ARRL DX SSB

A quick guide for operators — what to expect, what to say, and how it's scored.

This guide is a draft and hasn't been checked yet. Contest rules change from year to year — the sponsor's official rules are the final word.

What it is

The world works the US and Canada: for 48 hours, DX stations everywhere look for North American contacts, and we look for them.

The exchange

We send a signal report and our province: "59 British Columbia". DX stations send a report and their power, e.g. "59 one hundred".

A typical contact

G3XYZ: "CQ contest, Golf Three X-ray Yankee Zulu." You: "Victor Echo Seven Sierra Alpha Romeo." G3XYZ: "VE7SAR five nine, one kilowatt." You: "Thanks, five nine British Columbia."

Scoring

As a Canadian station we work only DX — stations outside the US and Canada. Every contact is worth 3 points. Multipliers are DXCC countries, counted once per band.

Bands

160, 80, 40, 20, 15 and 10 m.

Tips for first-timers

Only call stations outside the US and Canada. Say "British Columbia" in full on phone; it's easier to copy than "BC".

The club in this contest

Last updated 2026-10-29 by draft (Claude).