November amateur radio contests 2025

Month full of CW, DX and traditions

November is one of the most active months in the amateur radio calendar. After summer events like IOTA contest či Poľný deň prichádza séria pretekov, v ktorých si svoje miesto nájdu priaznivci CW, SSB, digitálnych módov aj QRP operations. This article provides an overview of the most interesting contests awaiting us in November 2025 - from small hourly competitions to legendary world DX marathons.

🏁 Beginning of the month: memories, friendships, and club activity

Hneď 1. novembra odštartuje mesiac Silent Key Memorial Contest, which commemorates deceased radio amateurs. The short CW contest (06:00-08:59 UTC) has a symbolic meaning - it's not about high scoring, but about connections dedicated to colleagues who no longer respond from the other side of the ether.

V rovnaký deň prebieha aj IPARC Contest (CW kolo), organizovaný medzinárodnou poštovou rádioamatérskou organizáciou. Nasledujúci deň (2. novembra) sa pokračuje SSB kolom, so participants can use both bands and both modes. These contests have a friendly character - it's not just about the number QSO, ale aj o možnosť nadviazať spojenia medzi rádioamatérmi z rôznych krajín, ktorí patria k IPARC.

Zaujímavosťou prvého novembrového víkendu je aj ruský mládežnícky pretek “Druzhba” (Friendship). The goal is to involve young operators and motivate them to CW and SSB operation on KV bands. Such competitions help to keep the younger generation interested in radio amateurs - something that is needed in every country.

🌍 International contests and DX challenges

Od 1. do 3. novembra sa v éteri objaví ARRL Sweepstakes Contest CW, one of the oldest and most prestigious CW competitions in the US. It is typical for this race that each participant must transmit a complex code during the connection containing the serial number, the challenge, the category and the year in which the license was obtained. It is a challenge to patience and precision - typical of the American contest school.

Na rovnaký víkend pripadá aj UK/EI DX Contest SSB – a race that connects the British Isles with the rest of the world. Although some radio amateurs point to organizational disputes and "Ham Spirit" issues, from an operational point of view it is an attractive opportunity to get a lot of connections with British stations.

Zaujímavým doplnkom je aj WAB DX Contest, where stations from Great Britain transmit their locators to the so-called "WAB squares". This race is also suitable for those who collect WAB diplomas and want to expand their collection.

🔁 European and regional CW activities

Počas prvého novembrového týždňa sa konajú menšie, no populárne európske CW súťaže ako HSC Contest (High Speed Club) a George V. Nekhoroshev Memorial Contest. These races are among the favorite training sessions for those preparing for larger DX events. The HSC Contest emphasizes accuracy, readability, and keying quality—values ​​that are highly valued in the CW community.

Nechýbajú ani tradičné mini-contesty – krátke hodinové alebo polhodinové testy, akým je napríklad OK1WC Memorial Contest every Monday afternoon. The Czech Memorial OK1WC is a great way to test your skills even during working days - not only in the Czech Republic but also in Slovakia, where dozens of operators regularly participate.

Domestic scene: SSB league, OM Activity, and OK/OM DX Contest CW

Slovak and Czech radio amateurs have a diverse range of their own competitions in November.
Už 1. novembra sa začína SSB Liga – dvojhodinový pretek, ktorý patrí medzi najobľúbenejšie domáce aktivity. O deň neskôr nasleduje KV provozní aktiv, krátky hodinový CW pretek a popoludňajší Nedělní závod (3:00 - 3:30 PM), a popular Czech 'half-hour' for those who want to make a few stress-free connections.

8. novembra prichádza slovenský OM Activity Contest, a two-hour race on the 80 and 40 m bands, in CW and SSB modes. OMAC has gained popularity thanks to its clear scoring system and friendly atmosphere. The same weekend also includes OK/OM DX Contest CW, jeden z najvýznamnejších stredoeurópskych contestov, do ktorého sa pravidelne zapájajú stanice z celého sveta.

💻 Digital modes and modern trends

November prináša aj viacero digitálnych podujatí. Medzi najvýznamnejšie patrí Worked All Europe DX Contest (RTTY), ktorý sa koná počas víkendu 8.–9. novembra. This race has a unique system of so-called QTC messages, which allow participants to exchange information about previous connections - increasing the complexity and number of points.

Ďalším digitálnym highlightom je 10-10 International Fall Digital QSO Party (November 8-9), focused on the 10-meter band. Although activity on this band depends on solar activity, in years with increased ionization, it can offer truly exotic connections.

V závere mesiaca sa ešte objaví niekoľko FT4 a FT8 súťaží ako RSGB FT4 Contest (17. novembra) či pravidelné NCCC FT4 Sprinty, which are ideal for those who have little time but don't want to fall out of rhythm.

International CW Autumn: Austria, Balkans, and South America

15.–16. novembra sa konajú dva veľmi zaujímavé CW preteky – All Austrian 160m Contest a REF 160m Contest. For lovers of low frequencies (top band), this is a unique opportunity to test their antennas on 160 meters.

Na Balkáne sa v rovnakom období odohráva South American Integration Contest, which supports connections between stations from South America and the rest of the world. For Europeans, it presents a challenge to cross the Atlantic on CW - something that will please any DX hunter.

V polovici mesiaca sa tiež uskutoční Ham Spirit Contest – a newer race that aims to restore the emphasis on fairness and friendly competition. The organizers try to recall the original meaning of "ham spirit": respect, reverence and willingness to help each other even during the race.

The end of the month is marked by LZ DX and CQWW CW

Predposledný víkend, 22.–23. novembra, patrí LZ DX Contestu, which is organized by the Bulgarian radio amateur association BFRA. This is a popular two-day race with simple rules - the goal is to establish as many connections as possible with stations from Bulgaria, but also between others DXCC entitami. Pre stredoeurópskych operátorov ide o výbornú príležitosť získať body do rôznych diplomov.

Absolútnym vrcholom celého mesiaca je však CQ WW DX CW Contest (November 29-30). This "king of contests" attracts tens of thousands of stations from all over the world every year. High performance, low noise, perfectly prepared antenna systems and tactics - all this determines success. Slovak stations also regularly appear here with excellent results - let's mention, for example OM3RMM or OM7M, which are among the stalwarts of world rankings., OM3RMM or OM7M, which are among the constants of the world charts.

Overview of Slovak and Czech contests in November 2025

🎙️ Conclusion

November is a period for radio amateurs when short autumn days alternate with long evenings - ideal for working on bands. Whether you participate in a small hour activity, regional memorial, or a large DX contest, it is always an opportunity to improve your operator skills, test equipment, and most importantly - be part of the global community.

Let's not forget that every contest is also a training ground for ham spirit - patience, fairness, and friendship across the waves of the ether.

Prajeme všetkým účastníkom novembrových pretekov many connections, clean signal, and joy from good work in the ether!