The North American QSO Party is coming up from 1800Z August 20 to 0600Z August 21, 2011 (Third full weekend in August). I haven’t been keeping up on contesting like I wanted to for the site, but this one should be good fun if you can get on the air. Check the National Contest Journal’s Website for more information on rules, submissions, categories, and results.

From the NCJ Website:

The North American QSO Parties are favorites of beginners and seasoned operators alike. With their low-power only, multipliers-per-band format, these contests allow stations from all parts of North America to be in the running for the top spots. And their 10/12 hour format allows participants to do some great contesting and still have time for other activities during the weekend! Participants can enter in the single op or multi-op categories and have the opportunity to combine up to five separate single op scores into a team score.

Also, power and band restrictions are notable:

Output power must be limited to 100 watts for eligible entries. Use of external amplifiers capable of more than 100 watts output is not allowed.

Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10 meters only, except no 160 meters for the RTTY contest. You may work a station once per band.

Suggested frequencies are 1815, 3535, 7035, 14035, 21035 and 28035 kHz (35 kHz up from band edge for Novice/Tech) on CW; and 1865, 3850, 7225, 14250, 21300, 28500 kHz (28450 for Novice/Tech) on SSB.

When operating on 160-meters, please respect the DX window of 1830-1840 kHz and keep SSB operations above 1840 kHz.

Exchange and multiplier information:

Exchange: Operator name and station location (state, province or country) for North American stations; operator name only for non-North American stations. If the name sent is changed during the contest, as sometimes happens with multi-operator stations, the name used for each QSO must be clearly identified in the log.

Multipliers: Are U.S. states (including KH6 and KL7), 13 Canadian provinces/territories (British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, PEI, Newfoundland/Labrador, Yukon, NWT and Nunavut) and other North American countries. District of Columbia counts as Maryland. Non-North American countries, maritime mobiles and aeronautical mobiles do not count as multipliers, but may be worked for QSO credit.

I find this contest to be a lot of fun, and there is certainly a lot of activity to enjoy. If you get the chance to listen to or participate in it, go for it. I might even build a couple of antennas just for this contest and ask a friend to combine with me as a team station. Good luck!

Don’t forget about the VHF Sweeps coming up this weekend!

VHF Sweepstakes

From the ARRL’s Contest Website:

To work as many amateur stations in as many different 2 degrees x 1 degree grid squares as possible using authorized frequencies above 50 MHz. Foreign stations work W/VE amateurs only.

Begins 1900 UTC Saturday, ends 0359 UTC Monday (January 22-24, 2011). On all authorized frequencies above 50 MHz (6 Meters).

Single Operator, High Power:

1500 Watts PEP or the maximum allowable power level established by the national licensing authority of your country, whichever is lower.

Single Operator, Low Power:

50 MHz and 144 MHz–200 W PEP.

222 MHz and 432 MHz–100 W PEP.

902 MHz and above–10 W PEP.

Single Operator Portable:

Ten (10) W PEP output or less.

Portable power source.

Portable equipment and antennas.

Multioperator:

1500 Watts PEP or the maximum allowable power level established by the national licensing authority of your country, whichever is lower.

Limited Multioperator:

1500 Watts PEP or the maximum allowable power level established by the national licensing authority of your country, whichever is lower.

Rover:

1500 Watts PEP or the maximum allowable power level established by the national licensing authority of your country, whichever is lower.

Limited Rover:

50 MHz and 144 MHz–200 W PEP.

222 MHz and 432 MHz–100 W PEP.

902 MHz and above–10 W PEP.

Unlimited Rover:

1500 Watts PEP or the maximum allowable power level established by the national licensing authority of your country, whichever is lower.

Certificates will be awarded in the following categories:

Single Operator: – Top Single Operator in each ARRL/RAC Section for high and low power.

– Top Single Operator on each band (50, 144, 222, 432, 902, 1296 and 2304-and-up categories) in each ARRL/RAC Section where significant effort or competition is evident. (Note: Since the highest score per band will be the award winner for that band, an entrant may win a certificate with additional single-band endorsements.) For example, if KA1RWY has the highest single-operator all-band score in the CT Section and her 50- and 222-MHz scores are higher than any other CT single operator

Don’t forget about the ARRL 10-meter Contest beginning at 7:00pm EST, Friday (today). For more information, including rules, timetables, and frequencies, check out this URL: http://www.arrl.org/10-meter.

The solar conditions haven’t been great lately, that I have noticed, so good luck if you plan to operate! I will be having a little fun from my hillside, which permits me ground wave vertical RF in the directions from north to southeast. Perhaps from a few hours of operating, I can make contact with many different states!

Don’t forget about the Rookie Roundup coming up the 19th of December.

ARRL Rookie Roundup Website:

The Rookie Roundup is a contest aimed at Amateurs licensed for three years or less. This six-hour event is held three times per year (April, August and December). Rookies can contact anybody, while “Old Timers” make contact with only Rookies. Mentoring is a big part of this event!

Remember, this month is the CW only mode, so don’t get on and start calling CQ ROOKIE ROUNDUP on phone! This would be a good time to practice your CW, and I will definitely be monitoring some of the activity. Check the ARRL’s Website on the Rookie Roundup (linked above before the quote from their site) for more information.

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Also one of my favorite contests is coming up mid-December (the 11-12), the ARRL 10 Meter Contest.

ARRL 10 Meter Contest Website:

For Amateurs worldwide to exchange QSO information with as many stations as possible on the 10-meter band.

I love it! I haven’t checked any solar predictions, nor have I been monitoring the DX / Solar Updates in my e-mail inbox from the ARRL, but hopefully there will be good conditions!

Good luck,
Sean, K8JSM/4

2010 ARRL November Sweepstakes going on this weekend. I’m active right this minute on 75-meters, and was listening earlier to 20-meters. Lots of activity! One of the oldest domestic contests, first on the air in 1932!

For more information – Click Here

Sean, K8JSM/4