I didn’t operate in this contest, but I took a video with my iPhone for about 20 minutes or so. I uploaded the video in three parts to YouTube, from my iPhone, so excuse the jumps at the end / start of each video. I know they’re not timed correctly, it was a visual approximation from the small screen of the phone. What you hear is a station calling “CQ,” which can be thought of as “Seek You,” and is a way of calling for any station listening to respond. Usually you can’t hear both ends of the conversation, but sometimes you get lucky and you can. The stations exchange a serial number (the running total number of stations worked) and signal report (usually five by nine, signifying five, or best, readability, and nine, or best, strength). See if you can follow along.

For more information on the CQ WPX Contest, visit their Website, http://www.cqwpx.com/.

Don’t forget about the March ARRL International DX Contest, coming up this weekend, March 5th, where amateurs work as many amateur stations in as many DXCC countries of the world as possible on the 160-, 80-, 40-, 20-, 15-, and 10-meter bands. This year, the entry categories have changed. They are as follows:

Single Operator Assisted, High Power

Single Operator Assisted, Low Power

Multioperator, Single Transmitter, High Power

Multioperator, Single Transmitter, Low Power

Low power constitutes 150 watts or less. There are lots of little details to look over before deciding which category you want to fit in to, including whether you want to work a single band or multiple bands of radio, where your callsign indicates you are from (I’m operating portable 4, and so during the contest, my callsign must reflect that), and whether you will have assistance or operate alone.

Further, there are awards available (as usual), and they are categorized as follows:

1. Top W/VE scorer in each entry category; Single Operator, All-Band QRP; Single Operator, All Band Low Power; Single Operator, All-Band High Power; Single Operator, Single Band (160-10 Meters); Single Operator Unlimited; Multioperator, Single Transmitter; Multioperator, Two Transmitter; Multioperator, Multi Transmitter.

2. Top scorer in the Single Operator, All Band category worldwide and on each continent. In addition, worldwide leaders in the Single Operator, All-Band QRP; Single Operator, All Band Low Power; Single Operator, All-Band High Power; Single Operator, Single Band (160-10 Meters); Single Operator Unlimited; Multioperator, Single Transmitter; Multioperator, Two Transmitter; Multioperator, Multi Transmitter categories will receive plaques.

3. Additional special plaques will be awarded as sponsored.

Please see the ARRL Website for more detailed information, including a link to the official Contest Rules.

Even if you don’t have a HF transceiver, get in touch with someone who does and see if they wouldn’t mind if you observed or helped out. You don’t have to be licensed to help, either, so long as the station licensee is allowing you to.

73 & good luck!