Erding, Germany – March 6, 2026
by Philipp Springer, DK6SP
S21WD Bangladesh DXpedition – Final Testing Phase Completed
During the past two weekends, the S21WD team carried out our final hardware and systems test at our logistics headquarters hosted by DG8MG. The objective was to assemble the complete station as planned for Bangladesh, operate all components in parallel, and validate stability under realistic multi-operator conditions.
Both Spiderbeam Yagi antennas, covering 12/17/30 meters and 10/12/15/17/20 meters, were fully assembled, mechanically aligned, and tuned. SWR and overall performance were verified across all bands. The antennas performed as expected and confirmed our operational concept.
For the low bands, we installed and verified functionality of our RX loop, BOG (Beverage on Ground), and Beverage antennas. Noise characteristics, directionality, and switching behavior were evaluated in detail to finalize our receive strategy. The internal RX distribution system was assembled and tested to ensure stable multi-receiver operation without interference or noise ingress.
Our QO-100 satellite station, provided by DXPatrol, was fully assembled and commissioned. Uplink and downlink performance, frequency stability, and integration into our logging and network infrastructure were successfully verified. The satellite system is ready for deployment.
A key milestone was the full high-power “smoke test” of the RF chain. Three stations were operated simultaneously using our sponsored ACOM amplifiers, including two ACOM 1200S and one ACOM 500S. We tested all low-power and high-power bandpass filters as well as our triplexer configurations for 12/17/30 meters and 10/15/20 meters. The three stations were intentionally run in parallel using all triplexer ports at the same time. The system remained fully stable, with no inter-station interference or unexpected behavior. This confirms the robustness of our filtering and isolation design.
On the IT side, six laptops were configured according to our operational requirements. Operating systems were updated, required software installed, and all configurations tested in advance. In addition, we performed a network load test simulating more than 300,000 QSOs through our logging system. The network handled the load without performance degradation, and synchronization between stations remained stable.
Throughout this phase, we are in daily contact with our local team members in Bangladesh to ensure a smooth arrival and coordinated setup on site. Logistical details, infrastructure preparations, and operational planning are closely aligned. We are very pleased to have them on board. Their support and local coordination play a major role in the success of this project and are an essential part of the overall execution strategy. We are very much looking forward to finally meeting them in person very soon.
As part of the integration process, several smaller improvements were identified and implemented, including cabling optimizations, clearer labeling, and refinements to transport preparation. While none of these adjustments were critical, they contribute to higher reliability during field deployment.
Many local helpers supported us during both test weekends, contributing significant time and effort to setup, testing, and dismantling. Over the past months, a substantial number of man-hours have gone into engineering, logistics planning, and preparation. A DXpedition of this scale is only possible through coordinated teamwork behind the scenes.
We are now in the final phase of packing all equipment for transport. Our departure is scheduled for 18 March, now less than three weeks away. With the successful completion of this final integration test, we move into the execution phase with confidence in our technical setup.
The S21WD DXpedition is organized under the umbrella of the Next Generation DX Club e.V., a registered German non-profit association (gemeinnützig). Donations directly support youth engagement in amateur radio and help finance infrastructure, transportation, and operational costs. As stated on our website, we are authorized to issue official donation receipts (Zuwendungsbestätigungen) in accordance with German non-profit regulations.
If you would like to support our efforts, please visit:
https://next-generation-dx.com/donate
We appreciate everyone contributing to this project — whether through technical expertise, hands-on support, sponsorship, or financial backing. We are utmost grateful to all clubs, foundations, associations, commercial sponsors, and individuals for their trust in our project. Thank you for your involvement and continued support. Final preparations are ongoing, and Bangladesh is getting closer every day.
