If you haven’t signed up for the 2025 edition of Contest University (CTU), there’s still a chance to participate in a day of learning that will leave you with valuable insights to improve your station and on-air skills.
Registration is open through May 2 (if space is available at that time), so click here and sign up now if you don’t want to miss out. The 16th edition of this information-packed event will be Thursday, May 15, 7 am to 5 pm at the Hope Hotel on Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Fairborn, Ohio. It’s just a short path (about 35 minutes) from the Greene County Fairgrounds and Expo Center in Xenia, the site of Dayton Hamvention® (May 16-18).
Need some encouragement to register? Watch this video from DX Engineering’s YouTube channel featuring Tim Duffy, K3LR, DX Engineering CEO and CTU host, and longtime Contest University attendee Jim Shideler, W5JCS, explaining why it’s a not-to-be-missed event on the ham radio calendar.
To give you an idea of the quality of CTU content and activities, watch videos and view PDF presentations from past years on the CTU website. Also visit DXEngineering.com for Contest University Textbooks, including the 2024 edition.
Here is a list of this year’s professors:
- Tim Duffy, K3LR
- Jim Hall, AD4EB
- Bill Fehring, W9KKN
- Hank Garretson, W6SX
- Joel Harrison, W5ZN
- Frank Donovan, W3LPL
- Ed Muns, W0YK
- Rob Sherwood, NC0B
- Bob Wilson, N6TV
- Tim Jellison, W3YQ
- Doug Grant, K1DG
- Katie Campbell, KE8LQR
- Anthony Willard, AB9YC
- Dr. Tamitha Skov, WX6SWW
The 2025 lineup of topics offers something for all contesters. Here’s just a sampling of what will be covered:
- HF Propagation During the Next Year of Solar Cycle 25
- dB for Free—An Antenna Exercise for Little Pistols
- How to Maximize the Performance of Low Band Receiving Antennas
- Tips to Improve Your RTTY Contest Performance
- Tower Safety with Tim Jellison, W3YQ
- Performance and Feature Differences Among Top Radios with Bob Sherwood, NC0B
Space Weather Woman Dr. Tamitha Skov, WX6SWW, will be covering “Solar Cycle 25—Lessons Learned for Amateur Radio.” Watch K3LR, DX Engineering CEO, interview Dr. Skov in this video from Contest University 2017:
View the entire Contest University schedule here.
Along with all the educational benefits, participants get a chance to make eyeball QSOs with others in the contesting community and enjoy a breakfast buffet, boxed lunch, cookies, and coffee—all included in the $85 registration fee. Past participants will tell you it’s a fun day to feel good about the hobby we’re all passionate about, while taking home information that can take your contesting to the next level. Get complete details here.
