Welcome to the Spokane DX Association Serving Eastern Washington and North Idaho
NEXT SDXA ACTIVITIES
February 5, 2026 on Zoom
CQ9A Madeira Contest Station by Chris Hurlbut-KL9A
Hear all about the CQ9A Contest Station and Chris setting a world record from it.
February 23, 2026 on Zoom
Creating Voice Keys with Audacity Workshop
by David Oglesby N7LL and Mel Ming N7GCO
Learn how to create and edit SSB voice keys for Contests and DXing. We will be using Audacity to do the editing and demonstrating using an Icom radio (But it will work with any modern radio.)
March 5, 2026 on Zoom
Using Green Heron Everywhere in your Station
by Grant Saviers KZ1W
Grant has built his contest station in Redmond, WA using the GH Everywhere system. The GH Everyware Wireless system eliminates the use of control cables and control boxes, replacing them with a robust wireless network and on-screen controls that you may customize for whatever relay control system you utilize. In addition, the system allows shared access through the use of standard IP techniques. Any number of operator positions on separate computers, may share any or all of the switch and rotor devices under GH Everyware Wireless control AND they may also be utilized over the Internet. The system components are flexible and expandable to meet any station complexity requirement, or can be utilized as a simple USB to serial port adapter and wireless extension for any serial device.
April 2, 2026 in person meeting
Getting and confirming DXCC QSO’s
Mel N7GCO Coordinating
I. Getting ATNO and Band Fills in Contest
II Confirming the contacts
- LoTW
- QSL cards and card checkerII
- OQRS – Club Log
III. Awards
- DXCC
- Trident Award
- Challenge Award
May 7,2026 on Zoom
TBD
June 4, 2026 on Zoom
World Team Radio Championship
by Pat Barkey N9RV
Pat Barkey N9RV, is a Contest Hall of Famer and one of the world’s most respected amateur radio contesters. He is the past editor of the National Contest Journal and is a frequent speaker at Contest University. He is also an active member of CWops and President of the Big Sky Contesters.
This upcoming WTRC will be his fifth (1996, 2002, 2006, 2018 and 2026).
Pat works as a research director at the University of Montana in Missoula.
June 27-28, 2026
ARRL Field Day led by Jim Monroe N7ESU
July 2, 2026 Zoom
80/160 Inverted L with Folded Counterpoise
by Bill Eisinger AA7X
Bill, who is a retired electrical engineer and lives in Boise with 336 confirmed entities, will share about his 80/160 Inverted L Antenna over a FCP (Folded Counterpoise). The FCP is the concept of K2AV. This is a way to get a good ground plane under a 80/160 antenna when you do not have room for an extensive radial field.
August – Summer picnic
Summer Picnic
September 12, 2026 (Sat.)
2nd SDXA Antenna Shootout
LOCATION: Gary Bytnar’s Antenna Farm (West of Davenport, WA)
Awards Dinner
October 1, 2026 – Awards Dinner
| Dates | Where | Call | Bands | Modes | Ant | |
| 2/1- 2/27 | Belize | V31DJ | 160-10m | CW, SSB | 133 | |
| 2/4 – 3/9 | St. Kitts & Nevas | V4/K0YA , V4/W5RCX | 160-6m | CW,SSB,FT8,FT4 | 146 | |
| 2/5 – 2/20 | Sao Tome & Principe | S9BV | 60,40,30,15 | CW, SSB | 64 | |
| 2/6 – 2/19 | Cape Verde | D4VR | hf | 77 | ||
| 2/8 – 2/14 | Lakshadweep | AU7RS | 160 – 6m | CW,SSB + Digital | 10 Ops | 105 |
| 2/7 – 2/14 | Falkland Is. | VP8TDX | 40 – 6m | CW, SSB, FT8, FT4 | 146 | |
| 2/10 – 2/17 | Greenland | OX7AKT | 160 – 10m | ssb, cw, ft8 | 40 | |
| 2/14 – 2/28 | Falkland Is. | VP8TM | HF | SSB, FT8 | 146 | |
| 2/15 – 3/14 | Bouvet ** | 3Y0K | HF | CW, SSB, FT8, FT4 | 18- 24 Ops | 123 |
| 2/19 – 2/27 | Guyana | 8R1WA | 160 – 6m | SSB, FT8 | 4 Ops | 111 |
| 2/21 – 2/28 | Barbados | 8P9XB | 160 – 6m | holiday style | 106 | |
| 2/21 – 3/07 | St. Kitts & Nevas | V4/WA7RAR | 20-10m | ssb, CW | 105 |
** The latest word is the Bouvet dx expedition will be delayed a couple weeks for ship modification/repairs before heading out.
Contest Calendar – 2025-26
Pacific NW Challenge Trophy contests, with other Pac NW DX clubs:
- CQ Worldwide DX Contest RTTY Sep 27-28, 2025
- CQ Worldwide DX Contest SSB Oct 25-26, 2025
- CQ Worldwide DX Contest CW Nov 29-30, 2025
- ARRL RTTY Roundup Jan 3-4, 2026
- CQ WW RTTY WPX Contest Feb 14-15, 2026
- ARRL Inter. DX Contest CW Feb 21-22, 2026
- ARRL Inter. DX Contest SSB Mar 7-8, 2026
- CQ WW WPX Contest SSB Mar 28-29, 2026
- CQ WW WPX Contest CW May 30-31, 2026
- IARU HF World Championship Jul 11-12, 2026
Other contests of SDXA interest
- Washington State Salmon Run Sep 20-21, 2025
- ARRL Sweepstakes, CW 07-09 Nov 25
- ARRL Sweepstakes, SSB 21-23 Nov 25
- ARRL 160Meter 04-06 Dec 25
- FT Challenge Dec 6-7, 2025
- ARRL 10Meter 12-13 Dec 25
- Idaho QSO Party Mar 14-15, 2026
- 7th Call Area QSO Party May 2-3, 2026
- ARRL Inter. Digital Contest Jun 6-7, 2026
- ARRL Field Day Jun 27-28. 2026
- World Wide Digi DX Contest Aug 29-30, 2026
DXpedition SOLICITATIONS
ALL DXpedition funding requests are to be to the SDXA President. Since funding is limited, in this manner, our SDXA Officers can give your request the consideration it deserves.
SOLAR ACTIVITY AND PROPAGATION SECTION
For additional info, try this SOLAR LINK for everything you ever wanted to know about the current Sun at the SolarHam site by VE3EN
Link to SPACEWEATHER.COM, a quick source for the daily activity on the sun
Link to NOAA SPACEWEATHER
What is this?
JOIN THE SDXA
Regular dues – $20 per person.
Second family member – $10.
Under 19 years of age are free.
DUES LINK.
We accept PayPal too.
The Miscellaneous Area
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NW HAM RADIO CONVENTION & SWAP MEETS
Lynn N7CFO keeps the best listing.
More Information
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CLUB CARD CHECKERS
Gary Bytnar AD7XG
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IA ETHICS OPER PROCEDURES
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OUTSIDE HELP IN ANTENNAS & TOWERS
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DX NEWS LINKS
1. DX WORLD.NET
2. ANNOUNCED DX OPERATIONS
3. DX SUMMIT
4. I2MQP DX NEWS
5. DXER.ORG (Lone Star DX)
6. DXWATCH.COM
7. DAILY DX
8. DXMAPS
9. DX UNIVERSITY
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CONTESTING LINKS
There are a lot of links to contesting activities in the DX/Contesting drop down menu above the 24-hour clock on the right of this page. But here are a couple of the best.
1. WA7BNM
2. CONTESTING.COM
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INTERNET ENTITY PRONOUNCER
How do you pronounce a DX entity’s name? Here is a link to the pronouncing. There is also a audio link to a human voice saying the entity’s name correctly. This authority is the 3rd edition Merriam Webster Geographical Dictionary. Covering only legitimate countries, it does not cover non-country ARRL entities.
More Information
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HAM RADIO EQUIPMENT REVIEWS
eHAM.net
More Information
Recent News
Another Trident Award to Dale WU7X
Congratulations Dale on the Trident Award.
ARRL DXCC Trident Award
Congratulations to Joe Somday KF7PBM for earning the ARRL DXCC Trident Award. The ARRL DXCC Trident award recognizes amateur radio operators who have confirmed two-way radio contacts (QSLs) with 100 or more currrent DXCC Award Countries (entities) on all three modes: CW (Morse Code) Phone (Voice) Digital (FTx, RTTY, PSK, etc.)
2025 Awards Dinner
Tonight we had our annual Spokane DX Association Awards Dinner. It was great to see everyone and celebrate their achievements and service. Great time was had by all. Mike K7STO received the DX Challenge Award for the most new band fill this year, Michael K7NT received the Top Contester Award, and Jay WS7I received the […]
New DXCC Certificates & Salmon Run
Congratulations to Jeff NZ2S on a couple of more DXCC Certificates and putting together a successful team for Salmon Run to Pend Oreille County.
SDXA Picnic 2025
A great picnic on Saturday, August 9th, 2025 at the Morissette home in Nine Mile Falls. First of all a giant THANK YOU to Diane for allowing us to have the picnic at her home and another GIANT THANK YOU to Peter for cooking the ribs, pulled pork, and brisket. I think there were between […]
