RSGB HF Contests: what's new for 2025?

| November 29, 2024

We have made some changes to our HF contests for 2025, outlined here.

The details are available in our published rules; see the web link at the bottom of the article.

FT4 Series

The number of sessions in this popular series will be increased to 12 (one per month), with the best nine results contributing to each entrant’s final score for the year. With five bands available and lots of activity, each event will be extended to two hours, from 8pm to 10pm. The first session is on Monday, 20 January 2025.

1.8MHz Contests

The two 1.8MHz contests (February and November) will be shortened to three hours each, running from 8pm until 11pm. The option of making QSOs using SSB will be introduced to the February event as this coincides with a Dutch contest that includes SSB.

Commonwealth Contest

Following a wide-ranging review and consultation after the event in March 2024, the following changes are being made:

  • The governance of the contest will be shared between a number of Commonwealth National Radio Societies, promoting the celebration of the Commonwealth that is at the heart of the event
  • Participants will be encouraged to use “CC” rather than “BERU” when calling
  • Scoring will be changed so that ten QSO points are awarded for QSOs with other continents and five QSO points for those with the same continent.
  • Entry sections will be High Power (maximum licensed power), Low Power (100W) and QRP (5W) sections, with no aerial restrictions.
  • The UK & Crown Dependencies will be split into seven Commonwealth Call Areas to provide additional bonus points for stations outside the UK, in order to encourage inter-continental QSOs
  • Awards will be reallocated and expanded to encourage participation – details will be published later

Self-spotting

Self-spotting will be permitted on a trial basis in 2025, for both assisted and unassisted entrants in all RSGB HF Contests and using all modes. Some advice will be made available on how self-spotting can be achieved.

Field Day registration

A facility for optional registration will be provided for Field Days and for the International Low Power Contest, so that entrants may have some advanced warning as to the teams likely to be taking part.

Please see the full details on the RSGB Contesting website.

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