About
Contest Objective: To encourage W/VE stations to expand knowledge of DX propagation on the HF and MF bands, improve operating skills, and improve station capability by creating a competition in which DX stations may only contact W/VE stations. One contest period is CW-only and one is Phone-only. Use only the 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, and 10 meter bands.
W/VE amateurs: Work as many DX stations in as many DXCC entities as possible.
DX stations: Work as many W/VE stations in as many of the 48 contiguous states and provinces as possible.
Dates:
CW: Third full weekend in February (February 15-16, 2025).
Phone: First full weekend in March (March 1-2, 2025).
Contest Period: Begins 0000 UTC Saturday and runs through 2359 UTC Sunday.
Click here for the complete ARRL International DX Contest Rules (PDF)
For contest information contact [email protected] or (860) 594-0232
Exchange:
W/VE stations send a signal report and their state or province. (See the ARRL Contest Multipliers List for a list of abbreviations.) DX stations send a signal report and power as a number or abbreviation.
Log Submission Deadline
Logs are due within SEVEN (7) days after the event is over. Logs may be submitted either online or via mail, but electronic Cabrillo logs are the preferred method. Electronic logs must be submitted via our web app at contest-log-submission.arrl.org/
Entries for the CW and Phone portions of the competition must be submitted separately and must be postmarked before their respective 7-day deadline.
Logs that have been submitted electronically are listed on the Logs Received page. Click the contest name to see a list of submitted logs sorted by call sign and club name.
Online Log Submission - Cabrillo formatted logs must be uploaded via our web app at contest-log-submission.arrl.org.
Submitting Paper Logs By Mail - Be sure to mail your completed Summary Sheet and Log Sheets (include a dupe sheet if over 500 QSOs) postmarked before the log submission deadlines.
CW Entry Forms:
For W/VE entrants: PDF file
For non-W/VE entrants: PDF file
Phone Entry Forms:
For W/VE entrants: PDF file
For non-W/VE entrants: PDF file
Send completed Summary Sheets and logs to:
ARRL - DX CW Contest, 225 Main St, Newington, CT 06111.
ARRL - DX SSB Contest, 225 Main St, Newington, CT 06111.
If submitting a paper log, it is strongly suggested you use a delivery method that offers a tracking number.
If you wish to convert your log into a Cabrillo formatted log for electronic submission, visit www.b4h.net/cabforms/ and select the event of interest. You can input your log data which will be converted to a Cabrillo formatted log for you (it will generate a log and return it to you), and then you can in turn submit your Cabrillo log online via the web app at contest-log-submission.arrl.org/.
Awards:
Certificates will be awarded in the top operator CW and Phone scores in each category in each DXCC entity and ARRL/RAC Section and Division. Printable certificates will be downloadable from contests.arrl.org/certificates.php.
All Overall and Division winners will be awarded a plaque (if sponsored) recognizing their efforts. Plaques are sponsored by individuals, groups or clubs. For details on plaque sponsorship, contact the ARRL Contest Program at [email protected] or (860) 594-0232.
Club Competition:
There are ten ARRL-sponsored contests that are designated as Affiliated Club Competitions (ACC) for ARRL and RAC affiliated clubs:
- RTTY Roundup
- January VHF Contest
- International DX Contest
- International Digital Contest
- June VHF Contest
- 222 MHz and Up Distance Contest
- September VHF Contest
- November Sweepstakes
- 160-Meter Contest
- 10-Meter Contest
For full club competition rules, please see the link below:
Affiliated Club Competition Rules
Additional Information
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Tell us how you did! Send us feedback and photos! Tell us what fun you had, and how you did, what challenges you faced, via our contest Soapbox pages:
Send us your photos! Please, send us your high-resolution photos – especially youth! Kids (and us adults wanting to regain our youth!) We love to see activity photos – Kids and adults having fun, operating, setting up antennas! For higher resolution, please send your photos as 500kb to 3mb in size. ARRL is always looking for youth activity photos for Write-Ups, Strays and Upfront in QST!
Please be sure to send a Photo Release for each person shown when submitting youth photos - found at www.arrl.org/photo-video-release-form.