WRTC 2026 Update

With WRTC just weeks away, Q5 Ham Radio has given the amateur radio community its first public look at the new live scoreboard platform being developed by World Radio League in collaboration with WRTC 2026.

James Cribbs N0WRL, World Radio League CEO and founder, joined the Q5 Contest Crew to walk through the system alongside Randy Thompson K5ZD, Chris Hurlbut KL9A, Bill Fehring W9KKN, Dan Craig N6MJ, and DX Engineering CEO Tim Duffy K3LR. It's a candid, unscripted discussion covering live rankings, spotting integration, spectator engagement, and the practical challenges of running a fair real-time system for thousands of operators worldwide.

Late rule update: national identification at social events

The WRTC 2026 Organising Committee has issued a rule update, less than three weeks before the event, regarding the display of national identification by contestants.

Under the new rule, national symbols such as flags on clothing are not permitted at social events and the awards ceremony. During the contest itself, teams may still fly flags at their allocated operating sites. However, displaying national identification outside of those designated contest locations — for example on a T-shirt or jacket at a social gathering — will result in disqualification from the competition.