

Rules: 2020 California QSO Party (CQP)

Last Update: 09-July-2020 at 1600 UTC

Click HERE for a printable copy (PDF) of this Rules page.



Logs are due by 23:59 UTC on Monday, October 26, 2020.

Logs must be submitted electronically in Cabrillo format – paper, Excel, and ADIF logs are NOT acceptable.



DATES + TIMES

Begins: 1600 UTC - 03 October 2020 Ends: 2200 UTC - 04 October 2020



OBJECTIVE:

Stations outside of California work as many California stations in as many CA Counties as possible.

Stations in California work everyone.



EXCHANGE:

1. California stations send QSO number and 4-letter county abbreviation.

2. Stations outside of California send QSO number and 2-letter State, Canadian area abbreviation, or "DX".



QSO POINTS:

Each complete non-duplicate Phone contact is worth 2 points.

Each complete non-duplicate CW contact is worth 3 points . Although there is no credit for duplicate contacts, there's no penalty either, so please do not remove them from your log as they help with log checking.



MULTIPLIERS:

A. California Stations (Maximum of 58 Multipliers)

Count U.S. states ( 50 ) and Canadian areas ( 8 ): MR, QC, ON, MB, SK, AB, BC and NT where:

MR = Maritime provinces plus Newfoundland and Labrador (NB, NL, NS, PE)

NT = Northern Territories (NT, NU, YT)

Note: Although the “CA” abbreviation is not used as a multiplier in this contest, the first valid CA county logged will count as the multiplier for California. California stations must log all CA contacts with their 4-letter county abbreviation; everything else as two characters, including "DX" for all stations outside of the U.S. and Canada.

B. Non-California Stations

Count all 58 California Counties for a maximum of 58 multipliers. SCORE:

The finals score is the total number of QSO Points multiplied by the total number of multipliers ( 58 maximum).

QSO Points = (CW Qs x 3 pts) + (Phone Qs x 2 pts)

Final Score = QSO Points x # Multipliers



MODES: CW, Phone

BANDS: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, and 10 meters

Frequencies:

CW: 40 kHz up from the bottom band edge on 10m-80m; 160m at 1815 kHz

SSB: 1845 kHz, 3610 & 3750-3820 kHz (avoiding 3790-3800 kHz DX window), 7230 kHz, 14250 kHz, 21300 kHz, 28450 kHz.



Rallies :

1900Z: Try 10m at 28040 and 28450 kHz

0300Z and 0600Z: Try 80CW at 3540 kHz and 75PH at 3610 kHz and 3750-3820 kHz (avoiding 3790-3800 kHz DX window)

0500Z: Try 160CW at 1815 kHz

0530Z: Try 160PH at 1845 kHz

Notes:

1. All CW contacts must be made outside the Phone sub-bands except for 160 meters.

2: Stations may be worked once on CW and once on Phone on each of the 6 bands (maximum of 12 QSOs with any one station).

CLASS ENTRY OPTIONS Single-Operator Category Code Power

Output #

Transmitters #

Operators Maximum

Operating Hrs Single Operator - High Power SO-HP > 200 watts one one 24 Single Operator - Low Power SO-LP < 200 watts one one 24 Single Operator - QRP SO-QRP 5 watts or less one one 24 Note: Off-times must be a minimum of 15 minutes. It is not okay to use spotting nets (operator arrangements involving assistance through DX-alerting nets, packet cluster, CW skimmer, or self-spotting). SO2R operation is perfectly acceptable. Single-Operator-Assisted Category Code Power

Output #

Transmitters #

Operators Maximum

Operating Hrs Single Operator - Assisted - High Power SOA-HP > 200 watts one one 24 Single Operator - Assisted - Low Power SOA-LP < 200 watts one one 24 Single Operator - Assisted - QRP SOA-QRP 5 watts or less one one 24 Note: Off-times must be a minimum of 15 minutes. It is okay to use spotting networks, packet cluster, CW skimmer, RBN and other similar alerting arrangements, but self-spotting is not allowed. SO2R operation is perfectly acceptable. Multi-Single

NOTE: All Multi-Single stations must register on the CQP activation form prior to CQP in order for their log to be scored, otherwise log will be designated a checklog. Category Code Power

Output #

Transmitters #

Operators Maximum

Operating Hrs Multi-Single - High Power

MS-HP > 200 watts one multiple 30 Multi-Single - Low Power

MS-LP < 200 watts one multiple 30 Multi-Single - QRP

MS-QRP 5 watts or less one multiple 30 Note: The single transmitting operator cannot be replaced before 10 minutes after their first transmission. There is no time limit on band or mode changes. Other operators can listen, spot, or perform any other station function except transmitting. Self-spotting is not allowed. Multi-Multi

NOTE: All Multi-Multi stations must register on the CQP activation form prior to CQP in order for their log to be scored, otherwise log will be designated a checklog. Category Code Power

Output #

Transmitters #

Operators Maximum

Operating Hrs Multi-Multi - High Power

MM-HP > 200 watts multiple multiple 30 Multi-Multi - Low Power

MM-LP < 200 watts multiple multiple 30 Multi-Multi - QRP

MM-QRP 5 watts or less multiple multiple 30 Note: There are no time limits on band or mode changes. Self spotting is not allowed. SPECIAL AWARD CATEGORIES

Note: On The Log Submission Form, Please Check All That Apply California County Expedition

(CCE) A California County Expedition is an operation from a temporary location using temporary antennas -- and operating positions installed no more than one (1) week prior to the contest period -- using temporary antenna supports (however, natural supports like trees are permitted). CCE stations operating from a county-line send all claimed counties in a single exchange. (See county-line definition. See LINK for help with logging county-line stations.) County-Line Definition: County-line stations operate with all radios and antennas within 150 meters (492 feet) of claimed counties and send all such counties in each exchange. Operators may rely on county line road signs, Google Earth or information obtained from a county surveyor’s office to determine the eligibility of a county-line operating location. Logs for county-line operations will be scored by individual county for county ranking, county records and CCE awards. (See for help with logging county-line stations.) Multi-County Expedition

(MCE) A Multi-County Expedition (MCE) is an operation from more than one location and more than one county. At least one of the claimed counties must be on the “most wanted list” published on CQP.org. At least 100 contacts must be made from each county claimed. Operating locations may include county-lines. Logs for MCEs will be scored by county for county ranking and records purposes. Note: The California MCE station with the highest total of county scores wins the County Hopper plaque. MCE Examples: The MCE category definition is intentionally broad and includes many possible types of operations. These may include:

• Traditional county expeditions with an overnight move to operate in a new county on Sunday

• “Slow Mobile” with stops in each county to make a minimum of 100 QSOs, perhaps with non-mobile antennas

• Single operator who moves between two or more fixed stations in different counties.

This category is an opportunity to be creative with equipment and operating strategy. Mobile "Mobile" means operating in or on a movable vehicle, independent of all commercial power sources, which is able to travel at any time without having to disconnect any wiring or change any antennas in order to move to another location. Note: California Mobile stations which change counties or states are considered to be new stations and may be contacted again for point and multiplier credit. Note: The California Mobile station which makes the most total QSOs during CQP wins the Mobile plaque. YL Operator Only YLs entering in single operator categories are eligible for the YL Operator award; those working as part of Multi Op teams are not eligible. Youth Operator A Youth Operator is an operator who is younger than 18 years old in his/her local time zone on the last day of the contest. Only Youth Operators entering in single operator categories are eligible for the Youth Operator award; those working as part of Multi Op teams are not eligible. California New Contester - Open to any station in California who submits a log for CQP with at least 100 QSOs.

- Must attest that they have never submitted a log with 100 or more QSOs in any contest

- Station antennas are limited to a single tri-bander and wire antennas or verticals and wire antennas

- Only California New Contesters entering in Single-Operator categories are eligible for the California New Contester Award. CLUB COMPETITION COMPLETE RULES FOR CLUB COMPETITION CAN BE FOUND ON THE CLUB COMPETITION PAGE LOCATED HERE.

LOGGING SOFTWARE:



http://www.cqp.org/Software.html For free CQPWIN logging software, and other resources, please visit the CQP Software Page: ENTRIES:

Please submit your log by either one of the following methods. Logs must be submitted electronically in Cabrillo format – paper, Excel, and ADIF logs are NOT acceptable.



If you need to correct something in your log, you can resubmit it. The last version of your log received before the log submission deadline, will beconsidered "your official" log. The deadline for submission of all logs is 23:59 UTC MONDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2020. If you have any difficulty with either submission method, please email a description of the problem to: info@cqp.org. Option Comment Link 1. Use The CQP

Log Submission Form Preferred Method

Please use this form

if at all possible. It's easy. 2. Email Your Log As Attachment Please consider

Option 1 First. NOTES:

1. Regardless of the method you use to submit your log, it is YOUR responsibility to check our Logs Received page and verify that it has been listed. You can check the CQP Logs Received server here: robot.cqp.org The server is updated daily.

2. By submitting a log the submitter agrees that the log is a public document which may be released at the discretion of the Contest Sponsor.

AWARDS: 55 plaques

Note: See CQP (real lumber to hang on your shack wall)Note: See CQP Awards Page for a complete list of Awards and Sponsors.



SPECIAL CQP WINE - The top 20 CA and top 20 non-CA S/O stations will receive a personalized bottle of NCCC Private Reserve California Wine. Winners under the age of 21 will instead receive a non-alcoholic personalized award.



CQP T-Shirts - Like the wine, each year’s T-shirt is a special vintage. All entries qualify for the special CQP T-shirt -- no minimum number of QSOs needed. The 2020 CQP T-Shirt color will be Black. Place your order for a T-shirt by sending an email to paypal@nccc.cc ] -- or a check to: NCCC, c/o Tom Carney, K6EU, 1545 Elwood Drive, Los Gatos, CA 95032. All orders are due by January 31, 2021 . - Like the wine, each year’s T-shirt is a special vintage. All entries qualify for the special CQP T-shirt -- no minimum number of QSOs needed. The 2020 CQP T-Shirt color will bePlace your order for a T-shirt by sending an email to shirts@cqp.org stating the sizes and quantities for each size (M/L/XL/XXL), the call sign of the CQP operation, the call sign of the person placing the order, and the address to ship to. Send payment, $20 ($25 for DX entries), either via PayPal [using this email address:] -- or a check to: NOTE: You MUST send that email order to shirts@cqp.org to trigger the order. If you don't, your order will not be processed.



CERTIFICATES - all entries will be able to print out a Certificate of Achievement



CQP is sponsored by the Northern California Contest Club

