KHz, since I am not permitted to operate on the popular 20 metre band SSTV frequency of 14230 KHz.
The QSO was unscheduled. I sent my SSTV CQ signal, and was about to announce this on the Facebook SSTV forum group when I was pleasantly surprised to receive Miya’s strong SSTV signal. A total of 4 pictures were exchanged to complete the QSO.
I provide one of the images from JR1ENT, which includes an inset of the picture that I sent – of the famous golden pagoda (Shwe Dagon Pagoda) in Yangon.
If there are any SSTV enthusiasts, please look for my signal on 21340 KHz 🙂
APRIL 23, 2018 – Here’s a photo to show exactly what the generous donations from radio amateurs all over the world have made possible. I’m not spending this money on beer and loose women! The donations to date have allowed me to purchase story-book and English vocabulary picture book sets for 20 orphanages, monastic and ‘needy’ primary schools in Chin and Kachin States, in north Myanmar. I’ll add alphabet letter practice exercise books, dictionaries and English vocabulary posters to these sets, box them up and send them off shortly to the schools. Thanks again to everyone who made a donation, however small. 73 Simon XZ2A.
APRIL 20 – Simon XZ2A updates DX-World readers:
As previously mentioned, I moved yesterday to a new hotel QTH in Naypyitaw. I have installed a 5/8 wave vertical for 15 metres (which is where most of my operating takes place. The antenna uses an MFJ telescopic fibre-glass mast with the vertical wire running inside the tubing. There’s a series inductance coil at the base to match to 50 ohms and currently 16 ground radials (I’ll probably install more because the soil is rather sandy). The water bottles are to weight the mast and base down.
First impressions after a couple of hours in operation is that the performance is certainly improved over my previous QTH. I am getting good propagation into OC, Hawaii and western SA around 0600 local, and Asia throughout the day. Europe and east coast SA and AF has best propagation in the late afternoon and evening.
With this new antenna, I’ll check VOACAP predictions for propagation to NA (west and east coasts).
As you can see from the JTDX screengrab, it seems to work OK for Japan…. 🙂
APRIL 2 – Simon, XZ2A has now received his LoTW certificate and it’s loaded into the system. He now awaits for ARRL DXCC approval for his callsign.
A few days ago, while in Bangkok, Simon met Champ E21EIC.
XZ2A-E21EIC
MARCH 24 – Pictures below show Simon collecting his XZ2A license from the government Ministry in Naypyitaw. The lady on his right is the Director of the Spectrum Planning department.
Simon mentions he is now on air using a temporary antenna at his current QTH. In a few weeks, he’ll move to a better QTH in Naypyitaw.
MARCH 21 — XZ2A is the first resident amateur radio station in Myanmar since 1962. The station is operated by Simon, HS0ZIB and much more info can be found here
Simon, XZ2A / HS0ZIB in foreground.
I suppose that also in psk31 you could be the first.. ? If you want a try.. 😉
Just an update about my report of the first SSTV QSO from Myanmar. I was contacted by Hugo ON7GB who informed me that during the XZ7A DXpedition to Myanmar in 2003, 41 SSTV QSOs were made. So I am happy to amend my original report to state that the first SSTV QSO for XZ2A was made, not the first SSTV QSO from a Myanmar amateur radio station 🙂
By the way, I am interested in other modes, such as Hellschreiber. If there are any ‘Hell’ enthusiasts, please contact me to arrange a QSO on 15 metres.
Hi Simon, if you want to make a test on ssb, I’m here, conditions are improving for east asia on 15m on this part of years, I think it could be possible. 😉
73’s.
Hi Pascal, hopefully you can visit Myanmar again and we can meet! Now I am on the air daily using FT8 on 21074 KHz, and have successful QSOs with all continents.
Hello Simon
Last year march 2017 my partner and I visit Myanmar.
We did not have the chance to meet you, because you were moving to a new location that time.
It was a very nice and interesting journey..
We will certainly repeat this again.
Thanks again for the interesting tips you gave us.
73’s ON5RA Pascal & ON5AR Ann.
Thanks for trying to get on the air, hope to work you soon!!!
73 K2HAT 🙂
Update 4/4/18: I’ve uploaded logs to LOTW for QSOs up to 30th March (when I came to Bangkok for a short break). As the photo shows, I attended the RAST meeting in Bangkok and had a good chat with Champ.
I return to Naypyitaw on 12th April.
Latest update – I decided to go on-air from my temporary Naypyitaw QTH, prior to my trip back to Bangkok and move to a better location on my return. So I’m only using a very compromise antenna right now. However, as the band closed up for the night (Friday 23rd), I managed QSOs with several stations in Ukraine and with A45XR in Oman.
Please look for my FT-8 signals over the weekend 24th/25th on 15 metres. I know it is CW/SSB contest weekend and I will NOT being using SSB, to avoid creating a pile-up. I’ll stick to digital for this weekend 🙂
To avoid you wasting time searching for my signals right now, please note that I have to make a short trip back to Bangkok to pick up some items before I’ll be on the air.