Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio

Episode 3 brought the entire Contest Crew together from their far-flung corners of the United States: Scott K0MD from Minnesota, Randy K5ZD from Massachusetts, Dan N6MJ from California and Chris from Montana. The conversation focused on plans for the upcoming ARRL DX CW contest as well as tips to stay motivated, the art of multiplier moving, station rivalries, multi-op vs single-op, WRTC qualifying, club participation and Randy's unique version of non-serious contesting. The only thing better than this crew's decades of ham radio contesting experience is the friendly, fun-loving dynamic that is self-evident when they get together - even virtually. Whether you're a veteran contester, or a newcomer to radiosport, please join us for our weekly, informal gathering of the Contest Crew. If you like what you hear, please subscribe to the channel. If you have questions for the Crew, send them to W1DED via my email address on QRZ. 73, Kevin

A handful of top-notch ham radio contesters have agreed to join me on a regular basis to talk about their contest experiences and best practices. In this inaugural gathering of the "CQ Contest Crew," Chris Hurlbutt KL9A and Randy Thompson K5ZD participate in a discussion about the recent North American QSO Party, Chris' experience with overcoming challenges at N9RV's contest station, and some sage operating advice from Randy. In the future, Dan N6MJ and Scott K0MD will also be joining the group to add their unique perspective. If you have questions that you'd like to have answered on future shows, send me an email (QRZ). Thanks for watching, and subscribing to, W1DED Worldwide Ham Radio.

Kevin Stockton N5DX is the unofficial winner of the 2024 ARRL DX CW in the Single Operator All Band High Power category. Like other US contesters at his level (N6MJ, KL9A), Kevin came from a ham radio family and began contesting under the tutelage of his father, Stan K5GO. Over a decade in the early 2000's, he participated in many K5GO multi-op efforts picking ups skills from his dad and his dad's buddies. He qualified for the 2014 World Radiosport Team Championship in Boston. By 2015. magic happened when he began contesting from the extraordinary N2QV / WU2X station located in the Catskills of New York State. In-person operating quickly evolved to fully remote operation from his home in Arkansas and his winning streak in various contests have continued to the present. Please join us for my conversation with Kevin Stockton N5DX and if you like what you hear, please subscribe.

Propagation was outstanding during the second weekend in February 2024 and, by all accounts, the ARRL DX CW contest was one for the record books. Dan Craig N6MJ was operating SOAB HP from the ND7K superstation, Randy Thompson K5ZD was also competing in the SOAB HP category from his impressive station in Massachusetts, and Chris Hurlbut KL9A was on the 15 meter desk at perennial Multi-Multi winner K3LR. Per usual, the Contest Crew weighs in with insight about the weekend and what they encountered on the bands. The conversation is full of contesting tips and their trademark interpersonal competitiveness and banter. Join me for Episode #04 of the Contest Crew and don't forget to send me questions and topics for future shows with the Crew.

Marty Sullaway, NN1C, gives me hope that the amateur radio hobby will endure long into the future. He is technically savvy, operationally sound, and willing to commit the hours needed to be extraordinary. At a very young age, he’s already attained an envious level of proficiency. Marty joined me to talk about contesting in general and the recent ARRL 10 Meter contest specifically. For that contest, Marty operated ZF1A in Grand Cayman remotely with his usual team of top-notch ham radio contesters.

Veteran Ham Radio operator and contester, Fred Dennin WW4LL, explains the planning, strategy and execution behind his very successful (winning) ARRl 10 Meter contest entry. Fred explains that despite a last minute change in operating stations, moving to low power, and antenna issues, good planning and skills was able to overcome those obstacles. His team, operating remotely as PJ4LL from Bonaire, earned themselves the top spot in the Multi/Single Low Power category.

Jeff Pulver, WA2BOT, agreed to talk to me about his experience operating a remote super station in the 2022 ARRL SSB Sweepstakes. Not only did I get interesting insight into ham radio contesting, and the Sweepstakes specifically, but I also heard a fascinating story about how ham radio opened up an amazing, unimaginable, world of success for Jeff. Join our conversation to hear exactly how a 9-year old’s fascination with amateur radio led to contesting which led to contesting software development and eventually put Jeff Pulver on the cutting edge of VoIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) technology and the regulatory decisions that created a new industry. If there ever was a story about how ham radio can contribute positively to a career path, this is it.

If you're interested in where the next wave of ham radio operators will come from, you need to meet Vicki Carnes, AD3I. Vicki is known as the "spark plug" in her local club, the York County Amateur Radio Society, and nowhere is this more true than in her work with the youth of South Carolina. Whether a chance encounter with a Cub Scout troop while on a Parks on the Air activation, developing a formal training course for Girl Scouts to earn their ham radio merit badge, or working with the local public schools, you'll find Vicki at the center of the conversation and leading the way.

Eric Olson, KD9TEZ (now KH6WI), is on active duty for the United States Navy in Hawaii. With 13 years of military comms experience, and the desire to add an engaging pastime to his schedule, becoming a licensed amateur radio operator was a natural. Given strict restrictions to operating from his home QTH, Eric immersed himself in Parks on the Air. This was fortuitous for all of us who needed a park activation in Hawaii to fully complete the Worked All States award. Eric has been nominated as an outstanding operator and recognized as such by Parks on the Air.

John Gendron, NJ4Z, recently returned from a 7-day DX Parks on the Air activation at K-0066 Virgin Islands National Park, St. John, USVI. John also operated with his club callsign, KP2/K4YTZ, while putting over 2300 contacts in the log. In this interview, John talks about the impetus to activate St. John, the preparation involved, the gear he chose to take on the plane, and the lessons he learned for his next POTA DX trip. John also speaks to the impact that Parks on the Air has had on his club, the York County Amateur Radio Society, and the overall ham radio community.

Iliyas Campbell, MM0MMN, has been traveling Scotland to activate parks, many for the first time, for Parks on the Air hunters everywhere. The photos and videos that he takes along the way are stunning and another reminder of why many ham radio operators enjoy operating portably. Iliyas talks about specific activation locations, the gear that he takes along, and how he operates from his home near Gleneagles Scotland.

Curtis Turner, KB3CMT, first responded to a Parks on the Air activator, KB3WAV, in 2018. After learning more about the program by listening, observing and making contacts with activators (hunting in Parks on the Air parlance), Curtis eventually made a decision to go to a POTA approved park, setup a portable ham radio station, and make the 10 QSO minimum required to have an official POTA activation. Curtis hasn’t looked back since as he’s racked up a very impressive set of statistics that have placed him in the top 50 activators world wide in terms of all-time unique parks activated, total parks activated and total contacts from those parks. Per usual, those that went before the rest of us have much to offer in terms of equipment choices, setup decisions and operating techniques.

Bob Farquharson has 543 Parks on the Air activations placing him 43rd worldwide (at the time of this interview) on the all-time top activator’s list. He is also one of only six amateur radio operators recognized with the Bailey-Sprott award for those few activators that have activated a park every day in 2022. In addition to POTA, Bob is passionate about Summits on the Air (SOTA). In this conversation, Bob shares his insight into planning, equipment choices, safety and his unique experience with harsh weather activations in Northern Maine.

Jim Cruz is currently at the top of the Parks on the Air leaderboard for number of unique parks activated in 2022. Jim has activated a mind-boggling 633 unique parks this year with two more months to go. When I saw his callsign on the POTA website with his associated statistics, I knew Jim's insight would be invaluable for my own POTA journey. Like POTA founder and president, Jason Johnston, W3AAX, Jim told me that he doesn’t do interviews despite having had several requests. I took this as a reflection of the man I’ve gotten to know; a man who is modest about his accomplishments and activates primarily to satisfy his own internal drive to plan, execute and succeed. I’m honored that he agreed to appear in this video interview to impart some of his vast knowledge and operating stories to the ham radio community. And, this was just the tip of the iceberg. Thank you for watching today on W1DED in Maine.

Jason Johnston is the founder and president of the wildly successful Parks on the Air (POTA) program. With over 325,000 participants since the program’s inception in 2017, Parks on the Air, and it’s underlying principles, clearly resonates deeply within the ham radio community. Parks on the Air encourages amateur radio operators to develop the expertise to operate portably while visiting qualifying national and state parks. The hams that do so are called Activators and those that make contact with them are referred to as Hunters. With over 9,000,000 QSO’s logged to-date, and the rapid expansion of the program worldwide, Parks on the Air has earned a special status in the ever evolving world of amateur radio.

If you enjoy the challenge of portable ham radio operations and, specifically, activating Parks on the Air, you should watch this fast-paced summary of a 4-day POTA trip to coast of Maine. The video includes insight into the various unique parks that were activated (13 total), radio and antenna setup, and operating results. If you're planning a trip to Maine, this video will provide you some perspective. If you're planning to activate anywhere, and especially multiple parks in a day, this will be guide in how to prepare and execute your activations. If you want to be reminded that often activations don't go as planned, there is that too

Fred Dennin, WW4LL, has been part of the ham radio community the majority of his life. He's an avid DXer, competitive contester, and co-owner of BeLoud.US, providing remote access ham radio super stations located around the world. Fred was first licensed as a kid in Muncie, Indiana and spent lots of time operating with his best friend Steve Narducci, W9SN. Decades later, after many successful contest efforts but realizing their stations in Georgia (WW4LL) and Tennessee (W9SN) were just not enough to compete against the geographically advantaged Northeast operators. They began a search for land in Aroostook County Maine, did extensive viability testing, and ultimately found themselves in business together with their first remote access ham radio station. Listen to Fred talk about these experiences firsthand in this episode of W1DED in Maine. Thank you for joining the conversation.

Seasoned ham radio contesters, Chris Hurlbut KL9A and Dan Craig N6MJ, were able to join me late Monday night for our weekly Contest Crew discussion. They responded to questions posed by a couple of relative newcomers to the contest world, N0GJW and M6ECG. Per usual, their answers and perspective are useful reminders of what to do, and not to do, when working the pile-ups. Despite being undisputed champs, these two are also well known for their humor, humility and willingness to help the rest of us improve our skills. Join me for this second episode of the Contest Crew and subscribe if you like what you hear. PS. Randy K5ZD and Scott K0MD couldn't join us this week but they'll be back for future Contest Crew conversations.

Max George NG7M was one of the ten W8S ham radio operators to activate Swains Island in October 2023. Despite elaborate planning that spanned years and continents, their path included damaged crates, missing gear, delayed boat transport, debilitating illness, relentless mosquitoes and unbearable, sweltering heat. With thousands of QSO's in their logs, and the team safely back home, Max talks about some of the highs and lows of the 2023 Swains Island DXpedition. If you've ever wondered what needed to happen to get W8S in your log, listen to Max tell his story in this short video interview.

Philipp Springer, DK6SP, was only 10 years old when he was first licensed (2008) and immediately became hooked on ham radio contesting. The specific interest took him to the 2018 World Radiosport Team Championship in Germany where he operated as Y82D. Although Philipp continues to study for his Master of Science degree in Logistics and Digitalization, he finds time to engage in ham radio leadership in very meaning ways. He is currently a board director of the World Wide Radio Operators Foundation, the president of the German DX Foundation, and a contest committee member with Youngsters on the Air. He’s also been the chair of the IARU Region I Youth Working Group. Philipp has some interesting, and very positive, perspective about youth in ham radio that focuses on networking and developing relationships with older amateur radio operators. Beyond contesting, Philipp has a particular interest in operating from DX locations and has an impressive list of countries where he has operated including 9A, 9J, A4, EI, ES, GW, P4, PJ2, PJ4, W8 and Z6. Listening to Philipp speak, and considering his oversized role in this hobby, will leave you encouraged about the future of ham radio. Thank you for watching, and subscribing, to W1DED Worldwide Ham Radio.

Established in 1964, long before the internet revolutionized our world, the mechanical Geochron world clock stood as a marvel. It elegantly anticipated sunrise and sunset times worldwide, while also displaying the current global time. Notably, President Ronald Reagan presented a Geochron to Mikhail Gorbachev, symbolizing American innovation. This remarkable timepiece even made an appearance in the movie "The Hunt for Red October." Despite the internet's widespread influence, Geochron continued to produce a limited quantity of mechanical clocks. It was during this era that Patrick Nolan, KJ7ZSU, found himself in possession of one of these clocks in need of repair. To his surprise, he discovered that they were manufactured not far from his home. This revelation and subsequent interactions inspired him to acquire the company. In this interview with Patrick Bolan, we delve into his journey and challenges as he transitioned the company into the digital age, expanding its presence in ham radio enthusiasts' setups worldwide. Learn more about how the digital Geochron now tracks the grey line, satellites, QSOs, propagation, and more, catering to ham radio operators' evolving needs.

Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R, serves as the Director of Marketing and Innovation at the ARRL - The National Association for Amateur Radio. Bob has been a valuable member of the ARRL team since 1991, accumulating three decades of experience at the Newington headquarters. His extensive background uniquely qualifies him to provide insights into the organization's past and future trajectory. Bob is credited with developing the Five Pillars of the ARRL, which encompass Public Service, Advocacy, Education, Technology, and Membership. His unwavering commitment to the membership's best interests is evident. When addressing current questions and controversies regarding necessary changes at the ARRL, Bob consistently emphasizes the organization's effective promotion and protection of the amateur radio hobby.

There are many hams who can claim five decades of amateur radio but there are few who have been immersed in so many facets of the hobby as Gerry Hull, W1VE. Gerry is active throughout his native Canada with several VE callsigns, he's well known for his expertise in the remote ham radio space, he's consulted for and operated the AA7JV Radio-in-a-Box project, and was instrumental in creating the online contest scoreboard concept. He's a competitive contester, consummate DXer, technical writer, a long-time member of the Yankee Clipper Contest Club, and more. In this interview, Gerry talks specifically about his recent CQ WW CW multi-op contest effort at the Maine superstation, K1LZ, and then we do a speed round of questions that cover some of his nearly 50 years in ham radio.

Dan Craig N6MJ and Chris Hurlbutt KL9A are phenoms in the ham radio contesting world. They’ve competed 9 times at the World Radiosport Team Championships and have been on the podium together twice - Gold in 2014 and Bronze in 2018. I caught up with Dan and Chris just days after their 1st (N6MJ) and 2nd (KL9A) place finishes in the 2023 CQ Worldwide CW contest in the very competitive Single Operator High Power All Band category. For that contest, Dan traveled to ZF1A in Grand Cayman and Chris to TI7W in Costa Rica. They are open about their operating strengths and weaknesses but especially talk about the preparation and station excellence that are required to win. There is much to learn from Dan and Chris' commitment to ham radio, their high level of operating skills, and a reminder that at the end of the day we all share a fun and camaraderie filled hobby.

Kris Misa YL3JA has been interested in ham radio contesting since he was first licensed as a teenager. In fact, for years his only QSO's were in contests. Kris has trained with some of the best in Europe while watching them do their magic at multi-op efforts at D4C, ES5TV, ES7A and being mentored by giants such as Roly LY4A and Tonno ES5TV. When Kris attempted to qualify for the WRTC 2002 in Italy, and fell short, these same ham radio peers cheered him on and encouraged him to compete in the Youth category. Andrea IK4VET opened doors for Kris and his WRTC teammate Artem, UR5YKO, to come to Italy to train for the event. The rest is history as Kris and Artem went on to win the Youth category in WRTC 2022. Kris is an exemplar of the kind of young person, given the right support and encouragement, who can make a mark in ham radio today and far into the future. Let's advocate for more Kris Misa's.

Andy Cook, G4PIQ, got his start in amateur radio contesting with competitive weak signal VHF. In an operating category where a single dB can make or break success, Andy honed his skills in station design. He took those skills into HF when his friend, and operating buddy, Bob Carpenter G4BAH (SK), decided that the M6T contest station needed to be a reality. It’s no surprise that WRTC 2026 Chariman, Mark Haynes M0DXR, called upon Andy to be the Director of Sites and Stations for the first World Radiosport Team Championship to be hosted by England. In this interview, Andy talks about his formative years in ham radio and the specific, yet evolving, plans for WRTC 2026.

Dr. Scott Wright is a cardiologist with the Mayo Clinic and a member of the team that developed the use of convalescent plasma as one of the first treatments for Covid-19. That significant contribution to world health during the great pandemic, combined with his history as a DXer, serious contester, and stint as the editor of the National Contest Journal, earned Scott an induction to the CQ Hall of Fame. In this interview, we discuss Scott's first license at the age of 12, the Heathkit HW-101 that he started with, his newfound love for the Elecraft line of ham radio gear, DXpeditions to Chile and Turks and Caicos, the thrill and intensity of contesting and much more. When it comes to representing the ham radio hobby professionally and with enthusiasm, Scott has set a very high bar.

Legendary is the word most often associated with the PJ2T contest station in Curacao. This ham radio station which is located 12 degrees north of the equator, in what is informally referred to as a magical propagation zone, has a very long and rich history of well known operators. The PJ2T story begins with hotelier Chet Brandon PJ2CC who is credited for first noticing the unique HF conditions in Curacao. Chet then convinced CW Contest Hall of Famer, John Thompson W1BIH, to build a house at Coral Cliffs. In his first contest from his new home, John’s team took the World #1 spot in the 1967 CWWW CW contest beginning a long tradition of multi-operator wins. The PJ2T story continued in 2001 when another CQ Contest Hall of Famer, Geoff Howard W0CG, took over stewardship of this world renowned station. Geoff not only rebuilt the house and the station but formed a unique consortium of contesters that would be instrumental in keeping the station active and winning contests. In this interview, Geoff W0CG provides an overview of the station history, the Curacao Contest Consortium, and the magic that has led to years of worldwide contesting wins.

When I first spoke to Mike Giannaccio W5REZ six months ago, he was at the very early stages of creating a new ham radio antenna company. REZ Antenna was more than just an idea, but not much more than that. Mike was working hard on creating a quality production plan, he had built some prototypes and even sold those prototypes to a few lucky operators. From the beginning, it was clear that Mike was on a specific mission to create a quality, successful, and sustainable company. So, I wasn’t surprised to recently see an announcement that REZ Antenna had teamed up with DX Engineering to distribute his antennas to their massive customer base. Checking in with him for this interview, Mike already has several hundred antennas in the field and has plans to expand his product line. Watch this video interview to get Mike's update on REZ Antenna and what the future holds. And, look for him in Dayton in 2024.

California QSO Party chairman Dean Wood N6DE is passionate about his state’s QSO party for good reason. With over 1200 submitted logs, the CQP easily tops the list of state QSO parties for participation. What’s their secret? Start with the fact that the CQP is sponsored by contesters - the Northern California Contest Club - making this one of the few QP’s run by a contest club. Their other unique characteristic is an Expedition class of operator (think “POTA meets Contester”) who fan out across California to activate even the hardest to get to counties. Non-California contesters have plenty of stations to log and many will work hard for a clean sweep of the 58 counties. Participants are split nearly equally between CW, Phone and Mixed Mode but, with no awards for single modes, those playing to win will operate mixed mode. Watch this interview with Dean N6DE to learn more about the October 7-8 2023 CQP and to see Dean's photo highlights from 2022.

Max George NG7M has many, many pursuits within ham radio but there is one consistent thread - an abiding love for CW. He can’t explain what it was about this mode back in his earliest memories of ham radio but his passion for morse code, and the thrill he gets from running stations, drives his choices. Whether learning contesting under the tutelage of W7CT, setting an Expedition Single Op record in the 7QP, honing his contesting chops at the famed PJ2T station in Curacao, or earning his DXpedition stripes on the J28MD Djibouti effort, Max is usually running CW. Watch this episode to learn more about Max George and his NG7M ham radio story

Within weeks, ham radio competitors hungry for one of only 50 team slots in the WRTC 2026 will have their first chance to earn qualifying points. The CQ Worldwide DX SSB contest in late October is the first of only fifteen contests over the next couple of years where points can be earned. In this interview with London area contester and WRTC chairman, Mark Haynes M0DXR, you'll learn more about how the best of the best contesters qualify, how various operating categories are weighted, and the meticulous planning that is required to make this 24-hour contest fair, efficient, and enjoyable. Mark estimates that several hundred people - competitors, referees, site managers, sponsors and spectators - will all converge in England in July 2026 to celebrate this milestone 10th World Radiosport Team Championship. If the conversation leaves you curious to learn more from a competitor's vantage point, look for my earlier interviews with recent winner Yuri VE3DZ, Randy K5ZD and Tim K3LR.

What's it take to win the Ham Radio Olympics? Yuri, VE3DZ, would suggest that luck is a big factor and, at this level, he's likely correct. Then you learn that Yuri has participated in 8 of the 9 World Radio Team Championships telling us that experience and proficiency are also very important. When he explains that his WRTC teammate, Yarik, UW7LL is a technical wizard, one can easily see the competitive benefit of being able to analyze and correct a problem in the moment. Yuri says that he and Yarik did not have time to communicate during the contest, and had no specific strategy, yet they worked in lockstep with band changes and multiplier chasing. Yuri makes it sound easy, or a result of luck, but it's clear that there's a lot more to it. Watch this video interview with Yuri VE3DZ and decide for yourself.

The US Islands program is a nationwide initiative that promotes amateur radio operations from various islands across the country's inland waterways and coastal regions. The program encourages hams to set up stations on these islands and for others to contact them. The program maintains a comprehensive list of designated island reference numbers, aiding operators in identifying specific islands for activation. Hams earn recognition for island activations based on established rules and point systems. Through this initiative, the US Islands program fosters camaraderie among operators, public awareness about amateur radio, and reinforces the vital role of ham radio in disaster response and community connectivity. Join me for this conversation with Jay NS4J to learn more about the US Islands program.

On October 4th 2023, a band of ten experienced ham radio DXpeditioners will be QRV from Swains Island in the South Pacific. This is a much sought after QSO as Swains is ranked #27 on the Club Log most wanted DXCC list. DX Hall of Famer, and W8S teammate, Adrian Ciuperca KO8SCA explains their entire operation in detail including the team’s unique relationship with the island owners, the Jennings family, who are providing a significant amount of logistical support for the trip. Before you get on the air to make your contact, learn more about Swains and the effort being made to bring you this rare DXCC, IOTA and POTA contact.

Clipperton Island, the atoll in the eastern Pacific Ocean, has a storied history of presidential visits, castaways waiting to be rescued, government squabbles over ownership and, of course, ham radio DXpeditions. In January 2024, the Perseverance DX Group will add their names to the history of this rare entity that is #38 on the Clublog's most wanted list. In this conversation, PDXG co-founder and Clipperton co-organizer, Dave Lloyd K3EL, offers an overview of their activation plans as well as specifics about equipment, antennas, operating schedules and more. Learn about the team behind the 2024 Clipperton DXpedition in anticipation of getting this rare one in your log early next year.

Katie Campbell, KE8LQR, is 15 years old and clearly not the image of ham radio that has everyone worried about an aging hobby. Not only is she a licensed and active ham radio operator, Katie holds positions as the Assistant Youth Section Coordinator for Ohio, is a correspondent for the Young Ladies Radio League (YLRL), and is the assistant PR manager for Youngsters on the Air (YOTA). She has presented at many ham conventions working closely with the legendary youth educator, Carole Perry, WB2MGP. Most recently, Katie was one of a select group of young ham radio operators who took over the K3LR superstation for the RSGB IOTA contest. If you’re curious about attracting more youth to ham radio, you should get to know Katie Campbell KE8LQR and follow her work in promoting the hobby.

26,679. That’s the number of QSOs that teammates James Gallo KB2FMH, Hal Turley W8HC, and Yuri Sushkin N3QQ, put in the log over their 16 days in American Samoa as KH8RRC. From all accounts, it was a well-executed DXpedition with operations on multiple bands, in multiple modes, and providing credit for the DXCC entity, a Parks on the Air park and the IOTA island. Social media was alive with reports during those two weeks in July. James KB2FMH joined me for this conversation about what went right, what went wrong, and how they dealt with the problems that arose. In keeping with his inimitable style, James is very entertaining in his description of events on the ground in the American Samoa. He even hints at where their next DXpedition might be!

Michael Martens, KB9VBR, is on a “mission to inspire and educate the amateur radio community.” With over 545 videos that have been viewed nearly 7 million times, it appears that he’s accomplishing his goal. What distinguishes Michael’s content above most others is the high production quality so it wasn’t surprising to hear that he has a film and creative story telling background. In our conversation, we talk about Michael’s start with ham radio in 1999, his business venture called “J-Pole Antennas,” Parks on the Air activations, and, of course, his passion for creating content that inspires on his extremely popular YouTube channel, KB9VBR Antennas.