2010 VERMONT QSO PARTY RULES

The Counties of Vermont

The QSO Party Rules

1) Date/Time:     0000Z February 6 [19:00 EST Friday, February 5] to 24:00Z February 7 [19:00 EST, Sunday, February 7]. This is a 48 hour period. All stations may operate the full 48 hours.

2) Objective:      To provide the opportunity for Amateur Radio Operators to contact and exchange QSO information with Vermont Amateur Radio operators in accordance with the rules of operation.

3) Categories:

(A) Single operator: One person performs all operating and logging functions. Use of spotting nets (operator arrangements involving assistance through DX-alerting nets, Packet Cluster, CW Skimmer, self spotting, etc) is not permitted. Only one (1) transmitted signal on the air at any time. There are no limits on band changes.

(B) Multi-operator: Those obtaining any form of assistance, such as relief operators, loggers, or use of spotting nets. Self spotting is not permitted. There are no limits on band changes.

(1) Multi-Single: Only one (1) transmitted signal on the air at any time.

(2) Multi-Multi: More than one (1) transmitted signal on the air at any time. No simultaneous SSB/CW signals on one band at the same time.

(C) Mobile: Mobile is a station that is self-contained (radio, antenna, power source) capable of motion. Motion is optional. The Mobile category is not limited by the number of operators for competition purposes. Mobile entrants may be either Single Operator or Multi-operator. There are two classes of Single Operator for mobiles.

(1) Single Operator. One person performs all operating, logging, and driving functions. NOTE - Operating in this category does not require simultaneous operating, logging and driving. Operators who choose to simultaneously operate, log and drive are reminded that doing so can be extremely dangerous. Operators in this category are encouraged to do so with utmost attention to driving safety.

(2) Single Operator Plus Driver. The entrant performs all operating and logging functions and has a separate driver who need not be a licensed Amateur. The driver may not assist in any operating or logging functions. Please note the driver in your entry.

(D) School: (University, College, High School, etc.). Operation is to take place from a station on campus. Operation from a club members home station is ONLY allowed if there is no station on campus. Operators can be Students, Faculty, Staff and Alumni from the School. Awards will be issued to top Vermont and top non-Vermont School.  For award purposes, there is not distinction between Single and Multi Operator Stations of Power Levels in this category.

(E) Clubs: For award purposes, there is no distinction between Single and Multi operator stations or power levels in this category.

4) Power: Three power output categories for all categories. Logs not showing power output category will be listed as high power.

(A) QRP - 5W output or less

(B) Low Power - 150W output or less

(C) High Power - more than 150W output

5) Modes:  All entrants may operate:

(1) Mixed mode (Phone and/or CW and/or Digital)

(2) Phone only

(3) CW Only

(4) Digital only (All Digital Modes qualify)

6) Contest Exchange:

(A) Vermont stations send signal report and county.

(B) W/VE stations (including KH6/KL7) send signal report and state or province.

(C) DX stations (including KH2/KP4, etc.) send signal report and DXCC prefix.

7) Scoring:

(A) QSO Points: Each complete non-duplicate Phone contact is worth 1 point, per band. Each complete non-duplicate CW contact is worth 2 points, per band. Each complete non-duplicate Digital contact is worth 2 points, per band, per Digital Mode.  No partial contact credit. No duplicate contact credit. The loss of the incorrect QSO plus a penalty of one additional QSO is assessed for an incorrectly copied call sign or QTH. If that was the only one with that QTH, then the multiplier is also lost (no penalty multipliers, however).

(B) Multipliers:

(1) For Vermont stations, 50 states (including Vermont) – DC counts as MD; Canada MAR (VE1, VE9, VY2), NF (VO1, VO2), QC (VE2), ON (VE3), MB (VE4), SK (VE5), AB (VE6), BC (VE7), NW (VE8, VY0), YT (VY1); DXCC Countries (except the US, Canada, KH6 and KL7); Maritime Mobile (ITU Regions, R1, R2, R3). A multiplier can be counted once per mode, regardless of the number of bands on which it is worked.

(2) All others work Vermont counties (a maximum of 14). Vermont mobile stations that change counties are considered to be a new station and may be contacted again for point and multiplier credit. Vermont stations on a county line may be claimed as a QSO and a multiplier from each county (2 QSO's and 2 multipliers).

(C) Bonus points: Take one point for each Vermont Club worked during the contest regardless of band or mode.

(D) Final Score: Multiply QSO Points by total multipliers by the power multiplier (see below), and bonus points. A mobile entrant's score will be the cumulative total of multipliers and QSO's. This will be determined by the log checkers.

(1) Power Multiplier:

If all QSO's were made using 5W or less, multiply your score by 3

If all QSO's were made using less than 150W, multiply your score by 2

If any or all QSO's were made using more than 150W, multiply your score by 1

Example:  Final Score = [(Total Points + Bonus Points) X Total Multipliers] X Power Multiplier

8) Suggested frequencies:

25 KHz up from the bottom of the General portion of any applicable band.

CW and digital portions of any applicable band

NO WARC BAND CONTACTS ALLOWED.

NO 60 METER CONTACTS ALLOWED

NO REPEATER USE ALLOWED.

(A) Mobile Windows. Vermont "home" stations should not call CQ or "run" stations in this mobile "window".

(1) CW 7.025-7.035, 14.040-14.050, 21.040-21.050, 28.040-28.050 MHz

(2) SSB 7.180-7.190, 14.265-14.275, 21.340-21.350, 28.480-28.490 MHz

9) Miscellaneous:

(A) Call signs and exchange information must be received by each station for a complete QSO.

(B) No cross-mode contacts; CW contacts must be made in the CW portion of the band.

(C) Use of remote receivers/transmitters is not permitted.

(D) Stations may be worked once per mode, per band (and mobiles in each new county).

      i.e., WC4E may be worked on both 20 CW,  20 SSB, and 20 digital for credit.

(E) Your call sign must indicate your DXCC country (also, portables in Hawaii and Alaska must sign /KH6 or /KL7).

(F) Club competition, as per ARRL Club definitions. Please indicate your club affiliation on your summary sheet and/or log.

10) Reporting:

(A) Entries must be received (or postmarked for mailed in logs) no later than 30 days after the end of the contest (March 9, 2010). The Vermont QSO Party supports (and encourages) the submittal of electronic logs via e-mail, CD ROM, etc. Submission of a floppy disk will not be allowed.  The file format for electronic logs is Cabrillo.

(1) E-Mail. You may submit your contest logs via e-mail to VTQSOLOGS@WESTRIVERRADIO.ORG.

(2) Web Page - VT QSO Party Web to Cabrillo Form by WA7BNM

(3) On CD. You may submit your logs on CD instead of paper logs. The CD ROM must be IBM compatible and in the required Log File Format described above. No Floppy Disk will be accepted.

(4) Via Regular Mail. Contest logs (paper or CD) may be submitted via postal mail to: Vermont QSO Party, c/o Darrel Daley, K1KU, PO Box 445, Putney, VT  05346-0445.

(5) When submitting paper logs, please include summary sheet. A summary sheet is not required for logs sent electronically in Cabrillo format. Other electronic formats, please include summary sheet.

(B) Logs must indicate band, mode, date, time in UTC, calls, sent (signal report and state/county/province/DXCC prefix) and received exchange (signal report and state/county/province/DXCC prefix).

(1) Official entry forms (rules, summary sheet, log sheet, maps, and county abbreviations) are available for downloading at http://vtqsoparty.westriverradio.org/

(2) You may also receive entry forms (rules, summary sheet, log sheet, and county abbreviations) by mail. Please send a business sized SAE, with a $1.00 donation to help defray costs of printing and mailing, to Vermont QSO Party, c/o Darrel Daley, K1KU, PO Box 445, Putney, VT  05346-0445.

(C) Logs that have been received will be listed on the Vermont QSO Party Web site in a timely manner.

(D) Final results will be posted on the Vermont QSO Party Web site.

(E) If you wish a hard copy of the results, please send a 9" X 12" self addressed envelope with a $1.00 donation to help defray costs of printing and mailing, to Vermont QSO Party, c/o Darrel Daley, K1KU, PO Box 445, Putney, VT  05346-0445.

11) Awards:

(A) Certificates will be awarded to top scorers in each category from each Vermont county, State, Canadian province, and DXCC country.

(B) Special awards may be awarded at the discretion of the Vermont QSO Party Contest Committee.

12) Condition of Entry:

Each entrant agrees to be bound by the provisions, as well as the intent, of this announcement, the regulations of his or her licensing authority and the decisions of the Vermont QSO Party Contest Committee.

Copyright © 2009 - 2010 West River Radio Club - VT QSO Party Committee- All rights reserved