ARRL VHF Contests: January, June and September Guide

If HF contests feel like a crowded stadium, the ARRL VHF contests are more like a treasure hunt. Instead of racing to log thousands of contacts with the whole world, you try to work as many different grid squares as you can on the bands above 50 MHz, using whatever propagation happens to help. There are three of them every year, anyone can take part with a modest station, and they are one of the best ways to find out what your VHF and UHF equipment can really do. This guide covers the rules in plain language, the bands and modes, the propagation you can use and a simple plan for your first entry.

The facts below come from the contest sponsor’s own pages. Rules are revised from time to time, so always read the current rules before you operate.

The Objective: Work Grids, Not Countries

The contest objective is stated plainly. Amateurs in the United States and Canada, and their possessions, try to work as many amateur stations as possible in as many different 2 degree by 1 degree Maidenhead grid squares as possible, using authorised frequencies above 50 MHz. Stations outside the United States and Canada may take part, but they may work only stations in the United States, its possessions and Canada. Stations with the prefixes KH0 to KH9, KL7, KP1 to KP5, CY9 and CY0 count as W/VE stations for contest credit.

The grid square is the central idea. Each square is a patch of the earth’s surface about 2 degrees of longitude by 1 degree of latitude, identified by four characters such as FN31. The more different squares you work, the better your multiplier. If you are not yet comfortable with the system, read our guide to grid squares and the Maidenhead locator system first, since it is the vocabulary of the whole contest.

The Three Contests at a Glance

The ARRL runs three VHF contests each year, in January, June and September. They share the same objective and the same bands, and differ in timing and typical conditions.

With this year’s June and September events behind us, the next one is the January contest. Confirm the exact dates on the ARRL January VHF page, which also links to the full rules.

The contests run for roughly 33 hours, from Saturday afternoon to the early hours of Monday UTC. You do not have to operate the whole time. Many entrants make a few hours of contacts and submit a log anyway, and that is welcome.

Bands and Modes

The contest covers all authorised amateur frequencies above 50 MHz. The four lowest bands, 50, 144, 222 and 432 MHz, are the main hunting ground, with 902 MHz, 1.2 GHz and the microwave bands for those who have equipment. All legal modes are permitted. For logging, the Cabrillo mode codes are CW, PH for SSB voice, FM for FM voice and DG for all digital modes.

A notable detail for newcomers is the FM Only category. Participants in this category can count contacts made on 902 MHz and 1.2 GHz toward their scores, in addition to the four lowest bands that previously counted. This means that a station with a simple FM handheld or mobile, and little else, can take part in a defined category and have a realistic contest.

• SSB and CW are the traditional weak-signal modes, used for the longest contacts.
• FM works for local contacts through simplex, and is the entry mode for many new operators.
• Digital modes include FT8 and meteor-scatter modes, which are described in our MSK144 meteor scatter guide.

Propagation You Can Use

VHF propagation is not like HF. On most days, signals travel little further than the horizon, so contest results depend heavily on short-lived enhancements. The ones that matter most are:

• Sporadic E. Clouds of intense ionisation in the E layer can bounce 50 MHz signals, and sometimes higher frequencies, over long distances for minutes or hours. It is a summer phenomenon, which is why the June contest is the best one for 6 meters. Our 6 meter band guide explains how to find openings.
• Tropospheric enhancement. Temperature inversions and ducts carry VHF and UHF signals far beyond the horizon. Our guide to tropospheric ducting covers the weather patterns involved.
• Meteor scatter. Short bursts reflected by meteor trails allow contacts at several hundred kilometres with the right digital mode and patience.
• Line of sight. Even without enhancement, a high location and a good antenna reach a surprising number of squares on a weekend.

Preparing Your Station

You do not need a large station to take part. A realistic starting set-up and a few improvements can make the difference.

Antennas

Antenna height and gain matter more than power on VHF. A directional antenna, such as a small Yagi on a rotator or even a hand-held beam, finds weak stations that an omnidirectional antenna cannot. Orientation matters too: weak-signal contacts on SSB and CW typically use horizontal polarisation, while FM uses vertical, so a station that wants to work both may need two antennas. Our guide to 2 meter antenna options covers the simpler designs.

Radio and feed line

Losses in the coax matter more at VHF and UHF than on HF. Use low-loss cable and keep the run as short as practical, and put a preamplifier near the antenna if you operate weak-signal modes seriously.

Computer and logging

Pick a logging program that supports the contest and exports a Cabrillo file, and test it before the weekend. Our guide to Cabrillo logs and the UBN process shows what a correct file looks like.

Operating Strategy for Beginners

1. Listen first. Spend the first hour scanning each band for activity. In a VHF contest, activity is often concentrated around weak-signal calling frequencies.
2. Work the strong signals. Contacts from nearby squares are valuable, because every distinct square counts.
3. Call CQ regularly. Stations with beams will turn toward you if they hear you. Short, repeated calls with your call sign and grid are best.
4. Move bands. If a station is workable on 6 meters, ask whether they are also on 2 meters or 70 centimetres. Working the same station on several bands adds contacts.
5. Watch for openings. When a band suddenly comes alive, go there at once. Openings can be short.
6. Use the time of day. Tropo is often strongest in the morning and evening, and sporadic E often peaks in the late morning and early evening.

Many operators also use a rover strategy. A rover is a station that moves between grid squares during the contest, giving other stations a chance to work different squares from one operator. Rover is a defined entry type, with its own rules, so read the current rules if you are interested.

Spotting and Staying Alert

VHF contests depend on knowing where the activity is. Spotting networks help, and so do alert tools. For example, LY4A DX Reminder watches five DX spot sources, DXScape, DXSummit, DXHeat, PSK Reporter and the Reverse Beacon Network, and raises an alarm when the call sign you set shows up on the band and mode you chose. The bands it supports include 6 meters, 2 meters and 70 centimetres, so you can ask it to alert you when a specific station you need for a grid appears. It is a convenience, not a replacement for listening.

Logging and Submitting

Logs are due within ten days after the contest ends. Electronic Cabrillo logs are the preferred method, and they are submitted through the sponsor’s web application. Paper logs are still accepted, with a summary sheet and a VHF/UHF log sheet, but if you send one by mail, use a delivery method that provides a tracking number.

It is worth submitting even a small log. Sponsors use logs to check contacts, and your log helps other stations get credit. Log submissions also feed the club and regional scores. For a broader view of the year’s events, see the ARRL contest calendar.

Outside North America

Because the ARRL contests are aimed at North America, stations in Europe and elsewhere may take part only for contacts with the United States, its possessions and Canada, which is difficult on most days. If you live outside North America, look at the VHF and UHF contests run by your national society, many of which use the same grid-square scoring idea. Our article on choosing your next contest from the calendar shows where to look.

A Sample Weekend Plan

A simple schedule helps a first-time entrant make the most of limited hours. This example is for a small station with 6 meter and 2 meter capability, and you can adapt it to your own bands and conditions.

• Saturday, first hours: check the equipment, then tune across each band to see who is on. Make a handful of easy contacts to confirm the logging program works and that your exchange is correct.
• Saturday afternoon and evening: alternate between bands, calling CQ for a few minutes on each and then tuning for replies. Watch for sporadic E on 6 meters in summer, and for tropo enhancement on 2 meters in the evening.
• Saturday night: take a break, or try weak-signal digital modes if you have them. Meteor-scatter activity can be productive overnight.
• Sunday morning: return to the bands at first light. Morning often brings tropo and a fresh set of stations calling CQ.
• Sunday afternoon and Monday UTC: work remaining squares, then export the log and check it for errors while the contest is fresh in your mind.

Keep notes as you go. Which bands were open, and when? Which squares did you miss? Those notes are the best preparation for the next contest.

A Quick Equipment Checklist

• Transceiver or transceivers for each band you plan to use, with CAT cables and drivers tested.
• Antennas for each band, with feed lines inspected and connectors weatherproofed.
• A logging program that handles grid squares and exports Cabrillo.
• A clock set accurately, especially if you operate digital modes.
• Power supplies or batteries with a margin, and a fuse in every power lead.
• Food, water and a comfortable chair, because a 33-hour contest is easier when you look after yourself.

Common Mistakes

• Not reading the current rules. Categories, bands and scoring change.
• Operating too little on the best band. If 6 meters opens, be there.
• Ignoring antenna polarisation. A horizontal antenna and a vertical one do not hear each other well.
• Forgetting grid squares in the exchange. Each contact needs your grid, and logging the other station’s correctly matters for scoring.
• Not submitting a log. A short log still counts, and it helps others.

The Bottom Line

The ARRL VHF contests reward patience, good antennas and a sense of when to be on which band. They are friendly to beginners, welcome all legal modes and let a modest station take part in a defined category. Learn the grid system, choose the contest that fits the season and prepare your antennas and logging software. Then spend a weekend listening, calling and hunting for squares. Your first entry will teach you more about VHF propagation than a year of casual operating.

Frequently Asked Questions

When are the ARRL VHF contests?

There are three: January VHF on the third or fourth full weekend of January, June VHF on the second full weekend of June and September VHF on the second full weekend of September. Check the sponsor’s pages for exact dates each year.

What bands are used in the ARRL VHF contests?

All authorised amateur frequencies above 50 MHz, with the four lowest bands, 50, 144, 222 and 432 MHz, forming the core. Higher bands are available for those with equipment.

Can I take part with an FM handheld?

Yes, in the FM Only category. Contacts on 902 MHz and 1.2 GHz can also count in that category, in addition to the four lowest bands.

What is the contest exchange and objective?

The objective is to work as many different 2 by 1 degree Maidenhead grid squares as possible. Your grid square is part of the information you exchange. Read the current rules for the exact exchange.

How do I submit my log?

Upload a Cabrillo file through the sponsor’s web application within ten days of the end of the contest. Paper logs are accepted by mail, with a tracking number recommended.

Can stations outside North America take part?

Yes, but they may work only stations in the United States, its possessions and Canada. Operators elsewhere often prefer their own national VHF contests.