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Busted Calls [3]
A busted call is a callsign that was logged with one or more wrong characters, so it does not match the station that was actually worked. The usual causes are noise, partial copy, confusing characters and typing under pressure. Busted calls can remove the QSO and, if the station was a new multiplier, the multiplier as well. Articles under this tag explain how these errors arise, what they cost and which operating and review habits reduce them. They also look at how to find suspicious entries in your own log before the contest committee does.
- 2026-10-23 Check Your Contest Log Before You Submit: A Checklist
- 2026-10-23 UBN Report Explained: Unique, Busted, Not in Log
- 2026-10-23 Busted Callsigns in Contest Logs: Causes and Cures
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Cabrillo [4]
Cabrillo is the standard text format for submitting contest logs. A file has a header with fields such as CALLSIGN and CATEGORY, one QSO line for each contact, and an end marker. Most contest sponsors accept it, and every major logging program can export it. Mistakes in the header or in the QSO lines can lead to a log being rejected or placed in the wrong category. Articles under this tag explain the fields, show how to export the file from common loggers and describe what to check before you upload it.
- 2026-10-23 Export a Cabrillo File from N1MM, DXLog and Win-Test
- 2026-10-23 CQ WW DX SSB Checklist: Before, During and After
- 2026-10-23 Check Your Contest Log Before You Submit: A Checklist
- 2026-10-23 Cabrillo Log Header Explained: Every Field and Mistake
Contest Logging [6]
Contest logging covers everything between the first QSO and the file you send to the organizers. It includes setting up the logger, entering the right station details, keeping accurate times and exchanges, and exporting a clean Cabrillo file. Small mistakes at the logging stage tend to repeat in every line of the log, so they are worth preventing early. Articles under this tag explain good habits, common pitfalls and the checks to make before you submit. They are written for operators of all experience levels who use programs such as N1MM Logger+, DXLog and Win-Test.
- 2026-10-23 Export a Cabrillo File from N1MM, DXLog and Win-Test
- 2026-10-23 How to Compare Your Contest Results Year on Year
- 2026-10-23 Contest Rates: How to Read and Improve Your QSO/Hour
- 2026-10-23 Check Your Contest Log Before You Submit: A Checklist
- 2026-10-23 Busted Callsigns in Contest Logs: Causes and Cures
- 2026-10-23 Cabrillo Log Header Explained: Every Field and Mistake
Contest Rules [4]
Contest rules define the exchange, the categories, the scoring, the operating periods and the way logs must be submitted. They differ from contest to contest and can change between years, so reading the current text is part of every serious preparation. This tag collects articles that explain common rule topics in plain language, such as zones, breaks, off time and deadlines. Where a rule is specific to one contest, the articles say so and point to the official source. They are meant to help you understand the rule and plan around it, not to replace the rules themselves.
- 2026-10-23 Off Time and Breaks in Contest Rules: Plan Them Well
- 2026-10-23 CQ WW DX SSB Checklist: Before, During and After
- 2026-10-23 CQ Zones Explained for CQ WW: Splits and Typical Errors
- 2026-10-23 Cabrillo Log Header Explained: Every Field and Mistake
Contest Statistics [3]
Contest statistics turn a Cabrillo log into numbers you can learn from after the weekend is over. They include rates, QSOs by hour and band, countries, continents, CQ and ITU zones, prefixes, distance, beam heading and breaks. Looking at them side by side shows where the contest was gained and where time was lost. This tag gathers articles on reading those figures, comparing them with earlier years and drawing sensible conclusions without over-reading noise. The aim is a clear and honest picture of your own operating, so that the next contest starts with a better plan.
- 2026-10-23 Off Time and Breaks in Contest Rules: Plan Them Well
- 2026-10-23 How to Compare Your Contest Results Year on Year
- 2026-10-23 Contest Rates: How to Read and Improve Your QSO/Hour
CQ WW DX [5]
CQ WW DX is one of the largest worldwide HF contests, held every year in an SSB weekend in October and a CW weekend in November. Stations exchange a signal report and a CQ zone, and countries and zones count as multipliers on each band. The contest has its own rules on categories, operating time, off time and log submission, which are published by the organizers and can change. Articles under this tag explain how to prepare, how to operate and how to check and send your log. Always confirm the details in the current official rules before you plan your entry.
- 2026-10-23 Off Time and Breaks in Contest Rules: Plan Them Well
- 2026-10-23 CQ WW DX SSB Checklist: Before, During and After
- 2026-10-23 UBN Report Explained: Unique, Busted, Not in Log
- 2026-10-23 CQ Zones Explained for CQ WW: Splits and Typical Errors
- 2026-10-23 Busted Callsigns in Contest Logs: Causes and Cures
CQ Zones [3]
The world is divided into 40 CQ zones, and in CQ WW DX the zone is both part of the exchange and a multiplier. Most countries lie entirely within one zone, but some large countries, such as the United States, Canada, Russia, Brazil and China, are split between several. Knowing the correct zone for the station you work, and the correct zone to send yourself, avoids a common class of mistakes. Wrong zones can cost a QSO and the multiplier it was meant to bring. This tag gathers articles about how zones work, how to find them and how to avoid errors in the log.
- 2026-10-23 CQ WW DX SSB Checklist: Before, During and After
- 2026-10-23 Check Your Contest Log Before You Submit: A Checklist
- 2026-10-23 CQ Zones Explained for CQ WW: Splits and Typical Errors
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DXLog [1]
DXLog is a contest logging program used by many single-operator and multi-operator stations. It stores contest definitions and station settings, and it can export a Cabrillo file for the organizers. As with any logger, the quality of the export depends on correct entry information, a synchronized clock and a clean log. Articles under this tag describe the general export steps and the checks that apply whichever program you use. Because menu layouts differ between versions, the posts stay general and refer you to the manual for exact wording.
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Log Checking [4]
Log checking is the process of verifying a contest log, both by the contest committee after submission and by the operator before it. Typical problems are busted callsigns, wrong zones, exchange errors, bands or times outside the rules, and header mistakes. Articles under this tag explain what committees look for, how to read the reports they send, and how to review your own log efficiently. The aim is a log you can stand behind, with fewer removed QSOs and lost multipliers. Contest Analyzer is one way to narrow the review to the few QSOs that deserve a second look.
- 2026-10-23 Check Your Contest Log Before You Submit: A Checklist
- 2026-10-23 UBN Report Explained: Unique, Busted, Not in Log
- 2026-10-23 CQ Zones Explained for CQ WW: Splits and Typical Errors
- 2026-10-23 Busted Callsigns in Contest Logs: Causes and Cures
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N1MM Logger+ [2]
N1MM Logger+ is a free contest logging program that is widely used on HF and VHF. It supports a very large number of contests, keeps your station details with each contest, and can export a Cabrillo file for submission. Because many operators use it, the way it writes entry information and exchanges is a frequent topic of questions. Articles under this tag describe how to set it up, how to export a Cabrillo file and what to check in the result. Menu names can vary between program versions, so the posts keep their steps general and point you to the program's own documentation.
- 2026-10-23 Export a Cabrillo File from N1MM, DXLog and Win-Test
- 2026-10-23 Cabrillo Log Header Explained: Every Field and Mistake
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Off Time [1]
Off time is the time during a contest in which a station is not operating, and many rules count it in a specific way. In CQ WW DX, for example, single-operator off time counts only for breaks of at least 60 minutes. Categories often limit the total operating time, so planning your breaks is part of the strategy. The log itself is the evidence, because gaps between QSOs show when you were away from the radio. This tag collects articles on how off time is counted, how to plan rest without losing rate and how to read your breaks in the statistics.
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Rates [2]
Rate is the number of QSOs you log per unit of time, and it is the figure most contesters watch while they operate. Loggers usually show it over the last 10 minutes, the last 60 minutes and the last 100 QSOs, and each window answers a different question. This tag collects articles about reading those numbers, comparing run and search-and-pounce hours, and finding the hours in which a contest was won or lost. A high rate is only useful when the contacts survive log checking, so rate is always read together with multipliers and accuracy. The posts here are practical and aimed at operators who want to improve their next contest, not just describe the last one.
- 2026-10-23 How to Compare Your Contest Results Year on Year
- 2026-10-23 Contest Rates: How to Read and Improve Your QSO/Hour
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UBN Report [1]
A UBN report is a list produced by a contest committee showing the QSOs in a log that were flagged as Unique, Busted or Not in log. It tells you which contacts were removed or questioned, on which band and at what time, and for what kind of problem. Reports of this kind are available for several large contests, but the procedure and timing depend on the contest, so check the current rules. Reading one by type, by band and by hour reveals habits that are hard to notice during the contest itself. Articles under this tag explain how to interpret each section and how to turn the findings into better operating and logging. They also show how a review before submission can prevent many of the entries that would otherwise appear.
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Win-Test [1]
Win-Test is a networked contest logging program that is popular with multi-operator and multi-transmitter stations. Several computers can share one log, which makes it important to confirm that all QSOs are merged before you export. It can write the log as a Cabrillo file for submission to the organizers. Articles under this tag explain the general export steps, what to verify in the resulting file and the problems that tend to appear with networked stations. Menu names change between versions, so the posts keep to general guidance and recommend checking the manual.
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Year-on-Year Comparison [1]
A year-on-year comparison sets your results from the same contest side by side across several seasons. It is one of the most reliable ways to measure progress, because the contest, the rules and your own station stay the same while the numbers change. Useful measures include QSOs per operating hour, multipliers, QSOs by band and continent, and off time. Conditions change between years, so the comparison has to allow for propagation, category and hours operated. This tag collects articles on how to build a fair comparison and how to turn the differences into a plan for the next contest.