RSGB 3.5MHz Club Championship

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RSGB 3.5MHz Club Championship 2016

A series of short weekday evening contests on 3.5MHz, promoting competition between Affiliated Societies. Individual scores in every event count towards a Society's overall score, so it is important for contest organisers to get members to come on in as many Sessions and as many modes as possible. A rolling listing is maintained on the Contest Committee web page. There are no 3.5MHz events on Tuesdays, when the associated UKAC events above 30MHz take place.

Changes for 2016:
New frequency limits for SSB rule 1(h)
RSGB Contest Club, rule 2(f)

1. KEY INFORMATION

1(a) General Rules

The RSGB General Rules apply to these contests.

1(b) Definition

The term "UK&CD" in these rules refers to the "United Kingdom and Crown Dependencies". This means jurisdictions allocated prefixes G, GD, GI, GJ, GM, GU and GW. The term "non-UK" means anywhere outside the UK&CD

1(c) Call Signs

Contest Call Signs (SCC) are not permitted in these contests, even for entrants who hold a valid Ofcom NoV.

1(d) When?

Dates:

February - July 1(Calendar shows Session dates)
Each Session counts as a separate contest.

Times:

2000-2130 UTC (February & March)
1900-2030 UTC (April, May, June, July)

1(e) Modes:

Either CW, SSB or Datamodes in each Session: see table in Calendar.
'Datamodes' means PSK or RTTY only -- the same station may be worked on both PSK and RTTY.

1(f) Exchange:

RS(T) + serial number.

1(g) Contacts:

A UK&CD station is required to be at one or both ends of a contact for it to count for points. Stations operating outside the UK&CD are welcome to participate, and their scores will be listed with UK&CD stations in individual tables.
Non-UK stations can earn certificates by providing points to UK&CD competitors, but scores from non-UK stations do not contribute to Society scores.

1(h) Frequencies

CW:

3520-3560kHz, with the QRS Corral (for slower CW operators) around 3555kHz.

SSB:

3602-3775 kHz -- these are suppressed carrier/dial frequencies.
Note: The segment 3650-3700 kHz is not SSB contest preferred and should be avoided if clear frequencies are available in the segments above or below.

Datamodes:

PSK -- 3580 to 3590 kHz. RTTY -- 3590 to 3620 kHz.

1(i) Sections for Entrants

Low:

100W maximum power at the transmitter output.

QRP:

10W maximum power at the transmitter output.

Entrants may change Section from one Session to another.
Entrants may represent only one Affiliated Society in a Session.

2. CATEGORIES AND ENTRANTS

2(a) Information

These are contests between Affiliated Societies, represented by members in each Session of the series. There is no limit to the number who can participate on behalf of their Society.
Societies must enter in one of two Categories. The Local Category is intended for societies drawing their membership from a limited geographical area. The General Category is intended for societies which are national, regional, or more contest-oriented, and which may have a geographically diverse membership. Societies which do not specify their entry category will be placed in the General Category.

2(b) RSGB Membership

The operators of Stations representing a Society must be members of that Society, but are not required to be RSGB members. Stations not representing a Society may enter and may compete for certificates mentioned in rule 4(c), but all operators of such stations must be RSGB members.

2(c) Virtual Meeting Place

Each Society must specify its Virtual Meeting Place (VMP) -- a reference point from which distances are measured, and which need not have any connection with the Society's activities. Societies must email the UK&CD Postcode or 6-digit QTH locator of their VMP to afs.query@rsgbcc.org before the first relevant contest entry of each calendar year. Their VMP will be used for all HF and VHF AFS contests, and for Scieties in the Local Category of the 3.5MHz Club Championship and 3.5MHz Sprint contests. The current address information can be verified during log submission.

2(d) Local Category

Society members in the Local Category must operate from within a circle of radius 35km from their Virtual Meeting Place and be within the UK&CD. However, members whose home address (as shown on their Ofcom validation document) is greater than 35km from the Virtual Meeting Place of their nearest Affiliated Society may nonetheless operate from their home address when representing this Affiliated Society. Stations must state the UK&CD Postcode or 6-digit QTH locator of their location for the Session being entered when submitting their entry to the contest Robot.

2(e) General Category

Societies that do not meet the requirements of the Local Category must enter in the General Category. Society members must operate from within the UK&CD. Members of the RSGB Contest Club, described in 2(f), may also enter this section.

2(f) RSGB Contest Club

The RSGB Contest Club is an RSGB sponsored group for members who wish to enter the RSGB 3.5MHz Club Championship and International Sprints as representatives of a club but who are not members of a participating Affiliated Society. To join the RSGB Contest Club, you need have no previous experience of contesting and you will not be obliged to enter all or any of the 3.5MHz Club Championship or International Sprint events. Please register with the group by sending your name, callsign and RSGB membership number by email to ContestClub@rsgbcc.org. The same address e-mail can be used if you have any queries about the RSGB Contest Club.

2(g) Multi operator

All stations are considered multi-operator even if operated by one person. There is no separate single operator section/category. All stations may use the DX Cluster, Reverse Beacon Network (RBN) etc. if they wish.

3. SCORING AND LOGGING

3(a) Scoring system

Scoring:

One point per contact.

Normalisation - CW & SSB:

The final score is normalised to the leading score in the appropriate Section, the leading score being awarded 1000 points and all other scores expressed in proportion.

Normalisation - Datamodes:

Entrants' scores on each mode (RTTY and PSK) are normalised to the leader on that mode. Each entrant's two mode scores are then added together and normalised again, so that the leading overall score in each Section receives 1000 points, with other scores expressed in proportion.

3(b) Logs

Format:

Logs must be in Cabrillo format.
Example of a log for these contests.

Mode codes:

The Cabrillo Mode Codes are RTTY: RY, PSK: PS, SSB: PH, CW: CW. Entrants should check their logs carefully, particularly to make sure that RY and PS are shown correctly.

Entries:

Logs must be submitted online within seven days. So for a contest on the 5th March, for example, the deadline is 23:59:59 on the 12th March.

Web Input:

An alternative to logging software is to log on paper then enter details directly into the web form after a Session.

4. RESULTS AND AWARDS

4(a) Score Tabulation

There will be a listing of Societies for Local and General Categories.
There will be separate listings for CW, SSB & Datamodes entrants, showing UK&CD & non-UK together.

4(b) Trophies

The G5RV Memorial Shield is awarded to the leading Affiliated Society in the two Categories (Local & General) considered together.
The Horace Freeman Trophy is awarded to the leading Society in the other Category.

4(c) Certificates

The top three Societies in both Categories (Local & General) are awarded certificates.
The three leading UK&CD stations in both LOW (100W) & QRP (10W) Sections are awarded certificates.
The three leading non-UK stations in both LOW (100W) & QRP (10W) Sections are awarded certificates.

5. ADJUDICATORS FOR THE 3.5MHz CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP

CW Sessions: Roger, G4BVY

SSB Sessions: Mike, G3VYI

Datamodes Sessions:
Ian, G0FCT