Contest Software Operating Tips
Introduction
Whether you are just sitting down to make a few contest QSOs or you have a serious effort in mind, fully enjoying all the tools and features that we have built into our software will enhance your performance and fun! With that in mind, I'd like to share how I use our software on contest weekends and hopefully give you some ideas to try in the next one.
First, a little perspective on my use case. I'm by no means a top contester. I still have a lot to learn and opportunities to improve. That said, I made over 1,700 QSOs in CQ World Wide DX SSB and and over 1,500 in CQ World Wide DX CW this 2024 season (thanks largely to the stellar conditions we've been enjoying), so I might have a few insights to offer, especially in how we designed our software to help accomplish that, and have a ton of fun along the way!
We live in a residential neighborhood with a community association, so I don't have a tower, but I do have some high trees in the backyard (hex beam spreaders painted brown blend really well into the trees). In short, my station here in Maryland consists of:
- A fixed hex beam pointed NE for Europe, hanging from a tree limb at just over 30 feet.
- A fixed hex beam pointed S for South America, hanging from a tree limb at just over 30 feet.
- A fan dipole for 20/15/10 oriented to radiate NW / SE for Africa, AK, HI, VK, JA and Caribbean.
- A 40M dipole radiating NE / SW (used primarily for Europe).
- A 40M dipole radiating NW / SE for AK, HI, VK, JA and Caribbean.
- A 160 / 80 fan dipole.
- My typical contest entry is Single Op, High Power, Assisted (assisted in my case is using DX spotting).
For me, putting 25 to 30 hours into a 48 hour contest weekend is a full effort, so I want to make the most of every hour I'm in the chair (which is typically very early morning until dinner time Saturday and Sunday, as I am an early to bed, early to rise guy). With good conditions, for a major DX contest, I usually aim for a 1,000 - 1,500 Q effort.
I should also mention that my contest style is mostly search and pounce. I LOVE running a frequency when I can, but not being a big gun, conditions have to be really good for me to hold a frequency and sustain a run for any length of time in DX contests. On the other hand, with DX spotting, I find search and pounce very easy and sustainable. I can continue with minimal breaks for 13 - 14 hours each day. In the tortoise and hare scenario, I'm definitely the tortoise, but with the advantage of our software tools, a tortoise on steroids and I'm gonna keep coming!
So, with that preface, here's how I'm maximizing my fun and score:
1. Rig Interface
I use rig interface, so that I can click on DX Spots to tune immediately to the spot frequency. Rig interface also takes care of changing bands in the software automatically, so I don't have to remember to. Set up rig interface by clicking Settings > Rig Interface.
2. DX Spotting
I'm in awe of the patience and fortitude that those of you bring, who enjoy exclusively tuning manually, without the aid of DX spotting. For my contesting style, I would be lost without DX Spotting. To enable DX Spotting, click Settings > DX Spotting > Configure.
Our contest software is built to maximize the streaming information that DX spotting provides, to make as many Qs and find as many multipliers (mults) as possible over the course of the contest weekend. Here is how I set my filters for CQ WW DX CW:
Be sure to block contest duplicates, so that you know every spot you see is a new station to work.
Selecting the option to block spots in your country only applies to DX contests, where stations in your country don't count for points. Don't block stations in your country otherwise!
Our software displays spots scrolling at the bottom of the main logging form:
I actually use the scrolling list at the bottom the least. It just lets me know if a new station / multiplier is spotted and what bands are most active. If the multiplier is rare and first spotted, it is more productive for me to wait until the spot ages a bit, rather than attempt to get through when the pile is deep and big guns are calling.
You can increase the DX spots list size by entering a higher value on the DX spotting setup form at upper right, but I find the separate, larger DX spots form more useful for displaying a longer list.
The Band Map:
The band map, when conditions are good, is my go to. It servers as my checklist to work. Even though multipliers are displayed in italics, I often just work right down the list and take the mutls as they come in frequency order. That actually helps me come to them when they may not have been spotted in a while, so they aren't as busy.
A setting that has REALLY helped my performance is clicking Settings > DX Spotting > Jump to Next Spot on Entry (Ctrl + Shift + E). With this setting enabled, you are on the next station immediately upon pressing enter and it eliminates the need for a mouse grab! The few seconds and energy a mouse grab requires may not sound like much, but if it takes 5 seconds to grab your mouse, alter your gaze and move your arm to click on the next station, it adds up in both time and energy. If you are making 1,000 Qs, that's over an hour and 20 minutes lost! Try repeatedly reaching for your mouse and count. You'll see! Just be sure not to press enter until you have completed the current QSO.
When you jump to the next station, if it is no longer active, rather than having to do a mouse grab to clear the spot from the band map, just press, Ctrl + Shift + X to remove it. Then press Ctrl + Shift + Z to jump to the next station. If he is still there but busy, press Ctrl + Shift + Z (but not X) so that he stays on the band map. You might be able to catch him on your next cycle through the band map.
To clarify, when I say jump to the next spot, that is in order of frequency, not order of receipt from the cluster. Jumping to the next spot, either on entering the QSO or keypress command always keeps you on the current band and jumps you to the next higher frequency spot, regardless of the age of the spot. Only the DX spots list and World Map pin clicks will take you to different bands.
Not only does the jump to next spot on entry method keep my rate slightly higher than the average tortoise, it is an excellent way of gradually accumulating mults. When you run a frequency, you can gain an advantage of accumulating more QSO points, but often sacrifice working as many mults. There are the really hard mults, which big guns can chase, but then there are the semi rare mults that the runners think they will eventually come across later, but may not.
Organically accumulating mults as they pop up in order of frequency, as I work up the band, is a big part of my secret sauce for sometimes being able to hang with the guys on the scoreboard, who spend more time running and accumulate more QSO points than I typically do. Once I clean off one band, I move on to the next.
As you jump to the next spot, if the spotted station is still there, but has moved off the spotted frequency and needs tuning, instead of reaching for your VFO, just press Ctrl + Up / Down to tune your rig without leaving the keyboard! There are other rig tuning keyboard increments available too (see the shortcut list for details), but that is the combination I use the most.
The Large DX Spotting form (Ctrl + Shift + D)
I keep the large DX spots form on another monitor and use it to keep tabs on entities I might need. If a mult hasn't been spotted for a while, I might jump over and try to work the entity. By the way, there is great advice I hear often - don't try calling a station more than 3 times. If he is that busy, circle back later. Your score isn't budging if you aren't working anyone! I try to adhere to that and usually do, though I confess I occasionally get sucked in.
Sure, I will detour for mults when propagation is good, but I usually won't linger long if they are hard. If I keep making Qs, the QSO points will increase with every one and sooner or later, many of the mults will find their way into my log, too. You may have noticed that by Sunday afternoon, some of the stations you were banging your head against the wall trying to work earlier in the weekend are now lonely. 48 hour contests are marathons, not sprints.
The World Map:
The world map displaying DX spots of stations I still need to work is a fantastic tool, especially when conditions start getting marginal to certain areas. In addition to displaying entities that are still needed multipliers (those with the red center pin, like Lebanon above) and grabbing those when I can, when propagation takes a dip and many of the stations are getting hard to work by cycling through the band map, I will find an area in the world where we still have good propagation and just keep banging that area for as along as I can. At those times, my primary focus switches from the band map to the world map.
For example, as Europe starts to close, much of the continent might be tough to work, but I discover I'm still getting through to Germany easily. Well, I'll just keep clicking on Germany pins (and other countries near Germany) as along as we have propagation to those areas. Brazil is another great candidate after EU has closed.
To keep your QSO rate up, pick common countries that guys have likely already worked, as they are less busy. Wait for conditions to improve to tackle the mults. Also keep in mind that unlike the band map, the world map click isn't band specific and that the topmost pin for that entity is the most recent spot for that entity. Right click the pin to remove it if you like.
The world map also displays the gray line terminator. When you are in light and darkness is moving close to an area you are working, it is a signal that conditions will likely soon change and choosing a new band or area to work may soon be prudent.
Finally, whenever you are searching and pouncing, be sure to enable the feature to automatically spot on entry (Settings > DX Spotting > Spot on Entry, or Ctrl + Shift + T). That way, you are leading others to stations you've already worked, so there's less competition for the stations you need!
3. Super Check Partial
Super Check Partial (SCP) is an invaluable tool, whether you are running a frequency or searching and pouncing. Click Settings > Super Check Partial to download the SCP file and enable.
In addition to being a great help when running a frequency, one of the ways I use SCP is to help be aware of incorrectly spotted call signs. When you jump to the next spot after pressing enter or clicking, if the spotted call doesn't show up in the SCP display in the Possible Duplicates window, pay extra attention to the call sign the station is sending. It may just be a newly issued call and be perfectly valid, but listen very carefully. By the way, if you are waiting for a guy to ID and he works a third station in a row without sending his call, he's wasting your time. Move on!
4. Single Op, 2 Radios (SO2R)
I will only mention this briefly, as I have not operated SO2R myself, but another guy in our club, WQ3O is loving SO2R with our software and keeps encouraging me to give it a try (he took second place in CQ WW DX CW on HamDash). My technique puts me on the next QSO immediately on enter. Using SO2R puts him on the next QSO before pressing enter. Click Settings > Rig Interface and select your rigs at the lower left to configure.
5. Use the Statistics
I constantly monitor my QSO rates. If my goal is 1,000 Qs and I am averaging 40 Qs / hour, I should expect to put in about 25 hours (typically 12.5 hours each day for me) in the course of a 48 hour contest weekend. Of course, rates vary with conditions throughout the day and you will learn from experience how yours will average out over the weekend.
You can click View > Graph to see your rates, which is particularly useful when reviewing previous contests.
My 2024 CQ WW DX CW graph.
You can also click View > Statistics to see if there might be a band that has a lower QSO count, where you need to spend a bit more time, as conditions warrant.
My 2024 CQ WW DX CW band statistics.
Of course, the multiplier lists right on the main form helps guide your current band choice as well.
My 2024 CQ WW DX CW multiplier statistics, showing Countries / CQ Zones for each band, totaling 558 multipliers.
6. HamDash!
Whatever your current contest level in station and ability, we have plenty of guys on HamDash that are right where you are. Click Settings > Web Upload Contest Status to configure.
I keep two iterations of HamDash open. One that filters specifically for our club and the other that displays everyone. That sense of camaraderie as we all journey through the contest weekend together is so much fun! Rather than feeling like a lone wolf, you have a wonderful sense of shared experience. For me, chasing the guy just ahead, or trying to keep ahead of the guy who is coming up fast on my tail is a great motivator, tremendous fun and keeps me in the chair!
The Bottom Line...
For my contesting style, it is all about making the next Q as quickly as possible. We've designed our software specifically to facilitate that, with the combination of the DX Spotting tools and rig interface. We've also made it easy to identify needed multipliers that you should work when you can, but shouldn't linger on when you can't.
Whether you are just dabbling to make a few contest Qs or you are bringing a full effort, I hope you find these tips useful. Most of all, I hope that they enhance your fun!
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