In our recent newsletter I opined that I, like several of us, was dying for some DX......a knock down, drag out hairy pileup. We haven't quite reached that intensity level just yet however it is so very good to have the Czech folks on the air from S9OK and Vasily & company on from 3DA0RU, a nice wetting of the appetite.

We had some discussion here the other day regarding 3DA0RU and a non-scrupulous individual by the name of Romeo. For the benefit of our members who were not active in DXCC several years, and to the disgust of those who were, Romeo activated a number of rare DX entities but there was one minor (?) flaw in the operation.....he wasn't really there! One of the most infamous ops was from claimed to be North Korea, P5RS7. I have the card, as do some of you. Bill, K5FUV, noted ARRL neutered Romeo from DXCC participation. Romeo also spent some quality time in a Russian prison for other "activities' unrelated to amateur radio and was released a couple of years ago and has reappeared on the amateur radio scene.

So, what does this have to do with 3DA0RU? There was speculation he was part of the current 3DA0RU op from Eswatini and there may be some issue with DXCC acceptance. The current 3DA0RU operation is by Vasily, R7AL, and Vasily RA1ZZ, and their group of Russian DXpeditioners. ADXA has sponsored this group on some of their previous DXpeditions and their ops have been very legitimate.

There is another upcoming DXpedition to Eswatini by Romeo, 3DA0RR scheduled to begin around October 14.

So, if you worked or are attempting to work 3DA0RU you know what to do....."GET IN THERE AND WORK 'EM". To date their QSL practices have been good and this one should count for DXCC.

If you don't work 3DA0RU and work 3DA0RR well, GL OM !

GL es DX to all

73 Joel W5ZN