CQ WW Contest Dates
SSB: October 26-27, 2013
CW: November 23-24, 2013

Starts: 0000 UTC Saturday Ends: 2359 UTC Sunday

The last weekend in October marks the annual CQ World Wide SSB Contest. The CQWW is a contest for first time participants and also for seasoned fantastical contesters. You will have the opportunity to work countries you have never heard on the air previously. Better still, it’s very easy to do. The minimum you will need is a 100W radio and a wire antenna for any band.

The exchange numbers are very simple. The planet is divided up in 40 Zones. We, in ZL are Zone 32. The number you will be given is 59 (Signal report) and a zone number from 1 to 40. You will always give out 59 32. And the stations you work will be delighted to work you as ZL is still fairly rare. You don’t even need logging software. All you need to do is keep track of the date, Time, Band, Mode, Callsign and Zone. You don’t even have to send in an entry. It is possible to work 100 countries in the weekend and many do. And you will hear them. There will be over 10,000 stations on world wide

So have a go guys! The 2013 CQWW starts Sat 26th October 1PM local (0000 UTC) on Saturday and runs through until Monday 28th at 1PM Monday (0000 UTC) for a total of 48 hours. The best time to listen is mornings on 10M, mornings and afternoons on 15M, afternoons and evenings on 20M and after 6PM local on 40 and 80M

Go ahead, set yourself a goal of 20 or 50 or 100 countries or more. It sure beats listening to a repeater going kerchunck kerchunck!

If I can help… just ask.

73, Lee ZL2AL