1A0C - Soon on air!

Thirty years have passed since 1A made its way onto the DXCC list. And an activation by an International team looks to celebrate the uniqueness of this event. So, from the 1st to the 4th July, we will listen them on the air as 1A0C from Santa Maria del Priorato, home of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta.
The callsign that will be used belongs to the “The Order of Malta’s Italian Relief Corps (CISOM)”, an organization specialized in bringing assistance and relief during emergencies. This underscores the dual value of this activation. On the one hand, there’s the fun side ham radio, giving a not so easy “new one” to as many stations as possible (especially from the US and Japan).
On the other hand, however, there’s the noble goal, as often seen in ham radio, where a spirit of cooperation and mutual aid are shared by operators all over the world. The team’s aim, in fact, is to raise funds – thanks to donations and contributions from QSL requests – in order to buy radio equipment which The Order of Malta’s Italian Relief Corps volunteers will be able to use in case of emergencies.
The operators list includes: 1A0X, 1A0Z, EA2RY, EA5RM, EA7AJR, EA7KW, F5CWU, IN3ZNR, IT9YVO, IZ8IYX, PB2T, SP3DOI and KH6CG as a pilot for North America and Pacific.
They will be active on HF+6m and the QSLs for contacts with 1A0C can be requested via Francesco Cozzi, 1A0Z.

A website will be online soon, stay tuned!

 

I thought that Malta was owned by the British? Weren't the US and Britain there during WWII?
Anyway, it will be a good catch for the DX'ers.

Gud Luck out there,
GOD BLESS,
73,

Don/KA5LQJ

 

"Order of Malta"( 1A0..) is located in Rome,Italy (JN61FV ) and has nothing to do with the Island of Malta (9H...)!

73,I hope you all catch them.

Drago,S59A.

 

They actually have a lot to do with Malta... they used to be based in Malta for 275 years, until Napoleon kicked them out. In 1998 they got back on the island but still keep their HQ in Rome.

 

If you can get through the EU wall it would be nice to work them for a new one. I'm thinking stacked six elements and fifty thousands watts of power should do it!

 

I know take the "s" off thousand.

 

Watch for the spots...likely, to heavily work EU and Asia...LOL

 

There won't be a solid EU wall on the higher bands. Draw a circle centered on Rome, with a 1000 mile (give or take) radius. On 15 Meters, stations within this circle will have less chance of working 1A than we will have in North America.

 

This should be interesting! Now to build & orient another V-Beam aimed that way.

 

It's arguable whether this is a "country" since its sovereign territory is in a legally grey area--basically it's an embassy without any national territory to represent. It certainly could be considered a DXCC "entity", though.

Here's a lot more detail:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sovereign_Military_Order_of_Malta

In central Rome, it's only two blocks from the Spanish Stairs. I visited there once--walked in and out of the courtyard, and was impressed with the big Maltese crosses around the drains.

Hope everyone gets to work it!

 

looking forward to it, that's 1 of the 3 missing DXCC's in Europe(HB0,HV, 1A0).

 

Well, I managed to work S.M.O.M. in January 2011 on 40m, so am optimistic to work them on a few new bands. For a DXpedition, the focus should be to work DX, in this case *outside* EU.
As far as rare EU entities, the only way I managed to work the Vatican station was for a kind Russian to tell the op I was calling! Most of the time the HV op seems to work Italians!
The *only* EU entity I have yet to work is Mt Athos. Is Monk Apollo real? I've *never* heard him! How about a DXpedition/Pilgrimmage to Mt Athos?
Good fortune to all DXers for 1A0C!
73,
Luke VK3HJ

 

Monk Apollo was on a couple of times in May. I heard him, but was never able to work him though.

 

Hi Guys,
If you think it was hard working me ZL1OSJ (order of St. John) in 1999 for the 900year aniversary of the founding of the order of St John, do not despair "Ye of little faith" I was able to work 1A0KM 15/12/95 with 100W and a 3 Element Yagi.GO THE "LITTLE PISTOL STATIONS"
73 Geordie ZL1CDX/ZL1OSJ

 

Here is the new press release:
http://www.dxcoffee.com/eng/2012/06/13/1a0c-press-releases-2/