Has Ham Radio Lost Its Soul? VK9DX Has Thoughts

Contest Crew Debriefs CQ WPX CW

The Contest Crew is back following the recent CQ WPX CW weekend, with a look inside their individual efforts, a glimpse at the inevitable Murphy moments, and their usual humorous take on the world of serious contesting. Dan Craig N6MJ, Randy Thompson K5ZD, Chris Hurlbut KL9A, and Bill Fehring W9KKN break down a contest that began with record-level expectations but quickly turned into a battle against inconsistent conditions and tough copy. Dan WU2X (N6MJ) chased a top U.S. score in Single Operator All Band High Power from Tariq's well-respected N2QV station in New York, operating remotely from California while overcoming last-minute station issues and capitalizing on a crucial Sunday morning opening to Japan that ultimately helped separate him from the competition. From Montana, Chris shares stories of generator problems, a Spiderbeam that didn't survive the weekend, and a contest spent tracking rivals across the online scoreboard while watching world-record pace unfold from CR3DX on Madeira. Spoiler alert: Chris's world record from CQ9A in 2025 survived the challenge. Randy reflects on the realities of operating from Ohio, the challenge of copying serial numbers through heavy QSB, and how months of station automation work finally paid off. Bill offers a different perspective, using the weekend to evaluate remote operating and station performance from ZF1A after an exhausting contest season. The conversation also explores station maturity, low-band strategy, beverage receiving antennas, and the operating habits that separate good operators from great ones. It's a reminder that most contest wins are built long before the starting bell—through planning, experimentation, and countless hours spent improving the station. Join the conversation and subscribe to Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio. DX Engineering helps make weekends like CQ WPX possible by supporting contesters, DXers, Parks on the Air operators, and station builders across the amateur radio community. Their commitment to providing equipment, expertise, and support continues to strengthen amateur radio operators around the world.

Inside the CQ WPX Log Checking Process with the Q5 Contest Crew

I’m joined by Randy Thompson K5ZD, Chris Hurlbut KL9A, and Bill Fehring W9KKN for a Contest Crew conversation that starts with one of the most humbling experiences in amateur radio: opening your CQ WPX log checking report. Note: this episode was recorded before Dayton Hamvention 2026, and another brand-new Contest Crew episode—recorded after Dayton—drops tomorrow. Randy breaks down what contesters should actually look for in a log checking report, why a tiny error rate can still trigger big score reductions, and how busted calls, bad serial numbers, and “not in log” penalties pile up faster than most operators realize. Kevin shares his own WPX results, while Bill explains major upgrades to the Super Check Partial database—including smarter validation, faster updates, and new metadata that could reshape how logging software assists operators in real time. The discussion quickly turns philosophical: at what point does contesting stop measuring operators and start measuring technology? From there, the conversation sprawls in the best possible way. Chris and Randy compare WRTC station prep, airline-packing strategies, networking headaches, referee audio setups, and the challenge of building world-class two-radio stations out of gear that has to fit into a suitcase. Bill compares contesting to Formula One racing. Dayton plans get debated. WRTC stories start flowing. There’s trash talk, skepticism about modern contest tools, and plenty of laughs about giant contesting egos trapped together in conference rooms before radio’s equivalent of the Olympics begins. The episode also offers one of the clearest explanations yet of what WRTC actually feels like from the inside: the pressure, the exhaustion, the randomness, and the reality that four years of preparation can be destroyed by one bad band change or one unlucky station draw. But beneath all the technical detail and banter is the reason Contest Crew conversations work so well: these are operators who genuinely love the craft, still obsess over getting better, and still find ways to laugh at themselves while chasing perfection. This episode is sponsored by DX Engineering, supporting amateur radio operators worldwide with the equipment, technical expertise, and station solutions that keep contesters, DXers, and everyday hams on the air. Whether you're building a serious contest station, activating a park, or chasing rare DX, DX Engineering continues to be one of the hobby’s biggest champions. Join the conversation and subscribe to Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio.

Parks on the Air Skills: Contest with K1RX (Episode 7 of 7)

Mark Pride K1RX is a seasoned contester who sees Parks on the Air and contesting as two sides of the same coin, sharing skills, instincts, and a natural path between them. In this final episode of the contesting fundamentals series, Mark makes the case that many POTA operators are already doing contesting in all but name. They manage pileups, operate under real-world constraints, and make fast decisions with limited resources. The difference is not skill, but setting. POTA tends to be more casual and time-limited, while contesting stretches those same abilities across longer durations and more structured competition. The shift often comes when operators take those same skills into a different environment. At a home station or in a multi-operator setup, limitations fall away and performance scales rapidly. What once meant working a few dozen stations from a noisy park can turn into handling hundreds or thousands of contacts. Mark points to this as the fastest way to grow, especially when learning alongside experienced contesters with stronger stations and better antennas. Still, the pull of the field remains strong. Mark shares a story of a rare-county activation where preparation made all the difference. Arriving early, setting up more capable antennas, managing generator noise, and even running a modest 500 watt amplifier transformed a park operation into a serious contest effort. It was not about beating big stations, but about maximizing what the environment allowed and having fun doing it. Looking ahead, there is room for evolution. With tens of thousands of active POTA operators and rapid growth worldwide, Mark suggests contest sponsors could explore new categories that reflect portable and lower power realities. Until then, operators crossing over should expect tough competition, but also recognize they are bringing fully developed skills with them. Join the conversation and subscribe to Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio. DX Engineering continues to support operators across every style of operating, from park activations to high performance contest stations. Their commitment helps hams refine their setups, improve their signals, and get more out of every contact.

W1DED on Leadership and POTA’s Future: Interview by N8JRD

Kevin Thomas W1DED is one of the newest board members guiding Parks on the Air through its next chapter — but his connection to ham radio stretches back nearly 50 years. Licensed as a teenager in 1977, Kevin grew up around Heathkit gear built by his father, WA1YOA, before life, career, and raising three children pulled him away from the hobby for decades. Yet even after his license lapsed, he carried the radios, logbooks, and QSL cards with him through every move, convinced he would someday return. That return finally came in 2022. After earning his Extra Class license, Kevin discovered Parks on the Air and immediately connected with the simplicity and accessibility of portable operating. Living on a small island community in Maine without room for towers, POTA offered exactly what he was looking for: grab a radio, head to a park, and get on the air. What began as casual activations soon expanded into contesting, DXpedition-style operations in the Caribbean, interviews with some of amateur radio’s top operators on Q5, and eventually a seat on the POTA board itself. After spending weeks interviewing fellow board members, Kevin realized interviewing himself would be awkward at best — so he invited Jim Davis N8JRD from the Everyday Ham podcast to turn the tables. The result is a more personal and reflective conversation about leadership, growth, and the philosophy behind one of amateur radio’s fastest-growing programs. One of the strongest themes throughout the discussion is Kevin’s belief that the board’s best work should largely go unnoticed by the average activator or hunter. Parks on the Air succeeds, he argues, because it feels simple, welcoming, and dependable. The board’s responsibility is not to radically change that experience, but to quietly strengthen the infrastructure underneath it: modernizing systems, improving volunteer support, scaling databases and log processing, tightening governance, and preparing the organization for millions more QSOs and tens of thousands of additional parks worldwide. Kevin also discusses the remarkable volunteer culture behind POTA and the challenge of sustaining a fully volunteer-run organization experiencing explosive international growth. From upgraded mapping and improved awards systems to what many are informally calling “POTA 3.0,” much of the work happening behind the scenes is intentionally invisible — the kind of operational stability users only notice when it’s missing. And woven through all of it is a familiar truth for many radio operators: ham radio never entirely leaves you. Even after a 40-year absence, Kevin says he always kept his Kenwood TS-830 nearby, waiting for the right moment to get back on the air. Join the conversation and subscribe to Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio. Special thanks to DX Engineering for continuing to support amateur radio operators around the world. Whether it’s Parks on the Air activators setting up in the field, contesters chasing multipliers through the night, or DXers reaching across oceans, DX Engineering helps keep the equipment, knowledge, and enthusiasm flowing throughout the hobby.

Has Ham Radio Lost Its Soul? VK9DX Has Thoughts

Nick Hacko VK9DX is one of ham radio’s most colorful voices, an elite contester, watchmaker, refugee-turned-builder, and unapologetically opinionated character who somehow manages to be equal parts philosopher and entertainer. Broadcasting from Norfolk Island, a tiny speck in the South Pacific with a population of just 2,000, Nick joins me for a conversation that ranges from Cold War-era Yugoslavia to CQ WW strategy, remote island station building, and why contesting still matters in an increasingly automated world. Nick traces his ham radio roots back to the golden age of Yugoslav contesting, where domestic 80-meter battles were treated with the intensity of world championships. After fleeing the Balkan conflict in the early 1990s, he chose Australia over Canada for one simple reason: ham radio. Decades later, during the COVID lockdowns, he bought property on Norfolk Island sight unseen and moved there with little more than an IC-7300 and a wire antenna. What followed was a one-man effort to build a serious contest station under extreme logistical constraints, shipping delays, antenna height limits, and near-total self-sufficiency. But what makes Nick fascinating isn’t just the contest results. It’s the way he talks about radio. Contest weekends aren’t “all-you-can-eat buffets,” he says. They’re birthday parties with friends. He pushes back on hyper-optimized contesting culture, argues for more recognition of station builders, and makes the case that amateur radio’s future depends on keeping the hobby human, welcoming, and fun for operators at every level. One moment he’s discussing phased vertical arrays and propagation windows across the Pacific; the next he’s joking about hiding from his wife during SSB contests or revealing his CB radio alter ego. This was one of the most enjoyable and unexpectedly thoughtful conversations I’ve had about contesting culture, island life, and the personalities that make ham radio so compelling. Join the conversation and subscribe to Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio. Special thanks to DX Engineering for supporting operators everywhere, from serious contesters and DXpeditioners to everyday hams chasing signals from parks, islands, and backyard shacks around the world. Their continued support helps keep the spirit of experimentation and adventure in amateur radio alive.