Contest Objective: To support amateur self-training in radiocommunications, including improving amateur operating skills, conducting technical investigations, and intercommunicating with other amateurs. Stations in the United States and Canada (including territories and possessions) exchange information with as many other US and Canadian stations as possible on the 160, 80, 40, 20, 15 and 10 meter bands.



Dates:

CW: First full weekend in November (November 7-9, 2020).

Phone: Third full weekend in November (November 21-23, 2020).

Contest Period: Begins 2100 UTC Saturday and runs through 0259 UTC Monday.

Click here for updates on the Affiliated Club Competion program

2020 Update:

There are now a total of 84 ARRL/RAC sections, as RAC has separated Prince Edward Island (PE) from the Maritime (MAR) Section. Make sure your contest logging software and "country" (CTY) files have been updated so that those abbreviations are recognized and credited properly. Visit contests.arrl.org/contestmultipliers.php for a complete list of contest multipliers and their abbreviations.

Contest rules are now maintained as a single downloadable document (see below).

For contest information contact contests@arrl.org or (860) 594-0232

Operating Guidelines

Contest Exchange: Send the following six pieces of information during each contact: the sequential serial number of the contact, your precedence (type of entry – A, B, Q, M, S, or U), your call sign, your check (the last two digits of the year the operator or station was first licensed), and the abbreviation for your ARRL or RAC section. It is recommended that the information be sent in this order to avoid confusion.

You must include your call sign as part of the exchange.

The following is a typical Sweepstakes contact:

CQing Station: CQ Sweepstakes from W9JJ

Answering Station: W1AW

CQer: W1AW 123 A W9JJ 79 CT

Ans: 43 M W1AW 31 CT

CQer: Thanks, CQ Sweepstakes from W9JJ

As the answering station, it is not necessary to send the CQing station's call before the exchange unless you think there might be some confusion about what station you are responding to.

Operating Time

All stations may operate no more than 24 of the 30 hours. Scores will be calculated from contacts logged during the first 24 hours of operation.

This rule limits operating time (listening or transmitting) to 24 hours. Contacts logged after 24 hours of operation will not be counted toward the final score, but there is no penalty for including those contacts in a submitted log, and the station contacted is eligible to receive credit for the contact.

Off-times must consist of a minimum of 30 consecutive minutes without operating. Listening time counts as operating time.

Log Submission Deadline

Logs are due within SEVEN (7) days after the event is over. Logs may be submitted either online or via mail, but electronic Cabrillo-formatted logs are preferred. Clubs are encouraged to help members submit their log electronically. Electronic logs must be submitted via via our web app at contest-log-submission.arrl.org/



Entries for the CW and Phone portions of the competition must be submitted separately and must be postmarked before their respective 7-day deadline.

Logs that have been submitted electronically are listed on the Logs Received page. Click the contest name to see a list of submitted logs sorted by call sign or club name.

Online Log Submission - Cabrillo formatted logs must be uploaded via our web app at contest-log-submission.arrl.org.



Submitting Paper Logs By Mail - Be sure to mail your completed Summary Sheet and Log Sheets (include a dupe sheet if over 500 QSOs) postmarked before the log submission deadlines.

CW Sweepstakes Summary Sheet

Phone Sweepstakes Summary Sheet



Sweepstakes Paper Logging Form

Send completed Summary Sheets and logs postmarked before the submission deadline to:

ARRL - CW Sweepstakes Contest, 225 Main St, Newington, CT 06111.

ARRL - SSB Sweepstakes Contest, 225 Main St, Newington, CT 06111.



If submitting a paper log, it is strongly suggested you use a delivery method that offers a tracking number.

If you wish to convert your log into a Cabrillo formatted log for electronic submission, visit www.b4h.net/cabforms and select the event of interest. You can input your log data which will be converted to a Cabrillo-formatted log for you (it will generate a log and return it to you). You can then submit your Cabrillo log online via the web app at contest-log-submission.arrl.org.

Awards

Certificates will be awarded in the top operator CW and Phone scores in each category in each ARRL/RAC Section and Division. Printable certificates will be downloadable from contests.arrl.org/certificates.php.

All Overall and Division winners will be awarded a plaque recognizing their efforts. Plaques are sponsored by individuals, groups or clubs, or by the principal awards sponsor, Icom America.For details on plaque sponsorship, contact the ARRL Contest Program at contests@arrl.org or 860-594-0232

Participation pins and Clean Sweep coffee mugs are available for purchase from the ARRL by qualifying stations.