1. Honing Your Operating Skills

2. Rate – Search & Pounce
Good starting point; you can operate at your own pace
Timing – finding CQers
finding someone calling CQ, not someone who’s working someone else
Focus on 10kHz sections and pick stations off
Timing – Get your call noticed in a pileup
Take note of pileup behavior
Avoid brute force calling. Call when competition is at a minimum
“Bookmark”

3. Rate – Running
Your Own Pileup: Handling moments when several stations call at once
Contest Simulators
MorseRunner:
Others: Ped, VPed, RUFZ
Use DXpedition pileups as practice
Be concise

4. Accuracy Accuracy first, rate second
Get as much info as possible before QSO
Not sure? Take time after QSO to get call or exchange
Ask for repeats if needed
Ask for QRS in CW
DX spotting cluster accuracy

5. Other Techniques Practice in smaller contests – even for just an hour
Notes from previous contest experiences
Listen to other contesters