With just two weeks remaining before the CQ World Wide DX Contest SSB, scheduled for October 24–25, it’s time to start thinking seriously about the biggest contest weekend of the autumn season. For many of us, CQWW is much more than another date on the contest calendar. It’s the weekend we’ve been waiting for, the opportunity to test our stations, challenge ourselves and, hopefully, improve on last year’s score.
Anyone who has participated in a major contest knows that things rarely go exactly as planned. Propagation can surprise us, equipment can develop problems at the worst possible moment, and that apparently insignificant connector we forgot to check can suddenly become the most important component in the entire station.
That’s why the final two weeks are so important. Not because we need to make dramatic changes, but because this is the time to make sure everything works as it should.

First, Make Sure Your Station Works

We all enjoy improving our stations. A new antenna, a better amplifier, an additional band-pass filter or a more sophisticated switching system can make a real difference. But two weeks before CQWW is probably not the best time to begin a major reconstruction.
At this stage, reliability is worth more than another decibel of gain.
Start with the antennas. Check the SWR on every band you intend to operate, paying particular attention to the frequencies you actually use for SSB. Inspect coaxial cables, connectors and antenna switching systems. If something has been behaving strangely over the past few weeks, now is the time to investigate.
The same applies to amplifiers. Test them at normal operating power, check cooling systems and make sure everything behaves correctly during longer transmissions. For those operating SO2R or multi-transmitter stations, this is also the moment to verify band-pass filters, interlocks and possible interference between radios.
There is nothing more frustrating than discovering, during a good opening toward North America, that transmitting on 20 meters makes the second receiver unusable on 40 meters.
And don’t forget the simple things. A faulty footswitch, an unreliable USB connection or a loose audio cable can cause just as much trouble as a more serious equipment failure.

Spend Some Time Listening to the Bands

Propagation is probably the most fascinating and unpredictable part of contesting. We can study forecasts, examine solar data and make all sorts of calculations, but when the contest starts, the ionosphere will have the final word.
Nevertheless, the days leading up to CQWW can provide useful information.
Spend some time listening on the bands at different hours. Pay attention to when North American stations become strong on 10 and 15 meters, how long 20 meters remains open in the evening and what happens on 40 meters around sunrise and sunset.
With solar activity still capable of producing excellent higher-band conditions, 10 and 15 meters deserve particular attention, although we should never take good propagation for granted.
The low bands require a different approach. On 80 and 160 meters, receiving ability, local noise and antenna performance often matter more than raw transmitting power. If you plan to operate these bands seriously, spend some time checking your receiving conditions before the contest.
One of the most useful exercises is simply to turn on the radio at the same hours you expect to operate during CQWW. You may discover openings that don’t appear particularly promising on paper.
Of course, conditions can change completely by contest weekend. That’s part of the game.

Have a Plan, but Don’t Become a Prisoner of It

Every serious contester should have at least a rough idea of how to approach the weekend. Which bands are likely to produce the highest rates? When should you look for difficult multipliers? Is it better to keep running or move to another band?
There are no universal answers.
A station in Southern Europe will face different propagation opportunities from one in Scandinavia or North America. Antenna systems, power levels and local noise conditions also influence the decisions we make.
What matters is understanding your station’s strengths and weaknesses.
If your 15-meter antenna performs exceptionally well, it makes sense to take advantage of the best openings. If your 80-meter receiving system is limited, spending hours chasing weak multipliers may not be the most productive strategy.
And remember that CQWW scoring rewards more than the number of contacts. CQ zones and DXCC entities are important multipliers, counted separately on each band. Sometimes a few minutes spent looking for a new multiplier can be more valuable than continuing to call CQ.
On the other hand, abandoning a productive run every time a spot appears on the cluster is rarely a good strategy.
Experience helps us find the balance.

Get Comfortable with Your Logging Software

Most of us use the same logging program year after year, whether it’s N1MM Logger+, DXLog or another application. We know the keyboard shortcuts, the function keys and the basic operating procedures.
Or at least we think we do.
Then, five minutes after the contest begins, we discover that the voice keyer isn’t working, the CAT interface has stopped communicating or the second radio is showing the wrong frequency.
It’s worth spending an evening checking the entire configuration.
Make sure the correct contest and category are selected, verify the exchange and test the voice messages. If you’re using two radios, practice switching between them and confirm that the logging software follows the correct frequency and band.
For multi-operator stations, check the network and make sure all computers are properly synchronized.
Backups are another detail that deserves attention. Losing a few contacts because of a computer problem is annoying. Losing an entire contest log would be considerably worse.
If everything is working properly, resist the temptation to install unnecessary updates or experiment with new configurations immediately before the contest.

The Operator Needs Preparation Too

We spend a lot of time discussing antennas, amplifiers and propagation, but sometimes forget the component that makes the whole station work: the operator.
Forty-eight hours is a long time, particularly for those attempting a serious single-operator effort.
A comfortable chair, properly positioned monitors, good headphones and a reasonably organized operating desk can make a surprising difference after many hours in front of the radio.
Sleep is equally important. Starting the contest already tired is a poor strategy, no matter how good the propagation might be.
Think about food, drinks and breaks before the weekend begins. If you’re operating alone, decide how you intend to manage rest periods. A short break at the right moment can be far more useful than struggling through several hours of poor concentration.
We’ve all experienced that moment when a callsign needs to be repeated three times, only to realize that the problem wasn’t the signal but our own tired brain.
Contesting is a test of endurance as much as operating skill.

The Final Week: Leave Things Alone

As contest weekend approaches, my advice is simple: once the station is working properly, stop changing things.
There is always something that could be improved. Another cable to replace, another setting to optimize, another idea that seems brilliant on Wednesday evening.
But unless there is a real problem to solve, the final days should be devoted to checking rather than modifying.
Make one last inspection of the station. Check the weather forecast, particularly if you have large antennas or towers exposed to strong winds. Prepare any spare cables, connectors or other components that might be useful in an emergency.
Review the official CQWW rules, especially if you have changed operating category or station configuration since last year.
And on Friday evening, try to relax.
The station should be ready. The software should be working. The antennas should be pointing in the right direction.
There is very little to gain from spending the final hours before the contest making unnecessary adjustments.

When the Contest Finally Starts

At 00:00 UTC on Saturday, October 24, the familiar sound of thousands of stations calling CQ will once again fill the bands.
Some operators will be chasing world records. Others will be trying to beat their personal best. Many will simply enjoy making contacts with stations they rarely hear during an ordinary weekend.
That’s one of the things I like most about CQWW. Whether you’re operating a large multi-tower station or a modest setup with 100 watts and a wire antenna, you’re taking part in the same worldwide event.
Naturally, the objectives will be different, but the excitement is remarkably similar.
There will be difficult pileups, unexpected openings, missed multipliers and moments when nothing seems to work. There will also be those wonderful occasions when a rare station answers your first call, or when a band you thought was closed suddenly comes alive.
And by Sunday evening, regardless of the final score, most of us will already be thinking about what we could do better next year.
That’s contesting.
So use these final two weeks wisely. Check your equipment, listen to the bands, prepare a sensible strategy and get some rest.
Then, when CQWW weekend arrives, forget about all the preparations and enjoy the radio.
Good luck in CQWW SSB 2026. I hope to hear many of you in the pileups!
73, Francesco IK6QON
EUDXCC – European DX Contest Club
CQ World Wide DX Contest SSB: October 24–25, 2026
Official website: www.cqww.com