Africa DXpedition
About 1800 meters above sea level, north of the Capital City of Kigali, Rwanda is the Kanyinya Hills Hotel and was the site of the DXpedition.
I was joined by Harald DF2WO, an experienced African DXer, who visited for a week of his 40 day stay.
![9x-Summary-Hotel-Sign](https://images.harvestamerica.tech/wj2o/dxpeditions/9x/summary/9x-Summary-Hotel-Sign.jpg)
Sign for Kanyinya Hills Hotel. You can see the main road back to the city.
![9x-Summary-Harald](https://images.harvestamerica.tech/wj2o/dxpeditions/9x/summary/9x-Summary-Harald.jpg)
Harald DF2WO, at his operating station in his hut. Licensing–Heading–Getting a License.
The Antennas
![9x-Photos-Antenna-HexBeam](https://images.harvestamerica.tech/wj2o/dxpeditions/9x/photos/9x-Photos-Antenna-HexBeam.jpg)
Hexbeam for 10 through 20m.
![9x-Photos-Antenna-Verticals](https://images.harvestamerica.tech/wj2o/dxpeditions/9x/photos/9x-Photos-Antenna-Verticals.jpg)
The verticals for 80 and 160m .
The Hotel
![9x-Photos-Hotel-Reception](https://images.harvestamerica.tech/wj2o/dxpeditions/9x/photos/9x-Photos-Hotel-Reception.jpg)
The Reception Desk at the hotel.
![9x-Photos-Hotel-Guard](https://images.harvestamerica.tech/wj2o/dxpeditions/9x/photos/9x-Photos-Hotel-Guard.jpg)
Like all the other staff, the hotel guard was very friendly.
![9x-Photos-Hotel-Generator](https://images.harvestamerica.tech/wj2o/dxpeditions/9x/photos/9x-Photos-Hotel-Generator.jpg)
The local utility had a low voltage problem. When they were running this generator things were better.
![9x-Photos-Hotel-MyHut](https://images.harvestamerica.tech/wj2o/dxpeditions/9x/photos/9x-Photos-Hotel-MyHut.jpg)
This was my hut.
![9x-Photos-Hotel-MyRig](https://images.harvestamerica.tech/wj2o/dxpeditions/9x/photos/9x-Photos-Hotel-MyRig.jpg)
My station.
Food, Food, Food . . .
![9x-Photos-Food1](https://images.harvestamerica.tech/wj2o/dxpeditions/9x/photos/9x-Photos-Food1.jpg)
Let’s start with a big salad.
![9x-Photos-Food2](https://images.harvestamerica.tech/wj2o/dxpeditions/9x/photos/9x-Photos-Food2.jpg)
I don’t remember what this was but I remember it was good.
![9x-Photos-Food3](https://images.harvestamerica.tech/wj2o/dxpeditions/9x/photos/9x-Photos-Food3.jpg)
Another night, another salad.
![9x-Photos-Food4](https://images.harvestamerica.tech/wj2o/dxpeditions/9x/photos/9x-Photos-Food4.jpg)
Peppered Steak
![9x-Photos-Food5](https://images.harvestamerica.tech/wj2o/dxpeditions/9x/photos/9x-Photos-Food5.jpg)
Fish stew over rice.
![9x-Photos-Beer](https://images.harvestamerica.tech/wj2o/dxpeditions/9x/photos/9x-Photos-Beer.jpg)
This local beer was very good.
![9x-Photos-Harald-Beer](https://images.harvestamerica.tech/wj2o/dxpeditions/9x/photos/9x-Photos-Harald-Beer.jpg)
Harald, DF2WO, enjoyed the beer as well.
![9x-Photos-Family](https://images.harvestamerica.tech/wj2o/dxpeditions/9x/photos/9x-Photos-Family.jpg)
Harald’s family joined us on my last day.
Gentry/Dauer
![9x-Photos-Gentry](https://images.harvestamerica.tech/wj2o/dxpeditions/9x/photos/9x-Photos-Gentry.jpg)
Rwandian Gentry
![9x-Photos-Dauer](https://images.harvestamerica.tech/wj2o/dxpeditions/9x/photos/9x-Photos-Dauer.jpg)
Rwandian Dauer
Back at the Airport
![9x-Photos-Airport1](https://images.harvestamerica.tech/wj2o/dxpeditions/9x/photos/9x-Photos-Airport1.jpg)
Which way do we go?
![9x-Photos-Airport2](https://images.harvestamerica.tech/wj2o/dxpeditions/9x/photos/9x-Photos-Airport2.jpg)
This picture might have been nice if that tree had not grown up so fast.
![9x-Photos-Airport3](https://images.harvestamerica.tech/wj2o/dxpeditions/9x/photos/9x-Photos-Airport3.jpg)
Airport security was very strict.
![9x-Photos-Airport4](https://images.harvestamerica.tech/wj2o/dxpeditions/9x/photos/9x-Photos-Airport4.jpg)
Inside the terminal doing the waiting game.
![9x-Photos-Airport5](https://images.harvestamerica.tech/wj2o/dxpeditions/9x/photos/9x-Photos-Airport5.jpg)
Our first flight was a hop to Entebee, Uganda to pick up some additional passengers.
Because I never left the airplane and put my feet on the ground I cannot count Uganda for my DXFC count (see dxfc.org).
Operating from Kigali Rwanda Using Callsign 9K2AW
Here’s the deal with getting a license. Give yourself plenty of time (3 months). E-mail in the application with all the requirements. If you don’t hear back from them in about 2 to 3 weeks. Something went wrong, try again.
Where I went wrong is I didn’t hear back but assumed no problem, I’ll visit the office when I get there. Well, they said they never got my request and it takes them a week to process a new application. They were very kind when they said I could operate using Harald’s callsign.
![9x-Photos-Rura3](https://images.harvestamerica.tech/wj2o/dxpeditions/9x/licensing/9x-Photos-Rura3.jpg)
A nice corner building in Kigali is where the licensing happens.
![9x-Photos-rura2](https://images.harvestamerica.tech/wj2o/dxpeditions/9x/licensing/9x-Photos-rura2.jpg)
Harald, DF2WO, waiting at the door for me to stop taking pictures.
![9x-Photos-Rura1](https://images.harvestamerica.tech/wj2o/dxpeditions/9x/licensing/9x-Photos-Rura1.jpg)
Upstairs is where the action is.
Dave’s Equipment
Elecraft K3
Dell Inspiron Mini Laptop
Heil Headset
Little Tarheel II Screwdriver Antenna
Ameritron SDC-102 Antenna Controller
MFJ 1979 Telescoping Whip
![9x-Operating-Dave](https://images.harvestamerica.tech/wj2o/dxpeditions/9x/operating/9x-Operating-Dave.jpg)
Dave operating 9X2AW.
![9x-Operating-Harald](https://images.harvestamerica.tech/wj2o/dxpeditions/9x/operating/9x-Operating-Harald.jpg)
Harald operating 9X2AW.
Traveling to Kigali, Rwanda
![9x-travel-map](https://images.harvestamerica.tech/wj2o/dxpeditions/9x/Travel/9x-travel-map.png)
Brussels Airlines was used for the two main flights. Jet Blue got me to JFK.