Monday, November 16, 2020

CQ WPX Contests Add New “Multi-Transmitter Distributed” Category, Remove Single-Op Unassisted Categories


(Sayville, NY – November 16, 2020) – A new “Multi-Transmitter Distributed” category is being added to the CQ World Wide WPX Contests to better accommodate operators who wish to compete as a team without all being in the same physical location. 

According to CQ WPX Contest Directors Bud Trench, AA3B (SSB and CW), and Ed Muns, W0YK (RTTY), the new category will permit up to six separate stations in different locations (but all within the same DX entity and CQ zone) to operate as a single contest entry. This was inspired by innovations being made in response to the Coronavirus pandemic, but Trench and Muns say the new category will be permanent.

In addition, QSO alerting assistance will now be permitted in all single-operator categories except for the "Classic" categories. This means that there will no longer be separate listings or recognition for "Assisted" vs. "Unassisted" categories, and all Classic overlay entries must be unassisted. Finally, Classic overlay stations will now have a maximum operating time in each contest of 24 hours rather than the previous 36.

The rule changes take effect with the 2021 running of the WPX contests – RTTY on February 13-14, SSB on March 27-28 and CW on May 29-30. NOTE: These changes apply ONLY to the WPX contests and NOT to the CQ World Wide (CQWW) DX contests.

Complete details will be posted in the near future with the full rules on both the CQ website <www.cq-amateur-radio.com> and the WPX contest sites at <www.cqwpx.com> and <www.cqwpxrtty.com>.