SOTA Stats 1010 pts (207 bonus) 175 activations (11 this year) 126 unique summits 3,718 QSOs 10 associations 12y 7m
DXCC ENTITY · OC-053
KH7AL / KH9

Wake Island Operation

From late 2024 through mid-2025, I was assigned to Wake Island (KH9) as KH7AL/KH9. What started as a personal ham radio challenge became one of the most meaningful operating experiences of my life — over 20,000 contacts, FT8 Super Fox/Hound operations, CW pileups, and a front-row seat to one of the world's most remote atolls.

20,000+
Total QSOs
~100
DXCC entities worked
KH9
Rare DXCC Entity
37
Log entries

Operation Log

20,000 Contacts Out at Sea, Wake Island Milestone
wake island

20,000 Contacts Out at Sea, Wake Island Milestone

20,000 Contacts from Wake Island: Milestone Met, Coconuts Cracked It’s not quite 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, but logging 20,000 radio contacts from a remote speck in the Pacific does feel a bit adrift—in the best way. Thanks to a surge in June, I hit the goal before heading off on vacation, logging over 2,100 QSOs across SSB, CW, and FT8. Wake Island even slipped a few spots on the Club Log Most Wanted list, down to #35. Life here has been busy enough that blog posts fell behind (a sure sign I’ve been overbooked). Still, I’ve managed to stay active—disc golf in the long summer evenings, daily gym sessions, and steamy 85°F (30°C) trail runs through the trees. And yes, I now open coconuts with a machete. Hydration, island-style.

FT8 and Compound Calls
general ham wake island

FT8 and Compound Calls

KH7AL shares lessons learned from operating FT8 in Fox/Hound mode, including tips for call sign issues in WSJT-X and a recap of a successful 20m session with over 380 contacts.

 An Ode to the Dynamic Dipole
general ham sota wake island

 An Ode to the Dynamic Dipole

Build your own dipole antenna with scrap parts! Discover tips, formulas, and hands-on guidance for making simple, effective ham radio antennas—including metric and imperial measurements.

general ham wake island

Machete Mishap, Wasps, and CW on Wake Island

A week of a machete mishap, bee stings, CW activations, and unexpected rescues on Wake Island—all part of one radio operator’s not-so-average downtime

general ham wake island

1,900+ FT8 Contacts from Wake Island in 24 Hours

A night and day of FT8 marathons on Wake Island turns into nearly two-thousand-contact triumph. From WSJT-X quirks to DeltaFlex improvisation, here's how it all unfolded on the bands.

general ham wake island

Struck Out on FT8: My Wake Island Ham Radio Attempt

After a taxing week and a comedy of connector-related errors, I tried to salvage a ham radio session from Wake Island using FT8. Spoiler: it didn’t go well. Between forgotten adapters, SWR headaches, and an avalanche of digital replies I couldn’t quite wrangle, this was one for the blooper reel. Thirty-eight QSOs later, I waved the white flag—but not before learning a thing or two about fox/hound mode, my IC-7300, and my own stubbornness. FT8 might not be my mode of choice, but I’m not ready to give up just yet

general ham wake island

FT8, a Visit to Peale Island, and New Videos Available

From first FT8 contacts on Wake Island to kayaking into overgrown WWII ruins on Peale, this week was full of radio waves, hermit crabs, and hidden history. Plus, I finally launched my YouTube channel to share the ham radio and historical gems of this remote Pacific outpost.