DX Arena is a simulator: the calls and exchanges you hear are practice contacts. No radio or live correspondent is needed. A PC and headphones are enough for keyboard operation; add an OpenShack Box for a paddle or straight key. Some station identities come from callsign lists or activation spots, but the QSOs are still simulated.

Availability: DX Arena is currently shown on beta-enabled installations. If the tile is missing, check your installed build and licence.

Choose Your Starting Point

If individual characters still take all your attention, spend time in the Morse Trainer first. DX Arena is where you practise putting those characters to work.

Your First Run

1. Open DX Arena. Set MY CALL, MY NAME and, for a normal QSO, MY QTH.
2. Choose Easy 5NN, Run and Beginner. Set WPM to a speed you can copy comfortably. Use PgDn / PgUp for 2 WPM steps.
3. Start with QRN, QRM, QSB and FLUTTER off.
4. Click START, then press F1 to call CQ. With ESM on and CALL empty, Enter also calls CQ. Starting the session and calling CQ are separate steps.
5. Copy the answering station into CALL. Press F5 for its call, then F2 for your report. Copy its report, press F3 for TU, then Enter to log. ESM is off by default.
6. Work a few clean QSOs, then click STOP. Move to Standard QSO when the call-and-report exchange feels easy.

Beginner displays the partner's text as a learning aid. Intermediate and Advanced move towards copying by ear; RX can show received text when you need help. For paddle practice, follow Paddle and Straight Key.

Learn to QSO

STYLE chooses the exchange. MODE chooses who calls CQ. The four QSO styles offer LEVEL: Beginner gives patient, steady-speed practice; Intermediate adds variation; Advanced brings faster or slower partners, less tidy fists and more demanding exchanges.

Easy 5NN — Callsign and Report

For: first contacts and short DX QSOs. Copy the call and RST; no name, QTH or serial is required. Choose Run to call CQ, or Search & Pounce to answer a CQing DX station.

DX:   CQ CQ DE G4ABC G4ABC K
YOU:  DL2CC
DX:   DL2CC 5NN BK
YOU:  R TU 5NN BK
DX:   TU 73

This is an example sequence, not a fixed script. Wait until the station addresses you before sending the report. 5NN is the short CW form of 599.

Standard QSO — RST, Name and QTH

For: learning a normal CW contact. Enter your own name and QTH before starting, then copy the other operator's NAME and QTH as well as RST. Send a clear over and leave a gap for the reply.

With ESM on, once the reports are confirmed, Enter sends TU and logs even with NAME or QTH blank. With ESM off or TU already sent, Enter only logs. Details sent by the station but left blank are marked NAME missing or QTH missing.

YOU:  CQ CQ DE DL2CC DL2CC K
DX:   DL2CC DE G4ABC G4ABC K
YOU:  G4ABC DE DL2CC GE UR RST 599 599
      NAME FRANK FRANK QTH ULM ULM HW? BK
DX:   [report, name and QTH]
YOU:  R TNX FER QSO 73 G4ABC DE DL2CC SK
DX:   R TU 73 DL2CC DE G4ABC SK

Leave a gap for the return 73. If you key another 73 TU before the station starts replying, it waits for that over. Logging does not cancel its farewell.

In Standard QSO and Ragchew, TU EE gets a short final: usually TU EE, sometimes just EE. You can also send it just after the station's full goodbye; it answers once while the frequency is still clear.

Send PSE NAME ES QTH AGN if you missed both details. The reply gives name and QTH; a following AGN repeats that fill. A plain TU is a normal acknowledgement. Partners only occasionally add thanks for the report.

Standard QSO's default F2 sends RST, your name and your QTH. F6 sends NAME followed by your name once; F7 sends QTH followed by your QTH once. Use these for fills when the other station asks NAME? or QTH?. To request its missing information, send NAME? or QTH? yourself. Use the paddle or FREE TX for a longer over, and COMMENT for notes.

If you previously saved custom macros, they stay as saved. After updating the application, choose Standard QSO, open MACROS and use RESET, then SAVE, to load the new defaults for both Run and S&P. RESET replaces this style's custom messages; copy any you want to keep first.

Ragchew — Keep the Conversation Going

For: operators who can complete a basic QSO and want more listening and sending practice. Exchange RST, name and QTH, then ask about the rig, antenna, power, weather or age: RIG?, ANT?, PWR?, WX?, AGE?. Send your answer with the same clear topic word, for example RIG K3 PWR 100W ANT DIPOLE BK.

Keep requests short and listen to the reply. You can ask for two items together, such as PSE RIG ES ANT AGN. This style recognises common CW QSO topics; it is not an unrestricted conversation. Use COMMENT for notes, and finish with a clear 73/SK when you are done.

SOTA / POTA — Activator or Hunter

For: short portable contacts and copying summit or park references. Choose Hunter to answer activators, or Activator to run your own summit or park. This style has these two roles, without Auto.

• Hunter: copy the activator's call, report and REF. Send your call and report. Ask REF?, SUMMIT? or PARK? if you missed the reference.
• Activator: put your reference in MY REF, call CQ, then work the chasers. Your exchange includes your report and reference.

Recent SOTA/POTA spots may supply an activator's identity; generated stations are used when needed. You are practising with a simulated station, not contacting the spotted operator. You may hear 44 as a farewell.

Running, Hunting and Pile-Ups

The mode list changes with the style. QSO styles use Run / Search & Pounce / Auto, except SOTA/POTA's two roles. Contest styles and Pile-Up 5NN use Single Calls / Pile-Up / Competition. Stop before changing style, mode, level or duration.

Run — You Call CQ

You hold the frequency. Send CQ, pick out a caller, send its call and your exchange, copy its reply, then TU and log. Call CQ again when nobody answers. A short QRZ? invites callers to identify themselves; it does not replace copying and confirming a callsign.

Search & Pounce — Answer a CQ

Listen to the CQing station, copy its call and send your own call. When it comes back to you, copy its exchange and send yours. In this mode ESM starts with your call. F4 sends your call directly. The default F1 is QRL?, not a call to the DX station. There is no band dial to search: the simulator presents stations.

Auto — Practise Both Roles

For the ordinary QSO styles, Auto alternates running and answering CQs. Watch the F-key captions and the highlighted next ESM action as the role changes. Learn Run and Search & Pounce separately before using Auto.

Single Calls — Learn the Contest Exchange

You call CQ and work one caller at a time. Use this to learn which fields belong in the log and to get comfortable with ESM. ACTIVITY and STATIONS are unavailable because there is no competing pile-up.

Pile-Up — Several Stations Call You

You are the running station. Increase ACTIVITY for more callers and STATIONS for a larger pile. Start small, pick one call, finish that QSO, then take the next. A partial such as W4? asks matching callers to repeat. If nothing is clear, send AGN? or ? and listen again.

Competition — Comparable Timed Runs

Competition uses a fixed pile: ACTIVITY 2, STATIONS 4 and all band-condition switches on. AUTO LOG and the RX/TX/MON text aids are off. Call-history PREFILL remains available. Select a duration; OFF becomes a 10-minute run. Your normal practice settings return when you leave Competition.

Only Competition records a DX Arena result in Personal Best, using the verified score. Ordinary contest-style practice is not automatically a Competition run. Speed, RIT and RX bandwidth remain operating controls.

What to Send

CQ, QRZ? and QRL?

Reports, Cut Numbers and Fills

RST means readability, strength and tone. The entry line separates RST S (your sent report) from RST R (the report received). The usual 599 preset is a convenience: change it when the station sends something else.

On CW, 5NN means 599 and TT1 means 001. Copy the value, not just the familiar rhythm. Ask for the missing item: CL? for the call, NR? for a contest number, RST?, NAME? or QTH?. AGN? requests a repeat. If the other station sends NR?, repeat your exchange or just the requested number; do not call CQ and abandon the QSO.

Correct a busted call in CALL and send the correct call. With ESM on, the closing TU can include a corrected call. Characters already sent cannot be taken back: if a correction was too late, send the full correct call again.

QRM — Keep the Frequency Clear

With QRM on, another operator may ask QRL? or start CQing on your frequency. Reply in its listening gap with QRL or QSY QSY. A listening station may answer SRI QSY and leave. Some lids ignore you; calling over them continuously only makes copying harder.

A carrier, tuner or digital burst cannot be talked away. Wait it out, reduce the filter width or adjust RIT in a contest run. QSY here is a simulated response to an interfering operator; it does not tune a connected radio.

Contest and DXpedition Styles

Choose a style for the exchange, then Single Calls, Pile-Up or Competition for the workload. The notes below describe DX Arena's training exchanges and scoring, not a complete set of rules for entering the real event. Fill in your own station data before pressing START.

Pile-Up 5NN

For: learning to run as the DX station without numbers. Exchange call and RST only; for example G4ABC 5NN, then TU. Score is QSO count. Easy 5NN lets you practise a one-to-one QSO or chase DX; Pile-Up 5NN puts you on the receiving end of the callers.

CQ WPX — RST and Serial

For: learning serial-number running. Send RST and your next serial, such as 5NN TT1. Copy the caller's number into SERIAL, not your own number. SERIAL at the top shows the next number you send. DX Arena scores QSO points multiplied by worked prefixes.

CQ WW — RST and CQ Zone

For: fast, fixed exchanges. Set MY ZONE to your CQ zone. A station in zone 14 sends 5NN 14; log the zone you receive in ZONE. Your zone does not advance with each QSO. DX Arena uses worked CQ zones as multipliers.

IARU HF — RST and ITU Zone

For: copying ITU zones without confusing them with CQ zones. Set MY ITU and send, for example, 5NN 28. Copy the received ITU zone into ITU ZONE. This simulator style trains numeric ITU-zone exchanges and uses worked ITU zones as multipliers.

CWops CWT — Name and Number

For: copying names at contest speed. Set MY NAME and your CWops number in MY NR. A member sends FRANK 1234; there is no RST. Copy NAME and NR. Non-members in the caller pool send name plus state, province or DX prefix instead of a member number. The simulator currently expects a number in your own CWT exchange. Score uses unique calls as multipliers.

CWops CW Open — Serial and Name

For: keeping up with changing serials while copying names. Send 001 FRANK, then 002 on the next QSO. No RST or membership number is exchanged. Copy the received NR and NAME in that order. DX Arena uses unique calls as multipliers.

FOC Marathon — RST, Name and FOC Number

For: FOC exchange practice. Set MY NAME and MY FOC NR; send, for example, 5NN FRANK 1234. The caller pool contains members. The simulator awards member QSO points, extra credit for FOC club calls and bonuses for new DXCC entities and continents. This is separate from your CWops number.

FOC BW QSO Party — Members and Non-Members

For: handling both forms of the FOC exchange. Members send RST, name and FOC number. Non-members send RST and name only; leave MY FOC NR blank if you are not a member. For a received non-member exchange, an empty NR or 0000 is accepted. Use CQ BW. The result reports QSO count and how many were members.

Marconi VHF — RST, Serial and Locator

For: European VHF contest practice. Enter a valid European Maidenhead locator in MY LOC, such as JO40AB. Send 5NN TT1 JO40AB. Copy the received SERIAL and LOC completely: a wrong locator changes both the log check and the distance score. Score is the sum of QSO distances in kilometres. PREFILL can suggest known locators; confirm them by ear.

Paddle and Straight Key

1. Configure your OpenShack Box connection in the application settings. Close any other trainer or decoder holding the Box connection, then open DX Arena.
2. For a paddle, leave STRAIGHT KEY off. Set the keyer speed and make sure the Box indicator shows a connection.
3. Choose the style, mode and your station data before keying. The first paddle activity can start a run automatically. You can also press START first.
4. Send the call or exchange, then leave an ordinary end-of-over pause. The simulator processes the over and answers. BK is good operating practice, but you do not need a special command to switch back to RX.

The PADDLE line above the bottom status indicators shows your decoded CW as you key, even with TX off. The last over stays until you key again. TX also copies completed overs into the scrolling session output. The decoder line is unavailable in Competition.

Paddle, macros and FREE TX can be used in the same session. Paddle operation does not by itself fill the log: type what you copy, or use AUTO LOG in contest practice when you want to concentrate on keying.

For a hand key, select STRAIGHT KEY before starting. The decoder row is labelled KEY and shows the whole over after you stop keying. Allow a clear pause before expecting the reply.

PC Audio and BOX AUDIO

With BOX AUDIO off, generated CW plays on the PC; your paddle sidetone comes from the Box. BOX AUDIO is available only in one-to-one QSO styles with QRN, QRM, QSB and FLUTTER off. Both your sent CW and the partner's CW then use the Box sidetone. Contests and Pile-Up 5NN use PC audio in every mode, including Single Calls.

VOL controls received audio; SIDE controls your PC sidetone. Neither changes Windows' master volume or the Box's sidetone gain. Choose BOX AUDIO before starting; band effects stay locked off during the run. Stop and select PC audio to use them. Enabling an effect before a run clears and hides BOX AUDIO. It starts off when the window is reopened. If the Box is disconnected, the session uses PC audio and reports the fallback.

Keyboard Operation and ESM

FREE TX — Send Your Own Words

Press Ctrl+K, type your CW and press Enter or click SEND. The full line is sent and focus returns to your previous entry field. Typing alone does not send. If TX is busy, the line waits its turn. Ctrl+K leaves FREE TX while retaining the draft. Esc aborts active and queued sends, clears FREE TX and returns to the entry line.

ESM — Enter Sends Message

ESM is off by default; Enter only logs. Toggle it with its button or Ctrl+M. Your choice is saved. With ESM on, the highlighted F-key shows the next send action. In Run, the sequence is:

1. CALL empty → Enter sends CQ.
2. CALL entered → Enter sends that call and your exchange.
3. Exchange incomplete → Enter asks AGN.
4. Exchange complete → Enter sends TU and logs. If TU has already been sent, Enter only logs.

In Standard QSO, blank NAME/QTH fields do not block logging. Keep the received RST entered.

ESM remembers the report sent by paddle, FREE TX or macro. Correcting CALL in the same Standard QSO does not send the report again. Use F2 or your repeat key when asked for a fill.

In Pile-Up and contest modes, Esc aborts the current message but keeps an earlier delivered exchange. Once you have copied the reply, Enter sends TU and logs. A required contest number must still have been sent.

In Search & Pounce, Enter first sends your call, then sends your exchange and logs once the received exchange is filled in. ESM looks at the entry fields; a prefilled 599 is not proof that you heard it. Listen before pressing Enter. With ESM off, Enter logs without choosing a message.

Useful Keys

Function Keys and Macros

Hover over an F-key to see its message. Right-click any F-key, or click MACROS, to edit. Macros are saved per style, with separate Run message and S&P message columns. Standard QSO edits do not change Ragchew or contest macros. SAVE stores your edits; RESET loads the selected style's defaults into the editor.

Defaults: F1 CQ (QRL? in S&P), F2 exchange, F3 TU, F4 your call, F5 his call, F8 AGN?, F9 NR?, F10 CL?, F11 unused, F12 wipe. In Standard QSO, F1 sends CQ CQ DE {MYCALL} {MYCALL} K: your call twice, one repeat. F6 sends NAME {NAME} and F7 sends QTH {QTH}, for example NAME FRANK or QTH ULM, once each. Other styles use F6 Repeat and F7 ?. Repeat sends the exchange once in ordinary QSO styles, twice in contest styles; it does not replay the last arbitrary message.

Standard QSO's default EXCH template is RST {SENTRST} NAME {NAME} QTH {QTH}. For example: RST 599 NAME FRANK QTH ULM. Add UR or BK in the editor if wanted. For WPX, keep the changing # token rather than typing a fixed serial. MACRO SPACING sets the gap between stacked messages: FULL, HALF or QUARTER word space. Start with FULL. Spaces within a message are unchanged; ~ inserts a half space and prosigns such as <AR>, <SK> and <KN> send joined.

Controls and Checkboxes

Hover over a control for a short hint. Some fields appear only for the selected style. The upper MY fields describe your station; the entry line below is for the station you are working.

Band Conditions

Ordinary QSO styles remember a calm profile; SOTA/POTA, contests and Pile-Up 5NN share an advanced profile. You can change conditions during practice; some effects appear with the next caller. Competition fixes them. Add one difficulty at a time.

Input, Logging and Display Aids

Duration and TX Delay

DURATION offers 3, 5, 10, 15, 20 or 30 minutes, or OFF for open-ended contest practice. The clock shows time left in a timed run and elapsed time otherwise. If the bell rings during a QSO, a short grace period lets it finish, up to 30 seconds.

TX DELAY sets TX-to-RX turnaround in contest styles: AUTO follows your WPM; fixed choices run from 50 to 500 ms. Paddle operation must also distinguish a word gap from the end of an over, so its effective delay can be longer than the chosen value. Start with AUTO and use the session notes to check the effective delay.

Logbook, Rates and Results

The default layout gives the session output more height and keeps the logbook compact. Drag the divider above the logbook to adjust their sizes; your setting is saved.

Log only after copying the required exchange. Red fields or an error result show where your copy differs; dupes do not improve the rate. In QSO styles, concentrate on clean calls, reports, names and QTHs. In contests, compare the raw SCORE with the verified score after log checking.

The rate strip shows the last five minutes, last minute and run averages in QSOs/hour, excluding dupes. Early rates use the time actually elapsed. The chart shows real QSOs per minute; green is verified clean, and a partial minute is marked with an asterisk. Hover over a bar for counts.

After a contest run, SESSION SUMMARY shows scores, rates, accuracy and errors. LOGBOOK returns to the entries; drag the divider to give either area more space. Starting another contest clears the previous on-screen summary. Session transcripts remain under %LOCALAPPDATA%\OpenShack\QSO.

For progress, compare runs with the same style, duration and conditions. A higher clean rate is a better target than more QSOs with busted calls. Competition results go to Personal Best; practice sessions do not.

When a QSO Gets Stuck