YO DX CONTEST

We would like to invite all the avid contesters to YO DX Contest. The rules have been improved and we hope you will enjoy it.

Rules for YO DX HF CONTEST

I.Sponsors and objective
The contest is sponsored by the Romanian Amateur Radio Federation, with the purpose of improving the Romanian radio amateurs skills, in the context of a world-wide competition.

II.Contest Period
Last full weekend of August:
Saturday 12:00:00 UTC – Sunday 11:59:59 UTC (24 hours)
For 2009: August 29, 12:00:00 – August 30, 11:59:59 UTC



III. Bands and Modes
80 – 10 m, excepting the WARC bands, in the band segments corresponding to the selected traffic mode (CW and SSB).
No QSO are permitted in the band segments reserved to DX traffic. The same station can be worked once in CW and once in SSB, in the appropriate band segments according to the IARU band plan.


IV.Categories
For stations from outside YO:

A. SO-AB-CW-LP

B. SO-AB-CW-HP

C. SO-AB-SSB-LP

D. SO-AB-SSB-HP

E. SO-AB-Mixed-LP

F. SO-AB-Mixed-HP

G. SO-SB-Mixed (3,5; 7; 14; 21; 28 MHz, any power)

H. MOST-AB-Mixed

I. YN (youngster and novice) operators under 16 years of age or with maximum 3 years since the first authorization, proven with a copy of the appropriate documents.

LP – no more than 100 W output / HP – more than 100 W output.


V. Contest exchange
Foreign stations will transmit RS(T) + serial number, starting with 001.
Romanian stations will transmit RS(T) + abbreviation of the district or BU for stations from Bucharest.

VI. Contact Points
Foreign stations:
1 QSO with a Romanian station – 8 points
1 QSO with a station outside the own continent – 4 points
1 QSO with a station from the own continent – 2 points
1 QSO with a station from the own DXCC country – 1 point
Note: Double QSOs (dupes) are not penalized and it is recommended to be kept in the log. Also it is not necessary to be marked in any particular way inside the log.


VII.Multipliers
For the foreign stations (from outside Romania): the DXCC entities + Romania’s districts (only once/band, regardless the traffic mode).
Romania (YO) shall not be counted as a separate multiplier.


VIII.Final score
Total QSO points on all bands X (multiplied by) the sum of multipliers on all bands

IX. General Rules
a) Only one transmitted signal is allowed at any given time, for all categories of participants, regardless the band and the mode.

b) The usage of the DX-Cluster system (packet cluster, web cluster) is allowed, for all categories of participants.

c) Forbidden and penalized with disqualification:

– Self-spotting (posting your own call on the cluster)

– Fake spotting (posting on the cluster using fake call signs)

– Spotting of your call sign by other stations as a result of a prearranged solicitation (by phone, fax, internet, mail, etc.)

d) It is recommended the decent usage of the DX-Cluster system. This means to point out DX stations, new multipliers, propagation openings in challenging bands. It’s not recommended the posting of “favorite” Romanian calls, with the purpose of generating advantages for these stations, to other stations’ disadvantage.

e) The 10-minute rule applies at every change of band or mode, except the cases when a new multiplier is worked.

f) The usage of local or remote Skimmer and/or Skimmer-like technology is forbidden.



X.Instructions for Preparation of Logs

All logs should be submitted in Cabrillo format (even check logs) for helping the final arbitrage of the contest.
The list of the received logs will be periodically published on the web site www.hamradio.ro.
A list with the most popular contest software which support YO DX Contest will be posted together with the contest rules on the official page of FRR.

Other recommendations:
All times must be submitted in UTC (time differences of maximum +/-5 minutes are allowed between correspondents)
The complete controls exchanged during the QSO must be reported
The name of the file must contain the call sign of the participant. The file will have the extension .cbr or .log
The header of the log must contain the category, name and complete address, the association whose member he is (especially for Romanian stations), as well as other specific information (age, if under 16, XYL/YL, etc.). Additionally, if the participant wants to be framed in a specific band, although he worked in multiple bands, this will be specified in the header.
Paper based logs are also accepted. These will be converted in .cbr format by the arbitrators or other volunteers which are not competing for the first positions. The errors which might appear while introducing the data shall not be disputed after publishing the scores.
It is not necessary to provide the points or the final score. This will be done by the verification software.
Double QSOs don’t have to be marked or left out of the log.
Logs must be submitted within 30 days after the contest.
The email address is: yodx-contest@hamradio.ro
The postal address is: FRR, PO Box 22-50, RO-014780 Bucuresti 22, România
For the electronic submission, in the “Subject” line of your email please include your call sign. Participants will receive a confirmation email in maximum 72 hours after the log has been received


XI. Trophies and Awards
For foreign stations:
Participants on 1st, 2nd and 3rd places from each category will receive awards. Depending on our sponsors, special packages will be offered to the 1st place of each category (with respect to chapter IV).
A separate classification will be issued for each country. Depending on the number of participants from each country, awards will be offered:
1-9 participants: 1st place
10-19 participants: also 2nd place
20-29 participants: also 3rd place, etc.
A Top 10/continent classification will be issued. The winner of each continent will be awarded with a plaque (depending on the potential sponsors).
Plaques will be offered (depending on the potential sponsors) to the operator with age under 16 and to the YL/XYL operator with the highest score (only if they submitted the contest log, if the information is contained inside the log and if sponsors for these categories will exist).
Other awards will be offered to participants depending the availability of sponsors.
All foreign stations will receive by e-mail the final scores, together with the contest rules of the YO DX HF Contest for the next year.