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AN OPERATION TO ACTIVATE ANOTHER DXCC FOR THE FIRST TIME ON 6M EME Pro The Solomon
Islands have never been activated on EME
(Earth-Moon-Earth, or "Moonbounce") on
any band, and remains quite rare around
the world on the 6m Amateur Band. This
will be my 21st 6m EME DXpedition.
INTRODUCTION
Continuing in the effort to provide
the first ever 6m EME contacts from rare DXCC,
this destination provides the added attraction of
still being very rare in NA and EU. Although this
time of year is not optimum for ionospheric
propagation, the dates chosen are expected to
afford good conditions for EME. This
operation period does include the lowest EME
Degradation days of the month and during a
time of year when interference from
ionospheric effects is less likely. I
am also pleased that there are times during
which my EME operation will be during the
middle of the night my local time, which is
the ideal time to avoid high TEC
interference when operating EME
from locations so close to the
geomagnetic equator. And I have
included operation over the weekend,
so callers will not have to take time
off from work! One of the
reasons this location
is so rare is because
of the difficulty in
getting there -
ESPECIALLY from
Montana! Because of
the numerous different
airline flights, the
excess baggage
expenses for this
DXpedition are higher
than what I typically
have encountered on my
previous DXpeditions.
The high travel costs
and expenses involved
in staying at this
remote location
combine to make this
one of the more
expensive undertakings
I have embarked on so
far. The travel itself
is going to present
quite a physical
challenge, as well as
an unusually high risk
of equipment
damage/loss during the
long and complicated
trip. Fingers crossed! LOGISTICS
As you know, a good location can mean everything to the success of one of these DXpeditions. Ideally, the site must be quiet, provide enough open space to erect and operate the large antenna and - especially from a location as distant from potential contacts as H44 - must provide a good view of the moon rising and setting. Site selection in tropical regions is often quite difficult due to dense jungle growth. I am hoping this site on the north end of Lola Island will provide a large enough clearing to permit the antenna to be aimed at the moon for common moon windows with stations interested in making contact. Although there will be some buildings toward moonrises and moonsets, the very low horizon might provide adequate clearance for some ground gain lobes in those directions- we will have to see once things are set up. The location on the northwest tip of the island as shown on the map above. The other maps show where in the world this remote place is located. I hope you will make the effort to look for me! 
EQUIPMENT
As you can see from reviewing the results from my previous 6m EME DXpeditions, many contacts were made with single yagi horizon-only stations. The smallest station contacted from all the 6 EME DXpeditions so far was N3CXV with his single 6M5X yagi. If you have a good yagi, good ground gain, a quiet QTH, good power and lots of patience, we should be able to complete! This is especially true in the situations in which we both have ground gain at the same time! A complete description of all the equipment being used on this DXpedition can be found here. OPERATING SCHEDULE
My tentative
operating schedule as an Excel spreadsheet
is here.
The H44 local time is UTC +11
hours. My
ability to elevate between 45 and 65
degrees will depend on whether I
will have enough space in the
antenna clearing to utilize my full
24' high mast. I know that many of
the NA moonset windows will require
me to elevate quite high. On
the tentative EME operating
schedule, I have shown that I will
not be available when the moon is
over 65 degrees high; please check
on this page and the ON4KST EME CHAT
page for updates regarding my
activity and ability to elevate. Otherwise,
please just keep watch on 50.175
and I will try to stick to the
published schedule as closely as
I can. A file with my moon
positions during the trip is here.
If you copy me, please spot me on the DX Cluster so people will know the correct grid locator, as well as the frequency and my status. I will diligently try to be QRV during all my moonrises and moonsets as published on the operating schedule. The antenna should have a good view of the moon through the trees at a height of around 50' over the ocean, and it will soon become clear after a few moonpasses which elevations are best for my ground gain lobes. Please watch the ON4KST EME page and/or the DX Cluster for updates on what people are copying and when. If you have questions as to when we have common moon or when your moonsets/moonrises are going to take place, please install my free GJTRACKER program. CONTACT INFORMATION
I do not expect to have real-time access to the internet while I am operating. However, I hope to be able to periodically take my laptop to an internet access point sometime. At that time, I will upload a report on my status and updated log of stations worked. Please watch the MAGIC BAND EME email list for updated information. Please also share any updates with others on the ON4KST EME CHAT page. If there is some question regarding a contact, please DO call again. However, once you have confirmed a contact with me, please do not call for a second contact - some of the common moon windows are very limited, and many stations are expected to be calling at certain times! I plan on taking a WiFi Extender again in the hope that I might be able to get the internet to reach into the ham shack. We will see what is possible when I get set up! QSL INFORMATIONSorry,
no eQSL or other newfangled ways of confirmation.
I will upload all contacts to LOTW upon my return
home. Please let me know of any logging
discrepancies, as I can correct any errors by
referring to my paper logbooks as well as the
WSJT-X ALL.TXT file. I also will be printing photo
QSL cards. If we have
completed an EME contact, I plan to send you
a QSL card direct to your QRZ.com mailing
address after I return home. Other stations,
please QSL DIRECT
with SASE (foreign stations include $5 USD or via
PayPal for postage) direct to:
Lance Collister, W7GJ P.O.Box 73 Frenchtown, MT 59834-0073 USA FREQUENCY, MODE AND SEQUENCE For EME, I
plan to transmit at 1500 Hz offset on 50.175 MHz. I will always transmit in the
first sequence Q65-60A using "Q65 Pileup"
option
as the "special
operating
activity" in the
most recent
version of
WSJT-X IMPROVED.
Please
call me using either Q65-Pileup or NA VHF
Contest Mode from the most recent
version of WSJT-X . Please DO NOT call me
using any other modes. I
will not be sending signal reports - in
Q65 Pileup and NA Contest Mode, only the
grids are exchanged! So if you want to
get in the log, make sure to spread the
word to get on WSJT-X and operate in NA
VHF CONTEST mode, which is the most
sensitive for me to decode with Q65
Pileup mode on my end, and also results
in faster contacts. And this will NOT
work well with compound callsigns!!
That is why I will have the H44GJ
callsign and I suggest that you just
send me your standard callsign and grid,
even if you are operating portable. Do
NOT call me with a /P or /R or /# after
your callsign - your grid will show
where you are!
Here is the link to download the most recent version of WSJT-X: https://wsjt.sourceforge.io/wsjtx.html Often, more frequent updates are included in the WSJT-X IMPROVED version, which is what I use and can be found here: https://sourceforge.net/projects/wsjt-x-improved/ Here is my step-by-step checklist to setting up Q65-60A for success on EME: http://www.bigskyspaces.com/w7gj/Q65SETUP.pdf And here is a more detailed explanation of the DXpedition procedure I am using: http://www.bigskyspaces.com/w7gj/DXpedition%20Procedure%20with%20Q65.pdf Please keep calling me even if you copy me working someone else. As long as you are not on the same frequency as the other station, you will not be interfering with them. This mode averages callers on their particular offset frequencies, so NEVER change your transmit frequency after you start calling - pick a clear frequency nobody else is using and stay on it! With Q65 Pileup, it is very important for me to decode you so you will then go into the current version of my "Active Stations List" so I can decode you during other sequences with maximum sensitivity. Please coordinate your calling frequency with others on the ON4KST EME chat or HB9Q LOGGER pages to prevent interfering with each other - ideally, stations should be spread out every 100 Hz (remember that your doppler shift can be up to 100 Hz during your moonrise and moonset). I will try to contact any callers I can copy, but first priority will be given to people who are copying at that particular time, contributors, and stations with shorter common moon windows. Remember, PLEASE, DO NOT USE A SINGLE RR73 to try to complete a contact with me! Change your messages so you send RRR instead, for as long as it is needed! (Just double click on message # 4 to toggle back and forth between RR73 and RRR). Please check the ON4KST EME CHAT page for news from other hams in case I have to change this frequency due to receiver birdies at my end ! It is very inconvenient for me to switch modes while I am calling CQ or working EME stations, so please do not call me on CW or SSB or FT8 and expect me to switch over to answer you. If you should copy me on some ionospheric mode while I am pointed at the moon and am calling CQ on Q65-60A mode, please answer me in that mode and let's make a quick contact! Please do NOT call me on anything other than EME unless I am calling CQ! Please only contact me once and do NOT interrupt me if I have already contacted you before! Please check my on-line log to make sure you are in it! As previously explained, favorable EME conditions have primarily determined the timing for this DXpedition. However, when I am not aimed up at the moon, I may be monitoring 50.313 on FT8 mode if I am available. QSL INFORMATIONSorry,
no eQSL or other newfangled ways of
confirmation. I will upload all contacts to LOTW
upon my return home. Please let me know of any
logging discrepancies, as I can correct any
errors by referring to my paper logbooks as well
as the WSJT-X ALL.TXT file. I also will be
printing photo QSL cards. If we
have completed an EME contact, I plan to
send you a QSL card direct to your QRZ.com
mailing address after I return home. Other
stations, please QSL DIRECT
with SASE (foreign stations include $5 USD or
via PayPal for postage) direct to:
Lance Collister, W7GJ P.O.Box 73 Frenchtown, MT 59834-0073 USA CONTRIBUTIONS It is extremely
expensive to haul a 6m EME station halfway around
the world to this location. Too many times, we hear DXpedition
stations say they can't take a 6m beam and/or amp
because "they are already overweight and cannot
afford the excess baggage fees". If you want
to do a good job and are committed to going
halfway around the world to succeed pm 6m EME,
this unfortunately is a large part of the
necessary expense. Although I always keep my
costs as low as possible, my travel, excess
baggage and lodging costs for this operation will
be overwhelming. And there are no amateur radio
clubs or associations that provide funds for EME
DXpeditions (they only support HF DXpeditions).
Therefore, any contributions toward this
DXpedition are greatly appreciated!
If you would like to contribute, please send your contribution by check or cash to my QRZ.com mailing address, or directly via PayPal using the "FRIENDS AND FAMILY" option to my email address, which is my current PayPal account. I am only able to do these long distance 6m EME DXpeditions every year because of the continued generous support from the 6m community and I am extremely indebted to you for your continued support! I have the time and equipment to go more often than once a year to new rare DXCC, but I just don't have the finances available. Many thanks to the following hams who have very generously contributed to this DXpedition, with very special thanks to those who donated before embarking on the operation: MNI MNI
TNX for your continued support!!
 PHOTOS AND UPDATES(more photos and updates may be
available on my FACEBOOK
page) |
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| 8 August 2025 - H44GJ License
received |
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SUMMARY OF RESULTS
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| FOLLOWING ARE THE
LOGGED 6M CONTACTS DURING the
H40GJ DXPEDITION |
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This page last revised on 30 December, 2026
