To say the least, 2020 will go down in the log books as the year no one could have predicted—and no one could have wanted. As we flipped our calendars over last January and circled the big events of the Amateur Radio year, little did we know that the DX Engineering Face Mask would be added to our roster of branded apparel, or that customers in northeast Ohio would enjoy the convenience of curbside pickup to take home their new rigs and radial wire kits from our retail showroom. Through it all, DX Engineering has worked hard to maintain as close to normal levels of service as possible. We greatly appreciate everyone’s patience and understanding!
DX Engineering Elmers sorely missed seeing friends at events like Dayton Hamventionâ, but managed to make a lot of new friends from around the world at virtual events. In a year that gave us lemons, operators everywhere sure managed to make a lot of lemonade, proving that you can’t keep a good Ham down, no matter what the circumstances.
Here are a few highlights from the year that was:
VP8PJ South Orkney DXpedition: Before things turned south in 2020, the VP8PJ team spent 15 days on Signy Island (February 22 to March 7), about 375 miles north-east of the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula. The Perseverance DX Group made 83,724 contacts with 20,530 unique call signs thanks, in part, to gear provided by DX Engineering:
- Premium Antenna Wire
- Phased Array Quarter Wave Tuned Cables
- Pre-Assembled Radial Wire Kits
- RG-8/U 50-ohm Bulk Coaxial Cable
- Next Generation Crimp/Solder 8U PL-259 Connectors
- RG-8X PL-259 Low-Loss 50-ohm Coaxial Cable Assemblies
- RG-6U 75-ohm Standard Quad-Shield Coaxial Cable
Virtual Contest University 2020: In lieu of holding Contest University in Dayton, this annual May seminar was presented on the Zoom platform and streamed live on YouTube. More than 3,000 Hams from around the globe tuned in to the event hosted by Tim Duffy, K3LR, DX Engineering CEO. If you missed it (or want to watch it a second time), you can view the entire ten-hour program here.
DX Engineering Virtual New Products Showcase: One of the highlights of Hamvention for the DX Engineering team is being able to field questions from attendees who want to know what’s new and what’s on the horizon. When the live event was canceled, DX Engineering turned to Zoom and YouTube to introduce the new Maxi-Core® 20 Baluns and Feedline Choke, Ladder Line Surge Protector and Rebuild Kit, RG-214 Double-Shielded 50-ohm Coaxial Cable, Hi-Visibility Antenna Wire, and a host of other new products. You can watch the entire showcase here.
DXE Virtual Hamfest and DX Academy: DX Engineering’s second annual DXE Hamfest was another casualty of the pandemic. In its place, the first-ever Virtual Hamfest and DX Academy (co-sponsored by Icom America) offered a day full of fun and learning, including presentations on working Amateur Radio Satellites, Low Band Antennas for DXing, and a presentation by Glenn Johnson, W0GJ, on the VP6R Pitcairn Island DXpedition. Watch it here.
DX Engineering Manufacturer’s Showcase: In September, DX Engineering launched a weekly Facebook Live interview show featuring the people behind some of the most innovative brands in Ham Radio, including representatives from Icom, Yaesu, Geochron, COMPACtenna, and AlexLoop. The Manufacturer’s Showcase airs Thursdays at 2:30 pm Eastern (19:30 UTC). You can watch all the interviews in the archives on DX Engineering’s YouTube channel.
In addition, DX Engineering continued to air Facebook Live with Tim, K3LR, and Jeff, KB8ZWT, every Tuesday at 1:15 pm Eastern (18:15 UTC), and Facebook Live with Tim Duffy, K3LR, every Friday at 4:00 pm Eastern (21:00 UTC).
You’ll find the complete schedule of online events here.
Here’s to Better Days Ahead
From all of us at OnAllBands, we thank you for checking out our blog and for your input. We’ve got great things planned for 2021.
Boomtime for Amateur Radio: Despite a year in which so many in-person activities were nixed, interest in Ham Radio continued to grow. This is partially due to a swell in young operators dedicated to keeping Ham Radio vital for generations to come. DX Engineering remains committed to supporting organizations such as the Yasme Foundation and YOTA, and the current crop of talented young contesters who are challenging longtime operators to up their game.
73!
