SZ1A

05/09/2026

Field day Vhf contest 2026 Ακαρνανικά Όρη

06/08/2026

🏆 SZ40A in CQ WPX CW 2026: #1 in Greece, #11 in Europe, #16 Worldwide

The final results of the CQ WPX CW 2026 are officially out, and we are proud to share a very special result for SZ40A and the Radio Amateur Association of Western Greece.

Competing in the Multi-Operator Two-Transmitter category, SZ40A finished with:

🥇 #1 in Greece
🇪🇺 #11 in Europe
🌍 #16 in the world, out of 42 Multi-Two stations
📡 8,857,296 points

We were provisionally ranked 10th in Europe in the raw scores. Following the final log checking, II1X moved into the European Top Ten with an excellent result, leaving us just one place behind in 11th. Congratulations to the II1X team on their performance!

❤️ Special congratulations also go to our brothers in Crete, the SX9V team, for their outstanding performance in the same category. With 13,312,564 points, they claimed #1 in Crete 🥇, #6 in Europe, and #9 in the world, while also setting a new Crete record. A truly remarkable result on both the European and world stage. Congratulations to the entire SX9V team! 🎉

We are extremely proud of our result. Compared with last year, we improved from 15th to 11th in Europe and from 24th to 16th worldwide, making this our best European CQ WPX CW ranking in recent years.

👏 Congratulations and a huge thank you to everyone who operated, prepared the station, maintained the equipment, supported the team, and contributed to the effort.

But the recognition does not stop with the final score.

📖 We are also extremely proud that SZ40A, SZ1A, and the Radio Amateur Association of Western Greece are officially featured in the CQ WPX CW 2026 results publication.

The official report includes a complete four-page article about our association, station, team, history, technical infrastructure, the three-month SZ40A anniversary activation, and our participation in both CQ WPX SSB and CW.

The article is titled:

“SZ40A: Forty Years of Radio and One Grand Finale in CQ WPX CW”

Our feature appears on pages 21 through 24 and includes photographs of the team, the station, our QTH in Western Greece, and the antenna system.

The article tells the story of our association from its founding in 1985, the development of SZ1A into Greece’s largest club and contest station, the strengths and limitations of the current station, and the challenges that will shape its future.

Most importantly, it highlights the people behind the station and the open, international spirit of the SZ1A team.

The article closes with the words:

“CQ WPX CW 2026 closed the SZ40A chapter. The story of SZ1A continues.”

📜 We are sharing the official award certificate image with this post.

🔗 Read the official CQ WPX CW 2026 results article here:

https://cqwpx.com/results/results_2026_wpx_cw_article.pdf

Our SZ40A feature can be found on pages 21 to 24.

A proud moment for everyone who has contributed to the association and station over the past forty years.

24/06/2026

Η Ε.Ρ.Δ.Ε. ήταν εκεί σε μια άψογη και καθοριστική επικοινωνιακή καλυψη.

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10/06/2026

🏆 Bravo Team SZ40A!!! 🇬🇷⚡

We did it. SZ40A finished 1st in Greece, 10th in Europe, and 17th worldwide in the demanding Multi Two High Power category of CQ WPX SSB 2026.

Our target was clear from the start: to reach the European Top Ten in Multi Two, competing directly with the European Big Guns.

With 4,233 QSOs, 1,201 prefixes, and a final score of 7,883,085 points, this was a serious result in a category where some of the strongest multi operator contest stations in Europe battle for 48 hours across all bands.

Scores can vary a lot from year to year, mostly because of propagation conditions. But in a category as demanding as Multi Two High Power, the final ranking is what really tells the story. Even after log checking, we held our position, proved our improvement, and showed that Team SZ1A can now stand firmly among Europe’s top Multi Operator stations.

So, are we part of the European Big Gun Club now? We’ll let others decide long term… but for this year at least, Team SZ1A is proud to say we earned our place at the table 😄💪

Huge congratulations to every operator and everyone who supported the team before, during, and after the contest. Well done again to the whole team!!! 👍

05/06/2026

📡🌍 CQ WPX CW 2026 | The SZ40A Grand Finale ⚡🏆

CQ WPX CW 2026 is now behind us, and with it we officially close the special anniversary activation of SZ40A, celebrating 40 years of the Radio Amateur Association of Western Greece and the SZ1A contest station.

This was the final contest weekend for SZ40A, and Team SZ1A returned with a solid Multi-Two effort in one of the most demanding CW contests of the year.

🏅 Here are our claimed results:

Callsign: SZ40A (SZ1A)
Category: Multi-Two
Operators: SV1DPJ, G0PZA, SV1DKD, SV1CIB, SV1JG, SV1BJW
Support Team: SV1CQG, SV1CQK, SV1HKH, SV1HLB, SV1RLC, SV1RRX, SV1TBW, SV1CDN and more
Location: KM08qr
QSOs: 4,007 (3,910 without dupes)
Prefixes: 1,269
Operating Time: 48 hours
Claimed Score: 10,308,087

📊 Full statistics:
https://www.qsl.net/sz1a/sh5/2026/2026_cq-wpx-cw_sz40a/index.htm

📡 Contest Recap:

Conditions were moderate to good overall, with some very interesting propagation along the way. We had long and sometimes unusual openings toward the Far East, followed later in the contest by useful openings toward North America.

The low bands were not easy, but there were several openings to NA that gave us opportunities to maximize the score where possible. As always in WPX, those low-band intercontinental QSOs are extremely valuable, so we tried to make the most of every opening we could find.

One especially encouraging sign was the increased activity from BY stations. We noticed much more traffic from China-based stations this year, especially on CW, with better signals and stronger participation. It was great to hear that part of the world more active in contests. 👍

Compared with the SSB leg, the special callsign SZ40A was copied much better this time. The addition of SZ40A into the Super Check Partial database clearly helped, and the number of incorrect callsign copies was much lower than what we experienced during SSB.

The result was a decent one. We managed to beat our SSB leg claimed score and prefix count, finishing with more than 10.3 million claimed points and 1,269 prefixes. 🎉

At the same time, this was a demanding 48-hour effort with only six operators available. The long shifts made it difficult to keep every position fully staffed, especially the in-band station, which limited our ability to chase every multiplier throughout the contest.

We also had intense interstation interference this time, something we will need to investigate carefully, especially compared with the much cleaner SSB leg. On top of that, we had a failure on the Run 1 radio, our Yaesu FT-1000MP Mark V, which went silent on 15 meters during the contest. Time was lost replacing it with another operational FT-1000.

🆘 📻 Our radio fleet is clearly showing its age. If we want SZ1A to remain competitive in major international contests, the time has come to start modernizing our operating positions with latest-generation radios. This is a big step for the station, and any support from members, friends, and the wider amateur radio community would make a real difference. 🚀⚙️

Still, the team kept pushing, finished the activation on a strong note, and gave SZ40A a worthy final contest appearance. 💪⚡

🏁 Closing the SZ40A Anniversary Activation:

This contest marked the completion of the SZ40A special anniversary callsign activation.

For three months, SZ40A represented 40 years of radio activity, teamwork, friendship, station building, technical work, and contesting spirit in Western Greece. Across SSB, CW, and Digital modes, it gave stations around the world the chance to work a special prefix and take part in our anniversary celebration. 🎉📻

The SZ40A Anniversary Award remains available for those who worked us during the activation period. If SZ40A is in your log, make sure to check your contacts and claim or upgrade your award. 🏅

🏆 SZ40A Award:
https://awards.sz1a.org

❤️ Final Thanks:

A huge thank you to all stations who worked SZ40A during CQ WPX CW and throughout the entire anniversary activation. 🙏

Thank you for calling us, spotting us, waiting in the pileups, correcting the call when needed, and helping us make this special callsign part of thousands of logs around the world.

A special thank you also goes to every operator, support team member, cook, technician, visitor, friend, and club member who helped make this final weekend possible. These efforts are never just about the score. They are about the people behind the station. ❤️

CQ WPX CW 2026 closes the SZ40A chapter, but the story of SZ1A continues.

73 from all of us at SZ1A 📻✨

25/05/2026

📡🔥 CQ WPX CW IS THIS WEEKEND! SZ40A RETURNS FOR THE GRAND FINALE! 🔥⚡🎧

This weekend, the HF bands come alive again for one of the biggest CW contests of the year: CQ World Wide WPX CW 2026.

And for Team SZ1A, this one is extra special.

🎉 This is the final weekend to work SZ40A, our special anniversary callsign celebrating 40 years of RAAWG and the SZ1A contest station.

After the contest ends at 2359 UTC on Sunday, May 31, 2026, the SZ40A activation officially comes to a close.

That means this is your last chance to add SZ40A to your log and complete or upgrade your SZ40A Anniversary Award! 🏆

So far, SZ40A has already logged more than 12,600 QSOs across SSB, CW, and Digital modes. The award program has also seen amazing participation, with 213 awards issued so far:

🥉 137 Bronze
🥈 39 Silver
🥇 26 Gold
🏆 11 Platinum

In WPX, every callsign prefix counts as a multiplier, and SZ40A is one you don’t want to miss. Work the prefix, add us to your CW log, and make this final weekend count! 📖⚡

📡 Propagation should be interesting this weekend. We expect 20m to carry much of the daytime traffic, 15m to play an important role, and 10m to be watched closely as the wildcard band. At night, attention will shift to 40m, where low-band QSOs can make a major difference.

⚡ Don’t forget: in WPX, QSOs on 160m, 80m, and 40m are worth double points compared with high-band contacts.

🔢 Contest Exchange Reminder
In CQ WPX CW, the exchange is:

599 + Serial Number

Example: 599 001, 599 002, 599 003…

Accuracy matters, especially in CW, where fast pileups and serial numbers can make or break a clean log.

👥 Operators: G0PZA, SV1JG, SV1BJW, SV1CIB, SV1DKD, SV1DPJ

🛠️ Support Team: SV1CQG, SV1CQK, SV1HKH, with additional support from SV1RLC, SV1RRX, SV1TBW, SV1TIQ, SV1TLY, SV1CDN, and many other members and friends.

⏱️ Important WPX rule reminder
Logs must be submitted within 48 hours after the contest ends. No more one-week window.

📡 If you hear SZ40A on the air, call us!
📞 Work the prefix.
📖 Add us to your CW log.
🏆 Complete or upgrade your SZ40A Anniversary Award.

This is the Grand Finale of SZ40A.

Let’s make it count.

👉 Read more and learn how to claim the award:
https://sz1a.org/en/news-announcements/cq-wpx-cw-2026-final-weekend-to-work-sz40a-and-claim-the-anniversary-award/

Good luck, have fun, and we’ll see you in the CW pileups! ⚡🎧

73 from Team SZ1A 📡🔥

The Grand Finale of the SZ40A 40th Anniversary Activation This weekend, the HF bands will once again come alive for the CQ World Wide WPX CW Contest 2026, one of the most active and demanding […]

16/05/2026

John SV1GE and Micke SV0XAF / HB9EBC on the air as SZ40A, the special commemorative callsign of R.A.A.W.G. (SZ1A) celebrating 40 years of the association.

Wonderful amateur radio moments, with friends and members keeping the spirit of amateur radio alive.

28/04/2026

🌺📡 May Day Celebration at SZ1A Redforest 2026 | Join Us at Kokkinologgos!

Members and friends of RAAWG - SZ1A,

You are warmly invited on Friday, May 1st, 2026, to our SZ1A station at Kokkinologgos (Redforest) to celebrate International Workers' Day together and welcome the beautiful month of May! 🌿

☕ From the morning onward, we’ll be waiting for you with coffee, treats, and great company.

🍖 Later in the day, we’ll enjoy delicious food, friendly conversations, a relaxed atmosphere, and festive traditional toasts.

🌸 Come spend a wonderful family-friendly day with us, surrounded by nature and the stunning spring beauty of the Greek countryside.

🤝 We look forward to seeing everyone in person and celebrating together as one big community!

🍽️ P.S.: Any contributions of supplies, treats, or delicious food are of course warmly welcomed!

With best regards,
The Board of Directors of RAAWG - SZ1A

20/04/2026

📡✨ CW Academy – New Training Cycle in Greece (May 2026) 🇬🇷

CW Academy, under the auspices of the Radio Amateur Association of Western Greece – SZ1A, and with training coordinator Giannis SV1PMQ, is pleased to announce the launch of a new Advanced CW training cycle 🤝

This is one of the most comprehensive Morse code training programs worldwide 🌍
It is based on a structured methodology, small group sessions, and daily practice, with the goal of achieving real improvement in speed, accuracy, and overall proficiency.

Previous training cycles in Greece have delivered excellent results!! 🙌
Many participants have already made significant progress and are now active in CW, including in contest environments such as SZ1A.

⚠️ At this time, only 3 to 4 spots remain available 🚨
📅 Expressions of interest should be submitted as soon as possible, within the next few days and no later than the end of the week

🔗 More information & registration:
https://sz1a.org/en/news-announcements/cw-academy-courses-new-training-cycle-may-2026/

📌 A Beginner course is also planned for later this year, for those who want to start learning Morse code from scratch 👍

CW Academy Courses – New Training Cycle (May 2026) Learning and progressing in Morse code is not just a technical skill. It is a process that requires consistency, focus, and structured practice, while at the […]

10/04/2026

CQ WW 160M CW Contest Results Are Out! 🎉

We’re happy to share that the official results of the **CQ WW 160M CW Contest 2026** have been published, and once again, SZ1A was proudly on the air from Top Band.

This year, we achieved our best ranking to date, climbing to:

🌍 #32 Worldwide
🌍 #27 in Europe

And what makes this even more special is the progress behind it 👇

👉 World: 59 → 41 → 32 (+27 places, ~46% improvement over 2 years)
👉 Europe: 43 → 35 → 27 (+16 places, ~37% improvement over 2 years)

Year-on-year improvement:

📈 2024 → 2025
• World: +18 places (~31% improvement)
• Europe: +8 places (~19% improvement)

📈 2025 → 2026
• World: +9 places (~22% improvement)
• Europe: +8 places (~23% improvement)

A small but important point of context: while our 2026 score and QSO count were lower than in 2025, that does **not** mean the performance was worse. High Solar Flux Index (SFI) years tend to produce tougher conditions on 160 meters, often resulting in lower scores and reduced participation according to the official CQ 160 contest results article.

So while the raw score was lower this year, our **final position improved**, which is the more meaningful achievement. On Top Band, that means we performed better relative to the rest of the competition under the same difficult conditions.

On 160 meters, where propagation can define the entire contest, improving your position means outperforming competitors, not just increasing your score.

📊 Our Results Over the Last 3 Years

🔹 2024
🇬🇷 Greece: #1 | 🌍 Europe: #43 | 🌍 World: #59
Score: 252,945
QSOs: 778
Countries: 57
W/VE: 6
Operators: SV1DKD, SV1DPJ, SV1DAY, SV1DPI

🔹 2025
🇬🇷 Greece: #1 | 🌍 Europe: #35 | 🌍 World: #41
Score: 451,764
QSOs: 925
Countries: 60
W/VE: 29
Operators: SV1DKD, SV1BJW, SV1DPJ, SV1CIB, SV1DPI

🔹 2026
🇬🇷 Greece: #1 | 🌍 Europe: #27 | 🌍 World: #32
Score: 263,235
QSOs: 737
Countries: 58
W/VE: 11
Operators: SV1DKD, SV1DPJ, SV1BJW

A big thank you to this year’s operators and to everyone who worked us or supported the effort.

**Top Band is never easy. And that’s exactly why we love it.**

We’re already looking forward to next year, when our new **Aziloop directional receive array will be fully operational**. This is a major upgrade for our low-band receive capability, in addition to our three TX antennas that have already produced excellent results, and we’re genuinely excited to see what it will unlock on Top Band.

See you all again on 160m!