The Art of Contesting
Contesting (also known as radiosport) is a competitive activity pursued by amateur radio operators which may be operated by an individual or a team. The aim is to contact as many other amateur radio stations as possible in a given period of time and exchange so sort of information. The rules for each competition define the frequencies, mode of communication, and the kind of information that must be exchanged.
Contesting grew out of other amateur radio activities in the 1920s and 1930s. As transoceanic communications with amateur radio stations became more common, competitions were formed to challenge stations to make as many contacts as possible with amateur radio stations in other countries. Contests were also formed to provide opportunities for amateur radio operators to practice their message handling skills, used for routine or emergency communications across long distances. Over time, the number and variety of radio contests has increased, and many amateur radio operators today pursue the sport as their primary amateur radio activity.
There is no international authority or governance organization for this sport. Each competition is sponsored separately and has its own set of rules. Participants must, however, adhere to the amateur radio regulations of the country in which they are located.
Why take part in contests? Everyone has their own reasons. Some of mine are to sharpen my operating skills, to learn to get the most I can out of my equipment, to compete against my peers and to be a part of the community of contesters.
How is the winner determined? The winner in each category is the station which gets the most points in that category.
How are points scored? Each QSO will score a certain number of points. The number of points scored for a QSO may depend on the location of the station contacted. In contests which allow you to work in different modes (for example, CW and SSB) the number of points may also depend on the mode.
What is a “multiplier”? As well as getting points for each QSO, most contests allow you to get multipliers from certain QSOs. For example, you might get a multiplier for every different country ( DXCC entity) or province you work on each band during the contest or, a multiplier for each prefix worked, for each CQ or ITU zone worked etc. Your final score for the contest will then be calculated by multiplying the total of all your QSO points by the number of multipliers you worked. For example, if you worked 100 stations at 2 points per QSO and 20 multipliers, then your total QSO points would be 100 x 2 = 200, and your multiplier is 20, so your final score would be 200 x 20 = 4000 points.
What is a DXCC Entity? Entities correspond roughly to countries and administrative territories, but they also may be islands and even reefs if they meet criteria set by the ARRL, which administers the DX Century Club (DXCC) award and decides what qualifies as an “entity”.
What is a CQ Zone? The world is divided into 40 “CQ Zones” which are used as multipliers for some contests.
What bands can be used during contests? depends on the particular contest. Some contests are limited to a single band. Many contests allow operation on all the pre-WARC HF bands — that is: 160m, 80m, 40m, 20m, 15m and 10m. Other contests are for VHF bands only
However note that contesting is never permitted on the WARC bands: 30m, 17m and 12m. This is so that amateurs who do not enjoy contesting can take refuge on the WARC bands during contests. WARC named after the World Administrative Radio Conference, which in 1979 created a worldwide allocation of these bands for amateur use. The bands were opened for use in the early 1980s
Why are there different entry categories? Different contesters have different preferences and budgets. Some like to work on their own, others prefer to be part of a team. Some can afford high-power stations, others prefer to compete with a “barefoot” or QRP transceiver. By dividing a single contest into a number of different entry categories, all contesters can share the fun and contribute to the contest, while competing against similarly equipped stations in the same category.
What sorts of entrance categories are provided? That depends on the contest, but the following entrance categories are a good example of a fairly extensive list of possibilities:
Single Operator High — a single operator, maximum power 1.5 KW, no DX alerting assistance (for example, DX cluster spots) allowed.
Single Operator Low — a single operator, maximum power 100W, no DX alerting assistance allowed.
Single Operator QRPp — a single operator, maximum power 5W, no DX alerting assistance allowed.
Single Operator with DX Spotting (also called “Single Operator Assisted”) — a single operator, maximum power 1.5 KW, passive use of spotting nets allowed.
Multi-Operator, Single Transmitter (also called “multi single” or “MS” for short) — any number of operators, but only one transmitted signal allowed at any time. The additional operators will often be listening for new multipliers, and passing the information on to the one transmitter operator.
Multi-Operator, Two Transmitter (also called “multi two”) — Any number of operators, but only two transmitters. In CQWW, both transmitters may work any stations. In some other contests there are strict restrictions on what the second transmitter may do — for example, it may only be allowed to work new multipliers.
Multi-Operator, Multi Transmitter (also called “multi multi”) Any number of operators, operating any number of stations, but with only one transmitted signal on each band at any time. In many cases a “multi-multi” station will have a dedicated transmitter for each of the contest bands.
Note that in CQWW, single operator entries can choose to be all-band, or only to work a single nominated band.
What do “SOLP”, “SOHP”, “SOAB”, “SOSB”, “M/S”, “M/2” and “M/M” mean? These are all abbreviations for contest entry categories:
SOLP — Single Operator Low Power
SOHP — Single Operator High Power
SOAB — Single Operator all band
SOSB — Single Operator Single Band, often includes the band, e.g. “SOSB/80” for a single band entry on 80m
M/S — Multi/Single — Many operators but only a single transmitter
M/2 — Multi/Two — Many operators with two transmitters
M/M — Multi/Multi — Many operators with many transmitters
What is the “DX Cluster”?It is a worldwide computer system on which DX stations are reported (“spotted”). It can be accessed via Packet Radio or on the Internet at www.dxwatch.com or www.dxsummit.fi . You are only allowed to make use of DX Cluster spots if you are entered in an “assisted” class. No matter what class you are entered in you may not enter your own station into the DX cluster, this is called “self spotting” and is illegal in all contests.
What category should I enter? If you don’t have a kilowatt linear, then single operator low power is an attractive option since you don’t have to compete with all the kilowatt-plus signals in the high power category. If you are an experienced QRP operator, then by all means choose QRPp instead, but if you are not a QRP operator then you may find this category a bit frustrating at first as you will have to learn how to make your QRP signal heard while learning the ropes of contesting at the same time. If your antenna system is limited then you may want to enter as a single-band contester.
Do I need a computerized logging program? To make a serious attempt at an international contest, yes most of the smaller stations that enter a contest spend much of their time answering other stations that are calling CQ. This is known as “search and pounce” — you search for a station you need, and then pounce on it by replying to its call. However since you can only work a station once on each band and mode, before you reply to the CQ, you need to know whether you have worked the station before, and unless you have a photographic memory a computer logging program is by far the best way to do this. Contesters are a very friendly bunch, but calling the same station five or six times on the same band during a major international contest will test the patience of even the most saintly participant.
What logging program should I get? There are many different, some commercial ones and some which are free. Popular commercial programs include WriteLog for Windows, TRLog . Free contest logging software includes CT, also originally designed for DOS, and the open-source N1MM logger for Windows. This is the one I will concentrate on for the following reasons: A powerful program that gets updated regularly, has the templates for all the DX contests, easy to use.
What should I look for in a contest logging program? First, be aware that logging programs come in two different flavours, general logging programs designed to maintain a normal station log and specialized contest logging programs. The difference is that contest logging programs have contest scoring rules “built in“ so they will automatically keep track of your score, tell you whether you can work a particular station for the contest and other contest-specific time saving features. Finally, make absolutely sure that the logging program can export the log file in the standard “Cabrillo” format. Logging programs can interface to your rig’s key jack to send CW automatically. This is a great feature as it allows you to send exchanges while capturing information into the logging program.
What is the “Cabrillo” log-file format? Cabrillo is a standard format for submitting log files to contest organizers so they can be checked and scored by computer.
Why must I connect the computer to my rig? There are a couple reasons to connect your computer to your rig.First, so it can send CW automatically and/or PSK31 or RTTY depending on the contest. Some logging programs also provide a “voice keyer” which allows you to record messages and then replay them over the air. This is great for calling “CQ” in a phone contest. For this you need a computer soundcard interface with support for CW keying, second reason is so the logging program can keep track of the band and mode of your transceiver. Many of these interfaces will also allow the computer to control the transceiver, so for example you can change frequency / mode by simply clicking on the DX Cluster.
Do I need an antenna farm to enter contests? No but it will help significantly. Actually, at least one major contest — the CQ Worked All Prefixes (WPX) contest — now has an entry category where stations are limited to using a single triband beam on 10, 15 and 20m and single-element antennas on all other bands. I got my WAZS 600 by only using a “long wire” and a 108” whip. So there is hope for us “little pistols”.
What is a “little pistol”? The high power multi-multi (multi operator multi transmitter) stations are often called “big guns”. The “little pistols” are all us low power, single operator stations.
What sort of rig do I need to enter a contest?
Just the rig you use every day. That’s not to say that some rigs aren’t better for contesting than others, but just about any rig will do to start. If you plan to buy a new rig for contesting, then look for one with a “strong” receiver which can receive weak signals in the presence of very strong signals without overloading. The “blocking dynamic range”, “intermodulation dynamic range”, “third order intercept” and “phase noise” specifications found in most technical reviews are important indicators of this. It is a good idea to have your commonly used functions such as filter selections, if width and shift (if available), notch filter, attenuator, RF gain, mode, and band switch available on the front panel, to avoid having to wade through a menu system in the heat of battle. This means that the compact transceivers designed primarily for mobile operation may not be the best choice in a contest. The ability to interface the rig to your computer so the logger can automatically enter the correct band and mode is another useful feature that is found on most modern rigs. A narrow (250 or 500 Hz) filter is almost essential for CW contests.
Why do contesters only exchange reports and other numbers, not name and QTH? The object is to make as many QSOs as possible in a limited time, so “QSO rate” — the number of QSOs per hour — is (almost) everything. Hence all “unnecessary” parts of the QSO are omitted, leaving only the required essentials — call signs, 59/599 signal reports and a serial number or zone number if required by the rules. Be sure to check the rules to see what the required exchange is for each contest you enter.
Why are reports in contests always send as “59” / “5NN”? Although the rules normally specify that the exchange must include a signal report, no-one actually cares much what the real signal report is, so to simplify things, contesters just send 59 / 599 reports even if the signal is barely intelligible. However the number “9” is replaced by the letter “N” (CW) because it is faster to send. “Shortened” numbers, like “N” instead of “9” are known as “cut numbers”.
What are “cut numbers”? In Morse code, all numbers consist of five dots and / or dashes, which takes a fairly long time to send. “Cut numbers” provide an alternative way of representing numbers. By far the most common in practise are “T” for “0” and “N” for “9”, so you should be familiar with at least these.
What does it mean when I hear a station send “TEST ZS1AN” or “ZS1AN TEST” during a contest? This is a shortened CQ call — in other words, the operator wants other stations (specifically stations participating in the contest) to reply to his or her call. “TEST” is short for “CONTEST”, and a full CQ might be “CQ CONTEST DE ZS1AN “. However, in the spirit of omitting everything that is not absolutely essential, the “CQ” and “DE” are often omitted, leaving just “TEST ZS1AN” or sometimes “ZS1AN TEST”.
How should I reply to such a call? Just send your call sign once if conditions are good, twice if they are poor. Don’t send “ZS1AN ZS1AN DE N1XXX N1XXX N1XXX K”. I know who I am, and the timing of your reply will clue me in to the fact that you are replying to me, not to someone else. And better not to send your callsign too many times, a competent contest operator should get it first time. So instead you just send “N1XXX” and wait for the reply.
What sort of reply should I expect, and what does it mean? Your callsign, an abbreviated signal report and a zone, serial number or grid square depending on the contest.
What does it mean if I call a station and get the reply “DUP” or “B4”? This means that the station you are calling has (or thinks he or she has) worked you already on this mode and band. “B4” stands for “before”. Don’t stop to argue about it — find another station to work and move on.
Example of a complete contest QSO?
Test ZS1AN (an abbreviation for “CQ CONTEST DE ZS1AN”)
N1XXX (you respond with your callsign)
N1XXX 5938 (I send my exchange “59” and my CQ zone “38”)
5905 (you reply with your “59” report and zone “05”)
TU ZS1AN (Thank you, and I’m waiting for the next caller so please don’t reply)
What should I do before a contest? Read the contest rules and decide which category you will enter. Test your station and antennas. Have a look at the expected propagation and draw up an operating schedule showing when you expect to operate on which bands, and where your beam will be pointing. This schedule will change during the contest as conditions unfold, but you should at least have an initial plan. Stock up on fast food. Set up your computer, check that the logging program is interfacing with the PC correctly, and ensure that you select the right contest in the logging program. Try to get as much sleep before the contest starts as possible so you can work long hours during the contest itself. Read the contest rules (again) and make sure you understand the exchange format, multipliers, sequence numbers, entry categories, power restrictions etc. Accurately set your computer clock so the QSOs will be logged at the correct time.
What do I do after the contest? In order to be listed in the results, you will need to submit your log to the contest organizers. Most of the major contests these days prefer electronic logs, usually in Cabrillo format. The address for submitting your logs can be found in the contest rules. But please submit your logs to the organisers IT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO. By using computerised logging, it is normally about 3 keystokes and your logs are ready to be sent.
Thanks to Andrew Roos ZS5U.
