QRP Activity Alert! - QRP ARCI Spring QSO Party (Easter Weekend)

From Jeff Hetherington VA3JFF,

We have enjoyed and appreciated your past participation in QRP-ARCI sponsored on-air contests.  This announcement is to let you know about the upcoming SPRING QSO PARTY!

This is traditionally one of the most popular on-air activities that we sponsor, and we would love to hear you on the air once more. Imagine hearing hundreds of QRPers on the air at once, and hearing QRPers from every US State, Canadian Province and some DXCC entities from around the world.

Mark you calendars (yes it is Easter weekend, the SPRING QSO PARTY runs every year on the first full weekend in April) and get on the air for some QRP Fun!

2015 QRP-ARCI(sm) Spring QSO Party Announcement

A) Date/Time:   1200Z on 4 April 2015 through 2359Z on 5 April 2015.  You may work a maximum of 24 hours of the 36 hour period.

B) Mode: HF CW only.

C) Exchange: Members send:  RST, State/Province/Country, ARCI member number
Non-Members send:  RST, State/Province/Country, Power Out

D) QSO Points:

Member = 5 points
Non-Member, Different Continent = 4 points
Non-Member, Same Continent = 2 points

E) Multiplier: SPC (State/Province/Country) total for all bands.  The same station may be worked on multiple bands for QSO points and SPC credit.

F) Power Multiplier:

>5 Watts = x1
>1 - 5 Watts = x7
>250 mW - 1 Watt = x10
>55 mW - 250 mW = x15
55 mW or less = x20

G) Suggested Frequencies:

160m  1810 kHz
80m  3560 kHz
40m  7030 kHz (please listen at 7030/7040 kHz and 7100 to 7125 for rock bound participants)
20m  14060 kHz
15m  21060 kHz
10m  28060 kHz

H) Score: Final Score = Points (total for all bands) x SPCs (total for all bands) x Power Multiplier.

I) Categories: Entry may be All-Band (AB), Single Band (e.g., SB-160, 80,40,20,15 or 10), High Bands - HB (10m, 15m and 20m) or Low Bands - LB (40m, 80m and 160m)

Antennas: Entry may be A1 or A2

A1: Single Element Antenna - If you are using a single element antenna such as a dipole, inverted V, loop, or a vertical you can enter the A1 category. ( Note that with a vertical you can have as many radials as you want but only one “vertical” element. )

A2: Multiple Element Antenna - If you are using a multi element beam, vertical array, or any antenna that has more than one driven element or uses reflective or directive elements you are in the A2 category.

Mulitoperator: A multioperator effort may submit logs for a separate category.  Any combination of operators and transmitters will be permitted.  All transmitters must be located at a centralized location.  All operators must use the same callsign in the multioperator category.

Teams: You may enter as a team with an unlimited number of operators as long as no more than 5 transmitters are on the air concurrently.  You compete individually as well as on the team.  Teams need not be in the same location.  Team captains must send a list of members to the Contest Manager before the contest.

J) How to Participate: Get on any of the HF bands except the WARC bands and hang out near the QRP frequencies.  Work as many stations calling CQ QRP or CQ TEST as possible, or call CQ QRP or CQ TEST yourself!  You can work a station for credit once on each band.

K) Email Log Submission: Submit Logs in plain text format along with a summary stating your Call Sign, Entry Category, total # of QSOs  with members, total # of QSOs with non-members on different continent, total # of QSOs with non-members same continent,  total # of SPCs worked, Actual Power and Station Description, along with score calculation to contest@qrparci.org

Snail mail Log Submission: Submit Logs in plain text format along with a summary stating your Call Sign, Entry Category, total # of QSOs  with members, total # of QSOs with non-members on different continent, total # of QSOs with non-members same continent,  total # of SPCs worked, Actual Power and Station Description, along with score calculation to:

ARCI Spring QSO Party
c/o Jeff Hetherington
139 Elizabeth St. W.
Welland, Ontario
Canada L3C 4M3

** Please note that snail mail delivery is becoming less dependable for quick deliveries.  Please send an email to contest@qrparci.org with your score summary to ensure it is included in the results.

L) Deadline: Entries must be received OR postmarked on or before 19 April, 2015. If you are using snail mail for entering log entries, notify the contest manager at contest@qrparci.org with a copy of your score summary.

M) Results: Will be published in QRP Quarterly and shown on the QRP-ARCI website.

N) Certificates: Will be awarded to the top scoring entrant in each category, as well as the top scoring entrants from each State, Province and Country.  Certificates may be awarded for 2nd and 3rd place if entries are sufficient in a category.

73/72
Jeff - VA3JFF / VE3CW

There you go, right from the QRP ARCI Contest manager, himself.

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!