Update December 18, 2022: Thanks to all the supporting organisations and hams around the world. With your support we have managed to do around 10,000 QSOs from 10m to 160m. We admit our preparation was not adequate and we failed to meet many of your expectations.

From our side we did our level best, living in small tents, operating under tarp all night long with cold wind, had to rest the single small genset every few hours, going to the woods for natures call. Carrying drinking water from km away where there is a tube-well in a small village. And volunteers cooking meal for us.

Challenges were mainly low power, inexperienced (to handle pileup, HF propagation etc) operator etc. As you already know there are very few active HF stations in Bangladesh (if any at all), we tried to give some S2 QSOs to the world. We may have failed many – but at least we made 10000 happy. Something is better than nothing.

Please remember that it’s a small local initiative with small budget. Many of you sent us email/spot suggesting propagation etc, we highly appreciate that. Those criticising and swearing in the cluster, please move on – find another better station to QSO. Or you can go out of the comfort of your house and start operating in remote places.

We should have mentioned Ken JN7FAH – who persuaded us to active 160m. We have done some QSO on 160m, thanks goes to Ken though he couldn’t manage a QSO.

We might activate another island if we feel for it someday in the future, till then – stay safe, happy DX,

73/88, S21RC
Dhal Char, Bhola, Bangladesh.
S21DX, AS-140, NL51iu

Update December 17, 2022: S21DX went QRT yesterday at 18z, when the S21DX license expired. However S21RC, one of the operators, continued working on 160m with his own callsign.

Update December 15, 2022: DX-World publishes the following information from Fazlay S21RC:

• Internet connection is not good. 
• Due to location difficulties (remote area and island) it took longer than expected to install all antennas.
• Two linear amplifiers had earlier failed, although both now appear to be fixed and working again.
• New ham ops within the group have been very good help installing antennas, setting up stations etc, but they are not trained for HF pileups.
• S21AM & S21RC doing most of the SSB QSOs.
• 160m antenna is ready.
• 12m BPF failed.

Team trying their best to give you QSO. They are QRV until December 16.

Update December 10, 2022: S21DX started activity today on 20m FT8 (F/H) followed by 10m FT8 (F/H).

Update December 8, 2022: They reached Bhola island today at 03z. The second part of the journey by road will take about 3 hours so, all going well, they hope to arrive Dal Char island by lunchtime. 

Update December 7, 2022: S21DX team sent the heavy items (generator, masts, antennas, dry food, rice etc) this morning towards Bhola Islands (volunteer Robiul is with the truck). Rest of the team will start the journey this evening (UTC 1200) on a public motor launch service. Tomorrow (midday local) they will unload the truck at Bhola island and reserve a fishing trawler and sail towards Dhal Char island. Unfortunately, due to unavoidable circumstances two operators (S21TG and S21IT) had to drop out of the team.

Update November 29, 2022: Dates set to December 10-16, 2022.

Update October 25, 2022: S21MK has also joined the team. Meanwhile, Severe Cyclone “Sitrang” hit Dhal Char (AS-140) this evening local. Team will continue assessing the situation in November; mainly the small beach areas which have been selected for upcoming S21DX IOTA in this December.

Update September 6, 2022: S21BK and S21TG have joined the team.

Update August 9, 2022:  The current team consists of S21RC, S21AM and S21D, but they are looking for three additional operators.

The cost of the operation is still not fully covered so they are looking for contributions from around the world. See the S21DX website on how to help.

Update March 20, 2022:  Video available

Update March 7, 2022: From DX-World: In a meeting last week, the S21DX team finalized the antenna farm for their December 2022 IOTA DXpedition. It will consist of 8 Antennas & 4 station (3 HF, 1 QO-100).

1) 80m Beverage towards NA/JA.
2) 80-10m (30/15m) 7 Band GP Vertical.
3) 40m VDA.
4) 20m VDA.
5) 12m VDA.
6) 20/15/10m 7 element Beam Towards NA/JA.
7) 20/15/10m 3 element Beam Towards EU/AF.
8) 3cm Parabolic for QO-100.

The group around S21DX is planning a new operation from AS-140 next December.

QSL via EB7DX, LoTW