1A0C, Sovereign Military Order of Malta

http://www.1a0c.com/

1A-DXCC.
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.
The Soverign Military Order of Malta is not a high priority most wanted entity for DXCC but it is an interesting contact for many radio amateurs around the world, especially as a new one on certain bands for a DXCC challenge or as a new one for a lof of OMs in Asia and in the western part of the United States.
The Dx Magazine
ClubLog
North America – 1A DXCC – Breackdown
Asia – 1A DXCC – Breackdown
Europe – 1A DXCC – Breakdown
SMOM.
The Sovereign Order of Malta is a sovereign body as provided by international law. The Order – based in Rome, on via Condotti, has its own government, an independent magistracy, bilateral diplomatic relations with 104 countries and is granted the status of Permanent Observer in many international organisations such as the United Nations. Its operational activities are managed by the six Grand Priories, six Subpriories and 47 National Associations of Knights on five continents. The Order issues its own passports and stamps and creates public institutions, endowed with judicial autonomy. The Order’s day to day life is governed by a Constitution and Code, reformed in 1997.
The Grand Master governs the Order both as sovereign and religious head. He is elected for life, within the professed knights in perpetual vows. He is assisted by and presides over the Sovereign Council, which is composed of four high offices – Grand Commander, Grand Chancellor, Grand Hospitaller, and Receiver of the Common Treasure – as well as six other members, all elected by the Order’s Chapter General for a five-year term. The Council of Government and the Board of Auditors, whose compositions reflect the international character of the Order, assist the Grand Master and the Sovereign Council. The Chapter General also elects these two bodies for a five-year term.
The legal system of the Order is expressed by the usual division into three powers:
Legislative power
Rests with the Grand Master and Sovereign Council for non-constitutional matters; with the Chapter General, representing the Supreme Assembly of Knights, as far as constitutional rules are concerned.
Executive power
Rests with the Sovereign Council, chaired by the Grand Master and composed of ten Knights elected by the Chapter General.
Judicial power
It is exercised by the Magistral Courts of First Instance and of Appeal, composed of judges appointed by the Grand Master and the Sovereign Council from Order members of legal expertise. Rests with the Grand Master and Sovereign Council for non-constitutional matters; with the Chapter General, representing the Supreme Assembly of Knights, as far as constitutional rules are concerned.
CISOM.
The Order of Malta’s Italian Relief Corps (CISOM), counts some 3000 volunteers (medical, paramedical staff and assistants) in the three North-Centre-South units into which the corps is divided in Italy. Founded in 1970, it carries out rescue and assistance operations during natural disasters. It intervened during the earthquakes in Irpinia, Umbria, Puglia, Basilicata and Abruzzo.
In addition to its work in Italy, the Corps has also participated in international humanitarian initiatives such as the consignment of food aid for children in Hungary after the collapse of the Soviet bloc (1990) and, more recently, in Kosovo and in the entire Balkan region.
Since 2005 it has been part of the organizational unit of the Italian Civil Defence. During this year, the Corps also entered into cooperation agreements with the Italian Coastguards, the Forestry Corps and ARES 118 (regional health emergency service).
On the Italian Coastguards’ patrol boats, the Corps’ doctors and specialist volunteers assist immigrants fleeing from hunger, wars and persecutions on unseaworthy vessels in the Sicilian sea.
More recently it has been in the front line in dramatic scenarios such as the earthquake in the Italian region of Abruzzo (2009), the earthquake in Haiti (2010) and the earthquake in the Italian region of Emilia (2012).
Become a member (in Italian Language)
QSL Info.
General Information
Please check the log online and wait for the end of the DXpedition before sending your QSL request.
Follow the instructions below to request a QSL card quickly and frustration free.
Remember, this DXpedition has a humanitarian side. After kind consideration, please make a donation, it will be entirely devoted to the emergency communications project.
Note that if you donate more than 30 euro and if your address is in the list of countries where there is a postal agreement in place, you will receive a QSL directly from the post office of the Order of Malta with their stamps. If your Country is not listed, we will send your QSL from Italy.
OQRS
The faster and preferred way to obtain a QSL card is via OQRS (Online QSL Request System) through the on-line log.
The contribution for a QSL request via OQRS is 5 USD. All QSL requests via OQRS will be processed as soon as the QSL cards arrive from the printer. All QSOs via OQRS will be confirmed on LOTW on a weekly basis.
Check your QSOs on the on-line log, then proceed with the QSL request. Fill in the correct UTC of your QSO(s)s and follow the Paypal instructions to complete the request.
Direct QSL
You can also send in your QSL request with an SAE along with the standard contribution (or a donation for the charity project) to complete the request. Standard contributions are:
for EUROPE: 2 USD + SAE
for OUTSIDE EUROPE: 3 USD + SAE
In Italy the cost of postage was recently increased along with the exchange rate of the US Dollar. Thus we have had to modify our donation requests.
Please note: NO STAMPs and NO IRCs.
IRCs are often used as currency in the amateur radio world. This is not the case as would attest a quick visit to the post office. IRCs may not be exchanged for cash, only for stamps. It is also popular to send old IRCs which are no longer valid.
Note for Italians: As Italy is in Europe also, the minimal contribution for Italian radio amateurs is 2USDs + SAE. Please do not send SASE (no stamps please).
Direct QSL card requestswhich do not observe these policies will be processed via the BURO.
Direct QSL requests with expired IRCs will not be NOT be processed.
Direct requests with an appropriate contribution will be processed after an appropriate request is made via OQRS.
The address of the QSL manager is:
FRANCESCO COZZI
Via Nazionale 8/o
70128 – BARI (ITALY)
Bureau
It is not necessary for us to receive you card via the bureau! You may request a QSL via the bureau. However, such QSL requests must be initiated only via the OQRS system. We will ship the card directly to the IARU Bureaus.
All on-line bureau requests will be processed within 12 months of submission. Please do not send any QSLs to the bureau, The QSL manager does need or require your card.
LOTW
1A0C’s log will be uploaded in it’s entirety to LOTW within 1 year from the end of the DXpedition.
Please be patient, if you cannot wait for the LOTW confirmation, please consider OQRS or a direct request.
QSL Semi-Direct
Associations, Clubs and sponsors in general may negotiate directly with the QSL Manager in order to establish dedicated QSL service for their members or affiliates.
Donate.
Donate to an Emergency Communications Project
Operations from 1A, in next July, aim to achieve a goal beyond amateur radio. Funds collected thanks to this DXpedition (particularly, from donations and QSLing) will finance a project related to the Order of Malta’s Italian Relief Corps (CISOM) . We all know what an emergency is, and the way CISOM can handle it, and we are aware of how much communications are a crucial issue. The project by CISOM – that lately moved a significant first step ahead, by issuing few Malta Order licenses to its volunteers – is to buy a vehicle to be set-up as a mobile radio station, to be used in disaster areas. A project deserving your QSO with 1A!
Where will my money go?
Your donation will be used for things like:
Comms vehicle
Radios and antennas
Feedline, amplifier; various gear
Auxiliary AC generator
How to donate
Paypal
You can easily donate with paypal. Select the level of sponsorship you wish to choose for this project and click on the “donate button.” Donations of 100 Euros and over will be listed on the QSL card. Other donations (all are greatly appreciated) will be published on the activity section of the website.
Donations
Call-Sign
Bank transfer
If you prefer to use you bank account, you can donate via bank transfer to:
IBAN: IT30C03069676845103235
Beneficiary: Mr. Antonio Giacomo Scauso
Bank: Banca Intesa Italy