You’ve got a few more chances to hone your operating skills and capture some end-of-the-year bragging rights before 2019 officially goes in the history books. What are you waiting for? Check out these December contests and prepare to get on the air!
- ARRL 160 Meter, CW (December 6-8) 2200 UTC Friday to 1600 UTC Sunday. For Amateurs worldwide to exchange information with W/VE amateurs on 160 meter CW.
- ARRL 10 Meter, CW, SSB (December 14-15) 0000 UTC Saturday through 2359 UTC Sunday. For Amateurs worldwide to exchange QSO information with as many stations as possible on the 10 meter band.
- ARRL Rookie Roundup, CW (December 22) Sunday 1800 to 2359 UTC. Rookies exchange information with as many other stations as possible on the 80, 40, 20, 15, and 10 meter bands.
Interested in the Rookie Roundup or other contests for newbies? Read this OnAllBands article from blogger Sean, KX9X, on contesting tips for Technicians.
- DARC X-Mas Contest (December 26) 08:30 UTC to 10:59 UTC. This popular two-and-a-half hour SSB/CW sprint sponsored by DARC (Deutscher Amateur-Radio-Club) is the final competition which counts toward the German annual club championship. DARC invites all amateurs to join in the fun, noting that you’ll likely hear “Frohes Fest” (Merry Christmas) or “FF” in CW tacked onto more than a few QSOs. From the DARC website:
“We hope to welcome you as a participant in the next X-Mas contest. Foreign stations are always welcome to take part, and with the current conditions on 40M, they truly have an advantage in propagation over the DLs.”
