Contest Crew Returns: SO2R Secrets and CQWW Plans

I'm joined by Chris Hurlbut KL9A, Dan Craig N6MJ, Randy Thompson K5ZD, and Bill Fehring W9KKN for another episode of our popular Q5 Contest Crew series—your backstage pass to the minds and methods of ham radio’s top contesters. Randy is deep into a full station rebuild in Ohio, cranes and all, with a shiny new PGXL amp and a garage full of cables he’s still trying to decode. Dan, meanwhile, operated WAE remotely from N2QV, reveling in a seamless K3-to-K3 setup—but bailing to the spa when solar flares ruined the bands. Chris is juggling Montana wildfire prep and fall contest training, while Bill is mid-move from California to Illinois, paring down old projects and dropping 30 pounds ahead of CQP. The main event: SO2R and 2BSIQ. From legacy Microham boxes to rare YCCC kits and elegant DIY rigs from K6AM, the crew breaks down what works, what doesn’t, and why audio switching is more about what’s between your ears than your radios. For newer ops, it’s a masterclass; for veterans, it’s a reminder that even the pros keep refining. They close with fall CQ Worldwide plans—ZF1A, CQ9A, V47T—and WRTC pairings for England, including the headline: Dan and Chris are teaming up again. Let the trash talk commence. Join the conversation and subscribe to Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio. Big thanks to DX Engineering for backing contesters, DXers, and portable ops with the tools and tech to stay loud and competitive across the globe.