10/23/2025
*Live at 0130 UTC* A few days ago, we heard from Contest Crew North America. Now it’s Europe’s turn. Braco Emir Memic E77DX, Davor Kucelin 9A1UN, Mikael Larsmark SJ2W, Kristjan Kass ES7A, and Sven Lovric DJ4MX—collectively Contest Crew Europe, and five of the continent’s most respected operators—join Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio with their war stories and final prep before CQ Worldwide SSB.
Dave recaps the standout Istra Contest Conference 2025, a magnet for serious ops and next-gen tech, with attendees flying in from across Europe and the U.S. Braco walks through the high-stakes logistics of EF8R in the Canaries: six 32-kilo bags, customs delays, and a tribander stuck somewhere between Madrid and mystery. Kris reports from Estonia, where a 20-person crew is rebuilding ES5TV’s site—moose damage, marshland, and all—in pursuit of his 2013 multi-multi record. Mike, up at SJ2W in Sweden, is fighting similar terrain, their own moose, and hoping for a clean polar path. And Sven? He’s caught between thesis deadlines and competing offers from Estonia to SM2.
There’s no ego here—just precision, resilience, and a drive to pass the torch. Each station runs its own rhythm, each team its own doctrine, but the goal is the same: extract every QSO the bands will give.
Use this link: https://youtu.be/RmL0CkeqpS8
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