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In Part 2 of my series on my WRTC (World Radiosport Team Championship) 2026 UK experience, I talked about the preparation leading up to the actual contest portion of the event. The WRTC is an enormous undertaking, and the planning phase for one of them begins years in advance. And like any large event, not everything goes to plan!

Everyone woke up early on contest day (Saturday, July 11), ready to head out to their sites and get started with the event. The atmosphere was tense but filled with excitement. Each team gathered everything they were taking with them and started to load onto the buses before making their final checks and heading out. There was a wave of silence from headquarters. Then the organizing committee realized a miscalculation:

There weren’t enough site managers to cover all the contest sites.

Mark, M0DXR, the main organizer of WRTC 2026, pulled me aside and asked if I would be willing to be a site manager, despite the short notice. After getting a brief explanation of what exactly I would need to do, I agreed.

Then we ran into another problem: Typically, site managers go in pairs so they can take turns working and sleeping. They have to be “on call” for the duration of the contest, but there was nobody to go with me. As we quickly tried to plan out the logistics of this, we realized I’d probably have to share a tent with someone at the site managers’ HQ in the field, and the lack of other YLs at the event made the search for someone to accompany me significantly harder.

After a bit of brainstorming, we remembered that Violetta, KN2P, was also at the WRTC. We decided to ask if she would be willing to be a site manager as well. Fortunately, she agreed and we set into action. Most of the other site managers knew they would be out in the field, so they had brought everything they might need with them, including a sleeping bag or tent. Violetta and I, however, had no idea that we would end up being in the field, so we weren’t exactly prepared. Fortunately, the head of the site managers had an extra tent in his car. Violetta and I took the pillows and duvets from our hotel rooms and packed them into a box along with a few gallons of water, a roll of toilet paper, and a bottle of hand sanitizer. Before we knew it, we were in the car ready to leave.

Not even 30 minutes after I was asked to take on this role, Violetta and I were on our way to receive our assignment. Typically, the site manager’s job includes driving from site to site making sure each team and referee have everything they need (food and drinks, enough fuel for their generator, etc.). When we arrived at the site managers’ HQ, we were assigned only one site, but it was much farther away from the rest, and the conditions to get to the site were less than adequate. We had a quick lunch from the packed bags that the hotel sent with us and then headed to our site, where we would stay for the next 24 hours until the contest was over.

When we got there, we drove through about a half mile of rough stones and bushes before finally arriving at the site. We got a quick recap of our responsibilities and how to check the generator’s fuel levels properly, unloaded our things from the car, and set up our tent for the night. We decided to go for a walk since our team didn’t need anything. We found a small pond where we went for a quick swim—it was almost 95° F, so that was quite refreshing!

Afterward, we headed back up the hill and made sure the two competitors and referee didn’t need anything, checked the fuel level in the generator (there was still more than enough left!), and then had dinner. We took a quick walk around the site and found an old church to explore briefly as well. Then we headed back to the tent and got in a few hours of sleep before it was time to check the generator again. We took turns checking in with the team throughout the night. Before we knew it, the sun was rising.

Upon waking, we checked the online scoreboard and started to tear down our little campsite. The end of the contest came in no time, and we even got to watch our team compete in the final five minutes. After the contest had officially ended, we started to quickly disassemble the site to help the tear-down team as much as possible. A bus driver came to pick us all up, and we started to head back to HQ. Upon our return, I took a quick nap and then came back out with enough time to enjoy the evening with everyone before heading to bed. On our final day, most people went on day trips around the city before coming back and enjoying the closing ceremony.

While neither Violetta nor I were expecting to be site managers, it made the 2026 WRTC quite the adventure, and we both enjoyed the experience. The whole week was amazing as well, catching up with old friends and acquaintances, meeting new ones, and learning about contesting from the best in the world. I know I’m looking forward to being involved with WRTC 2030 in some way, and I hope that after having read a bit about what the WRTC experience is like in this series, you are too!

Editor’s Note: What did these contesting sites look like? Find out in this short video from WRTC 2026.

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Coming up with a new company motto that encapsulates over 25 years of service to the amateur radio community wasn’t easy.

Dozens of ideas were offered. Many focused on DX Engineering’s industry-leading fast shipping and huge selection of products from more than 180 manufacturers. Some highlighted our high-level technical support and easy ordering.

Emphasizing the “DX” in our name had strong support since helping hams make long-distance contacts is such a big part of what we do.

Others pointed out the company’s commitment to always “giving back” to the amateur radio community through support of youth operators, DXpeditions, and our local communities.

All solid concepts, but how do you bring these thoughts together in one compact, meaningful statement?

For the answer, we turned to Summit Racing Equipment, the aftermarket auto parts giant that has been DX Engineering’s parent company since 2000. A few years back, Summit Racing adopted the slogan, “Powered by Enthusiasts.” The message was simple and straightforward: Members of Summit Racing are passionate about their time spent in the garage and at the track—just like you.

That means everyone, from the folks who pack your order to the customer service rep who wisely guides you on what bolt package is right for your engine. Simply, you can expect more informed, “go-the-extra-mile” care from people who share your passion.

The same applies at DX Engineering, where everything we do for our customers is “Powered by Active Hams” with a combined 1,000-plus years of amateur radio experience.

What does “Powered by Active Hams” mean to you?

• When you contact DX Engineering, you’ll be talking with a ham who understands your questions and can offer advice on equipment choices and station-building based on personal experience (not sales quotas). Our customer support team does not work on commission, so you get honest and informed guidance on what’s best for your amateur radio needs—not a sales pitch on gear that’s not the right fit for your level of experience or budget. “Powered by Active Hams” means you’ll have the confidence of knowing you’re ordering the right gear for your station.
• Our team of active hams covers all aspects of amateur radio, including EmComm, portable ops, contesting, DXing, public service, digital modes, and whatever other rabbit hole you’ve jumped down. Contact DX Engineering and you’ll be talking specifics with an operator or technical specialist who speaks your language. Need a rep to handle a problem? An active ham, who knows the pain of waiting to get back on the air, will handle your issue quickly to make things right.
• We employ our own design/engineering team that produces DX Engineering branded equipment for your home and portable stations. As active hams, these operators recognize ideas that would benefit their own on-air time and then turn these into high-performance products that serve the entire amateur radio community. It’s something that no other major amateur radio retailer offers.

  If you’ve ever used a DX Engineering Genius Clamp, Maxi-Core® 20 Balun or Feedline Choke, Nomad Telescopic Mast, THUNDERBOLT® Vertical Antenna, ISO-PLUS Ethernet RF Filter, or other DXE-produced product, know that it was our active operators who made it possible.

• Our hams aren’t just active on the air. They’re leading their amateur radio clubs, administering licensing tests as Volunteer Examiners, promoting amateur radio on Field Day, providing emergency communications and support at local events, spreading the word on legislation that affects your time on the air, and serving as Elmers to young operators. As a company, DX Engineering continues to be a prominent equipment sponsor for DXpeditions that make it possible for hams everywhere to capture the rare ones.
• Ham radio is our passion. You can see it every year at Dayton Hamvention®, where our team is out in full force to discuss the merits of the latest transceivers or swap stories of learning CW to earn their first license. Our enthusiasm for the hobby we love comes through in everything we do. That is DX Engineering’s commitment to every customer, from operators at the top of the DXCC Honor Roll to new licensees logging their first QSOs.

You’ll be seeing the words “Powered by Active Hams” a great deal in the days ahead. And be sure to tell your amateur radio friends it’s one of the reasons you choose DX Engineering as your preferred provider.

73

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