Frequency Asked Questions
updated 11 March 2024

This FAQ answers some frequently asked questions that are not covered in the Rules or in the Pre-Party briefing.

Submit Paper Log.  How do I submit a paper log?  Put your QSO data on a paper log form of your choosing.  Include Date, Time, Band/Frequency, Mode, Your Call Sign, Your Serial Number, Your QTH, The contacted Station's Call sign, Serial Number and QTH.  At the end of the contest, download the Summary Sheet from the VaQP web site and fill it out.  Mail the log and summary sheet to Virginia QSO Party, PO Box 599, Sterling, VA 20167-0599.

Youth Plaque.  The USS Wisconsin Amateur Radio Club sponsors a "Youth" plaque for the high score achieved by a person 18 years or younger. 

FT8/4.  Is FT8/4 allowed?   All digital modes are allowed.  However we know of no valid way to exchange the required information, i.e., Serial Number and QTH,  in FT8 or FT4.  Shortening the received signal report to obtain a SN is not a valid exchange.  Inferring "DX" for QTH from a station call sign is not a valid exchange of QTH.  Logs identified using these or other such methods will be disallowed.

HF Mobile Antennas.  Are HF antennas allowed on a mobile station?  Yes.  You may change antennas or change band on an antenna as long as you are always capable of operation as a mobile.

Hours of operation:  How many hours may a station operate?  There is no limit on the number of hours you may operate within the hours of the contest.

   The operating hours are:
 
            Saturday, 16 March, 1400 UTC - Sunday, 17 March, 0400 UTC and
            Sunday, 17 March, 1200 UTC - 2400 UTC.

   This is in Virginia local time:
            Saturday:  10 AM to 12 Midnight  (i.e., 14 hours duration)
            Sunday:  8 AM to 8 PM  (i.e., 12 hours duration)

SO1R.  The VaQP has a plaque this year for High Single Operator Single Receiver.  This addresses some concerns that the high scoring single operator stations are operating using two or more receivers concurrently.  This advanced technique allows for running on one receive band and searching on the second receiver for mults.  Stations should include "X-SO1R: YES" or "X-SO1R: NO" in their cabrillo file header. 

Power Category.  VaQP has three power categories: QRP, low and high.  The power is Peak Envelope Power (PEP) at the final amplifier output to the antenna transmission system.  Typically hams use the transmitter output rating.  Alternatively, they may use a power meter attached to the output of the final amplifier.  This is common approach in most if not all contests.

Logging program Auto-Fill.  Be careful with the auto-fill feature in your logging program.  For example, N3FJP, will accept either abbreviation or full county name.  As users type, the abbreviation or county name auto fills automatically, as they type each character.  Users have the option to set the county field to fill by either abbreviation or county name.  If the user has set the option to auto fill by county name instead of abbreviation and starts typing CHE, Chesapeake would be logged in error.
 
Comments, questions, and recommendations should be emailed to [email protected].