CQ DX Marathon. The CQ DX Marathon is a year-long DX hunt, with participants competing to see who can work the greatest number of countries (“entities”) and CQ zones during the calendar year. The 2025 edition will start at 00:00 UTC on Wednesday 1 January and will end at 23.59 UTC on Wednesday 31 December. See https://dxmarathon.com/ for complete details. The DX Marathon is also on Facebook www.facebook.com/61565429540333.
South Africa, ZS. On 20 May 2025, the South African Radio League will celebrate its 100th anniversary. The SARL Centenary Marathon QSO Party is set to kick off for a year-long operating event starting from 00:00 UTC on 1 January and ending at 23:59 UTC on 31 December 2025. Listen out for ZS100SARL as well as ZS6SRL and ZS9HQ and possibly other special event call signs. Several awards will be available.
Mozambique, C9. The Czech DXpedition Group (OK1BOA, OK1CRM, OK1FCJ, OK1GK, OK2ZA, OK2ZC, OK2ZI and OK6DJ) will be active as C8K from Mozambique between 17 January and 2 February. They will operate SSB, CW, RTTY and other digital modes with several stations on 160 to 6 metres with a focus on the low bands and via the QO-100 satellite. Subject to Internet availability, they will use Club Log’s Livestream. QSL via LoTW, Club Log’s OQRS, or via OK6DJ. See https://www.cdxp.cz/ and bookmark https://www.facebook.com/groups/1472348776313779 for more information and updates.
French Polynesia, FO/M. A large multi-national team will be active as TX7N from Hiva Oa, Marquesas Islands (OC-027) on 12-27 January. They will operate CW, SSB and digital modes on 160 to 6 metres with five stations. In addition to TX7N, other three special call signs will be used:
TX7MAS to be used for EME and satellite;
TX7WW to be used on 24 to 26 January during the CQ WW 160-Metre CW Contest;
TX100REF in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Reseau des Emetteurs Francais, to be used during the French HF Championship CW (26 and 27 January)
QSL exclusively via Club Log’s OQRS (direct and bureau cards) and LoTW. See https://tx7n.com/ and https://www.facebook.com/TX7N25 for more information and updates.
Singapore, 9V. Celebrating the 60th anniversary since Singapore became an independent republic (9 August 1965), Singapore Amateur Radio Transmitting Society’s members are allowed to replace their normal prefix (9V1) with the special prefix S60 from 1 January to 9 August. For instance, SARTS President 9V1SA will be using S60SA.
Germany, DL. The Deutsches Museum in Munich, one of the largest science and technology museums in the world (https://www.deutsches-museum.de), celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2025. DL100DM is the special call sign to be used throughout the year by the amateur radio station which is part of and regularly active from the museum’s “Electronics” permanent exhibition. QSL via DL8FA.
Norway, LA. LA100A is the special call sign for NRRL’s Midt-Troms Gruppen (LA6M, https://www.la6m.no/) to use throughout 2025 to mark the 100th anniversary of the first amateur radio two-way contact between Norway and the US, made by Johannes Diesen, LA1A from Moen in Malselv municipality and UlYB at Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire (25 November 1925). QSL via the bureau, QRZ Logbook, or direct.
The Netherlands, PA. PC80TT is the special callsign for members of VERON Leiden (PI4LDN) to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Netherlands during World War II (5 May 1945). Look for activity between 1 January and 1 June. QSL via the bureau to PI4LDN. The special call sign honours the memory of Rudolf Tappenbeck (PCTT), a pioneer of Dutch amateur radio who died in Neuengamme concentration camp on 21 December 1944.
Scotland, GM. Terry, GM3WUX will be active as GB200LB between 4 and 31 January to celebrate the bicentenary of the invention of the Braille code. He will operate mainly CW. QSL via M0OXO’s OQRS.
Wales, GW. Kev, GW0PUH will be active as GB9KW between 1 and 28 January using vintage equipment manufactured by KW Electronics Ltd during the 1960s and 1970s. Main activity will be over the “KW Weekend” (4 and 5 January). Other special call signs are expected to be on the air, notably GB2KW from Scotland, GB5KWD and GB6KW from England and possibly others. QSL via operator’s instructions.
Portugal, CT. Celebrating the New Year, special call sign CS2025HNY will be active from Portugal between 1 and 7 January. QSL via CT1REP.
USA, W. The Straight Key Century Club’s annual on-air event, commemorating the club’s founding in 2006 and celebrating the original instruments of early radiotelegraphy (straight key, bug and cootie keys), will run between 2 and 31 January. Look for K3Y to be aired from the ten US call areas (K3Y/0 through K3Y/9), plus /KH6, /KL7 and /KP4. Information on the event and QSLing instructions can be found on https://skccgroup.com/k3y/k3y.php.
World Wide Award 2025. The second World Wide Award chase that will take place between 1 and 31 January. The WWA combines CW, SSB and digital modes activity from special event stations around the world with real-time award tracking for the chasers: see https://hamaward.cloud/wwa for complete information.
Special event call signs include stations from
Argentina LR1WWA
Azores CQ8WWA
Balearic Islands EG6WWA
Bosnia-Herzegovina E7W
Canary Islands EG8WWA
Ceuta & Melilla EG9WWA
Colombia 5K4WWA
England GB2WWA
Germany DA0WWA
Greece SX0W
Italy II0WWA, II1WWA, II2WWA, II3WWA, II4WWA, II5WWA, II6WWA, II7WWA, II8WWA, II9WWA, IR1WWA
Kazakhstan UP7WWA
Madeira CQ3WWA
Netherlands PA25WWA
Northern Ireland GB8WWA
Oman A43WWA
Poland 3Z7WWA, SN3WWA, SN4WWA, SN6WWA, SN7WWA
Portugal CQ7WWA, CR5WWA, CR6WWA
Puerto Rico W4I
Sardinia IR0WWA
Saudi Arabia HZ1WWA
Scotland GB4WWA
Slovenia S53WWA
Spain EG1WWA, EG2WWA, EG3WWA, EG4WWA, EG5WWA, EG7WWA
Switzerland HB9WWA
USA N0W, N1W, N5W, N9W
Venezuela YW25WWA
Wales GB6WWA
Other participating stations include 3Z6I (Poland); 8E3R (Indonesia); 9M2D (West Malaysia); A71AE (Qatar); BA3RA, BA7CK, BG9MM, BY0AB, BY1RX, BY2AA, BY4DX, BY5HB, BY6SX, BY8GA (China); RW1F (European Russia); T77LA (San Marino); YU5EA (Serbia); ZW5B (Brazil).