The 50 MHz band is one of the most interesting amateur bands. Radio amateurs often refer to it as the "magic band" because it combines the properties of both short and very short waves. During periods of low activity, it behaves similarly to the classical VHF bands with predominantly direct propagation. However, during sporadic Es layer, tropo conditions or increased ionospheric activity, it allows connections over distances of thousands of kilometers.
Práve tieto jedinečné vlastnosti robia z IARU Region 1 50 MHz CW/SSB contest jednu z najzaujímavejších európskych súťaží. Každoročne priťahuje stovky rádioamatérov z celej Európy a počas priaznivých podmienok aj stanice z Afriky, Blízkeho východu či Ázie.
Súťaž organizuje IARU Region 1 v rámci série oficiálnych VHF a vyšších pásmových contestov. Je určená výhradne pre prevádzku CW a SSB na pásme 50 MHz.
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Prečo je tento contest výnimočný
Unlike most HF contests, where transmitter power and antenna system size are often the deciding factors, on 50 MHz the current propagation conditions also play a significant role. Conditions can change radically several times over the course of a single weekend.
A station that only makes local connections within a few hundred kilometers in the morning can, thanks to the sporadic Es layer, easily establish connections to Spain, Portugal, Turkey or North Africa in the afternoon.
Práve kombinácia contestovej prevádzky a nepredvídateľného šírenia robí z tejto súťaže jedinečný zážitok. contest je zároveň výbornou príležitosťou na testovanie anténnych systémov, predzosilňovačov, transvertorov a nových prevádzkových techník. Jedným z oficiálnych cieľov súťaže je rozvoj operátorských schopností, testovanie technických riešení a skúmanie vlastností rádiového šírenia.
Event date
IARU Region 1 50 MHz CW/SSB contest sa koná každoročne počas tretieho júnového víkendu, teda 20.-21.júna 2026.
The competition starts on Saturday at 14:00 UTC and ends on Sunday at 14:00 UTC. The total duration is 24 hours.
The date is not chosen randomly. The second half of June is among the periods in Europe with the highest probability of occurrence of the sporadic Es layer, which is the main source of long-distance propagation at 50 MHz.
Who can participate?
Súťaže sa môžu zúčastniť všetci licencovaní rádioamatéri pôsobiaci v IARU Region 1. Súťažiaci musia dodržiavať podmienky svojej licencie a pravidlá contestu. Stanice používajúce špeciálne povolenia na veľmi vysoké výkony môžu odovzdať iba kontrolný denník.
Competition categories
Pre CW/SSB contest na 50 MHz sú definované tri základné kategórie:
| Category | Description |
| SO | Single Operator |
| MO | Multi Operator – multiple operators |
| 6H | Six-hour category |
The Single Operator category is intended for one operator without operational assistance from other people. The Multi Operator category allows the use of multiple operators at one workplace.
Špecifická je Category 6H. Súťažiaci môže pracovať maximálne šesť hodín, pričom čas možno rozdeliť najviac do dvoch prevádzkových úsekov. Prestávka medzi nimi musí byť dlhšia ako dve hodiny. Contest robot následne automaticky vyhodnotí iba príslušnú šesťhodinovú časť logu.
Definition of station and workplace
The station must operate from one location throughout the contest. The organizer defines a location as a geographic area with a maximum diameter of 500 meters. Relocation of the station during the contest is not permitted.
Only one signal may be transmitted on one band at a given time.
Permitted types of operation
contest je určený výlučne pre CW, SSB, FM a PM prevádzku. Pravidlá povoľujú aj FM/PM prevádzku, hoci v praxi sa na 50 MHz používa len výnimočne. Povolené sú emisie A1A (CW), J3E (SSB) a F3E/G3E (FM/PM).
MGM modes, such as FT8 or MSK144, belong to a separate MGM contest organized at a different date and are not part of the CW/SSB contest.
Valid connection
The definition of a valid connection is among the most important parts of the rules.
For a connection to be acknowledged, both stations must confirm each other's identification, accept the contest exchange, and acknowledge correct receipt of the exchange.
Each station can only be counted once per band. Duplicate connections are logged but do not earn points.
EME connections or connections made through active routers do not count towards the competition.
Exchange of competition data
During each connection, the stations exchange:
| Data | Example |
| RS or RST | 59 or 599 |
| Serial number | 001, 002, 003… |
| 6-digit locator | JN98KS |
A typical exchange might look like:
59 023 JN98KS
The sequence number starts at 001 and increases by one with each subsequent connection on the band. The sequence number is followed by the full six-digit locator.
Using the Internet and Remote Receivers
IARU Region 1 venuje tejto oblasti mimoriadnu pozornosť.
During the connection, it is not allowed to exchange contest data via the Internet, telephone or other means of communication. Such a connection is considered invalid. It is also not allowed to use remote receivers outside a 500-meter radius of the workplace,
However, some types of communication are permitted. For example, operators may agree on a frequency for a sked or request to be moved to another frequency due to interference. However, it is not permissible to request a sequence number, locator, or any other part of the contest exchange outside of the radio.
Self-spotting a DX Cluster
The rules allow self-spotting on most media, but not through the DX Cluster. The organizer also discourages excessive posting of your own spots in chat rooms.
V praxi to znamená, že súťažiaci môže informovať ostatných o svojej aktivite napríklad prostredníctvom sociálnych sietí alebo contestových chatov, ale nie klasickým DX Cluster spotom vlastnej stanice.
Scoring
Calculating points is simple and directly related to the distance between stations.
For each connection, one point is awarded for each kilometer of distance between the centers of the respective locators. For example, if the distance between the stations is 754.8 km, the result after rounding will be 755 points.
Unlike some older contests, connections with unique stations that appear in only one newspaper are also counted.
The practical importance of distance scoring
Práve vzdialenostné Scoring robí contest na 50 MHz veľmi atraktívnym. Operátor nemusí nazbierať stovky spojení, aby dosiahol dobrý výsledok. Niekoľko veľmi dlhých Es spojení môže priniesť viac bodov než desiatky lokálnych kontaktov.
During strong sporadic Es layer, it is not uncommon for stations to operate from distances of 2000 to 3000 kilometers. Such connections can significantly affect the final result.
Submit a log
Logs are submitted electronically in EDI format.
Each log must contain at least the call sign, locator used, category, band, operator list, email contact, transmitting power and antenna system used.
The submission deadline is the first Wednesday after the contest weekend by 23:59 UTC. Logs submitted later are accepted as control logs only.
Checking logs
The contest is evaluated by automatic checking of logs and subsequent manual verification.
Any error in the recorded data may lead to the connection being disallowed. If there is evidence that the error originated on the part of the transmitting station, the relevant record may not be used in the decision-making.
Zámerné porušovanie pravidiel alebo ignorovanie bandplánu IARU Region 1 môže viesť k diskvalifikácii.
Diplomas and awards
Víťazi jednotlivých kategórií získavajú ocenenia udeľované pracovnou skupinou IARU Region 1 VHF+ contest Working Group.
Každý účastník si môže po vyhodnotení stiahnuť elektronický diplom priamo z IARU Region 1 contest Robotu.
Recommendations for newbies
IARU Region 1 50 MHz CW/SSB Contest patrí medzi najvhodnejšie Contests pre prvé zoznámenie sa s VKV prevádzkou.
You don't need extensive contest equipment to participate successfully. Even a simple yagi antenna, a power of around 100 W and a basic transceiver allow you to achieve very good results during favorable Es conditions.
It is important to monitor band openings, regularly scan the frequency spectrum and not be afraid to call CQ. Unlike HF contests, 50 MHz operation is often calmer and suitable even for less experienced operators.
Conclusion
IARU Region 1 50 MHz CW/SSB contest predstavuje vrchol európskej contestovej sezóny na šiestich metroch. Kombinuje technické schopnosti operátora, kvalitu stanice a jedinečné vlastnosti šírenia na 50 MHz.
The unpredictability of the band makes this contest an extremely attractive event. Each year brings new DX contacts, new records and many opportunities to experiment with antennas, receiving systems and contest equipment. For the radio amateur who wants to fully explore the possibilities of the 50 MHz band, this contest is one of the events not to be missed.
Source: https://www.iaru-r1.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Rules-IARU-R1-VHF-up-Contests.pdf