The Republic of Trinidad & Tobago is a country in the southern Caribbean made up of the main islands of Trinidad and Tobago and several smaller islets. It’s scheduled to be on the air until Aug. 9 thanks to the 9Y4 activation by 8P6PE as 9Y4/8P6PE from Chaguanas on Trinidad. The HF operation will include several POTA sites. Equipment being used include a Yaesu FT-891 and Chameleon telescopic whips.

Trinidad (1,850 square miles, population 1.5 million) and Tobago (116 square miles, population 60,800) sit about seven miles north to northeast off the coast of Venezuela. With a population of more than 100,000, Chaguanas is the island group’s largest municipality.

Tobago is home to the Main Ridge Forest Reserve, the oldest legally protected rainforest in the world. British colonial administrators declared it a Crown Reserve in 1776 to preserve rainfall and protect agricultural lands. Take a few moments to watch this insightful video below about the Main Ridge Forest Reserve:

Tuvalu is a country in the Polynesian subregion of Oceana in the Pacific Ocean midway between Hawaii and Australia. It comprises three reef islands and six atolls. The T2JK DXpedition by JK1JXZ from Funafuti is on 80-6M. It’s scheduled to run until Aug. 7 but may be extended to Aug. 14. The T22TT DXpedition by the Rebel DX Group from Tuvalu wrapped up in July.

Funafuti, a coral atoll made up of 30 islets and a turquoise lagoon, is the capital of Tuvalu and home to 60% of the nation’s population (around 6,300 out of 11,500). This ranks Tuvalu as the second least populous sovereign country in the world behind Vatican City. 

Tuvalu has an average elevation of just two meters (six feet) above sea level—the reason scientists have made Tuvalu a point of discussion regarding climate change and rising sea levels. By contrast, Trinidad & Tobago is approximately 83 meters (272 feet) above sea level.

An article on the United Nation’s website, “Earth Day: The Battle to Save a Drowning Pacific Island Nation” noted that in 2025, due to concerns about the future of the islands, “more than 90 percent of Tuvaluans applied for a visa scheme to obtain residency or citizenship in Australia.” In 2022, Tuvalu’s government created the first “digital nation” in the metaverse “to preserve its statehood and culture if its physical territory disappears.” Scientists predict Tuvalu could become uninhabitable in the next 50 to 100 years.

QSL Cards

The active hams at DX Engineering have had great success contacting these entities 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 QSL cards from their collections.

Scott, N3RA, DX Engineering sales manager, contacted 9Y4D in Trinidad on FT8:

Tom, KB8UUZ, DX Engineering technical writer, produced these cards from his collection:

Here are QSL cards from Wayne, K8FF, DX Engineering customer/technical support specialist:

Visit DXEngineering.com for everything you need to upgrade your station to make sure you’re ready to add an ATNO QSL card to your collection.

You’ll find transceivers, antennas; a wide selection of amplifiers from ACOM, OM Power, Icom, and others; CW keys and paddles; headsets and speakers; and much more.

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 post It’s All in the Cards! QSL Cards from Trinidad & Tobago and Tuvalu appeared first on OnAllBands.

Funding a DXpedition is really like engaging in any other fundraising effort. They will get a small amount of large donations, then a larger amount of smaller donations, and so on. A good way to visualize this is with a fundraising pyramid. Using an example budget of $50,000, you’ll want X amount of contributions at this size, X amount at this size, all the way up to what is hopefully one or two contributions of X amount. This closely models the different sources of DXpedition contributions.

Let’s go over these different funding sources, why each is important, and how they come together to make a DXpedition go!

Team Contribution

DXpedition operators own their expedition, including being the foundation for the operation’s financial side. The common trend for major DXpeditions is 50% of the total cost is covered by the operating team. If a team has estimated a total budget of $100,000, and the entity is generally rare, somewhere around $50,000 will come out of community fundraising with the rest being covered by the team.

This number fluctuates depending on the expedition, and team financial responsibilities have trended upward on recent DXepditions. For instance, the 3Y0K DXpedition to Bouvet Island in 2026 had a significant majority of their funding come from the team. For contest expeditions, which is when someone chooses to go somewhere desirable for a contest, they usually pay 100% of their costs.

It’s also worth mentioning operators traveling on a DXpedition are also on the hook for budget shortfalls if they arise. Most external partners want to be paid on the agreed-upon terms, and those contracts and dates are set before you know how much money will be fundraised.

Foundations

Foundations provide two key supports to DXpeditions: a large donation and positive press for their support. When it comes to securing major funding, amateur radio nonprofit foundations, whose core missions are to advance the hobby, are often your heaviest hitters for dollars raised in a single donation. The two big players here are the Northern California DX Foundation (NCDXF) and the International DX Association (INDEXA). Like any grantor, these foundations have strict rules as to what they fund and what amount they will contribute (by dollar amount and as a percent of your budget). NCDXF has a focus on providing funding to operations going to the top 100 most-wanted DXCC entities, with a specific focus on the top 20. A grant request to one of these DX foundations will require:

1. An outline of your plans
2. A budget broken down into specific line items
3. For the team to agree to specific terms, like uploading the contacts made to Logbook of the World within a given time frame

NCDXF provides prospective DXpedition teams with a sample budget, which serves as a hint as to what they want to see and what portions of an expedition they wish to fund.

By jumping through these hoops and demonstrating commitment and planning to the DXpedition, you’ll secure the largest single donation to the project early on. This is very important for managing cash flow and having enough capital early on to pay bills. Additionally, receiving a grant from a major DX foundation acts like a megaphone, generating great positive press for the rest of the DX community, which will help out with raising the rest of the needed funds and bringing attention to your operation.

Clubs

Moving a step below focused DX nonprofits on our fundraising pyramid, many amateur radio clubs have money in their own budgets earmarked to fund public projects, especially clubs focused on DXing. These clubs are often regional rather than national or international. Getting support from clubs is a much different job than applying for a grant. Think of it like a roadshow drumming up support for your DXpedition. Clubs will ask you to attend a meeting and present your plans, or they may want some sort of writeup to share with their membership, or both.

There are hundreds of clubs that have funded DXpeditions, so this can take up a lot of time! Thankfully, this process has been made significantly easier in the 21st century with the advent of remote presentations. One key benefit of going around giving club presentations is the word of mouth between people in local communities. A presentation to an area’s DX club will probably be talked about at general purpose clubs, which may lead to them reaching out to see how they can help.

Individuals

Individual contributors have their own habits and schedules unique from any other funding source. There will always be some amount of incoming donations from individuals starting when a DXpedition is announced to when it concludes. What makes individuals unique is the volume of donations is correlated to specific events related to the project. An influx will come in when an expedition is announced, when a status update is made public, when the project is the subject of a YouTube video or podcast, when the team leaves for the expedition, and once the team is on the air from the location. Yes, there will be received donations to account for after everything is paid for.

Equipment Sponsors/Loans

A savvy DXpedition will look to reduce costs as well as maximize donation income. This is where equipment sponsors provide a lot of assistance. Instead of buying three to eight radios for a single expedition or bringing a piecemeal of the various radios the team members may have, a radio manufacturer may offer equipment to use for the duration of the operation. This is most often in the form of a long-term loan. This is good for the DXpedition because they now have the same radio to deal with as far as configuration and setup, saving time, and it serves as a great marketing opportunity for the manufacturer: “Our radio was used successfully on this remote island.”

Equipment sponsors can also be from groups you don’t expect, and they need not be radio-specific. A lot of DXpeditions to remote locations require the team to set up all of the infrastructure needed not just to operate, but to survive. Outdoor brands that manufacture tents or camping rations may want to test their equipment in these harsh conditions and will provide such equipment with an ask to provide feedback or testimonials on performance in that location.

A specific shoutout goes to DX Engineering for its continued support of DXpeditions. So many expeditions credit DX Engineering for providing assistance with their project, and this comes in the form of all the line items you don’t think about, like coax, adapters, and the items you probably have in your shack and would prefer they stay there.

Putting It All Together

With all these funding sources now explained, how do they all work together to make a successful DXpedition? Let’s pretend we’re planning a DXpedition with a team of 12 people.

The key costs are:

1. Travel
2. Accommodations
3. Actual radio equipment

Based on some known costs, this means the budget will be somewhere in the $150,000 range before financial support from the community. Taking that number and dividing it by the 12 team members brings us to a raw cost of $12,500 per team member.

If this entity is in the top 50 or so, we can expect some serious community support. NCDXF has decided to contribute $15,000, and INDEXA has decided to contribute $5,000, bringing our total foundation support figure to $20,000. Now each team member is paying $10,833.

After giving a few dozen club presentations, 15 clubs decide to contribute what totals to another $7,500. Now each team member is contributing $10,208 to make the operation happen.

Between a couple manufacturers and retailers, we’re now able to remove all the costs associated with radio equipment at about $30,000. Now, each operator is contributing $7,708, because after the foundation grants, club donations, and equipment loans the remaining budget to account for is $92,500. This is a 38% reduction in cost for the team.

After a long campaign on social media and public press releases, individual contributors from around the world bring in another $15,000 before we depart for the island. We’ve now successfully managed to cover about 50% of our budget from the community, meaning each team member will now contribute somewhere around $6,500.

The post A Look at DXpedition Funding appeared first on OnAllBands.

Case in point—the company’s solid-state Power Genius Amplifiers. They deliver 1,500W-plus of output across the 160-6M bands using dual NXP MRF1K50H LDMOS transistors, each rated for 1.5 kW. Users can expect high headroom, low IMD, clean signal output, and a host of other benefits.

4O3A Power Genius XL Amplifiers come in two versions: the SO2R model with true SO2R capability, offering 70 dB of isolation between two inputs; and the 3X1 version that features a 3-to-1 antenna switching module, allowing you to connect three antennas to a single radio.

DX Engineering is the exclusive U.S./Canada distributor of 4O3A amplifiers, Tuner Genius XL Antenna Tuners, the Antenna Genius 8×2 Plus Antenna Switch, and other equipment. Find the full lineup of 4O3A products available at DX Engineering here.

How do DX Engineering customers describe their 4O3A Power Genius Amplifiers? As one satisfied user said, it’s “bullet proof,” “built like a tank,” “and your last amp for sure.” 

We’ll let Michael, a DX Engineering customer, go into more detail in his five-star review at DXEngineering.com:

“I finally got my hands on the 4O3A Power Genius XL HF/6M SO2R amplifier after waiting over a year, and man, it was worth every second of the anticipation. Paired with my FLEX-8600, This thing integrates like it was made for it—seamless LAN control means band changes, PTT, and power levels sync up automatically without any fiddly cables or manual switching, turning my station into a contest-ready powerhouse from barefoot FT8 to full 1,500W+ blasts across 160-6 meters.

The solid-state design runs cool and consistent, pumping out legal-limit power with a touchscreen that’s intuitive for quick tweaks, and those four SO239 ports make SO2R a breeze for my skyloop and dipole setups. I’ve been running FT8 profiles at 500W steady with no distortion or heat issues, and it handles my high-power antenna feedline perfectly, even with the tuner on deck next. Couldn’t be happier—rock solid build, zero glitches, and it just elevates the whole Flex experience. If you’re on the fence, don’t hesitate; I’d buy it again in a heartbeat and I’m already eyeing the matching Tuner Genius XL to complete the stack.”

Other features of the 4O3A amplifiers include:

• Ultra-fast SWR protection (<1 µs), over-temp, over-voltage, over-current
• Integrated MEffA (Maximum Efficiency Algorithm) that dynamically adjusts DC voltage for optimal efficiency
• Thermostatically controlled Smart Fans with high-efficiency heatsink
• Duplexed filters maximize harmonic suppression and efficiency
• CAT, band decoder, LAN interface for operation with other exciters
• Large touchscreen for local control and future upgrades
• Seamless integration with FlexRadio systems via SmartSDR
• Works with third-party transceivers through Ethernet, RS232, CI-V, and BCD interfaces.
• Support for remote operation via SmartSDR, Windows, and Android apps
• Measures 14.1″ x 6″ x 20″ and weighs 37.48 lbs.
• Input Voltage: 90-250VAC, 50/60 Hz*
• Power Supply: Internal Modular/ Switching
• Max A/C Current: 15A @ 220VAC or 120 VAC.

*220 VAC supply and 20A minimum required for full power. Maximum of ~750W when using the 180VAC or less.

NOTE: These amplifiers are shipped without a power connector on the end of the power cable. Customers are urged to work with their electrician to finalize AC power delivery.

Also find 4O3A amplifier accessories, including a rack mount shelf for the PGXL, 3:1 coaxial power splitter/combiner, radio switches, and more at DXEngineering.com.

Check out other OnAllBands posts covering amplifiers we’ve showcased, including ACOM, OM Power, and the Icom IC-PW2.

And be sure to read “I’ve Got the Power. What Else Do I Need?” for insights into other upgrades you’ll need to consider when adding a high-power amplifier to your station.

The post Guide to Amateur Radio Amplifiers 2026: Part 4, 4O3A Power Genius XL Amplifiers appeared first on OnAllBands.

Although one of my favorite parts of the hobby is the never-ending list of possible things to learn, it can be overwhelming to figure out which areas to focus on and what skills to start building. Often, teenage hams adopt the mindset that they must choose between ham radio and everything else, but you can indeed do both!

The goal is not to wait until you have free time in your schedule to get on the air— you have to be proactive and intentionally set aside time for ham radio activities. It does not have to be several hours every day. Just scheduling 15 minutes to check into a local net or get on the air and make a few QSOs before dinner is a great way to stay connected and active.

The most important step is learning to prioritize your schedule effectively. Family commitments and school assignments should be scheduled first. Ham radio should fit around your responsibilities, not take priority over them. If you want to operate in an upcoming contest, make sure you adjust your schedule to finish any school projects before the weekend.

Decide what you want to focus on and set small, achievable goals to accomplish during your scheduled ham radio time. If you are learning CW, maybe your goal is to make a certain amount of CW contacts during your operating time. Another goal could be to work one new DXCC entity this week, or to practice your soldering skills by building a simple kit.

Don’t wait until the last minute to plan how to spend the time. Research local ham radio clubs in your area and schedule time to attend their meetings. Use your transit time to your advantage. Rather than listening to music while driving to and from school, switch to ham radio podcasts, such as Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio and Ham Radio Crash Course.

One of the most important steps in staying connected and active, especially during a busy season of life, is to build a network of ham radio friends. Connecting with other young operators is easier today than ever before, thanks to the various youth programs available. Find a mentor through your local ham radio club and participate in as many club events as you can.

You can’t say yes to every single event or opportunity that comes up. That’s okay! You don’t have to work every single contest or chase every single DXpedition. Choose which activities you want to do and say no to the rest. Ham radio is meant to enrich your life, and learning to be selective about which ham radio activities you participate in will help you avoid burnout.

The good news is that ham radio isn’t going anywhere. There will always be another contest, another DXpedition, another award to chase, but the opportunities you have now to spend time with family and participate in school activities are more difficult to replace. Ham radio is a lifelong hobby, and the goal is to still be able to enjoy it years from now rather than try to accomplish everything right away. Setting clear priorities, building small habits, and having a good plan makes it possible for busy teenagers to stay active without sacrificing other i

The post Making Time for Ham Radio as a Busy Teen appeared first on OnAllBands.

KO4HUI graciously took a few moments to share with us his history in the hobby and details of the Cary, North Carolina, company’s spool-style antennas that have become favorites among portable operating enthusiasts. 

We understand that you’re originally from DX Engineering’s neck of the woods.

“DX Engineering was in my old backyard. I’m originally from Northeast Ohio. I landed in Akron to go to college. I did undergrad and grad school at the University of Akron in electrical engineering. So that’s kind of my home turf over there.

“I went to business school at Case Western in Cleveland and lived in Copley, Ohio, up until about 2012 when we moved to North Carolina. But Akron and the surrounding area hold a very close place in my heart. My wife and I still have family there.”

Could you tell us a little bit about your background in amateur radio?

“I got into ham radio right out of college. At my first job out of school, there were a bunch of guys there who were hams. They were very knowledgeable and helpful— like instant Elmers, not only in my career, but they started telling me about this thing called ham radio.

“I like to build and just tinker. I got on the air with my Technician class back in ’94. Back then I just used two meters. This is the classic ham radio story: Family came along, license expired, and then there was my career.

“During the pandemic—by that point my kids were going to college—I thought I should probably get back into it. I went back and retested for Technician and General in the same sitting and got the license back.

“I started doing a little bit of Parks on the Air®, and, man, it was so cool just being out in the park. But I was fighting the wire every time. I’d say to my wife, ‘I got 90 minutes, okay? I’m going to be back in an hour and a half. I’m going to run to the park.’ Then I’m spending 40 minutes untangling and tangling the wire, and it’s like, the clock’s ticking here, man.

“I wanted to get on the air, so I designed a spool to hold the wire. Then I got thinking, why don’t I put the UNUN, the matching transformer, inside the barrel of the spool? Have it all in one. Then I can spool it out quickly.

“The whole secret behind the design, if there’s one word—it’s radius. It’s the radius of that spool that you’re wrapping that wire around. If you’re going to wrap a wire across a flat surface, it’s a very small radius. And that puts a lot of kinks in that wire. And when you lay the wire on top of each other with kinks, that’s where the tangling starts.

“So, it’s all about keeping that wire around a larger radius. And that’s kind of the origin story of the Spooltenna.”

Can you talk about POTA and what that’s done for ham radio?

“I was really inspired by the folks on YouTube, Thomas Witherspoon and The Southern Ham. Just to watch those guys go out, set up a portable station, and have that much fun and not have to have a big tower at the house and fight the HOA. That’s what really intrigued me to get into this. I love being outdoors. I love being in the park, and if I can combine two hobbies into one, that’s a natural fit.

“I think I did half a dozen POTA operations before I started designing Spooltenna. I’d call myself 90% builder, 10% operator. I just love to build.”

Could you talk about the two models that you have and what makes them different?

“The original Parks model, it’s designed to drive up to a park and hike to a picnic table or to a rest stop. It’s really designed for ease of use, to get on the air quickly, with no tangles and easy rewinding.

“What we had in mind all along was: What if you’re going to do Summits on the Air or you’re going to backpack? I do a little bit of AT, Appalachian Trail, hiking as another one of my hobbies. And whenever I bring gear for AT hiking, every ounce matters. Because you start adding up your sleeping bag, your pack, and all that.

So, I got looking at the original parts, 12 and a half ounces, almost five inches in diameter. That’s going to take a fair amount of space in your pack. It’s not bulky necessarily, but it’s not as small as it could be. And if you peek inside the finger holes, there’s a lot of dead space in there.

“If you’ve got larger hands, the Parks Spooltenna is easy to handle. You can handle it with gloves on. But I thought: What if I optimized it for size? I give up a little bit on usability. If you’ve got bigger hands or gloves, it’ll be a little harder to handle, but there’s no dead space in the design. So, the Ultra model has got the same exact transformer, and I’m getting some volume and economy of scale with the parts.

“I put in 26-gauge wire (the Parks model uses 20-gauge). It’s Poly-STEALTH—the same as other antennas on the market. A very proven wire. And it turned out to be half the size and half the weight of the original. My design goal was a hockey puck, and it came out the same size as a hockey puck. It’s really compact; it slips in your pocket.”

“One other small design change on the ULTRA model: We put an extra little protection around the signal pin of the connector. It’s a little simple piece of electrically isolated copper wire. It’s not connected to anything. The whole idea here is that, hey, people are going to put that in their pocket. They have their keys in their pocket. They’ve got their pocket watch. They’ve got their knife. It protects that pin a little bit more.”

What can we expect from Spooltenna moving forward?

“We did a stealth bundle for Black Friday. It was a blacked-out unit in a black camo bag. We had overwhelmingly positive feedback from that. So, you can imagine there will likely be a black model coming out as a permanent offering. I don’t have timing on that. I would like for it to be this year, but we’re a really small family company, so we’re going to get it out as soon as possible.

“We’re doing some innovative things. It’s just the beginning.”

Also check out this DX Engineering video featuring Rob, KO4HUI, talking about the compact Spooltenna ULTRA model at Dayton Hamvention® 2026:

The post A Few Words with Spooltenna Founder, Rob Bowser, KO4HUI, on Untangling the Magic of Portable Operating appeared first on OnAllBands.

After starting to teach these CW classes, I realized that asking for help can be incredibly challenging for a lot of young hams. As the class instructor, I had the opportunity to teach them how to ask for help, even when they were intimidated.

When my CW instructor told about the anxiety and unsureness of his first CW QSO, he was met by numerous students who asked if he or someone else from the class would help them make their first on-air contact. Nearly every ham, no matter young or older, has had one of these moments where they wanted to ask for help with something but didn’t. It makes sense. Asking for help can feel intimidating, especially when you feel inexperienced in comparison to the other enjoyers of the hobby.

One of the most valuable parts of being an amateur radio operator is having access to an extensive network of people who value learning and supporting young people in their hobby. I’ve met countless amateur radio operators who have taught me more than I imagined possible, but most of this has happened because I asked for help. If you are nervous about asking for help or feel like you would be posing “dumb questions,” the feelings are understandable. Most of us have felt the same at one point or another, but it becomes easier the more you do it.

It’s important to note that amateur radio is an environment that rewards curiosity and a desire to learn just as much as having previous knowledge. There are countless aspects of the hobby. While some people choose to master one or two of them, nobody masters all of them. This means that all hams, regardless of age or experience level, are still asking somebody for help. Nobody expects you to know everything, especially as a young ham just getting started. Asking questions won’t make you seem unprepared; it will show you’re interested and invested enough in the material to fill in your knowledge gaps.

If the thought of finding someone to ask your questions feels overwhelming, you can start by asking in a group, perhaps a local club or a youth organization. It’s very likely that someone there will know the answer. If not, they’ll point you in the direction of someone who can help. You may even find yourself an Elmer who can answer more of your subject-specific questions later on in the process. If your local club doesn’t have an email list or a group chat, then you can also always ask on a local net.

One of the most important parts of learning to ask for help in the amateur radio community is to make sure you give back as well. All hams have something to offer, regardless of age, interests, or experience level. Answering the questions of new hams is one of the easiest ways to give back—and also one of the most impactful. Simply respond to their questions in email lists or in conversation at club meetings. You can also help them get on the air by assisting with station setup or by being on the other end of their first few contacts. These kinds of interactions are what make amateur radio such an amazing hobby.

Remember that asking for help isn’t going to reflect upon you poorly as a young ham—quite the opposite. It will help you learn and grow more than quietly nodding along and pretending you already know what’s going on. It will help you to feel like you belong in the group. Build up the courage to ask for help, and you’ll soon find yourself on the other side of the questions, helping those just getting started.

The post Ham Radio Youth Insights: How to Ask for Help in the Amateur Radio Community appeared first on OnAllBands.

Editor’s Note: OnAllBands is pleased to post a series of articles written by accomplished amateur radio contester and DX Engineering customer/technical support specialist Kirk Pickering, K4RO. The articles, originally published in the National Contest Journal from 2008-2011 and updated with current information, offer valuable insights for both contesters new and old.

***

I was chatting with fellow contester and WRTC competitor W4PA, and I asked him if he had any good ideas for the Contesting 101 column. Scott felt that developing a basic knowledge about antenna designs and beaming target areas was a major turning point in his contesting career. He recalled the time he set up phased verticals for 80 meters for Europe and realized just how important a role antennas can play in contesting success.

My own “aha moment” came after I installed my first Beverage receiving antenna. I simply could not believe that a whole new layer of stations to work was available, simply for the cost of a few hundred feet of wire and some grunt time in the woods with a compass.

There are hundreds of books and thousands of articles written about antenna design and construction, and I recommend that you try to learn as much as you can. What I will attempt to do in this article is explain some basic fundamentals about antenna selection and design specifically for contest operating.

Contests Are Different

The antenna needs of the contest operator are different than that of the casual rag-chewer or even the serious DX chaser. Because contesting is a race against the clock, we need to be able to adapt to varying conditions and situations very quickly. While the DXer is usually only working one specific station in one specific direction, the contest operator may have multiple simultaneous callers from many different directions. While the rag-chewer has plenty of time to crank the roller inductor on his tuner for maximum output on a single frequency, the contester is constantly changing frequencies–and even bands–and does not have the luxury of time to spend tuning anything.

Contesters need to have an above-average signal into the major population centers when bands are open yet still be flexible enough to be able to pick up the rare double multiplier on the difficult paths and bands. Some big contest stations may appear to have “too many antennas,” but chances are that there is a specific reason for each one. The old adage that “you can’t have too many antennas” is probably true, with two caveats:

1. Antennas can interact with each other and actually degrade performance if not carefully engineered and located.
2. One must be able to effectively use all of the available antennas.

An array of sixteen A/B switches might be pretty confusing to decipher on the second night of a DX contest, especially for guest operators.

Target Areas

A good place to begin is to understand the concept of target areas in contesting. While actual target area directions vary considerably depending on your geographic location, the concept is the same. The contester needs to focus first on the primary target areas for the contest in mind. For DX contests, this usually means EU (or NA if you are in EU). For North American contests, this usually means the U.S. east coast and California. In order to rack up a good QSO number, it is essential to understand where the target areas are located and to have a good signal into them.

From the east coast of North America, for example, DX contests rule, and Europe dominates the QSO count. That means that folks who want to do well in DX contests should start their efforts by getting a big signal into Europe on as many bands as possible. For folks on the west coast of North America, Japan provides the majority of QSOs in a DX contest (although this trend is downward). Therefore, DX contesters on the west coast would be wise to construct effective antennas for JA.

For folks in the middle of the country, both directions are equally important. Domestic contests tend to favor the west coast, especially when the high bands are open. Their primary target area is the east coast, so it makes sense to cover the east direction first. In southern North America, it is important to have effective antennas for both the east coast and west coast. The point is that you want antennas that are effective into the areas where the operators are. For example, if you live in Tennessee and the only antenna that you can install is a dipole for 40 meters, orient it NW/SE to maximize your signal into the NE quadrant. (Remember that a dipole radiates strongest perpendicular to the wire.) There are simply more stations to be worked toward the NE than the NW from TN, so it makes more sense to cover that area first. Since a dipole radiates in two directions in a figure-eight pattern, you will also have a good signal to the SW. No single antenna is going to work effectively in all directions, and often two or more directions are needed simultaneously.

For starters, a good approach is to choose your two most important directions and start by building antennas optimized for those directions. Even simple antennas have directions where they are strong (lobes) and directions where they are weak (nulls). When you know where the nulls and lobes are located, you can take advantage of this fact by using one antenna that is oriented specifically to place its lobes where the other antenna has nulls.

Some Examples

We mentioned the dipole above and how it radiates in two directions broadside to the wire. Keeping it simple, a great idea would be to add one more dipole and orient it perpendicular to the first one. That would give us the advantage of having two sets of directions to choose from. The null off of the end of a dipole can greatly attenuate signals, resulting in differences of 20-30 dB from another oriented perpendicular to it. That’s like having a very large amplifier turned on when switching directions. Even more importantly, it works on both transmit and receive. Add a vertical antenna for the lower angle signals, and you can enjoy considerable diversity in both azimuth and elevation from three simple antennas.

Be sure to include some kind of antenna switch so you can quickly select the best antenna for the current QSO.

Note that none of the antennas mentioned have any real gain over a theoretical reference antenna, but they have considerable gain over each other in different directions. Such a combination of simple antennas allows greater coverage in more directions than any single antenna possibly could.

Getting Some Gain

One amazing thing about antennas is that you can modify their performance by placing other antenna elements in close proximity. Using a vertical antenna as an example, the typical shape of the antenna’s response (looking down from the sky at the azimuth pattern) is a circle. By simply placing another vertical element a specific distance away, we can “squeeze” that circle into another shape, like a cardioid (heart-shaped) pattern. It’s like squeezing a balloon–we take energy away from one direction and squeeze the pattern into a new direction of our choosing. We can orient the antenna in such a way that most of our energy is being radiated in the desired direction (toward the population centers). Not only are we louder in the desired direction, but we can hear much better as well. Signals from all other directions are attenuated, while the desired direction has some gain.

Here is another example. After using nothing but wire dipoles and single vertical antennas for 40 meters, I wanted something better into Europe. I had loaded the boom of my tri-bander with an omega match. The rotatable boom dipole was great for a lot of multipliers, and it was my best 40 meter antenna to date. Unfortunately, I was still feeling weak into Europe. Most notably, anyone locally with a “shorty-forty” Yagi was cleaning my clock on 40M in DX contests. Plus, the QRM from everything west of me was deafening when trying to hear Europe. After a few different experiments with different designs, I put up a two-element wire beam fixed on Europe for 40 meters at about 70 feet. Once I got the ropes in the trees and the geometry correct, I had an antenna that really made a difference. For the first time, I could actually run European stations on 40 meters (even if somewhat high in the band). I was no longer always the last guy through in the pileups.

While I’d rather have a real rotatable 40M beam, the second wire element added to a simple dipole really made a believer out of me. A simple two-element wire beam is not that hard to construct, especially for the higher bands. You can find simple designs in publications such as the ARRL Antenna Book and ARRL Handbook.

The post Contesting 101: Basic Antennas for Contesting appeared first on OnAllBands.

W9IMS will be hosting a special operating event running July 20 through July 26, 2026 (0000Z-2359Z, 3.840, 7.245, 14.245, 18.140) to honor the Brickyard 400 race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Participation will get you a custom QSL card, something W9IMS does for every race held at the track. Make a QSO during each event and you’ll receive a certificate.

If this is your first time participating in W9IMS events, you sadly won’t be able to get the certificate this year since the IndyCar Grand Prix and Indianapolis 500 operating events took place in May 2026.

All the more reason to come back next year and get into the action, right?

About W9IMS

Formed by a group of hams who love the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, W9IMS became the track’s official amateur radio club in 2004. President and founder, David, K9RU, a former turn captain for the Associated Press on Turn 3, jumpstarted the group to merge his passion for motorsports and amateur radio.

Over the course of their more than 20-year existence, W9IMS has conducted special events for these races:

• Indianapolis 500
• Brickyard 400
• IndyCar Grand Prix
• United States Grand Prix (2000-2007)
• Indianapolis MotoGP (2008-2015)
• Indianapolis Balloon Race (2009-2010)

About the Brickyard 400

The Brickyard 400 initially waved the checkered flag on August 6, 1994, marking the first time the Indianapolis Motor Speedway let stock car racing onto its historic track.

Before that, the speedway almost exclusively hosted IndyCar racing. Its most prestigious race–the Indianapolis 500–has been held there every year since 1911. The track’s then-president, Tony George, was looking for a second premier race to host, and NASCAR wanted to capitalize on the popularity of the track to bring in new viewers.

The event got its name from the track’s nickname “The Brickyard.” This is in honor of its original racing surface, which was made of more than three million bricks. While it’s primarily asphalt now, the 2.5-mile track still features a small strip of bricks past the finish line. The first Brickyard 400 drew more than 300,000 fans, with 86 drivers trying to qualify for the 43-car field.

In almost no time, the race became one of NASCAR’s crown jewels, with one of the largest purses at just over $11 million. Even the qualifying races, which determined starting position in the actual race, drew large numbers of spectators.

Future NASCAR Hall-of Famer Jeff Gordon was the first driver to take home the gold at the Brickyard 400. What’s more interesting is that of the 32 runs, 30 of them have been won by NASCAR Hall of Fame team owners. The exceptions were Ricky Rudd, who drove for his own independent team in 1997, and Jamie McMurray, who won for Earnhardt Ganassi Racing in 2010.

The Brickyard 400 consistently drew hundreds of thousands of spectators until 2008, when controversy struck the track, marking what would become a slow decline in popularity for the event and stock car racing as a whole. This is when NASCAR introduced the “Car of Tomorrow,” which drastically changed car dynamics, shifting weight distribution and putting heavier loads on the right-side tires. Goodyear also developed a tire with compounds that, many racers felt, wore too easily and would break down much faster with the heavier stress put on them. The result was a longer race, as no driver wanted to push themselves and risk losing.

Attendance began to decline, hitting its lowest point in 2017, when only 35,000 people showed up to watch the race. Fortunately, though, the event has started to rebound. Last year, 70,000 peopled watched from the grandstands. While that’s a far cry from its glory days, it’s a start in the right direction.

The post Get High-Octane On-Air Thrills During the Brickyard 400 Special Operating Event appeared first on OnAllBands.

Everyone is older, seems to be more knowledgeable, and has more experience with the hobby. However, these feelings can be deceiving. Once you get to know the other club members, you’ll quickly realize that even if you’re the youngest in the room, you may not be the most inexperienced, and that even if you are, there are certainly a few other club members in the exact same boat.

Getting to know the other club members has a multitude of benefits. If you feel intimidated by the club, you’ll find that you’re not alone in your interests, skill level, or license class. There will be other members who may have more experience but also remember what it was like to be the new person. They’ll be happy to involve you in the club and welcome you into the group.

Initiating interaction with the other club members can also seem intimidating at first, but it really is the best way to feel more comfortable in the group. One thing that can help break the ice is wearing a callsign nametag if you have one. This way the other attendees can see your callsign and perhaps recognize it from hearing you on the air, which is a good conversation starter. Another tip: If you don’t already have a callsign badge and want to order one, getting the logo of a club or group that you’re a part of engraved also lends itself to being a good conversation starter!

Another way to start a conversation with the other club members is to just come up and introduce yourself. Having confidence will help you overcome any intimidation that you might feel, and it will help you integrate yourself into the club faster.

If you’re having a hard time mustering up the courage to introduce yourself or start to get to know the other club members, listen and observe. Not only will you probably learn something new about the hobby’s technical or social aspects, but you’ll be able to gauge the “vibe” of the group, learn who is who, and figure out how they interact with each other so that when you do decide to start integrating yourself a bit more, the process will be easier.

As you become more comfortable with the group, you can start involving yourself in the conversations by asking small and specific questions. For example, if you’re having trouble keeping up with a conversation because of the abbreviations or jargon being used, ask what these specific words or abbreviations mean rather than just saying, “I don’t understand.” By asking specific questions, you’ll be able to learn more than you would by just broadly saying that you don’t understand what the group is discussing.

While these tips can help you start to overcome feelings of intimidation, they’re not the only ways to do that, and they also probably won’t be instant fixes. Getting involved with the group and getting to know the other members take time, especially if your club only meets once a month. Sometimes older generations of hams can be hesitant to interact with the younger generations because they’re worried that the age gap may lead to too many misunderstandings or because they’re unsure of how to interact with younger hams in a way that is meaningful for both parties.

It’s also possible that you’ll try these approaches and still feel intimidated. This does not mean you’ll always feel this way or that something is wrong with you or the club. It’s perfectly normal to feel a little intimidated or anxious when joining a new group. Time spent getting used to the group can be the best way to start to feel more comfortable.

So, even if you still feel intimidated after your first club meeting or two, remember to give it some time and keep staying involved and integrating yourself into the atmosphere of the club. Once you find a group you feel comfortable with, your efforts will definitely pay off, and you’ll be grateful that you persisted through these challenges.

The post Amateur Radio Youth Insights: Tips on Interacting During Your First Ham Radio Club Meeting appeared first on OnAllBands.

With the announcement, DX Engineering became an exclusive distributor of Aurora 500-Watt HF/6-Meter SDR Transceivers in the U.S., extending its role within FlexRadio’s network of international distribution partners. In 2025, DX Engineering joined that network as an exclusive U.S. distributor of FlexRadio’s FLEX-8000 Series Transceivers, Maestro Control Console, and accessories.

Click here to check on availability of the four Aurora transceiver models at DX Engineering.

Learn More about the Aurora

A few months before Hamvention, DX Engineering’s Michael, KI8R, caught up with Tony, K1KP, Steve, N5AC, and Gerald, K5SDR, from FlexRadio during Orlando HamCation for a deep dive into this breakthrough rig.

At the heart of the Aurora is a revolutionary 500-watt PEP HF/200W 6-meter transmitter module that features a 500-watt solid-state power amplifier. The module achieves 80% nominal efficiency—a major leap over conventional MOSFET and LDMOS designs. This results in less heat to dissipate, a smaller heatsink, a lighter radio (18 lbs.), and exceptional RF performance. The Aurora’s compact, all-in-one design includes everything inside its rugged chassis: amplifier, automatic antenna tuner, and power supply with standard IEC plug accepting 80–264VAC.

Watch the video for a detailed glimpse into the Aurora transceiver directly from the team that brought it to life:

The post Learn About FlexRadio’s Aurora Transceiver from the Team that Developed It (Video) appeared first on OnAllBands.