* 2014 WPX RTTY Contest Scores now online only. Click here for complete scores.

* New Goodies at Dayton! - Click here for a rundown of new products introduced at this year's "big show" in Ohio.

Ham radio's version of the Olympic Games - the World Radiosport Team Championship, or WRTC - will be held on July 12-13 and it's the focus of this month's issue of CQ magazine, starting with the front cover, which shows a typical WRTC2014 station -- outdoors, in a tent, with a single Yagi on a temporary tower. The goal of WRTC is to bring together the world's top contesters every four years in one location - this year, it's New England - remove any advantages of geography or "superstation" equipment and antennas - and pit them against each other in a test of operating skills. Fifty-nine two-person teams from 38 countries will compete this year, and your participation is the key to their success (after all, they need people to contact!). You can find out more in our lead feature, "Those Flying Finns Gearing Up for WRTC 2014," by Martti Laine, OH2BH; in N2GA's Contesting column, in our "On the Cover" writeup and in a news item on WRTC awards for "the rest of us," those hams who contact the 118 competitors.

Another major focus of July's CQ is the question of what to call the communications that we provide for our communities. The ARRL says we should be calling it "public service communications" instead of "emergency communications." We believe that's dangerous for ham radio's future, and explain our reasons in Editor W2VU's "Zero Bias" editorial and KI6SN's newly-re-titled "Emergency Communications" column, in which he writes this month that "It's All Emergency Communications When You Think About It." In addition, "Learning Curve" editor Ron Ochu, KO0Z, stays on the topic with "I am Skywarn."

We've also got the conclusion of W4YO's research into the background and current status of "America's Off-Limits Islands," a half dozen remote islands in the Pacific (and one in the Caribbean) that are technically part of the United States but to which access by U.S. hams (or much of anyone else, for that matter) is extremely limited. In Part II, Ed takes us behind the scenes on Johnston and Kure Atolls, and Baker and Howland Islands.

As we do each July, we introduce the newest members of the various CQ Halls of Fame. We have eight new inductees this year to the CQ Amateur Radio Hall of Fame, and two new members each of the CQ Contest and DX Halls of Fame.

Next, we have the results of the 2014 CQ WPX RTTY Contest, which saw a slight decrease in log submissions this year, after two years of double-digit growth. That didn't stop participants from setting five new world records and 29 new continental records. Once again, the individual station scores are online only, here on our website.

We also have the rules for the 2014 CQ World Wide RTTY DX Contest, coming up this September,as well as a summer cool-down article by Stew Gillmor, W1FK, recounting his trip this past spring to the Swedish arctic and his radio experiences while there.

Tom Hart, AD1B, looks back in time at the history of ham radio in his hometown, with a report on "Radio Amateurs of Dedham, Massachusetts in 1920;" John Thompson, K3MD, takes a new look at an old radio project in " 'An Inexpensive 75-Watt Transmitter' Revisited;" Vernon Harris, W7GGM, takes us to the far end of the antenna-building spectrum with, "If MacGyver Could Do It, You Can Too!" and Horst Ballenberger, DL8NBM, is hoping you have some QSL cards with nautical themes that you could share with him.

In our columns this month - in addition to "Contesting," "Emergency Communications" and "Learning Curve," which we've already covered - "Math's Notes" editor Irwin Math, WA2NDM, looks back at "The Invention of Radio;" "Gordo's Short Circuits" editor Gordon West, WB6NOA, reports on mini-meters and mobile antennas - and provides some warnings about Anderson Power Pole connectors; International Editor Tom Smerk, AA6TS, takes us from Finland to Australia and beyond, and QRP Editor Cam Hartford, N6GA, offers up "Some Post-Field-Day QRP Projects."

"VHF-Plus" editor Tony Emanuele, WA8RJF, looks at e-skip on "The Magic Band(s)," Awards Editor Ted Melinosky, K1BV, reports on a special event and award to honor US Independence Day; DX Editor Wayne Mills, N7NG, discusses the ARRL's "Logbook of the World" program and its (lack of) support for non-ARRL awards; and Propagation Editor Tomas Hood, NW7US, looks at different types of noise and how they affect radio signals.

Moving to our CQ Plus digital supplement …

In July’s CQ Plus – the expanded CQ digital edition – there’s content covering a wide range of hobby communications interests – from shortwave news to CubeSat patch antennas and new amateur radio apps for DFing to a four-page gallery of pictures from the 2014 Dayton Hamvention®.

Ham Radio Challenges columnist Patrick Tice, WAØTDA, gives readers an update on the latest technologies for disabled radio amateurs from the Handiham program at Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute in Golden Valley, Minnesota. The advances are mindblowing! And speaking of technological advancements, Homing In’s Joe Moell, KØOV, has the latest apps for the VHF hidden-transmitter hunter.

In The Listening Post, Gerry Dexter, WPC9GLD, has the latest on the Voice of Russia and lots of other shortwave news.

Dan Srebnick, K2DLS, covers the amazing state of hobby broadcasting automation in the 20th Century in his Radio and Computers column. And for the 10-meter ham operator, Carl Luetzelschwab, K9LA’s, Practical Propagation probes the mysteries of skewed signal paths coming from the FT5ZM team’s recent DXpedition to Amsterdam Island. And don’t miss Tomas Hood, NW7US’s, Propagation Forecast for SWLers, hams and scanner monitors alike. It’s on the CQ Plus Propagation Internet landing page.

In Disaster DXing, Mehmet Burk explores the fusion between amateur radio and the grassroots-based NWS weather-observation program, SKYWARN®. You’ll see the two are a perfect fit.

Young Ryan Archer, KCQ6KPH, writes about how a 6146 tetrode beam power tube provides the warm glow in remembering a friend’s recently deceased older brother. His story appears in July’s Radio Drama.

VHF Antennas expert Kent Britain, WA5VJB, gives readers a fascinating rundown and explanation of circular polarization as related to his new CubeSat patch antennas. In July’s Easy Does It, travel back to 1922 and Radio Broadcast magazine’s “How to Build and Operate a Very Simple Radio Receiving Set.” Nostalgia from “the good ol’ days.”

On a lark, CQ Plus Editor Richard Fisher, KI6SN, toted his Kaito KA500 Voyager five-band portable AM/FM/WX/SW receiver to a Southern California beach and was amazed by what he heard. You will be, too!

Communications expert Cory Sickles, WA3UVV, explains how squelch can be added to your Citizens Band radio in July’s Personal Communications. Additionally, in Off the Air, Cory tells the story of a 2-meter FM bicycle mobile adventure from his youth. It was “A Case of ‘Hindsight Smart’ vs. ‘Teenage Stupid.’”

Krusty ol’ Kurt goes on the offensive when an e-mailer accuses him of taking credit for the invention of the Sterba Curtain antenna. Kurt sets the writer straight: There was no Krustiness in the development of the Sterba Curtain. But ever the educator, Kurt goes on to explain how this amazing antenna works.

As always, CQ Plus updates the latest communications-related happenings in Washington Beat, and goes to the outer limits of off-beat communications news in Unwired.

That's a brief look at what's coming up in the July issue of CQ magazine.

For information on becoming a CQ subscriber - to either our print or digital edition (or both!) click here!

On the Cover: A typical operating site for this month's World Radiosport Team Championship, being held in New England. Competitors will all operate from tents, using similar equipment and antennas. (Cover photo by Randy Thompson, K5ZD, courtesy WRTC2014).