Amateur Radio Contests: What exactly are they?-hydxradio.com

Amateur Radio Contests: What exactly are they? Jul 12, 2022

Millions of people around the world participate in amateur radio contests. Contests can be exclusive to a certain region or held at a global scale.

An amateur radio contest (aka radiosport or contesting) is a competitive activity among radio operators done as a group or individually. The main goal is to communicate with as many stations as possible in a given time.

As easy as it sounds, there are sets of rules to follow. The competition would occur in a limited range of short-wave frequency. Specific information should be exchanged to the other station. Also, some competitions require the use of Morse code or different types of communication.

The number of stations contacted would serve as a point. The team or competitor with the greatest number of stations reached wins. To add to the prestige of winning, the victors of such competitions are often featured in magazines and on websites.

At its very core though, an amateur radio contest is held to improve the skills of everyone involved. It allows them to practice and discover the best ways of obtaining essential information in a short period of time. These skills are deemed vital in dire situations like emergencies.

While the WRTC（World Radiosport Team Championship) and IARU(International Amateur Radio Union) HF World Championship are indeed impressive, you’re probably wondering whether one of them is the largest global competition. Well, it’s actually the CQ（Calling Any Station） WW(World wide）. Over 35,000 hams participate in the event every year. Games are traditionally held in the last weeks of October and November.

Just to be clear, the events stated above vary in frequency bands and call signs used. There are also local events held for beginners, and these can be used by hams to qualify for bigger competitions.

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