California QSO Party

The California QSO Party (CQP) is conducted annually on the first weekend of October. The first CQP occurred in 1966. A State QSO Party is a contest where you try to work as many stations as possible in a specific state or group of states. Since 1974, the Northern California Contest Club (NCCC) has sponsored CQP. CQP has typically begun the annual contest season by allowing contestants to prepare for the ARRL November Sweepstakes, which has a similar format.

Stations outside of California, globe; workstations in California only. California's 58 counties are the multipliers. California stations service all stations in and out of California. The multipliers are the 50 states of the United States and the 13 provinces and territories of Canada.

QSO Parties

10-10 QSO Parties are enjoyable gatherings where you can meet old, new, and potential members from all over the world. The rules given apply to all general QSO parties. The Spirit of 76 and Open Season QSO Parties are special events with additional rules. The Anniversary and Meet the Volunteers are year-round contact events.

Who is Eligible?

QSO Parties, which are available to all amateurs with operating rights on the 10-meter band, have a set log submission policy. While logs will only be accepted from active members as of the event date, there is one exception: Open Season events will take logs from all amateurs. Logs received from non-members will be classified as cheque logs, which serve to validate other logs but do not make the sender eligible for any awards.

It is critical to note that purposefully submitting incorrect contact information in a QSO Party contact log with the objective of producing mistakes on membership applications and awards would invalidate the record. In addition, Ten-Ten will not accept communication records from amateurs whose membership/10-10 numbers have been withdrawn. This tight approach protects the integrity and fairness of the QSO Party participation and award qualification processes.

When are the QSO Parties?

There are presently nine QSO parties happening during the year:

• Winter Phone is conducted during the first full weekend in February, from 0001 UTC Saturday until 2359 UTC Sunday.
• Spring Digital is conducted on the last full weekend in April, from 0001 UTC Saturday to 2359 UTC Sunday.
• Spring CW is conducted on the first full weekend in May, from 0001 UTC Saturday to 2359 UTC Sunday.
• Summer Phone is conducted on the first full weekend in August, from 0001 UTC Saturday until 2359 UTC Sunday.
• Sprint was a 24-hour event occurring on October 10th (10-10) from 0001 UTC to 2359 UTC.
• Fall CW is conducted on the third full weekend in October, from 0001 UTC Saturday to 2359 UTC Sunday.
• Fall Digital is conducted on the second full weekend in November, from 0001 UTC Saturday to 2359 UTC Sunday.
• Open Season (PSK) is held on the first full weekend in June, from 0001 UTC Saturday until 2359 UTC Sunday.
• Weak Signal - Held on the second full weekend in July, from 0001 UTC Saturday to 2359 UTC Sunday.

Frequency and Modes

The frequency and mode guidelines in QSO Parties absolutely require direct unassisted encounters. The use of repeaters, satellites, IRLP, Echolink, or any other type of aided contact is strictly prohibited. According to the applicable band plan for the operator's nation, CW QSO Parties are designated for the CW area of the 10-meter band and must only use CW. Similarly, Digital QSO Parties are reserved for the digital area of the 10-meter band. They are limited to digital modes only, namely BPSK and RTTY during the Spring and Fall Digital QSO Parties, as described in Para 5.2.12 for weak signal modes. Phone QSO Parties, on the other hand, must operate in the PHONE region of the 10-meter band and may use any permitted mode, such as SSB, FM, or AM. It's worth mentioning that the SPRINT event includes all operating modes, with the exception of weak signal modes, on the 10-meter band. These specifications enable a consistent and equitable approach to the usage of frequencies and modes during QSO Parties.

Entry Classification

Entrants can submit a log in any of the following classifications:

• QRP: This includes single station operators, OM/XYL teams, families, or groups of people who use individual call signs and 10-10 numbers. CW/Digital/RTTY operations are limited to 5 watts, and phone operations to 10 watts throughout the event.
• Low Power: The same as QRP, however, the maximum output power for CW/Phone/Digital/RTTY operations is 150 watts throughout the event.
• High Power: The same as QRP, except the output power for CW/Phone/Digital/RTTY operations exceeds 150 watts during the event.
• Club: A club must have a valid club station license from its National Licencing Authority, as well as a current 10-10 membership. Club entries must include the call, name, and 10-10 number (if applicable) for all operators utilizing the club call. Club operations will be performed in one area with a single piece of equipment. Operators who enter under a club entry may additionally keep an individual log for contacts made using their call sign.
• Mobile: A mobile refers to a car, truck, RV, motorcycle, boat, plane, or other form of movement. The use of a base station antenna, amplifier, or commercial power is not permitted. Operation while your vehicle is parked across a county boundary, occupying two counties, results in two counties and two contacts. Marine and aeronautical mobiles must be capable of establishing operational counties. When operating mobile, safety is of the utmost importance. If you are unable to park near multiple county lines due to safety concerns (e.g., on a bridge or on a motorway), please move to the nearest spot that will provide the optimal operating circumstances while still allowing you to distribute several counties. Duplicate entries are permitted when working in multiple countries. In addition to the standard log entries, the County Worked From, and County Worked must be recorded. Mobile stations will get honors in their respective categories but will not be included in the individual sections or the Top Ten in the World. Mobile submissions will only be accepted for the Winter & Summer Phone and 10-10 Sprint QSO Parties.

5.2.5 Transmitter Info

An operator may be mobile, portable, or stationary. If they alter their exchange QTH during the QSO Party, the operator must record it in their log. The operator may enter a log from a single call district, province, or DX country. Multi-transmitters (two or more transmitters operating simultaneously under the same call sign) are not permitted in any QSO Party. If a single transmitter fails, it is permissible to replace it. Your QTH is determined by the transmitting antenna's location, regardless of your physical location.

QSO Party Entries:

Logs must be sent to the QSO Party Manager, as specified in the 10-10 NEWS or on the 10-10 website. It is extremely recommended that logs be supplied as soon as possible after the event ends. DX logs should also be submitted using AIR Mail to ensure timely delivery. Any logs received with a postmark after the deadline date will be treated as cheque logs. Logs received more than eight days after the entry deadline, regardless of postmark, will be discarded.

Entry Deadlines

Entries for all QSO Parties listed EXCEPT the Sprint must be postmarked by 8 calendar days (always a Monday) following the event's close. Entries for the Sprint (held on October 10th) must be postmarked by October 18th unless that day is a Sunday or holiday, in which case the postmark deadline is October 19th. 5.2.10 QSO Party Results and Awards the QSO Party results will be uploaded on the 10-10 website about 15 days following the event's closing deadline, as well as printed in the relevant issue of 10-10 NEWS. The certificate manager will present awards to the top ten individual scorers worldwide, the top individual scorer in each US Call Area (W0-W9), each DX Country, and the top QRP, Low power, High Power, Club, Mobile and Chapter. Electronic certificates will be provided to the second and third-place finishers in these categories.

Conclusion

The Northern California Contest Club (NCCC) sponsors the California QSO Party, which has been a yearly event since 1966 and serves as a forerunner to the ARRL November Sweepstake. With rigorous frequency and mode restrictions, it provides a platform for global amateur radio operators to connect. In addition, the 10-10 QSO Parties held throughout the year are entertaining gatherings with specific rules and eligibility criteria. Participants may submit logs in a variety of categories, including QRP, LOW POWER, HIGH POWER, CLUB, and MOBILE. The QSO Party entries must meet particular deadlines.