Contesting Season will be here before you know it. In the meantime, August provides plenty of opportunities to hone your operating skills for the biggest events on the amateur radio calendar. The end of summer also provides a nice window of opportunity to make sure your station is in top shape for when the weather cools and the bands heat up in the fall.
The Unsung Hero of Your Station
With the release of the latest Superman movie last month, OnAllBands thought it would be appropriate to explore one of the oft-forgotten heroes of the amateur radio station—coaxial cable.
Higher-grade coaxial cables may not grab the headlines, receive proclamations from the mayor, or save the world from the likes of Solomon Grundy, but they quietly and effectively do their job—no parades, cape, or special powers required (okay, they do have shields, but not like Captain America). If Batman is the transceiver and Robin the antenna of your station, think of coaxial cable as butler Alfred Pennyworth, making sure everything runs smoothly behind the scenes.
For Wonder Woman fans, you might consider quality coax the invisible jet of the ham universe—out-of-sight but essential to bringing down the super-villains (signal loss, et. al.) that can plague your operating. In addition to better coax, RFI suppression ferrite beads/toroids and high common-mode impedance feedline chokes, including the DX Engineering 40-Bead Ferrite Choke Kit, join the fight against the forces of evil affecting your station.
Origin Story Not Far from DX Engineering
Neither Superman, nor his teenage creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, were hams, though it’s important to note that Siegel and Shuster conceived of Superman in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1932. Siegel’s boyhood home in Cleveland’s Glenville neighborhood still stands, a 55-mile drive north (a 0.55-second run if you’re the Flash) from DX Engineering headquarters and showroom in the Summit Racing Retail Superstore in Tallmadge, Ohio. Not a bad side trip if you’re visiting DXE to upgrade your shack.
A Couple More Radio References
Siegel and Shuster also created the “Radio Squad” series of comic books (1936-43) about a heroic policeman, Sandy Kean, who used his police radio to fight crime.
In the “Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen” Series #10 from February 1956, young photojournalist Jimmy is tricked into believing he is receiving radio signals from Mars on his ham radio—not MARS (Military Auxiliary Radio System), but the planet. Superman saves the day, of course.
A Super Way to Upgrade Your Contesting Station
Better coaxial cable means better results. It has been proven time and time again. And it’s why DX Engineering makes it as easy as possible to order high-performance coaxial cable for your station. DX Engineering branded coaxial cable is trusted by top contest stations, DXpeditioners, and hams like you around the globe. Here’s why.
DX Engineering coaxial cable is…
- Made from durable materials that will serve your station long after lesser-quality coax has given up (see specs for DXE-400MAX and DXE-8X coax below)
- A smart way to boost performance without breaking the bank
- A significant upgrade for stations that have relied on cheaper, lower-quality coaxial cable
- Easy to order online by the foot, in bulk spools up to 1,000 feet; in assemblies from 1.5 to 200 feet; with high-visibility orange jackets (below); or completely customized (type of cable, length, type of connectors on both ends) thanks to DX Engineering’s Custom Cable Builder. Look for more about the Custom Cable Builder on OnAllBands later this month.
- Assembled with rugged, proven connectors by experienced technicians, hi-pot tested, and shipped fast to your door
- Available in a wide range of types to suit any application your station can throw its way. Click here for the DX Engineering Coaxial Cable Reference Chart.
Now that you’ve visited DXEngineering.com to get your cables in order, it’s time to have some fun on the air in August, leaping major pileups in a single bound. Here are just a few of the contests on the docket this month:
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NRAU (Nordic Radio Amateur Union) 10M Activity Contest: Aug. 7, 1800Z to 1900Z (CW); 1900Z to 2000Z (SSB); 2000Z to 2100Z (FM); and 2100Z to 2200Z (Digital). Here’s a great chance to take advantage of 10M openings compliments of Solar Cycle 25. Looking for gear to enhance your 10M capabilities? Click to read about some antenna upgrades available at DXEngineering.com.
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YB Bekasi Merdeka Contest: Aug. 9, 1200Z to Aug. 10, 1159Z. This SSB-only, single-operator 80/40/10M contest commemorates the anniversary of Indonesian independence from Japan (Aug. 17, 1945). The event is sponsored by the Indonesian Amateur Radio Organization.
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Kentucky State Parks on the Air: Aug. 9, 1400Z to 2200Z. The Murray State University Amateur Radio Club (MSUARC) is sponsoring its annual Kentucky State Parks on the Air event. Activators will have an opportunity to operate from the Bluegrass State’s 50 parks and nine national sites, while chasers can make CW, SSB, and Digital QSOs with hams enjoying the diversity of the state’s outdoor areas.
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MMMonVHF/DUBUS 144 MHz Meteorscatter Sprint Contest: Aug. 11, 2200Z to Aug. 13, 2159Z. MMMonVHF, in cooperation with the magazines DUBUS and Funk-Telegramm, invites you to take part in the 2025 edition of the “144 MHz Meteorscatter Sprint Contest.” Per the contest website, the Perseid meteor shower will be active until Aug. 24. Its maximum is estimated to occur on Aug. 12-13 between 0000 UTC and 0400 UTC.
Later this week, OnAllBands will be featuring an article on the HamSCI Meteor Scatter QSO Party 2025 (Aug. 11-12), an on-the-air experiment to study meteor scatter propagation on HF bands below 30 MHz.
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Keymen’s Club of Japan Contest: Aug. 16, 1200Z to Aug. 17, 1200Z. Formed in 1976, the Keymen’s Club of Japan is devoted to promoting CW operation on the amateur bands. Find club history and contest rules at the KCJ website.
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SARTG WW RTTY Contest: Aug. 16, 0000Z to 0800Z and 1600Z to 2400Z; Aug. 17, 0800Z to 1600Z. This annual RTTY-only event is sponsored by the Scandinavian Amateur Radio Teleprinter Group.
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ARRL 10 GHz and Up Contest: Aug. 16, 0900 to Aug. 18, 0759. If you’re a fan of operating on the Super High Frequency (microwave) spectrum, this is your chance to shine. North American amateurs will attempt to contact as many stations in as many different locations as possible in North America on bands from 10 GHz (3-centimeter) through Light. Amateurs are encouraged to operate from more than one location during this event. Contesters may enter in either “10 GHz only” or “10 GHz and Up” categories. The second weekend of the contest will be Sept. 20-22.
For those interested in 10 GHz operation, you’ll find the Icom IC-905 VHF/UHF/SHF All Mode Base/Portable Transceiver at DXEngineering.com. The rig boasts operating capability up to 10 GHz with the optional CX-10G Transverter (sold separately).
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North American QSO Party, SSB: Aug. 16, 1800Z to Aug. 17, 0559Z. All amateur licensees are eligible to work as many North American stations as possible during the 12-hour contest period.
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ARRL Rookie Roundup, RTTY: Aug. 17, 1800Z to 2359Z. From the ARRL, the Rookie Roundups “encourage newly-licensed operators (“Rookies”) in North America (including territories and possessions) to operate on the HF bands and experience competitive Amateur Radio operating. Experienced operators (“Non-Rookies”) are strongly encouraged to participate and help new operators—either on the air or in person.”
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ARRL EME Contest: Aug. 16, 0000Z to Aug. 17, 2359Z. The object of this annual event is to work as many amateur stations as possible via the earth-moon-earth path on any authorized amateur frequency above 50 MHz. Aug. 16-17 and Sept. 13-14 are designated for 2.3 GHz and up. October 11-12 and Nov. 8-9 are for 50 to 1296 MHz.
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ALARA Contest: Aug. 30, 0600 to Aug. 31, 0559Z. The Australian Ladies Amateur Radio Association will be hosting the ALARA Contest, an SSB/CW event in which YLs may contact anyone while OMs may only contact YLs on all HF bands except 160M and WARC bands. Formed in 1975, ALARA boasts a membership of more than 200 operators, with many members sponsoring operators overseas. ALARA’s mission is to “encourage women’s interest and active participation in amateur radio.”
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The U.S. Islands QSO Party: Aug. 30, 1200Z to Aug. 31, 0300Z. The U.S. Islands QSO Party “promotes verifiable amateur radio contacts with stations located on islands in the United States and its Territories and Protectorates.” This 15-hour SSB/CW/Digital event offers two classes (QRP, five watts or less) or QRO (greater than five watts), and several categories: Island Fixed, Island Rover, and Non-Island.
Now in its 31st year, the U.S. Islands Awards Program centers around activating and chasing U.S. river, lake, and shore islands. Thinking about activating an island? Here’s a state-by-state U.S. island directory.
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Also check out these state QSO parties:
- Maryland-DC: Aug. 9, 1400Z to Aug. 10, 0400Z
- Hawaii: Aug. 23, 0400Z to August 25, 0400Z
- Ohio: Aug. 23, 1600Z to Aug. 24, 0400Z
- Kansas: Aug. 30, 1400Z to Aug. 31, 0200Z; Aug. 31, 1400Z to 2000Z
- Colorado: Aug. 30, 1300Z to Aug. 31, 0400Z
