H49A Solomon Islands DXpedition Hits the Airwaves and Passes 10,000 Contacts in Just 48 Hours
Date :
14 /
10 /
2026
Author :
DXWorld & WIA
International DXing, Youth Participation and Amateur Radio Supporting Communities
The H49A Solomon Islands DXpedition is now well underway, with a six-member international amateur radio team operating from Guadalcanal Island in the South Pacific until 21 October 2026.
The team has already passed an impressive milestone, recording more than 10,000 QSOs in its first 48 hours of operation, with enthusiastic pileups from radio amateurs around the world.
Operating from Dolphin View Beach on the northeastern coast of Guadalcanal Island, the team has established a station location with approximately 100 metres of beachfront available for antennas and an excellent outlook towards Europe, North America and Japan.
Six Operators, Three Stations and Plenty of DX
The expedition is led by Rolando 9A3MR, supported by co-leader Zrinko (Zik) DK8ZZ, together with Mladen 9A2NA, Frane 9A3CJY, Kristijan 9A4WY and Livio 9A7Y.
The team has planned three operating stations, with activity across the HF amateur bands, including 160 and 60 metres, as well as 50 MHz.
Operations include CW, SSB and FT8, with the team making a particular effort to provide plenty of opportunities for operators using traditional CW and voice modes.
The operating location is in grid square QI90VQ, and the expedition carries the IOTA reference OC-047.
The team has already reported strong CW and SSB pileups, particularly towards Europe, along with activity on 60 metres.
Getting There Was Half the Challenge
As with many DXpeditions, getting equipment and operators to a remote island has been a significant logistical exercise.
The team travelled from Croatia through Istanbul, Kuala Lumpur and Brisbane before reaching Honiara, eventually arriving at its operating location after more than 44 hours of travel.
With all the equipment carried as airline luggage, careful planning was needed to accommodate radios, amplifiers, antennas and essential station accessories.
The station uses multiband vertical dipole array antennas for the higher HF bands, with antennas installed close to the shoreline to take advantage of the excellent radio location.
Two generators are now available to provide operating power and redundancy, while the team continues to make adjustments to antennas and their guying arrangements in the hot, humid coastal environment.
A Young Amateur Gains International Experience
One particularly encouraging aspect of the expedition is the participation of 17-year-old Frane 9A3CJY, the youngest member of the operating team.
For Frane, the DXpedition provides an extraordinary opportunity to gain experience in international amateur radio operations, technical problem-solving, propagation, station management and teamwork.
His participation is a reminder of the value of giving younger radio amateurs opportunities to participate in challenging, hands-on activities alongside experienced operators.
More Than Just Amateur Radio
The H49A DXpedition also has a humanitarian purpose.
The special callsign recognises 15 years of charitable work undertaken by Croatian Sisters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul in the Solomon Islands.
A portion of donations received in support of the expedition will be directed towards the Sisters' mission work in Buma on Malaita Island.
The project demonstrates how amateur radio can bring together international friendship, technical experimentation, youth development and practical support for communities.
Logging and QSL Information
The team plans to use Club Log to provide access to its operating logs, although some contacts may take time to appear in the livestream. The operators advise that logs are uploaded again approximately every 24 hours.
The published QSL arrangements include:
Bureau QSL cards: Free.
Logbook of The World (LoTW): Free uploads six months after the expedition concludes.
Direct QSL cards with immediate LoTW confirmation: €5.
Australian amateurs have an opportunity to work this Pacific DXpedition relatively close to home, although propagation, band conditions and operating activity will determine when contacts are possible.
The WIA congratulates the H49A team on its early success and particularly welcomes the involvement of a young radio amateur in this international project.
Keep an ear out for H49A, listen carefully to the operator's instructions and enjoy the challenge of adding the Solomon Islands to your log!
Further Information
DX-World: H49A Solomon Islands news and updates
Link
Official H49A DXpedition Website
Link
Club Log
Link
Islands On The Air
Link
Source: DX-World, including the H49A team's update of 12 October 2026.
Page Last Updated: Tuesday, 13 Oct 2026 at 19:56 hours by Justin Giles-clark
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