A 24-hour worldwide CW and SSB competition begins today

The 2026 ARSI VU-DX Contest begins today, August 22, offering contesters around the world an opportunity to work Indian stations and compete across four HF bands.

Organised by the Amateur Radio Society of India, the contest runs for 24 hours:

Start: August 22, 2026 at 12:00 UTC
End: August 23, 2026 at 11:59:59 UTC

Participation is open worldwide, with CW, SSB and Mixed categories available.

Bands and Categories

The contest takes place on:

• 40 metres
• 20 metres
• 15 metres
• 10 metres

Operators can participate in Single Operator All Band or Single Operator Single Band categories, choosing CW, SSB or Mixed mode.

Separate Low Power and High Power classifications are available.

Exchange

Indian stations send:

RS(T) + two-letter State or Union Territory code

Stations outside India send:

RS(T) + progressive serial number

Each station may be worked once per band and per mode. This means that the same callsign can provide separate valid contacts in CW and SSB on every available band.

Scoring for DX Stations

For participants outside India:

• Each valid QSO with a VU station is worth three points.
• Each Indian State or Union Territory worked counts as a multiplier once per band and per mode.

The final score is calculated by multiplying the total QSO points by the total number of multipliers.

This structure places particular importance on finding VU stations operating from different regions of the country. Moving between bands and modes can significantly increase the multiplier total.

Awards for International Participants

Electronic certificates will be available to all participants submitting a valid log before the deadline.

The leading DX station in each category can receive a plaque, provided that at least ten valid QSOs are completed.

A special WAVU – Worked All VU Award will also be presented to the three highest-scoring DX stations that contact at least ten different Indian States or Union Territories across the available bands and modes.

Log Submission

Logs must be submitted in Cabrillo format within seven days of the conclusion of the contest. Late entries will be accepted only as checklogs.

The Cabrillo contest identifier is:

ARSI-VU-DX

The use of DX clusters and spotting networks is permitted, while self-spotting is prohibited.

With India as its geographical focus and worldwide participation encouraged, the ARSI VU-DX Contest offers an interesting 24-hour challenge and an opportunity to increase contest activity between VU stations and the international amateur-radio community.

The EUDXCC wishes all participants good propagation and an enjoyable contest.

Full rules: ARSI VU-DX Contest – Amateur Radio Society of India⁠