1. Objective
The IARU-Region-1-Field Day is an excellent opportunity for club activity in varied areas, such as antenna design, construction and erection, generator maintenance and, increasingly, computer expertise without regular power lines and fixed antennas.
2. Contest periods
CW : first (full) weekend in June – Saturday 15.00 UTC to Sunday 14.59 UTC (2016: 04.-05. June)
SSB: first (full) weekend in September – Saturday 13.00 UTC to Sunday 12.59 UTC (2016: 03.-04. September)
3. Bands
1,8, 3,5, 7, 14, 21, 28 MHz (no SSB-operation at 1.8 MHz from German stations)
Contest preferred segments:
CW: 3.510 – 3.560, 7.000 – 7.040, 14.000 – 14.060 MHz
SSB: 3.600 – 3.650, 3.700 – 3.800, 7.060 – 7.100, 7.130 – 7.200, 14.125 – 14.300 MHz
4. Registration
Fieldday stations can register online at www.darc.de/referate/dx/contest/fd/anmeldung/. Successful registration is confirmed by email; there are maps with all registered stations available at the site mentioned above.
5. Working conditions for all Field Day stations
The equipment of the Field Day stations (portable) must consist of portable equipment, portable antennas and power supplies independent from the power line. Use of existing or previously installed equipment is not allowed. It is not allowed for Field Day stations to use the mains power.
The installation of the station and antenna must not start earlier than 24 hours before the beginning of the contest. It is not allowed to attach the antennas to houses or other permanent buildings. The distance to the next power line or inhabited houses must be at least 100 m.
Only one transceiver or one receiver and one transmitter is allowed. Stand-by equipment is allowed on site, but it must not be connected to a power source when the main equipment is in use. The RF power should be adjusted to the maximum power output and constantly monitored to assure that it at not time exceeds the maximum power allowed for that section.
All stations are subject to inspection by representatives of the Field Day manager who will ensure that the rules and spirit of the contest are being observed.
6. Classes of Operation
This is a portable contest as generally defined above.
- Portable, single operator, QRP, assisted
- Portable, multi operator, low power, non-assisted
- Portable, multi operator, low power, assisted
- Portable, multi operator, QRP, assisted
- Portable, multi operator, high power, assisted
- Fixed
Stations outside and inside Germany are participating in different categories.
Output power:
QRP = 5 watts maximum
Low Power = 100 watts maximum
High Power = more than 100 watts
Non-assisted stations are permitted to use only one antenna with a single element (vertical or dipole). No more than two elevated supports’ not exceeding 15 m height above ground at its highest point’ are permitted
Single operator stations are permitted to operate only 18h of the 24h contest period.
The 6h of non-operation must be taken in not more than three periods and must be clearly noted in the log.
All stations, which are not meeting the field day rules are fixed stations and are not counting for the DARC-Club-Championship and for the DARC-Short-Wave-Trophy.
7. Call
CW : CQ FD
SSB: CQ Field Day
8. Exchange
RS(T) + serial number starting from 001
If the station worked does not send a serial number, log the contact with number 000.
9. Scoring
fixed station to fixed station: 0 points
For contacts with:
- fixed stations in Europe: 2 points
- fixed stations outside Europe: 3 points
- portable stations in Europe: 4 points
- portable stations outside Europe: 6 points
Each station may be contacted only once per band.
Portable stations only count as portable if they sign “/p”, “/m”, “/mm”, or “/am”,
10. Multipliers
ONE for each WAE country / DXCC entity worked on each band
11. Scoring
The final score is computed by multiplying the sum of the total number of QSO-points by the sum of the multipliers.
12. Logs
Upload only STF or Cabrillo logs to www.darc.de/referate/dx/contest/fd/logupload/
FD-station accepts that on demand the log may be transferred to another FD manager outside of Germany.
13. Deadline for log entries
The 3rd Monday after the contest: (for 2016: June, 20th and September, 19th)
14. Awards
Certification of Merit will be available on the DARC server for download.
15. Disqualification
Violation of the rules of the contest, un-sportsmanship conduct, or taking credit for excessive duplicate contacts will be deemed cause for disqualification.
Actions and decisions of the DARC Contest Committee are official and final.
16. E-mail addresses
Questions: fieldday-info(at)dxhf.darc.de
