Read More

OnAllBands stopped by one of our favorite manufacturers, Rocket Machine Worx, at Dayton Hamvention® 2026 to talk with the small company that has big ideas about cable management and routing solutions for amateur radio stations.

The Millen, Georgia, amateur radio products manufacturer is operated by husband-and-wife Navy veterans and Extra class licensees Jason Welsh, KC2CIX, and Lisa Welsh, KI6HHY.

OnAllBands spent a few minutes with Jason, KC2CIX, to talk about what’s new with the company, including the TravelPatch Coaxial Connector Panel (not available at last Hamvention) and the company’s range of bulkhead coaxial connector panels which are now available in different colors.

“We’re offering all our products in Cerakote®,” Jason said. “Cerakote, if you’re not familiar, is a baked-on ceramic finish. The advantage to that on our products is that—especially for the Window Wing kit installation—it’ll protect the backside of that against the elements for a very long time.”

Cerakote options are now available at DX Engineering for the MiniPatch and MicroPatch Bulkhead Coaxial Connector Panels. Look for more options as they become available.

Could you tell us a little bit about some of the creative ways people are using your bulkhead coaxial connector panels?

“The MidPatch and the MiniPatch are most popular installed with the Window Wing Kit,” Jason said.

“Aside from that, you can put a bracket on the 5/16-18″ holes and then mount that on your wall. We sold one of the MidPatches, which is the large six-inch square one, that’s going to get mounted on a wall because it looks cool and it’s very handy that way.

“Most creative is the TravelPatch. It really leaves everything to your imagination, your creativity, and your DIY craftsmanship to do your install.”

“There’s an install of the TravelPatch on an RV shown on a video from The Travelin’ Ham.”

Watch the video below:

“I just sold a TravelPatch this morning that’s going to go onto a truck toolbox where the person is going to mount it on the lid. I’ve seen people mount them onto a brick wall, and they have two separate ones to separate their VHF and HF right into wall. Really, it’s left open to the imagination.”

How would you describe your company’s philosophy? What do you want to do for ham radio operators?

“For the community, I really want to provide you guys with quality stuff that’s made in America by my wife and myself in our shop. It’s CNC, engineering-level products using as many high-quality components as we can. And if the ones on the market aren’t up to our standards, then we’ll start to make them ourselves.”

Could you talk a little bit about the importance of your relationship with DX Engineering?

“DX Engineering changed our lives. Prior to this, we were doing job shop work, which is where we take a 3D model from an engineering firm and then we produce that component for them—because not everybody has the capability to machine things. That’s what our capability is. So that didn’t work out for us initially because we’re still having a daytime job. When DX Engineering picked us up, that gave us a solid foundation that really established our business. And that’s how we’re able to produce this. So, it was seriously life changing.”

Any final thoughts?

“Thank you for everybody who has went with Rocket Machine Worx to build your shop. We love you all. It means everything to us that you’re using products that I designed and that we machined in our shop.”

The post A Few Words from Rocket Machine Worx About New Color Options for Its Bulkhead Coax Connector Panels & More appeared first on OnAllBands.

OnAllBands

Read More

Learn how you can help DXpeditioners provide laptops to benefit Tokelauans

Start preparing your stations for the upcoming activation of Tokelau!

The Perseverance DX Group (PDXG) and the Western Washington DX Club (WWDXC) plan to put this independent territory of New Zealand on the air Nov. 20 to Dec. 1, 2026, from Fakaofo Atoll (AI40). Tokelau is currently ranked #40 most wanted (#22 EU) by Clublog.

 “The year 2026 marks the one hundredth anniversary of the New Zealand/Tokelau relationship. To commemorate this milestone the callsign ZK3ZL was requested,” per a press release from the Tokelau DXpedition team.

The international radio team will include OnAllBands blogger Violetta, KN2P, who was an operator on the October 2025 North Cook Islands E51MWA activation along with other members of the Tokelau group (Robin, WA7CPA; Rob, N7QT; and Brian, N9ADG). Other operators include Dave, K3EL; Ricardo, PY2PT; Glenn, KE4KY; Francesco, IK0FVC/HV0A; Jacky, F2CW/ZL3CW; Laci, HA0NAR; and Dave, WD5COV.

The team will be QRV on 160-6M in SSB, CW, and Digital.

Humanitarian Project

The press release also noted that the Tokelau team will be donating 20 laptops to the Council of Elders “to create a computer lab for the locals and help the Council better manage their day-to-day activities and processes. The team will be conducting basic computer instruction and training classes while on the island. The cost of the computer lab was borne by the team. We also plan to encourage several of the locals to get involved with amateur radio.”

Donations to cover shipping and the humanitarian project can be sent through the DXpedition’s website.

Read this article from Radio New Zealand about the activation and how the DXpeditioners will be passing on their technical knowledge to the Tokelauan people.

Seven Years of Inactivity

This will mark the first DXpedition to Tokelau since the 19-operator ZK3A team logged more than 52,000 QSOs in September/October 2019. DX Engineering provided equipment for ZK3A, including DX Engineering Foot Switches and a RPA-2 Modular Receive Preamplifier.

DX Engineering is also a proud sponsor of this latest activation of Tokelau. Here’s what has been provided to help give DXers an opportunity to log an ATNO before the end of the year:

• DX Engineering Zip Cord Power Wires

• DX Engineering Vertical Antenna Fixed Base Assembly

• DX Engineering RG-8X 50-Ohm Bulk Coaxial Cable (1,000-foot rolls)

• DX Engineering Coaxial RF Connector Adapters

• DX Engineering Next Generation Crimp/Solder 8U and 8X PL-259 Connectors
• DX Engineering Heat Shrink Tubing

• DX Engineering Coaxial Cable Prep Tools for Crimp Connectors Kit

• DX Engineering RG-213U PL-259 Low-Loss 50-Ohm Coax Cable Assemblies
• DX Engineering Maxi-Core® 20 1:1 5kW Baluns

• DX Engineering Maxi-Core® 20 1:1 5kW Current Chokes

Other equipment provided by DX Engineering includes:

• Times Microwave Systems® LMR®-400 Bulk Coaxial Cable
• 12 Volt Power 5 Port DC Power Distribution Block

• Anderson Power Products® Powerpole® Connectors
• InnovAntennas 50-LFA-4-LN 4-Element 50 MHz Yagi

About Tokelau

Tokelau, formerly known as the Union Islands, consists of three tropical coral atolls in the South Pacific Ocean: Atafu, Nukunonu, and Fakaofo. The closest land to Tokelau is Swains Island, 112 miles south of Fakaofo. The nearest sovereign country and major population center is Samoa, which sits roughly 310 miles to the south. Tokelau is approximately 2,354 miles from New Zealand.

The islands have a combined land area of four square miles and a population estimated between 1,400 to 1,500 (based on local figures) and up to 2,600 (based on global projections). By some metrics, Tokelau has the world’s smallest economy, with a gross national product (based on fishing and agriculture) estimated at $1.5 million.

Tokelau also has the distinction of being the first country/dependency to run entirely on solar energy for its electricity. This was made possible thanks to the installation of more than 4,000 solar panels on the three atolls in 2012. Prior to this, electricity was produced through diesel generators which were available 16 hours a day. Read this article, “Island Nation Now Runs Entirely on Solar Power,” for more details.

QSL Cards

The active hams at DX Engineering have had great success contacting Tokelau 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, contacted ZK3T operating from Nukunonu in 2013. Nukunonu is the largest of Tokelau’s atolls (2.1 square miles, population of around 550).

Tom, KB8UUZ, DX Engineering technical writer, sent us this QSL card from the October 2014 ZK3E DXpedition.

Wayne, K8FF, DX Engineering customer/technical support specialist, pulled these Tokelau QSL cards from his collection:

Visit DXEngineering.com for everything you need to upgrade your station to make sure you’re ready when DXCC entities like Tokelau 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 DX Engineering Provides Gear for Rare Activation of Tokelau in 2026! appeared first on OnAllBands.

OnAllBands