Outreach

Get on the air for the 2025 DX Marathon!

The CQ DX Marathon has been encouraging Amateur Radio operators to get on the air every year since 1948. Everyone’s regular DX contacts count towards this event.

Take advantage of this event to give yourself a reason to operate every day during 2025!

⭐ The Rules for the 2025 CQ Magazine DX Marathon were revised on December 4th, 2024.

Summary of Changes 2024 vs 2025

There are a few major changes in the 2025 rules vs those of 2024. These are summarized below:

  • Two class changes that have been added. The Formula Class has been split into two sections. Those that have entered in the past with a 100W maximum power output, and a new class for those who wish to operate under the same Formula rules but can operate at the maximum permissible output allowed by their license class.

  • The QRP section similarly exists as last year, however an added class option has been added, QRP Unlimited which will allow for any antenna configuration with no restrictions.

  • In the awards part of the rules, a country plaque providing sponsors are found has been added. Heretofore, the highest country score would receive a certificate. As sponsors step forward during 2025 with a $100 sponsorship fee, countries will be added. As of the writing of the rules today, we have secured sponsors for 4 countries, Venezuela, Turkey, Slovak Republic, and Chile. We will continue to add countries as sponsors step forward throughout the 2025 period.

  • In the youth program, we have included another plaque award. There will be now a plaque award for the top youth 15 years and younger along with a separate award for the top scoring youth 16-25.

  • We have emphasized the seriousness of the requirement to have a single operating station for entry into the program, i.e. remote stations are allowed but second remote stations or remote receiving antennas separate from the home station are disallowed. The operating staff of the DX Marathon consider violations to this rule as significant and will assess penalties if this rule is broken.

  • All restrictions in participation of stations in Russia and Belarus are removed and they will be eligible for plaques/certificates. Other stations may work these countries and receive full credit. Donbas, however, beginning with D1 are not legitimate calls and will not be recognized.

  • Special Note: The United Kingdom has relaxed its location rules for some call signs. G0ABC, G1XYZ, M3QRS, etc. can now be in any GD, GI, GJ, or GW location as well as G. There is no way to know when this is the case and we believe that few stations employ these rules changes with the UK. Meanwhile, GD5ABC still must be in GD, MW3QRS in GW, etc. For overall fairness, all G0ABC type calls will be scored as G, England, regardless of where they are located. 1

ℹ️ Read the complete rules for 2025

About the Annual CQ DX Marathon

Starting January 1 of each year and running until the end of December, the DX Marathon is the perfect answer for the DX-er who needs that extra incentive to get on the air every day!

Simply work as many countries and CQ Zones as you can in each calendar year, regardless of the band or mode. Each country and zone counts only once, so you can concentrate on working new ones, rather than working the same ones on multiple bands and modes. Find more information in the rules. 2

Special awards include

⭐ Join the DX Marathon converstaion on Facebook and Groups.io.

🔗 Visit the DX Marathon homepage for event resources and more information.

  1. “2025 DX Marathon Rules”, CQ DX Marathon, accessed December 6 2024, https://dxmarathon.com/rules/2025/. ↩︎

  2. “DX Marathon”, CQ DX Marathon, accessed December 6 2024, https://dxmarathon.com/. ↩︎