OK-OM DX Contest CW 2026: the second weekend of November belongs to telegraphers

The second weekend of November belongs to shortwave telegraphy. Already this Saturday, November 14, 2026, at 12:00 UTC, the OK-OM DX contest CW 2026 begins, an international telegraph competition in which stations from the Czech Republic and Slovakia meet radio amateurs from all over the world. Anyone who likes a pileup, a good rhythm and a few hours spent at the key should not miss it.

The good news is that it can be incorporated in any style. One starts the whole twenty-four hours on all bands, another chooses one band and the third only checks in QRP what a modest performance can do. And there are also listeners.

Who organizes the race and when it takes place

The organizer of the international competition is the Czech Radio Club (ČRK) in cooperation with the Slovak Association of Radio Amateurs (SZR). The date is the same every year: the second full weekend in November. This year, that means from November 14, 2026 (12:00 UTC) to November 15, 2026 (11:59 UTC).

The race lasts a full 24 hours. But you don't have to sit by the radio all night. One operator can move through the bands without restriction, so he divides his time according to himself and according to the conditions.

Before the actual detailed analysis of the rules, watch the first of the videos on the topic:

Categories: choose according to performance and ambitions

You can compete in several groups. All-band categories (SOAB, single operator, all bands) are divided by performance:

• HP: power up to 1500 W,
• LP: power up to 100 W,
• QRP: power up to 5 W.

Single band categories (SOSB) are contested on six bands, namely 160, 80, 40, 20, 15 and 10 m, again divided into HP, LP and QRP. The categories MOST (multiple operators, one transmitter) and MO2T (multiple operators, two transmitters) are intended for collective stations. Added to them is the SWL category for listeners on all bands.

The interesting thing is that you can apply to several categories at once. According to the conditions, there are up to seven categories, i.e. all-band plus six single-band, and with a bit of luck, six diplomas. Participants who work only on one band, but establish connections on other bands at the plant, should also send the logbook from the other bands for checking.

In addition, the participants are divided into three groups: world, Europe and OK+OM.

Bands and competition code

The race takes place on the shortwave bands from 1.8 to 28 MHz, outside the WARC bands. 

The contest code sold depends on where the station is broadcasting from:

• stations outside OK-OM transmit the report and serial number of the connection from 001,
• stations from OK and OM transmit a report and a three-letter district emblem.

Stations in the MOST category can use numbering overall or on each band separately. MO2T stations have a choice between numbering on each band separately or for each station separately. In this case, the connections of each station must be marked in the log.

District symbols can be found on the race page. The list of districts is divided into OK/OL and OM, while Slovak districts have, for example, BAA to BAE for Bratislava, ZIL for Žilina or KEA to KED for Košice. It pays to have it on hand.

Scoring: the further the better

The scoring system takes into account both the distance and the relationship of the stations. For stations from OK and OM:

• connection with own country = 2 points,
• connection with another country on one's own continent = 3 points,
• connection with another continent = 5 points.

Please note that OK and OM are different DXCC countries, so the OK–OM connection is evaluated with three points. For stations outside OK-OM, the connection with an OK or OM station brings up to 10 points, with one's own country 1 point, with another country on one's own continent 3 points and with another continent 5 points.

/MM stations do not pay for a multiplier, but always count for 5 points. Duplicate QSOs, i.e. repeated connections with the same station on the same band, have a zero value. They are entered in the diary, there is no need to mark them.

Multipliers and total score

Two types of multipliers are used in the race, always on each band separately:

• each OK and OM district,
• every country DXCC and WAE.

The total score is the product of points for connections and the sum of both types of multipliers, i.e. OK/OM counties and DXCC/WAE countries. The score will be calculated by the organizer after completion of the computer processing. It is therefore worthwhile not only to gain connections on the bands, but also to look for new multipliers.

Fair play: what is allowed and what is not

The rules are clear and must be followed. Transmitters and receivers must be located in a circle with a diameter of no more than 500 m, and all antennas must be connected to the device by cables (power supplies). Packet and web clusters can be used freely.

Conversely, unsportsmanlike is:

• the use of an IP network for remote reception, including Internet radio stations, which is a reason for disqualification,
• self-spotting
• arranging connections by phone, internet and similar means before and during the race,
• using other brands to maintain a working frequency on other bands, negotiating skeds and negotiating retuning due to multipliers.

A station in the single operator category is operated by one person who does everything related to operation: broadcasts, logs and works with the cluster. MOST stations are limited by the ten-minute rule, and MO2T stations can have no more than two signals on two different bands at any one time. Each transmitter is allowed to retune from band to band eight times per hour.

If it seems to you that the race can no longer be "surpassed", simply stick to one principle: work honestly.

Diaries: where and when

Diaries are accepted exclusively in electronic format Cabrillo, a to len cez webové rozhranie na adrese okomdx.crk.cz. All times must be in UTC, all sent and received information must be recorded in the log. The category and e-mail and postal address of the participant must not be missing in the header.

The deadline is 7 days after the end of the race, i.e. until November 22, 2026, 23:59 UTC. If the diary cannot be sent via the website for unknown reasons, it will be sent to the address specified in the conditions (okomdx at crk.cz). Successful delivery will be confirmed immediately on the website and at the same time a confirmation e-mail will be sent to the address from the file header.

The listener's diary is sent by e-mail. The organizers recommend SWL DQR Log by SP7DQR.

Everyone who delivers the diary will get access to the UBN report, to the results and to the confirmation of connections established with OK and OM districts.

Diplomas and plaques

All participants can download an electronic diploma in PDF format for each placement. Paper diplomas are not sent out.

The winners of the basic categories will receive a plaque, but only if they meet the criteria. One station can receive a maximum of one plaque in one year, for the category in which it received the most points. The minimum numbers of valid connections are as follows:

• M-S: 1000 connections,
• M-2: 1500 connections,
• SO-ALL HP: 500 connections and at least 7 participants in the category,
• SO-ALL LP: 400 connections and at least 7 participants,
• SO-ALL QRP: 200 connections and at least 3 participants,
• SO-SB HP: 200 connections and at least 7 participants,
• SO-SB LP: 100 connections and at least 7 participants,
• SO-SB QRP: 50 connections and at least 3 participants.

Records to break

What does the bar to overcome look like? Check out some records in the OK/OM division:

• SO AB HP: OM2VL, 5,038,740 points, 2172 connections, 1333 multipliers (2020),
• SO AB LP: OK2ZI, 2,521,545 points (2014),
• SO AB QRP: OK3C (OK2ZC), 895,050 points (2011),
• Multi op.: OL4A, 5,309,034 points (2014),
• SO 40m HP: OM5WW, 807,495 points (2021),
• SO 40m LP: OM3ZWA, 283,081 points (2011),
• SO 15m LP: OM5XX, 148,920 points (2015),
• SO 10m LP: OM5XX, 163,438 points (2014).

It is interesting that several records are still from the first half of the last decade. For example, records from 2020 and 2021 are younger. So it is clear that some categories are still waiting for a new record holder.

Finally: two political notes and one invitation

In accordance with the position of the Czech Radio Club on the war in Ukraine, the dailies of stations from the Russian Federation and Belarus will not be received until further notice, and connections with these stations will be cancelled.

Another video that fits the topic:

The OK-OM DX Contest CW is an opportunity to test your technique and operator skills while contributing to the live airwaves. If you miss the whole weekend this year, it doesn't matter. Just sit down to a station in the category that suits you and work as the conditions allow. See you on air and good luck!