September 25, 2024

Editor: Paul Bourque, N1SFE

In this Issue:

• Upcoming Contests – Things to Do
• Bulletins
• Contest Summary
• Sights and Sounds
• Results and Records
• Contests
• Log Due Dates

The 2024 AM QSO Party, hosted by the Antique Wireless Association, begins Saturday, September 28 at 2000 UTC, and concludes Sunday, September 29 at 2359 UTC. The Event now spans 28-hour, and use of the 10-meter band is now allowed. Any type of transmitter may be used, provided it’s capable of transmitting using the AM mode. Any frequency on the 160-, 75-, 40-, 20-, and 10- meter bands that’s legal for voice communication may be used. For more information, visit https://www.antiquewireless.org/homepage/am-qso-party-details/.

Collegiate QSO Party

The Collegiate QSO Party begins on Saturday, October 5 at 0000 UTC, and runs through Sunday, October 6 at 2359 UTC. This operating event focuses on amateur radio clubs at colleges and universities around the world. Each fall, the event provides opportunities for clubs to demonstrate amateur radio to new members, engage with alumni, and promote activity throughout college and university communities. The event is open to all radio amateurs. For more information, visit collegiateqsoparty.com/.

CQ World Wide DX Contest, RTTY

One of the largest RTTY operating events of the year, the CQ World Wide RTTY DX Contest, begins on Saturday, September 28 at 0000 UTC, and concludes on Sunday, September 29 at 2359 UTC. Full contest rules are available at https://cqwwrtty.com/.

Upcoming State QSO Parties

If you enjoy QSO party parties, there are two opportunities to operate in one over the next couple of weekends. The Maine QSO Party begins on Saturday, September 28 at 1200 UTC, and concludes on Sunday, September 29 at 1200 UTC.

The California QSO Party (CQP) begins on Saturday, October 5 at 1600 UTC, and concludes on Sunday, October 6 at 2200 UTC. This year’s CQP includes three new challenges for stations operating both inside and outside of California. See https://www.cqp.org/pdf/CQP2024_Fun_Contest_Challenges.pdf for information about the CQP challenges.

This summer, two smaller Contest Universities (CTUs) were held in Boston and Chicago. Their slide decks are now available at the CTU website, at https://www.contestuniversity.com/files/.

– Thanks to Tim Duffy, K3LR

September 26

• CWops Test (CWT)
• RSGB 80m Autumn Series, Data

September 27

• NCCC FT4 Sprint
• Weekly RTTY Test
• NCCC Sprint Ladder
• K1USN Slow Speed Test

September 28

• CQ Worldwide DX Contest, RTTY
• Maine QSO Party
• ARSI VU DX Contest
• AGCW VHF/UHF Contest
• Masonic Lodges on the Air
• AWA Amplitude Modulation QSO Party

September 29

• UBA ON Contest, 6m

September 30

• K1USN Slow Speed Test
• QCX Challenge
• ICWC Medium Speed Test
• OK1WC Memorial (MWC)

October 1

• Worldwide Sideband Activity Contest
• QCX Challenge
• ICWC Medium Speed Test

October 2

• Phone Weekly Test
• A1Club AWT
• CWops Test (CWT)
• VHF-UHF FT8 Activity Contest
• Mini-Test 40
• Mini-Test 80
• UKEICC 80m Contest

October 3

• Walk for the Bacon QRP Contest
• CWops Test (CWT)
• German Telegraphy Contest
• SARL 80m QSO Party
• NRAU 10m Activity Contest
• SKCC Sprint Europe

October 4

• URC DX RTTY Contest
• NCCC FT4 Sprint
• Weekly RTTY Test
• NCCC Sprint Ladder
• K1USN Slow Speed Test

October 5

• Collegiate QSO Party
• TRC DX Contest
• Oceania DX Contest, Phone
• 902 MHz and Up Fall Sprint
• Russian WW Digital Contest
• IARU Region 1 UHF/Microwaves Contest
• California QSO Party
• International HELL-Contest

October 6

• UBA ON Contest, SSB
• Peanut Power QRP Sprint

October 7

• K1USN Slow Speed Test
• ICWC Medium Speed Test
• OK1WC Memorial (MWC)
• RSGB 80m Autumn Series, CW

October 8

• ARS Spartan Sprint
• Worldwide Sideband Activity Contest
• ICWC Medium Speed Test
• DARC RTTY Sprint
• IRTS 80m Evening Counties Contest

October 9

• NAQCC CW Sprint
• Phone Weekly Test
• A1Club AWT
• CWops Test (CWT)
• VHF-UHF FT8 Activity Contest
• Mini-Test 40
• Mini-Test 80

Seasoned contester and chairman of the California QSO Party Dean Wood, N6DE, and passionate Parks on the Air (POTA) activator and contester John Owens, NN6U, joined Kevin Thomas, W1DED, for an interview on his YouTube channel, W1DED Worldwide Ham Radio.

Dean and John discuss how portable operations such as POTA are breaking down traditional barriers to contesting. State QSO parties, like the California QSO Party, are encouraging POTA activators to participate, offering special awards and incentives.

The video is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QuPezzuTDZ0.

– Thanks to Dean Wood, N6DE

The preliminary results for the September 2024 North American CW Sprint

have been posted on the National Contest Journal website at

https://ncjweb.com/sprint-scores/preliminary/sprintcwsep2024prelim.pdf. CW Sprint Manager Ward Silver, N0AX, noted that the full results will be available shortly.

That’s all for this time. Remember to send contesting-related stories, book reviews, tips, techniques, press releases, errata, schematics, club information, pictures, stories, blog links, and predictions to contest-update@arrl.org.

73, Paul, N1SFE

An expanded, downloadable version of QST‘s Contest Corral is available as a PDF. Check the sponsors’ website for information on operating time restrictions and other instructions.

HF CONTESTS

CWops Test (CWT), Sep 26, 0300z to Sep 26, 0400z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; Member: Name + Member No./”CWA”, non-Member: Name + (state/province/country); Logs due: Sep 28.

CWops Test (CWT), Sep 26, 0700z to Sep 26, 0800z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; Member: Name + Member No./”CWA”, non-Member: Name + (state/province/country); Logs due: Sep 28.

RSGB 80m Autumn Series, Data, Sep 26, 1900z to Sep 26, 2030z; RTTY, PSK; Bands: 80; RST + Serial No.; Logs due: Sep 29.

NCCC FT4 Sprint, Sep 27, 0100z to Sep 27, 0130z; FT4; Bands: (see rules); 4-character grid square; Logs due: Sep 29.

Weekly RTTY Test, Sep 27, 0145z to Sep 27, 0215z; RTTY; Bands: 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; Name + (state/province/country); Logs due: Sep 29.

NCCC Sprint Ladder, Sep 27, 0230z to Sep 27, 0300z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15; Serial No. + Name + QTH; Logs due: Sep 29.

K1USN Slow Speed Test, Sep 27, 2000z to Sep 27, 2100z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; Maximum 20 wpm, Name + (state/province/country); Logs due: Sep 29.

CQ Worldwide DX Contest, RTTY, Sep 28, 0000z to Sep 29, 2359z; RTTY; Bands: 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; 48 States/Canada: RST + CQ Zone + (state/VE area), All Others: RST + CQ Zone; Logs due: Oct 4.

Maine QSO Party, Sep 28, 1200z to Sep 29, 1200z; CW, Phone; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; ME: RS(T) + county, non-ME: RS(T) + (state/province/”DX”); Logs due: Oct 21.

ARSI VU DX Contest, Sep 28, 1200z to Sep 29, 1200z; CW, SSB; Bands: 40, 20, 15, 10; VU: RS(T) + 2-letter state/UT code, Non-VU: RS(T) + Serial No.; Logs due: Oct 6.

Masonic Lodges on the Air, Sep 28, 1400z to Sep 28, 2200z; SSB; Bands: 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; Lodge: Lodge Name + Lodge No. + Jurisdiction, non-Lodge: (State/Province/”DX”); Logs due: Oct 12.

AWA Amplitude Modulation QSO Party, Sep 28, 2000z to Sep 29, 2359z; AM; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 10; Name + (state/province/country); Logs due: Oct 27.

K1USN Slow Speed Test, Sep 30, 0000z to Sep 30, 0100z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; Maximum 20 wpm, Name + (state/province/country); Logs due: Oct 2.

QCX Challenge, Sep 30, 1300z to Sep 30, 1400z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; RST + Name + (state/province/country) + Rig; Logs due: Oct 6.

ICWC Medium Speed Test, Sep 30, 1300z to Sep 30, 1400z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; Name + QSO No.; Logs due: Oct 3.

OK1WC Memorial (MWC), Sep 30, 1630z to Sep 30, 1729z; CW; Bands: 80, 40; RST + Serial No.; Logs due: Oct 4.

QCX Challenge, Sep 30, 1900z to Sep 30, 2000z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; RST + Name + (state/province/country) + Rig; Logs due: Oct 6.

ICWC Medium Speed Test, Sep 30, 1900z to Sep 30, 2000z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; Name + QSO No.; Logs due: Oct 3.

Worldwide Sideband Activity Contest, Oct 1, 0100z to Oct 1, 0159z; SSB; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10, 6; RS + age group (OM, YL, Youth YL or Youth); Logs due: Oct 2.

QCX Challenge, Oct 1, 0300z to Oct 1, 0400z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; RST + Name + (state/province/country) + Rig; Logs due: Oct 6.

ICWC Medium Speed Test, Oct 1, 0300z to Oct 1, 0400z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; Name + QSO No.; Logs due: Oct 3.

Phone Weekly Test, Oct 2, 0230z to Oct 2, 0300z; SSB; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15; NA: Name + (state/province/country), non-NA: Name; Logs due: Oct 4.

A1Club AWT, Oct 2, 1200z to Oct 2, 1300z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; Member: RST + Name; Logs due: Oct 7.

CWops Test (CWT), Oct 2, 1300z to Oct 2, 1400z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; Member: Name + Member No./”CWA”, non-Member: Name + (state/province/country); Logs due: Oct 5.

Mini-Test 40, Oct 2, 1700z to Oct 2, 1759z; CW; Bands: 40; RST + Serial No.; Logs due: Oct 4.

Mini-Test 80, Oct 2, 1800z to Oct 2, 1859z; CW; Bands: 80; RST + Serial No.; Logs due: Oct 4.