Ken Harker WM5R
Radiosport Contesting

Image of WM5R @ K5TR, December 2001
This photo of me, operating at K5TR in the 2001 ARRL
10 Meter Contest, appeared in the September, 2002
QST contest results article. [Photo by K5TR]

Radio contesting has been a long time interest of mine in Amateur Radio. I am a member and former officer of the Central Texas DX & Contest Club (CTDXCC). My favorite contests are the ARRL 10 Meter Contest, the ARRL June VHF QSO Party, the 50 MHz Spring Sprint, the ARRL November Sweepstakes, and the IARU HF World Championship. I focus primarily on phone contesting, and only rarely operate in CW or digital contests.

A lot of my serious contesting efforts have been with N5XU, N5TW, W5KFT, K5NA, and K5TR multi-operator teams. I have also had the opportunity to operate as a guest single operator from both W5KFT and K5TR. I once operated as part of the team at K3LR.

My best single-operator contest efforts to date have been in the ARRL 10 Meter Contest, High Power, Phone Only category, where I have 17 consecutive Top-Five W/VE finishes and I have twice won W/VE. I have finished as high as fourth place in the U.S. in the IARU HF World Championship, Single Operator Phone Only. I have also done very well in the 50 MHz Spring Sprint, with three top five finishes, and the current record QSO total, record multiplier total, and record contest score. My best contest multi-operator performances to date has been operating with George K5TR at both the W5KFT contest station and the K5TR station in the ARRL June VHF QSO Party, where I have been a part of three top ten finishes in the Multi-Limited category. I was a member of the team at K3LR that set the CQ World Wide DX Contest, Phone, M/2 USA record in 2004.

I have never operated as DX, and have only ever operated a very few radio contests from outside the state of Texas.

ARRL 10M | IARU HF | SS Phone | ARRL DX Phone | CQWW Phone | CQ WPX Phone
NAQP January Phone | NAQP August Phone | NA Sprint February Phone | NA Sprint August Phone
Jan VHF | June VHF | Sept VHF | 50MHz Sprint | 144MHz Sprint | 222MHz Sprint | 432MHz Sprint | CQWW VHF

ARRL Ten Meter Contest

YearStationCallsignCategoryQSOsMultsScoreResultOperators
2017 K5TR K5TR SO HP Phone Only 164 37 11,914 1st Place W/VE, 5th Place World WM5R
2016 K5TR K5TR SO HP Phone Only 736 84 122,808 2nd Place W/VE, 4th Place World WM5R
2015 K5TR K5TR SO HP Phone Only 1,034 103 210,944 4th Place W/VE, 17th Place World WM5R
2014 K5TR K5TR SO HP Phone Only 2,816 141 788,190 5th Place W/VE, 8th Place World WM5R
2013 K5TR K5TR SO HP Phone Only 2,212 130 614,040 4th Place W/VE, 14th Place World WM5R
2012 K5TR K5TR SO HP Phone Only 1200 117 277,992 4th Place W/VE, 8th Place World WM5R
2011 K5TR K5TR SO HP Phone Only 2394 138 649,428 3rd Place W/VE, 13th Place World WM5R
2010 K5TR K5TR SO HP Phone Only 1713 103 352,878 2nd Place W/VE, 2nd Place World WM5R
2009 K5TR K5TR SO HP Phone Only 1148 50 114,800 5th Place W/VE, 6th Place World WM5R
2008 K5TR K5TR SO HP Phone Only 1041 56 115,472 4th Place W/VE, 4th Place World WM5R
2007 K5TR K5TR SO HP Phone Only 1709 52 177,736 2nd Place W/VE, 2nd Place World WM5R
2006 K5TR K5TR SO HP Phone Only 1177 87 204,798 2nd Place W/VE, 7th Place World WM5R
2005 K5TR K5TR SO HP Phone Only 1749 97 339,306 1st Place W/VE, 2nd Place World WM5R
2004 K5TR K5TR SO HP Phone Only 1502 103 309,412 3rd Place, W/VE WM5R
2003 K5TR K5TR SO HP Phone Only 2489 111 549,672 2nd Place, W/VE WM5R
2002 K5TR K5TR SO HP Phone Only 2823 143 801,944 5th Place, W/VE WM5R
2001 K5TR K5TR SO HP Phone Only 2973 136 802,944 5th Place, W/VE WM5R

IARU HF World Championship

YearStationCallsignCategoryQSOsHQ MultsZonesScoreResultOperators
2006 K5TR K5TR SOAB HP Phone Only 2197 80 93 1,103,048 5th Place, W/VE WM5R
2005 W5KFT W5KFT SOAB HP Phone Only 1724 47 79 644,616 6th Place, W/VE WM5R
2004 N5OT N5OT SOAB HP Phone Only 1177 67 78 502,425 8th Place, W/VE WM5R
2003 W5KFT WM5R SOAB HP Phone Only 1369 67 81 562,746 4th Place, W/VE WM5R
2002 K5TR W1AW/5 HQ 10,068
284
 8,926,404 13th Place many
2001 N5XU WM5R SOAB HP Phone Only 960 48 83 362,750 2nd Place, STX WM5R
2000 N5XU WM5R MS HP 251 25 35 59,580 DNS WM5R +net
1999 N5XU N5XU M/S HP 894 39 87 390,104 1st Place, STX KA5WSS, KM5FA, N3TNN
1997 W5EHM W5EHM M/S HP 347 30 41 77,177 2nd Place, STX KA5WSS, KM5FA, AA5BT
1996 W5EHM W5EHM M/S HP 417 13 47 75,900 Unknown KA5WSS, N1PVB, SQ9DDZ, AA5BT

ARRL November Sweepstakes, Phone

YearStationCallsignCategoryQSOsSectsScoreResultOperators
2012 K5NA K5NA SOHP 1801 83 298,966 Unofficial WM5R
2011 K5NA K5NA SOHP 1787 80 285,920 16th Place WM5R
2010 K5NA K5NA SOHP 1781 80 284,960 16th Place WM5R
2009 W5KFT W5KFT SOHP 1939 80 310,240 15th Place WM5R
2008 W5KFT W5KFT SOHP 1744 79 275,552 28th Place WM5R
2007 W5KFT W5KFT SOHP 1812 78 282,516 11th Place WM5R
2006 W5KFT W5KFT SOHP 1802 80 288,320 8th Place WM5R
2005 W5KFT W5KFT SOHP 1765 80 282,400 11th Place WM5R
2004 W5KFT W5KFT SOHP 1775 80 284,000 18th Place WM5R
2003 W5KFT W5KFT SOHP 1589 79 251,062 15th Place WM5R
2002 W5KFT W5KFT SOHP 1576 80 252,160 21st Place WM5R
2001 N5XU N5XU M/S HP 1181 80 188,960 5th Place, West Gulf Division W5JLP, KB5LBN, KM5TY, N8DVM, K5PI, WM5R
2000 N5XU N5XU M/S HP 1367 80 218,720 4th Place, Midwest Region KB5LBN, W5JLP, N3TNN, K5PI, KT5I, WM5R
1999 N5XU N5XU M/S HP 1285 79 199,879 1st Place, STX KB5LBN, KM5FA, KT5I, W5JLP
1998 N5XU N5XU SRC HP 1231 79 175,538 5th Place KM5FA, KT5I, KA5WSS
1997 N5XU N5XU M/S HP 1158 79 182,964 3rd Place, STX KM5FA, KA5WSS
1996 W5EHM W5EHM M/S HP 1248 78 194,688 2nd Place, STX N1PVB, AA5BT, KG5KI, KA5WSS
1995 W5EHM W5EHM M/S HP 343 72 49,392 4th place, STX KC5GPG, N1PVB, N1LWI, SQ9DDZ, KA5WSS

ARRL International DX Contest, Phone

YearStationCallsignCategoryQSOsMultsScoreResultOperators
2011 K5TR K5TR SOSB/15 1400 116 487,200 Unofficial WM5R
2009 K5TR K5TR SOSB/15 359 72 77,544 2nd Place, W/VE WM5R
2008 K5TR K5TR SOAB HP 1158 231 698,544 18th Place, W/VE WM5R
2007 WM5R WM5R SOAB LP 2 2 6 444th Place, W/VE WM5R
2005 K5TR K5TR SOSB/15 1405 121 495,495 1st Place, W/VE WM5R
2004 K5NA K5NA M/2 HP 2402 480 3,371,040 6th Place, W/VE K5NA, K5DU, KI5DR, N3BB, N5ZC, WM5R
2003 W5KFT W5KFT M/S HP 1740 391 2,041,020 9th Place, W/VE K5PI, WM5R, W5TA
2002 N5TW N5TW M/2 HP 3255 439 4,286,835 12th Place, W/VE N5TW, WM5R, NA4M, KM5TY, N5DUW, WS4G, W5TD
2001 N5TW N5TW M/2 HP 3761 454 5,122,482 6th Place, W/VE N5TW, NA4M, WM5R, KE5WS, KI5DR, W5RQ, K5PI, WQ5G, W5TD
2000 N5CQ N5CQ M/S HP 2523 421 3,186,549 3rd Place, W5 N5CQ, KM5FA, AB5K
1999 N5CQ N5CQ M/S HP 1781 407 2,174,601 1st Place, W5 N5CQ, KM5FA, NA4M, W5TD, N3BB
1998 N5XU N5XU M/S HP 742 238 492,660 4th Place, W5 KM5FA, KA5WSS

CQ World Wide DX Contest, Phone

YearStationCallsignCategoryQSOsCountriesZonesScoreResultOperators
2006 K5TR K5TR M/S HP 2646 492 153 3,848,070 unknown K5TR, WM5R
2005 K5TR K5TR M/S HP 2357 497 147 3,897,488 unknown K5TR, N5TR, WM5R
2004 K3LR K3LR M/2 HP 7864 743 187 20,854,320 1st Place, USA K1AR, N2NC, K3UA, N3GJ, N3SD, N4HY, K4SQR, N5NJ, WM5R, KI7WX, W9ZRX, K3LR
2003 K5NA K5NA M/M HP 4005 561 162 6,246,720 Unknown K2UR, K5DU, K5NA, K5PI, K6NR, KC5YKX, KI5DR, N5GM, W5JEN, W5MF, WM5R
2001 N5TW N5TW M/S HP 2982 596 173 6,060,489 9th Place, USA N5TW, N5RZ, NA4M, WM5R, N5DUW, N5TR
2000 N5XU WM5R SOAB HP Assisted 395 250 83 338,328 6th Place, W5 WM5R
1998 N5XU KM5FA SOSB HP 10 Assisted 610 98 29 175,641 W5 Record Score KM5FA
1997 N5XU KM5FA SOAB HP Assisted 522 160 75 268,605 Unknown KM5FA

CQ World Wide WPX Contest, Phone

YearStationCallsignCategoryQSOsPrefixesScoreResultOperators
2012 K5NA WM5R SOAB HP 3209 1022 6,362,972 Unofficial WM5R
2011 K5NA WM5R SOAB HP 2869 1008 6,000,624 14th Place, USA WM5R
2010 WM5R WM5R SOAB LP 31 29 1,218 DNS WM5R
2009 K5NA WM5R SOAB HP 3124 870 4,447,440 7th Place, USA WM5R
2008 W5KFT WM5R SOAB HP         WM5R
2007 W5KFT WM5R SOAB HP 2836 844 3,996,340 6th Place, USA WM5R
2006 K5TR WM5R SOSB/15 HP 1225 598 1,631,344 1st Place, USA WM5R
2005 WM5R WM5R SOAB LP TS 92 76 13,224 19th Place, W5 WM5R
2003 K5NA KI5DR M/2 HP 5117 1075 9,796,475 2nd Place, USA KI5DR,K5NA,K5DU,NA4M,W5MF,WM5R
2002 N5XU WM5R SOSB LP 15 110 92 15,732 12th Place, USA WM5R
2001 K5TR WM5R SOSB HP 10 1549 643 2,149,549 7th Place, USA WM5R
1999 N5XU KM5FA SOSB HP 10 706 348 510,864 9th Place, USA KM5FA
1998 W5KFT K5TR M/S HP     4,446,040 6th Place, USA K5TR, KM5FA, W5KFT

NCJ North American QSO Party, January, Phone

YearStationCallsignCategoryQSOsMultsScoreResultOperators
2010 K5TR K5TR SOLP 1294 190 245,860 Unofficial WM5R
2007 K5TR K5TR M/2 LP 2306 255 588,030 2nd Place K5TR, WM5R, K5PI
2004 K5TR K5TR M/2 LP 2379 280 666,120 4th Place K5TR, WM5R
2002 N5TW N5TW M/2 LP 1630 267 435,210 DNS KD5AAD, KD5HUN, K5PI, WM5R, N5TW

NCJ North American QSO Party August, Phone

YearStationCallsignCategoryQSOsMultsScoreResultOperators
2010 K5TR K5TR SOLP 1086 138 149,868 Unofficial WM5R
2006 K5TR K5TR SOLP 1024 189 193,536 5th Place WM5R
2005 K5TR K5TR SOLP 784 134 105,056 10th Place WM5R
2003 K5TR K5TR M/2 LP 1304 225 293,400 2nd Place K5TR, WM5R
2002 K5TR K5TR M/2 LP 1491 240 357,840 2nd Place K5TR, KK5MI, WM5R
2001 K5TR K5TR SOAB LP 634 158 100,172 5th Place, W5 WM5R
1996 W5EHM W5EHM M/2 LP 403 117 47,151 Unknown KA5WSS, N1PVB, SQ9DDZ

NCJ North American Sprint, February, Phone

YearStationCallsignCategoryQSOsMultsScoreResultOperators
2003 K5TR WM5R SOHP 280 42 11,760 19th Place WM5R

NCJ North American Sprint, September, Phone

YearStationCallsignCategoryQSOsMultsScoreResultOperators
2003 K5TR K5TR SOHP 276 45 12,420 13th Place WM5R
1998 N5XU KM5FA M/2 HP 143 37 5,291 Unknown KM5FA

ARRL January VHF Sweepstakes

YearStationCallsignCategoryBandsQSOsGridsScoreResultOperators
2005 N5XU N5XU SOLP ABD 6 4 28 6th Place, STX WM5R
2004 WM5R WM5R SO Portable B 1 1 1 16th Place, W/VE WM5R
2002 WM5R/R WM5R/R Rover BD 15 7 240 5th Place, West Gulf WM5R
2001 N5XU N5XU M/L ABCD 110 39 5,811 2nd Place, Midwest Region KB5LBN, W5JLP, WM5R
2000 N5XU N5XU M/L ABCD 180 48 9,225 1st Place, Midwest Region KB5LBN, W5JLP, N3TNN, K5TR, KM5FA
1999 N5XU N5XU M/L ABCD 103 36 4,536 1st Place, STX KM5FA, KA5WSS
1998 N5XU N5XU M/L ABCD 270 112 33,600 West Gulf Record Score KM5FA, KA5WSS, KC5EMV, KD5AAD, KD5BWT
1997 W5EHM W5EHM SOAB AB 97 26 2,522 4th Place, STX KM5FA

ARRL June VHF QSO Party

YearStationCallsignCategoryBandsQSOsGridsScoreResultOperators
2009 WM5R/M WM5R/9 SOLP AB 5 3 15 Unofficial WM5R
2007 K5TR K5TR M/L ABCD 538 184 113,160 7th Place K5TR, WM5R
2006 K5TR K5TR M/L ABCD 923 276 276,000 6th Place K5TR, KE5C, WM5R
2004 K5TR K5TR M/L ABCD 828 233 205,273 8th Place K5TR, KE5C, KG5U, N5RZ, WM5R
2003 K5TR K5TR M/L ABCD 1314 311 426,070 3rd Place K5TR, KE5C, KG5U, W5JEN, WM5R
2002 K5TR K5TR M/L ABCD 425 156 77,844 14th Place K5TR, WM5R
2001 W5KFT W5KFT M/L ABCD 663 228 168,948 10th Place W5KFT, K5TR, NE5RO, KD5JZV, WM5R
1999 W5KFT W5KFT M/L ABCD 618 207 148,626 6th Place W5KFT, K5TR, N5RZ, WM5R
1998 K8GP K8GP M/U ABCD9EFGHIJ 1688 424 967,992 5th Place K1RA, W3ZZ, K3LFO, W3CMP, N4UK, W4XP, KM5FA, K6LEW, WD8ISK
1997 W5EHM W5EHM SOAB ABD 107 44 5,456 7th Place, STX KM5FA

ARRL September VHF QSO Party

YearStationCallsignCategoryBandsQSOsGridsScoreResultOperators
2001 N5XU N5XU M/L ABCD 130 45 7,470 1st Place, West Gulf W5JLP, KB5LBN, KM5TY, WM5R
2000 N5XU N5XU M/L ABCD 119 32 3,808 3rd Place, Midwest Region W5JLP, KB5LBN, WM5R
1999 N5XU N5XU M/L ABCD 150 64 12,736 2nd Place, Midwest Region N3TNN, KM5FA
1998 N5XU N5XU M/L ABCD 204 97 21,922 3rd Place, Midwest Region KA5WSS, KM5FA
1997 W5EHM W5EHM M/L ABD 121 35 5,285 1st Place, STX KC5OJK, KD5AAD, KM5FA
1996 W5EHM W5EHM M/L ABD 71 20 1,460 3rd Place, Midwest Region KA5WSS, N1PVB

50 MHz Spring Sprint

YearStationCallsignCategoryQSOsGridsScoreResultOperators
2010 K5TR K5TR SOHP 11 6339   Unofficial WM5R
2009 K5TR K5TR SOHP 8 5 4 Unofficial WM5R
2007 K5TR K5TR SOHP 71 36 2556 1st Place WM5R
2006 K5TR K5TR SOHP 25 13 325 No adjudicated results WM5R
2005 K5TR K5TR SOHP 51 18 918 10th Place out of 42 WM5R
2004 K5TR K5TR SOHP 29 11 319 18th Place of 52 WM5R
2003 K5TR K5TR SOHP 310 103 31,724 1st Place - Record Score! WM5R
2002 K5TR K5TR SOHP 10 6 60 22nd Place of 27 WM5R
2001 N5XU N5XU SOHP 85 38 3,230 6th Place of 54 WM5R
2000 N5XU N5XU SOHP 117 36 4,212 3rd Place of 43 WM5R
1999 N5XU N5XU SOHP 10 9 90 71st Place of 88 KM5FA
1998 N5XU KM5FA SOHP 110 47 5,170 4th Place of 73 KM5FA

144 MHz Spring Sprint

YearStationCallsignCategoryQSOsGridsScoreResultOperators
2001 N5XU N5XU SOHP 17 8 136 47th Place of 72 WM5R
2000 N5XU N5XU SOHP 18 6 108 83rd Place of 97 WM5R
1999 N5XU N5XU SOHP 17 8 136 128th Place of 174 KM5FA
1998 N5XU N5XU MO 19 7 133 101st Place of 129 KM5FA, KA5WSS

222 MHz Spring Sprint

YearStationCallsignCategoryQSOsGridsScoreResultOperators
2000 N5XU N5XU SOHP 5 4 20 54th Place of 62 WM5R
1999 N5XU KM5FA SOHP 5 4 20 95th Place of 111 KM5FA

432 MHz Spring Sprint

YearStationCallsignCategoryQSOsGridsScoreResultOperators
2000 N5XU N5XU SOHP 1 1 1 62nd Place of 62 WM5R
1999 N5XU N5XU SOHP 12 6 72 74th Place of 113 KM5FA

CQ World Wide Wide VHF Contest

YearStationCallsignCategoryBandsQSOsGridsScoreResultOperators
2008 K5TR K5TR SOSB/50 A 109 42 4,578 Unofficial WM5R
2008 K5TR K5TR SOSB/50 A 451 154 69,454 Unofficial WM5R
2000 N5XU N5XU SOHP A 19 14 266 Unknown WM5R
1996 W5EHM W5EHM SOAB AB 49 25 1,225 Unknown KM5FA

There are a few other contests in which I have operated and submitted a log that I consider less interesting and important than these here.

Last Updated 26 June 2020
wm5r@wm5r.org