Welcome to 9H/DG5CW (Malta 2026)

Behind the callsign 9H/DG5CW is my DX operation from the beautiful Mediterranean island of Malta in April 2026. It was a true pleasure to explore Malta’s rugged coastlines and historic landscapes from an amateur radio perspective.

Following the final QRT on April 17, the trip’s grand total stands at: 4 POTA activations, 124 QSOs across 29 different entities, and several kilometers hiked with a lightweight pack! It is always fascinating to see what can be achieved with true QRP (5 watts) and a simple telescopic whip antenna.

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The Setup / Portable Station

For the activations on Malta, the equipment had to be strictly carry-on friendly and sort of robust. The choice fell on:

• Transceiver: QRP Labs QMX (5W Output)
• Antenna: 2 telescopic whips
• Key: BaMaKey TP-III (Twin-Paddle)
• Power Supply: Power bank with 12V socket

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POTA Activation Reports & Log Highlights

Malta’s rugged geography and strong winds put the station to the test, but provided an outstanding RF environment right by the saltwater.

1. Fighting the East Wind at MT-0009

• Date: April 12, 2026
• Reference: MT-0009 (Majjistral Nature and History Park)
• Log: 20 contacts (mainly on the 30m band)
• Note: A fierce easterly wind made deploying the telescopic whip quite a challenge. The antenna had to be stabilized using 3 guy lines. The QMX performed flawlessly as usual.

2. Gorgeous Conditions at MT-0002

• Date: April 14, 2026
• Reference: MT-0002 (L-Inħawi ta’ Pembroke Natura 2000)
• Log: 31 contacts (focusing on 20m)
• Note: Perfect sunny weather with an unobstructed view of the open sea. Highlights included two Park-to-Park (P2P) contacts: one with 9H/DL2MDU (operating from MT-0029) over on the sister island, and another with YU7RQ/P (on RS-0065). After a crisp one-hour run during lunch break, it was time to go QRT.
  

  The spot.

  

  30m (1), 20m (30)

3. Hiking through the Rain to MT-0021

• Date: April 16, 2026
• Reference: MT-0021 (L-Inħawi tar-Ramla)
• Log: 37 contacts (20m only)
• Note: The activation started with a soggy trek, as I had to hike in the rain and set up the station under wet, grey skies. Fortunately, the weather gods cooperated—the rain stopped just as I went on the air for a solid run on 20 meters. By the end of the session, the sun even broke through the clouds, providing perfect lighting for the final station photo.

4. The Grand Finale at the Old Radar Station (MT-0024)

• Date: April 17, 2026
• Reference: MT-0024 (Ramla tat-Torri u l-Irdum tal-Madonna)
• Log: 336 contacts (20m only)
• Note: My final activation before pulling the plug and declaring QRT for the holiday. Setting up near the ruins of an old radar station offered an ideal, unobstructed view to the horizon and kept the setup far enough away from any tourist attractions. The clifftop takeoff angles were incredible; signals into central and eastern Europe were rock solid. The QMX squeezed every bit of efficiency out of the 5 watts while the BaMaKey TP-III kept the code flawless until the very last contact. A perfect way to sign off from Malta.

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QSL Information

For all contacts established with 9H/DG5CW:

• LoTW: All logs were uploaded to Logbook of The World shortly after the end of my trip.
• Bureau / Direct: QSL cards were sent via the DARC bureau, or directly to operators who specify paper QSLs on QRZ.com.

A big thank you to all the hunters who plucked my faint QRP signals out of the Mediterranean noise! Malta is highly recommended for any QRP and POTA enthusiast due to its stunning backdrops and excellent propagation over saltwater.

73 de Tom, 9H/DG5CW