The LARG 2014 DX Marathon Contest by Gary Quinn |
The 2014 edition of the LARG DX Marathon began at 0000 UTC on January 1, 2014. The goal is to work as many countries and CQ zones as possible. The rules below are the CQ Magazine DX Marathon rules with modifications to fit our club contest. |
|
LARG DX Marathon Rules for 2014 Revision 1 dated February 10, 2014 Activity Period: The LARG Marathon begins at 0000 UTC January 1, 2014 and ending at 2359 UTC November 23, 2014. Frequencies: Any authorized amateur frequency may be used. Contacts through repeaters or satellites are not allowed for credit, nor are contacts with maritime or aeronautical mobile stations. All contacts must be made entirely over amateur radio frequencies i.e., Echolink-type contacts do not count. Submissions with all contacts utilizing a single band will be recognized. Modes: Any authorized amateur mode may be used. Three modes will be recognized in the LARG DX Marathon: CW, SSB and Digital. All modes other than CW or voice modes will count as digital. Submissions with all contacts utilizing a single mode will be recognized. Categories: Each entrant in the LARG DX Marathon may submit one log each year per operating location. Entries with two or more call signs will only count as a single entry if all the contacts were made by the same (single) operator at the same station location using the same antennas. Entries that include contacts made with the assistance of remote receivers and/or transmitters in addition to contacts from a primary station are not permitted. There are two entry classes, "Formula" " Limited" and "Unlimited." Formula: An entrant may choose one of two options in this class: Formula (1) All contacts must be made with a maximum output power of 5 watts, regardless of band or mode. Formula (2) the operator may run a maximum of 100 watts output to a simple antenna, such as a vertical or dipole (see the appendix below for further rules on antennas used in either option for Formula class). An operator in Formula class must select QRP (5 watts or less) or 100 watts and limited antennas at the beginning of the year's DX Marathon, and may not switch between entry modes during the year. Use of spotting nets such as a DX Cluster is allowed. Limited: Entrants are allowed a maximum output power of 100 watts and simple antennas, such as verticals or dipoles, plus small directional antennas such as Yagis and multi-element loop, hex and quad type antennas for the 6, 10, 12, 15, 17 and 20 meter bands, and single-element rotatable dipoles for the 30 and 40 meter bands. See the Appendix below for further description of Limited Class antennas. All contacts must be made without the use of higher power or prohibited antennas to initially secure the contact. Use of spotting nets such as a DX Cluster® is allowed. Details of antennas used in Limited Class must be included on the official submission form in order to qualify for Limited Class. Unlimited: Any antenna may be used, along with any power level for which the operator is licensed. Use of spotting nets such as DX Cluster is allowed. Scoring: Each country worked is worth one point. Each CQ zone worked is worth one point. The total score is the sum of zones and countries worked, on any mode and any authorized and. There are no multipliers of any kind. Each country and zone count only once. A single QSO may count for both a country and a zone. If in the course of the year you work 238 countries and 37 zones, your score is 275. If you work all 40 zones and 150 countries, your score is 190. The CQ DX Countries List and the CQ Zone List constitute the official lists. The lists are available on the DX Marathon web site. In the case of ties, the operator whose last scoring contact was earlier chronologically will be judged the winner. Decisions of the LARG Marathon committee are final. | |
|
Submissions: Submit logs in one of three ways: 1) Submit your entire log for the year from January 1, 2013 through November 23, 2014 up until 2359 UTC. Submit logs to NC4S in the ADIF file format. Attach the file to an email with your call sign in the subject line to [email protected] . Stations submitting logs for formula 1 or formula 2 must describe the antennas used for contacts for the Marathon in the email filing sent to NC4S. 2) Use the CQ DX Marathon online log sheet found on this site http://www.dxmarathon.com/Submission/2014/Submission2014.htm complete the scoring process and submit the log sheet to NC4S Via email. 3) You may submit your log via paper using the PDF file on the LARG web site. Print out the paper log and fill it out. Then send the paper log to NC4S. Paper logs must be Post marked no later than November 24, 2014. You may also email a copy of your paper log by scanning and sending to NC4S email address above. All emailed logs must be received by midnight EST November 26, 2014 following the close of the LARG Marathon. Verification: QSLs are not required. The operator is expected to claim contacts only from stations the operator has every reason to believe are legitimate, and only to claim contacts in which an accurate two-way exchange was clearly accomplished (see Appendix for further explanation). Submitted log Scores will be adjusted by the LARG DX Marathon committee for claimed contacts with pirates or any station not considered legitimate. Submissions may be penalized or voided in cases of fraud or poor sportsmanship. Submissions that do not provide clear descriptions of Formula class antennas to show that the antennas meet the Formula class antenna rules may be re-classified to unlimited class. Decisions of the LARG Marathon Committee are final. Results: The final listing of official scores will be posted on the LARG web site. Plaques and certificates will be given out at the club Christmas dinner. Awards: Unlimited Category Highest score for all SSB certificate Highest score for all CW certificate Highest score for all Digital certificate Highest score for mixed mode certificate Limited Class Highest score for all CW certificate Highest score for all SSB certificate Highest score for all Digital certificate Highest score for mixed mode certificate Formula 1 Highest score for all CW plaque sponsor NC4S Highest score for all SSB certificate Highest score for all Digital certificate Highest score for mixed mode certificate Formula 2 Highest score for all CW plaque sponsor N3FQ Highest score for all SSB plaque sponsor N3FQ Highest score for all Digital plaque sponsor N3FQ Highest score for mixed mode plaque sponsor N3FQ Plaques: The following LARG members have pledged to sponsor plaques for the 2014 LARG DX Marathon Ben Packard, N3FQ is sponsoring all four categories of the formula 2. Gary Quinn, NC4S is sponsoring the High CW in the formula 1 category. We still need sponsors. If you wish to sponsor a plaque for the 2014 Marathon please contact Gary Quinn at [email protected] .If you would like to split the cost of the plaque with another member or members that is great. The cost should be around $50 for the plaques. Highest score in any single band in any one of the four modes will receive a certificate. Only one award will be given to the highest score in each single band regardless of mode. No club member can receive more than one award. Entrants may receive only one plaque per year. In the case of a participant qualifying for more than one plaque, that participant will receive a plaque for the highest level based on the above order. Certificates may be awarded to runners-up at the discretion of the LARG DX Marathon Committee. Plaque winners are not eligible for certificates. Only one certificate will be awarded per entrant. In the case of a participant qualifying for more than one certificate, that participant will receive a certificate for the highest level based on the above order. Certificates may be awarded to runners-up at the discretion of the LARG DX Marathon Committee. In all cases, the rulings of the LARG DX Marathon Committee and the LARG DX Marathon Manager are final. APPENDIX Formula Class antennas, option 1: Operators selecting the 5 watt option are limited to antennas on a single tower and whose height does not exceed 65 feet or 20 meters above ground elevation within 330 feet or 100 meters of the tower base. Wire antennas may also be used but must meet the criteria of the 100-watt option, and may be tower-supported at only one point. Formula Class antennas, option 2: Antennas for operators choosing the 100 watt option must be either simple verticals or wire antennas lacking significant gain. No arrays are allowed, whether vertical or horizontal, nor are long wires exceeding 130 feet or 40 meters, except on 80 and 160 meters. The base of vertical antennas used may not exceed 65 feet or 20 meters in height. Dipoles or other wire antennas must not be more than 60 feet above ground. Yagis, quads, or tower-mounted antennas (except wire antennas meeting the height limits above) may not be used in this category. Limited Class Antennas: Antennas for Limited Class include all Formula Class option 2 antennas for use on all bands plus directional antennas such as Yagis and multi-element loop, hex and quad type antennas. Directional antennas with no more than 3 elements used per band are allowed on the 20-meter through 6-meter bands. Boom length may not exceed 16 feet (5 meters) for antennas with booms. Single element rotatable dipoles are allowed for the 30 and 40 meter bands. Directional antennas and rotatable dipoles must not be higher than 50 feet (15 meters) above ground and all antennas must be on a single tower or support. Contacts: Each contact for a claimed country or zone must be a solid contact. The station claiming a contact with another station is expected to have had his or her call sign fully and accurately received and transmitted by the other station, and to have copied his/her own call being correctly sent by the other station. For example, K2MGA may not claim credit for a QSO with a DX station who had his call as K3MGA, even though in many cases the DX station would QSL the contact with the correction made (after receiving a card from K2MGA, realizing the error and correcting his/her log). For a contact to count, both stations must correctly copy all of both call signs. Marathon Committee members for 2014 are: John Unger-Contest Chairman Gary Quinn-LARG Marathon Manager Rick Miller-LARG Marathon committee member and log processing |
|