Upcoming Contests!

One more Q!


There are many great contests throughout the year! This list is a tiny subset, but these are some of the more significant upcoming contests that our membership gravitates towards participating in. Definitely plan on operating the bold, first tier contests as part of our Northeast Maryland Amateur Radio Contest Society team! The bold italic are the best of the best!


DateContestModeClub Competition EligibleRanking*
2026202620262026
Oct 19, 2026School Club RUMixedThird Tier
Oct 24, 2026CQ Worldwide DX SSBSSBYes!First Tier!
Nov 7, 2026ARRL Sweepstakes CWCWYes!First Tier
Nov 14, 2026Worked All Europe RTTYRTTYThird Tier
Nov 21, 2026ARRL Sweepstakes SSBSSBYes!First Tier
Nov 28, 2026CQ Worldwide DX CWCWYes!First Tier!
Dec 4, 2026ARRL 160-Meter CWCWYes!First Tier
Dec 5, 2026FT Roundup ContestFT 4/8Third Tier
Dec 12, 2026ARRL 10-Meter ContestMixedYes!First Tier
Dec 19, 2026RAC Winter ContestMixedThird Tier
Dec 20, 2026ARRL Rookie RoundupCWThird Tier
Dec 26, 2026Stew Perry Topband ChallengeCWThird Tier
2027202720272027
Jan 2, 2027ARRL RTTY RoundupRTTYYes!First Tier
Jan 9, 2027North American QSO PartyCW5 SO stations maxSecond Tier*
Jan 16, 2027ARRL January VHFMixedYes!Second Tier
Jan 16, 2027North American QSO PartySSB5 SO stations maxSecond Tier*
Jan 23, 2027Winter Field DayMixedFirst Tier
Jan 29, 2027CQ WW 160-Meter CWCWYes!Second Tier
Feb 6, 2027EU-DXMixedSecond Tier
Feb 8, 2027School Club RUMixedThird Tier
Feb 13, 2027CQ WPX RTTYRTTYYes!First Tier
Feb 20, 2027ARRL DX CWCWYes!First Tier!
Feb 26, 2027CQ WW 160-Meter SSBSSBYes!Second Tier
Feb 27, 2027North American QSO PartyRTTY5 SO stations maxSecond Tier
Mar 6, 2027ARRL DX SSBSSBYes!First Tier!
Mar 13, 2027Stew Perry Topband ChallengeCWThird Tier
Mar 27, 2027CQ WPX SSBSSBYes!First Tier
Apr 18, 2027ARRL Rookie RoundupSSBThird Tier
May 29, 2027CQ WPX CWCWYes!First Tier
Jun 5, 2027ARRL Int Digital DXDIGSecond Tier
Jun 12, 2027ARRL June VHFMixedYes!Second Tier*
Jun 19, 2027Stew Perry Topband ChallengeCWThird Tier
Jun 26, 2027ARRL Field DayMixedFirst Tier
Jul 3, 2027CQ WW VHF SSB/CWSSB/CWYes!Second Tier
Jul 10, 2027IARU HF World ChampionshipMixedSecond Tier*
Jul 17, 2027North American QSO PartyRTTY5 SO stations maxSecond Tier
Jul 24, 2027RSGB IOTAMixedThird Tier
Aug 7, 2027North American QSO PartyCW5 SO stations maxSecond Tier*
Aug 14, 2027Worked All Europe CWCWThird Tier
Aug 21, 2027North American QSO PartySSB5 SO stations maxSecond Tier*
Aug 22, 2027ARRL Rookie RoundupRTTYThird Tier
Aug 28, 2027World Wide Digi DX ContestFT 4/8 Third Tier
Sep 11, 2027Worked All Europe SSBSSBThird Tier
Sep 11, 2027ARRL September VHFMixedYes!Second Tier
Sep 25, 2027CQ Worldwide DX RTTYRTTYYes!First Tier
Oct 9, 2027PA QSO PartyMixedThird Tier
Oct 18, 2027School Club RUMixedThird Tier
Oct 23, 2027Stew Perry Topband ChallengeCWThird Tier
Oct 30, 2027CQ Worldwide DX SSBSSBYes!First Tier!
Nov 6, 2027ARRL Sweepstakes CWCWYes!First Tier
Nov 13, 2027Worked All Europe RTTYRTTYThird Tier
Nov 20, 2027ARRL Sweepstakes SSBSSBYes!First Tier
Nov 27, 2027CQ Worldwide DX CWCWYes!First Tier!
Dec 3, 2027ARRL 160-Meter CWCWYes!First Tier
Dec 4, 2027FT Roundup ContestFT 4/8Third Tier
Dec 11, 2027ARRL 10-Meter ContestMixedYes!First Tier
Dec 18, 2027RAC Winter ContestMixedThird Tier
Dec 18, 2027Stew Perry Topband ChallengeCWThird Tier
Dec 19, 2027ARRL Rookie RoundupCWThird Tier

First Tier Contests - Definitely Plan on These!

The contests in the first tier are all BIG and with the exception of the two Field Day events, contest club eligible. CQ World Wide DX, ARRL DX, CQ WPX and ARRL Field Day are the biggest of them all. It would be great to see our Northeast Maryland Amateur Radio Contest Society put in a good, solid showing in all of the Tier 1 contests!


Second Tier Contests - These are Good Too!

These are also good contests that are all club contest eligible. The Second Tier* are particularly close to First Tier. The North American QSO Party (NAQP) contests are fun because all categories are limited to 100 watts and you can run multi-two with friends at one location if you like. We almost put the NAQP contests in the first tier, but we didn't want to make the first tier list too long. We will compete as a club in these contests on case by case basis too if there is enough interest.

The IARU HF World Championship could also easily be in the First Tier category. Falling in summer, it doesn't have quite the participation as the biggest tests, but it is close and could go either way.

These contests are in the second tier, either because they are on 160M only, VHF only or don't quite have the same level of participation as the first tier.


Third Tier Contests - More Fun!

These aren't club contest eligible, but you'll likely want to participate if you can! Maryland and PA QSO party contests are bold because club competition or not, we sure don't want to miss those!

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