January 29, 2025

Editor: Paul Bourque, N1SFE

In this Issue:

• Upcoming Contests – Things to Do
• Bulletins
• Contest Summary
• News, Press Releases, and Special Interest
• Contests
• Log Due Dates
• ARRL Information
• Acknowledgements

Upcoming Contests – Things to Do

NCJ North American CW Sprint

The NCJ North American CW Sprint begins at 0000 UTC on Sunday, February 2 (Saturday evening in North America) and concludes at 0359 UTC. The object of North American stations is to contact as many radio amateurs as possible. Stations located outside of North America can contact as many North American stations as possible. The exchange is the other station’s call sign, your call sign, a sequential serial number, your name, and your location (state, province, or country). Full rules are available at ncjweb.com/Sprint-Rules.pdf.

If you’ve never participated in a Sprint before, check out the Thursday night, 30-minute practice session sponsored by the Northern California Contest Club, starting at 0230 UTC. See www.ncccsprint.com for more information.

– Thanks to Ward Silver, N0AX.

Upcoming State QSO Parties

The State QSO Party (SQP) season kicks off this weekend, with three opportunities to participate. The Vermont QSO Party begins at 0000 UTC on Saturday, February 1, and runs for 48 hours, concluding at 2359 UTC on Sunday, February 2. Also on Saturday, the Minnesota QSO Party kicks off at 1400 UTC and concludes at 2359 UTC. Finally, the British Columbia QSO Party begins at 1600 UTC on February 1 and concludes at 2359 UTC on February 2.

All three of the events qualify for the State QSO Party Challenge, which has an added Mobile/Portable Challenge in 2025. The organizers of the SQP have added this new challenge to encourage more operators to consider operating mobile and portable. Rules for the SQP Mobile/Portable Challenge are available at stateqsoparty.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/2025SQPMobilePOrtableRulesFb.pdf.

CQ World Wide WPX RTTY Contest

The CQ World Wide WPX RTTY Contest begins at 0000 UTC on Saturday, February 8, and concludes at 2359 UTC on Sunday, February 9. The objective is for amateurs world-wide to contact as many stations and prefixes as possible. Single Operator stations may operate for 30 hours of the 48-hour contest period. Multi-operator stations may operate for the full 48 hours. Complete rules are available at www.cqwpxrtty.com/rules.htm.

ARRL School Club Roundup

The ARRL February School Club Roundup runs from 1300 UTC on Monday, February 10, through 2359 UTC on Friday, February 14. School Club Roundup is co-sponsored by ARRL and the Long Island Mobile Amateur Radio Club (LIMARC). For full details of the event, visit www.arrl.org/school-club-roundup.

Bulletins

New Contest Hall of Fame Website Launched

The World Wide Radio Operators Foundation (WWROF) is now managing the Contest Hall of Fame. They have launched a new website at contesthof.com that contains a short writeup about each Contest HOF inductee. As the new website is a work in progress, Randy Thompson, K5ZD, is seeking any additional biography information and photos of past inductees. He can be reached at k5zd@outlook.com.

– Thanks to Randy Thompson, K5ZD

Call for Papers and Presentations for the 2025 Eastern VHF/UHF/Microwave Conference

Presentations and papers are sought for the 48th Eastern VHF/UHF/ Microwave Conference, held May 8 – 11, 2025 in Windsor, Connecticut. All aspects of VHF/UHF/microwave operating, technical and non-technical (contesting, homebrewing, EME, antennas, software, etc.), are welcome. If you have a topic that you’d like to submit to the proceedings, contact Paul Wade, W1GHZ, via email at w1ghz@arrl.net.

The conference is sponsored by the North East Weak Signal Group. For more details visit www.newsvhf.com.

– Thanks to Paul Wade, W1GHZ and Mark Casey, K1MAP

Contest University Course Outline and Professor Bios Announced

Tim Duffy, K3LR, has announced that the 2025 course outline and professor biographies are now posted on the Contest University website at www.contestuniversity.com/course-outline. Contest University will be held on Thursday, May 15 from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM, at the Hope Hotel in Dayton, Ohio.

Contest Summary

See the “Contests” section below for complete contest information.

January 30

• CWops Test (CWT)

January 31

• NCCC FT4 Sprint
• Weekly RTTY Test
• QRP Fox Hunt
• NCCC Sprint Ladder
• K1USN Slow Speed Test

February 1

• Vermont QSO Party
• LABRE-RS Digi Contest
• 10-10 Int. Winter Contest, SSB
• Mexico RTTY International Contest
• European Union DX Contest
• Minnesota QSO Party
• FYBO Winter QRP Sprint
• AGCW Straight Key Party
• British Columbia QSO Party

February 2

• North American Sprint, CW
• Marconi Club ARI Loano Slow CW QSO Party

February 3

• K1USN Slow Speed Test
• ICWC Medium Speed Test
• OK1WC Memorial (MWC)
• RSGB 80m Club Championship, SSB

February 4

• ARS Spartan Sprint
• Worldwide Sideband Activity Contest
• ICWC Medium Speed Test

February 5

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

February 6

• Walk for the Bacon QRP Contest
• CWops Test (CWT)
• NRAU 10m Activity Contest
• SKCC Sprint Europe

February 7

• NCCC FT4 Sprint
• Weekly RTTY Test
• QRP Fox Hunt
• NCCC Sprint Ladder
• K1USN Slow Speed Test

February 8

• CQ WW RTTY WPX Contest
• FISTS Saturday Sprint
• Asia-Pacific Spring Sprint, CW
• SKCC Weekend Sprintathon
• KCJ Topband Contest
• Dutch PACC Contest
• F9AA Cup, CW
• OMISS QSO Party
• WAB 1.8 MHz Phone
• RSGB 1.8 MHz Contest

February 9

• Balkan HF Contest

February 10

• K1USN Slow Speed Test
• 4 States QRP Group Second Sunday Sprint
• ARRL School Club Roundup
• ICWC Medium Speed Test
• OK1WC Memorial (MWC)

February 11

• Worldwide Sideband Activity Contest
• ICWC Medium Speed Test
• DARC FT4 Contest

February 12

• NAQCC CW Sprint
• QRP Fox Hunt
• Phone Weekly Test
• A1Club AWT
• CWops Test (CWT)
• VHF-UHF FT8 Activity Contest
• Mini-Test 40
• Mini-Test 80
• RSGB 80m Club Championship, Data

News, Press Releases, and Special Interest

28th Annual Dayton Contest Dinner

North Coast Contesters are proud to announce that the 28th Annual Dayton Contest Dinner will be held on Saturday, May 17, 2025 at the Hope Hotel in Dayton, Ohio.

The Master of Ceremonies is Contest Hall of Fame member and CQ World Wide Contest Director, John Dorr, K1AR. This year’s keynote speaker will be Chris Hurlbut, KL9A. The 2025 CQ Contest Hall of Fame inductees will also be announced at the dinner. For complete details and to purchase tickets, please visit their website contestdinner.com.

– Thanks to Tim Duffy, K3LR, Dayton Contest Dinner Chairman

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

Contests

January 30, 2025 – February 12, 2025

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), Jan 30, 0300z to Jan 30, 0400z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; Member: Name + Member No./”CWA”, non-Member: Name + (state/province/country); Logs due: Feb 1.

CWops Test (CWT), Jan 30, 0700z to Jan 30, 0800z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; Member: Name + Member No./”CWA”, non-Member: Name + (state/province/country); Logs due: Feb 1.

NCCC FT4 Sprint, Jan 31, 0100z to Jan 31, 0130z; FT4; Bands: (see rules); 4-character grid square; Logs due: Feb 2.

Weekly RTTY Test, Jan 31, 0145z to Jan 31, 0215z; RTTY; Bands: 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; Name + (state/province/country); Logs due: Feb 2.

QRP Fox Hunt, Jan 31, 0200z to Jan 31, 0330z; CW; Bands: 20; RST + (state/province/country) + name + power output; Logs due: Feb 1.

NCCC Sprint Ladder, Jan 31, 0230z to Jan 31, 0300z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15; Serial No. + Name + QTH; Logs due: Feb 2.

K1USN Slow Speed Test, Jan 31, 2000z to Jan 31, 2100z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; Maximum 20 wpm, Name + (state/province/country); Logs due: Feb 2.

Vermont QSO Party, Feb 1, 0000z to Feb 2, 2359z; All (see rules for FT8 guidance); Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10, VHF/UHF; VT: RS(T) + County, non-VT W/VE: RS(T) + (state/province), DX: RS(T); Logs due: Feb 16.

LABRE-RS Digi Contest, Feb 1, 0000z to Feb 2, 2059z; FT4/8; Bands: 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; 4-character grid square; Logs due: Feb 12.

10-10 Int. Winter Contest, SSB, Feb 1, 0001z to Feb 2, 2359z; Phone; Bands: 10; 10-10 Member: Name + 10-10 number + (state/province/country), Non-Member: Name + 0 + (state/province/country); Logs due: Feb 10.

Mexico RTTY International Contest, Feb 1, 1200z to Feb 2, 2359z; RTTY Only; Bands: 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; XE: RST + State, non-XE: RST + Serial No.; Logs due: Mar 16.

European Union DX Contest, Feb 1, 1200z to Feb 2, 1200z; CW, SSB; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; EU Union: RS(T) + EU Union Region (4-characters), Non-EU Union: RS(T) + ITU Zone No.; Logs due: Feb 9.

Minnesota QSO Party, Feb 1, 1400z to Feb 2, 2359z; CW, Phone (FM/SSB/AM); Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; MN: Name + County, W/VE: Name + (state/province), DX: Name; Logs due: Feb 15.

FYBO Winter QRP Sprint, Feb 1, 1400z to Feb 2, 2359z; CW, SSB, Digital; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; RS(T) + (state/province/country)+ name + power out + temperature(F); Logs due: Mar 4.

AGCW Straight Key Party, Feb 1, 1600z to Feb 2, 1900z; CW; Bands: 80; AGCW: RST + Serial No. + “/” + Class + “/” + Name + “/” + Age; Logs due: Feb 26.

British Columbia QSO Party, Feb 1, 1600z to Feb 2, 2359z; CW, SSB; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; BC: RS(T) + District, non-BC: RS(T) + (state/province/”DX”); Logs due: Feb 17.