The ham radio year’s penultimate month offers a nice selection of contests to keep your operating skills sharp, logbooks filled, and competitive juices flowing, including the ARRL November Sweepstakes and CW portion of the CQ Worldwide DX Contest.
In this time of reflection and giving thanks, all of us at OnAllBands would like to extend our most heartfelt appreciation to the scores of operators who selflessly volunteer their time and passion to organize the multitude of amateur radio events that keep the bands active throughout the year. Please know that your behind-the-scenes efforts continue to bring hours of enjoyment to hams throughout the world. 73 to all of you. Now let the November excitement commence!
- ARRL November Sweepstakes, CW: November 5, 2100Z to November 7, 0300Z. The objective is for stations in the U.S. and Canada to exchange QSO information with as many other U.S. and Canadian stations as possible on the 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, and 10 meter bands.
Never participated in this annual event? Read blogger Sean Kutzko, KX9X’s article, “Why ARRL Sweepstakes is the Best Contest of All,” and find out what makes it different (the lengthy exchange, for one thing), and why you need to get in on the fun.
- Antique Wireless Association (AWA) Bruce Kelley 1929 QSO Party: November 12, 2300Z to November 14, 0300Z, and November 19, 2300Z to November 21, 0300Z. Started in 1991, this is an annual CW event in which operators use an original transmitter they own or one they have built based on “the designs, techniques, and tubes that were available in 1929 and earlier,” according to the AWA website. The goal is to contact as many other 1929 stations as possible. You do not need to be an AWA member to participate. Bruce Kelley, W2ICE, who championed the contest in its seminal years, was an AWA co-founder.
“Since early designed gear is used, it is a wonderful blend of whooping, chirping, buzzing, clicking, drifting, swishing, swaying, warbling, and other interesting signals,” the AWA website reads. “This is what ham radio sounded like in 1929, and it’s 1929 again on the ham bands!”
Also check out the Homebrew and Oldtime Equipment Party (November 20, 1300Z to 1500Z on 40M and 1500Z to 1700Z on 80M).
- ARRL’s EME—50 to 1296 MHz: November 12, 0000Z to November 13, 2359Z. Work as many amateur stations as possible via the earth-moon-earth path on any authorized amateur frequency above 50 MHz.
- 10-10 International Fall Contest, Digital: November 12, 0001Z to November 13, 2359Z. This QSO party is open to new and prospective members of Ten-Ten International Net, Inc., which was formed in 1962 as the Ten-Ten Net of Southern California to promote activity and good operating practices on the 10 meter band. Over the years the group has expanded internationally, with more than 75,000 10-10 numbers issued worldwide. Here is a list of affiliated chapters.
- 4 States QRP Group Second Sunday Sprint: November 14, 0100Z to 0300Z. This two-hour SSB/CW event runs the second Sunday of every month. Participation is limited to 4SQRP members, but QSOs with non-members count for one point as long as they are also running QRP power. The 4 States QRP Group (Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, and Kansas) is devoted to low power amateur radio building and operation. Visit their website for many more details.
- ARRL November Sweepstakes, SSB: November 19, 2100Z to November 21, 0259Z. See November Sweepstakes, CW, above.
- CQ Worldwide DX Contest, CW: November 26, 0000Z to November 27, 2359Z. The CW and SSB (held in October) CQ WW is the largest amateur radio competition in the world, boasting 35,000 participants attempting to make as many contacts with as many different DXCC entities and CQ Zones as possible.
