Start off the New Year with a QRP Sprint

Courtesy of the QRP-ARCI and Jeff Hetherington VA3JFF

 2015 QRP-ARCI NEW YEAR’S SPRINT

A) Date/Time: 1500Z to 1800Z on 1 January 2015.

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 >500 mW - 1 Watt = x10 >200 mW - 500 mW = x15 >55 mW - 200 mW = x20 <55 mW = x25

G) Suggested Frequencies:

    160m  1810 kHz
    80m  3560 kHz
    40m  7030 kHz (please listen at 7040 kHz 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 + Bonus Points

Bonus Points: If you are operating PORTABLE using battery power AND a temporary antenna, add 5000 points to your final score. (You can NOT be at your shack operating from battery power using your home station antenna to qualify for this bonus.) This is to help level the playing field for contesters who work from the field against contest stations with 5 element yagis at 70 ft.

I) Categories: Band: 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.

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

L) 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 NEW YEARS SPRINT
C/O Jeff Hetherington
139 Elizabeth St. W.
Welland, Ontario
Canada L3C 4M3

Deadline: Entries must be postmarked on or before 8 January, 2015.

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. Certificates may be awarded for 2nd and 3rd place if entries are sufficient in a category.

Thanks, Jeff!

An idea of my own - maybe participate in this sprint with a straight key?  A little SKN and QRP to boot?  Just a thought!

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