Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio

Dan Craig N6MJ is one of world's top contesters—and now the new contest manager for the North American QSO Party SSB contest. It’s a fitting assignment: NAQP was the first major contest Dan ever won, back in 1997 when he was just 16 years old, operating from his dad’s house and discovering that maybe you didn’t need the biggest station to compete with the best. Dan explains what goes on behind the scenes of running NAQP and why its simplicity matters. The exchange is just a name and state, single operators get 10 hours out of the 12-hour contest window, and the format gives newcomers a remarkably accessible way into serious contesting. For operators chasing a score, Dan gets specific: check 10 meters immediately, don’t neglect the difficult summer bands, and make enough time for 80 and 160 to hunt multipliers that can separate a good score from a winning one. But Dan’s most interesting strategy has nothing to do with winning this year. He'll deliberately stays on bands later than conventional wisdom dictates so he can find casual operators and newcomers. Sometimes, when he hears an especially enthusiastic new call, he’ll even email afterward with encouragement. Now he wants to build a stronger bridge between NAQP and Parks on the Air—and says the contest team has even discussed the possibility of a future POTA category. Join the conversation and subscribe to Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio. Thanks to DX Engineering for supporting Q5 and the operators who keep amateur radio moving forward. From POTA activators discovering contesting to DXers and competitors chasing the next multiplier, DX Engineering continues to invest in the people who get on the air.

Finishing near the top at WRTC takes far more than fast operating. It demands preparation, teamwork, logistics, and thousands of decisions made under pressure.
Connor Black W4IPC and Kees Van Oosbree W0AAE join me after their outstanding performance at WRTC 2026, where they captured the Youth Championship and finished 17th overall, outperforming many veteran world-class contest teams.
We discuss how they qualified, why they set a modest Top 25 goal, and what surprised them most once competition began. They explain how careful preparation, generous support from experienced contester Tim Shoppa N3QE, donated gear from OM Power, and extensive equipment planning allowed their station to work flawlessly from the moment it was assembled.
The conversation also covers the strategy decisions that mattered most, including missing part of the 10-meter opening, choosing to stay on the high bands later than expected, balancing CW versus SSB, and even losing a valuable run when their competition tent nearly blew away during the contest.
Beyond the operating, Connor and Kees share what it was like competing alongside many of the biggest names in contesting, meeting fellow youth teams from around the world, and reflecting on what they'd change if they could do it again.
Our thanks to DX Engineering for supporting Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio and helping operators everywhere, from contest stations and DXpeditions to Parks on the Air activations and home stations, build, improve, and enjoy amateur radio.
Thanks for watching and being part of the Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio community. We'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

WRTC may be over, but for serious contesters, the work that determines the next season is already underway.
I'm joined by Randy Thompson K5ZD, Chris Hurlbut KL9A, and Bill Fehring W9KKN for another Q5 Contest Crew roundtable, starting with the still-unresolved WRTC results and moving quickly into a remarkable August NAQP CW. Randy worked roughly 650 stations in only four and a half hours, while the crew looks at huge rates from 8P5A, KP2M, and young Q5 regular W0AAE operating from Iowa.
But the larger story is what happens when the contest ends. Chris is planning more towers and switching work, Randy is digging the base for a third tower, and both make the same point: summer is when serious stations get built, tested, broken, and fixed. Waiting until contest season means waiting too long.
Bill also reveals a particularly interesting post-WRTC project: a wideband recording of the event that he can search by time and frequency—and even search through decoded CW. The crew also looks ahead to CQ Worldwide operations from ZF and V4, youth mentoring in the Caribbean, and the station work that has to happen before fall.
For contesters, builders, and operators planning their next station improvement, this is a useful look at the work that happens long before the first CQ of a major contest.
Join the conversation and subscribe to Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio.
Thanks to DX Engineering for supporting Q5 and the operators who keep building, testing, and improving their stations between contests. Their support reaches across the amateur radio community—from contesters and DXers to POTA operators and builders putting the next idea on the air.

What does the future of amateur radio actually look like? At YOTA Summer Camp 2026 in Austria, it's already on the air. Florian "Flo" Zwingl OE3FTA and Emir "Braco" Memic E77DX take us behind the scenes of one of the largest international youth amateur radio events in the world. Nearly 100 young operators from more than 35 countries have gathered for a week of building, operating, experimenting, and learning from some of the hobby's most experienced mentors. This isn't a summer camp built around lectures. Every participant builds their own QMX+ HF station, constructs an HF antenna, learns operating skills, explores contesting, satellite communications, portable operating, and even experiments with propagation from inside an ice cave. Behind it all is an impressive seven-station HF contest-grade setup designed to let every participant get on the air. Flo explains how the camp welcomes everyone from shortwave listeners to accomplished contesters, while Braco shares why curiosity, technical challenges, and hands-on operating keep young people engaged year after year. Their message is simple: the next generation of amateur radio isn't waiting—it's already building stations, climbing summits, making contacts, and bringing new ideas to the hobby. If you've ever wondered whether young people are finding amateur radio, this episode offers a compelling answer. Join the conversation and subscribe to Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio.

Parks on the Air has grown into one of amateur radio's biggest success stories. So what's next? Thom Martin W8TAM, co-founder of Parks on the Air and a current member of the POTA Board of Directors, joins me for a candid conversation about the organization's next chapter. We discuss POTA's remarkable growth to nearly 90,000 participants, the unique challenges of running a global volunteer organization, and the work happening behind the scenes to prepare POTA for the future. Thom also shares the story of how recent advances in AI helped overcome years of software development challenges, putting a public beta of the next-generation POTA platform within reach. We also tackle several topics that generate frequent discussion within the community, including park boundaries, N-Fers, Pass the Mic, volunteer leadership, and why maintaining a simple, consistent set of rules is essential as Parks on the Air continues to expand around the world. Whether you're a new activator, a seasoned hunter, or simply curious about where POTA is headed, this episode offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at the people, technology, and decisions shaping its future. Join the conversation and subscribe to Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio. Special thanks to DX Engineering for supporting Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio and the amateur radio community. Their continued support helps DXers, contesters, Parks on the Air activators, builders, and operators around the world get on the air with confidence. Welcome to the Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio community. Thanks for watching, and 73!

What separates a podium finish from the rest of the field at WRTC? Success is always grounded in raw operating skill, but it's also built on hundreds of small decisions made before and during the contest. Manfred Wolf DJ5MW and Uli Ann DM5EE joined me after earning second place at WRTC 2026 in Wyboston. England to explain exactly how they prepared and adapted through one of the most competitive World Radiosport Team Championship events ever held. We discuss how the new partnership came together after qualification, why they relied on proven equipment (courtesy of DL1IAO), how they analyzed historical logs and propagation forecasts, and why one of their most important decisions was keeping the beam on Europe longer than many competitors expected. The conversation also covers their remarkable sustained run rates, the impact of exceptional Sporadic-E conditions, operating through software interruptions and deliberate interference (DQRM), and the mindset required when you have no idea where you actually stand until the contest is over. Despite spending much of the weekend near the top of the public leaderboard, both operators describe why they remained focused on execution rather than results. If you've been following our WRTC 2026 coverage—including the event previews, behind-the-scenes reports from Wyboston, Contest Crew discussions, and post-event analysis—this episode provides one of the clearest looks yet at how a world-class team thinks its way through a 24-hour championship. Join the conversation and subscribe to Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio.

The scores are final, but the real lessons from WRTC 2026 are only beginning. I'm joined by Emir "Braco" Memic E77DX, Sven Lovric DJ4MX, Kris Kass ES7A, Dave Kucelin 9A1UN, Filipe Lopes CT1ILT, and Mike Larsmark SJ2W just days after WRTC 2026 to break down one of the closest and most competitive World Radiosport Team Championships yet. Braco and Sven reflect on their third-place podium finish, Filipe explains how preparation time, station setup, and operating decisions affected performance, and the group discusses everything from antenna tuning and station logistics to rate management, self-spotting, WRL score reporting, and the surprisingly cold overnight operating conditions. Along the way, they share stories about a police stop on the way to the site, equipment failures, generator issues, and what every team wishes they had known before the contest began. The conversation also explores one of the biggest takeaways from WRTC 2026: constant frequency movement and adapting strategy in real time. Combined with Filipe's post-contest statistical analysis and the release of the public logs, this episode offers valuable insight for contesters preparing for future WRTCs—and anyone looking to improve their operating skills. Join the conversation and subscribe to Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio. Special thanks to DX Engineering for supporting Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio and helping contesters, DXers, Parks on the Air operators, builders, and amateur radio operators around the world stay on the air with the equipment and expertise they depend on.

What really separates the winners from everyone else at the World Radiosport Team Championship? One week after WRTC 2026, Contest Crew North America sits down for an honest look at the contest, the strategy, and the moments that made the difference. I'm joined by Chris Hurlbut KL9A, Dan Craig N6MJ, Randy Thompson K5ZD, and Bill Fehring W9KKN as they break down their experiences competing in England at WRTC 2026. Rather than simply reliving the weekend, they dive into the log analysis that followed. Why did some teams dominate the opening hours? What strategic decisions looked right during the contest but proved wrong afterward? How much did station location, multiplier hunting, and band changes really matter? The conversation also explores life behind the scenes at WRTC, operating under identical station conditions, the remarkable volunteer effort that made the event possible, and why the competition continues to push even the world's best contest operators to improve. Whether you're preparing for your next contest or simply want to understand how elite operators think under pressure, this discussion offers a rare look inside one of amateur radio's most demanding competitions. Join the conversation and subscribe to Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio. Special thanks to DX Engineering for supporting Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio and helping operators around the world—from contest stations and DXpeditions to builders and Parks on the Air activators—get more from every day on the air.

The Cincinnati Hamfest has become much more than a flea market—it's a gathering built around learning, friendships, and the future of amateur radio. Ron Brooks, AC8MA joins Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio to preview the 2026 Cincinnati Hamfest, which also serves as this year's ARRL Great Lakes Division Convention. From major exhibitors and technical forums to VE testing, RV camping, and club recognition, Ron explains why this regional event continues to attract operators from across the Midwest and beyond. This year's program includes appearances from Ten-Tec and AlphaRF, demonstrations of the Phoenix SDR, presentations on DXing, fox hunting, and an ARRL update, plus on-site support from QRZ. Ron also shares how the Milford Amateur Radio Club uses the hamfest to strengthen the amateur radio community—not simply as a fundraiser, but as a place where operators reconnect, meet new friends, and encourage newcomers to earn their first license. One particularly interesting development is the club's ARDC-supported repeater project, which will create what Ron expects to be the highest-profile Wires-X system in southwest Ohio. It's another example of how today's hamfests continue to support tomorrow's infrastructure while preserving the traditions that make amateur radio unique. Whether you're planning to attend, looking for technical presentations, or simply enjoy seeing how successful regional hamfests are evolving, this episode offers a behind-the-scenes look at one of the Midwest's signature amateur radio gatherings. Join the conversation and subscribe to Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio. Special thanks to DX Engineering for supporting Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio and helping operators everywhere—from DXers and contesters to builders, POTA activators, and everyday hams—get more from the hobby.

The world's best contesters are almost on the air, and this is what the final days before WRTC really look like. Just days before WRTC 2026 begins, I'm joined by Randy Thompson K5ZD, Dan Craig N6MJ, Chris Hurlbut KL9A, Bill Fehring W9KKN, and special guest Tim Duffy K3LR for one last conversation before everyone heads to the UK. From last-minute radio problems and travel logistics to strategy, pit crews, youth teams, and the new live scoreboard by the World Radio League, this episode captures the anticipation that only comes before the biggest event in contesting. Chris and Dan discuss preparing for what could be their final WRTC together, Randy shares the realities of sorting through contest equipment just days before departure, and Tim offers perspective from his European tour, Friedrichshafen, and meetings with many of the operators who will soon be on the air. We also talk about the expanded WRTC media coverage, the stories worth following beyond the leaderboard, and why every amateur radio operator can become part of the event simply by getting on the air and making contacts. From experienced veterans to the next generation of youth competitors, WRTC 2026 promises compelling stories both on and off the bands. If you enjoyed our earlier WRTC conversations, this episode sets the stage for everything that follows as contest weekend begins. Join the conversation and subscribe to Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio. Thanks to DX Engineering for supporting Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio and helping bring coverage of the people, stations, and events that inspire contesters, DXers, Parks on the Air operators, and builders across the amateur radio community.