Amateur Radio Contest Calendar 2026-2027
Updated
G7RDX is an amateur radio station in the north west of England, building live tools and writing build notes at the operating position.
Contest Calendar
Every contest in one list, grouped by day. Filter by band, mode and series, open one for the details and rules, and add the ones you want to your calendar.
Contests
- Start
- End
- Bands
- Mode
- Focus
What it does
Lists every amateur radio contest for 2026 and 2027 in one feed grouped by day: RSGB HF and VHF events, the major worldwide contests and the weekly activity series, with duplicates merged.
Data and refresh
Dates come from the RSGB Contest Committee and the WA7BNM calendar, checked against the official rules. Times are shown in your local time or UTC, and each entry links to the rules page.
How to read it
Start with This weekend, then narrow by band, mode or series. Open a row for the exchange and the rules, add one contest or the whole filtered list to your calendar as an .ics file.
Who it is for
Newcomers looking for a friendly first contest, club stations planning the season, and regulars who just want to know what is on tonight without opening six websites.
Frequently asked questions
What is a DX contest?
A DX contest is a timed amateur radio competition in which operators try to contact as many distant stations and territories as possible within a set period, usually 24 or 48 hours. “DX” means long distance.
What equipment do I need to start contesting?
A basic contest station needs a transceiver, an antenna, a power supply and logging software on a computer. A 100 W HF radio and a simple wire dipole or end-fed antenna are enough to work hundreds of stations in a major contest.
Do I need a licence to take part in a contest?
Yes. You must hold a valid amateur radio licence and operate within the privileges of your licence class and country.
What exchange do I send in a contest?
The exchange is the short piece of information each contest requires. Common formats are a signal report plus a serial number (for example 59 001), a signal report plus a CQ zone, a grid locator on VHF, or a licence year, name or region.
How are contest scores calculated?
Most contests multiply QSO points by multipliers. Each valid contact earns points, often more for contacts on other continents, and multipliers are typically DXCC entities, CQ or ITU zones, grid squares, states or prefixes.
Which contest is best for beginners?
Short, single band activity contests are the easiest starting point. The RSGB 80m Club Championships, the UK Activity Contests on VHF and weekday sprints such as the CWops Test or K1USN Slow Speed Test last only one to two hours and use a simple exchange.
Can I use FT8 or FT4 in contests?
Yes. FT8 and FT4 have dedicated contest modes and there are now events built entirely around them, including the RSGB FT4 series and the FT8 Activity Contests.
How do I submit my contest log?
Almost every contest accepts logs in Cabrillo format, produced automatically by your logging software. RSGB contests are uploaded through the RSGB contest portal, while worldwide events use a robot email address or web upload listed in their rules.