WRTC 2026: The European Perspective
from Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio Hosted by Kevin Thomas
I'm joined by Filipe CT1ILT, Dave 9A1UN, and Kris ES7A, all WRTC 2026 competitors, for a European perspective on the controversy surrounding four team disqualifications—and what it means for the future of elite contesting. Filipe, whose team moved from seventh to fourth after the disqualifications, was among the operators who began digging into the statistics. He, Dave, and Kris describe how unusual multiplier patterns emerged from relatively straightforward log analysis. Their larger point is what comes next: better cross-checking, faster log submission, more powerful tools, and perhaps giving referees a dedicated computer with real-time access to each team's log. The conversation also turns surprisingly optimistic. Rather than seeing WRTC 2026 as permanently damaged, Filipe, Dave, and Kris believe what happened could cause contesting to evolve. They discuss AI-assisted log checking, the limits of what a referee can hear while following two world-class operators running two radios, and whether final results should wait until a more complete review is finished. Filipe offers the simplest philosophy of the day: WRTC is a team competition. You prepare as a team, operate as a team, and accept the result as a team. Beneath the controversy is a bigger question for ham radio: as operators get better and technology gets smarter, can contest adjudication keep pace? Their answer is that it has to—not only at WRTC, but across major contests worldwide. Join the conversation and subscribe to Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio.
Embed this episode
No transcript yet.