Australian Young Operators Still Wanted for VK9XY Christmas Island DXpedition

With just over two months until the VK9XY Christmas Island DXpedition, the call is going out again for Australian young amateur radio operators interested in joining what promises to be one of the standout youth amateur radio activities of 2026. Running from 16 November to 4 December, VK9XY will activate Christmas Island, IOTA OC-002, with an international youth-led team. Rather than young operators simply accompanying an experienced DXpedition team, the emphasis is firmly on them planning, building and operating the expedition, supported by experienced mentors.

The scale of the operation makes this a remarkable training opportunity. VK9XY plans to establish four local stations and two remote stations, together with a portable QO-100 satellite station, operating CW, SSB, FT8 and QO-100. Young operators from the United States, Lithuania, Hungary and Malawi are already part of the on-island team, with veteran DXpeditioners Gregg W6IZT and Glenn W0GJ serving as advisors and mentors. Another 30 to 40 young amateurs worldwide are expected to participate remotely using the NexGenRiB2 system. The project is also seeking financial support to help ensure that the cost of travel and participation does not prevent talented young amateurs from getting involved.

For an Australian young amateur interested in DXing, contesting, antennas, station construction, satellite operation, remote radio or international teamwork, VK9XY offers something considerably more valuable than watching another DXpedition appear on the cluster. It provides the opportunity to learn how one is actually built and operated. The team is still seeking Australian youth operators, so there is still time to put your hand up. Interested operators should contact Team Leader Max Freedman N4ML at max@n4ml.net. Amateur radio spends plenty of time discussing how to attract and retain the next generation.

VK9XY and Pacific Islands DXpedition Group - Link

Page Last Updated: Wednesday, 09 Sep 2026 at 21:46 hours by Justin Giles-clark

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