GARES Winter 2019/20 Challenge: Rules
This is a club-sponsored opportunity for you to do some targeted operating and to share your results with others. You are invited to work stations in as many UK & IRISH COUNTIES & ISLANDS (see below) as possible on the HF bands (160m-10m, excluding 30m) during the period of the challenge. There will be HIGH POWER (100W) and LOW POWER (10W) sections. This is to encourage participation from Foundation and Intermediate licensees, and is specifically meant to encourage newcomers to the Challenge
WHEN: 23rd November 2019 to 25th January 2020, both dates inclusive.
WHERE: The HF bands between 160m and 10m excluding 30m (as SSB is not permitted on this band)
MODES: CW OR SSB. Entrants should choose one mode on starting the Challenge.
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: 100 Watts or less.
- Low Power: 10 Watts or less.
- The power used for each contact should be recorded.
AERIALS: No restrictions.
SCORING:
- TEN points for the first contact with a station in a particular county in ENGLAND (G, M, etc), WALES (GW, MW, etc), SCOTLAND (GM, MM, etc), NORTHERN IRELAND (GI, MI, etc), and the REPUBLIC OF IRELAND (EI, EJ), irrespective of band.
- TEN points for the first contact with a station in the ISLE of MAN (GD, MD, etc), JERSEY (GJ, MJ, etc) and GUERNSEY (GU, MU, etc.), irrespective of band.
- Subsequent contacts with stations in counties or islands already worked will score ONE point, irrespective of band.
- Contacts with stations in foreign countries (other than the Republic of Ireland) will not count towards scoring for this Challenge.
- Contacts must be made by you, using your own callsign (with a suffix if appropriate).
REPORTING: County or Island (as defined above), Callsign of station worked, Date (to facilitate entries on the Excel spreadsheet avoiding leading zeros, please use the format YYMMDD), Mode, Power (p.e.p.) at the output of the transmitter, and the aerial in use should be reported for each scoring contact. QRZ.com may be used to determine which county a station is located in if that information has not been given during the QSO. If a station is signing /P, /M, etc, then the county must be determined during the QSO.
A list of UK & IRISH COUNTIES is available here.
It would help considerably if entries could be made using a standard spreadsheet format. A suitable template is available (Excel spreadsheet). Please rename this file as your callsign and the section (HIGH or LOW POWER) e.g. G4IZZ_HIGH when submitting entries. Entries should be sent to G4IZZ who will be collating and reporting the challenge scores.
AWARDS: Awards will be made to the leading stations in each section.
NOTE 1: If you are licensed to use more than one callsign a country may be claimed once only for scoring purposes 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.
Rules published 15th November 2019
All Scores and Rules
Rules
| Closing Date | Band | Power | Notes |
| 4 July 2020 | 6m and 4m | 100W | Data and CW/SSB sections for each band. |
| 25 Jan 2020 | HF (except 30m) | 10/100 | UK/EI Counties & Islands |
| 29 June 2019 | 6m OR 4m | 100W | Locator squares |
| 26 Jan 2019 | HF except 30 & 60m | 10/100 | Continents |
| 30 June 2018 | 160 to 10m | 10/100 | CQ Zones |
| 2m and 70cm | 25 | Counties and Islands | |
| 6 Jan 2018 | 80/40/30m | 10/100 | Europe |
| 31 May 2017 | 30/17/12m | 100 | US & Canada |
| 31 Jan 2017 | Any | 10/100 | |
| 30 June 2016 | 10/6m | 100 | |
| 31 Jan 2016 | 40/80m | 10 | |
| 31 July 2015 | 6m | Any | |
| 31 March 2015 | Any | 100/400 | Commonwealth and US States |
| 31 May 2014 | Any | Any | Data only |
| 30 June 2013 | 17-6m | Any | |
| 28 Feb 2013 | 160-20m | Any | Districts & Countries |
| 31 July 2012 | 17/12m | 10/100 | WARC Bands |
| 31 March 2012 | One Band | 10/Any | Choose your band |
| 31 Aug 2011 | 6m | Any | |
| 30 May 2011 | 160 - 10m | Any |
Scores