Read More

What better way to honor America’s 250th anniversary than by making QSOs with stations in the original 13 colonies? We can’t think of any at OnAllBands, so grab some sparklers, blast your preferred Sousa march, put on your favorite tri-cornered hat, and get ready for some serious star-spangled fun on the air!

13 Colonies (July 1-7, 2026) is the perfect fusion of history and ham radio. Celebrating its 18th year, this annual challenge has grown to become one of the most anticipated weeks on the amateur radio calendar. How anticipated? Last year, operators logged more than 264,000 QSOs in their quest to reach special event stations in Virginia, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maryland, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Delaware, North Carolina, South Carolina, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Georgia.

In addition to breaking through large pileups to reach stations up the East Coast, operators will again have the challenge of making QSOs with three bonus stations: GB13COL (Great Britain), TM13COL (France), and WM3PEN (Philadelphia). Modes of operation (SSB, CW, RTTY, Digital, et. al.) are up to each colony/state and bonus station.

In honor of the 250th anniversary, there will be a specially designed certificate and unique QSL cards given out to participants.

There’s still time to give yourself an edge in pursuit of that clean sweep by visiting DXEngineering.com, where you’ll find shack upgrades including transceivers, HF amplifiers, antennas, antenna tuners, CW keys and paddles, high-quality coaxial cable, and more.

The post The 13 Colonies Special Operating Event is Coming Soon. Are You Ready to Make a Clean Sweep? appeared first on OnAllBands.

OnAllBands

Read More

Today’s OnAllBands QSL card post spotlights upcoming activations from Armenia and Easter Island. As always, we’re showcasing QSL cards from our featured locations—all of them earned by the active operators at DX Engineering.

Need help boosting your DXing capabilities? Contact the friendly and knowledgeable team at DX Engineering, who have a combined 1,000-plus years of experience making contacts with stations across town and across the globe.

                                                          ***

While separated by 10,690 miles, Armenia and Easter Island—one a landlocked country in the South Caucasus region at the crossroads of Western Asia/Eastern Europe and the other a volcanic island in the southeastern Pacific Ocean—share a cultural element that brings them a bit closer: their unique traditions of stone carving.

• The Rapa Nui (Easter Island) people carved massive volcanic stone statues called “moai” between 1100 and 1650 CE. Archaeologists have documented close to 900 of these statues. While many appear to be just stone heads, excavations have shown that most have torsos buried in the ground. The largest of these statues, “El Gigante,” measures 72 feet and can be found in the island’s Rano Raraku quarry.

• Armenia’s world-renowned khachkars (cross-stones) are intricately carved memorial stone steles (upright pillars). Armenia is also known for its vishapakar (dragon stones), large, monolithic cigar-shaped steles carved with animal imagery. They can be found scattered throughout the Armenian highlands. According to “Archaeology News,” these giant prehistoric monuments were “long thought to have been part of a forgotten cult,” but new evidence suggests they are linked to ancient water rituals and early irrigation practices.

Armenia & Easter Island on the Air

DL2JRM as EK/DL2JRM is scheduled to be active from Armenia from June 20-22 on CW and SSB. The 3G0YM activation of Easter Island by CE3YMR is set for June 20-27. CE3YMR will primarily be on 40, 30, and 6 meters in FT8 and SSB, with the possibility of activity on 60, 2o, and 10 meters depending on propagation.

***

Here are a few QSL cards from Armenia (11,484 square miles, population 3.06 million) and Easter Island (63.2 square miles, population 7,750) collected by the DX Engineering team.

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

Here are some QSL cards from the collection of Mark, W8BBQ, DX Engineering customer/technical support specialist:

George, K3GP, DX Engineering customer/technical support specialist, sent us these QSL cards he’s acquired from years of chasing DX:

Wayne, K8FF, DX Engineering customer/technical support specialist, sent us this QSL card from Armenia featuring the image of Sassountsi Davit (David of Sassoun), the main hero of the Armenian epic poem, “The Daredevils of Sassoun.”

Want to upgrade your DXing capabilities so you’ll be ready when entities like Easter Island and Armenia are on the air? Find everything you need at DX Engineering, including transceivers, amplifiers, antennas, headsets, and 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 DXCC Entities Active in June 2026 appeared first on OnAllBands.

OnAllBands

Read More

Also, check out a video featuring the new COMPACtenna 40-60-80 antenna.

***

Have you received the 2026 edition of the DX Engineering Amateur Radio Products Catalog? If so, we hope you’ve enjoyed browsing through its 140 pages packed with everything you could possibly want to upgrade your stations.

Inside you’ll find the hottest amateur radio gear on the planet, including the latest from REZ Antenna Systems, gear for portable ops from DX Engineering, and FlexRadio’s breakthrough, all-in-one 500W Aurora transceivers. You’ll also see well-established gear that continues to deliver results at stations around the globe, including proven equipment from DX Engineering:

• Genius Clamps
• Coaxial Cable Assemblies
• NCC-2 Receive Antenna Phasing System
• Receiver Guard Electronic RF Limiter
• RT4500HD Heavy-Duty Rotator

If you don’t have your catalog yet, click here to request a free copy from DXEngineering.com or view it digitally.

Please keep in mind that the release of the catalog doesn’t mean DX Engineering stops adding to the more than 30,000 products it carries. Far from it. Today we’re featuring five new products (there are many more we’ll focus on later) you’ll find by clicking on “What’s New” from the menu bar at DXEngineering.com.

***

DX Engineering Go Portable Polo Shirts: If you dig operating in the outdoors (and who doesn’t, these days?), you’ll love these comfortable and stylish polo shirts from DX Engineering! Designed in a sleek light sterling gray with DX Engineering and Go Portable logos, these polos feature a subtle mini grid texture that elevates everyday wear with a polished, modern look. Crafted from lightweight 4.6-ounce 100% polyester jacquard, they offer moisture-wicking, odor-fighting, stain-release, and snag-resistant properties that keep you looking sharp and feeling great all day long. Available in men’s small to 5X large.

COMPACtenna FAST 40-60-80 Discrete HF Antenna: This antenna is designed to deliver strong, consistent performance across the 80/60/40M bands. Traditional HF antennas demand space. COMPACtenna says the FAST 40‑60‑80 redefines what’s possible by condensing serious HF capability into a footprint measuring just 56″ H x 15″ W x 24″ L. Further, it weighs only five lbs. and packs nicely into a 20″ x 30″ bag for easy transport.

Whether you’re working from a small backyard, operating under HOA restrictions, or installing in an attic, the FAST 40-60-80 (500W SSB, 250W FM-Digital voice, 150W AM voice, 100W Digital data) is designed to keep you on the air by performing even when conditions are unpredictable. It features a novel hybrid antenna architecture, combining the best attributes of magnetic loop antennas, loaded monopoles, off-center-fed designs, and capacitive earth coupling. This is further enhanced by a broadband staged LC network, enabling efficient operation across multiple bands while delivering more gain than typical small magnetic loop antennas.

Setup is fast and intuitive with no tools required. It comes with pre-assembled antenna system, 18-foot coaxial lead terminated with a PL-259, 50-foot RG-8X coaxial assembly with PL-259s on each end, double SO-239 barrel connector, and ferrite bead kit.

Learn more about the FAST 40-60-80 from this DX Engineering video from Dayton Hamvention®:

Heil Sound Ham Radio BM-17 Lightweight Headsets

An excellent choice for portable operations, these redesigned headsets feature several updates from the previous BM-17 models, including a new swivel-mounted boom that allows operators the flexibility of positioning the microphone on the left or right side.

The black headsets are available as either BM-17S single-side or BM-17D dual-side models. To accommodate different transceivers, both models of the BM-17 are available with either a dynamic element or an iC electret element. The speakers used in the BM-17 headset are extra sensitive, so they do not require much AF drive from the transceiver. Their frequency response is 200 Hz – 5 kHz with exceptionally low distortion. They come with replaceable ear pads made of acoustic foam. Heil headsets feature two different mic elements, so they must be paired with the appropriate Heil AD-1 series transceiver mic adapter cable (not included).

“Satellite Operating for Amateur Radio”: Author Tony Milluzzi, KD8RTT, helps you discover the thrill of amateur radio satellites, offering clearly written advice so you can start making contacts of your own. KD8RTT breaks down the world of amateur satellites into practical, easy-to-follow steps. If you’ve ever thought working “the birds” was too complicated or required expensive gear, this 176-page softcover reference will show you just how accessible and exciting it really is.

Comet HF Monoband Base-Loaded Mobile Antennas: These one-quarter wavelength base-loaded antennas are designed for the mobile or portable enthusiast who wants the performance of a single-band antenna with a shorter profile. Models range from 3.08 to 7 feet in length. They have a power rating of 250W SSB/125W CW/60W Digital and can achieve a user-adjustable SWR of 1.5:1 or less. They feature a standard UHF antenna base for quick changeouts and a high-quality black anodized finish. Choose from single-band models for 80, 40, 20, 17, 15, 10 and 6 meters.

We’ll be featuring many more new amateur radio products available at DX Engineering in the days ahead, so stay tuned to OnAllBands.

73!

The post New Products Available at DX Engineering for June 2026, including “Go Portable” Polo Shirts appeared first on OnAllBands.

OnAllBands