Baltic Contest: 80 Meter CW and SSB Rules, Scoring and Sections

Most big contests reward you for chasing multipliers, with prefixes, zones and countries stacked on top of the QSO count. The Baltic Contest does something different. It is a short evening event on 80 meters, run by the Lithuanian Radio Sports Federation, in which every contact is worth a fixed number of points and there are no multipliers at all. That makes it one of the easiest events to understand, and one of the most accessible for a station with a modest wire antenna. This guide summarises the rules of the 61st edition, held in 2026, explains the sections and the scoring with examples, and shows what a new participant needs to do. Always read the rules published for the edition that you plan to enter, because details change from year to year.

What the Contest Is

The Baltic Contest is organised by the Lithuanian Radio Sports Federation, in Lithuanian the LRSF. According to the rules of the 2026 edition, its aim is to promote radio sport in the Baltic States and to expand relations among radio amateurs of the Baltic region and the world. The object is to establish as many contacts as possible with amateur stations worldwide. The 2026 edition was the 61st, which shows how long the event has been part of the calendar of the region.

The rules of that edition note that, following a decision of the LRSF council, contacts with stations in Russia and Belarus are not counted. This is part of the published rules for 2026, and you should check whether the same provision applies to the edition that you enter. The period of the 2026 contest was from 2100 UTC on 16 May to 0200 UTC on 17 May, described in the rules as the third full weekend; for the current date of the next edition, check the organiser’s site for the current date before you plan your weekend.

Bands, Modes and Frequencies

The contest takes place only on 80 meters. The 2026 rules give CW from 3510 to 3600 kHz and SSB from 3600 to 3750 kHz. That is a short stretch of the band, so activity is concentrated, and the five hours of the event are busy with stations from many countries. Because the band is used in the evening and into the night, propagation on 80 meters is mostly good for European paths, with occasional openings to other continents when conditions favour them. Our guide to the 80 meter band explains the characteristics of the band, including noise and antenna choices.

Each station may be worked once on SSB and once on CW. That is a useful rule for a small station, since a contact with a strong station can be made twice, and it makes the mode choice part of the strategy: a CW operator can run a rate on the CW segment and then move to SSB to collect another set of contacts. Our article on run versus search and pounce describes how to choose between calling CQ and searching, which applies fully here.

Sections

The rules state that any use of DX spotting networks, including skimmers, the DX cluster and sked pages, is not permitted in sections A, B and C. Section D is the assisted one, where such help is allowed. Only one transmitted signal is allowed at any time. The distinction between assisted and non-assisted entries is explained in our article on contest categories, and the role of automated decoders is covered in the guide to CW Skimmer and the Reverse Beacon Network. For a first entry, a section of the unassisted class gives the cleanest comparison, while the assisted section is a gentler start if you like to see what is on the band.

The Exchange

The exchange is the RS(T) report followed by a serial number starting from 001. On SSB the report is RS, readability and strength, and on CW it is RST, with the tone digit. In practice most stations send 59 or 599 and concentrate on the number. Each contact increases the serial number, and CW and SSB contacts are counted in the same sequence. If you want to send the numbers in the shortened form used by many CW operators, our guide to cut numbers shows the accepted abbreviations, and our article on Super Check Partial helps with call sign accuracy.

The simplicity of the exchange has an effect on the character of the contest: the rate can be high, the pressure on accuracy is on the call signs, and the serial number is an easy source of mistakes when you lose count. A paper note of the last number sent, in addition to the logging program, is a habit worth keeping.

Scoring: Points but No Multipliers

The score depends on where you are and who you work. According to the 2026 rules, the following applies.

• Participants in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania: each QSO with Europe counts 1 point, and each QSO with another continent counts 2 points.
• Participants in Europe: each QSO with Estonia, Latvia or Lithuania counts 10 points, and each QSO with another participant counts 1 point.
• Participants outside Europe: each QSO with ES, YL or LY counts 20 points, and each QSO with another participant counts 1 point.

The final score is the sum of the QSO points. There is no multiplier. When the points are equal, the tie is broken by the better percentage of QSO confirmation and then by the greater number of DX QSOs. This scheme is a strong incentive to work the three Baltic states. For a European station outside the region, a single QSO with a Lithuanian, Latvian or Estonian station is worth as much as ten ordinary contacts, so the first task is to find and work as many of them as you can; for a station outside Europe, each Baltic contact is worth twenty.

A short example makes the weights clear. A German station that makes 100 contacts with other European stations and 20 contacts with stations in the three Baltic states scores 100 points from the first group and 200 points from the second, for 300 in total. A Baltic station that works 100 European stations and 10 stations from other continents scores 100 plus 20 points, 120 in total. The numbers show that the contest is much more rewarding for those who work the Baltic region than for the region itself, and that the Baltic stations do their part by being easy to find and by running steadily.

Strategy for a Short 80 Meter Event

With only five hours on the clock, the way you spend them decides the result. The scoring rewards contacts with the Baltic states, so a European station should begin by finding them: tune the CW and SSB segments, note the Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian call signs and work them first, then fill the log with other stations when the Baltic ones are busy. A station inside the region has a different task: every contact counts one or two points, so the winner is the one who keeps the rate highest for the longest time, usually by calling CQ on a clear frequency and staying there. Our guide to band change strategy shows why a single-band event changes the planning: there is no band to move to, only the choice of mode and the moment to switch.

Think also about the order of the modes. If CW is your strong mode, begin there while the band is quiet, and use SSB for the later hours when you need new contacts. If you are a voice operator, remember that the SSB segment is narrow, so a clear frequency is hard to find; call on one frequency and be patient, or search for calls with a good receive filter. The same station may appear on both modes, so keep a note of who you have worked on which, even though the logging program should mark the duplicates automatically.

Antennas and Receive Conditions

A resonant dipole at a reasonable height is a perfectly good antenna for this contest, since the paths from the Baltic states into Europe are short enough to be covered by a high-angle signal. A low dipole sends much of its energy upward, which helps at these distances, and an inverted V is often a practical choice. For longer paths to other continents, a vertical or an inverted L gives a lower angle, as described in our article on the inverted L antenna. On the receive side, evening noise from thunderstorms and from household devices can be the main limit, so listen carefully before the start and decide whether a receive filter or a noise reduction setting will help.

Logs and Awards

The log must show the call sign, name, age, entry, power and the QSOs in chronological order. Each contact needs the correct time in UTC, the frequency or band, the call sign and the report with the serial number sent and received. The rules say that a log lacking the required information may be reclassified as a check log, so complete all the fields. Cabrillo format is accepted, as described in our guide to Cabrillo logs and the UBN process. The 2026 deadline for the logs was the 24th of May; for the dates of the current edition, check the organiser’s site. By submitting a log, you confirm that you followed the rules and agree to the publication of your result on the LRSF website, where the Baltic Contest 2026 page carries the information for that edition.

Awards are certificates for the leading stations of each section in every country, which means every DXCC entity, and medals for the winners of each section in the Baltic States when at least five take part. There are also special trophies for groups such as QRP, low power, youth, women, old-timers and individual countries, and the rules state that only operators who worked unassisted are eligible for the special trophies. Details and donors change from year to year, so the list is best read in the rules of the edition you enter.

Tips for a First Entry

• Know your group. Work out which points apply to your location before the start, so that you can plan the search for the 10- or 20-point stations.
• Use both modes if you can. The same station counts again on the other mode, which gives a chance to improve the score with a second pass.
• Watch the noise. On 80 meters, local noise can be the real limit. Test the receiver beforehand, as our guide to the contest station checklist suggests.
• Keep the numbers correct. Serial numbers are the only element that changes; a repeated number or a skipped one causes a bust.
• Send the log. Even a small log helps others check theirs and counts toward the section placements.

The Bottom Line

The Baltic Contest is a compact 80 meter event for CW and SSB with a simple exchange of RS(T) and serial number, six sections from A to F and a scoring system without multipliers, in which contacts with Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are worth 10 points to a European station and 20 points to a station outside Europe. Read the rules of the edition that you enter, check the organiser’s site for the current date, plan your search for the Baltic stations, keep the numbers correct and submit a complete Cabrillo log on time. It is an excellent first contest for a station with a simple wire antenna and a good introduction to the style of the region’s contests.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which band does the Baltic Contest use?

Only 80 meters. In the 2026 rules CW runs from 3510 to 3600 kHz and SSB from 3600 to 3750 kHz.

What is the exchange?

RS(T) and a serial number starting from 001. Each station may be worked once on SSB and once on CW.

Are there multipliers?

No. The final score is the sum of the QSO points, and ties are decided by the percentage of QSO confirmation and the number of DX QSOs.

How many points is a Baltic station worth?

For stations in Europe outside the Baltic states, 10 points per QSO with Estonia, Latvia or Lithuania. For stations outside Europe, 20 points.

Can I use the DX cluster?

Not in sections A, B and C. Section D, the assisted section, allows it.

When is the next contest?

Check the organiser’s site for the current date. The 2026 edition was held from 2100 UTC on 16 May to 0200 UTC on 17 May.