DX Engineering to serve as Technical Partner for upcoming Bioko Island DXpedition.
English poet John Donne famously opined, “No man is an island.” Written in the early 17th century, the phrase speaks metaphorically of the interconnectedness of humanity, something that Maxwell, Hertz, Marconi, and others would prove physically possible through the development of wireless radio technology many years later.
Amateur radio operators demonstrate this interconnectedness every day by transmitting and receiving signals through radio waves traveling at the speed of light. From her bedroom station in South Carolina, a 16-year-old girl makes a friend in Newfoundland who is also studying for her Extra license. A longtime operator in Buenos Aeries finds a CW enthusiast in New Zealand to share a rag-chew in dits and dahs. A DX chaser in Japan thrills at hearing the voice of a DXpeditioner on Marion Island—a contact he never thought would happen in his lifetime.
In the ham radio world, people may operate from islands, but no person is, as Donne wrote, an island…a peninsula…an atoll…an archipelago…alone.
As the folks at DX Engineering like to say, “Amateur radio shrinks the globe,” bringing us all a little closer together and a lot better off because of it. With this in mind, we’ve devoted the first part of this month’s contest guide to the multitude of islands—from American Samoa to Zanzibar—that make island chasing and activating an endlessly fascinating part of the hobby.
Here are two excellent opportunities to capture QSOs with the islands of the world.
RSGB IOTA Contest: July 26, 1200Z to July 27, 1200Z.
The Radio Society of Great Britain’s Islands on the Air Contest (IOTA) is a welcome chance to celebrate the world’s well-known and lesser-traveled island groups (more than 1,200 of them). The contest is based on the RSGB IOTA awards program, established in 1964 to promote amateur radio and draw attention to the “widespread mystique surrounding islands.”
If you’re new to the RSGB IOTA Contest, which has been around since 1993, click here to read a guide for novices who wish to operate from an official IOTA spot or those who seek to make contact with IOTA stations. Bands for the 24-hour contest are 80, 40, 20, 15, and 10M on CW and phone. Also for new island operators, check out this article by blogger Sean Kutzko, KX9X, “Your First Pileup, Techniques for Success.”
US Islands Award
Summer is an excellent time to hold a mini-DXpedition by activating one of America’s islands that are part of the US Islands (USI) Awards Program. Celebrating its 31st year, the program has given hams across the country the chance to activate and chase a range of river, lake, and ocean shore islands, from the ones everyone knows (Manhattan, Maui, Key West) to spots perhaps only familiar to the peripatetic amateur operator (Tonganoxie, Shuler Bend, Little Scovell).
You’ll find everything you need for activating or hunting islands, parks, summits and more at DX Engineering, including:
- Upgraded coaxial cable, including high-visibility orange coax
- Cable connectors
- Transceivers
- Wire antennas
- HF portable vertical antennas
- Portable masts, including the new DX Engineering Nomad Fiberglass Telescopic Masts
- Antenna analyzers
- Gear for improved audio (headsets, microphones, etc.)
- Coaxial cable prep tools
- Power supplies
- Batteries
- Foldable solar panels
- Equipment cases
- SWR/Wattmeters
DX Engineering is a Technical Partner of the 3C2MD October/November 2025 Activation of Bioko Island.
DX Engineering will be providing critical equipment and supplies for the 3C2MD DXpedition to Equatorial Guinea’s Bioko Island scheduled for Oct. 29 to Nov. 10, 2025. The DXpedition to Bioko Island is being undertaken by the highly experienced Mediteranneo DX Club.
This 779-square-mile island 20 miles south of the coast of Cameroon in Central Africa has a population of around 335,000. The 15-member 3C2MD team plans to run seven stations 24/7 covering all modes and bands, including ATNO opportunities in EME and QO-100 satellite for Equatorial Guinea.
Read much more about 3C2MD at their official website. We’ll be highlighting the weatherproofing supplies, coax prep tools, and ferrite chokes provided by DX Engineering for 3C2MD in a future post.
Beyond islands, there’s loads to do in July. We’ve showcased a few activities below. Good luck!
17th Annual 13 Colonies Special Event: July 1-7. This popular event challenges operators to make contact with stations set up in the original 13 U.S. colonies, plus three bonus stations.
RAC Canada Day Contest: July 1, 0000Z to 2359Z. Hosted by the Radio Amateurs of Canada, this event celebrates the birthday of the official creation of Canada on July 1, 1867. Amateurs all over the world are invited to participate.
In honor of the event, be sure to check out these Canadian-based manufacturers at DXEngineering.com:
- VE2DX Electronics: Manufacturer of TrueCIV Icom transceiver hubs, digital meter displays, Bluetooth transceiver CAT interfaces, SDR TR switches (below), and more
- VA6AM Engineering: Manufacturer of HF band pass filters and HF multiplexers
Venezuelan Independence Day Contest: July 5, 0000Z to 2359Z. This annual CW/SSB/FT4 contest hosted by the Radio Club Venezolano celebrates Venezuela Independence Day (July 5), which commemorates its history of becoming South America’s first independent country in 1821.
NZART Memorial Contest: July 5, 0800Z to 1100Z and July 6, 0800Z to 1100Z. The nonprofit New Zealand Association of Radio Transmitters has been proudly serving Kiwi amateur radio operators in The Land of the Long White Cloud since 1926. A founding member of Region 3 of the IARU, NZART sponsors a number of contests and activities throughout the year, including this 80M-only CW/SSB event.
IARU HF World Championship: July 12, 1200Z to July 13, 1200Z. Open to all licensed amateurs, the International Amateur Radio Union’s HF World Championship encourages operators to make as many contacts as possible, especially with IARU member society HQ stations, on 160/80/40/20/15/10M.
QRP ARCI Summer Homebrew Sprint: July 13, 2000Z to 2300Z. This HF CW-only event sponsored by the QRP Amateur Radio Club International rewards stations with multipliers based on how little power you use, from 5W down to 55mW or less. Add big bonus points if operating a homebrew transmitter, receiver, or transceiver. “Homebrew” is defined as equipment that you build, kits included.
CQ Worldwide VHF Contest (SSB/CW/FM): July 5, 1200Z to July 6, 1200Z. Fans of 6M and 2M operating have this annual summer event marked on their calendars long in advance, anticipating the improved propagation and challenge of working the world while collecting VHF Maidenhead grid locations for award credits. The contest features single operator, hilltopper, rover, and multi-op categories. The Digital portion of this contest takes place July 19, 1200Z to July 20, 1200Z. Get all the details here.
IARU Region 1 70 MHz CW/SSB Contest: July 19, 1400Z to July 20, 1400Z. Find all the rules here. From IARU Region 1, “The main objectives are to make as many contacts as possible and to have fun. Other objectives may include improving your operating skills, testing new equipment configurations and techniques, expanding your horizons by operating on the microwave bands, and exploring radio propagation.” IARU Region 1 covers Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and northern Asia.
YOTA Contest: July 19, 1000Z to 2159Z. This is the second of three rounds of the annual Youngsters on the Air Contest. Per the YOTA website, the contest is designed to increase youth activity on the air, strengthen the reputation of the YOTA program, and demonstrate support for youngsters around the world.
North American QSO Party, RTTY: July 19, 1800Z to July 20, 0559Z. Here’s a great opportunity for both RTTY aficionados and novices. Designed for contesting beginners and veterans, North American QSO Parties are low-power-only (no amplifiers allowed) contests that are fun and challenging.
Alabama QSO Party: July 26, 1500Z to July 27, 0300Z.
MARAC U.S. Counties QSO Party: July 26, 0000Z to July 27, 2400Z. The Mobile Amateur Radio Awards Club (MARAC) sponsors this long-running contest for county-hunting hams. The contest’s objective is to “establish radio contact with as many U.S. counties as possible in all 50 U.S. states with the emphasis on maximum scoring of mobile entries. Contacts are good toward the various MARAC awards including the initial Worked All Counties Award.”
Contacts can be made by phone, CW, and select digital modes that allow full two-way exchanges between both stations, such as FT4 with proper setup, per the rules. FT8 is not allowed since a grid square cannot define the county of operation. Find complete rules at the link above. Established in 1970, MARAC is a support group for county hunting and mobile activities with members all over the world.
