SWODXA DXDinner & DXForum Announcement

Press Release

 We now know who the DX Dinner Keynote speaker is… David Minster, NA2AA. Here is a bit about David:

David Minster, NA2AA, is Chief Executive Officer of ARRL The national association for Amateur Radio®. David earned his ham radio license as a teenager and says, “I spend every day of my life, one way or another, engaged in amateur radio. It is more than just a hobby for me; it is my community. It is where I live; where I have built lifelong friendships, and friendships that span the globe. Amateur radio allows me to dream and to experiment.”

David’s experience spans technology, operations, and finance. Prior to joining the ARRL staff, he served over 30 years in the consumer and luxury goods industries, including stints as CEO of Judith Ripka Wholesale, CEO of Scott Kay, COO of David Yurman, and 14 years in technology leadership roles at global consumer goods giant Unilever.

He has been a highly regarded international speaker, independent consultant, and advisor. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Engineering from The Ohio State University.  David is an avid contester routinely operating from Bonaire (PJ4), satellite enthusiast, and volunteers as a director of The ARRL Foundation where he serves as Vice President and chairs the grants committee.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The DX Forum at the 2026 Dayton Hamvention promises a compelling and thought‑provoking lineup for amateur radio operators with a passion for DXing. Moderated by Brian Bathe, AD8FD, and sponsored by the SouthWest Ohio DX Association, the forum will showcase world‑class DXpeditions, innovative operating techniques, and hard‑earned lessons from challenging environments.

This year’s DX Forum features three in‑depth presentations that span the extremes of modern DXing, from the most remote islands on Earth to fully remote, solar‑powered operations and real‑world lessons learned when conditions do not go as planned.

Featured DX Forum Presentations

3Y0K Bouvet Island: The Second Time Around
Presented by Dennis Ward, KT8X, and Bob Ronk, W9AP
Returning to Bouvet Island after the limited 3Y0J activation, the 3Y0K team set out to deliver the level of operation the DX community had hoped for. This presentation offers a behind‑the‑scenes look at the immense planning, logistics, weather challenges, and equipment hurdles involved in mounting a second activation of one of the rarest and most difficult DXCC entities.

Desecheo 2026 DXpedition: The First All Solar Powered Unattended DXpedition in History
Presented by Otis Vicens, NP4G, and Ez Prado, HI3R
This groundbreaking presentation details the KP5 Desecheo operation, which brought the island back on the air using a fully remote, solar‑powered platform. Operating unattended for more than 40 days and logging over 100,000 QSOs, the team relied on advanced power management, propagation planning, and multistream FT8 to maximize results while conserving energy. Attendees will gain insight into the technical, logistical, and personal challenges of running a world‑class DXpedition remotely.

Failures and Lessons Learned from DXing in Adverse Conditions
Presented by Paul Ewing, N6PSE
Not every DXpedition follows the plan. Paul Ewing shares candid stories of operations impacted by weather, equipment failures, logistics breakdowns, and human factors. This session focuses on what went wrong, what was learned, and how those experiences can help future DXpeditions better prepare for the unexpected.

The DX Forum will also feature a special prize drawing courtesy of Icom America, giving attendees the opportunity to win an Icom IC‑705. Icom’s continued support of the DX community helps make events like the Hamvention DX Forum possible, and their sponsorship is sincerely appreciated.

The DX Forum will be held Saturday in Room 1 from 10:15 am to 1:20 pm at the 2026 Dayton Hamvention. Whether you are an experienced DXpeditioner or an operator looking to expand your horizons, the DX Forum offers unique insights, real‑world experiences, and valuable takeaways from some of the most challenging operations in amateur radio.

For more information, visit the official Hamvention website.