VHF National Field Day 2025 Rules

 

General Rules Apply

1. Date/time of contest: 1400 UTC Saturday 5th July 2025 until 1400 UTC Sunday 6rd July 2025.

2. Site Notification

a. Each Group may wish to pre-register their intentions to operate in the contest, this is not mandatory, but is recomended as it will encourage the Fixed Station Contest entrants to look for you. Please supply the following details:

(i) Name of Club/Group

(ii) Contact name and address/telephone number in case of query

(iii) Section entered

(iv) Callsign used in contest

b. Please enter these details here

3. Operators

a. Any RSGB member or group of members may enter.

b. Only groups operating from the British Isles (excluding the Irish Republic) will be eligible for awards, although a certificate for the leading overseas entry will be awarded. Also, affiliated RSGB societies may enter and their operators must be members of the Affiliated Society (AFS) and/or members of the RSGB themselves.

c. In the case where some operators are AFS members but not RSGB members themselves, a declaration from an officer of the AFS that the operators are members of the society is required with the entry. This must be included in the soapbox or comments part of the entry.

4. Stations

a. All equipment including antennas and accommodation must be installed on site not more than 48 hours before the contest.

b. Only portable accommodation can be used to house the stations.

c. Power for all equipment must be derived from an on site generator, battery, wind or solar power.

5. Contest exchanges

a. On each band a report, serial number (starting at 001 on each band) and a 6 character (e.g. IO91OJ) locator must be exchanged.

b. All times must be logged in UTC

6. Sections

Scoring is 1 point per kilometre for each QSO in all sections.

6.1 Open section (O):

a. Maximum output power as permitted by standard licence conditions.

b. General rules apply

b. Operate on any bands from the following list, but only the best 4 normalised scores will count to the final total:

50MHz (6m) 1400 to 2200 Saturday

70MHz (4m) 0800 to 1400 Sunday

144MHz (2m) 1400 Saturday to 1400 Sunday

432MHz (70cm) 1400 Saturday to 1400 Sunday

1.3GHz (23cm) 1400 Saturday to 1400 Sunday

6.2 Restricted section (R):

a. The power output on any band must not exceed 100W PEP at the transmitter, except on 4m where output must be restricted to 50W

b. The height of any part of the antenna's driven element must not exceed 10 metres above ground level.

c. Only one antenna per band may be used (i.e. no stacked, bayed or colinear arrays or switching between two or more antennas). A slot fed Yagi or Quad antenna is not permitted. Dish or Backfire antennas must not exceed 2m diameter.

d. Operate on up to 5 bands from the following list:

50MHz (6m) 1400 to 2200 Saturday

70MHz (4m) 0800 to 1400 Sunday

144MHz (2m) 1400 Saturday to 1400 Sunday

432MHz (70cm) 1400 Saturday to 2200 Saturday

1.3GHz (23cm) 0800 Sunday to 1400 Sunday

Only the best 4 normalised scores will count to the final total.

Note: other than the selected entry bands, operation on any other band or bands is not permitted, even for the purposes of talk-back.

6.3 Low Power section (L):

a. The power output of any band must not exceed 25W PEP at the transmitter, except on 4m where the power output must be restricted to 10W.

b. The height of any part of the antenna's driven element must not exceed 10 metres above ground level.

c. Only one antenna per band may be used (i.e. no stacked, bayed or colinear arrays or switching between two or more antennas). A slot fed Yagi or Quad antenna is not permitted. Dish or Backfire antennas must not exceed 2m diameter.

d. Operate on up to 3 bands from the following list:

50MHz (6m) 1400 to 2200 Saturday

70MHz (4m) 0800 to 1400 Sunday

144MHz (2m) 1400 Saturday to 1400 Sunday for no more than 16 hours, Each rest period must last at least 1 hour.

432MHz (70cm) 1400 Saturday to 2200 Saturday

1.3GHz (23cm) 0800 Sunday to 1400 Sunday

Note: other than the selected entry bands, operation on any other band or bands is not permitted, even for the purposes of talk-back.

6.4 Mix and Match (M):

a. A group can elect to place different bands into Restricted, Low-Power or Open sections. E.g. 4m in Restricted, 2m and 70cm in Open, and 23cm in Low Power. This decision must be made at registration time. At least one station (or 2 if entering 5 bands) must be in a different section to the other stations. Only the best 4 normalised scores will count to the final total.

b. Individual band entry will be tabulated in the appropriate main section, and a normalised score for the band produced on this basis.

c. The sum of the normalised scores will appear in a separate Mix & Match section table.

d. Operate on up to 5 bands from the following list:

50MHz (6m) 1400 to 2200 Saturday

70MHz (4m) 0800 to 1400 Sunday

144MHz (2m) 1400 Saturday to 1400 Sunday

432MHz (70cm) 1400 Saturday to 1400 Sunday if entering the Open Section othewise 1400 Saturday to 2200 Saturday

1.3GHz (23cm) 1400 Saturday to 1400 Sunday if entering the Open Section otherwise Sunday 0800 to 1400 Sunday

Note: other than the selected entry bands, operation on any other band or bands is not permitted, even for the purposes of talk-back.

e. Note that 2m stations entered in the Low Power section may be operated for no more than 16 hours during the contest period. Each rest period must last at least 1 hour.

6.5 Single Transmitter (MS):

a. Portable stations only

b. Operate on up to 3 bands from the following list, however simultaneous transmision on more than one band at a time is not allowed. The chosen bands must be selected during registration and operation on any other bands is not allowed. Indicated output powers are PEP measured at the transmitter.

50MHz (6m) 1400 to 2200 Saturday 100W maximum output power)

70MHz (4m) 0800 to 1400 Sunday (50W maximum output power )

144MHz (2m) 1400 Saturday to 1400 Sunday ( 100W maximum output power)

432MHz (70cm) 1400 Saturday to 2200 Saturday ( 50W maximum output power)

1.3GHz (23cm) 0800 Sunday to 1400 Sunday ( 10W maximum output power)

Note: other than the selected entry bands, operation on any other band or bands is not permitted, even for the purposes of talk-back.

c. All antennas must be installed on a single mast and only one antenna for each band may be installed on that mast. Backfire or parabolic dish type antennas must not exceed 2 metres in diameter. No stacked or bayed arrays are permitted. The maximum height for any part of the driven element of any antenna is 12 metres above ground level. Note: a mast of greater than 12 metres in height is permitted as long as the antenna height restriction is complied with.

d. All 3 normalised scores will count towards the final total

See separate FAQ.

7. Inspections

a. All stations are subject to inspection by members of the Contest Committee or nominated representatives.

b. The inspector must be given immediate access to all parts of the site with the right to stay as long as desired, and the ability to return at any time during the contest.

8. Entries

a. All entries must be uploaded no later than 7 days after the end of the contest

b. Log files should be uploaded here, or use the Web Logging System here.

9. Awards.

a. The Surrey, Martlesham, Arthur Watts and G5BY Trophies will be awarded to the overall winners of the Open, Restricted, Low Power and Mix & Match sections respectively.

b. The Tartan Trophy will be awarded to the leading resident Scottish entry in the Open section, the Cockenzie Quaich to the leading Scottish station in the Restricted Section and the Scottish Trophy to the leading Scottish entry in the Low power section.

d. Certificates will be awarded to the winners and runners-up on all bands in each section.