There’s a lot to do on the air in September, 2024!
It’s a great month to sharpen your skills for some of the upcoming major events on the amateur radio calendar. We’ve listed a few highlights below, including the ARRL EME and VHF contests, a premier RTTY event, a couple of excellent park activation opportunities, and a bevy of State QSO Parties that let you operate from your home, as a fixed portable station, or as a “rover” operating from multiple counties in your vehicle.
Here’s a rundown of September’s QSO Parties (note: Tennessee’s party ran prior to this posting):
- Texas: September 21, 1400Z to September 22, 0200Z, and September 22, 1400Z to 2000Z
- Iowa: September 21, 1400Z to September 22, 0200Z
- New Jersey: September 21, 1400Z to September 22, 0159Z
- New Hampshire: September 21, 1600Z to September 22, 0400Z and September 22, 1200Z to 2200Z
- Washington State Salmon Run: September 21, 1600Z to September 22, 0700Z, and September 22, 1600Z to 2400Z (find more details on the Salmon Run official website)
- Maine: September 28, 1200Z to September 29, 1200Z
Read more about State QSO Parties in these excellent OnAllBands articles:
- Ward, N0AX: State QSO Parties—Great HF Practice
- Sean, KX9X: State QSO Parties—Low-Pressure Contesting
You’ll find everything you need at DXEngineering.com to get maximum fun out of State QSO Parties, including transceivers, antennas, CW keys and paddles, and more.
Check Out These Other September 2024 Events:
NRAU (Nordic Radio Amateur Union) 10M Activity Contest: September 5, 1700Z to 1800Z (CW); 1800Z to 1900Z (SSB); 1900Z to 2000Z (FM); and 2000Z to 2100Z (Digital). Here’s a great chance to take advantage of 10M openings compliments of Solar Cycle 25. Looking for gear to maximize your 10M capabilities? Click to read about some of these 10M antenna upgrades available at DXEngineering.com.
Ohio State Parks on the Air: September 7, 1400 UTC to 2200 UTC (10 am to 6 pm Eastern Time). With DX Engineering proudly rooted in the Buckeye State, this annual event is near and dear to our ham radio hearts. Tom, KB8UUZ, DX Engineering technical writer, is a member of the contest committee for this 17th edition of this outdoor operating event that highlights Ohio’s beauty and diversity.
If you’ve never activated a park, here’s an OnAllBands POTA article on what you’ll need for successful portable operations, including these suggested items:
- Yaesu FT-891 HF/50 MHz All Mode Mobile Transceiver
- Heil Proset 3 Headphones
- SOTABeams Band Hopper Portable Dipole Antenna
Also, don’t miss the flora, fauna, frequencies, and fun of Wisconsin Parks on the Air, September 21, 1600Z to 2300Z (11 am to 6 pm local/CDT), sponsored by the Fox Cities Amateur Radio Club, W9ZL.
IARU Region 1 Field Day, SSB: September 7, 1300Z to September 8, 1259Z. This annual event presents an excellent opportunity for clubs to test their low-power portable operating capabilities; experiment with design, construction, and deployment of antennas; and use alternate means of power.
All Asian DX Contest, Phone: September 7, 0000Z to September 8, 2400Z. Sponsored by the Japan Amateur Radio League, this annual event is for both Asian and non-Asian stations making SSB QSOs on 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, and 10 meters.
WAE DX Contest, SSB: September 14, 0000Z to September 15, 2359Z. The German Amateur Radio Club (DARC) invites amateur operators worldwide to participate in this Worked All Europe contest. The RTTY portion of the contest is scheduled for November 9-10. Read complete rules here.
ARRL September VHF Contest: September 14, 1800Z to September 16, 0300Z. Amateurs in the U.S. and Canada will be trying to work stations in as many 2 degree x 1 degree Maidenhead grid squares as possible using authorized frequencies above 50 MHz. Stations outside the U.S. and Canada may only work stations in the U.S. and Canada. All legal modes are permitted, including CW, SSB, FT8, MSK144, FM-Only, PSK31, FSK441, and JT65.
QRP Afield: September 21, 1500Z to 2100Z: Hosted by the QRP Club of New England, this low-power event rewards operators based on power levels and location (e.g., 10 points per contact for QRP operation from a field or mobile location).
ARRL EME Contest: September 21, 0000Z to September 22, 2359Z. The object of this annual event is to work as many amateur stations as possible via the earth-moon-earth path on any authorized amateur frequency above 50 MHz. Effective in 2024, the contest exchange is now a station’s four-digit Maidenhead grid square locator. September 21-22 is designated for 2.3 GHz and up. October 19-20 and November 16-17 are for 50 to 1296 MHz.
ARRL 10 GHz and Up Contest: September 21, 0900Z to September 23, 0759Z. North American amateurs will attempt to contact as many stations in as many different locations as possible in North America on bands from 10 GHz (3-centimeter) through Light. Amateurs are encouraged to operate from more than one location during this event. Contesters may enter in either “10 GHz Only” or “10 GHz and Up” categories.
For those interested in 10 GHz operation, you’ll find the Icom IC-905 VHF/UHF/SHF All Mode Base/Portable Transceiver at DXEngineering.com. The rig boasts operating capability up to 10 GHz with the optional CX-10G Transverter (sold separately).
CQ World Wide DX Contest, RTTY, September 28, 0000Z to September 29, 2359Z. This annual event attracts more than 15,000 RTTY enthusiasts from around the world.
4th Annual Masonic Lodges on the Air, September 28, 1400Z to 2200Z. “The idea for the Masonic Lodges on the Air Contest grew out of the realization that many Freemasons have a love for Amateur Radio,” the event’s official website reads. The idea is to see how many Masonic Lodges you can contact in a day on 80, 40, 20, 15, and 10 meters SSB. You do not need to be a Mason to participate, but organizers ask that you get permission from your local lodge to contest from their property.
AWA Amplitude Modulation QSO Party: September 28, 2000Z to September 29, 2400Z. Sponsored by the Antique Wireless Association, this event is designed to “promote and encourage the use of amplitude modulation on the amateur radio bands” and to “enjoy the friendly atmosphere and pleasant audio quality of AM communication,” per the AWA website. Participants will try to make contacts using the amplitude modulation mode on 160, 75, 40, 20, and 10 meters. From its website, the vision of the AWA is to “preserve and share the history of technology used to communicate and entertain from the first telegram to today’s wireless text messaging.”
