One of the traditional DX contests of the international contesting calendar returns this weekend: the 67th All Asian DX Contest – Phone, organized by the Japan Amateur Radio League (JARL).
The SSB leg will take place on September 5–6, 2026, running for the full 48 hours from 00:00 UTC Saturday to 24:00 UTC Sunday.
For European and other non-Asian operators, the objective is very simple: work as many Asian stations and Asian prefixes as possible.
Contest Period
September 5–6, 2026
00:00 UTC Saturday – 24:00 UTC Sunday
Mode: Phone / SSB
Bands:
160, 80, 40, 20, 15 and 10 metres
Who Can European Stations Work?
This is particularly important for operators outside Asia.
Non-Asian stations score only contacts with Asian stations.
The same Asian station can be worked once on each band, making band changes and propagation openings particularly important for building the final score.
For non-Asian stations, QSO points are:
- 160 m: 3 points
- 80 m: 2 points
- 40 m: 1 point
- 20 m: 1 point
- 15 m: 1 point
- 10 m: 2 points
Multipliers are the different Asian prefixes, according to the WPX rules, worked on each band.
The final All-Band score is:
Total QSO Points × Total Multipliers
The Famous All Asian Exchange: Your Age!
One of the characteristics that makes the All Asian DX Contest immediately recognizable is its unusual exchange.
Single operators send:
RS + operator’s age
For example, a 54-year-old operator would send:
5954
Operators who prefer not to send their age may send 5901 instead.
Multi-operator stations send the average age of the operators at the beginning of the contest, or 01 if they prefer not to disclose it.
So don’t be surprised this weekend when the numbers following the signal report are very different from the usual serial numbers or zones!
Entry Categories
The 2026 rules provide several possibilities for participation, including:
Single Operator
- Single Band High Power
- Single Band Low Power
- All Band High Power
- All Band Low Power
There are also dedicated Single Operator All Band 24-Hour High and Low Power categories.
In this category only the first 24 hours of operating time count toward the score. Periods of at least 60 continuous minutes without a logged QSO are considered off-time.
Multi-operator stations can enter:
- Multi-Single High Power
- Multi-Single Low Power
- Multi-Multi High Power
- Multi-Multi Low Power
Low Power is limited to 100 watts maximum output.
A Long-Distance Challenge for European Stations
For European contesters, the All Asian DX Contest is above all a propagation challenge.
Unlike contests where QSOs inside Europe can quickly build the QSO total, every valid contact here requires reaching Asia.
Japan will naturally be one of the major targets, but the contest offers the opportunity to search for prefixes throughout the enormous Asian continent.
Band selection and timing can therefore make a considerable difference.
The higher bands can provide excellent opportunities when propagation cooperates, while 40 and 80 metres may become particularly interesting during the European evening and nighttime hours.
And don’t forget 160 metres: an Asian QSO there is worth three points for a non-Asian station.
A Busy Contest Weekend
The All Asian DX Contest will not be alone on the bands.
One of the most relevant overlapping events for European SSB operators is the IARU Region 1 Field Day SSB, scheduled from 13:00 UTC on Saturday, September 5, until 12:59 UTC on Sunday, September 6.
Several other events are also scheduled during the weekend, including the CWOps CW Open, Russian RTTY WW Contest, RSGB SSB Field Day, and the IARU Region 1 145 MHz Contest.
The most noticeable HF SSB overlap in Europe is likely to come from Field Day activity, so operators should pay particular attention to identifying the contest being called and to the required exchange.
Log Deadline
The deadline for the Phone section is:
September 16, 2026
JARL recommends electronic log submission, with Cabrillo accepted through its online upload system.
With 48 hours available and six bands from 160 through 10 metres, the All Asian DX Contest Phone remains an interesting opportunity for European operators to test their stations on the long path toward Asia and, perhaps, add some less common Asian prefixes to the log.
Listen for “CQ AA Contest” from 00:00 UTC this Saturday!
Good luck to everyone taking part, and let’s see how propagation between Europe and Asia behaves this weekend.
73 from EUDXCC!