5.2 10-10 QSO PARTIES
10-10 QSO Parties are events that are held for fun and to meet old, new and prospective members around the world. The rules listed here are for all general QSO parties. The Spirit of 76 and Open Season QSO Parties are specialty events and do have additional rules. The Anniversary and Meet the Volunteers are year long contact events.
5.2.1 WHO IS ELIGIBLE?
QSO Parties are open to all amateurs with operating privileges on the 10 meter band, however, logs will be accepted only from active members as of the date of the event with the following exception: Open Season event logs will be accepted from all amateurs. Other logs received will be handled as check logs. Check logs are used to validate (check) other logs, but do not qualify the sender for any awards. A QSO Party contact log submitted by an Amateur that intentionally submits erroneous contact information to cause errors on membership applications and awards will be considered an invalid log. Ten-Ten will not accept any log of contacts from an Amateur who had his or her membership/1010 number revoked.
5.2.2 WHEN ARE THE QSO PARTIES?
There are currently nine QSO Parties held throughout the calendar year:
Winter Phone – held on the first full weekend in February – 0001 UTC Saturday through 2359 UTC Sunday.
Spring Digital – held on the last full weekend in April – 0001 UTC Saturday through 2359 UTC Sunday.
Spring CW – held on the first full weekend in May – 0001 UTC Saturday through 2359 UTC Sunday.
Open Season (PSK) – held on the first full weekend in June – 0001 UTC Saturday through 2359 UTC Sunday.
Weak Signal – Held on the second full weekend in July – 0001 UTC Saturday through 2359 UTC Sunday.
Summer Phone – held on the first full weekend in August – 0001 UTC Saturday through 2359 UTC Sunday.
Sprint – a 24 hour event held on October 10th (10-10) – 0001 UTC through 2359 UTC.
Fall CW – held on the third full weekend in October – 0001 UTC Saturday through 2359 UTC Sunday.
Fall Digital – held on the second full weekend in November – 0001 UTC Saturday through 2359 UTC Sunday.
5.2.3 FREQUENCY AND MODES
Direct unassisted contacts only are permitted. Repeater, Satellite, IRLP, Echolink, or any other similar type of assisted contacts are NOT allowed. Based on the appropriate band plan for the country of operator, CW QSO Parties should be operated in the CW area of the 10 meter band and operated using CW only. Digital QSO Parties should be operated in the digital area of the 10 meter band and operated using Digital modes only. The only accepted modes for the Spring and Fall Digital QSO Parties are BPSK and RTTY. See Para 5.2.12 for weak signal modes. Phone QSO Parties must be operated in the PHONE area of the 10 meter band and may be operated using any approved method (SSB, FM, AM). The SPRINT utilizes all operating modes (except weak signal modes) in the 10 meter band.
5.2.4 ENTRY CLASSIFICATION
Entrants may submit a log in ANY of the following classifications:
QRP: Includes single station operators and can also include OM/XYL teams or any families or groups of people using individual call signs and 10-10 numbers. CW/Digital/RTTY operations max 5 watts and Phone operations max 10 watts during the entire event.
LOW POWER: Same as QRP listed above except that output power for CW/Phone/Digital/RTTY operations is max 150 watts during the entire event.
HIGH POWER: Same as QRP listed above except that output power for CW/Phone/Digital/RTTY operations is greater than 150 watts during the event.
CLUB: A Club must have a valid club station license issued by their National Licensing Authority and must have an active 10-10 membership. Club entries must list the call, name and 10-10 number (if any) for all operators using the club call. Club operations will take place at one location using one set of equipment. Operators entering under a club entry may also enter an individual log for contacts made using their own call sign.
MOBILE: A mobile applies to car, truck, RV, motorcycle, boat, airplane or other mode of transportation. Use of a base station antenna, amplifier or commercial power is not permitted. Operation while your vehicle is parked across a county line, occupying two counties, counts as two counties and two contacts. Marine and aeronautical mobiles must be able to establish counties of operation. Safety is paramount while operating mobile. If you are unable to park near multiple county lines due to safety issues (i.e. on a bridge, on a freeway, etc.), please move to the closest area which would provide the best operating conditions and still be able to give out multiple counties. Duplicate entries are allowed when working in multiple counties. In addition to the normal log information provided the County Worked from and County worked must also be included. Mobile stations will receive awards within their own category and will not be included in the individual sections or Top Ten in the World. Mobile entries will only be accepted for Winter & Summer Phone and 10-10 Sprint QSO Parties.
5.2.5 TRANSMITTER INFORMATION
An operator may operate mobile, portable or fixed. If they change their exchange QTH during the QSO Party, the operator must show same in their log. The operator may enter a log from one call district, province, or DX country. Multi-transmitters (two or more transmitters operating simultaneously, sharing one call sign) are NOT permitted in any QSO Party. If a single transmitter becomes inoperable, it is permissible to change to a replacement transmitter. No matter your physical location, your QTH is the location of the transmitting antenna.
5.2.6 EXCHANGE
10-10 members send call sign, name, 10-10# and QTH (State, Province or Country). If received exchange does not have a 10-10#, then record a zero(0) in the log.
5.2.7 QSO POINTS
Two (2) points are awarded for contacts WITH a 10-10 number. One (1) point is awarded for contacts WITHOUT a 10-10 number. Duplicate entries should be retained in log and show a zero (0) for points. Any log showing 10% or more errors may be handled as a check log. A station may be counted only once regardless of mode except during certain specialty events.
5.2.8 CHAPTER SCORE ASSIGNMENT
Any entrant who is a chapter member may assign his/her score to that chapter. QSO Party chapter scores for the Sprint and Open Season may not be assigned.
5.2.9 QSO PARTY ENTRIES
Logs shall be forwarded to the QSO Party Manager as identified in the 10-10 NEWS or on the 10-10 web site. It is strongly suggested that logs be sent as soon as possible after the close of the event. It is also recommended that DX logs should be sent AIR Mail to insure they are received in good time. Any logs received with a postmark date AFTER the deadline date will be handled as a check log. Any logs received more than 8 days after the entry deadline, regardless of postmark, will be discarded. LOGS MAY BE SENT VIA Email to tentencontest@ten-ten.org
Q95 files are not a proper format nor are they readable, therefore, they will not be accepted.
5.2.9.1 ENTRY DESCRIPTION
Entries must contain a Cover Sheet, Log and Dupe Sheet as described here: COVER SHEET will list the Event Entered, Entry Classification, US Call Area (W0-W9 or DX Country), Chapter Score Assignment (if any), number of contacts and points with 10-10#, number of contacts and points without 10-10#, and total contacts and points claimed. LOGS must be listed in date/time order and list UTC Date, UTC Time, Call, Name, as copied over the air, 10-10# (zero (0) if none), QTH and Contact Point Value. A DUPE SHEET is required for any logs exceeding 50 contacts. It may be either a list of all calls contacted in call sign order or hand entered on a dupe sheet grid.
5.2.9.2 ENTRY DEADLINES
Entries for all QSO Parties listed EXCEPT the Sprint shall be postmarked no later than 8 calendar days (this will always be a Monday) after the close of the event. Entries for the Sprint (held on 10/10) shall be postmarked no later than October 18th, unless that day falls on a Sunday or holiday, than the postmark deadline shall be October 19th.
5.2.10 QSO PARTY RESULTS AND AWARDS
QSO Party results will be posted on the 10-10 web site about 15 days after the closing deadline for the event and also printed in the 10-10 NEWS in the appropriate issue. Awards will be issued by the certificate manager for Top Ten Individual scorers in the World, the top individual scorer in each US Call Area (W0-W9), each DX Country, and for top QRP, LOW POWER, HIGH POWER, CLUB, MOBILE and CHAPTER. Electronic certificates will be sent to the 2nd and 3rd place scorers in these categories.
5.2.11 ANNIVERSARY and MEET THE VOLUNTEERS EVENTS
These events run from January 1 0001 UTC to December 31 2359 UTC. In the Anniversary event, entrants may submit a log of contacts with members that have the anniversary year contained in their membership number. Example: 2022 is the 60th anniversary year of 10-10 International Net, Inc. Contact with members containing a “60” in their membership number (i.e., 72060, 69605, 66054, 60126, 05607) would count toward the event. Each year the anniversary number changes, making a new group of members the focus of the event and promoting the use of the 10-meter band. All general rules are applicable with the following exceptions: During the calendar year (January 1 through December 31) make legal 10-10 contacts with 10-10 Number, Date, Call Sign, QTH with members containing the anniversary year in their membership number as described above.
In the MEET THE VOLUNTEERS event, entrants may submit a log of contacts with members listed in the 10-10 NEWS as being a 10-10 volunteer. One contact per volunteer is permitted, regardless of mode of contact. In both events, contacts must be made on the 10-meter band with any legal mode (AM, SSB, FM, PSK, CW, etc.). All submitted logs must contain only one entry for each 10-10 number contacted. Contacts MUST be listed in 10-10 number order and each entry must list the 10-10 Number, Date, Call, Name, QTH and Mode, in that order. These events are for Individual entries as described in section 5.2.4 and certificates will be awarded for the TOP Ten, however all entrants will be listed in the 10-10 NEWS.
Logs MUST be postmarked no later than January 8th of the year following both the Anniversary and Meet the Volunteers events. Only members in good standing (with dues paid) are allowed to submit logs.
5.2.12 Weak Signal QSO PARTY (WSQP)
This event was added to help promote digital activity on the ten meter band. The event in no way affects or modifies the policies for other scheduled Ten-Ten events. All weak signal modes for this event include: FT/JT/JS8/JS8CALL and any future weak signal mode. No repeater, cross-mode or cross-band contacts allowed.
Primary suggested frequencies:
FT4 28.180
FT8 28.074
JT65 28.076
JS8/JS8CALL 28.078
Entry categories: QRP – Maximum 10 watts output. Low Power – Maximum 150 watts output.
Exchange: 10-10 members should send call sign, name, 10-10# and QTH (ST/Prov/Country). Received exchange should include normal exchange for FT/JT/JS8/JS8CALL modes and for extra points name, QTH and 10-10#. Scoring will be 1 point for contacts without a 10-10 number and three (3) points for contacts with a valid 10-10# exchange. NO MULTIPLIERS! All other normal rules apply. Logs shall be forwarded to the QSO Party Manager.
5.2.13 10-10 SPRINT (October 10) QSO PARTY
An award will be issued for working all 10 USA Call Districts.
5.2.14 W6OI/VE9TEN/DL0X SPECIAL EVENT
THIS EVENT HAS BEEN POSTPONED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE!
This event is held during the 3rd weekend of November each year from 0000 UTC Saturday through 2359 UTC Sunday. This special event operation is where volunteers operate the 10-10 official club stations (W6OI/VE9TEN/DL0X) seeking to work anyone anywhere. Any mode of operation is permitted. Many operators will be authorized to operate W6OI from most US states and VE9TEN from various Provinces/Territories simultaneously. DL0X is operated by Henry, DL8YBM. The purpose is to have fun promoting 10-meter activity making contacts with 10-10 members and, of course, non-members. This is a great way to increase membership! Exchange is similar to any 10-10 QSO Party event – name, call, QTH and 10-10 number if one is available. As contacts are made, provide info on the 10-10 organization and where to find our website – www.ten-ten.org. If anyone wants to volunteer to operate W6OI during this event contact Dave, NF0J. Members in Canada should contact Rob, VE9KM for permission to operate VE9TEN.
5.2.15 FOR MORE INFORMATION
Current information about 10-10 and upcoming 10-10 QSO Parties and events are always available on the 10-10 web site. Cover sheets, logging forms and dupe sheets are also available for downloading or printing at http:/www.ten-ten.org. Any unanswered questions regarding the QSO Party rules may be forwarded to the QSO Party Manager.
Download this document in PDF format.
Rules as of May 1, 2024
TEN-TEN INTERNATIONAL
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