RSGB International DX Contest

1. Basic Information

The RSGB International DX Contest is a development of a long established series of HF contests on 21 and 28 MHz, now expanded to include 14MHz. This is to accommodate periods of poor propagation on the higher bands. The contest is always an excellent opportunity for UK&CD stations to have DX QSOs and for non-UK stations to work United Kingdom and Crown Dependencies (UK&CD) stations on multiple bands and modes. As propagation between the British Isles and DX locations can sometimes be for short periods on the higher bands, certificates are awarded to the Non-UK station in each Continent with the highest scoring clock hour.

Date: Sunday 2 October 2016 (the Sunday of the first full weekend in October each year)

Time: 07:00 - 19:00 UTC.

Frequencies:
     (a) 14 MHz. CW: 14000 - 14060 kHz
     (b) 14 MHz SSB (suppressed carrier/indicated frequency): 14125 - 14298 kHz
     (c) 21MHz. CW: 21000 - 21075kHz and 21125 - 21150kHz
     (d) 21MHz SSB (suppressed carrier/indicated frequency): 21150 - 21348kHz
     (e) 28MHz CW: 28000 - 28150 kHz.
     (f) 28MHz SSB (suppressed carrier/indicated frequency): 28300 - 28998kHz
     Note: The sub-band on 10m SSB is extended down to 28300kHz

Modes: CW, SSB. Entries may be CW only, SSB only or mixed (CW & SSB). Cross mode QSOs are not permitted.

Exchange: RS(T) + serial number.

Contacts:
     UK&CD stations contact any other station. Only non-UK stations can provide multipliers.
     Non-UK stations contact any other station. Only UK&CD stations can provide multipliers.
Please note: QSO points are higher for the higher bands.

RSGB General Rules apply to this contest

Multi-Operator and Single-Operator entries are accepted

(a) Single Operator entries may be Unassisted or Assisted.

(b) Multi or Single and Unassisted or Assisted status will be shown in the listing of results.

Scores from this contest made by Single Operators in the UK&CD contribute to the RSGB HF Championship.

Note: Please refer to the RSGB HF General Rules for the definitions of 'Single Operator Assisted' and 'Single Operator Unassisted'

UK entrants are permitted to use Special Contest Call Signs (SCC) if they hold a valid NoV from OFCOM.

2. Sections

(a) UK&CD stations
(b) Non-UK stations

3. Categories

(1) Open - no restriction on power or antenna
(2) Restricted - a maximum of 100 watts output measured at the output of the transmitter and only one antenna per band, which must be a single element with a maximum height of 15m
(3) QRP - a maximum of 5 watts output, no antenna restriction

4. Scoring

The same station may be contacted on each band and both modes for points and multipliers.

UK&CD stations - 1 point per contact with UK&CD stations on any band, 2 points for non-UK contacts on 20m, 4 points for 15m and 6 points for 10m. Multipliers are the countries of the DXCC list, except that JA, W, VE, VK, ZL and ZS call areas count as separate countries, and the UK call areas do not count for multiplier credit. Multipliers apply on each band and mode.

5. Logs

Entries must be submitted to http://www.rsgbcc.org/cgi-bin/hfenter.pl by the date specified in the RSGB General Rules. Entries must be in Cabrillo format. See here for information on preparing a Cabrillo entry.

Entrants should check that their logging software will handle this contest. If there is no specific support (for example, with Win-test), an alternative might be to select the "CQ WPX Contest", which could allow multi-mode QSOs and produce logs in a suitable format.

Example of RSGB International DX Contest log.

6. Results

The results will be published in the form of a single list for each section, with mode, category and Single/Multi status shown for each entrant.

7. Awards

(a) The "London Bus" Trophy is awarded to the overall highest-scoring Non-UK station.

(b) Certificates of merit are awarded to the overall highest-scoring station in each section (UK, Non-UK) on each mode (CW, SSB, Mixed).

(c) Certificates of merit are awarded to the highest-scoring station in each of the Open, Restricted, QRP and Multi-Operator categories in each section and on each mode, subject to there being a minimum of three competitors for any certificate.

(d) Certificates and Plaques are awarded to the overall leading UK Foundation single operator in the Restricted and QRP categories.

(e) Certificates and Plaques are awarded to the overall leading UK Intermediate single operator in the each of the three categories.

(f) Certificates and Plaques are awarded to the leading station in each Continent in each of the three categories.

(g) The T.E. Wilson G6VQ Trophy to is awarded to the overall leading UK single operator using CW only.

(h) The Whitworth Trophy is awarded to the overall leading UK single operator using SSB only.

(i) The Powditch Trophy is awarded to the overall leading UK single operator using Mixed modes.