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!
Tonga QRV in September
DXers will have a chance to log Tonga (IOTA-049) this September. The A35JT DXpedition is scheduled for September 23 to October 7. VK5GR, VK5XDX, VK5AKH, and VK5SFA will be operating on 160 through 6 meters— SSB, CW, FT8, RTTY and EME on 6 meters. They will be QRV for the Oceania DX SSB contest (October 5-6) and the CQ World Wide RTTY DX Contest (Sept. 28-29).
In an effort to work as many stations as possible, the team will “frequently be calling for a particular region.” Click here for useful information on A35JT’s DXpedition calling plan. Get all the latest news from VK5GR’s website.
Located in the southern Pacific Ocean, the Kingdom of Tonga consists of 169 islands (36 inhabited), with a population of about 100,500 mostly residing on the island of Tongatapu. As of August, this Polynesian sovereign state was the 104th Most Wanted DXCC Entity in North America.
Dave, N8NB, DX Engineering technical support specialist, contacted the A35RK DXpedition to Lifuka Island (in the Ha’Apai island group) in December 2005 on 12M SSB. A35RK operated from the village of Pangai. It was on Lifuka where Captain Cook called Tonga “The Friendly Islands.”
Tom, KB8UUZ, DX Engineering technical writer, captured the same QSL card (10M SSB) from an A35RK April 1998 DXpedition.
Bob, W5OV, DX Engineering sales manager, contacted the A35FB DXpedition on 15M SSB in 1980.
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