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New England Hosts WRTC2014

International “Radiosport” competition takes place July 9–14

The World Radiosport Team Championship (WRTC) organizers have selected 16 New England communities as operating sites to host its 7th quadrennial radiosport competition, the first held in the United States since 1996.

From July 9–14, the world’s top amateur radio operators “will converge on towns spanning the Route 495 corridor for the ‘Olympiad of amateur radio.’” Previous WRTC competitions have been held in San Francisco, Slovenia, Finland, Brazil and Russia.

According to a release, WRTC2014 pits 59 two-operator all-star amateur radio teams, representing 38 countries, in a battle of operating skill and strategy under emergency field conditions, for personal and national pride on a world stage.

Similar to Olympic athletes, it says, competitors “hone their skills for superior performance through mental and physical conditioning, talent, skill and strategy.”

Competing teams were selected from around the world in a series of 55 qualifying events over a three-year period. WRTC2014 teams will compete to contact other amateur radio stations in countries around the globe using both voice and Morse code transmissions. Top teams will operate without sleep for the entire 24-hour competition in an effort to contact as many stations and countries as possible, pursuing the highest score, to earn the distinction of “the best in the world.”

“WRTC2014 is much more than an international sporting competition,” said Randy Thompson, WRTC2014 co-chairman. “It is also an opportunity for these great operators to meet each other, often for the first time, after years of radio contacts. It also allows radio amateurs within New England to interact with some of the top operators from around the globe, and to demonstrate the international appeal of amateur radio.”

WRTC is an international competition held every four years, consisting of 50+ two-person teams of amateur radio operators from around the world competing in a test of operating skill. All stations are required to use identical antennas from the same geographic region, eliminating all variables except operating ability.

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