1. Entries
a. In submitting an entry to a contest, you agree to be bound by the rules and spirit of the contest, and you agree that the decision of the RSGB shall be final in cases of dispute.
b. All paper and/or disk entries should be addressed to P.O. Box 2399, Reading, RG7 4FB.
c. Alternatively, entries may be submitted by e-mail to vhf.entry@rsgb.org.uk
d. Entries should be postmarked or e-mailed not later than 16 days after the end of the contest, or, for cumulative contests, the last activity period.
e. Entries become the property of RSGB and cannot be returned.
f. Proof of contact may be required. Any station may be approached, without notice to the entrant, for confirmation of contact details.
g. In case of dispute, in the first instance, the Chairman of the VHF Contests Committee (VHFCC) should be contacted in writing. The VHFCC may refer cases of appeal may be to RSGB Council. Council's decision shall be final.
h. In multi-band contests, single band entries are always acceptable.
i. Queries about the contests may be addressed to the VHFCC Chairman - Steve Thompson, G8GSQ, PO Box 2399, Reading, RG7 4FB, Tel : 0870 740 7909 (calls are charged at the BT national rate), evenings / weekends - FAX at other times. e-mail : g8gsq@blacksheep.org.
2. Paperwork
a. The preferred method of entry is by electronic log in DOS format supplied on diskette or by e-mail. Entries on paper are always acceptable.
b. Acceptable file formats include .LOG from SDV, G0GJV, G3WGV and CONLOG programmes, N6TR .DAT, RSGB standard format, REG1TEST and ADIF. We will endeavour to work with any other reasonable format - please contact the VHFCC to discuss this. The WWW page http://www.blacksheep.org/vhfcc may also contain details of other means of electronic log submission as they become available. Free software is available from G8GSQ or www.blacksheep.org/vhfcc
c. e-mail entries should include a plain text file which contains the same information as the paper coversheet (form 427). Entries on diskette can use either a file or paper coversheet. A suitable plain text template can be found at www.blacksheep.org/vhfcc/stationery/stationery.htm
d. Diskettes and e-mail subject headers must clearly indicate the relevant contest(s) and callsign(s). The file names should consist of the callsign and the extension .LOG or .COV, eg G9XXX.LOG. Where the
same callsign is used on more than one band, add some reference to the band, eg G9XXX144.LOG.
e. All diskettes become the property of the RSGB, unless you enclose an SAE, whereupon the disk will be returned to you.
f. All paper entries should be accompanied by a VHF/UHF contest cover sheet (form 427) for each band used, or a similar form which supplies the same information. Please include a contact telephone number or e-mail address in case of query.
g. The logs for paper contest entries should be made out on current RSGB VHF/UHF log sheets or a close replica. These forms may be photo-copied from the RSGB callbook, or small quantities are available from members of the VHFCC upon receipt of an SAE. Larger quantities may be purchased from RSGB HQ. Each sheet should be headed with the entrant’s callsign, IARU locator, contest title and sheet number. Logs should be tabulated as follows :-
i. Date/time (GMT)
ii. Callsign of station worked
iii. My report on his/her signal and serial number
iv. His/her report on my signal and serial number
v. IARU Locator received
vi. QTH or county received (when required) or comments
vii. Points claimed.
h. In contests with a multiplier scoring system, when submitting paper logs, please also submit a list of multipliers worked, showing at least the callsign, and either serial number sent or time of QSO, for each contact claimed as a new multiplier.
f. Any complaints/adverse comments received or made about signal quality must be recorded in the comments column of the paper log or electronic log.
3. Station/Operators
a. All operators must be RSGB members except in VHF NFD and the Affiliated Society contests - see individual rules.
b. Stations entering a fixed station section or contest must operate from permanent and substantial buildings located at the main station address as shown on the licence validation document. The spirit of the contest will be paramount.
c. Entrants must not change their location or callsign during the contest. In multi-band events, all stations forming one entry must be located within a circle of 1 km radius.
d. Stations located outside of the UK (G, GW, GM, GI, GD, GU, GJ) may enter a contest, and will be tabulated within the overall results tables, but will only be eligible for their own awards.
e. Entries will not be accepted from stations using special event callsigns (e.g. GB), or special club callsigns (e.g. GX, GS etc.) Normal club callsigns can be used - i.e. G4DSP is OK, but GX4DSP is not. This rule does not apply for the following IARU co-ordinated contests: 50MHz trophy, 144MHz trophy and October 432MHz – 248GHz.
** from MAY 1999 the new Scottish and Welsh special callsigns can be used in all contests. Also the GX,GS etc callsigns can now be used.
f. There must be only one frequency used for transmit on any band at any one time.
g. The lower of the contest power limit or the standard licence power limit must not be exceeded during the contest. Contacts made under a high-power permit will not count for points. Severe action may be taken against infringements of this rule.
h. Stations which persistently radiate poor quality signals, cause deliberate interference to other stations, or otherwise contravene the code of practice for VHF/UHF/SHF contest operation may be penalised.
i. Entrants must permit inspection of their stations by members of VHFCC or its representatives, and give site access information if requested to do so. The inspector must be permitted to remain for as long as desired, and to return to the site for subsequent inspections at any time during the contest. Contestants must demonstrate to the inspector's satisfaction that they are obeying the rules of the contest.
4. Contacts
a. The contest exchange consists of at least both callsigns, RS(T) signal reports followed by a serial number, and the IARU locator. Particular contests may require additional information to be exchanged as described in the individual contest rules.
b. Serial numbers start from 001 on each band and advance by one for each contact. In cumulative contests serial numbers start from 001 for each activity period.
c. Crossband contacts do not count for points below 2.3 GHz. On 2.3 GHz and above, crossband contacts are scored at 50% of the two way score.
d. No points will be lost if a non-competing station cannot provide an IARU locator, serial number, or any other information that may be required. However, the receiving operator must receive and record sufficient information to be able to calculate the score.
e. Contacts with callsigns appearing as operators on any of the cover sheets forming an entry will not count for points or multipliers. In AFS contests, stations within the same AFS team may work each other for points/multipliers.
f. Only one scoring contact may be made with a given station on each band, regardless of suffix (/P, /M, etc.) during an individual contact or cumulative activity period. All non-scoring contacts must be clearly marked in the log, and unmarked duplicates will be penalised at ten times the claimed score for that contact.
g. Contacts made using repeaters, satellites or moonbounce will not count for points.
h. The IARU/RSGB band-plans must be observed.
i. All information must be copied off air at the time of the QSO. Databases must not be used to fill in missing information.
j. The DX Cluster may be used in all sections of the contest, but deliberate self-spotting by the entrant or close associates is not permitted.
k. Any band may be used for setting up contacts or talkback. No confirmation of QSO details must take place on the talkback frequency. All exchanges for the contest band in use must be made on that band. The talkback channel can be used for antenna alignment signals and confirmation that signals are audible, but not for giving reports and serial numbers.
l. In contests with a section SS or OS, stations may choose any continuous 6 hour period in which to operate (e.g. 1500-2100, or 1917-0117). Serial numbers must start at 001 for this period, and you cannot enter both this section and the full contest. Section SS is for single operator fixed stations, section OS for all others.
5. Scoring
a. Scoring will normally be at 1 point per km. Contacts with stations in the same small locator square as your station (eg IO92AA to IO92AA) will score 3 points.
b. For computer purposes a conversion factor of 111.2 km/degree must be used.
c. Multi-band contests will contain an overall results table in addition to the individual band results. The scores in this final tabulation will be formed by taking the sum of the normalised scores on each band. The normalised scores will be calculated by :-
Normalised score for each band/session =
(Score achieved x 1000)
(Band/session leader score)
6. Awards & Results
a. Certificates will be awarded to the leading and second placed station in each section of the contest. Additional certificates of merit may be awarded at the adjudicator's discretion.
b. In all contests/sections where the power limit is above 25W, a certificate will be awarded to the leading fixed station using 25W or less into a single antenna.
c. Placement certificates showing the result achieved in the contest can be obtained by including an A4 SAE with the entry marked with callsign, contest and (if applicable) group name.
7. Multipliers
a. Where a contest uses multipliers, the score for each band will be the number of points made on that band multiplied by the number of multipliers contacted on that band.
b. The type of multiplier scheme for a particular contest will be referred to in the individual rules for the contest. Not all contests will use multipliers.
c. Each new multiplier must be clearly marked in the log and a summary sheet provided (see rule 2c.)
d. In post code multiplier contests, each Scottish Post Code may be worked up to three times for multiplier credit, and BT for Northern Ireland may be worked up to six times for multiplier credit.
e. In contests using Post Code Area multipliers the exchange will include the first 2 letters of the postcode (e.g. EN from EN5 7JE). Where a post code consists of only a single initial letter (e.g. B6 9AA), the exchange will be padded out to 2 letters - ie in this case 'BM'. This extended exchange is used to keep a common format, but entrants need to be aware that some non-contestants may not be aware of their extended code.