CN2DX (Morocco): Michel (F5LRL) is active holiday‑style from near Kenitra as CN2DX through August 30, operating CW, SSB, and FT8 on 40m–6m, typically in the early morning (05–10 UTC) and evening (18–22 UTC). QSL via home call.
3B9SP (Rodrigues Island): From July 28 to August 1, DK6SP will be QRV as 3B9SP, easy catch with operations on HF bands.
V73KW (Marshall Islands): KW7R continues his run through September 2025, mainly FT8 and CW. QSL via LoTW.
C21TS (Nauru): Phill remains active until September 2025, already over 83,000 QSOs made. Expect FT8 on 30m and above; possible SSB later. QSL via LoTW and OQRS.
IK1MNF/IA5 (Elba Island, EU‑028): Domenico will remain QRV through mid‑October, mostly SSB on 20–6m bands.
A planned PY0S (St. Peter & St. Paul Rocks) DXpedition in October 2025 is currently on hold due to delays.
📣 Special Event Stations & IARU Centennial
SX17ASTRO (Western Greece): Special event operation runs through August 8, celebrating the Panhellenic Expedition of Amateur Astronomers.
S60 prefix (Singapore): To commemorate its 60th independence anniversary, special S60xxx callsigns active through August 9.
E2WRTC (Thailand): Active until August 10, promoting Team Asia’s WRTC 2026 entry. Operating CW/SSB on 160–10m.
LZ591MK (Bulgaria): Special callsign used July–August 2025 as part of the “All Saints” event.
⚙️ Equipment & Operating Trends
The latest 3Y0J Bouvet Island DXpedition plans have yet to resurface in 2025 schedules—but keep an eye on NCDXF and DX-World updates in case it returns.
Online bulletins from major DX news sources continue highlighting rare activations, gear news, and orienting operators toward less common entities in late July and early August.
📅 What’s On the Radar Next
August 2025 brings ongoing activity from CN2DX, SX17ASTRO, S60xx (Singapore), and Elba (IK1MNF), alongside the final days of IOTA contest. Rare DX favorites like V73KW, C21TS, and 3B9SP remain active and accessible.
A possible October debut of PY0S (St. Peter & Paul Rocks)—though not firm yet. Monitor updates.
📌 Pro Tips for DXers
Focus on early-morning UTC slots for CN2DX and similar holiday-style activations—low band openings likely.
During IOTA Contest, monitor 40m‑10m CW and FT8 where most ops are active.
Use Club Log, LoTW, OQRS for confirmations/QSL-ing with most stations listed.
For upcoming alerts—subscribe to major DX calendars and bulletins for the fastest updates.
Solar activity continues to influence HF propagation significantly. Expect moderate conditions over the next three days:
July 27-28: Solar flux index (SFI) around 145-150; A-index between 8 and 10. Good openings expected on 15m and 20m bands, with potential for enhanced propagation on 10m during midday hours.
July 29: Slight decrease in solar activity; SFI approximately 140; A-index slightly elevated around 12. Conditions remain fair to good, particularly during early evening hours.
DXpedition Updates
Bouvet Island (3Y0J): Final preparations underway for the highly anticipated Bouvet Island DXpedition scheduled for late August. Equipment has arrived at staging locations; full operational capabilities are confirmed, covering HF bands with emphasis on CW, SSB, and FT8.
Pitcairn Island (VP6A): Active until August 5, 2025. Operators continue to report strong signals worldwide, with particularly favorable propagation into Asia and North America on 17m and 20m.
Contesting News
IOTA Contest 2025 (July 29-30): The annual Islands On The Air (IOTA) contest takes place this weekend. Activity expected to peak with numerous island activations. High participation anticipated from EU and AS regions, with notable island DX entities confirmed participation.
CQ WW VHF Contest Results: Preliminary results indicate strong showings from stations in North America and Europe, with record-breaking scores reported in the 6-meter category.
Noteworthy Equipment
Yaesu FT-710 HF Transceiver: Recently launched and positively received by contesters and DXers alike, praised for its exceptional noise reduction and intuitive user interface.
Solar Activity: Solar Flux Index (SFI) is holding steady around 130–140, with occasional sunspot groups contributing to minor flares.
Geomagnetic Outlook: Unsettled conditions are likely through June 29, with Kp potentially reaching G2–G3 levels.
Band Performance:
20 m and 15 m are performing well for intercontinental contacts.
10 m openings are sporadic but may benefit from Es propagation.
40 m is stable at night with some noise during geomagnetic peaks.
🌍 Active & Upcoming DXpeditions
Now Active:
VP8DPD – Falkland Islands (until July 12)
8R1TM – Guyana (June 1 – July 10)
FO (French Polynesia) – Wrapping up by June 27
Launching Soon:
TF (Iceland) – July 11–25
C93RRC – Mozambique (July 13–19)
HQ9HC – Roatan Island, Honduras (July 14–20)
JW0VI – Svalbard (July 14–23)
🧭 Bonus Watch:
Youth-led DXpedition VP2VRX to British Virgin Islands is announced for late October — expect major activity during CQ WW SSB.
🔦 DX Highlights
V73WW from the Marshall Islands (OC‑029) wrapped up with over 103,000 QSOs via CW, SSB, RTTY, and FT8 — an outstanding success story.
Bouvet Island (3Y0J) remains under prep stages, still no confirmed reactivation dates.
Saba Island is on the radar again for a high-profile fall activation — early planning confirmed.
🏁 Contests & Events (Next 2 Weeks)
Marconi Memorial HF Contest – June 29–30 (CW focus, great for Europe/Africa paths)
Friedrichshafen Ham Radio 2025 – June 28–30, Friedrichshafen, GermanyOne of the world’s largest ham radio events returns with big-name exhibitors, special event stations, and cutting-edge tech showcases.
🛠️ Consider checking special event stations active from the hamfest during the weekend — plenty of operators will be portable from the fairgrounds.
📢 Summary & Tips
Solar conditions remain favorable, especially for 15 m and 20 m operations.
Keep an eye on Kp index — minor storms could temporarily suppress low-band propagation.
Now is a great time to chase South Atlantic and Pacific DX before some expeditions close out.
Friedrichshafen may bring surprise activations — scan for callsigns operating with “HAM” or fair-related suffixes.
Eswatini (3DA0GY): Morten, LA9GY, is active as 3DA0GY until June 2. He’s operating CW and some SSB, focusing on 20, 15, and 10 meters, with possible activity on 80, 40, 30, 17, and 12 meters. QSL via Logbook of The World or directly to his home call.
Gabon (TR8CR): Roland, F8EN, has extended his stay and will be operating as TR8CR until mid-June. He’s operating CW only. QSL via F6AJA.
Honduras (HR9): Alex, K6VHF, is QRV as K6VHF/HR9 from June 1–30 on 80–6 meters using FT8, FT4, SSB, RTTY, and CW.
Faroe Islands (OY): A DXpedition is underway from June 1–10. Details are available on DX-World.net.
🏆 Contesting Highlights – June 1, 2025
📅 Ongoing & Upcoming Contests
PODXS 070 Club Three Day Weekend Contest: Runs until 23:59Z today. Mode: PSK31 on 160–6 meters. Open to worldwide participants.
PVRC Reunion: Today from 17:00Z–20:00Z. Modes: CW, SSB, RTTY on 160–10 meters. Open to all, with a focus on PVRC members.
K1USN Slow Speed Test: Starts at 00:00Z on June 2. Mode: CW at speeds up to 20 wpm on 160–10 meters. Great for CW newcomers.
ICWC Medium Speed Test: Runs from 13:00Z–14:00Z and again from 19:00Z–20:00Z on June 2. Mode: CW on 160–10 meters.
📡 HF Propagation Forecast – June 1–3, 2025
⚠️ Geomagnetic Storm Alert
A G4 (Severe) geomagnetic storm is currently impacting Earth due to a coronal mass ejection (CME) that arrived earlier today. This is causing significant disturbances in the ionosphere, leading to degraded HF radio propagation, especially at higher latitudes.
📈 Solar Indices
Solar Flux Index (SFI): 164
A-index: 16
K-index: 7.33
📡 HF Band Conditions
80m & 160m: Expect increased noise levels and potential signal fading during nighttime hours.
40m & 30m: Variable conditions with possible short-term openings; monitor for sudden changes.
20m–10m: High-latitude paths may experience significant degradation; equatorial and mid-latitude paths could see sporadic openings.
🌐 Regional Notes
Europe & North America: HF propagation is currently unstable due to geomagnetic disturbances. Operators may experience rapid changes in signal strength and quality.
Asia & Oceania: Similar conditions prevail; however, some southern regions may experience brief periods of improved propagation.
🌠 Aurora Alert
The ongoing geomagnetic storm has increased the likelihood of auroral activity at lower latitudes. Observers in regions as far south as Alabama and northern California in the U.S. may witness auroras tonight.
Over the next 3 days (May 31 – June 2), expect continued moderate geomagnetic activity:
Solar Flux Index (SFI): 162
Kp Index: Slightly elevated at 4; minor disturbances expected
Best bands:
20m & 17m: Excellent openings toward Europe, South America, and parts of Asia
15m & 12m: Active during local daytime; enhanced sporadic-E
40m: Solid for regional nighttime QSOs
10m: Short skip during mid-afternoon likely on east–west paths
💡 Tip: Use greyline enhancement during sunrise/sunset for long-haul QSOs on 30m and 40m.
🌍 Active & Upcoming DXpeditions (as of May 31)
Call Sign
Location
Date Range
Notes
V6EU
Micronesia
Now–June 10
CW, SSB, FT8 — QSL via DL2AWG
T88ED
Palau
Now–June 3
Focus on 40/20/15m, some digital
OX3LX
Greenland
May 29–June 5
IOTA NA-018 — limited availability
ZD7G
St. Helena
June 1–10
Holiday-style DXpedition
🏁 Contesting Corner
🎙️ Hamvention Highlight: This weekend, Ham Radio Friedrichshafen (Germany) is live — one of the world’s largest amateur radio expos! Expect gear launches, operator meetups, and contest forums. Great time for EU operators to network.
🗓️ Upcoming Contests:
IARU Region 1 Field Day (CW) — June 1–2
RSGB 80m Club Championship (CW) — June 3
ARRL International Digital Contest — June 1
🔥 Current Tip: Prepare logging software updates and check your macros ahead of digital events.
🆕 Equipment Buzz
Yaesu FT-710ZDX early reviews are glowing! New filtering options and QRM reduction tech rival the 991A. Perfect for compact contest stations and portable ops.
