[OKDXA] Old Baker Island QSL Rcvd

[Jeff Martin]

  GM OKDXA DXers... Recently I was going through some of my old paper logs
and came across QSO's for the K1B - Baker Island operation in April/May of
2002. I had never sent for QSL's. I sent my QSL, SAE, and a couple bucks to
Hrane YT1AD. Yesterday, I received 2 nice cards confirming my 7 QSO's on
both CW & SSB.
  As I recall the discussion from years ago, some guys had issues getting
cards for this operation. I think the QSL route for CW and for phone went to
different places and many people had problems. I already had Baker
confirmed. That's probably why I never sent for cards. Anyway, if you worked
K1B and need a card for any mode you can send to YT1AD via QRZ.com address.
  With the KH1/KH7Z Baker Island operation coming up in a few weeks, I have
done a little research of past activations. There have been only 3 major
DXpeditions to Baker/Howland in the last 30 years.
  K1B in 2002 was a truly multi-national operation with 12 operators from
Serbia, Macedonia, USA, Russia, South Africa, Slovenia, and Latvia. They
made 95,127 QSO's.
  AH1A was on from Howland Island in 1993. A ten operator team made 52K
QSO's.
  NO1Z/KH1 and VK9NL/KH1 was an operation from Howland Island in March/April
of 1988. 5 operators made 27,500 QSO's.
  The entity of Baker and Howland Islands has been on the DXCC list since
1945, but was initially known as Baker, Howland, and American Phoenix
Islands. The islands of Canton and Enderbury, which were jointly
administered by the US and Great Britain, were a part of the Baker/Howland
entity until July 12, 1979 when they became a part of Central Kiribati by
agreement between Kiribati and Great Britain. However, the US did not
relinquish its claim to Canton and Enderbury until the Treaty of Tarawa came
into force on Sept 23, 1983.
  So, since July 12, 1979 all QSO's with Canton and Enderbury count for
Central Kiribati, except for stations with a KH1 callsign before Sept 23,
1983 which count for Baker/Howland.
  Erik, SM0AGD, operated from the same shack on Canton in October 1982,
signing T31AE which counted for Central Kiribati and SM0AGD/KH1 which
counted for Baker/Howland.
  My DXCC mixed QSO for Baker/Howland was with KS6DV/KH1 on Canton Island on
July 28, 1979. My DXCC CW QSO for Baker/Howland was with SM0AGD/KH1 on
Canton Island in October of 1982.
  Have you worked Baker and Howland Islands? Who did you work?
  Good luck to everyone. Hope you get KH1/KH7Z in the log many times...

73,

Jeff - K5WE