The sport of

amateur radio Amateur radio, also known as ham radio, is the use of the radio frequency spectrum for purposes of non-commercial exchange of messages, wireless experimentation, self-training, private recreation, radiosport, contesting, and emergency communi ...

contesting Contesting (also known as ''radiosport'') is a competitive activity pursued by amateur radio operators. In a contest, an amateur radio station, which may be operated by an individual or a team, seeks to contact as many other amateur radio statio ...

has been responsible for the development of contesting technology specific to the sport. The most competitive stations participating in contests employ new and innovative technology, hardware, and software. Some of these innovations are exclusively used in the sport of contesting; others have seen wider application in amateur radio at large.

Computer-generated CW

One of the most widely used contesting technologies is computer-generated CW. Most contest logging software packages support the use of a parallel port or

serial port In computing, a serial port is a serial communication interface through which information transfers in or out sequentially one bit at a time. This is in contrast to a parallel port, which communicates multiple bits simultaneously in paralle ...

interface that connects to the keying input on amateur radio

transceivers In radio communication, a transceiver is an electronic device which is a combination of a radio ''trans''mitter and a re''ceiver'', hence the name. It can both transmit and receive radio waves using an antenna, for communication purposes. The ...

for sending

Morse code Morse code is a method used in telecommunication to encode text characters as standardized sequences of two different signal durations, called ''dots'' and ''dashes'', or ''dits'' and ''dahs''. Morse code is named after Samuel Morse, one ...

. Some interfaces also include an input for a

telegraph key A telegraph key is a specialized electrical switch used by a trained operator to transmit text messages in Morse code in a telegraphy system. Keys are used in all forms of electrical telegraph systems, including landline (also called wire) t ...

. CW can be generated from text typed on the

computer keyboard A computer keyboard is a peripheral input device modeled after the typewriter keyboard which uses an arrangement of buttons or keys to act as mechanical levers or electronic switches. Replacing early punched cards and paper tape technology ...

, from a

, or from memories in the computer associated with steps in the process of making contest contacts. Some software can use

database In computing, a database is an organized collection of data stored and accessed electronically. Small databases can be stored on a file system, while large databases are hosted on computer clusters or cloud storage. The design of databases spa ...

s of additional information about other amateur radio stations on the air to include personalized greetings during two-way contacts.

Station automation

"Station automation" refers to the use of technology to connect the operation of several discrete hardware components to accomplish a larger task. One common example of station automation is the automatic switching of

antenna Antenna ( antennas or antennae) may refer to: Science and engineering * Antenna (radio), also known as an aerial, a transducer designed to transmit or receive electromagnetic (e.g., TV or radio) waves * Antennae Galaxies, the name of two collid ...

filter Filter, filtering or filters may refer to: Science and technology Computing * Filter (higher-order function), in functional programming * Filter (software), a computer program to process a data stream * Filter (video), a software component tha ...

amplifier An amplifier, electronic amplifier or (informally) amp is an electronic device that can increase the magnitude of a signal (a time-varying voltage or current). It may increase the power significantly, or its main effect may be to boost th ...

s, SWR meters, or other equipment when a radio changes frequency. Most modern

transceiver In radio communication, a transceiver is an electronic device which is a combination of a radio ''trans''mitter and a re''ceiver'', hence the name. It can both transmit and receive radio waves using an antenna, for communication purposes. The ...

s include some sort of computer control interface, often implemented with the

RS-232 In telecommunications, RS-232 or Recommended Standard 232 is a standard originally introduced in 1960 for serial communication transmission of data. It formally defines signals connecting between a ''DTE'' ('' data terminal equipment'') suc ...

protocol. Information from the radio about its current

frequency Frequency is the number of occurrences of a repeating event per unit of time. It is also occasionally referred to as ''temporal frequency'' for clarity, and is distinct from '' angular frequency''. Frequency is measured in hertz (Hz) which is ...

of operation can be used by contest logging software or external hardware devices known as band decoders to automatically configure the operation of amplifiers, antenna switches, filters, or other devices. A particular station automation device used in

VHF Very high frequency (VHF) is the ITU designation for the range of radio frequency electromagnetic waves (radio waves) from 30 to 300 megahertz (MHz), with corresponding wavelengths of ten meters to one meter. Frequencies immediately below VH ...

and

microwave Microwave is a form of electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths ranging from about one meter to one millimeter corresponding to frequency, frequencies between 300 MHz and 300 GHz respectively. Different sources define different fre ...

contest stations is known as a sequencer. A sequencer uses a series of

relay A relay Electromechanical relay schematic showing a control coil, four pairs of normally open and one pair of normally closed contacts An automotive-style miniature relay with the dust cover taken off A relay is an electrically operated swit ...

s to switch a number of components from their reception state to their transmission state. In a station with a

transverter In radio engineering, a transverter is a radio frequency device that consists of an upconverter and a downconverter in one unit. Transverters are used in conjunction with transceivers to change the range of frequencies over which the transceiver ...

preamp A preamplifier, also known as a preamp, is an electronic amplifier that converts a weak electrical signal into an output signal strong enough to be noise-tolerant and strong enough for further processing, or for sending to a power amplifier a ...

, and

, it is important that some devices are switched from their reception state before others are switched into their transmission state to avoid damage to very sensitive electronic components.

SO2R technology

Single operator two radios contesting requires certain specialty radio hardware. The most important is a device capable of switching the microphone,

key, or

sound card A sound card (also known as an audio card) is an internal expansion card that provides input and output of audio signals to and from a computer under the control of computer programs. The term ''sound card'' is also applied to external au ...

interface for digital mode transmissions, between two radio

. Another necessity is the ability to switch or mix

audio Audio most commonly refers to sound, as it is transmitted in signal form. It may also refer to: Sound *Audio signal, an electrical representation of sound *Audio frequency, a frequency in the audio spectrum * Digital audio, representation of soun ...

from two different radios to a single pair of headphones. This is generally accomplished with a single hardware device known as an SO2R Switch Box. Some contest logging software packages can use simple parallel port or

interfaces to communicate with these switch boxes and allow the SO2R operator to switch radio or audio focus directly from the computer keyboard.

External links

Ham Radio Contest News Contest Blogs and forumsContest Wiki
Radiosport