[CQ-Contest] WRTC UK Update

[Mark Haynes]

WRTC UK 2026 – News Release

 

With 2025 drawing to a close, I am happy to provide a summary of the year from the Organising Committee. Efforts had to be ‘stepped up’ several gears on the journey since being awarded the hosting rights in July 2023. This is mainly due to the fact that the timeframe between WRTC events this time is just 3 years. This presented the team with demanding deadlines without the opportunity for falling behind schedule.

Progress of the main work packages are as follows.

 

Rules and Qualification

This area is headed up by Lee G0MTN, who has worked hard in providing quality rule proposals to the OC and leading the operator and referee topics. The final qualifying event was ARRL DX SSB in March. The results were issued in July, which allowed identification of the final qualifying standings to determine the team leaders. Invitations were issued to all 47 of these individuals, who responded and identified their chosen team mate. Slots were already secure for the two sponsored teams. The Wildcard slow was carefully considered by the OC and we decided on Diego LW5HR, who quickly accepted. His chosen team mate is Manu LU9ESD. All 4 youth teams are locked in and confirmed as below:

| 
Youth #1
 | 
RA9P
 | 
Aleks
 | 
R2BFL
 | 
Maxim
 |
| 
Youth #2
 | 
W0AAE
 | 
Kees
 | 
W4IPC
 | 
Connor
 |
| 
Youth #3
 | 
W7WLW
 | 
Willow
 | 
N4ML
 | 
Max
 |
| 
Youth #4
 | 
DL3ON
 | 
Leon
 | 
EI5LA
 | 
Megan
 |


 

Representing the United Kingdom ‘at home’ at WRTC 2026 is Team Leader Martin GW4XUM with Team Mate John G4IRN.

 

Upon finalising the operator teams, we were able to launch the Referee application process. We had an excellent response with close to 100 applications. All 50 referees were carefully selected and all are confirmed.

 

There has been little need to make additions or changes to the WRTC competition rules since they were issued. We recently issued a clarification permitting the use of spectrum displays in controlling radios. The majority of the rule format remains unchanged from WRTC 2022 (held in 2023).

 

 

Sites & Stations

Andy M0NKR and Andy G4PIQ have been working hard in finding 55 suitable sites for the stations, which is no minor task. They have been successful in securing a sufficient number of sites in the target area of Norfolk and Suffolk. The majority of the sites will be located within the grounds of estates which surround the town of Thetford. The team operated from 5 locations within the Euston Estate for the IARU 2025 Contest, which was the main trial event for 2026. This was invaluable – not only did we learn how to assemble stations but our wonderful volunteers had that opportunity too and they proved to be very resourceful helpers. Chris G4FZN joined the committee shortly after this event, supported by Pauline G8HQW, with his prime area of responsibility being station assembly and volunteer coordination in the field.

The hardware acquisition continues to make good progress. Most equipment is already in our possession. The sale of antenna kits have started and many have already been allocated to new owners which will be taken by them after the WRTC 2026 contest.

 

 

Hospitality

Georgina M6YGL has developed details of the week long programme with our HQ venue Wyboston Lakes. All competitors and referees have confirmed their accommodation and specific requests. Spectators are making bookings and we have an ever evolving list of attendees. Entertainment during the event has been carefully selected and the itinerary is taking shape. The WRTC UK Organising Committee want the event to be something to remember. This is why we have chosen to select a very nice venue, which offers the facilities we need. Some of the important criteria when selecting an HQ venue included having on site accommodation, being able to hold the number of people we expect and offering a good quality venue with service standards in line with what would be expected for such a high profile event. Wyboston Lakes are very excited about WRTC UK and are working with us to ensure it runs smoothly.

 

 

Volunteers

Steve M1ACB heads up the area of volunteers and has been maintaining a comprehensive list of those that have offered their help and to be part of WRTC UK. The list has been divided by role for Drivers, Site Managers, Station Builders and HQ Staff. Communication with volunteers to confirm their role has been taking place over the past 2 months. We are extremely grateful to those that have offered their help. We still need to find more volunteers, so if you are able, please contact us.

 

 

Fundraising

We knew that this area was going to be challenging given that we only have a 3 year timeframe as opposed to the usual 4 years. The overall funds required to execute WRTC in the UK next year is high and made more challenging given inflation and particularly high prices in the UK. We have a large number of radio clubs, corporate organisations and individuals that have come forward to help and Keith G3WRO has been working to maximise this outreach. Mark K1RX came on board to help with fundraising in North America and is spending time promoting by performing presentations to radio clubs in the USA. WRTC would not be possible without donations and we thank every one for their help. All donors are displayed on our website. Those individuals that donated at least £100 in 2024 qualified for a unique Bronze WRTC UK Coin and for the same donation in 2025 obtained a Silver variant. The Gold Coin will become available on 1st January 2026. We welcomed some high value donors as VIPs and Super VIPs, who in return will benefit for some special treatment next July.

In August we were very pleased to bring on board Yaesu as our Prime Sponsor. Finance Director Fred G4BWP had a very good meeting with the President of the radio manufacturer in Tokyo, and we are delighted with their commitment to WRTC.

We have tent sponsors now for 46 of the 50 teams.

Overall, we are broadly on track with our fundraising targets. We still have work to do in 2026 to close the final gap of around £30,000.

We need to recognise WWROF (World Wide Radio Operators Foundation) for their ongoing support in facilitating donations from the USA.

 

 

IT

We developed our Information Technology team who are working ahead of the event and lining up plans for the event itself. This includes excellent support from our webmaster Stuart M1SMH and ongoing help from our previous webmaster and website host Peter MM9SQL. More recently, our media and AV team has been confirmed and they are having meetings to develop the plans. This team consists of David G7URP, Tammy M0TC, John G3WGV, Robert M0VFC, Dom M0BLF, Lawrence M0LCM, Kevin M0UJD, Kevin W1DED. James N0WRL, founder of World Radio League, and his team consisting of Brad and others, are providing the live platform for WRTC UK. The WRL WRTC platform was successfully trialled in July 2025 and again in CQWW 2025 at the M6T station. We have a milestone plan with WRL to ensure the solution is tweaked to be just right for the event. We will be integrating our onsite media with this aspect to ensure a joined up and synchronised solution.

 

 

Youth

As we have previously announced, involving young people is very important to the UK OC. To that end, we have ensured 4 teams (8 operators) will be part of the competing teams. Additionally, we are developing an initiative for YOTA operators to attend the UK to benefit from the experience. This is an effort to ultimately fuel interest for the future of our hobby and hopefully initiate the journey for future WRTC competitors. We recognise that we need to try and target an audience outside of amateur radio, too. Philipp DK6SP is working with Headmaster Alan G4DJX to organise a school trip visit to WRTC UK HQ before the contest, where the students will get to meet world class contesters and get the opportunity to operate a station at Wyboston.

 

Thanks go to our Advisory Committee (G0CKV, G3NSM, MD0CCE, N3KS, K1AR, K3LR, DL1MGB) for their continuing support. We are also thankful to the Sanctioning Committee for assisting with various progression gates along the way. Our SC interface is Doug K1DG who has been there since day 1 and still offers solid support.

 

Our activity goes well beyond what I’ve outlined here, but this helps to give a flavour of the main tasks of the year. We will continue our work over the next 7 months and strive for a successful WRTC event. Thank you for all the support. This is a once in a lifetime event so if you can, do please get involved.

 

73,

Mark M0DXR

Chairman WRTC UK Organising Committee