Python script energizes my contesting setup.

 

I have been working on some Python scripts to automate tasks that I would rather not do manually. The video above shows my contest station powering up from start to finish.

Why do this, you ask? The part of the amateur radio hobby that really interests me is CW contesting. Now that I am retired, I take part in four weekly one-hour “mini” contests and, in an average month, I spend two or three weekends CW contesting as well.

The programs I use need to be started in a specific order. For example, I must start my virtual port program (VSPE) first, and then start the radio and contest programs in a certain sequence. If this order is not followed, I get flooded with error messages.

Some say I over complicate things, but I am somewhat of a perfectionist and like everything set up just so. Python lets me achieve that with a single mouse click. There has been some fine-tuning of the Python code along the way. For example, my radio control program Win4Icom is delivered as a complete new program with each update, rather than as an add-on to the original, as the N1MM+ contesting program does. Because of this, I wrote the script for Win4Icom so that it always checks for and runs the highest revision number of the program; otherwise, it would just continue to load the same old version.

I also had to introduce delays between the startup of some programs. After VSPE starts, I delay Win4Icom by five seconds, because VSPE is still initializing in the background and Win4Icom would otherwise throw errors. I also added a step to minimize VSPE to the taskbar once it starts, so it does not sit on the screen. As Win4Icom starts, I added a 10-second delay while it powers up my Icom 7610 and sets up the COM port configurations for N1MM+. I found N1MM+ needs to wait for those steps to complete before it begins its own startup. Finally Reverse Beacon Network web page is setup to open with my call sign showing spots where it is heard. 

 Here's the sequence shown in the YouTube video:

• WiFi smart plug powers on.

• Astron power supply powers on seen in the lower left corner .

• Raspberry Pi 4B boots (red power LED visible on desk), launching HamClock.

• VSPE starts and minimizes to taskbar.

• Win4Icom launches, powering on the Icom 7610.

• Reverse Beacon Network loads/refreshes as HamClock continues to load.

• N1MM+ Logger starts.

Next up: Python shutdown scripting (with its own challenges). I'm also 3/4 through a script to generate ADIF file of contest contacts that exports and auto-upload to N3FJP, Club Log, LoTW, CWops, and QRZ.com. Stay tuned!

2026 NAQP contest

 

The January NAQP is always a contest I look forward to. It starts at 2:00 PM local time, and my plan was to operate for about eight hours of the ten-hour event. This contest is always well attended, and with the maximum power limited to 100 watts, everyone is on a level playing field.

As always, I reviewed the previous year’s results, the bands I used and when, and my balance between running and search-and-pounce. Last year, 10 through 40 meters were all open and I made good use of those bands. This year was quite different — 10 meters was poor and I spent only a short time there. The best band turned out to be 20 meters, followed by 15 meters and then 40 meters. I knew going in that solar conditions were not going to be as favorable as last year.

The contest started off a bit slow, and I initially wondered if many operators had seen the predicted solar conditions and decided to sit this one out. Like last year, I spent about 95% of the contest running, and things did begin to pick up later in the afternoon. My highest hourly rate was 115 contacts, and three hours in, it was time for dinner. I was very pleased to have logged 300 contacts by that point.

After dinner, however, that’s when things really went downhill. Before the break, the Kp index had been holding steady at 3 and the Bz index was around −6 to −8. After dinner, the Kp jumped to 6 and the Bz index dropped as low as −19. I was wrapping up my time on 20 meters and transitioning to 40 meters as evening set in, but under these new solar conditions my hourly rate dropped from around 100 contacts to barely 25.

 

The deteriorating band conditions brought severe QSB  stations would be there one moment and completely gone the next. The combination of high Kp and strongly negative Bz also made CW signals sound as though they were gurgling underwater. Given these conditions, I decided to pull the plug at 8:00 PM local time and call it a day.

The rear view mirror and then looking ahead

 

Looking back on 2025, my total contacts were down fewer than in the past two years. As always, they were 100% CW, and my DXCC count for the year was the lowest since 2022 at 91 (2022 had 90).

Challenges Faced

Limited time in the radio chair played a big role, as 2025 filled up with home renovations: replacing all wood flooring except the bedrooms (that's 2026's summer project), a complete bathroom redo, and new kitchen cupboards. I enjoy my weekly CWTs and MSTs, but missed 41 due to renovations; high winds and freezing rain forced me to skip three major contests while taking down my Hustler 4-BTV antenna. Purchases were minimal—a Raspberry Pi4B, the Icom RC-28, and some dabbling in Python scripting.

Looking to 2026

I'm saving money now for a spring purchase: the Butternut HF6V antenna, which adds 80m to my contesting and stands up to our windstorms (rated to 80 mph), so no more take-downs. Large home projects remain, but I'll mix in more radio by better managing mornings—I'm up early and after radio blogs are read I often waste time online reading the news; instead, I'll fit in code practice and pileup work instead of surfing the days news. Python scripting continues too, with cool programs already running—more on that in 2026.

Final Thoughts

I get a kick out of rereading past New Year's posts, comparing plans to reality. As a good friend used to say, "Mikey dreams for free." Here's to at least some 2026 dreams coming true.

 

Getting comfortable

 

As much as it is hard for me to believe, this past year I officially became a senior citizen in Canada—that’s 65 years old. Do I feel older? Not really at all, but one thing I have noticed is that my long periods of contesting have required me to make some adjustments. It may not have anything to do with me getting older, but deep down, I know it’s a factor. Being a fan of radio sport, I sit for long periods of time in front of the PC and the radio. Below are some of the adjustments this senior citizen has made to make radio sport easier.

 

To begin with, all who are involved in radio sport sit for long periods of time. For that reason, I have an office chair with above-average support: adjustable lumbar support, head and neck support, height adjustment, rollers for easy movement, and, finally, height-adjustable armrests—more on that later.

 

All my monitors are on adjustable arms, and I have them all adjusted to eye level. There is no looking up or down. In the past, I have found that continued looking up or down can get aggravating on my neck and shoulders. I have also moved the monitors in close so they are easy to see, reducing eye strain from small print. I have the programs I need for radio sport spread out over two screens. This way, information is not cramped, and nothing is hidden in the taskbar. Finally, I have a monitor connected to my Icom 7610. This stops me from looking down at the radio display. All the information is at eye level,and large and easy to see. Having said all the above there is one monitor connected to my Raspberry Pi4B that I use for Hamclock. The monitor for this sits on the top shelf of my desk. I have no room for another eye level monitor. I only check this monitor from time to time to view VOACAP propagation. 

 

During contesting, there are times I use the VFO for tuning while searching and pouncing (S&P). For this reason, I have moved the radio closer to me on the desk. It allows me easy reach to the radio with no leaning forward and overstretching.

 

One piece of hardware I use all the time is the keyboard. In my case, I use a full-size keyboard, the Lenovo Professional. In the past, I have tried the small keyboards, but I just find them to be a cramped workspace. I have a wrist support that is the full length of the keyboard. I found it was too low, and my wrists were still at an angle, so I added just the right amount of 3x5 cards under the support to get the right height. The keyboard itself is on an adjustable tray for both height and closeness to me. Once the keyboard is at the right level and closeness, I have adjusted the armrests on my chair so my arms are level with the keyboard.

 

Now, a computer would not be complete without a mouse. My mouse is off to the right and also has a wrist support. Right beside the mouse is my Icom VFO B RC-28, sharing the same wrist support. On the left side of the keyboard, I have another smaller keyboard tray that extends from the side of the large keyboard tray. I have a mouse connected to my Icom 7610. This mouse allows me to click on band spots that are shown on the waterfall display on the large monitor at eye level. This allows me to slide my left hand off the keyboard, click on a spot, and return to the keyboard without even looking down.

 

Alongside N1MM+ logging software, I also use the Win4icom suite. This allows me to change bands, and each band macro is set up to adjust filter, noise reduction on or off, noise blanker on or off, RF gain per band setting, and filter settings if needed. I can have all this done with one mouse click on the Win4icom software.

 

I am able to use my hearing aids along with my headphones. My hearing aids have fine adjustments I can make to allow me to hear weaker signals and adjust tone and sound for maximum benefit and less fatigue. All this can be saved to my iPhone and called up when I need it. My setting name is “Contesting.” All I do is swipe the iPhone hearing aid app to Contesting, and it sets everything up automatically.

 

The final thing is a portable heater set up at my keyboard level and set to low heat. In the winter, even if my radio room is warm, I find that over time my fingers get very cold. When this happens, the heater is turned on, and warm air blows across the keyboard. In no time, my fingers are nice and warm.

 

In the station setup picture the mouse on the right is my main PC mouse along with the RC-28 external vfo. On the left side the mouse on the blue mouse pad controls the Pi4b Hamclock screen. Its a bit hard to see but under the tray that holds the Pi4b mouse and Begali key is the tray that holds the mouse for the Icom 7610 in which I can click on waterfall signals.  

 

These setup ideas I use may not only be for us seniors but for anyone. I just find that as I get a bit older that these help greatly. If you have any suggestions of your own, do drop them in the comments.