Something rather special happened in the UK this week. Between 8 and 13 July 2026, the World Radiosport Team Championship — WRTC for short — touched down on British soil. If you’ve never heard of WRTC, you’re not alone. But if you hold a Foundation licence and you’re wondering what all the fuss is about, it’s worth knowing about. This is effectively the Olympics of amateur radio contesting, and it came to our back garden.

What is WRTC?

The World Radiosport Team Championship is held every four years and brings together the best contesting operators on the planet to compete on an equal footing. Teams of two operators are each given identical antennas and equipment, set up in the same geographic area, and let loose on the HF bands at the same time. The only variable is operator skill. No fancy antenna farms, no kilowatts of power — just the ability to work as many stations as possible in a set time period.

It is, in short, the purest form of competitive radio operating there is. Previous championships have been held in Slovenia, the United States, and Germany. In 2026, it was our turn.

The RSGB has been an official partner to WRTC 2026, with volunteers and staff on site throughout the week. Coverage appeared in BBC News Online and BBC Radio Shropshire, which is exactly the kind of mainstream visibility amateur radio does not always get. If you know someone who has been curious about the hobby, now is a good moment to point them at the headlines.

Why should a Foundation licence holder care?

Fair question. As an M7 holder you are probably not entering international contesting championships just yet. But events like WRTC matter to all of us for a few reasons.

First, they bring attention to amateur radio as a serious, skilled activity. One of the quiet frustrations of being a new operator is explaining to people that this is not CB radio. WRTC makes that case better than any conversation I could have — international competition, years of training, media coverage. It legitimises the hobby in a way that sticks.

Second, contesting is one of the most accessible ways to get on the air when you hold a Foundation licence. You do not need to win. You do not need sophisticated equipment. I made my first contest contact with ten watts and a wire strung out of a bedroom window. The goal for a beginner is simply to call CQ contest, exchange your callsign and a serial number, and log it. Every contact counts.

Getting started with contesting as an M7

The RSGB runs a packed calendar of contests, and many of them are straightforward for a Foundation licence holder to dip a toe into. The 70MHz Activity Contests, which run on Thursday evenings, are a relaxed starting point if you have any VHF capability at all. The rules are simple, the contacts are local, and the pace is manageable.

If you want to try HF contesting, look out for the RSGB IOTA Contest at the end of July. Islands on the Air is one of the more forgiving formats — you are working stations from islands, which are plentiful around the British Isles, and even a handful of contacts feels rewarding. Foundation holders can operate on the HF bands within their permitted power limits, and no one expects you to run a rate of 200 contacts per hour.

The key thing is just to try it. Put in a few calls. Log what you work. You might be surprised how far ten watts gets you when propagation is on your side.

Following WRTC 2026

If you want to read more about the championship — including finding out who won — the official site at wrtc2026.org is the place to go. The RSGB has also been posting coverage through their usual channels, and the BBC coverage is worth a read even if you are already familiar with the hobby.

It is genuinely nice to see amateur radio making the mainstream news for the right reasons. Long may it continue.

73 de M0LGI