High Frequency (HF) radio bands offer very interesting and sometimes sporadic behaviors when communicating. In a mixture of skill and luck of conditions, amateur radio operators worldwide combine at certain times through the year for contests to see who can make the most contacts. These contests vary on rules and purpose. Some contests focus on international contacts, while some may focus on making as many contacts as possible within the state of Indiana. Field Day is a contest focusing on a temporary station setup, using no "on the grid" electricity for the duration of the event.

Whatever the contest, the K9IU club is well equipped to participate. If you just have a Technician class FCC license, the contests are a great way for you to try out the HF bands as there is almost always a willing General class ham willing to participate with you.

We often open up the doors of the K9IU shack to members of the Bloomington Amateur Radio Club and Bloomington South High School (K9SOU) for contests as well, and we join with them for the Field Day event annually.

See the calendar section of the site for the next contest or on-air event that K9IU will be participating in. Also see the Awards page to view our progress on current awards and past awards.

For more information on contesting, including tips and a beginners guide, see the Contesting Compendium at contesting.com.

Contest Scores

(unless otherwise noted, these scores are what we claim is our score)