It’s SC QSOP Time! 2018 By: Gil Huggins – KS4YX

Our State Needs You to Be

The Big Day is February 24th – 25th 2018

It begins at 10:00 am (15:00 UTC) Saturday Morning, February 25th Contest Period It begins at 10:00 am (15:00 UTC) Saturday Morning, February 25th

Contest Period And Ends at 8:59 pm (01:59 UTC) Saturday Night (Technically Sunday Morning) 11 Total Hours

Working the Whole Event Is Not Necessary Just work as many stations as you can during the contest period.

The Objective SC Hams should try to work as many stations, in and out-of-state as possible.

Out of State Operators Those outside of SC will want to work as many SC stations in our 46 counties as possible.

How? Working a mixture of modes is encouraged, but using just the one you feel most comfortable with is fine. CW Voice Digital

You May Use More Than One Mode For Example: You may do digital in the morning, switch to voice in the afternoon, then CW in the evening. This would be a Mixed Mode Entry.

Why Should I Participate? To have fun and gain operating and contesting experience

What About The Rules? www.scqso.com

The “Usual Suspects.” 6, 10, 15, 20, 40, 80 and 160. What Bands Do I Work? The “Usual Suspects.” 6, 10, 15, 20, 40, 80 and 160.

Technician Class Hams Are Allowed to Work 10 and 6 Meters! Remember Technician Class Hams Are Allowed to Work 10 and 6 Meters!

How Much Power Should I Use? Different power classes exist for various awards. The three categories for our party are the traditional High Low QRP

Power Categories Are: QRP is 5 Watts or Less Low Power is 100 watts or less High Power is greater than 100 watts

How Much Power Should I Use? Most stations run about 100 watts.

Determining Your Power Rating You Power Level must be listed in your log report, along with your county designator. i.e. High Power - Oconee

SC County Information The QSO Party Web Page Has A Listing of The County Designators on the Rules Page. Here Are Examples: Abbeville – ABBE Aiken – AIKE Allendale – ALLE Anderson – ANDE Bamberg – BAMB Barnwell – BARN Beaufort – BEAU Greenville – GVIL York – YORK, etc

What Is The Exchange? For SSB, SC Stations would give a signal report and then the County Designator. i.e. 59 Cherokee - CKEE

Know Your County Designator It is important to know your county designator ahead of time as many stations may not have a listing of the various counties in our state.

CW Exchange Naturally, for CW , the exchange could be 599 and then the designator. i.e. 599 - DARL

The New Digital Modes and the Qso Party Digital modes include RTTY, PSK31, and other legal digital modes.

Logging of the Digital Modes Regardless of the digital mode used, submit your log with the contact listed as RY

When Someone Calls Me? Copy the Call, Date, Time, Band, Mode and the Exchange (Mult) #1. KF4YQF – 2/25 - 14:28 –10 M - SSB - LEX Make certain that your DATA is accurate. 1 KF4EGT 2/25 14:28 10 SSB Ocon

Exchange Examples For SC to SC Stations: 10 M 2/25 15:05 SSB KI4KKB 59 Pick (Pickens) 10 M 2/25 15:07 RY WA5KSC 59 Gvil (Greenville) 10 M 2/25 15:08 CW N4IQ 59 Lee (Lee)

For SC Contest Operators Working Out-of–State or DX Stations: Exchange Examples For SC Contest Operators Working Out-of–State or DX Stations: Give a Signal Report and two-letter state abbreviation. W1AW 2/25 14:05 20M SSB 59 Ct (Connecticut) N3KSG 2/25 15:25 15M CW 599 OH (Ohio) G8OCT 2/25 16:32 20 M RY 599 DX

Most Popular Entry Most stations enter as Single Operator; Fixed Station, Multiple Bands, Low Power and SSB mode.

Entry Categories Review the Category and Modes in the Rules and Select What Is Best For You. i.e. Single Op – Low Power – Fixed – SSB Only

The SC QSO Party Web Page Has A Section on Free Logging Software

Logging Software If You Plan on Using A New Logging Program, Become Familiar With It Before the Contest.

It must then be converted to an electronic file for submission. Logging Software A PAPER LOGGING Template may be used, but this year, only logs submitted electronically will be accepted. It must then be converted to an electronic file for submission.

Each station can be worked ONCE per BAND, and MODE for QSO Points. Scoring Each station can be worked ONCE per BAND, and MODE for QSO Points.

Scoring Mobile Stations can be worked more than once provided they are in a different SC county.

Voice Point Value Each SC to SC SSB contact equals 1 point. Each SC to Out of State SSB contact counts as 2 points.

CW/Digital Point Value Each CW/Digital contact within SC shall count as 2 points. Each CW/Digital contact outside the state shall count as 4 points.

A Note About Digital Modes PSK, RTTY and FT8, or any other digital mode, shall be considered equivalent and not separate.

A Note About Digital Modes A PSK and RTTY contact on the same band, with the same station, is considered a Dupe.

Example of Scoring i.e. As a SC station, you work W1AW on 10 and 20 Meters – SSB That counts as two contacts: thus, two contacts at 2 points each equal 4 total points.

Point Multipliers Each State and County entity counts as a Multiplier only ONCE PER MODE – not per band as in most contest.

Bonus Stations SC Special Event Calls to Work For Extra Points Include W4CAE (Columbia ARC) +250 points! WW4SF (Swamp Fox Station) +250 points! W4CAE

These Stations may be worked ONCE per BAND per MODE. Bonus Stations These Stations may be worked ONCE per BAND per MODE. W4CAE

Total QSO Points X Multipliers + Bonus Points Your Final Score Total QSO Points X Multipliers + Bonus Points Example: 30 SSB Contacts from SC = 30 points 25 SSB Out-Of-State Contacts = 50 points 20 Multipliers = 80 X 20 = 1,600 points 1 Bonus WW4SF = 250 points Total Score : 1,600 + 250 = 1,850 Contest Points

Submitting Your Score The SCQSOP Web Page Has Instructions On How To Submit Your Score Only Electronically Filed Logs Will Be Accepted within 30 days after the contest.

Submitting Your Score Cabrillo formatted logs are encouraged, but ASCII text formatted logs are acceptable.

There Are Various Awards and Certificates Available for Your Effort. A minimum of 50 valid contacts is required to qualify for a category award.

And US States Outside of South Carolina Award Certificates Certificates will be awarded to the top scores for each entry category for the following: DX Stations Canadian Provinces And US States Outside of South Carolina

Award Categories There are numerous award available. Log onto the SC QSOP Contest Web Page for a complete listing found in the rules.

Miscellaneous Information 1. Out-of-State stations working from multiple states must submit a separate log for each state, and each state score stands alone.

Miscellaneous Information 1. Out-of-State stations working from multiple states must submit a separate log for each state, and each state score stands alone. 2. “County Line” contacts must be logged as separate contacts.

Miscellaneous Information 1. Out-of-State stations working from multiple states must submit a separate log for each state, and each state score stands alone. 2. “County Line” contacts must be logged as separate contacts. 3. Remote Stations use the site of the transmitting station as their QTH.

The use of spotting assistance is permitted.

Spotting Assistance The use of spotting assistance is permitted. This includes the use of packet clusters, reverse beacons, networks, CW Skimmer, APRS telemetry, etc. and Self Spotting is permitted.

A Clarification 1. A transmitter used to contact one or more stations may not subsequently be used under any other call sign during the contest.

A Clarification 1. A transmitter used to contact one or more stations may not subsequently be used under any other call sign during the contest. 2. Exceptions: Family Stations, where there is more than one call sign assigned to the operator in charge.

A Clarification 1. A transmitter used to contact one or more stations may not subsequently be used under any other call sign during the contest. 2. Exceptions: Family Stations, where there is more than one call sign assigned to the operator in charge. 3. Exception: A station used as a Bonus Station.

Finally 1. This is an easy contest to work.

Finally 1. This is an easy contest to work. 2. Submit your score regardless of what it is.

Finally 1. This is an easy contest to work. 2. Submit your score regardless of what it is. 3. Remember, there are contest rookies also working the event.

Finally 1. This is an easy contest to work. 2. Submit your score regardless of what it is. 3. Remember, there are contest rookies also working the event. 4. All stations “need” to work you for points.

Don’t Forget The Carolina Weekend in 2018 The North Carolina QSOP is February 28th at 1500z to February 29th at 0100z.

Don’t Forget The Carolina Weekend in 2018 The North Carolina QSOP is February 25th at 1500z to February 26th at 0100z. Join in the Spelling Bee for the challenge. Work NC counties and use the first letter of your worked counties to spell North Carolina.

Don’t Forget The Carolina Weekend in 2018 Visit the NC QSO Party Web Page for additional information. www.ncqsoparty.org

www.scqsop.com Contest Results The SC QSOP page has a listing of all award winners and scores from past years. www.scqsop.com

For Help Review the Party Rules at the “Official Web Site” www.scqso.com or Help is available from: The Columbia Area ARC and/or Swamp Fox Contest Group Members

See You On The Air

Credits www.freemusicarchive.org/music/Kevin_McLeod/ Presentation by Gil Huggins – KS4YX Based on rules for 2018 Music: “Pixelland” by Kevin McLeod using creative commons license by attribution 3.0. Free Music Archive Web Page is: www.freemusicarchive.org/music/Kevin_McLeod/