Winter is slowly handing over the scepter to spring, and for fans of operation on very short waves, this means only one thing - the first weekend in March belongs to the introductory round of the popular subregional cycle. It's time to dust off the antennas, check the transverters, and prepare for a flood of signals across all bands from 2 meters to microwaves.
In the article you will read
📅 When will the bands come alive?
The first subregional starts soon:
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Date: March 7 - 8, 2026
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Time: Saturday 14:00 UTC - Sunday 14:00 UTC (local time 15:00 - 15:00 CET)
This 24-hour marathon is the perfect opportunity to test the equipment before the main season and to 'stretch' the joints after the winter break.
📡 Competition categories and modes
Preteky sú otvorené pre všetkých – od milovníkov klasiky na dvojmetri až po technologických nadšencov na 76 GHz. Súťaží sa v kategóriách Single (individuals) and Multi (clubs/teams) on the following bands:
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VHF: 144 MHz
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UHF: 432 MHz
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SHF & Microwaves: 1.3 GHz / 2.3 GHz / 3.4 GHz / 5.7 GHz / 10 GHz / 24 GHz / 47 GHz / 76 GHz
Allowed modes: CW and FONE (SSB/FM).
📝 Contest code and scoring
To be successful in the order, don't forget to exchange the complete code with your competitors:
Report (RS/RST) + Connection serial number (from 001) + WW locator (Example: 59 001 JN98XX)
Scoring system:
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1 kilometer bridged distance = 1 point.
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Connection within your own small square of the locator counts as 1 point.
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The total result is a simple sum of all points for established connections.
The first subregional is known for its great atmosphere and high participation from neighboring countries (OK, OM, OE, HG, SP). Come to score points and enjoy the joy of every new locator in the log!
Goodbye on the air, friends! 73!