Last update:

March 23, 2006

Rules for the Missouri QSO Party

Table of Contents

Downloads

1. Rules for the Missouri QSO Party (73 kB PDF file).
2. Summary Sheet for the Missouri QSO Party (14 kB ZIP file) in Adobe Acrobat Reader, Microsoft Word, and ASCII text file formats.
3. Log Sheet for the Missouri QSO Party (15 kB ZIP file) in Adobe Acrobat Reader, Microsoft Word, and ASCII text file formats. This log sheet is set up so that a multiple page logbook can be created by adding extra rows to the table. Columns are provided to record the complete exchange from the station worked, but only the serial number from the local station--the assumption is that only the serial number will change for the local station. Mobile and Rover stations using this sheet are advised to create different logs for each county of operation. The county can be recorded at the appropriate location at the top of the log sheet.
4. WriteLog Contest Module developed by Steve, N90H.

Scope

This document outlines the rules for the Missouri QSO Party, hereafter referred to as the contest, sponsored by the Boeing Employees Amateur Radio Society-St. Louis (BEARS-St. Louis).

Referenced Documents

The following documents, of the exact issue shown, form a part of this document to the extent specified herein. In the event of a conflict between the documents referenced herein and this document, this document shall take precedence.

1. General Rules for All ARRL Contests, American Radio Relay League
2. DXCC Entities List, American Radio Relay League

Rules

The General Rules for All ARRL Contests shall apply except as modified herein.

Eligibility

Any licensed radio amateur may enter.

Object

The object of the contest is to work as many stations as possible during the contest period, to provide all licensed radio amateurs outside the state of Missouri the opportunity to work Missouri counties, and to provide all licensed radio amateurs in Missouri an opportunity to work other states and countries.

Date and Time Period

The contest period shall be from 1800 UTC Saturday to 0500 UTC Sunday, and from 1800 UTC to 2400 UTC Sunday on the first full weekend in April.

Modes and Frequencies

Only CW and phone operation on 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10 meters is permitted in the contest. Suggested frequencies are 1810 kHz or 40 kHz up from the band edge on CW; and 1850, 3980, 7280, 14280, 21380, and 28310 kHz on phone.

Entry Classifications

Missouri Stations

Missouri stations shall operate from a single county within the State of Missouri. Excluding Missouri Mobile and Rover stations, Missouri stations may work any other station once per mode on each band. Missouri stations may work Missouri Mobile and Rover stations once per mode on each band for each county the station is located.

Missouri Mobile and Rover Stations

Missouri Mobile and Rover stations shall operate from at least two counties within the State of Missouri. Excluding other Missouri Mobile and Rover stations, Missouri Mobile and Rover stations may work any other station once per mode on each band from each county of operation. Missouri Mobile and Rover stations may work other Missouri Mobile and Rover stations once per mode on each band for each county the other station is located from each county of operation.

Non-Missouri Stations

Non-Missouri stations shall operate from any state in the United States (US), excluding Missouri, or any Canadian province or territory. Non-Missouri stations may work Missouri stations once per mode on each band, and Missouri Mobile and Rover stations once per mode on each band for each county the station is located.

DX Stations

DX stations shall operate from any entity on the ARRL DXCC Countries List excluding the United States and Canada. DX stations may work Missouri stations once per mode on each band, and Missouri Mobile and Rover stations once per mode on each band for each county the station is located. For the purposes of this contest, Alaska and Hawaii shall be considered states rather than DXCC entities. Participants in these states shall enter as Non-Missouri Stations.

Exchange

Missouri Stations

Missouri stations shall exchange callsign, RST, a sequential serial number, and a three letter county code as defined in the Missouri County Listing and shown below.

Missouri Mobile and Rover Stations

Missouri Mobile and Rover stations shall exchange callsign with a suffix of “/M” or “/P” on CW and “mobile” or “portable” on phone, RST, a sequential serial number, and a three letter county code as defined in the Missouri County Listing.

Non-Missouri Stations

Non-Missouri stations shall exchange callsign, RST, a sequential serial number, and their US state or Canadian province or territory.

DX Stations

DX stations shall exchange callsign, RST, and a sequential serial number.

Miscellaneous Rules

The following miscellaneous rules shall apply:

1. As a condition of entry, participants are bound to the provisions and intent of these rules, and bound to the decisions of the contest sponsor regarding award distribution.
2. Multi-operator and multi-transmitter group or individual operations using a single call sign shall be permitted.
3. The use of spotting assistance or nets (operating arrangements involving other individuals, DX-alerting nets, packet clusters, etc.) not physically located at the station shall be permitted.
4. Cross-band and cross-mode contacts, excluding satellite cross-band contacts, shall not be permitted.
5. Contacts through repeaters, digipeaters, and gateways, excluding satellite contacts, shall not be permitted. However, the use of these means to solicit a simplex contact during the contest period shall be permitted—stations may spot themselves.
6. All call signs and exchange information shall be sent, received, acknowledged, and logged correctly by each station for a complete QSO. A valid contact shall be a complete QSO that is not a duplicate based on the restrictions defined in paragraph 3.5.
7. Missouri and Missouri Mobile and Rover stations shall receive one DX multiplier if at least one DXCC entity is worked.

Special Event Station

The BEARS-St. Louis will operate a special event station, WØMA, in St. Louis County (SLC) as part of the contest. A one-time (first QSO only) 100-point bonus shall be added to the QSO point total of stations working the special event station.

Score

The score for a participating station shall be determined by multiplying the total number of valid contact points by the sum of the number of multipliers worked.

Points

Points for valid contacts shall be awarded in the following manner:

1. Valid phone contacts count one point each.
2. Valid CW contacts count two points each.
3. At least one valid contact with the special event station shall count as a 100-point bonus to the QSO point total.

Multipliers

Multipliers shall be awarded in the following manner:

1. The multipliers for Missouri and Missouri Mobile and Rover stations are Missouri counties, US states, and Canadian provinces and territories worked. An additional multiplier of the value of one shall be added if at least one DX station is worked.
2. The multipliers for Non-Missouri and DX stations are Missouri Counties worked.

Reporting and Submissions

Entries must be submitted to the contest sponsor within 30 days after the conclusion of the contest. No late entries shall be accepted. A complete entry shall consist of the official summary sheet or a reasonable facsimile, and a complete log of contacts made during the contest. An example of the official summary sheet is supplied in Appendix A or it can be downloaded from the BEARS-St. Louis web site at http://www.qsl.net/w0ma. The log of contacts must show time, band, mode, and full exchange for each QSO. Both paper and electronic submittals shall be accepted. Electronic submittals can be made via e-mail or on 3.5-inch high-density 1.44 MB floppy disks in ASCII or Rich text file formats. Incomplete or illegible entries will be classified as check-logs. Send submittals to the following address:

NØAJ
James L Kinser
2147 Encino Drive
Florissant, MO 63031-7627
n0aj@arrl.net

Official results shall be made public on the BEARS-St. Louis web site about 30 days after entry submittal deadline.

Awards

Winner Selection

With the exception of Non-Missouri stations, the stations with the two highest scores in each entry classification shall receive a certificate. In the case of Non-Missouri stations, the stations with the two highest scores in each US state and Canadian province or territory shall receive a certificate. Additional certificates will be awarded to stations that work all Missouri counties.

Tie-Breakers

Should more than one station attain the same score, the following tie-breakers, in order, shall be applied to determine their standing positions:

1. The station with the most Missouri counties worked shall be awarded the higher position.
2. As a final tie-breaker, the sponsor shall use a coin toss to determine the higher position.