NEWS in 2024:

• FT4 qsos are accepted on 2m and 70cm
• Low power limit has been changed for 70cm. It’ll be 75 W
• Scoring: One (1) point per unique callsign worked (regardless the mode)

Purpose:

VHF -UHF FT8 Activity is an “OPEN” contest, for promoting FT8 & FT4 activity on the 2m, 70 cm and 23 cm bands.

An increased activity will provide the possibility of working new DXCC or squares, also can make use of short-lived propagation or even detect great openings which otherwise can go unnoticed.

Who can participate?

Each and every ham radio with a valid license, who accepts the present set of rules.

Contest days:

 from January to December

• Every first Wednesday of each month for the 2m band (FT8:144.174 MHz ; FT4:144.170 MHz )
• Every second Wednesday of each month for the 70cm band (FT8: 432.174 MHz; FT4 432.170MHz)
• Every third Wednesday of each month for the 23 cm band (according to each mode)      

Round	144 MHz	432 Mhz	1296 Mhz
Round 1	Jan 3	Jan 10	Jan 17
Round 2	Feb 7	Feb 14	Feb 21
Round 3	Mar 6	Mar 13	Mar 20
Round 4	Apr 3	Apr 10	Apr 17
Round 5	May 1	May 8	May 15
Round 6	June 5	June 12	June 19
Round 7	July 3	July 10	July 17
Round 8	Aug 7	Aug 14	Aug 21
Round 9	Sep 4	Sep 11	Sep 18
Round 10	Oct 2	Oct 9	Oct 16
Round 11	Nov 6	Nov 13	Nov 20
Round 12	Dec 4	Dec 11	Dec 18

Round period:

17:00 to 21:00 UTC                            

Modes:

2m: FT8 144.174 Mhz FT4 :144.170 MHz

70 cm FT8 432.174 Mhz FT4: 432.170 MHz

             23 cm : FT8 or any other Digital Mode

Categories:

                       

Low Power : LP    2m < 100 watts at any time

                                  70cm < 75 watts at any time

                                  23 cm <10 watts at any time

                         HP=High Power

Exchange:

Callsign and main grid locator (4 characters, e.g., KN15).

Multipliers:

The multiplier is the number of different main grid locators worked per round.

Scoring:

One (1) point per unique callsign worked. Multiply total points with the total number of grid locators (GL) worked. All QSOs validated through the crosscheck of received logs (callsign, grid locator) will be scored. Likewise, the QSO with a station that did not send the log will be scored, if that station appears at least in another received log, and in the simple majority of the logs received, the station in question appears with the same grid locator. If a callsing appears only in one log, this is an “unique” and will be validated. In this case additional proof may be requested. (ALL.TXT, decode history)

Please help us validate as many QSO`s as possible by spreading the news about this activity!

Awards

Certificates will be awarded to the top scoring station in each category/band and in each country.

Logs:

Only electronic logs in ADIF format files are accepted, separately for each band.

Logs file name should be like: callsign.adi

Logs must be upload in maximum 5 (five) days from the end of each round. Logs received later than 5 (five) days will not be included in the results, but can be used as check-logs. Received logs list will be posted on the Received Logs page.

Round results and aggregate:

Results table for each round and also the aggregated best results from eight rounds, will be posted on the contest webpage  (www.VHFdx.ro)

Final Results:

Final results will be posted at the end of the contest, after 20 of December, for the following categories:

 – 144 MHz LP Single – General and by DXCC,

– 144 MHz HP Single – General and by DXCC

– 144 MHz Multi General and by DXCC

– 432 MHz LP Single – General and by DXCC

– 432 MHz HP Single – General and by DXCC

– 432 MHz Multi General and by DXCC

-1296 Mhz LP Single – General and by DXCC

-1296 Mhz HP Single – General and by DXCC

Remarks:

Use the standard FT8 mode. Don’t use the VHF Contest mode!

Using multiple simultaneous signals (fox mode or similar) is forbbiden.

There are no penalties for dupe QSOs, they just won’t be counted.

Use of DX clusters are allowed in every category; however, self-spotting is forbidden.

It is also allowed to use ON4KST chat, for skeds only.

Unacceptable examples for communications on chat-channels:

– “I only need the final rogers..”;

– “you are -19db”;

– “I copy you. Please continue “;

We are confident you are respecting DX Code of Conduct.

Any sugestions are welcome: ft8@ft8activity.eu.

QSO BANAT Association, YO2KQT