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Amateur Radio Contesting

Over the years Amateur Radio Contesting has often been referred to as "Radio Sporting".   No matter how you label it, or how you participate or even how you perceive it... Radio Contesting is the maximum amount of fun that you can experience in Amateur Radio.   

Most sporting events have the heros, superstars or world class individuals in their given disciplines.   These types of sporting events are where you have the skilled individuals and the spectators.   Golf is an excellent example of this concept.   You have Tiger Woods teeing off and whole gallery of spectators that watch the event.   Many of the spectators are also golf enthusiasts as well.   On the weekends and their vacations, they go to the different golf courses across the country and enjoy the sport.   

At the end of the day they compare their scores with the likes of Tiger Woods, Arnold Palmer or Jack Nicklaus.  They have handicap scoring systems where your score is biased based on your previous play.   The handicap is basically your ability based on al your previous scores.

Well, in Amateur Radio Contesting you get to participate right along side the super stars of the game.   You get to go head to head with the world class operators such as Rick, K5UR; Frank, W3LPL; and Joel, W5ZN.  Think about entering a golf tournament and teeing off with Tiger Woods.  Think about being in the Super Bowl and intercepting a pass from John Elway before it reached its intended receiver.

This is the excitement that Amateur Radio Contesting can bring into your life.   You are not the spectator, you are one of the players.   You are not only playing against your peers, you are playing against the masters of the game.   And you do not have to leave the safety of your own home.  This is REAL AMATEUR RADIO.

Every Amateur Radio Contest has rules.   Some are very simple while others are very complex.  And sometimes the rules for some contests are not in a language that you can understand.   All of this adds even more excitement to the whole event.

Some of the rules are you might encounter are these:

  • Only certain bands may be used
  • The contest only takes places between certain times and on certain dates. Some contests also require “off times” when you are required to take a break from operating.  
  • An exchange of information is necessary during each contact. You may be required to send and receive a serial number, location, name or even a person’s age.
  • Only certain operating configurations can be used. You may have to choose a “category” of operation such as a single operator using low power.

Some contests are very small and others are World Wide with record numbers of Amateur Radio Operators working hard to make the highest scores.   But there are many Amateur Radio Operators that do not care about how their score compares to others, they are only interested in how their score stacks up against their previous scores.   

Most Amateur Radio Contests are conducted on the HF Bands.   But there are many Contests that use VHF/UHF bands and even Microwave Frequencies.   World Wide all of the contest sponsors have worked hard to keep all contest activities from the 60M, 30M, 17M and 12M bands.  These are referred to in some groups as the WARC (World Administrative Radio Conference) bands.  They are a safe harbor for Amateur Radio Operators that have no interest in Contesting-- I'm sorry!

One of the goals here at the WB5BHS Web Site is to keep you up to date on the different contests and the schedule of up and coming Contests.   Now be warned, the Contest Reporting will be skewed more towards Radio Teletype Operations than other modes.   But all modes and contests will be given a fair shake.

 

CONTEST LOGGING

There are many different types and flavors of Amateur Radio Contesting Software.   And there are still a large following of Amateur Radio Operators that will tend to use pencil and paper for their main logging "Software".  This is all well and good, but many Contest Sponsors are moving towards electronic logs.  

The biggest advantage of computerized logging is the ability to perform Dupe Checks on the stations you are about to work or stations that are calling you.  Some Contest Sponsors will punish you for having over a certain percentage of duplicate entries in your log entry.

N1MM is probably the best Contesting Software that is available.   This is a very stable platform and has been used by some of the all time winners of the various contests.  This program is free to download and use on as many machines as you wish.  This package also supports different plug-ins such as MMTTY for Radio Teletype Contesting.

WriteLog is also one of the best Contesting Software Packages that is available.   I only rated him as 2nd because he is a paid software package.

N3FJP is also a very capable software package.   Scott provides different modules for most of the major Amateur Radio Contest.   Their set-up and operating interface is geared towards the Novice or Newbie Individuals.   But by no means does this mean this is an inferior product.   I only put him last because like WriteLog, this is a paid product.  He is not free to download.

As you continue through your Amateur Radio Contesting Career you will quickly see that there is a lot more to entering a contest than just moving up and down the band trying to work every station that you hear.   You have to take into account the radio wave propagation characteristics.   You have to weigh your body's need for sleep and food against continuning working down the big pileup you have created.   You have to decide if it is worth calling the rare multiplier station for 30 minutes or just calling CQ for 30 minutes and hoping you can make enough QSOs to offset the signle multipler station.

Just like the Boston Marathon Runners, do you go all out for the whole race or do you hold back a little bit along the way, then give it your all out effort at the very end.  And you have to be able to make these decisions quickly.

Here are few tips from some of the Top Contest Winners over the past years:

1. Read the Contest Rules and make sure you understand them.

2. Check all your equipment (including software) a few days before the contest begins. Make sure everything is operating perfectly.

3. Understand the basics of propagation and plan your contest strategy accordingly. Try to obtain a propagation forecast for the contest weekend.

4. Make plans for rest and nourishment. Have food and drink on hand. Take breaks every couple of hours to stretch your legs and clear your mind.


It Isn’t All About “Winning”

Even though contest competition can be intense, it isn’t always about winning. You may never win the top slot in a contest, but you’ll definitely enjoy the competition and the camaraderie.

This is addictive, you have been warned.

73 -John