In June 2025, two of the Dx Adventure Radio Club’s most experienced field operators, 14DA028 Phil and 14DA014 Eric, embarked on a thrilling DXpedition to one of Western Europe’s smallest and most exclusive DXCC entities — the Principality of Liechtenstein.
Operating under the special callsign 40DA/DX, this skilled French duo took on the towering Alpine terrain and deep valley echoes of this landlocked microstate with their usual passion for DX excellence.
Perched in central Europe between Switzerland and Austria, Liechtenstein is a rare prize for serious Freeband DXers, rarely heard and often hunted.
With limited previous 11m activity from this tiny DXCC, Phil and Eric’s mission was clear — to bring 40 division to life with strong, clear signals and world-class operating standards.
From strategic planning and rigorous equipment testing to the final QSO logged, their journey is one of both technical precision and radio adventure — a testament to what dedicated ops can achieve, even in the most compact of countries.
This report recounts the highlights, hardships, and successes of their activation — an unforgettable chapter in the DA-RC’s 2025 DXpedition calendar…
After a 3-hour drive, we arrived in Triesenberg (DXCC 40) at an altitude of 1,220m, where I had spotted a small parking lot and a tree for shade, as it had been very hot WX during our stay (30 to 35°C).
Triesenberg, the highest municipality in Liechtenstein, offered a dream QTH for DX work, and Eric and me as we sought the perfect balance of altitude, accessibility, and low-noise conditions to make the DXpedition a success.
We set up the station and the Bambi antenna (Quad 1 elt), which allowed us to make 90% of our contacts during our stay, as propagation was very present on the 40DA/DX.
Nestled in the Alps at around 900 to 1,000 meters ASL, this picturesque mountain village provided a superior take-off angle in all directions — ideal for long-distance (DX) propagation.
The elevation here gave a major advantage over lower valley locations, significantly reducing ground-level obstructions and urban RF noise we experience back in France.
First RX test and observation is made, there are people on the frequency.
I announce the QRG on the Sponsors WhatsApp group and the first CQ calls are made for 40DA/DX, Liechtenstein
The first to be in the Log was Marino 14DA496 with a report of 5/3 at 2:13 PM GMT.
Then, like on the recent 15 Division dx adventure, the propagation in the afternoon is very good, with 63 stations in the Log in 1 hour with nice openings and nice signals.
We will end the day with Allan 14AT114 at 5/5 and it is 4:39 PM GMT with a total of 108 QSOs in 2.5 hours of traffic.
It’s time to return to our beautiful rental “Rietli” in Triesenberg, after a shower and settling in, it’s time to sit down and enjoy the scenery from our window with a little aperitif and as is our tradition with Eric (014) it will be Rosé as usual.
Saturday morning, June 21st, we set up the station, along with the Bambi and Skypper, then made a call on the international call frequency, 27.555 MHz USB.
It was 6:38 a.m. when Luis 31LR198 in Portugal answered with a 5/9 R/S.
Another beautiful day of propagation was well open to Europe and South America, with 188 new operators, giving a total of 296 logged stations over the two days.
We closed the day with Spanish DX Man 30PI101/M with a 4/1 signal.
The last day for 40DA/DX, Sunday, June 22nd, saw a change of QTH because the small street had been closed on Saturday evening when we were still there.
Luckily, I had planned a second location in case we had a surprise.
Google Maps and reality don’t always show the same thing, so we were a little lower, but the view was magical, with a bit of snow on some peaks right in front of us.
We start broadcasting at 07:08 with 15DC009 in Switzerland low on the frequency at 5/1.
This last day turns out to be incredible as 180 new stations are added to our Log, finishing with 30CB017 in the Kingdom of Spain at 12:30 gmt with a signal of 5/7.
Triesenberg benefits from its central European location, and we were appreciative of the excellent path potential to all continents.
Whether it was short-skip around Europe or long-haul propagation to the Americas or Asia, signals launched from Triesenberg travelled far and wide with surprising efficiency.
Then it was time for us to meet up with our respective QRAs, with plenty of good times and memories in our minds.
RESULTS
The results of this 40DA/DX event include a total of 466 QSOs and 36 DXCC across 5 continents: EU, SA, AF, OC & AS as well as fellow 44 DA-RC Members.
|
14 |
19 |
3 |
13 |
30 |
161 |
47 |
31 |
108 |
34 |
|
56 |
1 |
26 |
15 |
16 |
165 |
12 |
163 |
68 |
29 |
|
93 |
153 |
106 |
4 |
32 |
21 |
35 |
73 |
49 |
119 |
|
11 |
178 |
45 |
18 |
328 |
40 |
|
|
|
|
Team Eric 14DA014 and I, Phil 14DA028, are delighted to have been able to give you this opportunity to contact this DXCC 40 Liechtenstein.
We understand it was a newcomer for many of you, and your thanks have truly touched us.
Here, the combination of natural elevation, isolation from heavy RF pollution, and stunning Alpine beauty made Triesenberg an exceptional QTH for serious DXpedition work.
A big thank you also to our DA World HQ for accepting our request for activation in /DX, a first for our Team, and we hope for another one soon…
A huge thank you to our sponsors for their help in making this expedition possible, and sincerely sorry for those who didn’t have the chance to hear from us and contact us.
Rest assured, the package you will receive will be generous. Another big thank you to you!
73 de Phil and Eric
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