2025 AM Rally Results

[steve_qix]

The 2025 AM Rally results are in.

Congrats to Paul N1MUC, the overall "winner" of the 2025 AM Rally.

The Vintage Communications Museum (W1VCM) ran several stations, and worked quite a few participants.

40 meters was the place to be this year.  More contacts made on 40 than another other band.  75 was the second-most popular band, which is expected.  6 meters also had a good showing.

The results can be viewed here:

http://www.amrally.com

[KD1SH]

   Thanks, Steve, and Clark, too, for once again making this excellent event possible! Yes, congratulations to Paul, N1MUC, who was cranking out the contacts with admirable persistence throughout the event. Bob and Larry and the gang at W1VCM had a banner Rally, too. The crew at the Vintage Radio and Communications Museum of Connecticut have become truly great ambassadors for AM!
   Sad to see, though, that the number of logs submitted has steadily declined. 108 logs were turned in for the 2019 Rally, 44 logs in 2023, and only 29 this year.
   40 meters was indeed the place to be this year. This was my third year operating 40 meters in the Rally, and I made more than twice the number of contacts there than on 80 meters.

[WA1LGQ]

Thanks for creating the premier AM event of the year! And to the participants, without whom none of this fun would be possible. Thanks for accommodating our multiple setups and operators. I hope we can do it again next year. The biggest surprise was the number of contacts on 6M with 34 all  "local" contacts spanning 4 states, no E or F contacts. Too bad the band was not open, but still it was busy. Yes, Bill, I noticed the downswing in participation as well. Maybe its just due to the propagation conditions at this point. I liked seeing all of the different equipment that gets put on the air too.
Larry

[N1BCG]

Sad to see, though, that the number of logs submitted has steadily declined.

I'm not all that surprised by the trend. The AM Rally is intended to encourage the use of the AM by introducing newcomers to the mode. The first event years ago was a bit of a novelty and resulted in a bedazzling burst of AM activity on multiple bands throughout the whole weekend. Very old school hamateur radio and quite a sight on spectrum displays!

Since then, I'm seeing an uptick in AM activity across the country (and in Europe) from occasional visits on WebSDRs. It would be nice to think that this is in part due to good first impressions thanks to the seasoned AM ops who have been both welcoming and helpful.

Perhaps the decrease in log entries can be attributed, at least in part, to an increase in AM usage throughout the year. Of course, having prizes such as a K7DYY, Flex, or Anan would be an effective incentive for keeping a log. Any interested sponsor/donors?

[w8khk]

Sad to see, though, that the number of logs submitted has steadily declined.

I'm not all that surprised by the trend. The AM Rally is intended to encourage the use of the AM by introducing newcomers to the mode. The first event years ago was a bit of a novelty and resulted in a bedazzling burst of AM activity on multiple bands throughout the whole weekend. Very old school hamateur radio and quite a sight on spectrum displays!

Since then, I'm seeing an uptick in AM activity across the country (and in Europe) from occasional visits on WebSDRs. It would be nice to think that this is in part due to good first impressions thanks to the seasoned AM ops who have been both welcoming and helpful.

Perhaps the decrease in log entries can be attributed, at least in part, to an increase in AM usage throughout the year. Of course, having prizes such as a K7DYY, Flex, or Anan would be an effective incentive for keeping a log. Any interested sponsor/donors?

Flex or Anan for prizes?  I have mixed emotions about suggesting anything other than 'wallpaper' certificates confirming the quantity of contacts achieved during the "Operating Event".
 
During the rallies in previous years, I observed and participated in several QSOs that were more content-oriented.  The past couple rally events, during which I listened a lot, but did not operate, seemed more like a contest, with folks simply interested in racking up more log entries.  There seemed to be no interest in carrying on any conversation.  Just an exchange of name, callsign, location, and a brief description of the equipment in use.  Might as well just exchange the customary 5-9 and grid square, or just run FT8!

As I recall, the original intent of the rally was to promote not only the Amplitude Modulation mode, but also the custom of having a casual conversation, sharing interesting information, certainly not limited to the equipment that is keeping the shack warm.  I enjoyed those conversations immensely, but have little interest in just operating to fill the log pages.  I would suppose everyone would have something unique to share, given the opportunity and invitation.

Rather than seek donations of modern, expensive appliances as prizes for voluminous logs, perhaps the bounty might be better matched to the event, which is divided into several power and equipment classifications.  It is well known that many OPs have an excess of vintage equipment; and it is entirely possible that they might be willing to donate to the cause.  Suggested rewards, related to power, weight, class, or vintage of equipment might be a series starting with the Ranger, moving up to the Viking II, the Valiant, and for the top guns, the Viking 500.  (Operating and cosmetic condition of donated equipment is as irrelevant as the shipping cost!)  Now we have defined prizes that will not overshadow the "operating" nature of the event, and move away from the contest attitude leading to filling every line in the logbook.  

Another option might be to add to the log process a field where the OP enters the "contact duration", and another entry space for the number of non-radio elements of the discussion.  These factors could be prerequisites to a log entry's validity.  I would look forward to participating in the next true "operating event".  I would venture a guess that reasonable content could be shared without resorting to long-winded "Old Buzzard" monologues.  Am I alone in this point of view?

[KD1SH]

   If the AM Rally encourages more casual use of AM, then that's fantastic. I'm not sure, though, that overall participation in the event is keeping pace with a perceived increase in casual AM operation. In the 2021 Rally, the top scorer, W7A, logged 316 contacts, while this year's top scorer, N1MUC, logged 132. I'm not sure whether Steve has ever analyzed the results for the total number of distinct calls recorded. I'll have to play around a bit with Excel and see what I come up with.
   The issue of logging contacts, in a competitive sense, might be a thorny one for AM operators. AM culture would seem to have a pronounced anti-contest aspect. That's not a critique; I'm entirely on-board with that, but I've always felt that providing some potential for reward, even if it's only a reward of recognition, encourages participation in any type of event. The organizers of charity events: runs, walks, races, and the like, depend not only on individual altruism to encourage participation, but on the potential for public recognition as well. The league has long been aware of that, also, employing its "radio-sport" concept as a tool for recruiting new hams.
   On the other side of the coin, or the other side of the microphone, as it were, overly emphasizing the competitive aspect of the Rally might discourage the very sort of operating that we're trying to encourage, since operators fixated on racking up big scores won't want to waste time chatting.
   Really, though, I think the latter isn't much of a threat. My experience in the Rally has been that AM'ers in general can be relied on to stick to their traditional behavior, and even the perennial top scorers don't seem to be opting for the "thanks for the contact and good luck in the contest" sort of thing. I hope it never comes to that.
   Even though I want to see the Rally referred to as an "operating event" rather than a "contest," I would still like to see more AM'ers keep and turn in logs. I look at it as a way to show solidarity and camaraderie with our fellow AM'ers, to show appreciation for the event's organizers and their efforts, but maybe even more importantly, as a "finger on the pulse" of AM. I was very happy, for example, to see that home-brew rigs made a bigger showing this year than the ubiquitous IC-7300 (not knocking the rig, I've got one myself), and even more so because I contributed to that result myself, this being my first year running a home-brew rig.
   And that's where the real difference between our AM Rally logs and the typical League-sanctioned contest logs stands out proudly: we record our equipment; not just rigs but microphones, audio-chains, and modulators. In a classic League-sanctioned contest, that stuff isn't logged, and who would care, anyway? Big deal: another kilo-buck Kenwood or Icom or Yaesu super-duper contest rig. But when I look at our AM Rally logs, and see 304th's, a pair of 4-1000's, a modulator with two 4-400's and a hundred pounds of iron, now that's got my attention!

[N1BCG]

The past couple rally events, during which I listened a lot, but did not operate, seemed more like a contest, with folks simply interested in racking up more log entries.  There seemed to be no interest in carrying on any conversation.  Just an exchange of name, callsign, location, and a brief description of the equipment in use.  Might as well just exchange the customary 5-9 and grid square, or just run FT8!

Since you mentioned FT-8, I read an ARRL report a while back on operating modes that placed FT-8 as not only the most popular digital mode, but as the most popular mode of all. In fact, FT-8 usership dwarfs all the other modes... combined. Surprising, eh?

Not really when you consider two key factors. The first is glossophobia, the clinical term for fear of public speaking that affects 3 out of 4 individuals (https://www.healthcentral.com/condition/anxiety/glossophobia-fear-of-public-speaking). Imagine working a Field Day event and trying to convince a passerby that they can use unfamiliar lingo to talk to strangers all over the world once they get a ham license. Right.

The second challenge originated with the growth of email and texting. Who actually talks on the phone anymore? While it's understandable for younger folks, the trend effects the pre-internet crowd because that's how everyone else is communicating.



Put those factors together and imagine organizing a party where nobody knows each other. What are the chances that everyone is going to rush up to each other, introduce themselves, and dive into a riveting discussion? Or, what if the expectations weren't to socialize, but rather, just to exchange non-personal information such as a callsign, location, and the perfunctory numbers "Five Nine"? The latter is easy, repetitive, and best of all, non-judgmental. No need to try to be conversational and zero risk of being asked any questions or judged.

Put all this together and FT-8 starts to sound like a dream mode, and its popularity supports that suggestion. Compare that to asking folks to try an unfamiliar mode and talk to a bunch of ops outside of their usual group, if they even have one.

I'm not dismissing the possibility, but it's important to understand the leap beyond their comfort zones that we're asking folks to take. That the AM Rally was and is as popular as it is is quite amazing.

[KD1SH]

   A few years ago, at a restaurant with my wife for Christmas Eve dinner, a family: mom, dad, and three teenage kids, sat down at a table near us. Immediately upon sitting down, all five took out their cell phones and started busily tapping away; never looking at each other or speaking until the waitress came around to take their orders, and then it was back to texting or watching YouTube videos or whatever they were doing. The phones were put away briefly when the food arrived, but there was little conversation, and after the food was eaten, it was all about the phones again.
   Indeed, I'm surprised that anyone does ham radio at all anymore, much less AM.

I'm not dismissing the possibility, but it's important to understand the leap beyond their comfort zones that we're asking folks to take. That the AM Rally was and is as popular as it is is quite amazing.

[KD6VXI]

FT8 is a dream mode because of noise levels.

People have 30 over 9 noise levels.  I did.  SSB and AM where utterly useless.

FT8 became a god send if I wanted to operate.

There's lots of excuses on why FT Hate is so popular.  But worldwide noise levels are a HUGE reason.

--Shane
Wp2ass / ex KD6VXI

[Pete, WA2CWA]

FT8 is a dream mode because of noise levels.

People have 30 over 9 noise levels.  I did.  SSB and AM where utterly useless.

FT8 became a god send if I wanted to operate.

There's lots of excuses on why FT Hate is so popular.  But worldwide noise levels are a HUGE reason.

--Shane
Wp2ass / ex KD6VXI

I live in the metro NYC/Philly corridor which must be a "noise-free " interference zone. Noise levels (whatever they might be) have never stopped me from operating on AM, SSB, or the occasional CW and they have never been high enough to keep me from operating.   My receiver even has a noise blanker and a noise limiter and doing 6 and 2 meter scatter contacts for several years has probably also conditioned my brain to recognize signals that might be at or below the noise level.

Of course, if I wanted real "noise-free" contacts, I can fire up on a 2 meter or 440 MHz FM repeater.

Have you had any good conversations on FT8?

[W3SLK]

W8KHK said:

Flex or Anan for prizes?  I have mixed emotions about suggesting anything other than 'wallpaper' certificates confirming the quantity of contacts achieved during the "Operating Event".
 
During the rallies in previous years, I observed and participated in several QSOs that were more content-oriented.  The past couple rally events, during which I listened a lot, but did not operate, seemed more like a contest, with folks simply interested in racking up more log entries.  There seemed to be no interest in carrying on any conversation.  Just an exchange of name, callsign, location, and a brief description of the equipment in use.  Might as well just exchange the customary 5-9 and grid square, or just run FT8!

As I recall, the original intent of the rally was to promote not only the Amplitude Modulation mode, but also the custom of having a casual conversation, sharing interesting information, certainly not limited to the equipment that is keeping the shack warm.  I enjoyed those conversations immensely, but have little interest in just operating to fill the log pages.  I would suppose everyone would have something unique to share, given the opportunity and invitation.

Rather than seek donations of modern, expensive appliances as prizes for voluminous logs, perhaps the bounty might be better matched to the event, which is divided into several power and equipment classifications.  It is well known that many OPs have an excess of vintage equipment; and it is entirely possible that they might be willing to donate to the cause.  Suggested rewards, related to power, weight, class, or vintage of equipment might be a series starting with the Ranger, moving up to the Viking II, the Valiant, and for the top guns, the Viking 500.  (Operating and cosmetic condition of donated equipment is as irrelevant as the shipping cost!)  Now we have defined prizes that will not overshadow the "operating" nature of the event, and move away from the contest attitude leading to filling every line in the logbook. 

Another option might be to add to the log process a field where the OP enters the "contact duration", and another entry space for the number of non-radio elements of the discussion.  These factors could be prerequisites to a log entry's validity.  I would look forward to participating in the next true "operating event".  I would venture a guess that reasonable content could be shared without resorting to long-winded "Old Buzzard" monologues.  Am I alone in this point of view?

Rick, I agree with you. For the most part, AMers eschew corntests, (with those among us trolling corntests the exception!). The motivation behind it (as I understood it), was to get other OPS to push the AM button on their YaeKenCom rig and explore another 'phone' mode, in hopes of having more AM operators.
I've never entered a log because frankly, I don't care for corntests. If someone needs contact points, I will always let them break in and if they want to hang around for the conversation, I have no problems. In other words, I don't change my operating habits.
Like weekend golf outings, those who want to win usually do win. But for me this event will always be meh!

[KD1SH]

   Just a thought for the Rally organizers: getting any recognition in QST would pretty much stand the proverbial snowball's chance, but maybe Electric Radio might be interested? Having the results appear there might encourage participation.

[Pete, WA2CWA]

   Just a thought for the Rally organizers: getting any recognition in QST would pretty much stand the proverbial snowball's chance, but maybe Electric Radio might be interested? Having the results appear there might encourage participation.

Doing a Search on the ARRL web site for AM Rally, below is part of the 1st page of the search. W1AW has participated in the AM Rally. The video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNEg4tsEnNk


Results 1 to 8 of 1341 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9next   

    2021 AM Rally Set for First Weekend in February

    Jan 7, 2021 ... The 2021 running of the AM Rally will take place from 0000 UTC on Saturday, February 6 to 0700 UTC on Monday, February 8. The annual AM ... Learn More
    A Reminder: Second Annual AM Rally Special Event is this Weekend

    Feb 2, 2018 ... The American Radio Relay League (ARRL) is the national association for amateur radio, connecting hams around the U.S. with news, ... Learn More
    Inaugural AM Rally a Hit! Participants Log Nearly 1,500 Contacts

    Apr 27, 2017 ... The numbers are in, and the first AM Rally April 1-3 was a huge success, with nearly 1,500 contacts reported on the 72 logs submitted. Learn More
    Countdown to Third Annual AM Rally Has Begun

    Dec 18, 2018 ... The American Radio Relay League (ARRL) is the national association for amateur radio, connecting hams around the U.S. with news, ... Learn More
    AM Rally on April 1-3 Weekend an Opportunity to Try a Vintage Mode

    Mar 24, 2017 ... The American Radio Relay League (ARRL) is the national association for amateur radio, connecting hams around the U.S. with news, ... Learn More
    AM Rally Set for April 1-3 ? No Fooling!

    Feb 1, 2017 ... The American Radio Relay League (ARRL) is the national association for amateur radio, connecting hams around the U.S. with news, ... Learn More
   

[KD1SH]

   I might also reference my post, here: http://amfone.net/Amforum/index.php?topic=48651.0
I'm surely not a League hater, and truly, I believe ham radio is better off with the League than without, but I suspect that without the ongoing advocacy of hams like Steve, Clark; Bob, WB1GCM, and the crew at W1VCM, as well as Mr. TimTron himself, those brief mentions of the AM Rally in the pages of QST would probably have never happened. The League has had a few shining moments; even some memorable ones, like the ladies running the Gates at W1AW during one Rally, but for all that, I still feel that they're solidly in the "benign neglect" camp. If they were to include even a one-page monthly column devoted to AM (I suggest calling it  "The AM Coral," in honor of the old Hoss Traders days) I'd be willing to believe the tiger has changed its stripes.

   Just a thought for the Rally organizers: getting any recognition in QST would pretty much stand the proverbial snowball's chance, but maybe Electric Radio might be interested? Having the results appear there might encourage participation.

Doing a Search on the ARRL web site for AM Rally, below is part of the 1st page of the search. W1AW has participated in the AM Rally. The video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNEg4tsEnNk


Results 1 to 8 of 1341 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9next   

    2021 AM Rally Set for First Weekend in February

    Jan 7, 2021 ... The 2021 running of the AM Rally will take place from 0000 UTC on Saturday, February 6 to 0700 UTC on Monday, February 8. The annual AM ... Learn More
    A Reminder: Second Annual AM Rally Special Event is this Weekend

    Feb 2, 2018 ... The American Radio Relay League (ARRL) is the national association for amateur radio, connecting hams around the U.S. with news, ... Learn More
    Inaugural AM Rally a Hit! Participants Log Nearly 1,500 Contacts

    Apr 27, 2017 ... The numbers are in, and the first AM Rally April 1-3 was a huge success, with nearly 1,500 contacts reported on the 72 logs submitted. Learn More
    Countdown to Third Annual AM Rally Has Begun

    Dec 18, 2018 ... The American Radio Relay League (ARRL) is the national association for amateur radio, connecting hams around the U.S. with news, ... Learn More
    AM Rally on April 1-3 Weekend an Opportunity to Try a Vintage Mode

    Mar 24, 2017 ... The American Radio Relay League (ARRL) is the national association for amateur radio, connecting hams around the U.S. with news, ... Learn More
    AM Rally Set for April 1-3 ? No Fooling!

    Feb 1, 2017 ... The American Radio Relay League (ARRL) is the national association for amateur radio, connecting hams around the U.S. with news, ... Learn More
   

[Pete, WA2CWA]

   I might also reference my post, here: http://amfone.net/Amforum/index.php?topic=48651.0
I'm surely not a League hater, and truly, I believe ham radio is better off with the League than without, but I suspect that without the ongoing advocacy of hams like Steve, Clark; Bob, WB1GCM, and the crew at W1VCM, as well as Mr. TimTron himself, those brief mentions of the AM Rally in the pages of QST would probably have never happened. The League has had a few shining moments; even some memorable ones, like the ladies running the Gates at W1AW during one Rally, but for all that, I still feel that they're solidly in the "benign neglect" camp. If they were to include even a one-page monthly column devoted to AM (I suggest calling it  "The AM Coral," in honor of the old Hoss Traders days) I'd be willing to believe the tiger has changed its stripes.

I haven't heard that the ARRL is waving love banners for modes lke SSB, or CW, or digital, or RTTY.

I don't see any columns in QST for SSB, or CW, or digital, or RTTY, etc. so why should they generate a column for the AM mode. "It's a mode" not some holy grail 

Plus, I don't see the point in highlighting a specific mode. It would get boring fast; need a writer, content needs to be timely and interesting to over all readership, overall readership would have to determine value - page count is expensive, readership might just view it as a "who cares".

In a few years, many amateurs may relegate their microphone, if they own one,  to the relic closet since they spend all their operating time "communicating"(if you want to call it that) with their fingers.

[Pete, WA2CWA]

To show off AM enthusiasm back in the "good old days", here is a picture you might remember if you were around on AM. It was taken at the Gaithersburg, MD hamfest the night before the hamfest. Hamfest was on a Sunday. The picture was taken during the "Rolling Rock Hour" and was also being transmitted on 3885 KHz. The activity, station, AM related vendors, camp out, BS sessions, sleeping on or in your vehicle were all centered around the "AM Corral". Station setup/operating generally was from Saturday afternoon until roughly Sunday noon. Lots of coffee early Sunday morning.

Those Were the Days!

[KD1SH]

I haven't heard that the ARRL is waving love banners for modes lke SSB, or CW, or digital, or RTTY.

Well, they don't have to; everyone is using those modes, nothing unique or special, there. Being too generic is boring.

...content needs to be timely and interesting to over all readership, overall readership would have to determine value - page count is expensive, readership might just view it as a "who cares".

Yep, that's the reality of the situation, and why my remark was largely facetious; I know there will never be an AM column in QST. It would be cool, but it's not realistic.

In a few years, many amateurs may relegate their microphone, if they own one, to the relic closet since they spend all their operating time "communicating"(if you want to call it that) with their fingers.

Indeed, I can think of very few reasons to be happy about the fact that I won't live forever, but that just might be one of them.

[KD6VXI]

FT8 is a dream mode because of noise levels.

People have 30 over 9 noise levels.  I did.  SSB and AM where utterly useless.

FT8 became a god send if I wanted to operate.

There's lots of excuses on why FT Hate is so popular.  But worldwide noise levels are a HUGE reason.

--Shane
Wp2ass / ex KD6VXI

I live in the metro NYC/Philly corridor which must be a "noise-free " interference zone. Noise levels (whatever they might be) have never stopped me from operating on AM, SSB, or the occasional CW and they have never been high enough to keep me from operating.   My receiver even has a noise blanker and a noise limiter and doing 6 and 2 meter scatter contacts for several years has probably also conditioned my brain to recognize signals that might be at or below the noise level.

Of course, if I wanted real "noise-free" contacts, I can fire up on a 2 meter or 440 MHz FM repeater.

Have you had any good conversations on FT8?

Here's the thing, Pete.  Your situation doesn't matter.

Everything you said:  How does that relate to someone with a 30 over 9 noise level that doesn't go away until the sun goes down and then doesn't s
Drop to maybe s8 or s9?

SSB is so much fun with constant switch mode birdies .  Same with CW, gotta love having a warbling note from a pwm sliding around the bfo and signal you want to listen to.  So much fun.

Great, you dont have these issues.

For the most part, tons of hams, do.

Yippee, let me run to 2 meters, or 440.

That's going to be some fun international dx just like HF, where I like to operate.

Acting like what I'm saying doeant exist for the rest of amateur radio just because you are lucky enough to live in a noise free area is just ignorant.

Read up, what I describe is real.  It's been discussed here, a few times.


FYI, noise blankets are useless against wide band pwm noise.  The literally do nothing.  I've been down the phased array setup with the MFJ1025, an ANC noise canceled, etc.  Even bought a dual receiver sdr locked so I could do beam steering.

Nothing helped.

Glad you dont have these issues.  Read up, most Hams now, do.



--Shane
Wp2ass / ex KD6VXI

[N1BCG]

The League has had a few shining moments; even some memorable ones, like the ladies running the Gates at W1AW during one Rally...

Hoo boy!  Yes, the *infamous* 2020 AM Rally when the YLs took over and had their way with the pileup...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdpyIw0pStY

Total coincidence, I'm sure, that that was our last AM Rally in Newington.