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Author Topic: #1 honor roll/P5  (Read 7972 times)

W1QJ

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#1 honor roll/P5
« on: November 01, 2013, 08:10:02 AM »

Many hams have little chance of obtaining #1 honor roll because of P5.  If you are a newcomer, it wasn't all that long ago that P5 was NOT on the active DXCC list.  However there was a * and at the bottom of the page on the ARRL list it said that P5 (North Korea) would be added to the active list as soon as the very first ARRL sanctioned expedition took place there.  Martti Laine managed to go there and set up a "demo" for the NK officials in an attempt to convince them that ham radio was benign and not a thread to them.  They gave Martti all the official papers he needed to meet ARRL approval for a legit expedition.  He set up a station, and under the watchful eye of some NK officials he began working stations.  He was under the impression that they would let him work a considerable amount of time.  After about ONLY 20 Q's, they stopped him and it seemed they saw enough.  The station was broken down.  Naturally Martti was upset that he only was able to do so little.  Apparently he had negotiated with the officials that he would return with his entourage of operators and equipment and wipe P5 off the most wanted list.  (once he sent in his papers for his 'demo" expedition.)  He left NK thinking he would be able to return and "do his thing" which we all know what that is.  So the ARRL added P5 to the list when he submitted his documents showing he had a license issued by NK.  When he was to return they would not let him and one of his major expeditions that would have eliminated the need for P5 for many years to come never happened.  later on, Ed, with the WFO who was working there also got a legit license.  He operated for some time and several people worked him, but not nearly enough.  I doubt he made the amount of contacts that Martti could have made in a day in all the time he was there.  After a time his license was taken away and his equipment shipped back to his home.  This was around the time the nuclear threats broke out.  Unfortunately Martti was double crossed and in hindsight he probably would not have submitted his paper work for his short 'demo" which would have left it off the list.  So P5 is a throne in many Dxer's side.  There is a group that is trying to revive relations with P5 and will try to make an effort to get back in there with a legit operation.  Lets hope some time soon they can be successful in obtaining permission.  (fingers crossed)
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N1UK

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RE: #1 honor roll/P5
« Reply #1 on: November 01, 2013, 10:09:09 AM »

Thank you for the information. I wondered why it is on the DXCC list but impossible to work.

Mark N1UK
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AD9DX

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RE: #1 honor roll/P5
« Reply #2 on: November 01, 2013, 10:18:31 AM »

I think it is short sided to say P5 is the only country keeping even avid DXers away from HR#1. Navassa a US territory is going to be just as difficult to activate. And heck it even "belongs" to a fairly free country.

I agree that P5 is a tough entity and one I don't expect to work in the next 5 years but Navassa, Johnson Atoll and a few others are just as difficult. And with environmental regs even some easy ones like Jan Mayan and others risk becoming just as rare.
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W6GX

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RE: #1 honor roll/P5
« Reply #3 on: November 01, 2013, 10:20:17 AM »

I was at our local DX club meeting this past Wednesday.  I spoke to a few 'old timers' and they all have P5 confirmed.  I'm surprised that so many people have them but I guess it's all relative.  If one has a decent stations and was active in 2001 then chances are he worked P5.  I'm actually glad I don't have it.  Otherwise what's the fun of not being able to wait and chase a rare one?

73,
Jonathan W6GX
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W6GX

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RE: #1 honor roll/P5
« Reply #4 on: November 01, 2013, 10:53:29 AM »

I have heard a rumor that the award committee would even credit an illegal P5 operation.  Of course you still have to prove that you were really there ;D  The P5 situation is so dire that perhaps the award committee would bend the rules and give them some slack :D

Just for giggles imagine seeing this posted on DX-World ;D

"I'm organizing an illegal dxpedition to P5 and I'm looking for operators.  No visas are required.  Must be committed to travel at a moment's notice.  Must have disposable equipment and income.  Must enjoy the outdoors and not be afraid of manual labor.  Prior dxpedition experience not necessary.  Will provide food, water, and vocational job training at the conclusion of the dxpedition."

73,
Jonathan W6GX
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AD9DX

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RE: #1 honor roll/P5
« Reply #5 on: November 01, 2013, 10:59:28 AM »

I have heard a rumor that the award committee would even credit an illegal P5 operation.  Of course you still have to prove that you were really there ;D  The P5 situation is so dire that perhaps the award committee would bend the rules and give them some slack :D

Just for giggles imagine seeing this posted on DX-World ;D

"I'm organizing an illegal dxpedition to P5 and I'm looking for operators.  No visas are required.  Must be committed to travel at a moment's notice.  Must have disposable equipment and income.  Must enjoy the outdoors and not be afraid of manual labor.  Prior dxpedition experience not necessary.  Will provide food, water, and vocational job training at the conclusion of the dxpedition."

73,
Jonathan W6GX

You owe me a new keyboard.  Mine has coffee all up inside it now.  The K3 is wet too  :-\
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AB8MA

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RE: #1 honor roll/P5
« Reply #6 on: November 01, 2013, 12:43:26 PM »

I have heard a rumor that the award committee would even credit an illegal P5 operation.  Of course you still have to prove that you were really there ;D  The P5 situation is so dire that perhaps the award committee would bend the rules and give them some slack :D

Just for giggles imagine seeing this posted on DX-World ;D

"I'm organizing an illegal dxpedition to P5 and I'm looking for operators.  No visas are required.  Must be committed to travel at a moment's notice.  Must have disposable equipment and income.  Must enjoy the outdoors and not be afraid of manual labor.  Prior dxpedition experience not necessary.  Will provide food, water, and vocational job training at the conclusion of the dxpedition."

73,
Jonathan W6GX


Logs will e uploaded following completion of required manual labor? :) Ok by QRZ.pk.
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WB2KSP

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RE: #1 honor roll/P5
« Reply #7 on: November 01, 2013, 02:10:38 PM »

I have P5 confirmed, via a contact with the Spanish embassy in North Korea, even though the card says /P5, but the league doesn't recognize this QSO as legit. so, it's back to waiting.   
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WH7DX

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RE: #1 honor roll/P5
« Reply #8 on: November 01, 2013, 02:11:04 PM »

Lots of good contest LOTW uploads in the last 24 hours.

VP5T, D4C, PJ6A, V73AY, V26B, PJ2T, BG4ACE etc..
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W1QJ

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RE: #1 honor roll/P5
« Reply #9 on: November 01, 2013, 03:43:11 PM »

Hey, I do have as P5 card but the ARRL did not accept it.  Our good friend Romeo Stepanko could not get the proper documents at the time.  BTW he has been sitting in jail in Brooklyn,NY for the past 11 years.  He hasn't had a trial, and hasn't been convicted of any crime yet.  Seems like he is being held like a terrorist.  Check out his "jailhouse dxpedition" website.  Anybody a lawyer out there that can do some pro-bono work? 
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N2NL

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RE: #1 honor roll/P5
« Reply #10 on: November 01, 2013, 03:45:08 PM »

P5/4L4FN was very active and made a lot of QSOs from P5 just over a decade ago.  He was my P5 contact...


73, Dave
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WA2VUY

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RE: #1 honor roll/P5
« Reply #11 on: November 01, 2013, 07:08:25 PM »

re: "and several people worked him":

P5/4L4FN actually made a lot of contacts:
Total Qs: 16,194 (USA 4483)
Uniques: 12,170 (USA 3307)
167 countries worked.

What was really tough about Martti's P5 operation(s) was that it  took virtually everyone (except a few) that were already on top of the Honor Roll off of it. There were a lot of pissed off people, having been dumped over such a meager number of qsos.  Been there, done that.

Romeo's P5RS7 operation was determined to have taken place from Russian soil. I have a qsl card someone printed (who did them?) that was pretty funny: P5/R0MEO, North Korea...It's Anywhere You Want It to Be.

Getting to number 1 HR is tough for a lot of reasons, and two of them are what we could say are things we don't control: 1) timing, when you get into chasing dx, ex. I recall when there were several Navassa dxpeditions in a relatively short period; 2) your age.

All countries come on sooner or later. What was easy can become hard, like Navassa;  and what was hard can become easy, like the "terrible Ts" as we used to call them, TL, TN, TJ, TR, 5T, TT. Unfortunately, the activation of countries isn't aligned with our life's pattern.

Patience, good luck, good station are needed. I had a friend, that if I recall correctly, waited close to 20 years for Burma XZ for his last country. So, in that regard, the P5 isn't a long wait (last activity 2002).

 
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AD9DX

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RE: #1 honor roll/P5
« Reply #12 on: November 01, 2013, 07:30:33 PM »

A generation ago, China was non-existent in the world of DX. Now you can feasibly work one nightly. I am not going to go as far as to say P5 will be flooding the airwaves any time soon, but times do change.

That's why I always want to work entities on every band I can. You never know when an entity is going to become rare for whatever reason.
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KY6R

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RE: #1 honor roll/P5
« Reply #13 on: November 01, 2013, 07:37:44 PM »

P5/4L4FN was a piece of cake on several bands.

Now Kingman Reef - that's rare ( ;D :D ;)) . . . Heard Island too . . . .  :o

Your mileage will certainly vary . . .
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