Half a dozen countries… One incredible road trip!
From August through September 2026, experienced field operative 13DA012 Joe, from the Sächsische Schweiz-Osterzgebirge district of Saxony, Germany, will embark on an exciting campervan adventure through the heart of Europe.
During this time, he will put six countries on the air as official DA-RC Holiday Stations.
Travelling from one destination to the next in his campervan, Joe will combine sightseeing with portable DXing, operating from elevated lookouts, scenic rest areas and picturesque vantage points across the region!
Impressively, every stop along the journey presents a new opportunity to put another country on the airwaves on 27 MHz while showcasing the spirit of portable adventure radio.
Joe’s itinerary will take him through:
- 18 – Greece
- 45 – Serbia
- 109 – Hungary
- 329 – Czech Republic
- 330 – Slovak Republic
- 332 – Macedonia
One of the highlights of Joe’s tour will be his activation of Macedonia (332), a tiny landlocked country in Southeast Europe…
Remarkably, Joe’s activation from the “Heart of the Balkans” as it’s sometimes known, will become the Dx Adventure Radio Club’s first-ever op from this DXCC, adding another milestone to the club’s growing list of international portable activations!
13DA012 Joe will be travelling with a compact but proven portable station built around his Kenwood TS-50 transceiver…
His primary antenna for portable static ops will be the trusted Skypper, backed up by a Bamby should conditions require an alternative setup.
While on the move, Joe will also have a Wilson 5000 (with 2000 Watt Power Handling Capability) fitted for mobile DX work, while a DX Power SSD-58 will be deployed whenever he establishes a more permanent static operating position.
This versatile station will allow him to adapt to a wide range of operating environments throughout the journey!
As with all DA-RC Holiday Stations, Joe will use the club’s standardized holiday callsign format, identifying with each country’s division number followed by /13DA012…
This makes it easy for operators to identify which country is being activated while maintaining a consistent format throughout the tour.
Activity will naturally depend on travel schedules, WX and propagation, but Joe plans to be QRV whenever opportunities arise.
Operators are encouraged to monitor the clusters and keep an ear around 27.555 MHz USB, for the CQ call and QSY frequency.
A full-colour paper QSL card will be available following the tour through DA-RC HQ EU…
The card will feature photographs from Joe’s European adventure together with the official proof package for each activation, providing operators with a high-quality keepsake of this unique six-country journey.
QSL Manager
DA-RC HQ EU
100 Allée Chante-Cailles
26300 Barbières
France
Whether you’re chasing a new division, collecting Holiday Stations, or hoping to log the first-ever DA-RC activity from Macedonia, Joe’s European road trip promises to be one of the highlights of the late-summer DX calendar…
The Dx Adventure Radio Club wishes 13DA012 Joe safe travels, enjoyable adventures, excellent propagation and a logbook full of contacts as he takes the spirit of portable DXing across six countries in the heart of Europe.
We look forward to following his journey and sharing the excitement with DX Hunters around the world!
73 de DA-RC HQ Team
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