This is the full guide behind the Contest Calendar tool on this site. Open the tool for the live data; read on for how it works and how to get the most out of it.
What is an amateur radio contest?
An amateur radio contest is a timed event in which stations try to make as many contacts as possible within a set period, exchanging a short standard report. The score is normally the number of valid contacts multiplied by the number of unique multipliers, which may be countries, zones, grid squares or prefixes depending on the rules. Contests are the fastest way to add new countries to a log, because rare stations that are difficult to find on a normal weekend will be on the air and actively calling.
The major HF contests of the year
A handful of events dominate the calendar. CQ World Wide DX runs over a full weekend in October for SSB and November for CW, and asks for a signal report plus your CQ zone. CQ WPX rewards unique callsign prefixes as multipliers and runs in March for SSB and May for CW. The ARRL International DX Contest pairs North American stations against the rest of the world in February and March. The IARU HF World Championship in July uses ITU zones, and the CQ WW WPX and RSGB events fill much of the remaining calendar.
How to enter your first contest
You do not need a big station to take part. Choose a contest, read the exchange, and work in search and pounce mode by tuning across the band and answering stations that are calling CQ. Log the contact with the exchange you received, and submit the log in Cabrillo format before the deadline stated in the rules. Even a hundred contacts from a wire antenna will usually yield several new countries.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a special licence to enter a contest?
No. Any licensed amateur may enter, operating within the privileges of their own licence class and power limit. Most contests have low power and QRP categories so small stations compete against similar stations.
What is a contest exchange?
The exchange is the short piece of information every contact must include. It is usually a signal report followed by a zone, serial number, grid square or region, and the exact format is set by the contest rules.
What is Cabrillo format?
Cabrillo is the plain text log format that nearly all contest organisers require for entries. Contest logging software exports it automatically, so you rarely need to create it by hand.
Which bands are used in HF contests?
Most major HF contests use 160, 80, 40, 20, 15 and 10 metres. The WARC bands at 30, 17 and 12 metres are by agreement kept free of contest activity.