This Amateur Radio DX info, Solar Flare info and Contest information is provided by: DX World, NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center and WA7BNM Contest Calendar.
There is a lot to work this week as well info on DX Clusters!
Take note of Solar Flares, they are a huge part of successful DXing on HF! To see up to date conditions go to: https://solar.w5mmw.net/
WA7BNM Contest Calendar to Wednesday Jan.28, 2026.
Information for the next 8 Days of Contest go to: https://www.contestcalendar.com/weeklycont.php
WINTER FIELD DAY…..
Starts 1600 UTC Saturday January 24th
Ends 21:59 UTC Sunday January 25th
See Rules at: See the changes and rules at: https://winterfieldday.org/downloads/2026-rules-v3.pdf
I checked with Bill VY2WM and depending on the WX (Cold) Charlottetown ARC won’t be doing Winter Field Day.
The Summerside ARC will not be participating in the 2026 Winter Field Day.
This week on the air….
5H, TANZANIA Chas, NK8O will be operating from Dodoma as 5H3DX between January 17 and February 17. Operation from 30 to 10 metres using CW, SSB and digi. QSL via NK8O, LoTW and
Club Log.
5N, NIGERIA Lars, DM1HLK is operating as 5N4DMZ. Since 2022, I’ve lived in Ikeja, which is the capital of Lagos State, Nigeria.
5Z, KENYA Michael, OZ6ABL will be operating as 5Z4/call from January 15 until February 28. Operation in ‘holiday-style’ from 80 to 6 metres using CW, SSB and FT4/8. QSL via home call, LoTW, OQRS.
8P, BARBADOS Chris, WA7RAR will be QRV as 8P9CB between January 18 and January 30, 2026. QRV from 20 to 10 metres using CW and SSB. QSL via home call.
8Q, MALDIVES Alex, IW5ELA will be operating as 8Q7EL from Vaavu Atoll between January 19 and January 26, 2026. Activity in ‘holiday-style’ on HF using mainly CW. QSL via home call.
8Q, MALDIVES Ji, DS1TUW will be operating as 8Q7JI from January 18 until January 24, 2026. Activity on HF using CW and FT8. POTA activity during his stay.
8R, GUYANA Aldir, PY1SAD is once again operating as 8R1TM until February 23. QRV on all bands with 6 metres included using CW, SSB, digi and SAT. QSL via LoTW or direct.
C5, THE GAMBIA Andre, ON7YK is again active as C5YK. QRV mainly on the high bands using SSB and FT8. QSL via LoTW and eQSL, or via home call (direct or bureau).
HR, HONDURAS Gerard, F2JD is operating as HR5/call from Copan until March. Activity on HF using CW, SSB and FT4/8. QSL via F6AJA direct or bureau.
P4, ARUBA Mat, DL4MM is once again operating as P40AA until January 29. An entry in the CQ 160 CW contest is included. Outside the contest, Mat will be found on all bands using CW, SSB and FT4/8. QSL via homecall, OQRS.
TL, CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC Joao, CR7BNW is operating as TL8BNW until June. Activity on 40, 20, 15 and 10 metres using SSB and FT8 with a dipole.
TY, BENIN Gerard, F5NVF is operating from Godomey as TY5GG until April. QRV on various bands using CW and FT8 from 80 to 10 metres. QSL via LoTW.
V5, NAMIBIA Gunter, DK2WH is once again QRV as V51WH until March 24. Activity from a farm near Omaruru from 160 to 6 metres (60m included).
Z6, KOSOVO Gabriele, HB9TSW is operating as Z68BG from Slatina Air Base near Pristina until January 28. He will operate CW only in his spare time. QSL via LoTW, eQSL, or via home call.
Z8, SOUTH SUDAN Once again, Diya YI1DZ is active as Z81D, his UN-WFP contract runs until March 30. Activity from 40 to 6 metres using SSB and FT8. Perhaps some 60 and 80 metres. QSL via OM3JW, LoTW.
9X, RWANDA Harold, DF2WO will once again be active as 9X2AW starting from January 22 for 18 days. QRV in ‘holiday-style’ on QO-100 and from 160 to 10 metres using CW, FT4 and SSB.
H4, SOLOMON ISL Bernard (DL2GAC) will once again be QRV as H44MS from Manakwai village between January 25 and April 10, 2026. Operation from 80 to 6 metres using SSB and FT8. QSL via home call, direct or bureau.
PJ2, CURACAO Thaire, W2APF will be QRV as PJ2/call from January 22 until March 31, 2026. Activity from 80 to 10 metres using CW, SSB and FT8 with a Elecraft K5D and a Buddipole, DX Commander for 40 and 30 and a doublet for 80. QSL via home call, LoTW.
PJ2, CURACAO Andre, PD1DRE will be back as PJ2/call between January 26 and March 4, 2026.
T8, PALAU Operating out of the VIP Guest Hotel, Koror, Palau, look for T88JH (JR3QFB), T88KY (JA1MFR), T88MH (JA1JRE), T88MT (JA1MEJ) & T88YL (7K4TKB) to be active during January 28-31, 2026. QRV on various bands and modes. QSL via ops instructions.
V6, MICRONESIA Celebrating 60 years in ham radio, Haru JA1XGi announces he will be active from Chuuk, Federated States of Micronesia as V660XGI during January 22-28, 2026. QRV on 160-10m; CW, SSB & Digi. Participation in the CQWW CW 160m contest (January 23-25). QSL via JA1XGI, Club Log OQRS.
Special Calls:
CT, PORTUGAL The Rede dos Emissores Portugueses (REP) has announced an activity open to its members across Portugal during 2026. Using the special callsign CT100REP (including /p or /m), this year-long collective activity celebrates the 100th anniversary of the founding of the REP, Portugal’s IARU society. Operation is planned across various HF, VHF, and UHF bands using multiple modes (SSB, CW, Digital) and satellites. (TNX 425DX)
DL – To celebrate the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games Milano Cortina 2026, the DARC Team SES will be active as DD2026OWG (1 February-1 March) and DD2026WPG (1 March-1 April). QSLs via DK5ON, LoTW and DCL (DARC Community Logbook).
DL, GERMANY The DARC Team SES will be active as DA2026SKI between 15 January and 15 February for the FIS Ski-Flying World Championships to be held in Oberstdorf. QSL via DK5ON, LoTW or DCL (DARC Community Logbook). (TNX 425DX)
DL, GERMANY During 2026, the following special event stations celebrate 100 years of the German aviation company Lufthansa: DA100LH, DL100LH and DK100LH (special DOK 100DLH). QSL via DK5ON QRZ.Com. (TNX DXNL)
DL, GERMANY To commemorate the centenary of the first Kurzwellentagung – the landmark convention for German shortwave enthusiasts held in Jena on 16-17 January 1926 – the special callsign DF100KWTJ will be active between 1 January and 31 March. QSL via bureau. (TNX 425DX)
DL, GERMANY The special event stations DA100TV and DL100TV (special DOK 100TV) celebrate 100 years of television in Germany during 2026. QSL via DK5ON (d/B). (TNX DXNL)
DL, GERMANY The special callsign DB100FT will be active throughout 2026 to celebrate the centenary of the Berlin Radio Tower (Funkturm), one of the city’s most iconic landmarks. The 150-metre-high steel lattice tower occupies a prominent place in the history of radio broadcasting in Germany, as it was used to broadcast transmissions starting in 1926. QSL via the bureau, or direct to DO2PZ. (TNX 425DX)
DL, GERMANY DARC Team SES will be active as DL25WIKI throughout 2026. The special callsign celebrates the 25th anniversary of Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, founded in January 2001: “the station reflects the spirit of free knowledge and international collaboration within the amateur radio community. Wikipedia and amateur radio share common values: openness, education, technical enthusiasm, and world-wide networking”. QSL cards will be sent automatically via the bureau; QSOs will also be uploaded to LoTW and the DCL (DARC Community Logbook) (TNX 425DX)
DL, GERMANY The DARC Team SES will be active as DH2026EM between 10 January and 10 February for the Men’s European Handball Championship to be co-hosted by Denmark, Sweden and Norway. QSL via DK5ON, LoTW and DCL (DARC Community Logbook). (TNX 425DX)
EA, SPAIN “Plus Ultra” was a flying boat which completed the first transatlantic flight between Spain and South America in January 1926. To mark the centenary of that event, Cartagena Team’s members will be active as AO5PU on 12-25 January. QSL via EA5GTU. (TNX 425DX)
HI, DOMINICAN REP. The Dominican Amateur Radio Union (UDRA), in celebration of its 60th anniversary, will be holding an activation from January 17th to January 31st. With just one contact to the official station HI60UD, you can obtain a certificate of participation on their official website at QRZ.com.
I, ITALY Members of ARI Milano, ARI Cadore and ARI Brunico/Bruneck will activate special callsigns II2WOG (QSL via IQ2MI), II3COR (QSL via IQ3DD), II3WOG (QSL via IQ3ED), and II3BIA (QSL via IQ3ED) between 6 February and 22 March for the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games Milano Cortina 2026. Certificates and eQSLs will be available on https://hamaward.cloud/ . (TNX 425DX)
IOTA (Islands on the Air)….
AFRICA:
AF-019 Lampedusa Isl. A large team will be QRV as IG9/S54W during the CQWW 160 CW contest. Outside the contests look for the team as IG9/S51V, S52OT, S53R, S53T, S54W, S56DX, S57UN, S58MU, S59A, S59ZZ, YT3H and with IG9ITO. QRV from January 18 until January 26. QSL via buro.
ASIA:
AS-079 Miyako Isl Take, JI3DST is active again as JS6RRR until April 17. Operation from 40 to 6 metres using CW, SSB and FT8. Take is also using JI3DST/6, JJ5RBH/6, JI3DST/P and JJ5RBH/P. QSO’s are uploaded to Club Log and LoTW.
NORTH AMERICA:
NA-057 Roatan Isl Dave, VE3VSM is active as call/HR9 until January 31. Activity in ‘holiday style’ from 20 to 15 metres using CW and FT8. QSL via home call, LoTW.
OCEANIA:
Pascal, FO/F6HCM will be operating from:
OC-067 Huahine January 15-20
OC-067 Raiatea January 20-27
OC-067 Maupiti January 27-February 1
OC-150 Lombok Isl Jozef, ON6HX is once again active YB9/call until March 11. Operation on HF using CW, SSB and digi. QSL via LoTW, home call.
SOUTH AMERICA:
SA-008 Tierra del Fuego – Jacek, SP5APW will be operating from Tierra del Fuego as CE8/SP5APW on January 23-24. Operation from 20 to 6 metres using SSB and FT8 with a BuddiHEX and 4-ele Yagi for 6 metres. Operation in ‘holiday-style’.
This week we will have a look at DX Clusters and how to use them to your advantage.
DX Clusters….
Using a DX cluster is a valuable tool for amateur radio operators, especially those interested in making long-distance contacts (DXing). A DX cluster is a network of stations that share information about DX (distant) stations that are currently active on the air. Here’s a guide on how to effectively use a DX cluster:
1. Understanding DX Clusters:
What is a DX Cluster? A DX cluster is a system that allows operators to post and receive real-time information about DX stations, including their frequencies, modes, and signal reports. This information helps operators find and work rare or distant stations more efficiently.
Networked System: DX clusters are often connected via the Internet and can be accessed through various software applications or directly via telnet.
2. Accessing a DX Cluster:
Software Options: There are several software applications that can connect to DX clusters, including:
DXLab Suite: https://www.dxlabsuite.com/ A comprehensive suite of software for amateur radio operators that includes DX cluster functionality.
N1MM Logger: https://n1mmwp.hamdocs.com/getting-started/downloading-the-software/ A popular contest logging software that can connect to DX clusters.
Ham Radio Deluxe: https://www.hamradiodeluxe.com/ A software suite that includes logging and DX cluster capabilities. Cost $99.95US
Web-based Clusters: Many DX clusters can be accessed through web interfaces, such as DX Summit http://www.dxsummit.fi/#/ or Club Log https://clublog.org/logsearch.php You may have to sign or log in the first time you use Club Log.
Telnet Connection: If you prefer a command-line interface, you can connect to a DX cluster using telnet. You’ll need the address of a DX cluster server and the appropriate port (usually port 7373). https://dxcluster.info/telnet/index.php
NOTE: The Summerside DX Cluster telnet info is – Host Address: sparc.no-ip.info Port: 7300 Caption: VE1CFB
3. Using the DX Cluster:
Logging In: If required, log in to the DX cluster using your call sign. Some clusters may allow anonymous access, while others may require registration.
Viewing Spots: Once connected, you can view “spots,” which are messages posted by other operators about active DX stations i.e. Show/dx.
Each spot typically includes:
The call sign of the DX station.
The frequency on which the station is operating.
The mode (e.g., SSB, CW, digital).
The time of the spot and the operator who posted it.
Filtering Spots: Many DX cluster software applications allow you to filter spots by band, mode, or specific call signs. This can help you focus on the stations you are most interested in working.
4. Making Contacts:
Identifying Active Stations: Use the information from the DX cluster to identify active DX stations that you want to contact. Note the frequency and mode.
Tuning Your Radio: Tune your radio to the frequency of the DX station. Make sure to listen, listen, listen for a few moments to assess the activity and conditions.
Calling the DX Station: When you hear the DX station, call them using your call sign. Be concise and patient, as there may be many operators trying to make contact.
TIP: Sometimes use your last 2 letters i.e. in my case “RU” or your prefix only “VY2”, the DX op will in most cases pull those out of the “pile up”. Once the op says “RU” or “VY2” then go back to the op with your full call.
Logging Contacts: If you successfully make a contact, log the details, including the call sign, frequency, mode, and any other relevant information. Usually your logging program will fill this info for you but if a “paper log” is used be very precise.
5. Best Practices:
Be Respectful: Follow good operating practices and be respectful of other operators. Avoid calling over someone who is already in contact with the DX station.
Use Clear Communication: When calling a DX station, use clear and concise communication. It’s often helpful to wait for a break in the conversation before calling.
Stay Updated: Regularly check the DX cluster for new spots, as conditions can change rapidly, and new DX stations may come on the air.
6. Community Engagement:
Participate in Contests: Many contests have a strong DX component, and using a DX cluster can enhance your contesting experience.
Share Information: If you spot a rare DX station, consider posting it to the cluster to help other operators.
7. Learning and Improvement:
Analyze Your Activity: After using the DX cluster, review your logs and the spots you worked. This can help you identify areas for improvement and refine your DXing strategies.
Using a DX cluster can significantly enhance your DXing experience by providing real-time information about active stations and helping you make more contacts. With practice and engagement, you can become more proficient in using this valuable tool in the amateur radio community.
My personal choice is the DX Lab Suites “Spot Collector”. I use all the DX Lab Suite of programs, due to the versatilely, ease of use and regular updates…as well it is “FREE”. To start downloading the DX Lab Suite the first step is download DX Launcher: https://www.dxlabsuite.com/dxlabwiki/InstallLauncher from Launcher you can then choose which program or programs you wish to use. If anyone requires help setting up DX Lab Suites or using the programs let me know and I will try to walk you through it. https://www.dxlabsuite.com/ Ken VY2RU Email: vy2rupe@gmail.com
You Tube Video on DX Lab: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6wyAigKeFE
The Summerside ARC Used DX SPIDER to navigate its DX Cluster.
So what is DXSpider?
There are several new compatible cluster programs around now, including DXSpider. DXSpider is a clone of PacketCluster software that runs under several operating systems including Linux and Windows. It is also totally free!
DXSpider has developed rapidly and today is a very powerful cluster program.
The manual is designed to help you become familiar with the commands that DXSpider supports and to help you get the best from the program so you can enjoy working that rare DX! As DXSpider is being improved all the time, commands will be added as time goes by. The manual is available on the website: https://www.dxspider.org/usermanual_en.html#toc1 . The manual “looks” intimidating with a lot of things to do but not really. Simply do or learn “one” command at a time…such as Command 12.90 show/dx or sh/dx. Most DX Cluster platforms use the same commands as indicated.
If you just want a DX Cluster then DX Summit http://www.dxsummit.fi/#/ would be the easiest to use.
DX Summit How To Use Video: https://ca.video.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?fr=yhs-sz-002&ei=UTF-8&hsimp=yhs-002&hspart=sz¶m1=1381739085&p=how+to+use+DX+Summit&type=type80260-1157017090#id=1&vid=46e4af77f3eeddae47607a84dc715b36&action=click
Summit How To Use Guide: https://sdxa.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/DX-Summit-Guide-KI7DG-N7GCO.pdf
GL es Gud DX de Ken VY2RU