🏆 Official WIA Contests
Australia’s contesting calendar is rich and exciting — and the Wireless Institute of Australia (WIA) proudly sponsors a range of official events that bring operators together across the bands and across the world. 🇦🇺
These contests honour our history, celebrate innovation, and encourage every amateur — from first-timers to seasoned multi-op teams — to get on the air and make noise for VK!
🎖️ Remembrance Day Contest (RD Contest)
Held every August, the Remembrance Day Contest is one of Australia’s most meaningful events.
It commemorates amateur radio operators who served and gave their lives in war, while promoting friendly on-air competition between individuals, clubs, and states.
Operators exchange signal reports and state or territory abbreviations, with points awarded for each unique contact. The goal is simple — to remember, connect, and celebrate service through radio.
🏕️ John Moyle Memorial Field Day
Named after the pioneering Australian radio engineer John Moyle, this annual March event encourages amateurs to take their stations outdoors — hilltops, parks, club sites, or even the back yard!
The John Moyle Field Day celebrates portable operating, innovation, and teamwork.
It’s the perfect opportunity to test your antennas, batteries, and field setups, or to introduce new operators to the joy of contesting in the great Australian outdoors. 🌄
📡 Ross Hull Memorial VHF/UHF Contest
Dedicated to Ross Hull, one of Australia’s early experimenters and advocates for VHF and UHF communication, this event promotes weak-signal and propagation experimentation across the higher bands.
Held throughout January, it rewards operators who explore the frontiers of distance and frequency.
Whether it’s tropo, meteor scatter, or EME — the Ross Hull contest keeps the pioneering spirit alive! 🚀
🌍 Oceania DX Contest
The Oceania DX Contest is the region’s flagship international event, drawing thousands of operators worldwide.
Running each October (separate weekends for phone and CW), it’s the ultimate stage for VK and ZL stations to show their presence on the global bands.
For VK contesters, it’s a chance to work the world from home — boosting propagation knowledge, DX skills, and national pride.
📶 VHF/UHF Field Days
The WIA VHF/UHF Field Days are thrice-yearly events (summer, winter and spring) focused on activity, experimentation, and fun above 50 MHz.
From mountaintops to suburban rooftops, operators test gear, explore propagation paths, and enjoy friendly rivalry between grids and states.
These contests are vital for keeping Australia’s VHF and microwave bands active and alive.
đź”” Harry Angel Memorial 80 m Sprint
A tribute to Harry Angel (SK), one of Australia’s oldest amateurs at the time of his passing, this short two-hour contest on 80 metres is all about friendly fun and rapid contacts.
It’s the perfect entry-level contest — relaxed, local, and open to all licence classes.
🇦🇺 Trans-Tasman Low-Band Contest (Now a WIA Contest)
Formerly organised by VKCC, the Trans-Tasman Low-Band Contest is now an official WIA event.
Held in July, it focuses on 160 m, 80 m, and 40 m — encouraging night-time activity and VK–ZL–Pacific contacts.
The goal: keep the low bands buzzing while strengthening ties between Australian and New Zealand amateurs. 🌊
🗺️ Worked All VK Shires (Now a WIA Contest)
Another VKCC-born idea now under WIA stewardship, the Worked All VK Shires Contest promotes awareness of Australia’s vast geography and local government areas.
Each shire counts as a separate multiplier, rewarding persistence and good band coverage.
It’s a uniquely Australian challenge — a celebration of radio, community, and distance.
đź“… Join the Action
Every one of these contests offers something different — history, technology, friendship, or just pure fun on the air.
Mark the dates, charge the batteries, and join your fellow VKs in keeping the airwaves alive! 🔥