The Unlikely Path to a WRTC Gold Medal: Uli DM5EE

Uli Ann DM5EE is a WRTC 2026 gold medal winner whose path to the top of radiosport was anything but conventional. For decades, Uli was primarily a low-power operator—working with wires, verticals, borrowed stations, and whatever opportunities came his way. He discovered contesting not because he wanted plaques, but because contests gave his 20-watt signal a chance to reach DX that otherwise couldn’t hear him. For years, Uli regarded WRTC as a competition for “the big guys.” That changed after listening to W2GD and AA3B train for WRTC 2018. He realized he might belong there—not yet as a competitor, but as a referee. Then a work assignment in South Africa created an unlikely opening to qualify for WRTC 2022, held in Italy in 2023. With DL9EE, Uli arrived hoping simply to prove they belonged. They ultimately finished fourth after later corrections to the results. That performance led Manfred DJ5MW to choose Uli as his teammate for WRTC 2026. Their partnership is striking for what it lacks: ego, shouting, and drama. Both are quiet and analytical. Mistakes happen; they move on. They prepared intensely, studied propagation and strategy, then trusted decades of operating instinct once the headphones went on. Following the post-event review of the results, Uli and Manfred were awarded the WRTC 2026 gold medal. Uli also talks candidly about the controversy surrounding WRTC and what should happen next. His position is notably focused on second chances: enforce the rules and accept the consequences, but leave a path back for talented operators willing to compete cleanly. It’s a conversation about winning, certainly—but even more about what decades of modest stations, persistence, friendship, and quiet confidence can produce. Join the conversation and subscribe to Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio.