Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio

Dean Wood N6DE is a contester asking a provocative question: Can a Parks on the Air activation be competitive in a serious contest? In this conversation, Dean shares the results of a months-long experiment testing whether a carefully chosen park—combined with smart antenna strategy—can rival traditional home stations. His target site was Fremont Peak State Park in California, selected for two key competitive advantages: a dramatically lower noise floor than most suburban stations and terrain that slopes toward Europe and Asia, creating a naturally low takeoff angle for DX. Dean operated two contests from the park—NAQP CW and ARRL DX CW—bringing portable antennas, battery power, and a willingness to adapt on the fly. The results were eye-opening. During ARRL DX CW, Dean discovered that antenna orientation mattered far more than expected: after installing a second wire aimed toward Japan, signals jumped roughly two S-units compared with his original European-focused inverted V. That kind of real-time experimentation is exactly what portable contesting demands—and rewards. Over the two contests he logged more than 1,200 QSOs, including 565 DX contacts on 15 meters alone, ultimately “kilo-ing” the park with over 1,000 contacts. But the bigger story is philosophical. Dean argues that portable operating—through Parks on the Air, SOTA, and similar programs—may be the most promising gateway for the next generation of contesters. With creative contest overlays, outreach from station owners, and collaboration between contest clubs and the POTA community, he believes the hobby can evolve beyond the traditional big-tower model and bring new operators into radiosport. Join the conversation and subscribe to Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio. Special thanks to DX Engineering for supporting operators everywhere—from portable POTA activators to serious contesters chasing DX. Their continued commitment helps keep radiosport thriving across parks, peaks, and stations around the world.

Adrian Ciuperca KO8SCA and Max Freedman N4ML are on Bouvet Island (3Y0K) right now—with the wind howling outside their tents, antennas lashed to rock and ice, and one of the biggest pileups in amateur radio roaring in their headphones. Bouvet is one of the rarest and most remote DX entities on Earth, and the 3Y0K team mounted a $1.7 million effort to put it on the air. Twenty operators departed Cape Town aboard an ice-class vessel equipped with helicopter support, arriving after a six-day voyage through rough seas. Helicopter lifts ferried people and equipment onto the island, where the team rapidly built a small radio village: sleeping tents, a communal tent, and an operating tent running up to five stations with beams, verticals, and dipoles. Despite brutal winds and relentless weather, the team quickly pushed past 100,000 QSOs while operating from one of the harshest environments in the DX world. Behind the pileups is a staggering logistical effort. Adrian describes years of planning—contracts for the ship and helicopter, interviews with pilots capable of flying in Antarctic conditions, and enormous spreadsheets tracking every piece of equipment. On Bouvet, there are no second chances: if something breaks, you fix it in the storm. Antennas fail, winds push past 60 mph, and operators head back outside because every minute off the air from Bouvet matters. For Max, one of the youngest operators on the team, the experience is both baptism and inspiration. Supported by the NCDXF, he was immersed in every stage—from packing containers in Norway to operating through massive worldwide pileups. His takeaway is simple: young operators don’t just belong on DXpeditions—they strengthen them. The energy, technical skill, and curiosity they bring help ensure that rare-entity activations like Bouvet continue long into the future. Join the conversation and subscribe to Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio. Special thanks to DX Engineering for supporting Q5 and helping power projects like this one. Their support of DXers, Parks on the Air operators, and contesters worldwide helps keep the rare ones coming.

Ben Lloyd GW4BML is a lifelong climber who discovered Summits on the Air (SOTA) and now combines both passions as he explores destinations across Wales and Scotland. In this conversation on Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio, Ben traces his path from a childhood introduction to amateur radio at age twelve—thanks to a visit to Glyn GW0JAI’s shack—to eventually earning his full license decades later. For years, radio remained a background interest while climbing dominated his life. But when Summits on the Air entered the picture, everything clicked. Suddenly the peaks he loved became incredible operating spots, and the hobby transformed into something physical, portable, and deeply social. That convergence led to a remarkable five-year stretch of family adventures built around summits, CW, and lightweight radio gear carried up steep trails. Ben shares the craft behind mountain operating—balancing antennas, batteries, and weather with the realities of high ground—and the unique satisfaction of making contacts from places where the station truly lives in your backpack. Those experiences eventually became a book, Summit of Dreams, where Ben chronicles years of SOTA activations, climbing routes, and the people met along the way. The book captures both the technical side of operating portable radio in challenging environments and the human side of the hobby—how a simple radio on a mountaintop can connect strangers across continents and turn solitary climbs into shared adventures. It’s a story about rediscovering radio through the landscape—and about how amateur radio can turn a solitary climb into a global conversation. Join the conversation and subscribe to Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio. From the shack to the summit, Icom keeps hams connected. We’re proud to have their support for Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio.

Jason Goldsberry CE3/N5NU is quietly redefining what contesting can look like when you have no choice but to leave the house. In this episode, I’m joined by the contest crew—Randy Thompson K5ZD, Bill Fehring W9KNN, Chris Hurlbut KL9A—and their guest Jason Goldsberry CE3/N5NU, joining us from Chile. Living in a sixth-floor apartment in Las Condes, just outside Santiago, Jason quickly discovered the reality of urban RF noise—an S9 wall that made home operating nearly impossible. So he did what contesters tend to do when faced with a problem: he engineered around it. The solution? Hiking into nearby parks with a full portable station—antennas, batteries, laptop, and radio—sometimes hauling 60 pounds of gear in two trips just to get on the air. During CQ Worldwide CW, Jason packed a Yaesu FT-891, lithium batteries, and a carefully designed vertical antenna system—including a two-element vertical beam for 10 and 15 meters and a parasitic vertical array for 20. Running 100 watts on battery power, shaded only by a giant umbrella to fight the Chilean sun, he logged more than 800 QSOs in roughly 15 hours of operating. For Jason, it’s less about competing for plaques and more about giving out the mult and having fun—experiencing the magic of propagation, like hearing Mongolia at 20-over-9 or working rare openings into Asia and Europe from a hillside. Along the way, he’s discovered an unusual intersection between worlds. Portable operators and contesters don’t always overlap—but Jason lives squarely in that narrow sliver where both passions meet. Whether it’s navigating pileups with clever listening techniques, managing battery life by watching his radio screen dim, or hiking into remote spots for a better takeoff toward North America, his approach proves that big fun doesn’t always require a big station. Join the conversation and subscribe to Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio. Special thanks to DX Engineering for supporting operators who push the limits—from contest superstations to field setups like Jason’s. Their gear and expertise help Parks on the Air activators, DXers, and contesters around the world build stations that perform wherever the signal needs to go.

Rune Øye LA7THA is helping lead the planned VP0SG South Georgia DXpedition, a major effort to activate one of the rarest DX entities in amateur radio. Rune LA7THA and Erwann Merrien LB1QI bring deep DXpedition experience to the project. Over the years they’ve been involved in activations including São Tomé S9LA, Zimbabwe Z2LA, Zambia 9J2LA, and Namibia V55LA, along with cold-weather operations from Svalbard JW0W and the massive Bouvet 3Y0J expedition. Those experiences—especially the logistical and technical lessons learned during Bouvet—now inform their approach to South Georgia. The team has already secured its expedition vessel, MV Meridian, operated by 60° South Expeditions, and assembled a 14-operator international team. Their plan is to run five stations from a tented camp on the island, with six operators on shore at a time, rotating between the island and the ship for rest. The station design also includes several remote receive stations located hundreds of meters from the main camp and connected via gigahertz microwave links. Funding and final permissions are the key milestones ahead. The expedition budget is approaching $400,000, and while the team has received encouraging feedback from the Government of South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands, the official landing authorization is expected later this year. Once that approval is secured, the team expects broader support from DX clubs, foundations, and individual donors worldwide. Join the conversation and subscribe to Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio. This episode of Q5 Ham Radio is powered by Icom Incorporated, whose radios continue to support operators everywhere—from everyday stations to ambitious DXpeditions pushing signals across the globe.

Seth Jones NU1D is a 15-year-old ham radio operator from Maine who’s been steadily building his skills on the air. In the year since his first appearance on Q5, Seth has kept busy. Operating with a modest home station—an older Yaesu FT-897, a G5RV dipole about 40 feet up, and 100 watts—he’s jumped into major contests like CQ Worldwide, ARRL DX CW, NAQP, and the IARU Championship. Along the way he’s taught himself CW, logged hundreds of contacts even after missing part of a contest weekend, and gained experience the way most contesters do: by getting on the air as often as possible and learning something each time. Now he’s preparing for a new kind of experience. Seth was selected as one of two youth operators invited to join the team at the J62K multi-operator contest station in St. Lucia for CQ WPX SSB. It will be his first time traveling outside the United States—and his first chance to operate from a major multi-op station alongside experienced operators like Bill Schmidt J68HZ, Kyle Chavis WA4PGM, and others. For someone who’s been manually keying CW from a desk at home, it’s a big step into the world of large contest stations. What stands out most is Seth’s approach to the hobby. He talks about finding mentors, visiting other stations, and staying involved in the Maine ham radio community whenever he can—whether that’s Field Day, club meetings, or remote contesting with WW4LL. For Seth, the goal right now is simple: keep learning, keep operating, and see where the hobby leads. Join the conversation and subscribe to Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio. Special thanks to DX Engineering for supporting Q5 and for helping operators everywhere—from Parks on the Air activators to dedicated DXers and contesters—build stations that bring the world a little closer.

For many contesters, the dream is simple: operate from a serious DX station in a prime location and run the pileups yourself. In this episode, José KP3J joins Q5 to talk about the remarkable Caribbean contest station he built and the story behind it. For years it has served as the home of the La Sierra Contest Group, producing big scores and unforgettable operating experiences. Now José is beginning to think about the station’s next chapter—and what it might look like for a new group of operators to take the reins. We talk about the station, the philosophy behind building and maintaining a competitive DX operation, and the idea of stewardship as these stations pass from one generation of operators to the next. Q5 is sponsored by DX Engineering.

Dzianis “Luk” Lukashevich DD1LD is an Alpine mountaineer turned ham radio innovator, leading Germany’s SOTA Alpine Association and reshaping what outdoor portable operation can look like. Introduced to amateur radio as a teenager, he returned in earnest in the mid-2000s, quickly combining two passions: climbing and operating from summits. Since then, he’s been a relentless activator across programs—SOTA (Summits on the Air), POTA (Parks on the Air), WWFF (Worldwide Flora and Fauna), IOTA (Islands on the Air), even LOTA (Lighthouses on the Air). His operating philosophy now runs on a new frequency: “Go Green” portable ops, where every activation begins and ends without a car—by bike, foot, or public transport. The idea of XOTA—“any on the air”—captures Luk’s inclusive style. Why limit yourself to one program when the entire outdoors is your shack? This spirit led him to a record-breaking 10-region SOTA activation across the German Alps in a single day and to summiting Sweden’s highest peak solo during a multi-day trail run—all while operating QRP with rigs the size of a credit card. His gear has evolved, but his ethos remains: lightweight, ecological, and always up for a challenge. Luk’s not just a climber with a key. He’s a contest-caliber operator attempting SO2R in the woods, mentoring his young sons in CW before they can read, and imagining a future where ham radio overlays like “Go Green” become standard. Whether it’s a picnic table POTA run or an ascent to a summit, he’s always looking for the next edge—and the next QSO. Join the conversation and subscribe to Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio. Thanks to Icom for sponsoring Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio—because legendary QSOs deserve legendary radios.

The World Wide Award for YLs is new—and it launches March 9. Designed to increase visibility, participation, and on-air activity among women in amateur radio, the program creates a clear, structured path for operators around the world to make contacts with YLs and earn recognition. Marion W1GRL and Carlo IK1HJS explain how the award works, who can participate, qualification details, and why this initiative matters right now. If you want to be part of the inaugural run, now is the time to register, review the rules, and get ready. Early participation will shape the momentum of this program from day one. Q5 is proudly supported by Icom—building radios that inspire operators to push the boundaries of what’s possible.

Mark Torigian K8MST is a retired attorney, former general counsel for Hyundai Motor Company, and now a driving force behind establishing strong governance principles with the newly formed Parks on the Air board. Licensed in 2021 after decades of putting off the hobby, Mark dove headfirst into ham radio—and POTA—during the pandemic, first as a hunter, then as an activator with hundreds of parks under his belt. In just a few years, he went from newcomer to board member of one of the fastest-growing programs in amateur radio. With nearly 50 million QSOs logged, 84,000 registered operators, and 85,000 parks across 236 DX entities, POTA isn’t just thriving—it’s reshaping the hobby. Mark brings something different to the table: four decades of legal and corporate governance experience. At Hyundai, his mission was program integrity—building rules, systems, and internal controls that could withstand explosive growth. Now he’s applying that same mindset to POTA. Not to burden activators and hunters with red tape, but to strengthen the foundation behind the scenes: bylaws, board structure, financial oversight, data privacy protections, and clearer rules that eliminate ambiguity. “If ten hams interpret a rule and you get twenty-five answers,” he says, “we need to fix that.” Behind the curtain, a 21-person volunteer development team led by James Linden, VE3JLN, is rewriting the IT backbone—modernizing a decade-old cloud-based system that now processes more than a million QSOs a month. Add to that the financial reality: roughly $5,000–$6,000 per month just to keep the servers running. No corporate sponsor bankrolls this operation. It’s volunteers, modest book royalties, and community donations keeping the engine alive. And yet, the spirit remains intact. Mark tells the story of operating Winter Field Day at minus 15 degrees—three antennas up in an hour—proving that POTA is more than a game. It’s training. It’s readiness. It’s community. His pledge? Make it better without breaking what already works. Stronger governance. Greater transparency. Seamless improvement. Join the conversation and subscribe to Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio. A special thank you to DX Engineering for standing behind operators everywhere—from Parks on the Air activators to dedicated DXers and contesters—with equipment and expertise that keep stations on the air. Your support helps ensure this global community continues to grow and thrive.

Bernd VK2IA and Jacky ZL3CW are world-class contesters from Australia and New Zealand—operators forged in weak-signal territory who’ve spent decades proving that geography is no excuse. Jacky’s story begins in the French Air Force in 1970, where radio was a job before it was a passion. Stationed in Africa in 1979, he watched amateur operators run pileups through the night and realized what he’d been missing: freedom. Since then, contesting and DXpeditions have been his fuel. From Djibouti to Japan to New Zealand, he chased CW pileups not just for the adrenaline, but to give operators the rare contacts they crave. Bernd’s introduction came through family. As a teenager in Germany, he wrote QSL cards for his blind cousin and memorized call signs from around the world. CQ Worldwide CW hooked him early. By 17, he was operating in a multi-single team decades older than he was. That curiosity became a global operating résumé—and eventually a long-running partnership with Jacky that now leads to WRTC 2026 in England. Operating from VK and ZL is not for the faint of heart. Europe and North America sit 10,000 kilometers away. Daylight brings noise and painfully low rates. When the bands open, they’re competing against locals with S9 signals while they strain to pull S2 whispers from the mud. New Zealand may have five to ten serious CW contesters. Australia, a bit more. It’s not pileup country—it’s persistence country. They’ve felt both fortune and misfortune—like the WRTC in Bologna when a slipping Yagi cost them nearly two hours at peak propagation and sent them tumbling down the live scoreboard. They clawed back. Because that’s what seasoned operators do. In England, they’re looking forward to big signals—but even more to the camaraderie. The shared grind of 24 hours among the world’s best. Running trusted K3s and leaning on fifteen years of partnership, they know competition matters. But friendship matters more. From the edge of the map to the center of the contesting world, Bernd and Jacky remind us that greatness isn’t about signal strength. It’s about resilience. Join the conversation and subscribe to Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio. Special thanks to Icom, the choice of operators who know that peak performance is never optional

Mark Pride K1RX returns for Episode 4 of the How to Contest series with a timely warning: misplaced expectations can ruin a perfectly good contest weekend. In this episode, Mark and host Kevin Thomas W1DED explore the psychological side of contesting—how to set goals that motivate rather than frustrate, how to factor in location and operating time, and how clubs and communities can ground your ambitions in reality. Mark shares what many new contesters eventually learn the hard way: location matters, participation matters, and physics is not negotiable. Whether you’re working a 48-hour marathon or grabbing a few bursts of time around walking the dog, success comes from matching goals to real-world conditions. That might mean working only the high-band European openings or chasing a top-ten finish in QRP. The right category choice can transform an uphill battle into a personal win. He also reminds us that contest clubs are a force multiplier. As a longtime leader in the Yankee Clipper Contest Club, Mark explains how even small scores can add up to big results—and how surrounding yourself with operators of all levels accelerates learning. For those struggling with noise, location, or time constraints, he offers a simple solution: go where the fun is. Visit another station. Operate with a team. Or jump into high-participation events like WWA or CQWW, where every QSO becomes part of a global conversation. This is Episode 4 of 7 in the How to Contest series. Join the conversation and subscribe to Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio. Thanks to DX Engineering for supporting Q5 Ham Radio and empowering operators wherever they operate from—from mountaintop DXers to apartment-bound dreamers.

Mark Pride K1RX returns for Episode 3 of the How to Contest series with one loud, clear message: antennas matter. In this installment, he and Kevin Thomas W1DED move from station snapshots to serious diagnostics—evaluating performance, identifying bottlenecks, and building a strategy for measurable improvement. If Episode 2 was about what’s on your desk, this one’s about how that gear performs when the contest clock starts. Mark makes the case for thinking like an engineer and acting like an experimenter. Whether you’re running wires in trees or assembling a top-tier station, your success hinges on one principle: build, compare, iterate. That might mean setting up an A/B antenna switch to catch degradation in real time, or doing the unglamorous work of shutting off breakers to track down S9+ noise from a neighbor’s touch lamp. It’s not about luck or luxury—it’s about learning what works, one contest at a time. This episode also returns to a recurring theme: start where you are. Many contesters have tried to “buy” performance, only to discover that without years of problem-solving and fine-tuning, even a tower full of aluminum won’t carry you. Real improvement comes from wearing out your antenna switch, making smart trade-offs, and being brutally honest about what you hear. Because as Mark puts it, “If you can’t hear them, you can’t work them.” This is Episode 3 of 7 in the How to Contest series. Join the conversation and subscribe to Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio. Thanks to DX Engineering for supporting Q5 Ham Radio and helping hams of all experience levels make smart, measurable progress with their stations.

Mark Pride K1RX returns for Episode 2 of our How to Contest series with a deceptively simple question: What’s on your desk? In this episode, we get tactical. Mark and Kevin Thomas W1DED take a close look at your current gear—radios, antennas, tuners, meters, logging software—and explain why a contest weekend is the most honest stress test you can run on both your station and your skill. This is where the rubber meets the bands. You might feel loud on a quiet Wednesday, but when the contest clock starts Friday night, your signal hits a wall. That’s the moment when casual operating gives way to contest reality—and why every serious contester should keep a running to-do list after each event. Prioritize improvements not by prestige, but by ROI: what’s going to bring more contacts, more reliability, and, above all, more fun? Along the way, Mark weighs in on solar conditions, contest calendars, and the subtle psychology of expectation. He reminds us that everyone from new ops to world champs like KL9A and N6MJ are learning every weekend. The secret is participation: don’t wait for the perfect band opening or a massive contest score. Get on the air, build your list, and chase joy—not just points. This is Episode 2 of 7 in the How to Contest series. Join the conversation and subscribe to Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio. Thanks to DX Engineering for supporting Q5 Ham Radio and standing behind contesters at every stage of the journey—from their first QSO to the final log submission.

The PJ6Y DXpedition to Saba Island in October 2025 was a masterclass in youth-driven excellence. Spearheaded by veteran mentor Gregg Marco W6IZT, this ambitious project wasn't just about racking up QSOs — it was about building the future of ham radio. With a team of young operators from five countries, many on their first-ever DXpedition, PJ6Y delivered a stunning 13.3 million points in the CQ WW SSB contest, operating Multi-Two with minimal gear and maximum spirit. Despite rugged volcanic terrain and weather that flirted with disaster, the team pulled off over 55,000 QSOs across modes, including 8,700 during the contest alone. Their modest station — built entirely on arrival — consisted of a hex beam, a rebuilt A3 tribander, and a couple of wire antennas tuned to squeeze out every last contact. What made the real difference, Gregg noted, wasn’t the infrastructure but the drive and preparation of the operators. Three had never contested before. All left with pileup poise. There’s a technical story here — Elecraft K3s, KPA500s, N1MM for logging, and remote FT8 operations via NexGen2 RIBs located miles from the main site — but the human moments carried the day. Vincent PC2Y’s selfless scheduling, Matúš OM8ATE’s remote training lineage, Ewan N7EWN’s DXCC dreams, and Emilia YO8YL’s SSB passion added soul to the signal. This operation grew from 3D2Y’s remote roots and now continues as a multi-year project training the next generation of expedition leaders. The team left tired, inspired, and already dreaming of what comes next. Join the conversation and subscribe to Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio. Thanks to ICOM for supporting Q5 Ham Radio and building radios that inspire operators to push the boundaries of what's possible.

Mark Pride K1RX believes in a contesting philosophy that starts with curiosity and ends with mastery. In this inaugural episode of our 7-part How To Contest series, Mark joins host Kevin Thomas W1DED to lay the groundwork—not just with antennas and amplifiers, but with a mindset. Contesting, he argues, isn’t just about high scores; it’s about the “Four Cs”: Connectivity, Control, Curiosity, and Creativity. That framework, gifted to him by a new ham, now shapes how he sees contesting within ham radio. Over 62 years on the air, Mark has mentored both youth and retirees, many of whom encouraged him to share his deep contesting knowledge publicly. What emerges is a contesting ethos driven by continuous improvement. Whether it's choosing the right phonetics to break through pileups, rethinking your chair setup for a 48-hour marathon, or changing CW timing on the fly, Mark reminds us: "If you can’t hear them, you can’t work them." This episode establishes a key premise for the series: most hams already have what they need to start contesting. The decisions come down to strategy, logging software like N1MM, and developing the mental habit of post-contest review. That’s where situational awareness takes root. Mark brings it all back to something fundamental: contesters are the R&D wing of amateur radio. Whether or not you ever submit a log, this is where you go to learn. Welcome to the How To Contest Series, Episode 1 of 7. Join the conversation and subscribe to Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio. Thanks to DX Engineering for supporting Q5 Ham Radio and powering the operators who push the limits—in Parks on the Air, contesting, and around the world.

Bill Fehring W9KKN, Chris Hurlbut KL9A, and Dan Craig N6MJ—the Contest Crew—are back to reflect on a record-breaking 2025 and chart their course for 2026. From CQ9A to EF8R, the Crew covered serious ground this past year. But first, RTTY Roundup gets a quick (albeit late) post-mortem: Bill jumped in last-minute at NJ4P, Dan marveled at their in-band efficiency, and Chris…watched football. Then they shift to the North American QSO Party, a fast, low-power HF contest where operators race for multipliers and contacts across North America in a tight 12-hour window. The real depth comes in the retrospective. Chris called 2025 his best ham radio year ever, breaking records and speaking at Dayton. Dan turned a last-minute EF8R plan into a masterclass in single-op record breaking excellence. And Bill, mid-move, still managed CTU talks and major multis. Each looks ahead to WRTC 2026 with clear focus. The conversation closes with big hopes: pulling more POTA ops into the contest fold, embracing new tech where it helps, and getting contest results faster. They stress integrity—and double down on the value of peer pressure in keeping the sport clean. Contesting’s future, they argue, will be built on both trust and tech. Join the conversation and subscribe to Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio. Huge thanks to DX Engineering for supporting the global contesting community—from world-record multis to POTA ops chasing pileups in the parks. Their passion powers ours. Let me know if you'd like a thumbnail caption or social blurb to match.

Josiah "Si" Russell WD5JR is part of the next wave of operators breathing new life into ham radio. At just 18, Si already has a POTA record that would make many seasoned hams envious—over 400 activations and more than 5,300 parks hunted. But it’s not just about numbers. From activating rare parks in Turks and Caicos to representing Oklahoma as a Parks on the Air mapping coordinator, Si blends enthusiasm, technical skill, and a drive for community building that’s rare at any age. Though he grew up surrounded by ham radio—his great-granddad, grandparents, parents, and even his eight-year-old cousin are all licensed—Si didn’t dive in right away. It took a Florida road trip and a chance activation to spark his passion. That spark quickly became a fire, fueled by outdoor adventure, the challenge of DXing from remote parks, and a growing love for contesting and CW. Ham radio became more than a hobby—it became a family refuge during his mom’s cancer treatment and a catalyst for personal growth. There’s also a quiet confidence to how Si operates. Whether it’s packing an Icom 7300 in foam for international travel, giving presentations at hamfests, or learning SO2R techniques for CW sprints, he’s always building. Not just a skillset, but a path forward—showing that youth isn’t a liability in ham radio; it’s a lifeline. Join the conversation and subscribe to Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio. Thanks to Icom for their continued support of Q5. With radios that empower young ops like Si to chase pileups from remote beaches and contest from small-town shacks, Icom continues to push the boundaries for operators worldwide.

The Contest Crew—Randy K5ZD, Dan N6MJ, Chris KL9A, and Bill W9KKN—recap the ARRL 10-Meter Contest in this debrief. It was a weekend of mixed propagation, scoreboard drama, and some hard truths about pileup etiquette. They break down why signals vanished in minutes, how backscatter shaped the game, and why audio still matters. It's also a field guide to what not to do in a pileup. Looking ahead: January contests, tower builds, and a quiet shift toward what’s next. Join the conversation and subscribe to Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio. Thanks to DX Engineering for supporting contesters, DXers, and every operator chasing stronger signal in any season.

Kees Van Oosbree W0AAE is a 21-year-old amateur radio operator whose story reads like a prequel to the next generation of ham radio leadership. A Minnesota native and aerospace engineering student at Iowa State, Kees isn’t just participating in the hobby—he’s reshaping it. From satellites and CW pileups to youth-led DXpeditions and remote contesting, he’s threading together high-rate operation with forward-looking innovation. In 2024, he was awarded the ARRL’s prestigious Hiram Percy Maxim Memorial Award—fitting recognition for a young operator already a decade ahead of the curve. It all started with a childhood visit to the Pavek Museum of Broadcasting, where a QSO map pinned with Antarctica sparked a lifelong curiosity. Unlike most of his peers, Kees wasn’t drawn in by the internet; the ionosphere did the convincing. His contest resume already includes CQ WW efforts from NØNI and a remote multi-op at ZF5T. Yet his impact extends well beyond the mic: he organized youth remote operations for DXpeditions to Rotuma and Saba, and helped build a remote station on Frying Pan Tower in the Atlantic. Technically sharp but deeply community-minded, Kees thrives in leadership roles—even as he confesses a singular love for CW rate and an obsession with perfecting 2BSIQ. He’s bullish on the future of the hobby, pointing to AI-enhanced contesting, real-time ionospheric prediction, and a rising class of remote-native hams. In 2026, he’ll represent youth at WRTC in the UK, shoulder to shoulder with the contest titans he’s long admired—N6MJ, KL9A, AA3B, and others. Join the conversation and subscribe to Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio. Many thanks to DX Engineering for supporting Q5 and for their unwavering commitment to contesters, DXers, and operators pushing the limits—from backyard shacks to towers in the middle of the Atlantic.

Manuel WP4TZ is a rising presence in Puerto Rican contesting. He came into ham radio through Summits on the Air, drawn by the mix of hiking and portable ops. That led to a deep run with Parks on the Air, using CW as his chosen mode. Now, he’s fully hooked on contesting. In just a few years, Manuel has gone from casual operator to committed contender—working pileups from both the wild terrain of Puerto Rico and the polished setups of WP3Z’s La Sierra Contest Group. A recent 10-meter showdown in the ARRL contest brought him head-to-head with veteran ops WP3A and NP3A. They’ve got experience on their side, but Manuel held his own. With a quad at home, a hex beam waiting on a tower, and a strong crew of mentors, he’s climbing fast. He’s in it for the speed, the pressure, and the joy of riding a pileup all the way to the end. But what stands out most is his humility. Whether it’s tweaking macros at WP3Z, surfing the northern coast, or hauling an Elecraft KX2 through the jungle, Manuel doesn’t pretend to know everything. He just keeps showing up, learning, and getting better. His advice to new contesters is simple: “Just go for it.” Join the conversation and subscribe to Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio. Thanks to DX Engineering for supporting operators at every level—from beachside POTA activators to full-throttle contesters chasing the top of the scoreboard. Their gear helps power the future of amateur radio.

Tom Morton K2GO is one of those rare hams who didn’t just grow with amateur radio—he carried it across decades, continents, and call signs. From sitting at his father’s AM rig in Panama as a boy to running pileups on Wake Island, Tom’s journey spans over 60 years of global DXing, high-stakes contesting, and community building. His call sign collection alone reads like a DXCC scorecard: KH9, VP2V, ZF2QV, V31UA, CW7T, HP1XT, HO2T—and that’s just the start. Whether instructing Navy pilots to land on carrier as LSO (Landing Signal Officer), flying reserve missions across the Pacific, or lugging Drake gear through the Caribbean, Tom never really took a break from radio. After early contesting sparks in San Diego, he joined the likes of K6UA, W6KUT, N6CW, K6NA, W6YA, and N6ND, learning from some of the best. That led to multi-multis, DXpeditions to the British Virgin Islands, and a quiet evolution from solo CW ops to community builds with friends and family. His passion for the people behind the pileups is palpable—he credits friendships as the true through-line of his life on the air. One moment stands out: operating from Wake Island for 17 days with a saltwater amp, a 30S-1, and a commanding officer’s blessing. It was, as Tom puts it, "nirvana." Now semi-retired in Panama, he’s still mentoring operators, building teams, and contesting with killer calls like HP1Z and, soon, with 3E1E. Tom is a bridge between generations and geographies—and he’s not done yet. Join the conversation and subscribe to Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio. Q5 Ham Radio is sponsored by Icom supporting the operators and conversations that keep amateur radio moving forward.

Contest Crew Europe is back—and sharper than ever. Braco E77DX, Sven DJ4MX, Filipe CT1ILT, Dave 9A1UN, Mike SJ2W, and Kris ES7A deliver a frank, fast-moving debrief of CQ WW CW from the heart of the European scene. This isn’t just about score totals. It’s a look inside the philosophy, the prep, and the pressure that define elite-level contesting on the continent. Braco reports on 5J1DX in Colombia, where tropical storms, a broken CIV port, and a rogue amp threatened to derail the run—and while Dan N6MJ and Chris KL9A were out of reach, he likely walked away with a new South American record. Back at Braco’s home station, Sven and the E7DX crew rallied from a somber start and overtook OM7M in a furious late push on 40 meters. Mike in Sweden faced green auroras and grim rates. Filipe ran the full 48 hours solo, again hitting a remarkable 10,000+ QSOs using a single keyboard and custom MUF-tracking tools. Kris and team at muti-op ES9C couldn’t quite close the gap on single-op EF8R, but delivered one of their cleanest runs yet. And Dave in Croatia? A last-minute setup may have turned into a national record—and a comeback moment for two long-absent operators. Beyond the logs and linears, the crew dug into the state of the sport. Live scoreboards? Maybe mandatory, they argue—at least if you want to play at the top. Log uploads? Why wait five days? And the 48-hour format? If you’re not prepping like an athlete, you're already behind. Contesting isn’t just competition—it’s culture. And these guys are writing it in real time. Join the conversation and subscribe to Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio. This episode of Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio is powered by Icom—innovative radios trusted by amateur operators across the globe.

Jiri Sanda OK1RI is a legend of European contesting, and in this conversation, we follow his path from clandestine club station operations under Communism to building one of the world’s most formidable multi-multi contest stations at CN3A. Along the way, we get the full sweep of postwar European ham radio: the political barriers, the VHF culture of the 1970s, and the relentless competition among national stations in an era before the internet shrunk the globe. Jiri’s story is defined by restlessness and reinvention. He moved from VHF field days in Czechoslovakia to high-stakes single-band competitions, before turning toward the camaraderie and complexity of multi-ops. His turning point came after one grueling 40-meter CW session: with trophies in hand and his back aching, he simply asked, “Why?” From that moment, the mission became collective—teams, builds, logistics, antennas that could survive Saharan sand and Atlantic salt. His stations popped up in Czech hills, on Gambian beaches, and finally in Morocco, where CN3A now lives. Technically, this episode is dense with gold: hauling 1,500 kilos of gear into West Africa; why limestone soil makes verticals impossible; running QRP with 80-meter yagis just for fun; and why they built five over five over five stacks pointed at Europe from Morocco. And the human detail? A guard in Gambia paid 70 cents a night. A beach overrun with goats. Tower collapses. A rented station where the rotator was locked pointing north. It’s all here. Thanks to Icom for powering Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio. Whatever your corner of the hobby, there’s an Icom built for you. Join the conversation and subscribe to Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio.

Jamie Williams M0SDV is a rising star in the contesting world, and in Grenada this year, he proved exactly why. Traveling solo to the Caribbean island with modest gear and big ambitions, Jamie operated as J38W in the CQ World Wide CW contest—logging over 6,200 QSOs and more than 9 million points. What began as a goal to hit 4,000 contacts turned into a record-breaking effort, earning him a new North American Youth Overlay record and placing him firmly on the radar of top operators worldwide. Licensed since 2013 and first nudged into the hobby by his father, 2E0CAP, Jamie’s path took shape through contesting in the UK, where mentors like Lee G0MTN and Callum M0MCX helped sharpen his skills. After being invited to his first Dxpedition in Togo, Jamie went on to operate from Mauritius, Guyana, and the Marshall Islands. Each trip built the confidence and technical chops that eventually led him to take on Grenada entirely solo. He scouted a quiet QTH on the island’s north side, hauled his Icom IC-7300, SPE 1.3K-FA amp, a lightweight hex beam, and verticals—all within airline baggage limits—and set up in the tropical heat alone. When an 18-meter pole toppled into the bushes, a local gardener came running with a machete to help. Jamie operated for 40 hours during the contest and hit a peak rate of 240 QSOs per hour—pushing past exhaustion to see just how far he could go. Join the conversation and subscribe to Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio. A big thank you to DX Engineering for sponsoring Q5 and for supporting contesters, DXers, and dedicated operators who go the distance to put rare signals on the air.

Chris Hurlbut KL9A is just back from Madeira, where he operated as CQ9A and delivered the contest performance of a lifetime at CQ WW CW 2025. Though he finished second to his longtime friend Dan N6MJ, Chris broke the existing world record in the Single Operator All Band High Power category, and logged a staggering 11,000+ QSOs. Still groggy from travel and 48 sleepless hours of operating, Chris sat down with Q5 for a partial debrief from Bozeman, Montana. As with any 48-hour Single Operator top-10 result, the achievement was hard-won. Mid-contest, Chris battled a baffling logging software glitch—but he powered through. What should have been a flawless 2BSIQ run was punctuated by expletives directed at frozen keyboards and on-the-fly troubleshooting. Yet even under stress, Chris executed a strategic and multipliers-rich contest, leaning into a third radio and Valery’s top-shelf antennas to claw out every possible point. This was more than a radio contest. It was a swan song. Chris confirmed it: no more CQ WW CW solos. "I did it, so I don’t have to do it ever again." And what a final run it was—part technical tour de force, part mental endurance trial, part love letter to ham radio contesting. Valery’s station support, Dan’s epic win, and the electric online buzz from 40,000+ fans watching Chris work CW made this not just a contest, but a moment in ham radio history. Join the conversation and subscribe to Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio. Thanks to Icom for helping bring the CQ WW CW Showdown series to life. And to DX Engineering for championing the operators who light up the bands—whether activating parks, chasing DX, or contesting at the highest level.

Chris Hurlbut KL9A is ready at CQ9A in Madeira just hours before the start of the CQ Worldwide CW Contest. Known for precision and consistency at the top levels of single-op competition, Chris arrived a bit later than other operators—but has wasted no time. Alongside Valery, he’s been adding antennas, including a second 80m and a 160m receive four-square, reinforcing the timeless contesting rule: antennas put up the day of always work better. He offers a grounded take on this year’s “CW Showdown” between himself, Dan N6MJ, and Braco E77DX. With many eyes on Braco and Dan, Chris has stayed mostly off the radar—not by design, just travel timing. Propagation looks as expected, with high-band strength favoring Dan, and CQ9A’s low-band performance giving Chris a quiet edge. His third-radio setup is less flexible than Dan’s, which may shift his multiplier strategy. Chris also highlights other serious contenders—V47T, KP4AA, CR6K, and KP2B among them—and gives a nod to the multi-op races from stations like EW5A. Still, he’s locked in on his own game: manage rate, move mults when it matters, and keep it fun. And if you’re rooting for Chris, let him know in the comments. He’s feeling just a little left out. Join the conversation and subscribe to Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio. Thanks to DX Engineering and Icom for supporting the full spectrum of amateur radio—from park activators to world-class contesters pushing performance on every band.

Felipe Hernandez NP4Z is a powerhouse of contesting and a central player in this year’s CQ World Wide CW showdown. He joins Kevin W1DED just hours before the contest kicks off from St. Croix, where he’s not only competing himself but orchestrating one of the biggest storylines in radio sport: the “Clash of the Titans” between Dan N6MJ, Braco E77DX, and Chris KL9A. Felipe’s role? Matchmaker, facilitator, and competitive force in his own right. Licensed in 1980 and fluent in CW since age 11, Felipe has shaped his life around ham radio—relationships, career, and worldview all filtered through the key and mic. He talks with infectious pride about helping build up stations from scratch, like Jaime’s now-formidable setup in St. Croix or the revitalization efforts underway in Colombia. He’s deeply hands-on, bridging generations and borders, and energizing a new wave of competitors who might otherwise think they’re too old or too isolated to contend. This episode drops just before Felipe takes the field under KP2B, but more than that, it reveals the connective tissue holding the contesting world together. He's the reason Braco ended up at HK1T. He helped Dan land in the Canaries. And now, with three titans poised to go head-to-head across oceans, Felipe is right in the mix—quietly shaping the battle, then stepping into it himself. Join the conversation and subscribe to Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio. Special thanks to DX Engineering and Icom for sponsoring the CQ WW CW Showdown series and for supporting contesters, DXers, and Parks on the Air activators around the globe.

Dan Craig N6MJ is on the Canary Islands, gearing up to operate EF8R in this weekend’s CQ World Wide CW contest, and we caught up just as final preparations were underway. Joined by Levi K6JO, Dan’s been troubleshooting verticals, fine-tuning antennas, and running high-stakes shakedowns ahead of a record attempt. Inside the shack: two Icom 7610s and—after some debate—a third radio, an Elecraft K3, to chase elusive multipliers during slow hours. A smooth CWT test calmed some nerves as Dan got his head back into real-time 2BSIQ. Though Braco E77DX recently rebuilt the station for SSB, Dan and Levi found plenty to fix, from storm-damaged antennas to last-minute adjustments. Propagation has shifted too—most notably, 10 meters is closing fast after EU sunset. Stress? Absolutely. Sleep is sparse, pressure is high, but Dan's determined to give the world a clean, all-out effort. Felipe NP4Z helped secure the EF8R station when Dan was nearly sidelined, and that camaraderie echoes through the contesting community. From Chris KL9A and Braco E77DX in 3-point land to Andy N2NT (V47T), Tom W2SC (8P5A), Felipe NP4Z (KP2B), Filipe CT1ILT (CR6K) and Jon KL2A (KP4AA), the competition is fierce—but grounded in mutual respect and constant collaboration. And though Dan’s not one for the spotlight, he’s showing up because keeping contesting vibrant matters. Join the conversation and subscribe to Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio. Thanks to Icom and DX Engineering for backing operators worldwide—whether they’re pushing 2BSIQ at EF8R or chasing rare multipliers from remote corners of the globe.

Emir “Braco” Memic E77DX is in Colombia, transforming HK1T into a serious contest machine—just in time to debut his new 5J1DX callsign for CQ WW CW. With the clock ticking, Braco is taking a hands-on approach to engineering a high-performance station out of HK1T’s formidable base. It’s a full-court press: antennas fine-tuned, switching gear reworked, and amps sorted out with a blend of skill and last-minute improvisation. The topography isn’t easy, the hardware’s not all cooperating, but Braco’s turning it into something that can compete with the best. Is Braco the MacGyver of ham radio? You be the judge. Securing 5J1DX marks a major moment—not just for Braco, but for the Colombian ham community that helped make it happen. He singles out Sandra HK3YL for her behind-the-scenes effort to get the license finalized. With 2,000 QSOs already logged and promising runs on 10 and 15 meters, Braco’s laying the groundwork for a serious showing. Whether or not everything’s perfect by showtime, he’s made clear: he’s not backing down. Join the conversation and subscribe to Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio. This episode is part of the CQ WW CW Showdown series, made possible with support from Icom and DX Engineering—backing contesters, DXers, and operators who push the limits on every band, from every corner of the world.

Jon Kimball KL2A is the consummate contester. From learning Morse code at age seven to chasing DX from Alaska with a Yagi at 60 feet, Jon’s ham radio journey spans more than four decades. A chance encounter with Chris KL9A during those early pileups—first as rivals, then as teammates—set the tone for a lifetime of contest camaraderie. Now based in Sun Valley, Idaho, Jon brings deep contesting experience and a sharp analytical mind to this year’s CQ Worldwide CW showdown, operating from Kenny Ramirez’s polished KP4AA station in Puerto Rico. Kimball’s breakdown of the KL9A–N6MJ–E77DX face-off is must-hear commentary. Having operated from CT3, EA8, and HK himself, he offers rare perspective on propagation dynamics, multiplier strategies, and the psychological demands of pacing through fatigue and solar flares. His bet? A strong start from the Zone 33 heavyweights, but a real shot for Braco if the Asian openings from HK pay off—and if the ionosphere throws a wildcard. One detail that sticks: Jon once picked Chris KL9A up from high school and drove him to a contest station. They've been talking radios ever since. And one point Jon made clear: there are dozens of top-tier operators on the air this year. Check out NG3K.com for the full lineup—and work them. Join the conversation and subscribe to Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio. Thanks to Icom and DX Engineering for supporting the CQ WW CW Showdown series—and for backing DXers, Parks on the Air ops, and contesters chasing the edge of propagation.

Just days before what looks like a record-breaking CQ World Wide CW, six world-class operators compare notes across Europe and South America. Braco E77DX is deep in the Colombian jungle at HK1T’s mountaintop station, where rain, mud, and snakes complicate the final push. His contest callsign is expected any day. Early tests show him hammering into Europe at 30-over-9, reinforcing what’s always been a three-way battle between HK1T, EF8R, and CQ9A in the much-watched CQ WW CW Showdown. In Estonia, Kris ES7A is refining ES9C with upgraded Flex radios, multi-Flex capabilities, and cleaner inband audio. Sven DJ4MX heads to Bosnia and Herzegovina, anchoring a strong multinational team at E7DX for a multi-single run. In Croatia, Dave 9A1UN has a crane en route to hoist antennas just in time—business as usual for a crew that thrives on the edge of readiness. Filipe CT1ILT is back in Portugal aiming to break 10,000 QSOs once more, hoping propagation tilts his way. And up in snowy Sweden, Mike SJ2W preps for another multisingle campaign, looking to top last year’s 7,000 QSO haul. All six react to CT1BOH’s pre-contest breakdown—opinions vary, but one thing’s certain: this contest is wide open. Join the conversation and subscribe to Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio. Thanks to Icom for sponsoring Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio—because legendary QSOs deserve legendary radios.

Levi Jefferies K6JO is in the thick of the CQ WW CW showdown, he's in the Canary Islands to support Dan N6MJ’s shot at a new record. But he's arriving with serious momentum—fresh off an electrifying, unofficial first-place finish in the ARRL Sweepstakes SSB. That win, logged from Chris KL9A’s off-grid Montana station KM7W, wasn’t just about rate or firepower. It was about brains, bold decisions, and a disciplined contest strategy. You’re going to be hearing a lot more about K6JO. Still in his twenties, Levi is quickly proving himself a generational contester. In this conversation, he walks through his wire-to-wire battle with George K5TR—seven-time champion, ideally located, and almost never outpaced. Levi’s edge? A high-risk move: diving into 10 meters early to work low-numbered Technician-class QSOs others save for Sunday. That gamble, combined with smart off-time management and aggressive two-radio operation, let him surge ahead in the final hours. The setup at KM7W was formidable but far from plug-and-play. The station runs entirely on generator power, and Levi and Chris hustled to get antennas online—including a freshly reinforced 80m four-square and a spiderbeam pointed at W6. They also pushed the envelope with the KD6X Rig Select Pro, giving Levi what may be the first full 2BSIQ phone run using the device. With the gear locked in and the bands favoring Montana—just barely—Levi outmaneuvered the field and made a statement. Join the conversation and subscribe to Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio. Thanks to DX Engineering for backing this episode. Their support helps power high-performance stations like KM7W and fuels operators worldwide as they push the boundaries of what’s possible.

The Contest Crew—Randy K5ZD, Chris KL9A, Bill W9KKN, and Dan N6MJ—return to Q5 with a complete debrief of ARRL Sweepstakes SSB and a forward look at CQ World Wide CW, where three of the sport’s top competitors (N6MJ, KL9A, and E77DX) are set for a record-chasing clash from the Canary Islands, Madeira, and Colombia. Sweepstakes had no shortage of tension. Levi, working solo from Chris’s KM7W station, went head-to-head with George K5TR—and won. Running modest gear in a remote setup, he stuck to his game plan, stayed cool, and pulled off the upset. Dan and Randy weigh in on what makes Sweepstakes a unique proving ground: coaching newcomers, navigating unpredictable conditions, and hearing first-time HF operators—some as young as 13—break through. Now, the focus shifts to CQ WW CW. Chris is operating from CQ9A, Dan from EF8R, and Braco E77DX from HK1T in Colombia. With 12,000 QSOs within reach and accuracy under the microscope, the smallest choices—band timing, low-band multipliers, operator endurance—could decide everything. Both Chris and Dan are running 2BSIQ, avoiding the scoreboard, and aiming for an all-out 48-hour sprint. Also on deck: Randy’s first serious run from his new W8 station, Bill’s ZF1A team chasing a Multi-Two North America record, and a sharp insight from Chris—what ham radio needs most isn’t more youth programs, it’s more and better supporting hams. Join the conversation and subscribe to Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio. Grateful to DX Engineering for making this episode possible—and for equipping contesters, DXers, and Parks on the Air ops with the gear they rely on when performance counts.

Chelsea Parraga KF0FVJ and John Burwell KI5QKX are calling on the amateur radio community to step up. Representing Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC), they’re actively recruiting new volunteers to help drive the next wave of innovation, education, and technical stewardship in ham radio. Whether you're a seasoned operator, an open-source developer, an educator, or simply someone eager to give back—this is your chance to shape the future. ARDC is a private foundation funding $3–4 million in grants each year—supporting everything from school station buildouts to open-source software development. But money is just part of the picture. The engine behind ARDC’s success is its dedicated volunteers. Chelsea and John describe a wide range of roles now open: from grant reviewers to results evaluators to science communicators. There's also critical work to be done within the 44Net IP address space—protecting resources, advising on technical development, and building community. If you’ve ever wanted to make a difference in ham radio, now’s the time. Apply at www.ardc.net. The commitment varies—from an hour a week to five—so there’s room for all kinds of contributors. The term? One year, with options to stay longer if you’re making an impact. The need is real. The door is open. Get involved. Application Deadline is October 31st so act quickly! Go to this link: https://www.ardc.net/join-ardcs-2026-volunteer-team/ oin the conversation and subscribe to Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio. This episode comes your way with support from Icom—pioneering amateur radio innovation for more than 50 years.

Chris Tate N6WM is a late-blooming force in amateur radio who discovered the hobby in his forties—and never looked back. A lifelong technologist and adventurer, Chris quickly made his mark in both contesting and DXpeditioning. He's the founder of the K6LRG hilltop contest station and station coordinator for the powerhouse N6RO Superstation, where he helps drive multi-multi operations in the West. With marquee wins in Sweepstakes, RTTY Roundup, and NAQP, Chris has built a strong reputation as a skilled and dedicated West Coast operator. What sets Chris apart is not just his skill behind the mic, but his commitment to building teams and nurturing talent. From co-founding K6LRG with a rotating cast of contributors to leading high-octane ops at N6RO, Chris has turned his love of camaraderie into a competitive edge. He’s also joined the TX5S Clipperton and VP6D Ducie Island expeditions with the Perseverance DX Group—bringing his contesting skills to demanding field environments and helping log thousands of contacts under pressure. One standout detail: his K6LRG shack is fully remote—four miles and one steep hill away—powered by FlexRadio and fine-tuned for elite performance. Chris is also a longtime leader with the Northern California Contest Club, where he’s served as President and Contest Chair, helping steer the club through changing times while keeping the scoreboard competitive. A passionate evangelist for remote ops and online scoreboards, Chris sees technology not as a threat to contesting—but as its future. Join the conversation and subscribe to Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio. Thanks to DX Engineering for supporting operators like Chris and powering everything from Parks on the Air to top-tier contesting efforts worldwide. Your dedication keeps stations competitive and dreams on the air.

John Dorr K1AR and George Gross N3GJ are fresh off a record-setting run at K3LR during the CQ Worldwide SSB contest, logging 406 QSOs in a single hour on 10 meters. This wasn’t luck or brute force—it was a masterclass in synchronized contesting, 21 years in the making. From a clean frequency above 28.500 MHz, the duo operated in seamless coordination: John on the run station, George working multipliers, backed by K3LR’s unassuming but game-changing four-square receive antenna. Their shorthand—“let’s do our thing”—captures a kind of operating telepathy. At 11:58 Zulu, with Europe showing up and conditions ripe, they flipped the switch. What followed was a two-hour pileup that never let up. In the first hour, John ran 272 stations; George pulled in 134 more. It’s not just the numbers—it’s that from a U.S. station, with two ops operating this tightly, this is rare air. There was a quick high-five at the top of the hour, then back to work. And as K1AR quipped, they “actually kind of like each other,” which might just be their secret weapon. Join the conversation and subscribe to Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio. Thanks to DX Engineering for supporting the operators who make moments like this possible—whether they’re DXing from the edge of the noise floor or pushing the limits from contest superstations. Your commitment keeps the spirit of radio alive and loud.

Braco E77DX, Filipe CT1ILT, Sven DJ4MX, Chris ES7A, Mike SJ2W, and Dave 9A1UN - Contest Crew Europe - return from the CQ Worldwide SSB contest with stories that stretch from the Canary Islands to the Arctic edge of Europe. This isn’t just a recap—it’s contesting at its most competitive, collaborative, and chaotic. Braco E77DX may have rewritten the record books at EF8R, logging 11,000 QSOs and 27 million points over 48 relentless hours. At ES9C, Chris ES7A battled blown amplifiers, runaway rotators, and led a multi-multi team split between grizzled veterans and first-timers. Mike SJ2W surged into Europe’s top tier thanks to rare polar path openings that let him run the high bands long after others faded—landing him third worldwide and likely first in Europe. Filipe CT1ILT, the engineering mind behind CR6K, built a switching system from scratch—custom boards, full in-band transmit, touchscreen control—only to face a router failure minutes before go time. The system held. The vision proved out. Sven DJ4MX quietly pushed low-power limits from home. Dave 9A1UN slugged it out in the Single Band trenches. And tying it all together: the online scoreboard, now the heartbeat of high-level contesting. #onlinescoreboard is more than a hashtag—it’s the new mantra. Join the conversation and subscribe to Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio. This episode of Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio is powered by Icom—innovative radios trusted by amateur operators worldwide.

Jose CT1BOH is back on Q5 Worldwide—and just in time for a historic showdown. The ten-time CQ World Wide CW winner, one of the most respected voices in high-stakes contesting, returns for a masterclass in operator performance, propagation edge, and psychological warfare. This isn’t just another contest preview—it’s a forensic breakdown of who might claim the crown in the most prestigious CW event of the year. With Dan N6MJ and Chris KL9A setting up in Zone 33 (the Canaries and Madeira), and Braco E77DX operating from Colombia, Jose walks us through what really matters: the 2BSIQ technique that now defines elite-level wins, the path geometry that privileges east-west propagation, and the subtle but decisive advantages of geography, sunrise timing, and antenna takeoff angles. He’s measured, candid—and brutally honest. Jose calls it the “Clash of Titans” and picks a favorite, though barely. One operator holds the edge in history, QSO rates, and location; another is the more consistent performer, sharper under pressure, and sitting at a better-engineered station. Both are entering unfamiliar territory, not just geographically, but mentally. A third would need a surprise shift in propagation—but as Jose reminds us, anything can happen. He’s been in their shoes: he’s failed, broken records, and learned to stay calm when the log falls apart. That experience, translated here, becomes a roadmap for anyone who wants to understand what separates world-class from world-best. Thanks to Icom and DX Engineering for their ongoing support of Q5 and the CQ WW Showdown. Join the conversation and subscribe to Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio.

CQ World Wide SSB strategy & station plans with the Contest Crew—Dan N6MJ, Chris KL9A, Bill W9KKN, and Randy K5ZD—who break down final preparations for the SSB Super Bowl of radiosport. Operating from the elite CQ9A station in Madeira, Chris, Dan, and Bill are diving into a high-intensity, six-radio, 24/7 multi-single effort hosted by EW6W Valery Zhytkovich, joining forces with top-tier European ops. The fusion of American and European contesting styles could unlock new records—or at least hard-won lessons for the U.S. contingent. From antenna-based distributed listening techniques to the rare luxury of arriving at a fully built site (thanks to Valery and his tireless team), this episode is rich with strategy and logistics. Chris and Dan break down in-band run timing, audio sharing, and the fight for every last QSO when margins against stations like P33W can come down to 1%. Bill, for once, just gets to show up and plug in—an unfamiliar but welcome shift from his usual role as technical architect. Randy adds perspective from his spartan setup as V47T in St. Kitts, where batteries, spare parts, and repair supplies get packed alongside hope for clear skies and clear bands. He’s joined by N2NT and K4ZW for what he calls a “poor man’s multi-single,” operating with two radios and three ops from a station that may—or may not—still be intact when they arrive. Join the conversation and subscribe to Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio. Thanks to DX Engineering for equipping operators around the globe—from island expeditions to full-stack contest superstations—with the gear they need to chase DX, win contests, and keep Parks on the Air alive and thriving.

A few days ago, we heard from Contest Crew North America. Now it’s Europe’s turn. Braco E77DX, Dave 9A1UN, Mike SJ2W, Kris ES7A, and Sven DJ4MX—collectively Contest Crew Europe, and five of the continent’s most respected operators—join Q5 with their war stories and final prep before CQ Worldwide SSB. Dave recaps the standout Istra Conference, a magnet for serious ops and next-gen tech, with attendees flying in from across Europe and the U.S. Braco walks through the high-stakes logistics of EF8R in the Canaries: six 32-kilo bags, customs delays, and a tribander stuck somewhere between Madrid and mystery. Kris reports from Estonia, where a 20-person crew is rebuilding ES5TV’s site—moose damage, marshland, and all—in pursuit of his 2013 multi-multi record. Mike, up at SJ2W in Sweden, is fighting similar terrain and hoping for a clean polar path. And Sven? He’s caught between thesis deadlines and competing offers from Estonia to SM2. There’s no ego here—just precision, resilience, and a drive to pass the torch. Each station runs its own rhythm, each team its own doctrine, but the goal is the same: extract every QSO the bands will give. Brought to you by Icom—the choice of operators who know that peak performance is never optional.

Rich Smith N6KT is a quiet titan in the world of radiosport. With ten CQ WW SSB wins to his name, an ARRL DX Phone record that has stood since 1993, and multiple WPX titles, Rich heads into this weekend’s contest from PJ4K with a legitimate shot at another world title. He’s not just a competitor—he’s a legacy builder. His rivals know it. Braco E77DX is mounting a massive effort from the Canaries (EF8R) with hopes of a win and a possible world record, but the Contest Crew's KL9A says Rich is his top competition. Rich’s path started in a suburban California shack, where he built his first transmitter into a Band-Aid box. He climbed the ladder from modest sweepstakes ops to twenty years of contesting from the Galapagos, where he and a tight-knit crew engineered a rugged contesting fortress that weathered tropical winds and political headwinds. Today, Rich is part of the PJ4K rebuild team, operating from a Bonaire site once decimated by ocean surge. His strategy is clinical—hour-by-hour band planning, post-contest self-audits, and relentless focus on efficiency. No overall score goals. No scoreboard distractions. Just aiming for a performance he can be proud of. This weekend, Rich squares off against Braco in the Canaries and Tom 8P5A—both elite 2BSIQ operators. The stakes are high. But Rich isn’t here for the stress or the showmanship. “If I’m proud of how I operated, that’s good for me,” he says. That calm perseverance—and his unshakable belief in radio’s magic—has made him a beacon to every contester wondering what’s possible with discipline, humility, and grit. Join the conversation and subscribe to Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio. Thanks to Icom for sponsoring Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio—because legendary QSOs deserve legendary radios. Their commitment to the amateur community helps make these stories—and operations like PJ4K—possible.

Dan Craig N6MJ is one of three world-class operators aiming to shatter world records in the CQ Worldwide CW contest this November. From Magic Mountain in the Canary Islands, Dan will operate as EF8R—joining a global showdown where perfect propagation, cutting-edge engineering, and elite operator skill might converge to make history. He’s teaming up with Braco E77DX, who will run SSB from the same site, in a rare and strategic collaboration between two of the radiosport’s fiercest competitors. Dan is going all-in on a three-radio setup, running Icom 7610s and supported by trusted tech allies Bill W9KKN and Levi K6JO. Levi, now a professional antenna hand, will be on-site to handle potential tower repairs and power challenges on the wind-battered summit. Meanwhile, Braco is already retooling the shack to serve both SSB and CW, with an eye toward leaving behind a fully functional station for local ops like Juan EA8RM. This is another installment in Q5’s new CQ WW CW Showdown series—a behind-the-scenes look at how the top contenders prepare for the biggest weekend in contesting. Whether Dan, Braco, or Chris KL9A at CQ9A comes out on top, one thing is clear: conditions are ripe for a new world record—maybe even three. Join the conversation and subscribe to Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio. Thanks to Icom and DX Engineering for making this series possible. Their continued support drives innovation among DXers, Parks on the Air activators, and top-tier contesters operating from the world’s most rugged and remote sites.

Braco Memic E77DX hosts this special edition of Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio, stepping in after Kevin W1DED encountered technical issues. Contest Crew Europe gathers to unpack the 2025 Worked All Europe SSB contest, recent IARU VHF, and plans for the upcoming CQ Worldwide SSB contest. Kris Kass ES7A opens with a cautionary tale: a lightning strike took out his station, frying everything from rotators to computers. With WAE off the table and the station out of commission for CQ Worldwide SSB, he's pivoted to a multi-op plan at ES5TV with an international team—including youth. Sven Lovric DJ4MX describes wrestling with remote station glitches while operating as 9A5MX, but still posting over 400,000 points. Dave Kucelin 9A1UN joins late but brings the heat: his team operated from an ex-military mountaintop site at 1,600 meters, battling fog, humidity, and 80 km/h winds. The result? Over 1,100 QSOs and the second-best VHF score south of the Alps. The crew closes with insights on WAE propagation, the flood of QTCs from Brazilian stations, and yes—AI-generated voices now flawlessly handing out QTCs. Join the conversation and subscribe to Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio. This episode of Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio is powered by Icom—innovative radios trusted by amateur operators across the globe.

George Gross N3GJ is the 10-meter backbone of K3LR, Tim Duffy’s legendary multi-multi contest station. For 30 years and 100 contest weekends, George has held the line through solar highs and brutal lows. Whether pulling callers out of static or setting the SSB hourly rate record (390 QSOs) alongside K1AR, George shows up. Every single time. His start was classic: a Hallicrafters receiver in the attic, Morse code copied by hand, and a dad who passed down the love of radio from his Vietnam-era roots. By high school, George was sending code at 30 WPM, making the trek to Buffalo to upgrade his license, and splitting firewood in exchange for a tribander on the roof. DXing came first—but it was a code-copying contest at a 1995 Ohio hamfest that put him on Tim Duffy’s radar and launched a decades-long run at K3LR. There’s a humility in George’s story—he calls himself “not a top-tier contester”—but that’s only half true. In the multi-multi world, he’s the ops dream: calm, consistent, patient enough to sit through dead bands, and sharp enough to squeeze every last QSO out of them. He’s also a reminder that you don’t need to be flashy to make an impact. You just need to show up and do the work. And maybe, on a good day, set a world record with your best radio friends. Join the conversation and subscribe to Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio. Special thanks to DX Engineering for supporting operators like George—from patient CW diggers to record-breaking contesters—and for giving hams around the world the tools to compete, connect, and chase the magic hour.

As the sun came up this morning over Chebeague Island in Maine, my phone lit up with a WhatsApp call from Braco Memic E77DX. It was 6 a.m.—and within the hour, I was walking with him, virtually and on camera, through the legendary EF8R “Magic Mountain” contest station on Gran Canaria. He and his wife Julia had just landed, and Braco was already sizing up the challenge ahead: broken antennas, a silent generator, and only days to turn chaos into a world-class signal. The plan is bold. Braco will go first, chasing a world record in CQ WW SSB. Then Daniel Craig N6MJ arrives to take his own swing during CQ WW CW. Two world-class operators, one station, and a narrow window to pull it all together. This is the kind of behind-the-scenes story that rarely gets told—the sweat and scramble before the glory. I’m calling it the CQ WW Showdown, and this is only the beginning. Huge thanks to Icom America Inc. and DX Engineering for backing this coverage. Their support makes it possible to bring you inside the action and show what it really takes to compete at the highest level of contesting. Subscribe to Q5 so you don’t miss the upcoming coverage. Visit www.q5hamradio.com for links to other platforms. And thanks for supporting Q5—don’t forget, SQ1K has Q5 gear available for purchase.

I'm back with the Contest Crew—Dan N6MJ, Bill W9KKN, Chris KL9A—and special guest Levi Jeffries K6JO, who takes us deep into the guts of serious HF contesting, from antenna stacks in Tennessee to the fine-tuned dance of 2BSIQ phone operation. Levi recounts his recent effort in the Worked All Europe SSB contest, operating remotely from Ron WV4P’s elite Tennessee hilltop contest station. The competition was tighter than expected, with Jim WX3B chasing him down in a dramatic scoreboard race and wielding a clear Northeast propagation advantage. Levi’s strategic grit was on full display—from wrestling with poor 20-meter conditions to catching rare multipliers on fickle 10 meters. Yet, what shone brightest was his sharp technical dissection, including a live test of the Teensy Maestro, a compact switching solution for Flex radios. In a candid reflection, Levi admits he may have misplayed his QTC timing—but not before giving a masterclass on 2BSIQ philosophy. This wasn’t just radio acumen; it was contest strategy with human nuance. And in the broader context of AI-assisted ops, Levi offered a compelling counterpoint: in low-rate, high-skill contests, it’s not just about copying calls—it’s about coaxing the unheard to speak. This episode sets the stage for a high-voltage CQWW season. As Chris KL9A and Dan N6MJ gear up for world record attempts—from CQ9A or EA8—the quiet rivalry and escalating arms race in gear, grit, and strategy hint at a historic fall. Add Braco E77DX to the mix, and Chris predicts not just one world record falling, but possibly three. It's a showdown to anticipate—and to watch unfold right here on Q5. Join the conversation and subscribe to Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio. Special thanks to DX Engineering for championing the global contesting community. From WV4P’s hilltop mega-station to the casual contester, your support continues to power the passion behind the mic.

Kylee Shirbroun KE0WPA is 18 years old and a bright young voice in ham radio. Raised in the shadow of a 40-foot tower in Worthington, Minnesota, she made her first satellite contact while on vacation in Canada—the very day her technician license came through. Since then, she’s earned her general class ticket, become a contesting enthusiast, and taken on youth advisor roles with the Minnesota Wireless Association and the North Star Radio Convention. A familiar call sign on the Parks on the Air circuit, Kylee activates and hunts alongside her father, ND0C, running portable gear from their truck. She’s also active on Remote Ham Radio’s youth program, favoring a Croatian station for its direct path into Europe and Asia. But her biggest leap is still ahead: a 2026 trip to St. Lucia, where she’ll join the J62K team for CQ WPX—a serious contesting milestone for any operator, let alone a teenager. Her story echoes that of past guest Seth NU1D, who will also join the J62K crew. But what sets Kylee apart is more than her technical chops—it’s her drive to open the hobby to others. She’s not just preparing for ham radio’s future. She is its future. Join the conversation and subscribe to Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio. Special thanks to Icom. From the shack to the summit, Icom keeps hams connected. We're proud to have their support for Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio.