The 5H1WX Tanzania DXpedition by OK2WX is scheduled to run from September 18 to October 6 from Mafia Island (IOTA-AF-054) on 80-10M in CW, SSB, and Digital modes. Mafia Island, known as Chole Shamba in Swahili, is the third largest in Tanzania’s ocean territory (152 square miles) and has a population of more than 66,000.
Before we discuss some of the Tanzania QSL cards from the DX Engineering team, let’s take a closer look at this unique East African nation—one of the oldest continuously inhabited areas on the planet.
At 365,756 square miles in area, Tanzania is larger than Texas (261,914 square miles) but smaller than Alaska (570,641 square miles), ranking it as the 13th largest African nation and the 30th largest in the world. Per one source, its population of over 67.4 million ranks it as the 23rd most populated country in the world, sandwiched between South Africa and Thailand. It stands as the fifth most-populated African country behind Nigeria, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, and Egypt. Its population density of 180 inhabitants per square mile places it at 147th among nations of the world. The highly biodiverse country contains one-fifth of the species of African warm-blooded animals, including the world’s largest population of lions.
More than 100 languages are spoken in the heavily agriculturally based country, which is dependent on harvesting maize, cassava, beans, bananas, rice, and other crops. Travel and tourism also contribute a healthy portion to the country’s economy. While the country has no official language, 10% of Tanzanians speak its national language of Swahili as a first language and 90% speak it as a second language. Its name is a combination of the two states that merged to form the country in 1964: Tanganyika and Zanzibar (see QSL cards).
The active hams at DX Engineering have had great success contacting Tanzania over the years (a good reason to contact them for help with your gear if you’d like to do the same). Here are a few of the QSL cards from their collections.
Mark, W8BBQ, DX Engineering customer/technical support specialist, made contact with 5H1Z in January 2011 on 20M SSB. The DXpedition was from Zanzibar Island (IOTA AF-032).
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Tom, KB8UUZ, DX Engineering technical writer, reached 5H8TL from Tabora, Tanzania, the capital of the country’s Tabora region (population 227,000). With its streets lined with mango trees and markets brimming with local produce, Tabora is known as the Fruit Capital of Western Tanzania.
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George, K3GP, DX Engineering customer/technical support specialist, reached 5I3A from Yambe Island in July 2000 and 5H1HS from Zanzibar in 2009. Yambe Island is a protected, uninhabited island east of the city of Tanga in Tanzania. It is the largest island in the Tanga Region and home to medieval Swahili ruins—hidden in its forests—that have yet to be excavated.
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Dave, K8DV, DX Engineering customer/technical support specialist, reached 5H3RK in November 2008 on 30M CW.
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Both Dave, N8NB, DX Engineering customer/technical support specialist, and Tom, KB8UUZ, made contact with 5H3EE from Dar es Salaam (the name comes from the Arabic for “Abode of Peace”). It is Tanzania’s largest city (population 7.4 million) and financial center, the sixth-largest city in Africa, and one of the fastest-growing cities in the world.
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Wayne, K8FF, DX Engineering customer/technical support specialist, produced this vintage card from 5H3JR when Tanzania was known as Tanganyika.
Editor’s Note: Every month, DX Engineering features QSL cards from our team members’ personal collections. To highlight upcoming DXpeditions, we’ll be displaying a few of our favorite cards along with details about what it took to make these contacts. We’re excited to share some of the special cards pulled from the thousands we’ve received over the years. We look forward to seeing your cards as well!
DX Engineering Sponsors September 2024 Activation of Pitcairn Island
Pitcairn Island QRV in September, 2024
One of the world’s most intriguing locations is scheduled to be on the air from September 5-15 thanks to the VP6WR DXpedition by Bill Rothwell, G0VDE. The 80-10M operation will be, per his website, on “SSB, FT8, and some RTTY” from the small volcanic island—the least populous national jurisdiction (less than 50 people) in the world and the spot where, in 1790, mutineers from the H.M.S. Bounty settled after famously burning the ship.
G0VDE will follow up the Pitcairn Island DXpedition with an operation from Mangareva as FO/G0VDE (Gambier, IOTA OC-63) from September 17-21. Look for updated details at the VP6WR website.
Hustler 4BTV 4-Band HF Vertical Antenna and DXE Installation Guide Package: The package comes with the real-world-proven Hustler 40/20/15/10M trap vertical antenna plus the essential 60-page instruction manual, which includes details on achieving maximum performance through installing a complete radial system, plus many more tips on turning this vertical into a DXing powerhouse.
The avid DXers at DX Engineering have made several contacts with operators on Pitcairn Island, as well as Ducie Island (one of the uninhabited coral atolls of the Pitcairn Islands), over the years. Here are a few of the QSL cards from their collections.
Tom, KB8UUZ, DX Engineering technical writer, reached the 2019 VP6R Pitcairn Island DXpeditionon 20/17/15M SSB. The VP6R DXpedition team battled muddy trails, challenging propagation, lightning, gale force winds, torrential rains, and even feral cats pouncing on keyboards to log more than 82,000 QSOs during their successful stay on this much-coveted DXCC entity in the South Pacific.
(Image/DX Engineering)(Image/DX Engineering)
As the card shows on the front, VP6R received strong support from DX Engineering, which supplied the operating team with a range of DX Engineering branded equipment:
Also going along for the trip to Pitcairn Island was DX Engineering’s custom-designed 90-foot top-loaded 160M vertical antenna, featuring heavy-duty hinged pivot base (a “work of art,” according to VP6R’s Nodir, EY8MM) with custom base insulators to accommodate a 40-foot falling derrick made with three-inch diameter pipe. Originally built to handle the high winds of Bouvet Island, the antenna’s modular design allowed it to be easily downsized if weather conditions made it difficult to install at full size on the island. The crew sent us this photo of the antenna poised against a starlit sky.
(Image/The VP6WR DXpedition)
Mark, W8BBQ, DX Engineering customer/technical support specialist, did some serious band-filling during the five-operator VP6T Pitcairn Island DXpedition in January 2012. He made contact on 80M, 40M, 30M, 17M, 12M, and 10M CW, and 20M, 17M, 15M, 12M, and 10M SSB.
Organized by Jacques F6BEE, the VP6T DXpedition made 56,300 QSOs in 11 days.
(Image/DX Engineering)
George, K3GP, DX Engineering customer/technical support specialist, received three different QSL cards from the January 2008 VP6PR DXpedition, each one featuring a different photo from Pitcairn Island. Dave, N8NB, DX Engineering technical support specialist, reached VP6PR on 17M RTTY.
George, K3GP, joined thousands of DXers around the world by earning this QSL card—actually, a 32-page booklet—from the 2008 DX Engineering-sponsored VP6DX Ducie Island DXpedition. The VP6DX crew logged a whopping 183,584 QSOs.
Editor’s Note: Every month, DX Engineering features QSL cards from our team members’ personal collections. To highlight upcoming DXpeditions, we’ll be displaying a few of our favorite cards along with details about what it took to make these contacts. We’re excited to share some of the special cards pulled from the thousands we’ve received over the years. We look forward to seeing your cards as well!
There’s a lot to do on the air in September, 2024!
It’s a great month to sharpen your skills for some of the upcoming major events on the amateur radio calendar. We’ve listed a few highlights below, including the ARRL EME and VHF contests, a premier RTTY event, a couple of excellent park activation opportunities, and a bevy of State QSO Parties that let you operate from your home, as a fixed portable station, or as a “rover” operating from multiple counties in your vehicle.
RJ Bragg, WY7AA, took his Rovermobile (a 1972 Chevy El Camino) to the line of Platte and Goshen counties in Wyoming for the 7-Land QSO Party in May 2018. A bit of military surplus mast, dipoles for 20 and 40 meters, and an Icom 7000 were all he used to make 540 SSB contacts and hand out two juicy counties. (Image/RJ Bragg, WY7AA)
Here’s a rundown of September’s QSO Parties (note: Tennessee’s party ran prior to this posting):
Texas: September 21, 1400Z to September 22, 0200Z, and September 22, 1400Z to 2000Z
Iowa: September 21, 1400Z to September 22, 0200Z
New Jersey: September 21, 1400Z to September 22, 0159Z
New Hampshire: September 21, 1600Z to September 22, 0400Z and September 22, 1200Z to 2200Z
Washington State Salmon Run: September 21, 1600Z to September 22, 0700Z, and September 22, 1600Z to 2400Z (find more details on the Salmon Run official website)
Maine: September 28, 1200Z to September 29, 1200Z
Read more about State QSO Parties in these excellent OnAllBands articles:
You’ll find everything you need at DXEngineering.com to get maximum fun out of State QSO Parties, including transceivers, antennas, CW keys and paddles, and more.
Check Out These Other September 2024 Events:
NRAU (Nordic Radio Amateur Union) 10M Activity Contest: September 5, 1700Z to 1800Z (CW); 1800Z to 1900Z (SSB); 1900Z to 2000Z (FM); and 2000Z to 2100Z (Digital). Here’s a great chance to take advantage of 10M openings compliments of Solar Cycle 25. Looking for gear to maximize your 10M capabilities? Click to read about some of these 10M antenna upgrades available at DXEngineering.com.
Ohio State Parks on the Air: September 7, 1400 UTC to 2200 UTC (10 am to 6 pm Eastern Time). With DX Engineering proudly rooted in the Buckeye State, this annual event is near and dear to our ham radio hearts. Tom, KB8UUZ, DX Engineering technical writer, is a member of the contest committee for this 17th edition of this outdoor operating event that highlights Ohio’s beauty and diversity.
If you’ve never activated a park, here’s an OnAllBandsPOTA article on what you’ll need for successful portable operations, including these suggested items:
Yaesu FT-891 HF/50 MHz All Mode Mobile Transceiver
Also, don’t miss the flora, fauna, frequencies, and fun of Wisconsin Parks on the Air, September 21, 1600Z to 2300Z (11 am to 6 pm local/CDT), sponsored by the Fox Cities Amateur Radio Club, W9ZL.
IARU Region 1 Field Day, SSB: September 7, 1300Z to September 8, 1259Z. This annual event presents an excellent opportunity for clubs to test their low-power portable operating capabilities; experiment with design, construction, and deployment of antennas; and use alternate means of power.
All Asian DX Contest, Phone: September 7, 0000Z to September 8, 2400Z. Sponsored by the Japan Amateur Radio League, this annual event is for both Asian and non-Asian stations making SSB QSOs on 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, and 10 meters.
WAE DX Contest, SSB: September 14, 0000Z to September 15, 2359Z. The German Amateur Radio Club (DARC) invites amateur operators worldwide to participate in this Worked All Europe contest. The RTTY portion of the contest is scheduled for November 9-10. Read complete rules here.
ARRL September VHF Contest: September 14, 1800Z to September 16, 0300Z. Amateurs in the U.S. and Canada will be trying to work stations in as many 2 degree x 1 degree Maidenhead grid squares as possible using authorized frequencies above 50 MHz. Stations outside the U.S. and Canada may only work stations in the U.S. and Canada. All legal modes are permitted, including CW, SSB, FT8, MSK144, FM-Only, PSK31, FSK441, and JT65.
QRP Afield: September 21, 1500Z to 2100Z: Hosted by the QRP Club of New England, this low-power event rewards operators based on power levels and location (e.g., 10 points per contact for QRP operation from a field or mobile location).
ARRL EME Contest: September 21, 0000Z to September 22, 2359Z. The object of this annual event is to work as many amateur stations as possible via the earth-moon-earth path on any authorized amateur frequency above 50 MHz. Effective in 2024, the contest exchange is now a station’s four-digit Maidenhead grid square locator. September 21-22 is designated for 2.3 GHz and up. October 19-20 and November 16-17 are for 50 to 1296 MHz.
ARRL 10 GHz and Up Contest: September 21, 0900Z to September 23, 0759Z. North American amateurs will attempt to contact as many stations in as many different locations as possible in North America on bands from 10 GHz (3-centimeter) through Light. Amateurs are encouraged to operate from more than one location during this event. Contesters may enter in either “10 GHz Only” or “10 GHz and Up” categories.
For those interested in 10 GHz operation, you’ll find the Icom IC-905 VHF/UHF/SHF All Mode Base/Portable Transceiver at DXEngineering.com. The rig boasts operating capability up to 10 GHz with the optional CX-10G Transverter (sold separately).
CQ World Wide DX Contest, RTTY, September 28, 0000Z to September 29, 2359Z. This annual event attracts more than 15,000 RTTY enthusiasts from around the world.
4th Annual Masonic Lodges on the Air, September 28, 1400Z to 2200Z. “The idea for the Masonic Lodges on the Air Contest grew out of the realization that many Freemasons have a love for Amateur Radio,” the event’s official website reads. The idea is to see how many Masonic Lodges you can contact in a day on 80, 40, 20, 15, and 10 meters SSB. You do not need to be a Mason to participate, but organizers ask that you get permission from your local lodge to contest from their property.
AWA Amplitude Modulation QSO Party: September 28, 2000Z to September 29, 2400Z. Sponsored by the Antique Wireless Association, this event is designed to “promote and encourage the use of amplitude modulation on the amateur radio bands” and to “enjoy the friendly atmosphere and pleasant audio quality of AM communication,” per the AWA website. Participants will try to make contacts using the amplitude modulation mode on 160, 75, 40, 20, and 10 meters. From its website, the vision of the AWA is to “preserve and share the history of technology used to communicate and entertain from the first telegram to today’s wireless text messaging.”
The historic Rig in a Box N5J DXpedition from the Jarvis Island National Wildlife Refuge is in the books. Jarvis was the 18th Most Wanted DXCC Entity per Clublog when the activation was fully underway on August 9, 2024.
Thanks to countless hours of planning, technical advancements in the hobby, amazingly skilled offshore and worldwide remote operators, sponsors including DX Engineering, and an active community of DXers, the #18 ranking will certainly take a precipitous fall when the next most-wanted list is released.
N5J marked the first activation of Jarvis Island (a dual entity with Palmyra Island) since the April 1990 AH3C/KH5J DXpedition, which logged 55,000 QSOs over ten days. The only other time Jarvis has been QRV was AD1S/KH5 in November 1983—the first time this 1.7-square-mile coral island in the South Pacific was on the air.
Along with remote CW and FT8 stations, the N5J at-island operating team of Don Greenbaum, N1DG; Mike Snow, KN4EEI; Tomi Pekarik, HA7RY; Rig in a Box innovator George Wallner, AA7JV; and Adrian Ciuperca, KO8SCA recorded more than 100,000 QSOs on 160-6M in SSB, CW, and FT8 after 11 days of operation. Additionally, 3,000 operators qualified for an N5J special award by making FT8, CW, and SSB contacts and logging QSOs on five bands.
As noted by Ann Fried on the N5J Facebook page, “All the hard work and planning did a great service to hams worldwide.”
Pierre Leroy wrote, “Keep on doing good work. Conditions are not easy but ATNO from ON6PL.”
“Thanks to the whole team for outstanding work,” wrote Tor Langvand. “Challenging propagation from time to time. Nevertheless, >100K QSOs in the book is fantastic. Great job, all.”
Gerry Hull, W1VE, posted on the N5J Facebook page the day the DXpedition went QRT, “The Magnet team is busy taking down everything and preparing for the trip back to American Samoa. They are the real heroes who powered this operation! As the Team Lead for the CW Remote Crew, I couldn’t be happier about the outcome. As an advocate of remote DXing and contesting, I’m extremely pleased how everything worked.”
From the N5J website, the team wrote, “Thank you for all the QSOs. It was a blast.”
(Image/N5J Jarvis Island)
The Impact of RIB Operations
The Rig in a Box concept, which allows self-contained amateur radio stations to be placed on land while operators work remotely, is proving to be a game-changer for DXpeditioners as well as hams trying to check off the remaining rare entities on their DXCC scorecard.
George, AA7JV, member of the offshore crew of the N5J DXpedition, sets up a Rig in a Box station on Jarvis Island. AA7JV and the rest of the local team conducted the DXpedition from the MV Magnet, a vessel that was just offshore of Jarvis Island. (Image/N5J Jarvis Island)
RIB-centered ventures dramatically increase the chances that decision-makers governing wildlife protected areas will grant permission for these operations. RIB DXpeditions ensure that boots will only be on land to set up, tear down, and maintain the RIB stations, reducing environmental impact and eliminating a stumbling block that has kept many entities off the air for decades.
(Image/N5J Jarvis Island)
Get up close and personal with the N5J team in this video featuring DX Engineering CEO Tim Duffy, K3LR, interviewing operators aboard the MV Magnet on August 9, 2024.
“In addition to us being here there are three Fish and Wildlife scientists that are currently on the island,” explained George, AA7JV, in the video. “They’re conducting research and working on the island. This is really the result of Don (N1DG) having worked with the Fish and Wildlife Service to convince them that amateur radio can be not just a user but a partner. And as a partner we can contribute to their efforts, and in return for that, they let us operate from these very highly protected reserves where normally they do not let anybody.”
DX Engineering Equipment on Jarvis Island
In DX Engineering’s ongoing mission to stand beside hams who are putting rare DXCC entities on the air, the company contributed a range of gear to complement the RIB setups:
The teams at DX Engineering and OnAllBands salute everyone involved in making the N5J DXpedition to Jarvis Island possible. Look for posts about more DX Engineering-sponsored DXpeditions in the days ahead.
Hams looking to add Tristan da Cunha —a collection of volcanic islands in the South Atlantic Ocean—to their list of DXing conquests may get an opportunity in the days ahead.
W7GJ reported that he would be operating from IOTA AF-029 the last week of August and into September, but a check of the DXpedition’s website, as of this posting, now has the dates as September 26 to October 25, depending on shipping schedules and very limited space availability on ships sailing from Cape Town, South Africa. The 6M ZD9GJ operation will mainly focus on EME, with some SSB and FT8 activity.
Only accessible by boat (about a six-day trip from Cape Town), the British Overseas Territory of Tristan da Cunha is the world’s most remote inhabited archipelago—about 1,700 miles off the coast of Cape Town, 1,500 miles from Saint Helena, 4,000 miles from Argentina, and 2,500 miles from the Falkland Islands. It lies 1,400 miles northwest of Bouvet Island—the most remote uninhabited spot on the planet. This makes Tristan da Cunha the closest inhabited land to Bouvet.
The archipelago, which experiences mild temperatures, little sunshine, and lots of rain, is made up of 38-square-mile Tristan da Cunha; the wild reserves of Gough Island and Inaccessible Island; and uninhabited 1.5-square-mile Nightingale Island.
A travel article from Business Insider placed the population of volcanic Tristan da Cunha at around 230. Inhabitants of Edinburgh of the Seven Seas (the only settlement on Tristan da Cunha, below) were forced to flee in lobster-fishing boats to neighboring Nightingale Island after an eruption of Queen Mary’s Peak in 1961 destroyed their settlement. They were resettled in England, but most returned two years later to rebuild on the island.
The island features a school, churches, the Tristan Thatched House Museum, a supermarket, administration building, and an invasive mice and rat population that nightly feeds, without natural predators to stop them, on seabird eggs and chicks. A community tradition known as “Ratting Day,” which began as a way to reduce the island’s rodent population, has evolved into a competition in which teams compete to catch the largest number of critters, with honors also being given to the team who produces the rat with the “longest tail.” One academic article noted that “Black Rats…reached the island from a shipwreck in 1882.”
A single road connects Edinburgh of the Seven Seas with the island’s communally owned potato farms. Transportation is provided by a few privately owned vehicles and a bus.
The avid DXers at DX Engineering have made several contacts with operators who have received permission to operate on Tristan da Cunha over the years. Here are a few of the QSL cards from their collections.
Wayne, K8FF, DX Engineering customer/technical support specialist, received this card from the ZD9W DXpedition.
(Image/DX Engineering)
Scotty, KG9Z, DX Engineering customer/technical support specialist, provided us with this QSL card from ZD9CC.
(Image/DX Engineering)
Tom, KB8UUZ, DX Engineering technical writer, received the QSL card below from ZD9ZS.
(Image/DX Engineering)(Image/DX Engineering)
George, K3GP, DX Engineering customer/technical support specialist, received the QSL card below from ZD9AH. It features the island’s main road, a yellow nosed Tristan albatross, and Tristan da Cunha’s coat of arms. Look closely. The coat of arms includes two Tristan rock lobsters, mainstays of the island’s economy.
(Image/DX Engineering)(Image/DX Engineering)
Dave, K8DV, DX Engineering customer/technical support specialist, contacted ZD9T in November 2010 on 30 and 12M CW. The QSL card shows a drawing of a northern rockhopper penguin (known by islanders as “pinnamin”). The flightless birds breed on all islands in the Tristan da Cunha group. Read much more about the northern rockhopper penguin and everything else you’d want to know about this fascinating archipelago at the Tristan da Cunha website.
Editor’s Note: Every month, DX Engineering features QSL cards from our team members’ personal collections. To highlight upcoming DXpeditions, we’ll be displaying a few of our favorite cards along with details about what it took to make these contacts. We’re excited to share some of the special cards pulled from the thousands we’ve received over the years. We look forward to seeing your cards as well!
With the 2024 Paris Olympics past the halfway point, OnAllBands thought it would be appropriate to give a shout out to what’s been dubbed the Olympics of Amateur Radio—the quadrennial World Radiosport Team Championship (WRTC).
The next WRTC—a test of supreme operating skill, strategy, endurance, and teamwork—is scheduled for 2026 in the United Kingdom, following up the 2023 Italy competition which was delayed a year due to the pandemic.
(Image/WRTC UK 2026)
In July 2026, 50 elite two-operator teams from around the world will compete from comparable stations set up in Suffolk, Norfolk, and Cambridgeshire counties during the 24-hour IARU 2026 Contest. To qualify for WRTC 2026, teams must rank highly in a series of amateur radio contests held between October 2023 and March 2025.
Beyond the competitive nature of the high-profile competition, the event—like the traditional Winter and Summer Olympics—is meant to stand as a model of global cooperation. It also serves as an ideal opportunity for young amateurs to grab the torch lit by their predecessors.
“WRTC is a means to demonstrate international goodwill and friendship in the true ham spirit. It also allows youth operators to demonstrate their skills within this highly competitive event. WRTC UK 2026 will focus not only on providing a fair and enjoyable event for those who qualify either as a competitor or referee but will also provide engagement to spectators all over the world.”
The WRTC UK Website
DX Engineering and the WRTC
DX Engineering has a strong connection with the WRTC. OnAllBands blogger and member of the CQ Contest Hall of Fame Ward Silver, N0AX, was a founder of the WRTC, which had its inaugural competition in Seattle in 1990. Tim Duffy, K3LR, DX Engineering CEO and member of the CQ Contest Hall of Fame, competed in five WRTCs (San Francisco 1996, Finland 2002, Brazil 2006, Russia 2010, and Germany 2018). Scott Jones, DX Engineering sales manager, competed in the San Francisco WRTC. Jeff Steinman, N5TJ, three-time WRTC champion (San Francisco, Slovenia 2000, and Finland), is a member of the DX Engineering sales/technical support team. (Note: Just a few more good reasons to get your amateur radio gear—and the best advice anywhere for upgrading your stations—from the folks at DX Engineering.)
WRTC 2026 chairman Mark Haynes, M0DXR, and the event’s director of hospitality Georgina Haynes, M6YGL (husband and wife), stopped by DX Engineering headquarters last year to present their roadmap for a memorable event, which will require untold hours of volunteer work and intelligent planning to handle the thousands of details while creating a level playing field for the 100 competitors.
WRTC 2026 chairman Mark Haynes, M0DXR, and director of hospitality Georgina Haynes, M6YGL, with Tim Duffy, K3LR, at DX Engineering headquarters. (Image/DX Engineering)
Watch Tim, K3LR, interview Mark, M0DXR, and Georgina, M6YGL, at the DX Engineering Showroom in Tallmadge, Ohio.
“WRTC UK 2026 is a complex and challenging project to plan and execute,” the contest website noted. “This is a fantastic opportunity for domestic and international hams to get involved with one of the most exciting projects that our hobby has to offer. We are so fortunate to be holding this event in the UK and this is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. If you or your club can help as a volunteer, please get in touch.”
Visit the WRTC UK 2026 website for up-to-date information and details on how you can get involved.
Located in the eastern Caribbean, the West Indies island country of Saint Lucia will be in play this month for DXers (August 10-17) thanks to N4XTT, who will be operating as J6/N4XTT from this popular tourist spot and 230th Most Wanted DXCC Entity per Clublog.
The holiday-style operation and POTA activation (J6-0001) will be on 40-10M in CW, SSB, and FT4/FT8.
The mountainous, volcanic island of Saint Lucia has an area of 238 square miles (about the size of El Paso, Texas) and a population of around 180,000. It has the distinction of being the world’s only sovereign state named after an actual woman—Saint Lucy of Syracuse (AD 283-304), also known as Saint Lucia, a venerated saint in Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, and Eastern Orthodox Christianity. Her traditional feast day is observed by Western Christians on December 13—the date, according to legend, that French sailors were shipwrecked there and named the island in her honor.
There are a number of other islands—not sovereign states—named after women, including Greenland’s Princess Dagmar Island, Australia’s Lady Julia Percy Island, Ecuador’s Isabela Island, and Canada’s Lady Franklin Island. This list also includes another DXCC entity, Saint Helena, named after St. Helena of Constantinople.
Wait a sec, there’s one more country named after a woman, right?
We wrote “actual” woman above because there is another sovereign state named after a mythological goddess. Can you name the country and the goddess? See answer below. Need a hint? Sorry. We don’t want to make it too easy. You’ll EIther get the right answer or you won’t.
QSL Cards
The avid DXers at DX Engineering have made several contacts with operators on Saint Lucia over the years. Here are a few of the QSL cards from their collections.
Wayne, K8FF, DX Engineering customer/technical support specialist, received the card below from J6/DK1RP.
(Image/DX Engineering)
Scotty, KG9Z, DX Engineering customer/technical support specialist, provided us with this QSL card from the J6LCV DXpedition in October 1981.
(Image/DX Engineering)
Tom, KB8UUZ, DX Engineering technical writer, received the QSL cards below from J68RI (20/15M QSOs) and J69DS from Babonneau, Saint Lucia. Babonneau is a region in the northern part of the island known for its extensive rain forests.
Dave, K8DV, DX Engineering customer/technical support specialist, reached J68V in November 2008 on 15M CW. The bottom left corner of the card shows the St. Lucia flag—a cerulean blue field with a golden triangle in front of a white-edged isosceles triangle. The flag has undergone several minor modifications since it was adopted in 1967, but it remains largely the same as the one designed 57 years ago.
The J68V card also shows St. Lucia’s most recognizable natural landmark. Called “Gros Piton,” the canine-tooth-shaped volcanic plug majestically towers over the southwest coast of Saint Lucia, 2,619 feet above sea level. The island’s other famous volcanic plug, “Petit Piton,” lies to the north of its more prominent brother. Both Pitons are popular attractions for hikers.
(Image/DX Engineering)
George, K3GP, DX Engineering customer/technical support specialist, received the QSL card below for reaching J6/SP7VC on 80M SSB in January 2015.
(Image/DX Engineering)(Image/DX Engineering)
Scott, N3RA, DX Engineering sales manager, made an FT8 QSO with J68HZ on 6M.
(Image/DX Engineering)
I’ll take “Countries Named After Goddesses” for $1,000, Ken.
Now back to our OnAllBands Geography Question of the Day. While Saint Lucia is the only sovereign state named after a woman, what country is named after a mythological goddess? If you said “Ireland” (DXCC prefix EI), you would be correct. The names Ireland and Éire come from the Old Irish Ériu, a goddess in Irish mythology.
Editor’s Note: Every month, DX Engineering features QSL cards from our team members’ personal collections. To highlight upcoming DXpeditions, we’ll be displaying a few of our favorite cards along with details about what it took to make these contacts. We’re excited to share some of the special cards pulled from the thousands we’ve received over the years. We look forward to seeing your cards as well!
While not including any of the heavy hitters on the ham radio calendar, August is one of our favorite months at OnAllBands because it showcases the great diversity of amateur operating—everything from bouncing signals off the ionized trails produced by meteors to making two-way QSOs via the moon (both pursuits open to even Technician license holders).
You’ll also find ARRL’s Super High Frequency challenge and RTTY Rookie Roundup, along with State QSO Parties and another island chaser/activator opportunity for those who didn’t get their fill during July’s RSGB IOTA contest. Enjoy!
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NRAU (Nordic Radio Amateur Union) 10M Activity Contest: August 1, 1800Z to 1900Z (CW); 1900Z to 2000Z (SSB); 2000Z to 2100Z (FM); and 2100Z to 2200Z (Digital). Here’s a great chance to take advantage of 10M openings compliments of Solar Cycle 25. Looking for gear to enhance your 10M capabilities? Click to read about some antenna upgrades available at DXEngineering.com.
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European HF Championship: August 3, 1200Z to 2359Z. This contest organized by the Slovenia Contest Club offers three additional categories added in 2023: Single-Op-Unlimited, Single-Op QRP, and One-Band (160M-6M). Access the latest rules here.
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ARRL 222 MHz and Up Distance Contest: August 3, 1800Z to August 4, 1800Z. Work as many stations as possible on the 222 MHz through 241 GHz bands using any allowable mode. A station in a specific grid locator may be contacted from the same location only once on each band, regardless of mode.
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MMMonVHF/DUBUS 144 MHz Meteorscatter Sprint Contest: August 10, 2200Z to August 12, 2159Z. MMMonVHF, in cooperation with the magazines DUBUS and Funk-Telegramm, invites you to take part in the 2024 edition of the “144 MHz Meteorscatter Sprint Contest.” Per the contest website, the Perseid meteor shower will be active until August 24. Its maximum is estimated to occur on Monday, August 12, between 1300 UTC and 1600 UTC. The contest site also notes that on August 12 around 0900 UTC, Earth will pass an old dust trail. Five more old trails, four of which are more than 1,300 years old, will be passed between 0400 UTC and 1100 UTC.
Called one of the “best shooting star displays of the year” by Space.com, the Perseid meteor shower is the result of the Earth passing through ice and rock left behind by the comet Swift Tuttle, which takes 133 years to orbit the Sun and had its closest approach to the Sun in 1992. It won’t return until 2125.
From the NASA website, “When comets come around the sun, the dust they emit gradually spreads into a dusty trail around their orbits. Every year the Earth passes through these debris trails, which allows the bits to collide with our atmosphere where they disintegrate to create fiery and colorful streaks in the sky.”
This is a great chance to take a crack at one of the coolest aspects of the hobby. Better yet, it’s an activity that’s open to Technician license holders. For other ideas on getting the most from punching your ticket, check out this article by OnAllBands blogger Sean Kutzko, KX9X, on 15 Things to Do with a Technician License.
Here’s another way to get involved in the excitement. Founded in 1988, the International Meteor Organization is a collection of meteor observers from around the world who ensure “the comprehensive study of meteor showers and their relation to comets and interplanetary dust,” per the group’s website. Check out how to become a member.
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YB Bekasi Merdeka Contest: August 10, 1200Z to August 11, 1159Z. This SSB-only, single-operator 80/40/10M contest commemorates the anniversary of Indonesian independence from Japan (August 17, 1945). The event is sponsored by the Indonesian Amateur Radio Organization.
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Kentucky State Parks on the Air: August 10, 1400Z to 2200Z. The Murray State University Amateur Radio Club (MSUARC) is sponsoring its annual Kentucky State Parks on the Air event. Activators will have an opportunity to operate from the Bluegrass State’s 50 parks and nine national sites, while chasers can make CW, SSB, and Digital QSOs with hams enjoying the diversity of the state’s outdoor areas.
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Keymen’s Club of Japan Contest: August 17, 1200Z to August 18, 1200Z. Formed in 1976, the Keymen’s Club of Japan is devoted to promoting CW operation on the amateur bands. Find club history and contest rules at the KCJ website.
ARRL 10 GHz and Up Contest: August 17, 0900 to August 19, 0759. If you’re a fan of operating on the Super High Frequency (microwave) spectrum, this is your chance to shine. North American amateurs will attempt to contact as many stations in as many different locations as possible in North America on bands from 10 GHz (3-centimeter) through Light. Amateurs are encouraged to operate from more than one location during this event. Contesters may enter in either “10 GHz only” or “10 GHz and Up” categories. The second weekend of the contest will be September 21-22.
For those interested in 10 GHz operation, you’ll find the Icom IC-905 VHF/UHF/SHF All Mode Base/Portable Transceiver at DXEngineering.com. The rig boasts operating capability up to 10 GHz with the optional CX-10G Transverter (sold separately).
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North American QSO Party, SSB: August 17, 1800Z to August 18, 0559Z. All amateur licensees are eligible to work as many North American stations as possible during the 12-hour contest period. The CW portion of the contest runs August 3, 1800Z to August 4, 0559Z.
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ARRL Rookie Roundup, RTTY: August 18, 1800Z to 2359Z. From the ARRL, the Rookie Roundups “encourage newly-licensed operators (“Rookies”) in North America (including territories and possessions) to operate on the HF bands and experience competitive Amateur Radio operating. Experienced operators (“Non-Rookies”) are strongly encouraged to participate and help new operators—either on the air or in person.”
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ARRL EME Contest: August 24, 0000Z to August 25, 2359Z. The object of this annual event is to work as many amateur stations as possible via the earth-moon-earth path on any authorized amateur frequency above 50 MHz. August 24-25 and September 21-22 are designated for 2.3 GHz and up. October 19-20 and November 16-17 are for 50 to 1296 MHz.
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ALARA Contest: August 24, 0600 to August 25, 0559Z. The Australian Ladies Amateur Radio Association will be hosting the 44th ALARA Contest, an SSB/CW event in which YLs may contact anyone while OMs may only contact YLs on all HF bands except 160M and WARC bands. Formed in 1975, ALARA boasts a membership of more than 200 operators, with many members sponsoring operators overseas. ALARA’s mission is to “encourage women’s interest in and active participation in amateur radio.”
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The U.S. Islands QSO Party: August 24, 1200Z to August 25, 0300Z. Previously known as the W/VE Islands QSO Party, the U.S. Islands QSO Party “promotes verifiable amateur radio contacts with stations located on islands in the United States and its Territories and Protectorates.” This 15-hour SSB/CW/Digital event offers two classes (QRP, 5 watts or less) or QRO (greater than 5 watts), and several categories: Island Fixed, Island Rover, and Non-Island.
Now in its 30th year, the U.S. Islands Awards Program centers around activating and chasing U.S. river, lake, and shore islands. Thinking about activating an island? Here’s a state-by-state U.S. island directory.
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Also check out these state QSO parties:
Maryland-DC: August 10, 1400Z to August 11, 0400Z
Hawaii: August 24, 0400Z to August 26, 0400Z
Ohio: August 24, 1600Z to August 25, 0400Z
Kansas: August 24, 1400Z to August 25, 0200Z; August 25, 1400Z to 2000Z
Watch YDXA team members give live presentations on DX Engineering’s Facebook page July 26 at 12:30 pm EST.
For the second straight year, the young amateurs chosen to participate in the Dave Kalter Memorial Youth DX Adventure (YDXA) will be operating in the United States from one of the world’s premier contest stations—K3LR, owned and operated by Tim Duffy, K3LR, CEO of DX Engineering.
When plans for the youth team to travel to an international location had to be canceled, Tim, K3LR, agreed to once again offer his contest superstation in western Pennsylvania for the annual adventure, which has sent young operators ages 12-17 to remote locations—including Costa Rica, Saba Island, and Curaçao—since its founding in 2010.
This year’s Dave Kalter adventure is sponsored by the Dayton Amateur Radio Association, K3LR Contest Superstation, and DX Engineering. The goal of the program is to give young hams the chance to hone their abilities while creating unforgettable experiences that will foster a lifelong passion for amateur radio. The program was named for founding YDXA member Dave Kalter, KB8OCP, who became a silent key in November 2013.
The 2024 team, which will be operating as K3Y during the RSGB IOTA Contest, is comprised of Ian Alkema, KI8AN; Lilly Colón, W8LIL; Katie Campbell, KE8LQR; and Grace Papay, K8LG. Katie and Grace took part in the 2023 YDXA at K3LR and are returning to provide mentorship to the first-time participants. Rising stars in the amateur radio world, Katie and Grace were also speakers at Contest University 2024 in Dayton, Ohio discussing the topic, “How to Integrate Youth Operators in Multi-Op Contesting.”
Katie, KE8LQR, at K3LR operating during the 2023 RSGB IOTA Contest. (Image/DX Engineering)
The K3Y foursome, along with parents (Tim Alkema, K8LK; Karl Colón, KC2GTR; Colleen Campbell, KB8VAQ; and Doug Papay, K8DP) will be visiting DX Engineering headquarters in Tallmadge, Ohio, on July 26 for lunch with the DX Engineering team and a tour of the company.
From there they’ll travel to K3LR where the group will be chasing island stations during the RSGB IOTA Contest (July 27, 1200Z to July 28, 1200Z). The group will be active on July 27 only.
Grace, K8LG, with Doug, K8DP, at K3LR operating during the 2023 RSGB IOTA Contest. (Image/DX Engineering)
Watch the Youth Participants Live
While at DX Engineering, each YDXA participant will be giving a presentation about how they got involved with ham radio, their experiences on and off the air, and goals for future involvement. These will be broadcast live on DX Engineering’s Facebook page at 12:30 pm EST. We encourage you to tune in. Based on last year’s presentations, we guarantee you’ll walk away feeling inspired about the future of the greatest hobby in the world.
“We’re thrilled to have these bright and talented young operators visiting DX Engineering and then operating at K3LR,” Duffy said. “At DX Engineering, we feel it’s more important than ever for the ham radio community to give young and enthusiastic amateurs these life-changing experiences. Last year’s RSGB IOTA operation at K3LR was such a huge success for everyone involved. It was exciting to watch the level of skill on display as well as see how the young operators benefited from mentorship provided by longtime hams.”
Last year’s team of Katie, KE8LQR; Grace, K8LG; Agnes Wagner, AD8IR; and Ben Wagner, AD8FQ, took full advantage of the opportunity to operate from this powerful station, making 2,283 SSB QSOs on five bands during the event. They made contacts with amateurs in all 50 states, six continents, and 60 DXCC entities, while bonding as a team and impressing other IOTA participants with their on-air abilities.
“The idea of giving back to the ham radio community by encouraging young operators, sponsoring DXpeditions, and promoting amateur radio in our communities is a significant part of what DX Engineering is all about. We encourage everyone to help out when they can. The lessons that come from being an amateur operator—effective communication, problem solving, and the many technical aspects of the hobby—last a lifetime.”
Tim Duffy, K3LR, CEO of DX Engineering
Be sure to check out OnAllBands in early August for our follow-up post on the K3Y team.
All of us at OnAllBands and DX Engineering would like to offer our hearty congratulations to Marek, FH4VVK, and his support team for the successful one-operator activation (FT4GL) of the Glorioso Islands.
This French-controlled atoll in the Indian Ocean near Madagascar ranked as the 7th most-wanted DXCC entity per Clublog when the DXpedition began from Grande Glorioso Island in May. When it wrapped up on June 18, FH4VVK had logged more than 60,000 QSOs, with HF contacts made in all modes used (only 160M was “not satisfactory,” per the FT4GL blog). QSOs included ATNOs for smaller stations who were given preference in the latter stages of the operation.
Among those vying for this rare contact were the avid DXers from DX Engineering, including customer/technical support specialist and DXCC Honor Roll member (first place, mixed modes) Wayne, K8FF. He reached FT4GL on 20/15/12M FT8, adding to his growing list of digital contacts.
Scotty, KG9Z, DX Engineering customer/technical support specialist and owner of the Nine-Band DXCC, 160M WAS, and other honors, also filled multiple bands on FT8 in Fox/Hound mode. He called FT4GL a “great one-man operation.”
“We warmly and from the bottom of our hearts thank all the people who have shown their gratitude and trust in us throughout this adventure. Numerous messages and emails of encouragement helped Marek and the whole team to continue so that this activity went as smoothly as possible, and the pilots who were very responsive in informing the community of the correct news.”
Here’s a sampling of the outpouring of positivity from online posters:
“Absolutely outstanding, Marek. The DX community is forever grateful for activating a very rare entity for us, and for such an extended period of time. 73 and safe travels from all of us at K4TOR.”
Tor Langvand
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“Glad that Marek was able to activate FT4/G. ATNO for me and many others. Great job mate!”
Wesley Beck
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“He did a fantastic job. I met my goal, which was an FT8 and SSB contact. As for the lids that interfered: Those who can, do, those that can’t try to take out their lack of ability and knowledge on those that can. These people are a special kind of lid.”
Unfortunately, as the comment above and the FT4GL team noted, Marek was not immune to some of the bad actors who have become all too commonplace during rare activations. Pirate stations, music broadcasters, and other interference turned this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity into an “intense and sometimes difficult experience” not representative of “the OM spirit,” per the FT4GL blog.
DX Engineering was proud to supply Marek with VA6AM 150W PEP HF Band Pass Filters for 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, and 10M to help make more QSOs possible. These high-quality, multi-stage inline passive band pass filters are specifically designed to limit the transmitting and receiving RF passband to a single amateur band.
Next Up—Jarvis Island and St. Paul Island DXpeditions
DX Engineering was also pleased to provide two August 2024 DXpeditions with mission-critical gear:
The 100% RIB (Rig in a Box) N5J operation from the Jarvis Island National Wildlife Refuge, one of the rarest DXCC entities on the planet, is scheduled for August 5-20.
The 10-operator CY9C DXpedition team is scheduled to put St. Paul on the air August 26 to September 5 from the windswept and treeless Northeast Island site, just off the coast of Nova Scotia.
It is one of the great ironies of DXing that it’s most often the smallest of places that are the biggest deals in the ham radio world. Evidence of this is tiny St. Paul Island, located about 15 miles northeast of Cape Breton Island along the boundary between the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the Cabot Strait.
At three miles long and one mile wide, the uninhabited, frequently fog-bound island—once named the “Graveyard of the Gulf” by sailors whose ships met their fate on its granite cliffs—will be the hot ticket for DXing enthusiasts when the DX Engineering-sponsored CY9C DXpedition team puts this 50th Most Wanted DXCC Entity (as of July) on the air from August 26 to September 5, 2024.
Today, the island’s automated, solar-powered lighthouse—built in 1962 as a replacement for a lighthouse constructed in 1917—welcomes the handful of visitors who arrive at St. Paul, including the Canadian Coast Guard, SCUBA divers, and amateur radio adventurers like the 11-operator CY9C team. CY9C will be using two helicopters to transport gear and team members to the windswept and treeless Northeast Island site.
The team will be employing six FlexRadio station setups for CW, SSB, RTTY, and FT8. The stations will include the FlexRadio Power Genius (PGXL) Amplifier (below), now available at DXEngineering.com. A seventh FlexRadio station will be devoted to UHF/VHF/EME and satellites.
(Image/DX Engineering)
The team of experienced hams, which includes members of the CQ DX Hall of Fame and participants in the CY0S Sable Island DXpedition in March 2023, plan to be active on 160-6M, employing Yagis on 20-6M and elevated sloping dipoles and verticals on the low bands. The team notes that at any given time, a minimum of three stations will be using the new SuperFox FT8 mode. Lighthouse chasers will be hoping to add this to their conquests (STP-002), as well as POTA (CA-0122) and IOTA (NA-094) enthusiasts.
You can get the latest news and read more about frequencies, the CY9C band plan, and 6M/2M/70cm/23cm operation details at the DXpedition’s official website.
DX Engineering is once again showing its commitment to high-profile DXpeditions by supporting CY9C 2024. The company provided the following equipment:
Back in September 2016, CY9C DXpedition members Jay Slough, K4ZLE, and Wayne McKenzie, K8LEE (SK), stopped by DX Engineering headquarters in Tallmadge, Ohio, to chat with Tim Duffy, K3LR, DX Engineering CEO, about the challenges and rewards of this successful “tent and generator” operation (in Jay’s words) from St. Paul Island, in which the team braved capricious weather while manning camps on the island’s Atlantic Cove and Northeast Island sites.
“That island, in my opinion, experiences all four seasons in one day,” noted Wayne, K8LEE, who served as the DXpedition’s dedicated RTTY operator. “It can be very, very rainy with high winds—30, 35 knots—and very cold and damp in the evening, and then in the morning it’s extremely hot.”
Tom, KB8UUZ, DX Engineering technical writer, received the QSL card below from the 2016 CY9C DXpedition. The card’s back provides an excellent view of the Northeast Island site.
(Image/DX Engineering)(Image/DX Engineering)
KB8UUZ earned the QSL card below by reaching CY9AA on six meters in June 1997.
(Image/DX Engineering)
Mark, W8BBQ, DX Engineering customer/technical support specialist, received this QSL card from the July 2014 CY9M DXpedition. He worked CY9M on 160, 80, 40, 15, 12, and 10M CW; and 40, 20, and 17M SSB.
Editor’s Note: Every month, DX Engineering features QSL cards from our team members’ personal collections. To highlight upcoming DXpeditions, we’ll be displaying a few of our favorite cards along with details about what it took to make these contacts. We’re excited to share some of the special cards pulled from the thousands we’ve received over the years. We look forward to seeing your cards as well!
The Rig in a Box (RIB) N5J DXpedition to uninhabited and infrequently visited Jarvis Island (a dual DXCC entity with Palmyra Island) is only about a month away. If Jarvis/Palmyra is one of the few remaining locations standing in the way of your goal of “working the world,” N5J—scheduled to run from August 5-17, 2024—presents an excellent opportunity to check off this ultra-rare entity from your list.
The N5J at-island (local) operating team of Don Greenbaum, N1DG; Mike Snow, KN4EEI; Tomi Pekarik, HA7RY; Rig in a Box innovator George Wallner, AA7JV; and Adrian Ciuperca, KO8SCA will be joined by remote CW and FT8 teams from around the world who will be active via Starlink. Chasers will be able to reach operators on 160-6M in SSB, CW, and FT8.
N5J members have been working with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) officials for several years to obtain permission to operate from the Jarvis Island National Wildlife Refuge. The Rig in a Box concept, which allows hams to operate remotely through self-contained stations (radio, antenna, and power) set up on land, helped to make this activation possible. The local team will be conducting the DXpedition from the MV Magnet, a vessel that will be just offshore of Jarvis Island.
About Jarvis Island
Located in the South Pacific Ocean halfway between Hawaii and the Cook Islands, 1.7-square-mile Jarvis Island is an unincorporated, unorganized territory of the United States. It is administered by the USFWS as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system. Jarvis was declared part of this system in 1974. In 2009, President George W. Bush designated Jarvis Island as part of the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument.
OnAllBands Geography Question of the Day
Jarvis Island is one of a handful of U.S. territories that have the distinction of being both “unincorporated” (not fully incorporated under the U.S. Constitution) and “unorganized” (directly administered by the federal government). Several rare DXCC entities are included among this list (e.g., Baker Island/Howland Island, Johnston Atoll, Wake Island, Midway Islands, and Navassa Island).
Can you name the only unincorporated, unorganized U.S. territory that is populated? Answer below. Can’t wait? Find the entity in question in this OnAllBands article.
DX Engineering Gear to be Employed on Jarvis Island
In DX Engineering’s ongoing mission to stand beside hams who are putting rare DXCC entities on the air, the company contributed a range of gear to complement the RIB setups:
The avid DXers at DX Engineering have made several contacts with operators on Jarvis and Palmyra islands over the years. Here are a few of their QSL cards, from the oldest to the latest.
Wayne, K8FF, DX Engineering customer/technical support specialist, worked the K1AZA/KP6 Palmyra Island DXpedition in May 1962 when his callsign was K8WOT.
(Image/DX Engineering)
Scotty, KG9Z, DX Engineering customer/technical support specialist, provided us with QSL cards from Palmyra W0RLX/KH5 1988 and Jarvis Island AH3C/KH5J 1990—the last time Jarvis was activated. The ten-day AH3C/KH5J operation, which employed Butternut Vertical Antennas (acquired by DX Engineering 25 years later) netted 55,000 QSOs. Among the operating team was Martti Laine, OH2BH, one of the most accomplished amateurs of all time. AH3C/KH5J marked only the second time that Jarvis Island had been put on the air.
The 1988 W0RLX/KH5 activation was the first to Palmyra since the ill-fated 1980 K6LPL/KH5 DXpedition, which began with a crash landing in a Palmyra airfield, severely injuring one team member who was medevacked off the island. The DXpedition was later aborted due to another operator injury.
Tom, KB8UUZ, DX Engineering technical writer, received the QSL card below for contacting the DX Engineering-supported K5P January 2016 DXpedition to Palmyra Atoll. Read this fascinating article by K5P operator Hal, W8HC, about some of Palmyra’s history and the team’s DXpedition that recorded more than 75,000 QSOs.
I’ll take “Unorganized and Unincorporated” for $1,000, Ken.
So, were you able to name the only populated U.S. territory that is both unorganized and unincorporated? If you said “American Samoa” (population 44,600), give yourself a pat on the back! While American Samoa is self-governing, it is technically considered “unorganized” because the U.S. Congress has not passed an Organic Act for the territory that specifies how it is to be governed. American Samoa is one of two U.S. territories south of the Equator. The other? Today’s featured entity, Jarvis Island.
Editor’s Note: Every month, DX Engineering features QSL cards from our team members’ personal collections. To highlight upcoming DXpeditions, we’ll be displaying a few of our favorite cards along with details about what it took to make these contacts. We’re excited to share some of the special cards pulled from the thousands we’ve received over the years. We look forward to seeing your cards as well!
As we’ve discussed at length at OnAllBands, effective soldering can be tricky, especially if you don’t have the right tools. DX Engineering understands the importance of equipping your shack with proven equipment that makes even the most delicate jobs a lot easier.
That’s why you can find a range of reliable soldering tools and accessories from leading brands (Eclipse, ECG, Kester, Milwaukee Tool, American Beauty) at the tools & supplies section of DXEngineering.com. Choose from high-quality solder wire, flux, rechargeable and wireless soldering irons, temperature-controlled soldering stations, desoldering stations and pumps, soldering tools for printed circuit boards, soldering tip cleaners, magnified alligator-clip work holders, and more.
If you’re a novice when it comes to using a soldering pen or need to brush up on your technique, read this article from Mark, K8MSH, “Ham Radio 101: Soldering Tips.”It’s also a good reminder to treat these tools with a great deal of respect by taking all necessary safety precautions to avoid injury when soldering.
Finished the article? Great! Now check out the latest Eclipse Tools soldering products available at DXEngineering.com:
This unit features a selectable 20- or 40-watt temperature setting, making it easier to switch from general electronic soldering and repair to cable terminations or hobby and craft projects. The station is ideal for both professional and do-it-yourself projects and comes equipped with a pencil tip-style soldering iron, built-in stand, and tip cleaning sponge. Find many more soldering guns and irons at DXEngineering.com.
This heavily weighted mini work stand features a universal joint for positioning your work, along with an arm and two strong alligator clamps to hold parts in place or wires for soldering. For tiny projects, the work stand includes a magnifier that will make minuscule parts look big. A great choice for amateur radio repair, RC hobbies, model railroading, crafting projects, and many other purposes.
Featuring a compact, cordless design for optimum portability, the seven-inch-long SI-BI62 boasts a rapid heat-up time of only 15-20 seconds, ensuring that it’s ready to use at a moment’s notice. The safety cap automatically powers down the device when it’s attached. Power consumption is only 8W, with a maximum temperature of up to 842° F. It maintains a soldering temperature of at least 600° F. Requires three 1.5V alkaline AA batteries (not included).
Designed for precision soldering tasks, the SI-186A features digital temperature control for accurate heat management. It’s equipped with a ceramic heater that ensures rapid heating and recovery, boasting a power consumption of only 60W and temperatures ranging between 392° to 932° F. Other features include temperature correction and a smart memory that automatically remembers the last used temperature. The SI-186A comes with a replaceable long-life tip, soft grip handle, and LED display.
This coiled-wire type cleaner doesn’t burn and won’t allow solder to stick. Since the soldering iron tip cleaner is used dry, it won’t cool your iron when you clean the tip. All it takes to provide a clean tip for smoother solder flow is a quick wipe of your iron through the steel-wool style cleaning ball.
This versatile station is useful for rework and soldering operations on a broad range of components, as well as for heat shrinking, drying, paint removal, pre-heating, glue soldering, and more. The SS-969E offers adjustable settings for airflow, air volume, and temperature, providing users with a high degree of control. At 700W, it delivers a wide temperature range of 212° to 842° F and features an auto cool-off process to extend the life of the heating element. Safely solder QFP, PLCC, BGA, and other temperature-sensitive components with ease.
Sold in packs of two, Eclipse Tools fine-tipped flux bottles evenly dispense flux. A gentle squeeze of the bottle allows the fine-tipped needle to deposit flux exactly where you need it for a precision application.
This 700 lumen, LED magnifier table lamp features 2.25X(5D) magnification, a scratch-resistant glass lens, low-temperature LEDs, standard desktop clamp mount that fits surfaces up to 2.56 inches thick, and adjustable arm for easy positioning. Find other Eclipse Tools desk inspection lamps at DXEngineering.com.
Okay, so Field Day is over. Hamvention 2024 is in the books. Contest Season is months away. The rare Glorioso Islands DXpedition is done. What’s a ham to do? The short answer is plenty! The long answer is, “If you can’t find a reason to get on the air, you’re not trying!”
Contesting doesn’t cool off during July, especially if you’re into operating in the great outdoors or prefer the challenge of chasing portable stations from the comforts of your air-conditioned shack (hey, you already toughed it out on Field Day, so you deserve a break). July offers one of the premier portable operating activities—the RSGB IOTA Contest: July 27, 1200Z to July 28, 1200Z.
Whether you’re a chaser or activator, the Radio Society of Great Britain’s Islands on the Air Contest is a welcome chance to celebrate the world’s well-known and lesser-traveled island groups (more than 1,200 of them) dotting the planet. The contest is based on the RSGB IOTA awards program, established in 1964 to promote amateur radio and draw attention to the “widespread mystique surrounding islands.”
If you’re new to the RSGB IOTA Contest, which has been around since 1993, click here to read a guide for novices who wish to operate from an official IOTA spot or those who seek to make contact with IOTA stations. Bands for the 24-hour contest are 80, 40, 20, 15, and 10M on CW and phone. Also for new island operators, check out this article by blogger Sean Kutzko, KX9X, “Your First Pileup, Techniques for Success.”
US Islands Award
Summer is an excellent time to hold a mini-DXpedition by activating one of America’s multitude of islands that are part of the US Islands (USI) Awards Program. Celebrating its 30th year, the program has given hams across the country the chance to activate and chase a range of river, lake, and ocean shore islands, from the ones everyone knows (Manhattan, Maui, Key West) to spots perhaps only familiar to the peripatetic amateur operator (Tonganoxie, Shuler Bend, Little Scovell).
Here’s the coolest part. Participation doesn’t require a cost-prohibitive trip to Alaska’s Kiska Island. We’ll wager that there’s an island only a few hours away begging to be put on the air. Case in point, here are a few awards-qualified islands (followed by their program number) that are not far from DX Engineering headquarters in landlocked Tallmadge, Ohio:
South Bass (OH007L)
North Bass (OH006L)
Kelley’s Island (OH001L)
Turtle Island (OH038L)
As part of the US Islands Award program, OnAllBands blogger Sean, KX9X, activated Outer Island in the Thimble Islands group off Connecticut in the Long Island Sound. He netted nearly 150 contacts using five watts and a simple multiband dipole in a few hours of operating. (Image/Sean, KX9X)
The program lets DXers vie forhonors such as the USI Basic Honor Roll (QSOs with 100 qualified islands); Work All State Islands Award; and Work Ten Award (10 islands from one state). Find the complete list of more than 3,400 U.S. Islands here along with participation rules.
And be sure to check out DXEngineering.com, where you’ll find everything you need to activate an IOTA, POTA, or SOTA site, or increase your chances of reaching the many islands, summits, beaches, and lighthouses of the world. Not sure where to start? For activators, we recommend a complete DX Engineering POTA package that includes an Icom or Yaesu transceiver; Bioenno Power lithium-ion battery and solar panel; coaxial cable assemblies; antenna tuner; and more. Choose from four packages:
Beyond islands, there’s loads to do in July. We’ve showcased a few activities below. Good luck!
13 Colonies Special Event: July 1 to July 7. Already underway as of this post, this popular annual event challenges operators to make contact with stations set up in the original 13 U.S. colonies, plus three bonus stations.
Venezuelan Independence Day Contest: July 6, 0000Z to 2359Z. This annual CW/SSB/FT4 contest hosted by the Radio Club Venezolano celebrates Venezuela Independence Day (July 5), which commemorates its history of becoming South America’s first independent country in 1821.
NZART Memorial Contest: July 6, 0800Z to 1100Z and July 7, 0800Z to 1100Z. The nonprofit New Zealand Association of Radio Transmitters has been proudly serving Kiwi amateur radio operators in The Land of the Long White Cloud since 1926. A founding member of Region 3 of the IARU, NZART sponsors a number of contests and activities throughout the year, including this 80M-only CW/SSB event.
IARU HF World Championship: July 13, 1200Z to July 14, 1200Z. Open to all licensed amateurs, the International Amateur Radio Union’s HF World Championship encourages operators to make as many contacts as possible, especially with IARU member society HQ stations, on 160/80/40/20/15/10M.
QRP ARCI Summer Homebrew Sprint: July 14, 2000Z to 2300Z. This HF CW-only event sponsored by the QRP Amateur Radio Club International rewards stations with multipliers based on how little power you use, from 5W down to 55mW or less. Add big bonus points if operating a homebrew transmitter, receiver, or transceiver. “Homebrew” is defined as equipment that you build, kits included.
CQ Worldwide VHF Contest: July 20, 1800Z to July 21, 2100Z. Fans of 6M and 2M operating have this annual summer event marked on their calendars long in advance, anticipating the improved propagation and challenge of working the world while collecting VHF Maidenhead grid locations for award credits. The contest features single operator, hilltopper, rover, and multi-op categories. Get all the details here.
IARU Region 1 70 MHz CW/SSB Contest: July 20, 1400Z to July 21, 1400Z. Find all the rules here. From IARU Region 1, “The main objectives are to make as many contacts as possible and to have fun. Other objectives may include improving your operating skills, testing new equipment configurations and techniques, expanding your horizons by operating on the microwave bands, and exploring radio propagation.” IARU Region 1 covers Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and northern Asia.
Amateur Radio Club of the National Electronics Museum (ARCNEM) Commemoration of the First Live TV Broadcast from the Moon: July 19, 1300Z to July 21, 2200Z. The ARCNEM (K3NEM) will be operating W3A in recognition of the live TV broadcast that allowed the world to see mankind’s first steps on the lunar surface. Operation is scheduled for 80M and possibly digital modes.
Thinking of a cool trip this summer? Exhibits at the National Electronics Museum in Hunt Valley, Maryland, include one of the remaining Westinghouse lunar TV cameras, the development of the Morse telegraph and Bell telephone, Marconi’s wireless experiments, reproduction of an early amateur radio spark gap shack, and an operational amateur radio station.
YOTA Contest: July 20, 1000Z to 2159Z. This is the second of three rounds of the annual Youngsters on the Air Contest. Per the YOTA website, the contest is designed to increase youth activity on the air, strengthen the reputation of the YOTA program, and demonstrate support for youngsters around the world.
Maidenhead Mayhem Contest: July 20, 0000Z to July 28, 2359Z. From the Maidenhead Mayhem contest website (cue Twilight Zone theme music), “Imagine if you will, a contest that is truly different from most likely any other you have ever experienced. A contest that has indeed been over 40 years in the making.” Intrigued? We sure were at OnAllBands! Per the rules page, the objective is for amateurs around the world to contact as many other amateurs in as many Maidenhead grid fields as possible on 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, and 1o meters using CW, SSB, RTTY, FT4, and FT8. Unlike many contests, spotting is not only encouraged but amply rewarded. Find many more rules and explanations here.
North American QSO Party, RTTY: July 20, 1800Z to July 21, 0559Z. Here’s a great opportunity for both RTTY aficionados and novices. Designed for contesting beginners and veterans, North American QSO Parties are low-power-only (no amplifiers allowed) contests that are fun and challenging.
Want to learn more about RTTY? Check out these OnAllBands articles from Ed Muns, W0YK:
Alabama QSO Party: July 27, 1500Z to July 28, 0300Z.
MARAC U.S. Counties QSO Party: July 27, 0000Z to July 28, 2400Z. The Mobile Amateur Radio Awards Club (MARAC) is sponsoring the 53rd edition of this contest for county-hunting hams. The contest’s objective is to “establish radio contact with as many U.S. counties as possible in all 50 U.S. states with the emphasis on maximum scoring of mobile entries. Contacts are good toward the various MARAC awards including the initial Worked All Counties Award.”
Contacts can be made by phone, CW, and select digital modes that allow full two-way exchanges between both stations, such as FT4 with proper setup, per the rules. FT8 is not allowed since a grid square cannot define the county of operation. Find complete rules at the link above. Established in 1970, MARAC is a support group for county hunting and mobile activities with members all over the world.
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With permission from the Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans, the 10-operator CY9C DXpedition team is scheduled to put St. Paul on the air August 26 to September 5 from the windswept and treeless Northeast Island site, just off the coast of Nova Scotia.
The team of experienced hams, many of whom participated in the highly successful CY0S Sable Island DXpedition in March 2023, plan to be active on 160-6M, employing Yagis on 20-6M and elevated sloping dipoles and verticals on the low bands. There should be a good mix of modes available for filling bands (CW, SSB, RTTY, FT8, EME, Satellites), with an emphasis on Morse code contacts. Uninhabited and rarely visited St. Paul Island is approximately three miles long and a mile wide.
The island features an automated solar-powered lighthouse built in 1962—the third lighthouse which has served watercrafts between the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the Cabot Strait. Lighthouse chasers will be hoping to add this to their conquests (STP-002), as well as POTA (CA-0122) and IOTA (NA-094) enthusiasts.
The island is encircled by foreboding rock-faced cliffs, which will require the CY9C team to use two helicopters to transport gear and team members to the operating site.
DX Engineering was a proud sponsor of the CY9C 2016 St. Paul DXpedition. The company provided a range of gear used on the island, including the Butternut HF9V 9-Band Vertical Antenna.
(Image/DX Engineering)
Two operators from that DXpedition, Jay, K4ZLE, and Murray, WA4DAN, are also scheduled to operate in this latest venture. For CY9C 2024, DX Engineering has provided the following equipment for a Beverage antenna system:
DX Engineering Beverage Antenna System: This single-wire, single-direction beverage feed system (100 kHz to 30 MHz) designed by W8JI is immune to the strong signal overload and core saturation common in multi-transmitter environments, making it ideal for low-band DXers. It employs an isolated-winding matching-transformer system to significantly increase the signal-to-noise ratio in Beverage and other high-impedance antennas.
(Image/DX Engineering)
DX Engineering RPA-2 Modular Receive Preamplifier: This preamp delivers low internal noise and is optimized for the 300 kHz to 35 MHz range. The device is designed to help you hear the weakest signals without artificially raising the noise. Robust components allow this preamplifier to withstand high signal levels while providing superior dynamic range and third-order intercept performance that equals or exceeds most receiver and transceiver front-ends.
While you’re gathering the gear you’ll need for a successful ARRL Field Day 2024 (June 22 – 23), be sure to take some time to keep your skills sharp by participating in an array of contests and operating events in June, plus a unique star-spangled opportunity in early July.
13 Colonies
For many operators in the U.S., setting up portable stations on Field Day is quickly followed by participation in the 13 Colonies Special Event (July 1 – 7, 2024), which has grown to become one of the most anticipated weeks on the amateur radio calendar. In addition to breaking through large pileups to reach stations in the original 13 colonies up the East Coast from Georgia to Massachusetts, operators will have the challenge of making QSOs with three bonus stations for a clean sweep: GB13COL (Great Britain), TM13COL (France), and WM3PEN (Philadelphia). Modes of operation (SSB, CW, RTTY, Digital, et. al.) are up to each colony/state and bonus station.
Here are a few other contests and special events to mark on your calendar, including a few chances to enjoy 6 Meter Season:
80th Anniversary Commemoration of D-Day: June 6, 1500Z to 2000Z. This special event is being sponsored by the South East Metro Amateur Radio Club in Cottage Grove, Minnesota.
Portugal Day Contest: June 8, 1200Z to June 9, 1200Z. This SSB/CW 80-10M event, sponsored by the Redo dos Emissores Portuguesses, is held annually in honor of Portugal Day. Portugal Day commemorates the life of poet and national literary hero Lus de Cames, who died June 10, 1580. He is most remembered for his epic poem about Portuguese history and achievements, Os Lusiadas. This National Day of Portugal is celebrated in communities around the globe, including several U.S. cities. The contest is open to hams worldwide. Check out the rules here.
ARRL June VHF Contest: June 8, 1800Z to June 10, 0259Z. For amateurs in the U.S. and Canada to work as many amateur stations in as many different 2 degree x 1 degree Maidenhead grid squares as possible using authorized frequencies above 50 MHz. All legal modes are permitted.
VK Shires Contest: June 8, 0000Z to 2359Z. Per the contest website, the objective of this CW/SSB contest, sponsored by the Wireless Institute of Australia, is for amateurs around the world to contact as many “VK shires as possible in the contest period. VK amateurs are to work the world including VK, whilst the rest of the world can only work VK.”
LZ International 6 Meter Contest: June 15, 1400Z to June 16, 1400Z. This CW/SSB 50 MHz contest is organized by the Radio Club Lovech and the Bulgarian Federation of Radio Amateurs.
Audie Murphy’s 99th Birthday Celebration: June 15- 23, 0000Z-2359Z. The Sabine Valley Amateur Radio Association, K5GVL, of Greenville, Texas, is sponsoring this special event honoring the life of Audie Murphy (June 20, 1925-May 28, 1971), Hunt County Texas’ war hero and Congressional Medal of Honor recipient. Stations will be operating CW, FT8, and SSB from locations around the county and from the Audie Murphy American Cotton Museum grounds.
West Virginia QSO Party: June 15, 1600Z to June 16, 0400Z.
SMIRK Contest: June 15, 0000Z to June 16, 2359Z. Hams from around the world will be gathering on the air for SMIRK’s (Six Meter International Radio Klub) annual tribute to the “Magic Band.” From the group’s website: “It’s loads of fun. You can meet SMIRK members or become a SMIRK member during this contest. Just call ‘CQ SMIRK’ and you are sure to get some answers.”
ARRL Kids Day: June 15, 1800Z to 2359Z. Here’s a great chance to introduce a son, daughter, or grandchild to the thrill of ham radio. Why not let the young people in your life experience the same excitement you felt when making your first QSOs? ARRL Kids Day is also an important time to remind ourselves that the future of ham radio rests in getting youth pumped up about the fun and practical aspects of this great hobby.
Kids Day Project Idea
Looking for a sure-fire activity for ARRL Kids Day? DX Engineering’s Single-Band Low-Power Dipole Kit(below) gives you the essentials to build a dipole antenna: a center insulator, two end insulators, and a right angle BNC connector. The center insulator and end insulators are essentially printed circuit boards. Once assembled, the center insulator doubles as a wire winder. The end insulators also function as rulers, aiding in antenna tuning. You provide the coaxial cable, light support rope, and 14- to 26-gauge wire cut to the length of your desired frequency. Solder the six soldering points and you’re ready to fine-tune your antenna and get on the air. Available as a single kit or in packs of 10 and 25.
(Image/DX Engineering)
All Asian DX Contest, CW: June 15, 0000Z to June 16, 2400Z. Sponsored by the Japan Amateur Radio League, this annual event is for both Asian and non-Asian stations making CW QSOs on 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, and 10 meters.
Stew Perry Topband Challenge: June 15, 1500Z to June 16, 1500Z. Hams can enter this annual 160 meter, CW-only contest as single operator or multi-operator; high, low, or QRP power. High power is 1,500 watts output or whatever you can legally run in your country, whichever is less. Low power is 100 watts or less output. QRP is 5 watts or less, per the Stew Perry website. The challenge uniquely awards QSO point values based on distance between stations. Click here for complete rules.
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