The DX Mentor

Bill Salyers

The DX Mentor podcast is directed towards any amateur radio operator (Ham) or Short Wave Listener (SWL) who has an interest in listening to or communicating with stations that are not in your country, or DX.

  1. 1d ago

    This Week in DX - 11/07/2026

    The following DX information comes from Bernie, W3UR, editor of the DailyDX, the WeeklyDX, and the How’s DX column in QST. If you would like a free 2-week trial of the DailyDX, your only source of real-time DX information, just drop me a note at thedxmentor@gmail.com  T31 – Central Kiribati - The Rebel DX Group report a severe storm reportedly devastated Kanton Atoll, damaging the village and much of its infrastructure. All 28 residents were scheduled to be evacuated, with some reported injured. The government planned to close the atoll indefinitely, with no plans to reopen it to the public.    5H – Tanzania - IK2GZU, Maurizio, has been very active as 5H3MB. He will continue to be active until November 29.     9N – Nepal - S57MK, Matjaz, is still QRV as 9N/S57MK until November 12 from Kathmandu.     TZ – Mali - Jeff Dorsey (K1MMB), is operating from Bamako, Mali. For several reasons, Jeff is not sure if or when he will be back to Mali and if anyone else will operate from there soon.    9X – Rwanda - 9X5KM by F8FUA, Al, continues until November 11. He said that operating from Kigali “Is an adventure, especially being alone, solo. Sometimes you face unexpected problems.” Power outages happen often, with sudden disappearances from the air. Al has been very active with good signals when he has power.    KH8 – American Samoa - The KH8A station is all set up, the antennas, 160-6 all “working perfectly.” The 160 and 80 antennas are on the same mast and can only be used one at a time, one or the other. “The pileups are extreme. Especially on the lower bands it’s very difficult to pick out stations in CW or SSB. The situation should improve next week.” The QSO rates are pretty high. The Starlink connection has been stable and there has been a Club Log livestream.    FW – Wallis and Futuna - The FW3GT single-operator DXpedition by GW0GAV, is expected to be on the air until November 14, mainly on CW with some FT8. The station will run 600 watts into a multiband vertical on the island’s northwest shore, with excellent short-path and fair long-path takeoff toward Europe. Hills limit takeoff toward North and South America. Operation will focus on 40–10 m, with some activity on 60 and 80 m.     3X – Guinea - A 3X4U DXpedition is November 11-23. All the gear is packed, ready to go, weighed and prepped. Five stations are planned.     CE0Z – Juan Fernandez Islands - XQ7IR, Felipe, has announced revised dates for his Alexander Selkirk Island expedition (IOTA SA-101), Juan Fernandez Island with arrival now  scheduled for November 24, 2026, and operations expected to begin November 25 or 26,depending on weather and station setup. Following the postponement, an extension for the previously assigned callsign XR0Z has been requested for November 11–December 23, 2026; this requested license period does not represent a confirmed operating schedule. The announcement attributes the delay to adverse weather associated with El Niño and emphasizes the safety of everyone involved. Felipe thanks the amateur radio community, IOTA chasers, sponsors, and other supporters for their patience and continued support as preparations continue.    D4 – Cape Verde - IZ2DPX, Giovanni, is QRV as D44PX from Boa Vista (IOTA AF-086) until November 11, using SSB, FT8, and FT4 on 60–6 meters.

    This Week in DX - 11/07/2026
  2. Oct 31

    This Week in DX - 10/31/2026

    The following DX information comes from Bernie, W3UR, editor of the DailyDX, the WeeklyDX, and the How’s DX column in QST. If you would like a free 2-week trial of the DailyDX, your only source of real-time DX information, just drop me a note at thedxmentor@gmail.com 5H – Tanzania - IK2GZU, Maurizio, is QRV as 5H3MB until November 29. 9N – Nepal - S57MK, Matjaz, is QRV as 9N/S57MK until November 12 from Kathmandu. Previous activity in Nepal was as 9N7MK in 2022 and 2024. TZ – Mali - Jeff Dorsey (K1MMB), is operating from Bamako, CW as usual and devoting more time to SSB, December 2. He will not use FT8. Jeff also says that he is not sure when his next trip there will be because “the security situation continues to deteriorate, but the main factor is that...the economy is non-functional and just keeping the operation open costs more than $10,000 per year in rent and utilities alone, so I may be closing everything down.” He adds that “Ulmar Schmidt has been operating my station as TZ1CE for about three weeks per year but is not planning on coming this year. So after early December on, there probably will be no one operating from Mali.” 9X – Rwanda - F8FUA , Al, is QRV during a solo holiday style DXpedition to Kigali, Rwanda operating as 9X5KM until November 11. He’ll Listen for him on CW, SSB and digital modes. He will be uploading QSOs to LoTW and Club Log but not using OQRS. You can also QSL direct to F8FUA with 3 US $ or via the bureau for free. E5/N – North Cook Islands - E51MWA is back on the air from Manihiki in the North Cook Islands until November 16. N7QT, Rob, is back on for four weeks, primarily running a one-person radio operation with occasional help from Brian, Jack, and WA7CPA. He has 15m and 17m VDAs plus a CrankIR antenna, operating one station. After resting, he plans extensive CW activity while reconnecting with friends and finishing the work previously started. PJ7 – Sint Maarten - KC9EE, Gary, will once again operate from Sint Maarten from November 18 through December 2. He will be most active during the CQ WW DX CW. His call sign remains PJ7EE. He will compete in the SOLP AB category. QSL via LOTW and/or ClubLog OQRS. Logs will be uploaded as soon as he returns home. JD1/O – Ogasawara Islands - 7M1KJW, Akihiko Shinagawa, plans to operate as 7M1KJW/JD1 from Chichijima in the Ogasawara Islands until November 4, as time permits. The primary purpose is POTA activation of JP-1288, with a possible activation of JP-0015. Aki is running an IC-705, 10 watts, and a 5.5-meter vertical antenna. He will be on FT8 only, on 40–6 meters depending on conditions; recent activity was on 40 and 17 meters. FW – Wallis and Futuna - The FW3GT single-operator DXpedition by GW0GAV, Gav, is expected to be on the air until November 14, mainly on CW with some FT8. The station will run 600 watts into a multiband vertical on the island’s northwest shore, with excellent short-path and fair long-path takeoff toward Europe. Hills limit takeoff toward North and South America. Operation will focus on 40–10 m, with some activity on 60 and 80 m.

    This Week in DX - 10/31/2026
  3. Oct 24

    This Week in DX - 10/24/2026

    The following DX information comes from Bernie, W3UR, editor of the DailyDX, the WeeklyDX, and the How’s DX column in QST. If you would like a free 2-week trial of the DailyDX, your only source of real-time DX information, just drop me a note at thedxmentor@gmail.com  FW – Wallis and Futuna - Janusz, SP9FIH, is now QRT from Wallis Island as FW1P He logged over 41,000 QSOs. Wallis was number 97 on the most wanted list and I suspect it will drop 20 or 30 spots soon.    3DA0 – The Kingdom of Eswatini - LA9GY, Antonsen, has arrived in Eswatini,  to begin his 3DA0GY DXpedition. His HF radio arrived safely, but Air France failed to transfer the suitcase containing his antenna and coaxial cable in Paris. He is now waiting to see whether the equipment reaches Eswatini or whether he must return to South Africa to collect it.    9N – Nepal - DL4XT, Jan, received confirmation for the 9N7XT license for the October 23–31 Nepal DXpedition, making the operation certain after a long wait. Special thanks were given to 9N2NK, Nabin, for securing the license. Jan plans to obtain the original paper license in Kathmandu.    S9 – Sao Tome and Principe - S9R is QRV from Tamarindos until October 31st  on the HF bands in multiple modes. They have three stations and using a Spiderbeam, a Hexbeam, a 40-meter vertical, an end-fed wire for 80–10 meters, and a five-element Yagi for 6 meters. The team will operate CW, SSB, RTTY, and FT8, using multi-slot MSHV for digital contacts.    7P – Lesotho - The 7P8GE team reported severe weather and unreliable landline, antenna, and Wi-Fi service. These disruptions prevented the online log from being generated or uploaded. So, no online log for the time being and no log- related responses will be available until after the DXpedition. They will be active until October 29th.     JD1/O – Ogasawara - JP1IHD, Ko is QRV as JD1BQP on Chichijima, until November 2.  Ko is joined there by JR6HYO, Takashi, who will also do CW,  SSB and FT8, 160-6M and the CQWW DX SSB Contest.    GM – Scotland - From the Shetland Islands, G4AFF, Stewart, will be QRV as GM5E October 22-26. Outside the CQWW SSB weekend event he will use the GM4AFF/p callsign, on the WARC bands. This is IOTA EU-012. This is particularly important because it counts as Scotland for DXCC, but as its’ own entity for CQWW and CQ Marathon.    KH2 – Guam - AH2R will be in the upcoming CQ World Wide DX SSB weekend, October 24-25, by JG3RPL (N1BJ) and friends, who have not yet locked in on which multi-op category they will use.     V6 – Federated States of Micronesia As previously reported JM1LBO, Masaya, is QRV as V63SC from Pohnpei (OC-010) until October 26th. He now holds the call V640FSM and plans to use this in celebration of 40th Anniversary of the Independence of the Federated States of Micronesia which will be on November 3rd.     T8 – Palau – Several ops are QRV from Koror until October 21-29, utilizing “several bands and modes.” The calls are T88CZ, T88DK, and T88ED.    C5 – The Gambia – A DXpedition team is QRV as C5R from Tanji near Banjul, The Gambia, until November 4.

    This Week in DX - 10/24/2026
  4. Oct 17

    This Week in DX - 10/17/2026

    Hello and Welcome to this Week in DX. I’m Bill, AJ8B. I am looking for volunteers. I am looking for hams that aresomewhat new to chasing DX. If you have between 0 and 200 entities confirmed, you are the person I am looking for. OR, if you are a technician class operator and would like details on how you can work DX, you are the person I am looking for. The DX Mentor podcast needs an audience for a ZOOM based episode that addresses these types of operators to share information and techniques about moving up the DX ladder . If you are interested, just drop me a note at thedxmentor@gmail.com. The following DX information comes from Bernie, W3UR, editor of the DailyDX, the WeeklyDX, and the How’s DX column in QST. If you would like a free 2-week trial of the DailyDX, your only source of real-time DX information, just drop me a note at thedxmentor@gmail.com FW – Wallis and Futuna - Janusz, SP9FIH, currently operatingfrom Wallis Island as FW1P and has logged over 36,000 QSOs. Wallis was number 97 on the most wanted list and I suspect it will drop 20 or 30 spots by the time Janusz is QRT.  JD1/O – Ogasawara - JP1IHD, Ko is QRV as JD1BQP on Chichijima, until November 2. Ko is joined there by JR6HYO, Takashi, who will also do CW, SSB and FT8, 160-6M and the CQWW DX SSB Contest. GM – Scotland - From the Shetland Islands, G4AFF, Stewart,will be QRV as GM5E October 22-26. Outside the CQWW SSB weekend event he will use the GM4AFF/p callsign, on the WARC bands. This is IOTA EU-012. This is particularly important because it counts as Scotland for DXCC, but as its’ own entity for CQWW and CQ Marathon. 3D2 – Fiji - DK2HM, Hans-Martin Kurka, is QRV holiday styleas 3D2HM from Nadi, Fiji until October 22nd . Activity will be on SSB and FT8 on the HF bands. There “Maybe some other activities as well, but Not yet confirmed”, says Hans-Martin.  C5 – The Gambia – A DXpedition team is QRV as C5R from Tanji near Banjul, The Gambia, until November 4. ZA – Albania - AE5X, John, plans holiday-style CW operationfrom Albania as ZA/AE5X in October. He is QRV until October 30 from various locations. Operations will be casual and fit around travel plans. 6O – Somalia - OG2M (aka OH2RF), Pertti Terunen, has beenplanning to operate at 6O2M through October 25. His bags were delayed and arrived piecemeal; his amplifier first, his radio and antennas second. Apparently, the second bag was opened, presumably for inspection, and poorly repacked. As a result, his Yaesu FTdx10 display was broken. Pertti went aheadand set up a vertical antenna on the roof of his hotel, at a height of 25 meters. He began operating on 21.240 MHz on October 9 shortly after 1330 UTC. After OH3XR helped address the display issue, Pertti made contacts despitesignificant LED noise. H44 – Solomon Islands – From Dolphin View Beach the H49Ateam is “working hard,” and made over 10,000 QSOs in the first 48 hours. Minor antenna adjustments were made. They bought a generator on Saturday so they now have two. They have had fantastic pileups from Europe on CW and SSB and were active on 60 this morning. On their Club Log livestream some QSOs may not show up immediately, but all logs are uploaded again every 24 hours, so “Please be patient!” The weather is hot and humid as expected; the team is in greatspirits and doing well. S2 – Bangladesh - The “13th Hussars Open Rover Scout Group,” with the callsign S21HRG, plans an operation from Tetulia, northern Bangladesh, until October 20, a JOTA, Jamboree on the Air, station, on SSB, FT8 and CW on80-10 plus the QO-100 satellite. They will upload the logs to LoTW and ClubLog.

    This Week in DX - 10/17/2026
  5. Oct 10

    This Week in DX - 10/10/2026

    Hello and Welcome to this Week in DX. I’m Bill,AJ8B. The following DX information comes from Bernie, W3UR, editor of the DailyDX, the WeeklyDX, and the How’s DXcolumn in QST. If you would like a free 2-week trial of the DailyDX, your only source of real-time DX information, just drop me a note at thedxmentor@gmail.com FW – Wallis and Futuna - Janusz, SP9FIH,currently operating from Wallis Island as FW1P, reports that within a day or two he plans to replace his 20-meter sloper with a 30-meter vertical antenna.   5W – Samoa - SP5EAQ, Jacek, isQRV as 5W0AF until October 12 on SSB only. During the trip, he plans to send updates and photos to SP5UAF, Tom, who will post the latest information on the 5W0AF website.   9Q – Democratic Republic of the Congo- They’re stillworking nonstop to keep the operation on the air, installing BOG receiving antennas for Europe, Japan, and North America while battling unstable AC power that has surged above 300 volts, blown countless fuses, and damaged equipment.Thanks to IZ2GNQ’s ample fuse supply and IU3PMA Paco’s skillful repairs, they continue to recover from each setback. Connectivity has been another major challenge: unreliable hotel Wi-Fi, high-latency Starlink service, only partial successwith local SIM cards and modems, and damaged hotel cabling forced them to rewire and reorganize much of the network before finally bringing the online log up. Despite occasional interruptions, temperamental generators, and demanding conditions, they remain determined, operational, and committed to making as many contacts as possible.   JW – Svalbard – Three Norwegian operators will operate from Svalbard from October 7–12. They will enter theScandinavian Activity Contest (SAC) as JW5X. Before and after the contest, they will be QRV on CW, SSB, and FT8 on the HF bands and via the RS-44 satellite.

    This Week in DX - 10/10/2026
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The DX Mentor podcast is directed towards any amateur radio operator (Ham) or Short Wave Listener (SWL) who has an interest in listening to or communicating with stations that are not in your country, or DX.

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