Category: DX Commander

We made it… After seven weeks of not touching a camera, I finally sat down in the bunker and talked through everything we built, fixed, rebuilt, upgraded and pushed through this year at Holly Farm – and why I was completely burned out afterwards.

From the new winch on the "tower", to rebuilding antennas, running Multi-2 for CQ Worldwide, sorting the switching matrix, remote ops, the 4-Square, filters, amplifiers, coax runs, the bike-shed project… and yes, getting a new puppy – it’s been absolutely full-on.

But the good news? It all works.

Remote ops are flying, the 990s are paired with serious horsepower, and the big winter upgrades are about to begin: tower rebuild, GS-2800 rotator, Dyneema guys, a 160-metre vertical, LDF4-50 feeders, stub filters, and even a potential Station 3 down the field.

If you’ve wondered where I’ve been – here’s the whole story, straight from the bunker, with plenty of B-roll from the year’s chaos.

Thanks for sticking with me.
Cameras charged. Puppy asleep.
We’re rolling again.

Enjoy your radio.

– Cal / M0MCX
DX Commander

My window into the antenna field

Check Jonathan’s channel – he’s running Station 2.

Now fixed!

A deep-dive at what it really takes to run a Multi-2 contest station that might have to run for for 48 hours non-stop. We have two TS-990s, twin Acom amps, coax switching, filtering, bacon butties on the go – and the odd bit of coax madness thrown in for good measure.

In this short behind-the-scenes piece, we follow the team through Sunday at Holly Farm: Jonathan on 40 metres, Lee on 20, me juggling the 160 dipole, the 4-Square, and the frying pan!

You’ll see how we handled inter-station interference, tested the 4-Square’s front-to-back, and discovered what still needs improving before the next big one. There’s even a few drone shots of the towers and a cameo from my bacon burgers.

Gear Mentioned:
• Kenwood TS-990S x 2
• Acom 2000 & Acom 2020S
• Antenna Genius 8×2 Switches + OM Module
• 40 m 4-Square Comtek – DX Commander Signature 9 poles
• 160 m Dipole + Planned Vertical Upgrade

Huge thanks to Jonathan (G0MTN), Lee, and the team – and to DX Engineering for inspiration and support.

🎯 Next up: more filtering, phased Beverages, and a bigger 20 m Yagi.

🔔 Subscribe for antenna builds, contest prep, and the final tower upgrade series coming soon!

#hamradio #CQWW #M0XXT #DXCommander #contesting #amateuradio #SSB #CQWW2025 #BehindTheScenes

Continue Stress-Testing the multi-2 station. See how we get on 🙂

Stress Testing Both Stations

Stress Testing Both Stations

Stress testing the multi-2 station. See how we get on 🙂

Ever wonder why some stations just can’t seem to copy your call sign? If you’ve got a “9” in there — this one’s for you.

In this quick video, I explain why the word “nine” often disappears on SSB and why “niner” is the correct way to say it (according to the NATO phonetic alphabet). It’s not nit-picking — it’s about being heard through weak signals, narrow bandwidth, and QSB.

I’ll show you which numbers most often get lost in the noise (hint: 0, 4, and 9), and how one simple habit can help you make more successful DX contacts.

👉 Learn why “Mike NIN-ER Alpha Bravo Charlie” works better than “Mike Nine…” — and how to make sure you’re never the one repeating your call 10 times!