GARES Spring HF Challenge 2018: Rules
“The Great Spring Zone Hunt”
These rules are for the HF (1.8 to 29.7MHz) contest
Click here for the rules to the VHF (2m/70cm) contest that is running at the same time.
This is a club-sponsored opportunity for you to do some general operating and to share your results with others. You are invited to work stations in as many CQ Zones as possible during the period of the challenge. For scoring purposes, the first country worked in a new zone will score 10 points and subsequent countries within that zone will score 1 point each. There will be high power (100 W max.) and low power (10 W max.) sections. Although we will "keep score" the activity is not meant to be excessively competitive!
WHEN: 1st April 2018 to 30th June 2018, both dates inclusive.
WHERE: All HF bands are permitted between 160m and 10m, including WARC bands and 60m.
MODE: You must choose one of the following four modes (or sets of modes) before beginning the challenge:
- CW,
- SSB,
- ‘Conventional’ datamodes (RTTY, PSK, etc) or
- Weak signal modes (FT8, JT65, etc).
If you choose conventional datamodes you may operate on RTTY and PSK, etc and if you choose weak signal modes you may operate on JT65 and FT8, etc.
ENTRIES: Contacts may be made from locations (e.g. main station, alternative, portable, mobile) within the IO81 locator square. (If you wish to operate from another square please seek advice!)
POWER: High Power section: 100 Watts or less. Low Power section: 10 Watts or less.
AERIALS: No restrictions.
SCORING: A country in a new zone will score TEN points; subsequent countries in that zone will score ONE point. Contacts must be made by you, using your own callsign, with a suffix if appropriate.
REPORTING: Country, CQ Zone (as per the countries/DX entities list), callsign of station worked, date, band, power (p.e.p.) at the output of the transmitter, and the aerial in use should be reported for each scoring contact as well as the claimed score.
AWARDS: Awards will be made to the leading stations in each section (High & Low Power) and to the highest placed newcomer to the HF Challenge.
NOTE 1: If you are licensed to use more than one callsign a scoring entity may be claimed once only irrespective of the callsign in use.
NOTE 2: Accurate exchange of callsigns and signal reports should be considered the minimum requirement for claiming a valid contact.
NOTE 3: Contacts should be made directly on a one-to-one basis without assistance from others. This precludes the relaying of real-time contact information by repeaters, internet links, other amateur stations or any other mode of indirect transmission. However, the use of DX spotting sites such as, for example, DX Summit is acceptable.
NOTE 4: It would help considerably if claims are made using a standard spreadsheet format.