ARRL 160-Meter Contest
| ARRL 160-Meter Contest | |
|---|---|
| Sponsor | ARRL |
| When | First full weekend of December |
| Contest period | 2200 UTC Friday to 1559 UTC Sunday (42 hours) |
| Next running | December 4–6, 2026 |
| Rules in brief (2026) | |
| Band and mode | 160 meters, CW only |
| Who works whom | W/VE work everyone; DX work W/VE only |
| Exchange | W/VE: signal report and ARRL/RAC section; DX: signal report (maritime mobile adds ITU region) |
| Points | 2 per W/VE-to-W/VE contact, 5 per contact with DX |
| Entries | |
| Categories | Single operator, single operator unlimited, multioperator single transmitter |
| Logs | Cabrillo, uploaded online, within 7 days |
The ARRL 160-Meter Contest is a weekend CW contest on the 160-meter band, sponsored by the ARRL on the first full weekend of each December. Its stated aim is for amateurs worldwide to work stations in the United States and Canada, known in contest rules as W/VE.[1] It is a major event of the winter low-band season, when long nights favor the band. The ARRL's online results archive goes back to 1970.[2] This article follows the ARRL's rules as of the 2026 contest; the ARRL reviews its rules yearly, so check the current rules before taking part.
When and who works whom
The contest runs for 42 hours, from 2200 UTC Friday to 1559 UTC Sunday, and there is no limit on operating time in any category.[3] The 2026 running is December 4 to 6.[4]
Stations in the US and Canada may work any station, while DX stations (everyone else) may work only W/VE stations; DX-to-DX contacts earn no credit.[3] Alaska, Hawaii and the US possessions in the Caribbean and Pacific count as W/VE stations and as ARRL sections, so they may work everyone.[3] The rules no longer reserve 1830 to 1835 kHz for W/VE-to-DX contacts.[3] Because many countries allow only part of the band, some DX stations transmit on a frequency that North American stations cannot use and listen for replies on another.
Exchange and scoring
US and Canadian stations send a signal report and their ARRL or RAC section, and DX stations send a signal report. Maritime mobile stations, and aeronautical mobile ones outside the US and Canada, add their ITU region (1–3).[3] Stations in Canada's three northern territories send TER as their section.[1]
Each contact between two W/VE stations is worth 2 points, and each contact with a DX station 5 points.[3] US and Canadian stations count as multipliers the ARRL and RAC sections and the DXCC entities they work; DX stations count sections only.[3] There are 85 sections, the same list used for multipliers in Sweepstakes and sent in the Field Day exchange.[1] The score is total points times total multipliers. A miscopied call or a contact missing from the other station's log costs a penalty as well as its points.[3]
Entry categories
The rules offer three categories, each limited to one transmitted signal at a time:[3]
- Single operator, without spotting help, at QRP (5 watts or less), low power (up to 100 watts) or high power;
- Single operator unlimited, which may use spotting networks, at the same three power levels;
- Multioperator, single transmitter, at low or high power.
High power means up to 1,500 watts or the national limit, whichever is less.[3] Single operators may also enter a Limited Antennas overlay, which restricts them to a single-element antenna, such as a single vertical or end-fed wire, or a single dipole no more than 50 feet (15 m) above ground at its highest point.[3] Certificates go to the top single operators in each section and DXCC entity and to the top multioperator stations in each ARRL division and continent.[1]
Log submission
Logs are due within seven days after the contest ends.[1] Electronic logs must be in the Cabrillo format, which most logging software produces, and are uploaded through the ARRL's web app, which issues a numbered receipt.[1][5] The ARRL's pages disagree about paper logs. The contest page says that from September 30, 2026, only online submissions are accepted for all ARRL and IARU HF contests, so paper logs must first be typed into a Cabrillo file;[1] the rules document and the general log-submission page still describe mailing paper logs to the ARRL.[3][5] Anyone who cannot submit online should check with the ARRL.
Operating notes
160 meters is a night-time band: daytime absorption limits it to short ranges, and long-distance paths open after dark, often best around sunset and sunrise. A typical plan is to work US and Canadian stations in the evening and watch for DX later, when darkness covers both ends of the path.
Hearing is the hard part. Atmospheric and local noise on the band is high, and the tall verticals used for transmitting pick up much of it. Serious stations therefore use separate directional receiving antennas, the best known being the Beverage antenna, a long, low wire terminated at the far end. Its length gives it directivity, favoring signals from one direction over noise from others; one well-known builder keeps his 160-meter Beverages to about 800 feet.[6] Smaller receiving loops suit stations without that much room.
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 ARRL 160 Meter Contest, ARRL.
- ↑ 160 Meter Contest Results, ARRL Contest Portal.
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 ARRL 160-Meter Contest Rules, ARRL.
- ↑ Contest Calendar, ARRL.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Log Submission, ARRL.
- ↑ Beverage Antenna Construction, W8JI.
External links
- ARRL 160 Meter Contest, ARRL
- ARRL 160-Meter Contest rules (PDF), ARRL
- ARRL contest log submission, ARRL