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Amateur Radio Contesting? What's this all about?

It's probably one of the most fun parts of the amateur radio hobby and...highly addictive!

Unlike most competitive activities, you don't need an entrance fee and you don't need to "qualify" in order to participate. All you've got to do is turn on your radio, jump in the fray and start making contacts.

99% of all ham radio contests take place on weekends. In fact on some weekends there may be as many as a dozen different contests taking place around the world.

There are "small" regional contests like the provincial and state "QSO parties" along with globe-spanning world-wide contests where the bands are filled from one end to the other with folks calling "CQ Contest".

Some contests take place on all of the "HF" bands, while some are "band specific" i.e. restricted to one or two bands or restricted to the "VHF/UHF" bands.

Some contests will last just three or four hours while others will run a gruelling 48 hour period.

The regional contests will usually be sponsored by a regional ham radio club or organization while the larger contests will be sponsored by national organizations like the ARRL. Many contests are also sponsored by the U.S.-based commercial amateur radio publication "CQ Magazine".

To find out more about amateur radio contesting here are some links you can visit!

CONTEST INFO

Contesting.com - The premiere web portal for amateur radio contesting!
WA7BMN Contest Calendar - The best contest calendar available for ham radio contests around the world!
CQ Magazine's Contest Page - Calendar, rules, scores info on ham radio contests sponsored by CQ Magazine.
ARRL Contest Branch - The American Radio Relay League's Contest Page.
NG3K Contest Info Page
SM3CER Contest Service
ONTARIO QSO PARTY - Ontario's own amateur radio contest!

CONTEST TECHNICAL

Using Coaxial Stubs in a Multi-Rig Station - This is an article originally written by K7ON

CONTEST CLUBS AND STATIONS

"Team Zone 2" Contest Site

Photos from "M8C" 2006 CQ WW SSB Contest
Video from M8C 2006 CQ WW SSB Contest

NEW!

Coming Soon!
Photos and Video from "VA3VO" 2007 CQ WW SSB Contest

Contest Club Ontario
Contest Club Ontario Yahoogroup
Corbeil Contest Club (VA3SK)
VE6FI
Yankee Clipper Contest Club
Cray Valley Radio Society
Bavarian Contest Club - some in German, some in English
Contest Club Finland
Central Virginia Contest Club
Belgium Contest Club
Society of Midwest Contesters
PI4CC Contest Group
Florida Contest Group
VK Contest Club (Australia)
World-Wide Young Contesters

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