Archive - August 2026

So what news do I have to share now. Well as I mentioned a while ago I passed my US Extra exam, beginning of July, and had applied for a vanity call. Well that call has finally been granted and I am the proud owner of KF5DX, and I am looking at using a remote station in the USA to start my journey on attaining my DXCC. I will be applying for my LOTW certificate, and eventually getting some QSL cards designed and printed – you never know I may go visit the US and get on the air from a station too.

The line up for DX Feile in october has been announced this week. I am booked in and will be flying out from Stanstead Airport on the Thursday before, and heading to Cork to see a couple of friends Dave (EI9FBB) and Jeremy (EI5GM). Then it will be a jaunt up to Ennis to the venue and help Dave setup.

Dave says “The word ‘Féile’ is a Gaelic word (Irish language) and translates into English as ‘Festival’. We thank you for your interest in our ‘Féile’. This is Ireland’s only DX Festival where everything DX is discussed! Come and meet Ireland’s DXers and shake hands with members from some of the biggest DXpedition groups.”

The day usually starts off with a fun DX Quiz and follows with some great DX presentations from some of the best DXpeditions – all are recent, topical and of interest. There’s also a simulated SSB and CW pile-up if you’d like to test your skill and of course, don’t forget about our giant tombola raffle! A great day is guaranteed and some even make a weekend of it and enjoy a social evening on the Friday as well.

Date: Saturday 3rd October 2026

Venue: Temple Gate Hotel, Ennis, Co. Clare

Centrally located in Ennis town centre, the award winning Temple Gate Hotel is an excellent venue, with a large, airy conference room and excellent food. It’s only a short 15 minute drive from Shannon Airport and only 3 minutes by taxi from Ennis Train Station.

EIDXG is delighted to announce their full programme for this year’s DX Féile Convention. We are humbled to be hosting some of the Biggest and Best DXpeditions in recent times and are looking forward to hearing about all these remarkable adventures.

The above is taken from an email sent out by Dave, so go to the DX Feile Facebook page and join us for some fun in a beautiful hotel and friendly setting.I am especially looking forward tothis as I missed last year due to it clashing with the RSGB convention and having to work.

Remember if it is highlighted in red, there is a link to some information.

Happy Yorkshire Day everyone. Yes today is the day we celebrate all things that come from Yorkshire – Gods Country! I was born and bred in a small mining village called Conisbrough, near to Doncaster, in South Yorkshire and I am quite proud of this fact. So much so that even though I have moved around the UK I have never lost my Yorkshire accent. “You can take the boy out of Yorkshire, but you can’t take the yorkshire out of the boy!”

Any way back to radio and update blog. So this week we, when I say we I mean Icom UK, have announced the pricing for the new Icom ID-5200 VHF/UHF FM/DSTAR mobile transceiver. We haven’t an official release date yet but hopefully won’t be too long. I have bought a new (to me) car to have one fitted today so I am hoping that I will have it before I go on my next sojourn North or to see friends in Norfolk. I haven’t got the car yet, but I am in the process of going through the finance etc which has all been agreed upon.

The radio club I am secretary for, East Kent Amateur Radio Society, has broken up for the summer with no meetings in August. Our next meeting is on the 9th of September, and is a talk by my friend Richard GI4DOH and his trip with the Mediterraneo DX Club to Burkina Faso in East Africa. Many adventures were had by the group on this trip – Richard is hoping to be in the UK and was going to come to the club for this one, but if not he will do it over Teams®. This is one I am looking forward to as it is my interest in the hobby, chasing the DXpeditions.

And there is some sad news from the recent WRTC 2026 event. This has nothing to do with the organisers of the event, the location, or the contest itself. But, from log analysis since the closing ceremony and we all returned home by some of the worlds elite contesters, it seems there has been a little cheating and a “pirate” station been giving out some rare multipliers. This is all being investigated and a full description of what is happening is available here on the Q5 Contest Crew’s website blog. As I say the whole event and organisation team in the UK is not in question, apart from the adjudication process to be changed for the next event if discrepancies are found to be true and some cheating has been going on. 

And finally some DX news. Today there will be a special event station on the air from up in the Pennines – Yorkshire side – celebrating Yorkshire day, GB1YD. Give them a call and say hello.