CONTESTING
Headliners Include ARRL Field Day, IARU HF Championship, and the CQ World Wide VHF Contest
Plus: New WSJT-X FT4 Digital Mode for Contesters; World Radiosport Team Championship (WRTC) Rules Evolution
This is an excellent time to finish antenna fix-ups and rebuilds. At least where I live, it is best to be done before the summer’s heat peaks and it’s just too hot to work outside. The air-conditioned shack is much more comfortable. This is conducive to getting in some operating time, either in the shack or on some short expeditions to higher elevations, cooler islands, or at least under the shade of trees in a park (This is, after all, our annual “Take it to the Field” special – ed.).
June is the month for ARRL’s annual VHF contest. Many operators are likely to switch to digital mode FT8 when the bands otherwise lack discernible SSB or CW signals. This year’s event will be held from 1800 UTC on Saturday, June 8 through 0300 Monday, June 10 (Saturday morning or afternoon through Sunday evening in North America). This contest covers all bands six meters and higher, notwithstanding “VHF” in its name. The complete rules are at <www.arrl.org/june-vhf>, and see last month’s column.
Last month we discussed Field Days in IARU Region 1, which are separate affairs for CW (in June) and Phone (in September). This month, it’s time to focus on our own Field Day event. Every year on the fourth weekend of June, the ARRL’s Field Day is held in the U.S. and Canada. Technically, Field Day is not a contest, but it can be for you if you treat it as one. A great thing about Field Day is that it is an all-purpose activity. It just depends on your goals and how you approach it. The format is flexible, and accommodates just about every interest: Contesting, emergency preparation, local club social activities, hiking, and camping. The event is as varied as
