Welcome to 15DA015 Marco
June 27, 2009 by Darren
The Dx Adventure Radio Club (DA-RC) is proud to introduce to you its latest member from continental Europe……15DA015 Marco. Formerly with the Delta X-ray Radio Club as 15DX015 and regarded as one of western Europe’s best and most popular DXers, Marco hails from the beautiful landlocked alpine country that is Switzerland.
In addition to satisfying the DA-RC membership criteria in the DX Chaser classification (See http://www.delta-alfa.com/about/become-a-member/ ), Marco is also experienced in the area of regional DX activities, having undertaken an activation of the Province of Switzerland as 15SL/AG as a portable station in the Swiss Alps. Furthermore, he has also operated as a portable station in Northern Italy (1 Division).
One of 15DA015 Marco’s interests and knowledges within the hobby of radio communications is audio experimentation and his outstanding station reflects that unmistakably. Equipment by Heil Sound and audio gear from Behringer provide classy audio improvements to an already impressive line-up which includes an Icom IC-775dsp transceiver with an SM-20 microphone, PR-40 
microphone and a 6 element yagi antenna at good height. These given Marco an unmistakable, high quality sound on the band.
Away from the radio communications hobby, one of Marco’s passions is the ancient science of astronomy which involves the scientific study of celestial objects (such as stars, planets, comets, and galaxies) and phenomena that originate outside the Earth’s atmosphere. Marco’s fascination with the heavens often takes him to the Swiss Alps more than 2000m above sea level where he combines portable DXing with star gazing through giant telescopes.
A proud father and family man, Marco adheres to the philosophy that is TEAM (Together Everyone Achieves More). It is this same attitude that makes him a tremendous asset for the Dx Adventure Radio Club (DA-RC) moving onwards into Cycle 24 and the perfect partner for any dx adventure team in the future.
Welcome to the Club, Marco. Enjoy your new Delta-Alfa callsign!
Welcome 136DA001 Alain
June 22, 2009 by Darren
The delightful eastern Caribbean Sea island of Martinique (NA-107) is the abode for the Dx Adventure Radio Club’s most recent member who is 136DA001 Alain.
A former member of the Sugar Delta and Tharacian Rose DX Groups, an ultra experienced QSL manager and skilled designer, and one of the hobby’s most well known island based operators, 136DA001 Alain is regarded as one of the world’s elite DXers and so clearly satisfies the DA-RC membership entry requirements of the DX Hunter and DX Leadership categories respectively.
With a huge 269 DXCC entities to his credit and a similar number of IOTA triumphs achieved from his overseas French Department, Alain is undoubtedly one of the most successful eleven metre DXers in history, an achievement which sits well with the self proclaimed ‘King of Caribbean’ who takes his radio communications hobby very seriously.
In the stunning overseas French Department of NA-107, Alain has balanced his labours in the shack behind the microphone of his Icom 706 MKII with efforts as one of the hobby’s most reliable QSL Managers, in addition to a number of other significant leadership roles. The previous Manager of the entire 136, 143 (St. Lucia Island) (NA-108) and 194 (Dominica) (NA-101) Division teams, Alain has also acted as the West Indies Coordinator, French HQ Member and French Territories Representative (DOM-TOM) respectively.
Away from the demands of the hobby, 136DA001 Alain is interested in surfing the endless waves of the internet – more specifically the intricacies of web site design. (Please see Alain’s excellent personal webpage by visiting the Member’s Websites section at http://www.delta-alfa.com/qsl-gallery/member-websites/ )
DA-RC’s newest affiliate also claims a love of television and movies and spends his spare hours relaxing on the couch zoning out to contemporary or past screen classics. Apparently, Martinique was the main setting of the 1944 film To Have and Have Not starring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. The island also featured in the 1999 remake of “The Thomas Crown Affair,” and in the movie “Sugar Cane Alley”.
In the outdoors, though, there are also plenty of other island attractions that keep 136DA001 Alain busy and entertained like jostling with tourists and visiting some of his island’s lush rainforests, active volcanoes and sandy beaches. Let’s just hope his time with DA-RC is equally as relaxing!
On behalf of all members, we look forward to meeting you on the air with your new callsign very soon, Alain. Welcome to the Dx Adventure Radio Club!
Welcome to 14DA049 Fred
June 9, 2009 by Darren
The Dx Adventure Radio Club is delighted to present our newest member from the French Republic…14DA049 Fred.
Fred’s home QTH is a small commune named Maulévrier in the Maine-et-Loire (Department 49) – one of the original 83 departments in western central France created during the French Revolution.
One of 14 Division’s most dynamic young DX Hunters, 14DA049 Fred (Also 14OF017), has confirmed 170 DXCC entities and almost 100 of the world’s islands. His administrative work with Oscar Fox also serves him well for membership with DA-RC in the Leadership classification, skills his new Club and fellow members are certain to benefit from in the future.
Like most members of the Dx Adventure Radio Club, Fred is enthusiastic supporter of the World Wide Radio Organisation (WWRO) and a regular user of popular online notification system Cluster dk.
A passionate ICOM man also, who calls the IC-746 his own, one of Fred’s side interests is recording some of his contacts on eleven metres in video format and then uploading them to his special Youtube homepage ( See http://www.youtube.com/14of017fred ). Here, Fred’s growing reputation as a professional and skilled DXer are most obvious.
Outside of the radio communications hobby, 14DA049 Fred’s love of nature and gardening takes centre stage. One of Fred’s favourite places, the Parc Oriental de Maulévrier, is a beautiful Japanese garden located in Maulévrier which was created between 1899-1913 on the grounds of Château Colbert. The largest Japanese garden in France, the “Jardin Remarquable” contains about 300 plant species, with water features, a bridge, and a pagoda, as well as azaleas, camellias, rhododendrons, and Japanese maples. There is also a permanent exhibition of bonsai and ceramics which Fred no doubt adores.
DA-RC’s newest member also describes himself as a bricoleur of sorts as he enjoys the challenge of constructing and creating a work from a diverse range of things and then fiddling and tinkering with them to get the best out of it.
It is this same resourcefulness and creativity Fred looks certain to apply – not only in everyday membership with his new club – but also to the exciting world of dx adventure.
On behalf of everyone, welcome to the Club, Fred. It’s great having you as part of the DA-RC family.
