Conducted by Bob W1RH
To have your favorite QSL card featured in the Nugget, just email Bob W1RH an electronic copy or trust him with a hard copy and he will scan it and return it to you in the same condition he received it.
This month’s card comes from my collection.
I worked 1A0KM three times. Once, in August, 1998, on 80 meter CW, and twice in July, 2000, on 10 and 15 meter SSB. All contacts were made from my Massachusetts QTH.
Did you know that the Sovereign Military Order of Malta is a DXCC Entity? From the back of the QSL card:
The Sovereign Military Order of Malta is a fully independent entity with an ancient tradition and glorious history. SMOM was founded before the conquest of Jerusalem, in 1099, by the crusaders, and recognized in 1113, by Pope Pascal II. From 1310 to 1522, SMOM held the sovereignty of the island of Rhodes, and from 1530 to 1798, of the island of Malta. Then, after temporary Sees, the Order finally established itself in 1834 in Rome, where it holds several extraterritorial areas.
Its members are known as the “Knights of Malta”. Under the provisions of International Law, the Order maintains diplomatic relations with 64 countries in the world aswell as with many international organizations.
His most Eminent Highness, the Prince and Grand Master of the Order rules over a world-wide organization dedicated solely, as its ancient tradition dictates, to providing assistance in the hospitaller, charitable, and social fields.
Regarding 1A0KM, which is located in the extraterritorial zone of “Villa Magistrale all ‘Aventino”, in Rome, Italy, special thanks are due to the Grand Magistry for its assistance.
From G4UCJ’s site.
Sometimes a station could be quite close geographically but still classed as DX because the area they are transmitting from is very rarely heard on radio, for instance take the station 1A0KM, operating from Italy. Italy is not usually classed as DX on the HF bands BUT the 1A0 prefix makes this part of Italy very rare. 1A0KM is the station of the ‘Sovereign Military Order of Malta’ which qualifies as a separate entity (or country as they used to be called). 1A0KM is only activated maybe once or twice a year at best and is only on for a few hours at a time (this is a deliberate decision by the SMOM), so trying to work this station is very difficult indeed despite the fact it is only in Italy. It is not the signal strengths that stop you from working it—signals from this station are usually quite good. What does stop you is the sheer volume of other stations calling at the same time (a ‘PILE UP’!).
From the 1A0C website:
With this telegram, ARRL added the Sovereign Military Order of Malta as a DXCC Award eligible entity. Starting January 1st, 1982 the cards of QSOs with 1A began to be checked and approved to the great pleasure of all who would pursue DXCC. Now, some 30 years later thist the prefix is still quite needed by DXers from the amateur Radio community.
And, regarding the prefix, per Wikipedia:
Some call sign block ranges are unassigned by the ITU, e.g. the 1AA-1ZZ block. Any call sign used by an amateur in these unassigned block ranges usually had it assigned to them by a group with an unrecognized national claim. Unless otherwise noted, they have no value for DXCC awards.
- 1A is used by the Sovereign Military Order of Malta a Roman Catholic order based in Rome, Italy.[14] This entity is recognized by ARRL for the DXCC program
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