Russian Robinson Club

Dear colleagues, dear friends!

On behalf of Council of Russian Robinson Club I congratulate you on New 2019 and Christmas! 
The 2018th comes to the end and disappears: this year was sated with many radio amateur events – Russian Robinson Club celebrated the 25 anniversary of the creation. Council of club organized the whole program of anniversary actions: on air the base radio station R25RRC from HQ in Oryol city, R25RRA, R25RFF, R25RMA, R25RLHA – from various corners of Russia worked. Call signs with RRC abbreviation also sounded from many countries of the world – LZ25RRC, EG3RRC, 9A25RRC, UP25RRC, HG25RRC, KL7RRC, DL0RRC, IR9RRC, T40RRC, SN25RRC, EG8RRC, S525RRC, etc. 

The award (plaquette) "Russian Robinson Club – 25" is founded and is issued, Radio-marathon "RRC Activity – 25" in June-August is spent, the new RRC.HAMLOG.RU resource is activated, RRA Directory is updated, the club degree RRA and RABA programs are complemented with awards of the class "EXCELLENT". To anniversary the new design of awards on the nominations was developed, and the logo of RRC-25 became a symbol of anniversary year.

And, at last, the main thing – in the fall, on September 20-23 in Oryol there took place the Meeting RRC-25 on which the results of club work were summed up and the directions of development are planned for the future. How it was read here – http://www.qrz.ru/articles/article_rrc-25-years_796 . 

On a meeting rewarding of winners in various RRC nominations for 2017-2018 was held. Among them – R25RRA, R25RFF, R25RMA, R7AL, R0LS/P, RI1F, VE3LYC, C96RRC/C98RRC, RT65KI, VK5CE. Among "RRC Activity-25" awarded for a victory in a marathon there is RI1ANL, UN7LZ, OM3CND, RA9AJ, RW4PP, UP25RRC, EG8RRC, RT7KM, RX9WN, UA1ATD/P, RT65KI, RW3XZ and R8IA. 
Reports and films about the best "robinsons" expeditions both recent and entered into "gold fund" are submitted. Among them: RI1F – Victoria Island (FJL), RT65KI – Idlidlya Island (Chukotka), RI0B&RU0B "Lost Islands", KL7DX/KL7RRC (islands of Alaska), XV7/3RRC "Islands of the Five-pointed Sun", R25RRA – Punuyamsalya Island in Taz Bay of Kara Sea and others.

During the Meeting radio bridge between R25RRC and an expedition RI0B on the islands of the Kara Sea was supported. The team managed to activate 4 rare islands – a fine gift to anniversary! 
Literally right after the Meeting the expedition of "Russian robinson" EP6RRC on the island Shif in the Republic Iran – IOTA NEW ONE was conducted! Extreme in the expiring year – YN4RRC – on the rare Nicaraguan island Big Corn in the Caribbean Sea. RRC/IOTA/DX expeditions proceed and expand the geography!

The welcome message with congratulations on the occasion of the 25 anniversary of club was directed by IOTA General Manager Roger Balister G3KMA. Here appropriate to tell that cooperation of RRC and IOTA successfully continues. This year 2 new Russian island groups were added to the IOTA list at once (Northern Kuriles – AS-204 and islands in the north of Kamchatka – AS-205). In 2019 work on addition of the list of islands will be continued. We wish to our friends from the international IOTA community of further development and prosperity in New Year.

Cooperation with the Russian Geographical Society continues to become stronger – several expeditions took place under flags of RGO and RRC. In this regard it is symbolical that the Office of RGS in Yamal-Nenets autonomous area (http://www.rgo.ru/ru/ob-otdelenii-43 ) was accepted in our club as the collective member of RRC – the member certificate was issued on signal R3CG/8 and solemnly handed to the head of service of radio providing Edward Prudky RA3III. 

It is pleasant to note that our colleague, the head of radio expeditions "Arctic Legends" Igor Znamensky UA9KDF this year was elected the Chairman of office of the Russian Geographical Society in Yamal-Nenets area. Sincerely we congratulate!

In general interest in radio amateur communication at the Russian travelers, yachtsmen, polar explorers considerably increased. Several new call signs were issued at once: Priklyucheniye club of Dmitriy&Matvey Shparo – R3CP, the forwarding center of yacht travel – R3CY, the captain of the “Apostle Andrew” yacht Nikolay Litau found a new call sign – R3CN, many conduct consultations.  

Under the leadership of Matvei Shparo, the son of the famous polar traveler and the member of our club Dmitry Shparo UA3AJH, spring of 2018 "Big Arctic Expedition" to the North Pole in which the RI18POL radio station worked was conducted from polar ice «Barneo» camp. The Russian radio voices sound in the high latitude of the Arctic again! 

Big award of club - "RRC Hall of Fame" - in anniversary year 3 winners were awarded at once: Dmitry Ognistyj RA3DEJ, Evgeny Shelkanovtcev RZ3EC and Yuri Zaruba UA9OBA. We congratulate winners on this award and inclusion in RRC "Hall of Fame"! Special awards "For an outstanding contribution to development of Club" noted RL3AA, RG5G, RA1ZZ, UA9CGL and RZ3EC. 

On behalf of RRC I want to thank all who give sponsorship of club and expeditions. First of all – Mikhail Mogutov RL3AA, companies SINTEC (RA3NAN), R-QUAD (R3FA) and also RA6ABC, R6MG, UA4CC. Thank you very much! Among new sponsors – the Russian company Expert Electronics which provided the latest SDR MB-1 transceiver for expeditions and an anniversary Meeting RRC-25. 

I will separately mark out Konstantin Vershkov RW3DD and Oleg Latyshev UA6GG helping club with design and production of attributes, diplomas, awards and memorable plaquettes. 

I express gratitude also to all radio amateurs rendering the individual help to the expeditions which are taking place under the flag of RRC and supporting other "robinsons" projects. Thanks, friends! 
Interest in club steadily grows, and ranks of RRC continue to be joined by new members — in 2018: R3CG/8, R0IW, R2EA, R6DCS, R6DGO, R6DIR, R2RX, RA4HAB, RX3AMI, RW9QA, RW0LD, R0IAA, R0LFR, RA3QSY, R4WAA, DL7UZO, R1CAT, RM8Y, VE3LYC and R9OY. Welcome to Russian Robinson Club! 

By a New Year's holiday the team of an expedition RI0B&RT9K/mm brings to your attention the movie "The Third Sea Expedition "Arctic Legends" to the Islands of the Kara Sea 2018" – https://youtu.be/loNlGG0GN78 and gives the calendar for 2019 – https://www.dropbox.com/s/socrnx71c9t4h48/ri0b_c_final.tif?dl=0
Download, unpack, place in your radio sheks – let it remind you that:

2019 – Year of new expeditions! 
2019 – Year of the new RRC projects! 
2019 – Year of 55-year anniversary of international IOTA program! 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah!

73! Yuri Zaruba UA9OBA, President of RRC