Contest News 22 December 2013

The UK Six Metre Group Winter Marathon continues over the Christmas period, ending on 31 January 2014. It’s a 100% locator square chase, with no points for individual QSOs, but as well as normal QSOs you can claim the squares worked in other 6m contests over the period. The exchange is signal report and locator.

The Christmas Cumulatives take place for two hours on Thursday to Sunday the 26 to 29th. Activity is on all bands from 6m to 70cm and the exchange is RST, serial number and locator.

The DARC Christmas Contest runs for 2½ hours on Boxing Day morning. Operating on CW and SSB, the exchange is RST plus serial number. DLs also send DOK or NM.

The RAC Canada Winter Contest takes place for the full 24 hours of Saturday the 28th. There are numerous entry categories and everyone can work everyone. Concentrate on working Canadians because CanadianProvinces and Territories are where the multipliers are. Use all contest bands from 160m to 2m on CW and phone; the exchange is RST plus serial number, with VEs also sending their Province code. This event has a festive Wallpaper Alert, because from the UK in 2012 only six entries from England were submitted and there were no logs from GW, GM, GI etc.

The IRTS 80m Counties contest takes place on the afternoon of New Year’s Day. Work anyone, but EI/GI/2I/MI stations are worth more points, and collect counties for multipliers. Use CW or phone on 80m only; the exchange is RST and serial number, plus County for stations on the island.

The ARRL RTTY Roundup takes place on the weekend of the 4th to 5th, but operate for no more than 24 of the 30 hours. Work everyone, sending a signal report and serial number. US and Canadian stations will also send their State or Province code. On the same weekend the European Association’s CW 160m QSO Party takes place. There are two sessions, the first on Saturday evening and the second in the early hours of Sunday morning. You can work the same stations in each session. The exchange depends on whether you are a member of an affiliated club. In the UK that means FOC, FISTS, G-QRP and the Essex CW Club. If you are, send RST + name + club + membership number; if not, send RST + name + NM for non member.

Tuesday the 7th sees the 144MHz UKAC from 2000 to 2230. Using all modes, the exchange is serial number and locator.

The CW AFS contest is on Sunday 12 January from 1400-1800. Using CW on 80m, exchange RST and serial number.

Category: GB2RS Contest News