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Upcoming Contests – Things to Do |
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With all three summer NAQPs having come and gone, everyone is eagerly waiting for the contest season to kick off.
We’re in the marathon, and eagerly waiting for that moment to break away and go! There are plenty of fun contests over the next couple of weeks that are worth your attention.
For those doing the State QSO Party Challenge, the Hawaii and Ohio QSO Parties are coming up this weekend, with the Kansas QSO Party occurring the weekend after.
If you need Hawaiian QSOs to round out your WAS, the Hawaii QSO Party is a perfect time to do that.
State QSO Parties are a great way to get some fun activity, and many of them have unique award designs that you won’t see from the major contests.
Coming up Saturday, August 29, is the World Wide Digi DX Contest (WW Digi). For those that enjoy FT8 and FT4, this is your contest.
The exchange is just your four-character grid square, so your regular FT* mode contacts count.
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Thanks to K1TO, for pointing out that the previous EME weekend was not the one for 50 MHz. I definitely referred to 50 MHz EME when I described it, so thanks for the correction.
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August 20, 2026 - September 2, 2026
See the "Contests" section below for complete contest information.
Note: Contest dates and times are in UTC. This means that a contest that is listed to start on a Saturday at 0000z, for example, really starts on a Friday night in US time zones.
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August 20
August 21
August 22
August 23
August 24
August 25
August 26
August 27
August 28
August 29
August 31
September 1
September 2
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News, Press Releases, and Special Interest |
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The J62K Youth Adventure has announced their selection of young hams for their 2027 trip. J62K is a contest station in St. Lucia doing some really neat initiatives to get the youth engaged. See their press release below:
J62K Youth Adventure — 2027 Selection Announcement
The J62K Youth Adventure is proud to announce the selection of Haley Pendell (KE2EVX) and Hope Lea (ND2L) to participate in the 2027 CQ WPX SSB Contest from the internationally recognized J62K contest station in St. Lucia.
Interest in this year's program reached an all-time high, with a record number of applications received from talented young amateur radio operators. The depth and quality of the applicant pool made the selection process the most competitive since the initiative was established.
Applicants were evaluated through a merit-based review that considered amateur radio experience, operating achievements, personal essays, commitment to contesting, and leadership potential.
Following a comprehensive evaluation by the J62K Youth Selection Committee, Haley and Hope were selected to represent the 2027 program.
The J62K Youth Adventure continues to grow through the generosity of amateur radio clubs, organizations, individual donors, mentors, and volunteers who share a commitment to developing the next generation of contesters. Their support helps ensure that participation is based on merit rather than financial circumstance.
About the J62K Youth Adventure
Established to inspire and develop the next generation of contesters, the J62K Youth Adventure provides promising young amateur radio operators with the opportunity to participate in world-class DX contesting while receiving one-on-one mentoring from experienced international operators.
Through immersive, hands-on participation, the program develops advanced operating skills, promotes excellence in contesting, and fosters lifelong engagement in amateur radio.
To learn more about the J62K Youth Adventure, including its mission, program objectives, past participants, supporters, and the J62K contest station, visit J62K.com at j62k.com.
Past Youth Participants
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2026: Kylee Shirbroun (K0KYL) and Seth Jones (NU1D)
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2025: Violetta Latham (KN2P) and Leon Hellmich (DL3ON)
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2024: Grace Papay (K8LG)
2027 J62K Youth Adventure Selection Committee: K9HZ, J69DS, NY3B, W0CN, and WA4PGM.
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Experience Beats Talent
There are many amazing operators around the world. It might seem like they have always won contests and set records, but that’s not the case. These folks have entered hundreds of contests of all sorts to gain experience. The more contests you do, the more you learn about propagation, band changes, and how to maximize your contact total. You cannot match that experience with raw talent.
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“Laura and I did some experimenting on 10 GHz Sunday afternoon in the ARRL 10 GHz and Up Contest. I completely redid my setup and (sort of) fixed the amplifier issue I had last year at the hamfest.” [Christopher Arthur, NV4B, photo] | | | |
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Take Notes
“Not sure of an exchange or call sign? Most loggers allow you to leave notes on a contact, and you can come back and fix things as needed based on those notes.”
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Technical Topics and Discussion |
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Gary Johnson, NA6O, recently released an article titled “Network Analyzers for Antenna System Measurements.” He goes into a great amount of detail as to the methods you can employ with simple analyzers to optimize your station.
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This past weekend was the Northeast HamXposition, the New England Division convention.
HamX runs a contest university, called MiniCTU, that takes in local New England talent to teach attendees how to improve their contesting skills.
This year’s MiniCTU was organized by Doug Grant, K1DG, and Ed Parish, K1EP. They did a great job! Other RadioSport events at the show included the Friday night DX/Contest Dinner, which was done by myself about the 3Y0K Bouvet Island DXpedition.
I had a ton of fun giving the dinner talk.
It was also great hearing some feedback about the contest update from the attendees!
Coming up this weekend is the Huntsville Hamfest, which serves as the host of the ARRL National Convention.
For us contesters, a MiniCTU is coming to Huntsville, led by Tim Duffy, K3LR, and sponsored by DX Engineering.
He’s secured a great lineup of presenters from the southeast, and it will be a great event.
You can find the agenda here.
I’ll be there, so if you see me, say hi!
My final thoughts for this issue stem from the most recent YCCC meeting.
We were discussing the club competition, and ways to improve it.
It got me thinking as to the future of serious single-op stations. It is a big commitment to go from wires in trees to even one tower.
It’s the most expensive thing you can do to your house that adds no value other than a pool.
Thankfully, used tower sections have remained at a steady price, as have antennas.
There are many young people getting seriously involved in contests, but will they build a station? Will they buy a house, even? At the same time, an increasing number of major single-op stations sit stagnant during major contest weekends.
That does not help the club score.
I don’t necessarily have a solution, but it does appear to be a growing issue around North America.
My question to you, the reader, is how do you see the future of your contest club? What are you all doing to ensure your club remains active, vibrant, and engaged in our shared love of contesting?
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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, Max, N4ML
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August 20, 2026 - September 2, 2026
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.
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HF Contests
Walk for the Bacon QRP Contest, Aug 20, 0000z to Aug 21, 0300z; CW; Bands: 20; Maximum 13 wpm, RST + (state/province/country) + Name + (Member No./power); Logs due: Aug 27.
CWops Test (CWT), Aug 20, 0300z to Aug 20, 0400z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; Member: Name + Member No./"CWA", non-Member: Name + (state/province/country); Logs due: Aug 22.
CWops Test (CWT), Aug 20, 0700z to Aug 20, 0800z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; Member: Name + Member No./"CWA", non-Member: Name + (state/province/country); Logs due: Aug 22.
NTC QSO Party, Aug 20, 1900z to Aug 20, 2000z; CW; Bands: 80, 40, 20; NTC Member: RST + Member No., non-Member: RST + "NM", Less than 25 wpm; Logs due: Aug 24.
QRP Fox Hunt, Aug 21, 0100z to Aug 21, 0230z; CW; Bands: 20; RST + (state/province/country) + name + power output; Logs due: Aug 22.
NCCC FT4 Sprint, Aug 21, 0100z to Aug 21, 0130z; FT4; Bands: (see rules); 4-character grid square; Logs due: Aug 23.
Weekly RTTY Test, Aug 21, 0145z to Aug 21, 0215z; RTTY; Bands: 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; Name + (state/province/country); Logs due: Aug 23.
NCCC Sprint Ladder, Aug 21, 0230z to Aug 21, 0300z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15; Serial No. + Name + QTH; Logs due: Aug 23.
K1USN Slow Speed Test, Aug 21, 2000z to Aug 21, 2100z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; Maximum 20 wpm, Name + (state/province/country); Logs due: Aug 23.
Turkiye HF Contest, Aug 22, 0600z to Aug 23, 0600z; CW, SSB; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; TA: RS + 2-digit province code, non-TA: RS + serial no.; Logs due: Aug 30.
YO DX HF Contest, Aug 22, 1200z to Aug 23, 1200z; CW, SSB; Bands: 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; YO: RS(T) + county, non-YO: RS(T) + Serial No.; Logs due: Aug 30.
Hawaii QSO Party, Aug 22, 1600z to Aug 24, 0400z; CW, Phone, Digital; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; HI: RS(T) + HI district, non-HI W/VE: RS(T) + (state/province), DX: RS(T); Logs due: Sep 7.
Ohio QSO Party, Aug 22, 1600z to Aug 23, 0400z; CW, SSB; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; OH: RS(T) + county, non-OH: RS(T) + (state/province/"DX"); Logs due: Aug 30.
CVA DX Contest, SSB, Aug 22, 1800z to Aug 23, 2100z; SSB; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; Brazil: RST + state, Non-Brazil: RST + continent, Military: RST + "MIL"; Logs due: Aug 30.
SARL HF CW Contest, Aug 23, 1400z to Aug 23, 1700z; CW; Bands: 80, 40, 20; RST + Serial No.; Logs due: Aug 28.
K1USN Slow Speed Test, Aug 24, 0000z to Aug 24, 0100z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; Maximum 20 wpm, Name + (state/province/country); Logs due: Aug 26.
ICWC Medium Speed Test, Aug 24, 1300z to Aug 24, 1400z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; Name + QSO No.; Logs due: Aug 27.
OK1WC Memorial (MWC), Aug 24, 1630z to Aug 24, 1729z; CW; Bands: 80, 40; RST + Serial No.; Logs due: Aug 28.
ICWC Medium Speed Test, Aug 24, 1900z to Aug 24, 2000z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; Name + QSO No.; Logs due: Aug 27.
Worldwide Sideband Activity Contest, Aug 25, 0100z to Aug 25, 0159z; SSB; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10, 6; RS + age group (OM, YL, Youth YL or Youth); Logs due: Aug 26.
ICWC Medium Speed Test, Aug 25, 0300z to Aug 25, 0400z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; Name + QSO No.; Logs due: Aug 27.
ZL Sprint, Aug 25, 0800z to Aug 25, 0929z; CW, SSB, FT4; Bands: 80; CW/SSB: RS(T) + Outside Temperature (C), FT4: 4-character grid square; Logs due: Aug 26.
Tuesday's Telegraphy Contest, Aug 25, 1930z to Aug 25, 2020z; CW; Bands: 80, 40; RST + Serial No.; Logs due: Aug 26.
SKCC Sprint, Aug 26, 0000z to Aug 26, 0200z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10, 6; RST + (state/province/country) + Name + (SKCC No./"NONE"); Logs due: Aug 29.
Phone Weekly Test, Aug 26, 0230z to Aug 26, 0300z; SSB; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15; NA: Name + (state/province/country), non-NA: Name; Logs due: Aug 28.
A1Club AWT, Aug 26, 1145z to Aug 26, 1300z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; Member: RST + Name; Logs due: Aug 31.
CWops Test (CWT), Aug 26, 1300z to Aug 26, 1400z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; Member: Name + Member No./"CWA", non-Member: Name + (state/province/country); Logs due: Aug 29.
Mini-Test 40, Aug 26, 1700z to Aug 26, 1759z; CW; Bands: 40; RST + Serial No.; Logs due: Aug 28.
Mini-Test 80, Aug 26, 1800z to Aug 26, 1859z; CW; Bands: 80; RST + Serial No.; Logs due: Aug 28.
CWops Test (CWT), Aug 26, 1900z to Aug 26, 2000z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; Member: Name + Member No./"CWA", non-Member: Name + (state/province/country); Logs due: Aug 29.
CWops Test (CWT), Aug 27, 0300z to Aug 27, 0400z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; Member: Name + Member No./"CWA", non-Member: Name + (state/province/country); Logs due: Aug 29.
CWops Test (CWT), Aug 27, 0700z to Aug 27, 0800z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; Member: Name + Member No./"CWA", non-Member: Name + (state/province/country); Logs due: Aug 29.
NCCC FT4 Sprint, Aug 28, 0100z to Aug 28, 0130z; FT4; Bands: (see rules); 4-character grid square; Logs due: Aug 30.
Weekly RTTY Test, Aug 28, 0145z to Aug 28, 0215z; RTTY; Bands: 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; Name + (state/province/country); Logs due: Aug 30.
NCCC Sprint Ladder, Aug 28, 0230z to Aug 28, 0300z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15; Serial No. + Name + QTH; Logs due: Aug 30.
K1USN Slow Speed Test, Aug 28, 2000z to Aug 28, 2100z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; Maximum 20 wpm, Name + (state/province/country); Logs due: Aug 30.
SCRY/RTTYOps WW DX RTTY Contest, Aug 28, 2200z to Aug 30, 2359z; RTTY; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; RST + 4-digit year license first issued; Logs due: Sep 6.
Feld Hell Sprint, Aug 29, 0000z to Aug 29, 2359z; Feld Hell; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10, 6; (see rules); Logs due: Sep 2.
ALARA Contest, Aug 29, 0600z to Aug 30, 0559z; CW, Phone; Bands: 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; ALARA: RS(T) + Serial No. + ALARA Member + Name, non-ALARA: RS(T) + Serial No. + Name + (whether YL/OM/club station); Logs due: Sep 30.
U.S. Islands QSO Party, Aug 29, 1200z to Aug 30, 0300z; CW, Phone, Digital; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10, 6; Islands: RS(T) + USI/CISA Island Designation (see rules for digital), Non-Islands: RS(T) + (state/province/country)(see rules for digital); Logs due: Sep 30.
World Wide Digi DX Contest, Aug 29, 1200z to Aug 30, 1200z; FT4/8; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; 4-character grid square; Logs due: Sep 4.
Kansas QSO Party, Aug 29, 1400z to Aug 30, 2000z; CW, SSB, Digital/RTTY; Bands: 80, 40, 20, 15, 10, 6; KS: RS(T) + county, non-KS: RS(T) + (state/province/"DX"); Logs due: Oct 1.
K1USN Slow Speed Test, Aug 31, 0000z to Aug 31, 0100z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; Maximum 20 wpm, Name + (state/province/country); Logs due: Sep 2.
QCX Challenge, Aug 31, 1300z to Aug 31, 1400z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; RST + Name + (state/province/country) + Rig; Logs due: Sep 6.
ICWC Medium Speed Test, Aug 31, 1300z to Aug 31, 1400z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; Name + QSO No.; Logs due: Sep 3.
OK1WC Memorial (MWC), Aug 31, 1630z to Aug 31, 1729z; CW; Bands: 80, 40; RST + Serial No.; Logs due: Sep 4.
QCX Challenge, Aug 31, 1900z to Aug 31, 2000z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; RST + Name + (state/province/country) + Rig; Logs due: Sep 6.
ICWC Medium Speed Test, Aug 31, 1900z to Aug 31, 2000z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; Name + QSO No.; Logs due: Sep 3.
Worldwide Sideband Activity Contest, Sep 1, 0100z to Sep 1, 0159z; SSB; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10, 6; RS + age group (OM, YL, Youth YL or Youth); Logs due: Sep 2.
QCX Challenge, Sep 1, 0300z to Sep 1, 0400z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; RST + Name + (state/province/country) + Rig; Logs due: Sep 6.
ICWC Medium Speed Test, Sep 1, 0300z to Sep 1, 0400z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; Name + QSO No.; Logs due: Sep 3.
Tuesday's Telegraphy Contest, Sep 1, 1930z to Sep 1, 2020z; CW; Bands: 80, 40; RST + Serial No.; Logs due: Sep 2.
Phone Weekly Test, Sep 2, 0230z to Sep 2, 0300z; SSB; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15; NA: Name + (state/province/country), non-NA: Name; Logs due: Sep 4.
A1Club AWT, Sep 2, 1145z to Sep 2, 1300z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; Member: RST + Name; Logs due: Sep 7.
CWops Test (CWT), Sep 2, 1300z to Sep 2, 1400z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; Member: Name + Member No./"CWA", non-Member: Name + (state/province/country); Logs due: Sep 5.
Mini-Test 40, Sep 2, 1700z to Sep 2, 1759z; CW; Bands: 40; RST + Serial No.; Logs due: Sep 4.
Mini-Test 80, Sep 2, 1800z to Sep 2, 1859z; CW; Bands: 80; RST + Serial No.; Logs due: Sep 4.
CWops Test (CWT), Sep 2, 1900z to Sep 2, 2000z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10; Member: Name + Member No./"CWA", non-Member: Name + (state/province/country); Logs due: Sep 5.
UKEICC 80m Contest, Sep 2, 2000z to Sep 2, 2100z; SSB; Bands: 80; 6-Character grid square; Logs due: Sep 2.
VHF-UHF Contests
VHF-UHF FT8 Activity Contest-NA, Aug 20, 0000z to Aug 20, 0500z; FT8/4; Bands: 1296; 4-character grid square; Logs due: Aug 25.
VHF-UHF FT8 Activity Contest, Sep 2, 1700z to Sep 2, 2100z; FT8/4; Bands: 144 MHz; 4-character grid square; Logs due: Sep 5.
Also, see Worldwide Sideband Activity Contest, SKCC Sprint, Feld Hell Sprint, U.S. Islands QSO Party and Kansas QSO Party, above.
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August 20, 2026 - September 2, 2026
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August 20
August 21
August 22
August 23
August 24
August 25
August 26
August 27
August 28
August 29
August 30
August 31
September 1
September 2
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ARRL Contest Update wishes to acknowledge information from WA7BNM's Contest Calendar.
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