Israel, 4X. To celebrate the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah, the Israel Association of Radio Communication (formerly known as Israel Amateur Radio Club) will be running special event stations 4X8NER and 4Z8NER from 25 December to 2 January 2025. QSL via LoTW, eQSL, or via 4Z5MU. A certificate will be available at https://tools.iarc.org/chanukah24/.
Wake Island, KH9. Currently stationed on Wake Island (OC-053), Allen, KH7AL is active as KH7AL/KH9 in his spare time. He operates SSB and some CW on 40, 30, 20, 17, 15 and 10 metres. Next planned activity is on 15 December at 19:30 UTC on 10 m SSB. He keeps an “Activation Blog” and an “Upcoming” section on https://sites.google.com/view/kh7al/. QSL via home call, direct or bureau.
Pacific Trip. Hardy, DL7JLL will be active as FO/DL7JLL from Mangareva (OC-063), French Polynesia and as VP6JLL from Pitcairn Island (OC-044) between 18 December and 15 January 2025. He will operate SSB only on 20, 15 and 10 metres. QSLs via home call.
Russia, UA. Special call signs R2025NY and UE25NY will be active from 29 December to 8 January for the annual “Russian New Year” radio marathon organized by the Miller DX Club (https://mdxc.ru/). QSLs via RQ7L.
RAEM Contest. This year’s RAEM Contest (https://raem.srr.ru/) will be held on 22 December, from 00:00 UTC to 11:59 UTC on 80, 40, 20, 15 and 10 metres CW. Organized by the Russian Amateur Radio Union (SRR), the annual event commemorates Ernst T. Krenkel (1903 – 1971), the legendary Arctic explorer and radioman (callsign RAEM) on various polar stations and on the first drifting ice station North Pole-1.
Finland, OH. Once again Santa Radio, OF9X (Old Father Nine Xmas) will be active between 13 and 31 December on 160 to 6 metres using CW, SSB and digital modes. QSL via Club Log’s OQRS, or via OH2BH. Each operator will send his suffix as part of the report (e.g. 599BH for Martti, OH2BH). You can contact a maximum of 16 Santa operators on a variety of bands and modes, which makes up your Santa run total score. This time the score card is reported on https://www.qrz.com/db/OF9X. The Santa Radio operators are Rami OH2BCI (BCI); Juha OH2LQ (LQ); Martti OH2BH (BH); Pekka OH2TA (TA); Davide OH2BLS (BLS); Henri OH3JR (JR); Era OH2CV (CV); Pauli OH5BQ (BQ); Arttu OH2FB (FB); Alex OH5UY (UY); Jorma OH2KI (KI); Reijo OH7GGX (GGX); Jyri OH2KM (KM); Tero OH7WP (WP); Arto OH2KW (KW) and Esa OH7WV (WV)
USA, W. Club station W2HRU will be active from 30 December to 4 January to mark the 26th annual Ham Radio University educational conference. Look for SSB activity on 80, 40 and 20 metres, as well as FT8 on multiple bands. QSL via LoTW, eQSL, the W2 QSL Bureau or direct to KA2D. In addition, a printable QSL Certificate will be available. Detailed information on https://hamradiouniversity.org/.
Pacific Tour. Reportedly, Gerhard, OE3GEA will be active holiday style from New Caledonia, Fiji, Vanuatu, Samoa, American Samoa and Hawaii between 20 December and 21 January:
20 – 25 December TX24HAID Noumea (OC-032)
25 December – 7 January 3D2GE Nadi (OC-016) and Nacula (OC-156)
27 – 30 December YJ0GE Port Vila (OC-035)
9 – 12 January 5W0GE Apia (OC-097)
12 – 15 January KH8/OE3GEA Pago Pago (OC-045)
18 – 21 January KH6/OE3GEA Hawaii
He will operate CW on 30 to 10 metres. QSLs via OE3GEA, direct or bureau.
CQ DX Hall of Fame.
“When Dick Ross, K2MGA (Publisher of CQ Communications, Inc) became a Silent Key, in April 2024, many wondered about the numerous award programmes that were run by CQ Magazine. One very important programme was the CQ DX Hall of Fame.
Prior to his passing, Dick gave his blessing for the International DX Association (INDEXA) to carry on with this prestigious award, with my guidance, if the magazine ever ceased functioning. As such, I am pleased to announce that INDEXA will begin the stewardship of the Heritage CQ DX Hall of Fame starting with the 2025 inductees.
Established in 1967, the CQ DX Hall of Fame honours those amateurs who have
made exemplary contributions to DXing and DXpeditioning, including both on-air and off-air activities and accomplishments.
The activities and accomplishments that qualify one for membership in this elite group called the CQ DX Hall of Fame involves considerable personal sacrifice and can usually be described by the phrase ‘above and beyond the call of duty.’
It is not enough to just be a DXpedition team member several times. To be in the DX Hall of Fame you might need to have the foresight to organize DXpeditions to the very hard to reach entities around the globe, or perhaps work on ways to open Amateur Radio in the countries where politics exclude it.
Other accomplishments could also be to create or provide new and/or important techniques that support the DX chaser. Other important attributes to be considered include ‘integrity,’ ‘perseverance,’ ‘good will,’ ‘honesty’ and ‘being noncontroversial.’
Nominations will be open on 1 January until 1 March 2025. Please send to Bob Schenck, N2OO (n2oo@comcast.net). Make sure to put CQ DX HALL OF FAME in the subject line. Inductees will be announced at the SWODXA – Dayton DX Dinner.
Bob Schenck, N2OO is the Vice President of the International DX Association, a member of the CQ DX Hall of Fame and former DX Editor of CQ Magazine.