contesting

thumb|right|270px|Champions of the 2002 World Radiosport Team Championship (WRTC), Helsinki, Finland.Photo: R. A. Wilson, N6TV

Contesting (belonging to the category of the radiosports) is a competitive activity pursued by amateur radio operators. In a contest, an amateur radio station, which may be operated by an individual or a team, seeks to contact as many other amateur radio stations as possible in a given period of time and exchange information. Rules for each competition define the amateur radio bands, the mode of communication that may be used, and the kind of information that must be exchanged. The contacts made during the contest contribute to a score by which stations are ranked. Contest sponsors publish the results in magazines and on web sites.