About VK9XY

Led by Max Freedman, N4ML, who earlier in 2026 operated on Bouvet Island, the on-island VK9XY team is composed of ten young but experienced operators. Longtime DXpeditioners Gregg Marco, W6IZT, and Glenn Johnson, W0GJ, will join the team as advisors. You can view the team here. They will be operating on 160-6M in SSB, CW, and FT8, along with running a dedicated EME station.

In addition to team members who will be operating from the island, 30 to 40 young hams will operate VK9XY remotely via NexGenRiB2 (radio in a box) stations made possible through an equipment grant from the Northern California DX Foundation. The remote operating team will be led by OnAllBands blogger Kees Van Oosbree, W0AAE, and Steve Molo, KI4KWR.

For more information, visit the VK9XY website.

DX Engineering provided a range of equipment for the DXpedition, including:

• Various sizes of DX Engineering Aluminum Tubing
• DX Engineering Complete Fiberglass Tubing and Cam Lock Clamp Kit
• RG-8X PL-259 Low-Loss 50-Ohm Coax Cable Assemblies
• DX Engineering Ferrite RFI Suppression Kits

Read more about DX Engineering’s VK9XY contributions in this OnAllBands article.

In addition to DX Engineering-provided gear, the VK9XY team will be relying on FlexRadio Aurora transceivers and 4O3A Power Genius XL (PGXL) amplifiers.

QSL Cards

The seasoned DXers at DX Engineering have had great success contacting Christmas Island 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.

Mark, W8BBQ, DX Engineering customer/technical support specialist, reached VK9X/K7CO in March 2014 on 10/15M SSB. In September 2012, he contacted VK9XS on 17M CW.

Wayne, K8FF, DX Engineering customer/technical support specialist, provided OnAllBands with QSL cards from VK9XAB, which he contacted in August 2003 on 17M CW, and VK9XV, which he reached in September 2001 on 17M SSB.

Visit DXEngineering.com—Powered by Active Hams—for expert advice and everything you need to upgrade your station to make sure you’re ready when DXCC entities like Christmas Island are on the air.

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 Christmas Island, Soon to Be Activated by Young Hams appeared first on OnAllBands.

HF access has always presented a steep barrier for youth getting on the air. While Parks on the Air® (POTA) has gained tremendous traction with young operators thanks to how easily they can string up a cheap, simple wire antenna for quick fun on the high bands, the low bands—and the cost of gear—remain tricky. A good-quality 100-watt HF transceiver has rarely been attainable on a youth budget.

As a result, many young hams gravitate toward VHF/UHF handhelds, often remaining unaware of the vast, global world that exists beyond local repeaters. When I was starting out in amateur radio and searching for local clubs, I noticed that many seemed to highlight only repeaters and the business side of the club in their monthly meetings, rather than the greater picture of what can be done in amateur radio. It seemed many young hams who were interested in amateur radio would show up to these meetings, then become less interested because they didn’t get the full picture.

Enter Remote Ham Radio (RHR). Established to help operators limited by funds, land, or zoning restrictions operate a “dream station” over the internet, RHR later created an incredible, zero-cost bridge for the next generation: the Remote Ham Radio Youth Program.

Through this initiative, licensed operators under the age of 21 gain free access to a dedicated network of remote stations, ranging from simple wire dipoles in the Midwest to world-class, multi-element beam and amplifier setups spanning the globe. By logging into RHR’s simple web interface from a laptop or smartphone, a young ham can operate a high-performance HF station in real time without needing thousands of dollars in towers, transceivers, or directional antennas of their own.

Beyond traditional HF operating, the RHR Youth Program also opens the door to satellite communication through a fully automated remote station setup. Operating Low-Earth-Orbit (LEO) amateur satellites in the field is notoriously hands-on. It usually requires standing outside while juggling a Yagi antenna in one hand, fine-tuning a handheld radio for Doppler shift with the other, and constantly glancing down at a phone or compass to guess the pass trajectory. The RHR youth satellite station completely eliminates this friction.

Powered by an M2 LEO-PACK cross-polarized antenna system on an azimuth/elevation rotator, the entire setup tracks active ham satellites at the push of a button. Through the remote web interface, full-duplex satellite operation becomes seamless, allowing young operators to easily control VFOs, compensate for Doppler frequency shifts, and hear their own downlink signal in real time without ever needing to step outside or painfully balance equipment in the field.

But what about youth in contesting? Contesting is fully supported by allowing young operators to link industry-standard loggers like N1MM+ directly to RHR’s remote stations. Through virtual serial port pairs, local contesting software communicates seamlessly over IP with the remote server. For CAT control, frequency, mode, and VFO changes made inside N1MM+ pass commands over TCP/IP packets to sync the transceiver in real time, giving the operator full radio control right from their logging window.

For CW contesting, the interface leverages virtual WinKeyer emulation. When an operator triggers a macro or types on the keyboard in N1MM+, the software sends ASCII control characters to a virtual WinKeyer port. This eliminates latency-induced element distortion, allowing young hams to run high-speed pileups and compete in major contests using the exact same workflow as elite multi-operator contest stations.

The impact of the Remote Ham Radio Youth Program is profound. It makes HF operation simple without any extremely complicated software, strips away the financial friction, and lets youth experience the excitement of working DX, competing in contests, and exploring digital modes like FT8 from virtually anywhere. By bridging the gap between modern internet technology and classic radio craft, the RHR Youth Program isn’t just giving young operators a chance to key the mic—it’s actively shaping the future of HF amateur radio. I highly recommend this wonderful resource that young hams have at their fingertips!

The post The Remote Ham Radio Youth Program—Operating a Station Over the Internet at No Cost appeared first on OnAllBands.

The IC-7110, billed by Icom as “all band, all mode for every operating environment,” comes loaded with features, including a real-time spectrum scope and waterfall display, CW decoder, Wi-Fi (2.4 GHz/5 GHz), Bluetooth connectivity, and much more. Here’s a quick rundown of some of its features:

• Covers HF, 6 Meter, 2 Meter, and 70cm amateur bands in one compact transceiver
• All-mode operation including SSB, CW, AM, FM, RTTY, and D-STAR digital voice/data
• Innovative touchscreen control head with intuitive menu navigation and software keypad
• Detachable remote-mount control head for flexible mobile and base station installations
• Powerful output with up to 100 watts on HF/6M, 50 watts VHF/UHF
• Built-in D-STAR digital voice and low-speed data communications
• 32-bit floating-point IF DSP with advanced digital filtering and noise reduction
• Single USB connection for rig control, audio, and digital mode operation
• SD card slot for settings backup, memory management, and data storage
• Compact, mobile-friendly design with integrated speaker and convenient front-panel connections

Further, the IC-7110’s advanced dual-receiver architecture enables true HF/VHF or HF/UHF dual-watch capability, allowing operators to monitor multiple bands simultaneously while maintaining independent operating modes for each receiver. Its 4.3-inch color touchscreen display features a real-time spectrum scope and waterfall display that lets you instantly identify open frequencies, monitor band activity, and visually track signal movement across the band with exceptional clarity.

The transceiver’s simplified FT8 setup lets you automatically configure the radio for FT8 operation with a single preset selection. Additional customizable presets provide flexibility for future digital modes.

CW operators benefit from the integrated CW decoder technology derived from Icom’s acclaimed IC-7300 series, offering adjustable decoding parameters to optimize performance under varying band conditions.

Tale of the tape: 5 lbs., 7.9″ W x 3.3″ H x 3.2″ D

Visit DXEngineering.com to place your reservation today and check on availability. 

The post Place Your Reservation for the New Icom IC-7110 All Mode Transceiver at DX Engineering appeared first on OnAllBands.

Note: Starting with this article, I’ll be adding Protected Area Radio Community (PARC) numbers along with the POTA and WWFF references. PARC is similar to the other two and uses a numbering system similar to POTA. I’ll talk more about it in an upcoming article.

***

This week, let’s talk about POTA After Work. When I first got involved with Parks on the Air® (POTA), some of my favorite activations weren’t the ones I spent days planning. My favorites were sometimes those spur-of-the-moment ones I decided to do at about four in the afternoon. This was especially fun in the winter because I had a limited amount of time to operate before dark.

I’d leave work and look for a nearby park. No rove was planned ahead of time—simply a spontaneous couple-hour activation at a local park. Sometimes I just wanted to put the radio on the air for an hour, make a few contacts, and enjoy the end of the day.

My favorite location in those days was the First Ladies National Historic Site (US-0813/KFF-0813). This site is in downtown Canton, Ohio, and is bordered to the north by a three-story parking garage and to the east by a six-story hotel. If you think that doesn’t matter, then you have never operated from an RF hole before. As with most cities, downtown areas are not especially RF quiet. There’s lots of QRN to deal with. But I kept at it and eventually earned my Kilo at this location. In the process, the Repeat Offender Award also landed on my account.

With fall approaching and the days getting shorter, those after-work activations become a little more challenging. There isn’t nearly as much daylight left when the workday ends, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t enough time for POTA.

In my case, there were plenty of days when I would be looking at park stats before leaving work. It didn’t take much coaxing to convince me to head to a local park.

I’m very fortunate to have several choices when choosing a location for an after-work activation. Here in Stark County, Ohio, we are close to a number of POTA parks. Besides First Ladies, there’s also Quail Hollow Park (US-1987/KFF-1987/US-OH-1987).

Quail Hollow Park seems an unusual exception to the POTA park criteria. It was once a state park but was transferred to county management back in 2016.

Another POTA after-work location has been the Zepernick State Wildlife Area (US-9522/KFF-6493/US-OH-9522) in Columbiana County. Then there’s the Lake Park State Wildlife Area (US-9473/KFF-6897/US-OH-9473) near home.

Anyway, back to the story. An after-work activation works because you’re not treating it like Field Day. The equipment is probably already in your vehicle. Setup takes minutes, and ten QSOs is all you need for POTA.

If you aren’t carrying a basic POTA station in your vehicle, why not? Is it because of the possibility of damage? I can sure understand that. My solution was to invest in a couple of plastic equipment cases for my gear.

They are readily available and inexpensive. DX Engineering sells the line of NANUK cases, which are a more reasonably priced alternative to Pelican cases.

I’ve found that the Afternoon Shift from noon to 4 pm can be a bit slow for POTA. So that’s another plus for getting out there after work. The bands seem livelier, which means more contacts. If you decide to hang out until 0000 UTC, there’s always the Late Shift to enjoy. Late Shift refers to those evening contacts made after the change of UTC day. Any stations you’ve worked so far can be worked again since it’s a new UTC day. I enjoy Late Shift because of the extra burst of contacts that appear.

There was even a little game I played occasionally. I’d arrive at a park 30 minutes before the end of the UTC day, then attempt to make my ten contacts before the day changed. Could I complete an activation before the UTC clock rolled over? Sometimes I could; other times, not so much.

But more often, a POTA after work looked more like this:

• 4 pm – Leave work
• 4:30 pm – Arrive at the park
• 4:45 pm– First contact
• 5-5:15 pm – Contact #10
• 5:30 pm – Head for home

That’s all it took. Sometimes, I’d stay later and wait for the Late Shift, but usually, I’d leave after 10-15 contacts.

Someday, after I retire, I suppose I’ll have all day to go play radio in a park. I can leave in the morning, activate as many parks as I want, and come home whenever I’m finished.

But I’m not sure that will make these little after-work activations obsolete.

There’s something satisfying about looking at the clock at the end of a workday, realizing there’s still a little daylight left, and deciding you’re not quite ready to go home. Sometimes ten contacts and an hour in a park are all you need.

And that’s it for now. Next time, I’ll give my impressions on the new POTA website, which is currently in beta mode. For now, let’s get out there and activate something!

73 DE WG8X

The post Ham Radio Portable Insights—POTA After Work appeared first on OnAllBands.

DX Engineering—Powered by Active Hams—has been a leader in making entertaining and educational content available to hams everywhere through our YouTube channel and Facebook page that feature videos about the latest products, technical advice, and interviews with DXpeditioners, youth operators, amateur radio innovators, and members of our own team_.

We’re pleased to announce a new show, “Creator Spotlight,” that highlights other content-makers who are sharing their insights about the world’s best hobby. The show runs Fridays at 4 pm ET on DX Engineering’s Facebook page. Check out these “Creator Spotlight” episodes with Salty Walt (Walt Hudson, K4OGO), who runs the Coastal Waves & Wires YouTube channel, and Hobby Steve (Stephen Salter), KJ5MQE, who posts popular amateur radio content on his YouTube channel

“Creator Spotlight” features content creators who are valued members of DX Engineering’s Affiliate program. For more details about the program, read this OnAllBands article, “DX Engineering Invites Content Creators & Website Owners to Join Its New Affiliate Program.”

Click here to apply to become a DX Engineering affiliate partner.

The post New DX Engineering Facebook Show Features the Best of Amateur Radio Content Creators appeared first on OnAllBands.

You know your transmitter is working. Your antenna hasn’t fallen over. The SWR meter isn’t screaming mismatch. You may even be putting out several hundred watts. So why can you hear them, but they can’t hear you?

The simple answer is that radio communication is a two-way street, but radio propagation and equipment performance are not necessarily equal in both directions. Several factors can make the signal you receive much better than the signal you transmit to the other station.

Better Ears

The first possibility is your radio equipment. Modern receivers can be remarkably sensitive. Your receiver may be able to pull a weak signal out of the noise that another station cannot copy.

The same thing can happen with antennas. Maybe you’re using a directional antenna with some gain while the other operator is using a modest dipole or vertical. You may hear their signal because your antenna is doing a better job of receiving it.

Receiver noise is another factor. If your location has a relatively quiet noise floor, a weak station can sound surprisingly strong. But the other operator might be sitting under a mountain of electrical noise from power lines, computers, LED lighting, solar equipment, or some mysterious source of RFI designed to annoy radio amateurs.

From the other op’s perspective, your signal isn’t necessarily absent—it may be buried under the static.

Listening Somewhere Else

There’s also another simple explanation: You’re not transmitting where the station is listening. During a pileup, a DX station may announce “listening up five,” meaning he’s transmitting on one frequency but listening several kilohertz higher. If you continue calling on his transmit frequency, you may hear him while he never hears you.

Split operation is one of those things that seems obvious after you learn it, and somewhat mysterious before you do. It’s a simple strategy to spread out a crowd of stations, while keeping the calling frequency open—provided everyone follows the rules.

Antennas Matter

Antennas are rarely equal (even when they appear to be) because the surrounding environment significantly influences their performance. An antenna is only half a system; the environment around it is the other half. Suppose you are using a full-size dipole at 40 feet in an open rural setting, while the other operator has one like yours snaked through several trees on a city lot. His signal may arrive at your station with an S9, while your signal arrives at the other station considerably weaker.

Antenna polarization can also play a role, particularly on VHF and UHF. A vertically polarized antenna communicating with a horizontally polarized antenna can suffer significant signal loss. That’s why you see mobile commercial and safety forces using vertical antennas. You want your signal concentrated near the ground—a low takeoff angle—toward the horizon. RF energy shot upward at a high angle goes straight into space and is wasted on passing UFOs.

Propagation

We often imagine radio propagation as a simple highway connecting two stations, point A and point B. In reality, HF signals can take several different paths through the ionosphere, and the conditions along those paths can change.

It is important to make one distinction here: The propagation path itself is generally reciprocal. In other words, if a particular ionospheric path allows your signal to travel from Ohio to Europe, the same basic path may also support a signal traveling from Europe back to Ohio.

So why can one station hear the other much better? The difference is often in everything surrounding the propagation path. The two stations may have different antennas, antenna patterns, takeoff angles, polarization, and local noise levels. A signal that arrives at your antenna at S7 may arrive at the other station at only S2—or maybe at S2 but underneath an S5 noise floor. In that case, you hear him perfectly while he hears little or nothing from you.

Ionospheric conditions can make this effect even more noticeable. HF propagation can change with frequency, time of day, solar activity, season, and the location of the two stations. A path that is excellent one moment can weaken or disappear later. Different antenna radiation patterns and angles can also cause each station to take advantage of the available propagation differently.

On marginal paths, a difference of only a few decibels can determine whether a signal is copied or lost in the noise. Your receiver is measuring the signal arriving at your station; it tells you very little about the signal-to-noise ratio at the other station.

Power Can Be Misleading

Another common assumption is that if you can hear someone well, you should be able to work them at the same power. Not necessarily.

This is particularly noticeable during contests and pileups. You may hear a rare station working one contact after another, with every signal apparently booming into your shack. You call repeatedly and hear absolutely nothing in response. That doesn’t automatically mean the operator is ignoring you. He may not hear you because so many stations are calling at once.

Your transmitter might be running 100 watts, but that doesn’t guarantee a strong signal at the other end. Antenna efficiency, feedline losses, polarization, propagation, and interference all affect your signal. Conversely, a station you hear strongly might be running much more power or using a highly efficient antenna system, making power alone an unreliable measure of signal quality.

Crank up the power? Using an HF amplifier doesn’t automatically mean more or better contacts. Doubling your power output only adds a tiny increase in signal strength. Going from 100 watts to 200 watts is a half S-unit change, or 3 dB, something the other operator may barely notice. Or
in some cases, it could be just enough to rise above the noise.

Don’t immediately assume that more power is always the answer. Improving the antenna is the least expensive option and can produce a better signal. Reducing feedline losses or finding a better operating location can often do more than simply adding an amplifier.

Location Makes a Difference

Your physical location can greatly affect both transmitting and receiving. On HF, your location can influence ground losses, antenna performance, and local noise levels. Buildings, terrain, and trees can all affect the radio environment and your success making contacts.

My winter operating location in Arizona was located at about 575 feet above sea level, surrounded by mountains. Even with a 500-watt amplifier and a dipole 42 feet above ground, making QSOs could sometimes be challenging. But move a station near those 1,500-foot mountaintops with a similar antenna installation, and it’s a totally different situation.

In radio, a few hundred feet of elevation can be worth a lot more than a few hundred watts of wishful thinking. A hill standing between two stations can make the difference between a poor and successful contact. Unfortunately, your signal doesn’t get to vote on where the hill goes.

What Can You Do?

If you repeatedly hear stations that cannot hear you, start with the basics. Check your antenna connections, feedline, SWR, power output, microphone settings, and operating frequency. Make sure your antenna is appropriate for the band and that you’re actually using the right one.

If possible, ask a nearby ham to listen for your signal. A local radio check can quickly tell you whether the problem is your transmitter or the propagation path. This is also a good time to adjust your microphone level, compression, and equalization for best audio.

Remember, amateur radio isn’t always fair when it comes to QSOs. One station can boom into your receiver while your signal struggles to get through. Sometimes it’s equipment, sometimes antennas, sometimes propagation, and occasionally it’s because the other operator is listening several kilohertz away while you’re enthusiastically calling on the wrong frequency.

In other words, hearing someone is only half of the equation. Making a successful contact requires both stations to hear—and be heard.

Shades of Grayline

Suffering from the propagation blues? Hop on the gray line.

Bands below 30 meters are perfect for exploring gray line propagation and making exciting DX contacts. In radio terms, the gray line is a narrow corridor of enhanced propagation. When your QTH is in the gray line, and your target station is also in the gray line—boom! The ionosphere enters a cooperative state, allowing long-distance communication with remarkably low power and minimal QRM.

However, this is a limited-time offer, lasting 15-30 minutes: once at dawn and once at dusk. It’s not guaranteed to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any weak signals.

For more details, see “Gray Line: The Twilight Zone of Radio Propagation” published in OnAllBands, July 2025.

The post Ham Radio 101: Why You Hear Stations That Don’t Hear You appeared first on OnAllBands.

The company’s selection of DC pass and DC block coaxial cable surge protectors provide serious protection against overvoltage transients. The devices use advanced gas discharge tubes to effectively dissipate high-energy surges. Other features include:

• Waterproof housing for long-lasting reliability
• Low insertion loss
• High surge-handling capacity for amateur radio stations and commercial/industrial environments

View all eight models of CITEL Coaxial Cable Surge Protectors available at DX Engineering.

In the video below, watch DX Engineering’s Michael, KI8R, discuss CITEL surge protectors and other grounding and bonding equipment you’ll find at DXEngineering.com.

Also take a few moments to watch Tim Duffy, K3LR, DX Engineering CEO, interview CITEL’s Andrew Jerez-Fernandez about the capabilities of the company’s coaxial cable surge protectors.

The post Product Spotlight: CITEL Coaxial Cable Surge Protectors Offer Vital Protection Against Voltage Spikes (Videos) appeared first on OnAllBands.

You’ll find a massive selection of portable-friendly gear at DXEngineering.com, including complete antenna systems from REZ (available exclusively at DX Engineering), portable antennas from Chameleon, DX Engineering Nomad fiberglass telescopic masts, and just about anything you’ll need short of mosquito repellent and bear spray.

Today we’re featuring a new addition to DX Engineering’s lineup: Portable Go-Bag Mounting Systems from W2HVH Enclosures for popular transceivers.

These enclosures provide a complete transport and operating solution. They keep your transceiver, fused power distribution, antenna feeds, and field accessories neatly integrated into a single, highly compact setup ready for immediate field deployment. The included Go-Bag incorporates a large, zippered storage compartment that offers ample room for cables, batteries, and other essentials.

Choose from these models available at DX Engineering:

Yaesu FTX-1 Portable Go-Bag Mounting System

The Yaesu FTX-1/Field Portable Go-Bag Mounting System integrates a mounting frame and faceplate featuring individually fused Anderson Powerpole® power and charging connections, along with SO-239 HF/50 MHz and 144/430 MHz antenna connections.

The enclosure is designed to accommodate the optional FC-80 Automatic Antenna Tuner, which mounts on the back of the radio. The system features zippered front-panel openings that provide full access to the radio’s faceplate, allowing convenient operation while the radio remains installed in the bag.

Mounted inside the chassis is a four-position fuse block and a negative bus bar for clean power distribution. The system includes a battery mounting bracket designed to accept the BLF-1206A 6.0 Ah battery (sold separately), along with all internal wiring required for a tidy radio installation.

Icom IC-705 Portable Go-Bag Mounting System

Designed for portability and convenience, the Icom IC-705 Portable Go-Bag Mounting System includes an integrated faceplate that features externally accessible antenna connections for HF/50 MHz and 144/430 MHz operation, Anderson Powerpole® power connections, a battery charging port, USB data connection, speaker and microphone ports, a built-in voltmeter, and a master power on/off switch.

The enclosure includes an IC-705 diplexer kit, allowing seamless connection of both HF/50 MHz and VHF/UHF antenna systems. Mounted inside the chassis is a fuse block and negative bus bar for clean and organized power distribution. A battery mounting bracket is also included, along with all internal wiring required to support the radio installation.

The system features a durable slide-out mounting tray with integrated grab handles, providing easy access to equipment and simplifying installation or removal of the radio.

Icom IC-7300/9700 Portable Go-Bag Mounting System

The Icom IC-7300/9700 Portable Go-Bag Mounting System integrates a faceplate that features dual individually fused Anderson Powerpole® power ports, a battery charging port, an external USB connection from the radio, a built-in voltmeter, USB-A and USB-C charging ports, and a 2″ x 3″ speaker.

The system features front and rear access openings that allow convenient operation and cable management while the radio remains installed.

The mounting tray can be removed from the Go-Bag and installed directly into a standard equipment rack enclosure. Mounted inside the tray is a four-position fuse block and a negative bus bar for clean power distribution. A battery mounting bracket accommodates either a 15Ah or 20Ah battery (sold separately), and all internal wiring required to support either radio is included.

The post New Product Spotlight: W2HVH Enclosures Portable Go-Bag Mounting Systems for Icom & Yaesu Transceivers appeared first on OnAllBands.

FlexRadio’s Michael Walker, VA3MW, calls it a “powerhouse radio” in this interview with DX Engineering’s Michael Murphy, KI8R, during the 2026 Hunstville Hamfest:

Here’s a quick overview of key features:

• Direct Sampling SDR Architecture: 16-bit, 122.88 Msps direct sampling ADC delivers high dynamic range and ultra-low phase noise. This architecture enables superior signal clarity and eliminates the need for traditional analog conversion stages.
• Dual Independent Receivers with Full Duplex:Operate two independent receivers simultaneously on any band and mode, with full duplex cross-band capability. Each receiver supports up to 7 MHz of real-time spectrum and waterfall display, ideal for contesting, DXing, and digital modes.
• Integrated Remote Operation with SmartLink:SmartLink allows seamless remote access from any SmartSDR-compatible client—Windows, Mac, iOS, Maestro—using only a login and password. No complex setup or VPN is required, enabling operation from virtually anywhere.

DX Engineering is an exclusive distributor of FLEX-8000 and Aurora Series transceivers in the U.S., having joined FlexRadio’s network of international distribution partners in 2025.

Find all the FlexRadio 8400 options at DXEngineering.

The post Take a Look at FlexRadio 8400 Transceivers (Video) appeared first on OnAllBands.

The VK9XY Christmas Island activation—featuring young operators from around the world—is scheduled to run Nov. 16-Dec. 4, 2026. That’s great news for CQ World Wide DX CW competitors who will be trying to put Christmas Island in their logs during the contest, which runs Nov. 28-29, 2026. The VK9XY team will be operating on 160-6M in SSB, CW, and FT8.

In addition to the on-island team, an equipment grant from the Northern California DX Foundation will make it possible for 30 to 40 young hams to operate VK9XY remotely via NexGenRiB2 (radio in a box) stations.

From the VK9XY website: “This becomes one of the largest hands-on training grounds our hobby has ever run.”

The on-island team is led by Max Freedman, N4ML, who earlier in 2026 operated on Bouvet Island. Longtime DXpeditioners Gregg Marco, W6IZT, and Glenn Johnson, W0GJ, will join the team as advisors. View the team here.

To read full details and make a donation, visit the VK9XY website.

About Christmas Island

Fifty-two-square-mile Christmas Island (IOTA OC-002), so named because of its discovery on Christmas Day 1643, is an Australian external territory in the Indian Ocean about 220 miles south of Indonesia and 960 northwest of Australia’s mainland. It has a population of around 1,600, plus tens of millions of bright red crabs which annually march en masse from the island’s rainforests to the ocean for breeding. Watch the video below:

DX Engineering Onboard

As part of the company’s ongoing commitment to support the future of amateur radio, DX Engineering provided a wide range of equipment for VK9XY, including:

• Various sizes of DX Engineering Aluminum Tubing

• DX Engineering Complete Fiberglass Tubing and Cam Lock Clamp Kit

• RG-8X PL-259 Low-Loss 50-Ohm Coax Cable Assemblies
• DX Engineering Ferrite RFI Suppression Kits

• DX Engineering Foot Switches

• Times Microwave Systems® LMR®400UF and LMR®600UF Ultra-Flex Coax Cable Assemblies  
• Times Microwave Systems® LMR®600 Bulk Coaxial Cables
• DX Engineering Maxi-Core® 20 Baluns and Feedline Chokes

• DX Engineering 2-Port Splitter Combiner

• Mastrant Antenna Support and Guy Line Ropes
• QRO.cz RX Preamp Module Boxes

• LDG Electronics 1:1 UNUN

• Consolidated Wire High Visibility Antenna Wire
• DX Engineering Stealth Antenna Wire
• DX Commander DX10 Antenna Wire Spools

• Amphenol Type N Double Female Adapter Connectors
• 4O3A Adapters for NC-1 MC-1 Boom Mic Headset
• Daiwa Coax Switches

• DX Commander Vertical Antenna Replacement Telescoping Masts
• DX Engineering Coaxial RF Connector Adapters

Other major sponsors of VK9XY include the Northern California DX Foundation, INDEXA, the YASME Foundation, and FlexRadio.

Stay tuned to OnAllBands for much more about VK9XY in the days ahead!

The post DX Engineering Equipment to Be Used on Upcoming Youth-Focused Christmas Island DXpedition appeared first on OnAllBands.