ARRL

August UHF

2013 August UHF is August 3-4!

Objective: To work as many amateur stations in as many 2 degrees by 1 degrees grid squares as possible using authorized amateur frequencies above 222 MHz and all authorized modes of emission.

Overview

  • Dates

    First full weekend of August. Begins 1800 UTC Saturday, ends 1800 UTC Sunday (August 3-4, 2013). Entrants may use as much of this time as they wish.

  • Bands

    All authorized UHF+ frequencies above 222 MHz .

  • Log Submission Deadline

    Deadline for submission of entries for this contest is 1800z Tuesday, September 2, 2013. Cabrillo formatted logs should be emailed to AugustUHF@arrl.org.

  • Contact Information

    For contest information contact

    contests@arrl.org

    or (860) 594-0232

  • Awards

    Certificates will be awarded in the following categories:

     

    - Top single-operator High and Low power score in each ARRL Division.

     

    - Top single operator High and Low power score on each band (222, 432, 902, 1296 and 2304-and-up categories) in each ARRL Division where significant effort or competition is evidenced. (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 achievement stickers.) For example, if W1AW has the highest single-operator multi-band score in the Atlantic Division and his 432-MHz score is higher than any other Atlantic Division single-operator’s, he will earn both a certificate for being the single-operator Division leader and an endorsement sticker for 432 MHz.

     

    - Top multioperator score in each ARRL Division where significant effort or competition is evidenced. (Multioperator entries are not eligible for single-band awards.) - Top Rover, Limited Rover and Unlimited Rover score in each ARRL Division.

     

    - Additional certificates may be awarded where significant effort or competition is evidenced.

  • Paper Entry Forms

  • Power Limits by Category

    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:

    222 MHz and 432 MHz--100 W PEP.

    902 MHz and above--50 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.

    Rover:

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

     

    Limited Rover:

    222 MHz and 432 MHz--100 W PEP.

    902 MHz and above--50 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.

  • Results

Contest Details

1. Objective: To work as many amateur stations in as many 2 degrees by 1 degrees grid squares as possible using authorized amateur frequencies above 222 MHz and all authorized modes of emission.

2. Date and Contest Period: First full weekend of August. Begins 1800 UTC Saturday, ends 1800 UTC Sunday (August 3-4, 2013). Entrants may use as much of this time as they wish.

3. Entry Categories:

3.1.  Single Operator – Low Power

3.2.  Single Operator – High Power

3.3. Rover: A rover is comprised of no more than two operators that moves among two or more grid squares during the course of a contest. An operator may perform any or all rover functions, but a driver's function shall be limited to driving the vehicle. Drivers may be switched out during the event. Any number of observers is also allowed, however observers may not perform any rover function at any time. Rover vehicles with only one occupant are allowed to perform all functions listed above.

3.3.1. A rover vehicle may transport only one station using a single call sign. An exception is provided for in "General Rules for All ARRL Contests" number 3.5 (Family Rule).

3.3.2. A rover may not operate with more than one call sign.

3.3.3. Rover vehicles must transport all the equipment, power supplies, and antennas used at each operating site.

3.3.4. Rovers MUST sign "rover" on Phone and /R on CW and digital modes after their call sign.

3.3.5. All Rovers are encouraged to adopt operating practices that allow as many stations as possible to contact them.

3.3.6. Rover operators may submit separate logs for single operator (fixed station) in addition to their rover entries. Rovers submitting a score for inclusion in a club competition must also include a secondary summary sheet indicating the portion of the score that counts for the club score if any of the QSOs submitted take place outside of their club's territory.

3.3.7. Rovers are permitted to use APRS. Rovers using APRS transmit only their call sign and position. Any multi-op station may access rover APRS data directly or via the Internet.

3.3.8. A rover may not make more than 100 QSOs with any other one rover.

3.4. Limited Rover. Limited Rover. Same as the "Rover" class above, but operation is permitted only on the 222 MHz, 432 MHz, 903 MHz and 1296 MHz bands. Output power limits shall be the same as those defined for the Single Operator Low Power category.

3.5. Unlimited Rover. Same as “Rover” class above, but Unlimited Rovers may use more than two operators and are exempt from rules 3.3.3 and 3.3.8.

3.6.  Multioperator.

4. Exchange: Grid-square locator (or see April 1994 QST, page 86).

4.1.  Exchange of signal report is optional.

5. Scoring:

5.1.  QSO points:

5.1.1.   Count three points for each complete 222- or 432-MHz QSO.

5.1.2.   Count six points for each complete 902- or 1296-MHz QSO.

5.1.3.   Count 12 points for each 2.3-GHz (or higher) QSO.

5.2.  Multiplier: The total number of different grid squares worked per band. Each 2 degree by 1 degree grid square counts as one multiplier on each band it is worked.

5.3.  Final score: Multiply the total number of QSO points from all bands operated by the total number of multipliers for final score. Example: W1AW works W3CCX in FN20 on 222, 432 and 1296 MHz. This gives W1AW 12 QSO points (3 + 3 + 6) and also three grid-square multipliers. Final score is 12 QSO points X 3 multipliers, or 36.

5.4.  Rovers only: The final score consists of the total number of QSO points from all bands times the sum of unique multipliers (grid squares) worked per band (regardless of which grid square they were made in) plus one additional multiplier for every grid square activated (made a contact from).

5.4.1.  Rovers are listed in the contest score listings under the Division from which the most QSOs were made.

6. Miscellaneous:

6.1  Partial QSOs do not count. Both callsigns, full exchanges and acknowledgment must be sent and received.

6.2  A transmitter, receiver or antenna used to contact one or more stations under one call sign may not be used subsequently during the contest period under any other call sign (with the exception of family stations). The intent of this rule is to accommodate family members who must share a rig, not to manufacture artificial contacts.

6.3  All equipment and antennas used by entrants must be owned and operated by amateurs. Use of non-amateur owned gear is not prohibited, but use of such equipment places the entrant in a separate category, ineligible for awards.

6.4  Contacts made by re-transmitting either or both stations, whether by satellite or terrestrial means, are prohibited. Frequencies regularly occupied by a repeater in a locality may not be used for contest work, even if the repeater is turned off.

7. Awards: Certificates will be awarded in the following categories:

7.1.  Top single-operator High and Low power score in each ARRL Division.

7.2.  Top single operator High and Low power score on each band (222, 432, 902, 1296 and 2304-and-up categories) in each ARRL Division where significant effort or competition is evidenced. (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 achievement stickers.) For example, if W1AW has the highest single-operator multi-band score in the Atlantic Division and his 432-MHz score is higher than any other Atlantic Division single-operator’s, he will earn both a certificate for being the single-operator Division leader and an endorsement sticker for 432 MHz.  

7.3.  Top multi-operator score in each ARRL Division where significant effort or competition is evidenced. (Multioperator entries are not eligible for single-band awards.)

7.4.  Top Rover, Limited Rover and Unlimited Rover score in each ARRL Division.

7.5.  Additional certificates may be awarded where significant effort or competition is evidenced.

 8. Submission: Deadline for submission of entries for this contest is 1800z Tuesday, September 2, 2013.

8.1.  Paper logs and properly completed summary sheets should be mailed to: August UHF Contest, ARRL. 225 Main Street, Newington, CT 06111.

8.2.  Cabrillo formatter logs should be emailed to AugustUHF@arrl.org

8.3.  Participants may submit using the Web Applet.

8.4.  Entries postmarked or email dated after the deadline may only be considered checklogs. 

9. Other: See “General Rules for All ARRL Contests” and “General Rules for ARRL Contests on bands above 50 MHz." Questions regarding this contest should be emailed to contests@arrl.org.  Only use the contest-name email for submission of entries.