CQ WW RTTY Contest: Zones, Countries, Overlays and Rules

Radioteletype may be one of the oldest digital modes, but in the last weekend of September it is as busy as any mode on the air. The CQ WW RTTY contest is the big annual RTTY event: 48 hours on five HF bands, a short exchange of a signal report and a CQ zone, and three kinds of multipliers that reward contacts with every part of the world. It also has some of the most interesting categories in contesting, including overlays for beginners, young operators and purists who want to operate with one radio and no spotting help. This guide summarizes the rules published on the contest website on 27 October 2026, which describe the 2026 edition, and explains how the scoring, the categories and the assistance rules work, so that you can plan your own entry. For the technical side of the mode, our guide to RTTY contesting software, tuning and exchanges is a good companion.

Dates, Bands and the Exchange

The official rules page lists the 2026 contest as running from 0000 UTC on Saturday 26 September to 2359 UTC on Sunday 27 September, which is a full 48 hours. The objective is for amateurs around the world to contact as many others as possible in as many CQ zones, countries and W/VE QTHs as possible. Five bands are used: 3.5, 7, 14, 21 and 28 MHz, and the rules strongly encourage entrants to observe the established band plans. The 160 meter, 60 meter and WARC bands are not part of this contest.

The exchange consists of an RST report plus the CQ zone number of the station location, for example 599 05. Stations in the continental United States and Canada also send their QTH, such as 599 05 MA. A report of 599 is the usual one in RTTY contests, and your CQ zone is a number that you should know by heart; if you are not sure about yours, our guide to CQ zones versus ITU zones explains the difference and how to look it up. Lithuania, for example, is in CQ zone 15.

QSO Points and Multipliers

Each station may be contacted once on each band. QSO points depend on where the other station is. Contacts between stations on different continents count three points, contacts between stations on the same continent but in different countries count two points, and contacts between stations in the same country count one point. For a European station, a contact with another European country gives two points, and one with North America gives three.

The multipliers are the heart of the contest, and there are three kinds. All of them count once per band:

• Zone. One for each different CQ zone contacted on each band, following the CQ Worked All Zones rules.
• Country. One for each different country contacted on each band. The DXCC list and the Worked All Europe list, with IG9 and IH9, together with the continental boundaries, are the standards. Maritime mobile stations count only as a zone multiplier.
• W/VE QTH. One for each of the 48 continental US states, the District of Columbia and each of the 14 Canadian call areas. Alaska and Hawaii count only as country multipliers and not as state multipliers.

The score is the total of QSO points multiplied by the sum of the zone, country and QTH multipliers. The rules give an example: 1,000 QSO points with 30 zones, 70 countries and 35 W/VE QTHs gives 1,000 times 135, a score of 135,000. This shows why the multipliers matter so much. Adding a single new zone on one band adds the same amount to the multiplier as adding one new country or one new state, and that is worth more than dozens of extra contacts with stations you have already logged on other bands. Because multipliers count on each band separately, a good plan is to move a rare station to a new band as soon as you have it, to collect the multiplier again.

Single-Operator Classes and the Overlays

The single-operator classes are high power (up to 1500 watts), low power (up to 100 watts) and QRP (up to 5 watts), each for all bands or a single band. There is no limit on operating time or band changes, and only one transmitted signal is allowed at any time. The most important division is between the plain single operator and the assisted single operator. In the first, QSO finding assistance of any kind is prohibited. In the second, you may use it. The rules define assistance as any technology or other source that gives the callsign or multiplier identification of a signal, other than a single-channel RTTY decoder. This includes a wide-band multi-channel RTTY decoder, a DX cluster, DX spotting web sites, a skimmer or the Reverse Beacon Network, and operating arrangements with other people.

The overlay categories are a particular strength of this contest. Any single operator who meets the requirements may also enter an overlay by adding a CATEGORY-OVERLAY line to the Cabrillo header. Overlay entries are listed separately and are scored as all bands.

• Classic. The entrant uses one radio only, with no QSO finding assistance, and may operate up to 24 of the 48 hours. Off times are at least 60 minutes with no contact logged. If the log shows more than 24 hours, only the first 24 count for the overlay score, and receiving while transmitting is prohibited.
• Rookie. The operator was first licensed less than three years before the contest, and must enter the date in the soapbox field. Previous winners are not eligible for plaques.
• Youth. The operator was 25 or younger at the start of the contest, with the birth date in the soapbox field.

These overlays mean that a beginner has a real chance of winning something even in a contest dominated by large stations. A young operator with a modest station can compete against other young operators, and a rookie against other rookies, in addition to the normal ranking. Classic is a good test for anyone who wants to measure their skill with a simple setup. See also our article on the CQ WPX contest for comparison with a contest in which prefixes are the multiplier.

Multi-Operator Classes

All multi-operator entries are all-band only, and QSO finding assistance is allowed. Multi-Single permits one run signal on one band, plus one other signal, the multiplier station, on a different band, but only to work a new multiplier, and the multiplier signal may not call CQ. Each signal may change band at most eight times per clock hour, and the log must show which signal made each contact. Multi-Two allows a maximum of two transmitted signals on two different bands, with the same limit of eight band changes per hour. Multi-Multi lets all five bands be active simultaneously, with one signal per band. Multi-Distributed allows up to five signals, one per band, from stations in different locations, provided all the equipment is in the same DXCC entity and CQ zone.

Low-power and high-power versions exist for Multi-Single, and only high power is listed for the other classes. A checklog is available for stations that want to help the log checkers but do not wish to be scored. A single-band entry is eligible for a single-band award only, and a log with more than one band is judged as all-band unless it is marked as single-band.

Rules Specific to RTTY

RTTY has its own technical rule: only 45.45 baud, 170 Hz shift ITA2 is permitted, so you cannot use other speeds or shifts. A second rule is specific to automation: a human operator must initiate changing receive or transmit frequencies, calling a QSO partner and logging a QSO at all times, and autonomous systems or robots that emulate these actions are prohibited. That sentence is aimed at software that scans the band and answers calls on its own, and it is a good reminder to configure your decoder and macros so that every action starts with a key press. Our Fldigi setup guide shows how to build macros that follow that principle.

The general rules for all entrants also include: a different callsign for each entry, no exceeding of the power limit measured at the output of the active amplifier, no self-spotting or asking to be spotted, and no remote receivers outside the station location. All transmitters, receivers and amplifiers must be within one 500-meter circle, and antennas must be connected to them by transmission lines. If two or more transmitters are on the same band, a hardware device must prevent more than one signal at any time. Alternating CQs on two or more frequencies on a band is not allowed, and all requests for contacts, answers and copying of callsigns and exchanges must be done during the contest on contest frequencies, with no correction of logged callsigns afterward from databases, recordings or e-mail.

Unsportsmanlike Conduct and Audio Recordings

The rules list several examples of unsportsmanlike conduct. These are arranging or confirming contacts by non-amateur means such as telephone, chat rooms or social media, transmitting outside license limits, changing times in the log to meet band change or off time rules, claiming excessive unverifiable contacts or multipliers, signals with excessive bandwidth or harmonics, and running stations that make more than three consecutive contacts without sending their callsign. The last item is of particular interest to RTTY operators: when you are running, identify at least every third contact, since a station that never sends its call makes it harder for others to find it.

A rule that is new to many entrants is the audio recording requirement. Any single operator who is competing for a top five finish at world, continent or USA level, including the Classic overlay, must record the transmitted and received audio as heard by the operator for the whole time of the operation. The recording should be continuous, in a common format such as mp3, with the audio to each ear as a separate channel. The committee can request it within 90 days after the log deadline, and the entrant must provide it within five days. Failure to do so can lead to reclassification or disqualification. Entrants must also be ready to give details and photographs of their station on request.

Logs and Checking

Electronic logs are required, and Cabrillo is the standard format, submitted only by web upload. Stations in the USA and Canada must give their location in the header, and other stations enter DX. Each contact must show the date and time in UTC, the band or frequency, the callsign worked and the exchanges sent and received. All entries must be sent within 48 hours after the end of the contest, which in 2026 was 2359 UTC on 29 September. Extensions may be requested before the deadline for a legitimate reason, and logs submitted after the deadline may be listed in the results but are not eligible for awards. For more about log formats, see our article on Cabrillo logs and the UBN process.

The checking uses custom software and human judgment. Duplicate contacts and contacts with an incorrect received exchange are removed with no further penalty. Callsign errors and callsigns that are not in the other log are removed, and they receive a penalty of two times the QSO point value of that contact. That penalty is the strongest reason to double-check every callsign before logging, even when the decoder looks certain. The Wikipedia article on radioteletype gives the historical background to the mode and the ITA2 code that the rules refer to.

The Bottom Line

The CQ WW RTTY contest is a 48-hour test of speed and accuracy on five bands. The exchange is an RST and a CQ zone, the points depend on whether the partner is on another continent, and the three multipliers of zones, countries and W/VE QTHs apply on every band separately. The Classic, Rookie and Youth overlays give beginners and purists a fair contest within the contest, the assistance rules are clear, and the penalties for callsign errors are heavy. Read the rules, set up your decoder and macros, and decide in advance whether you will enter as assisted or unassisted.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the CQ WW RTTY contest?

The 2026 edition ran from 0000 UTC on 26 September to 2359 UTC on 27 September, a full 48 hours. Check the rules page for the date of the next edition.

Which bands are used?

Five bands only: 3.5, 7, 14, 21 and 28 MHz.

What is the exchange?

An RST report and your CQ zone number, such as 599 05. Stations in the continental United States and Canada also send their state or call area.

How many points is a contact worth?

Three points for a different continent, two for the same continent but a different country and one for the same country. Each station can be worked once per band.

What is the Classic overlay?

A single operator class with one radio, no QSO finding assistance and a maximum of 24 operating hours out of 48, with off times of at least 60 minutes.

Which RTTY mode is allowed?

Only 45.45 baud, 170 Hz shift ITA2. Other speeds and shifts are not permitted in this contest.