July 25th, 2026
Just a little over two months remain until our H49A adventure begins.
Although we haven’t posted many updates recently, that doesn’t mean we haven’t been busy behind the scenes. Part of the team (9A3MR and DK8ZZ) recently tested two multiband VDA antennas on the Adriatic coast in Bilice, Croatia. The objective was to optimize their performance and make the final decision regarding our antenna setup. We have now confirmed that we will take two VDA antennas covering the 20 to 10-meter bands.
Our QTH has now been finalized: Dolphin View Beach, located on the northeastern coast of Guadalcanal Island. We will have three bungalows at our disposal, one of which will serve as the radio shack. In addition, we have approximately 100 meters of beachfront available for antenna installation directly along the shoreline. Our QTH locator is QI90VQ. The location was chosen for one simple reason—it offers an excellent takeoff toward North America, Europe, and Japan.
As for the power generator, which is essential for the success of the DXpedition, the final agreement is currently being completed. We are confident that it will provide reliable electrical power, allowing us to operate three stations simultaneously.
The H49A team would like to express its sincere appreciation to INDEXA, GMDX Group, and Mediterraneo DX Club for their generous support. We are especially pleased that our DXpedition has been recognized not only for its amateur radio objectives but also for its humanitarian aspect, as part of the funds raised will be donated to the Catholic Mission in Boma. During the HAM RADIO exhibition in Friedrichshafen, DK8ZZ had several productive meetings with representatives of DX clubs and DX foundations, many of whom have already confirmed their support for our expedition.
The ACOM power amplifiers are scheduled to be delivered at the beginning of September.
Our QSL policy remains unchanged from TX9A:
- Bureau QSL cards are completely free.
- LoTW confirmations will be uploaded free of charge six months after the end of the DXpedition.
- Direct QSL cards with immediate LoTW confirmation are available for EUR 5.
Our youngest team member, Frane (9A3CJY), has a great passion for history. He has promised to find some time during the DXpedition to give us a short presentation about World War II and the Guadalcanal Campaign.
May 27th, 2026
Our plans are underway. The team is in daily contact, and each point of the plan is being carried out accordingly. While some things are still being arranged, things that have definitely been agreed upon are:
– The QSL cards will be printed by Tony LZ1JZ
– we are planning to use the livestream on Club Log
– we will be active on all HF bands (including 160m and 60m), as well as 50 MHz
We would like to thank the first individual donors, Mike S58N and Borut S50B. Thank you, guys!
May 17th, 2026
Preparations for our new DXpedition are in full swing. Every member of the team is handling their part of the work; we are a well-coordinated and experienced team, and thanks to the experience we gained from previous expeditions, we can complete all the necessary preparations more easily. We are in the final stages of arranging the QTH, as well as the solution for the electrical power supply.
We would like to thank ACOM Bulgaria for once again supporting our expedition with three power amplifiers: 1× ACOM A1200S and 2× ACOM A500S. We decided to use two smaller power amplifiers because of the easier operation of the power generator, as well as reduced baggage costs.
We would also like to thank the 4O3A Signature Team, whose HP bandpass filters we will be using during this DXpedition.
A big thank you also goes to German DX Foundation GDXF,Swiss DX Foundation (SDXF), The UK DX Foundation as well as European DX foundation(EUDXF), all of whom have confirmed their support for our project.