The team at OnAllBands is thrilled to see the number of DXpeditions steadily increase over the past few months. DX Engineering has been an active participant in making sure these activations (Bouvet Island 3Y0J; Sable Island CY0S, et. al.) have received the mission-critical gear required to give hams worldwide the opportunity to record ATNOs, make first digital contacts, and fill bands. We hope you’ve had success with your DXing! It has been exciting to play a role in these rare events—part of DX Engineering’s commitment to giving back to the hobby and our customers who have made us their go-to source for ham radio gear.
Most recently, DX Engineering was the major equipment sponsor for the nine-operator March 2023 9G4X Ghana DXpedition, hosted by the Accra Amateur Radio Club. The 9G4X team was made up of Joe, K9UR; Curtis, N2ZX; George, N4GRN; Gregg, W6IZT; Hal, W8HC; Bob, W9AP; Mike, WB0SND; Haim, 9G5AF; and Zeev, 4X5ZS. Hams worldwide contacted the group on 160-6M and through the QO-100 satellite. 9G4X was also active during the CQWW WPX Phone Contest March 25-26. Their M/2 operation finished with a raw score of nearly 12M points.
The 9G4X team logged more than 17,000-plus QSOs while operating from the West African country with a population of close to 33 million. From all of us at OnAllBands and DX Engineering, welcome back and thanks for a job well done!
Before 9G4X, Ghana ranked as the 195th Most Wanted DXCC Entity per ClubLog.
DX Engineering Lends Its Support
DX Engineering provided 9G4X with an EAntenna 50LFA5 five-element loop-fed array (LFA) antenna for six meters (EAN-R2010102). DX Engineering is the exclusive North American distributor or EAntenna products—a company acquired by WiMo in 2017. The R2010102 model employed in Ghana features a 14.68-foot boom, 10,000W power rating, 125 MPH wind survival rating, stainless steel hardware, and aircraft grade aluminum construction.
What do hams say ab0ut the EAntenna five-element LFA for six meters?
Five Stars: “Excellent quality, fast installation, and low noise. Impressive product both in design and execution. Easy to assemble, easy to tune. Made a NorCal to SoCal SSB contact for a half hour conversation within an hour of erecting it.”
Five Stars: “Great performer. The EAntenna 50LFA5 did not disappoint me. My first foray into 6M was with a 3-element Yagi which I used for about a year. As soon as I put this one on the air, it was akin to opening one’s eyes after a long dark night.”
In addition, DX Engineering provided 9G4X with its branded RG-8X Low-Loss 50-ohm Coax Cable Assemblies with PL-259 Connectors in 25-, 50-, and 100-foot lengths.
Not sure what coaxial cable is right for your station? Read this article from OnAllBands blogger Mark, K8MSH, “Coaxial Cable Guide: Understanding the Differences Among Types of Coaxial Cable.” Also check out “Gearing up for ARRL Field Day: Upgrade Your Coaxial Cable” for the best available options.
Mark, W8BBQ, DX Engineering customer/technical support specialist, is one of the experienced DXers you can talk to about upgrading your station to capture entities that may have previously eluded you. Here are a couple of his Ghana QSL cards he sent to OnAllBands: 9G5TT, November 2009 from Abokwa Island, (17M and 15M SSB), and 9G5LL, April 2011 (20M SSB).
During the DXpedition, Ghana’s National Communications Authority (their government’s equivalent of the FCC) participated in amateur radio training organized by the Accra Amateur Radio Club. Held at the 9G4X Langma Village operating site in Kokrobite, the sessions were aimed at exposing the NCA staff to amateur radio practices.
