SPRING LITES QSO PARTY (SL)

P urposes:

To promote public awareness of ham radio and lighthouses; to contribute to the recognition that lighthouses, lightships, and their keepers deserve; to foster camaraderie within the ham fraternity; and to provide fellowship amongst the members of the Amateur Radio Lighthouse Society

Dates & Times:

0001 hrs UTC on March 31, 2012, through 2359 hrs UTC on April 08, 2012.

Suggested Modes / Calling Frequencies:

Any and all modes : SSB, CW, RTTY, PSK, FM, SSTV, etc.

Suggested SSB freqs: 1950-1990, 3950-3990, 7250-7290, 14.250-14.290, 21.350-21.390, 28.350-28.390
(Calling on the centered 0.70 kHz on each band — Example: 14.270.)

Suggested CW center freqs: 1830, 3530, 7030, 14.030, 21.030, 28.030
Note that these are center calling frequencies. Work 20 kHz each side of center.

NO CREDIT will be given for contacts made on WARC bands.

To alleviate QRM, spread out and work SSB from 50 kHz to 90 kHz and on CW work from 10 kHz to 50 kHz (i.e., +/- 20 kHz of center.)

Scoring:

IMPORTANT: Answers to some common scoring questions can be found on the Scoring FAQ page at http://arlhs.com/scoring.html

Each contact (member or nonmember) = 1 pt.

Add 2 points more if contact is an ARLHS member

Add 3 points more if contact is at a lighthouse or lightship

NO CREDIT and no points will be given for contacts made on WARC bands.

BONUS for activating a light: As an incentive for participants to activate a light beacon, we are instituting a multiplier. If you activate a lighthouse or lightship under the rules of the ARLHS, you qualify for an additional 2x multiplier of your total score (as determined above). If for example your base score is 600 points and these were all accumulated by your operation at one of the recognized ARLHS lights (see the ARLHS World List), multiply your 600 points x 2 = 1200 points final score. This will be indicated on the final scoring cover sheet, which MUST be attached for log to qualify — see section below under "Log Submissions."

A sample log sheet in Microsoft Excel (XLS) format can be found HERE, but you can use whatever format is most comfortable for you. You do NOT have to use this log sheet, provided that all the usual, pertinent information is obvious. Whatever log format you use, you MUST always attach as a top sheet a Scoring Summary Cover Sheet (see http://arlhs.com/score-coversheet.html for a sample) as the cover sheet foreach log. See "Log Submissions" below for more logging details.

Example:

You work ARLHS member #155 who is at lighthouse ARLHS USA-701.

Your score for this contact is 1 pt for the contact, plus 2 points

for working a member, plus 3 points for working a lighthouse.

Total score for this QSO = 6 points.

Answers to some other common scoring questions can be found on the Scoring FAQ page at http://arlhs.com/scoring.html

Exchanges:

ARLHS members send call sign, member number, name, state/province/country

Non-members send call, sequential contact number, name, state/province/country

Lighthouse/Lightship Stations send call, ARLHS lighthouse number, name, state/province/country

NOTE: A numbered list of ARLHS lighthouses is available from page 10 of the Society's web page at http://arlhs.com

CERTIFICATES & PRIZES

For NON-MEMBER Participants: Non-ARLHS members are eligible for the following certificates and prizes:

First Prize: The non-member entrant achieving the highest total number of points will receive a one-year full Active membership in the ARLHS.
Second Prize: The non-member entrant receiving the second highest total number of points will receive a one-year Inactive membership in the ARLHS.
Third Prize: The non-member entrant receiving the third highest total number of points will receive a certificate of recognition.
A certificate is available with endorsements for those who work at least 50 lighthouses or at least 100 members of the ARLHS. Another certificate is available for those who work the club station, W7QF, during this event. The shipping fee for each certificate is $2.00 + an enclosed SASE with sufficient postage (see Log Submissions below). SASE is required for all certificates.
The ARLHS offers several Awards for contacting light beacons (WAS-LH, WACA-LH, DX-LH, etc.). See the Society's Award Program on web page 9 for details and application forms.

MEMBERS ONLY Prizes and Awards: The following prizes and awards are available ONLY TO ACTIVE MEMBERS of the Amateur Radio Lighthouse Society (ARLHS). "Active" means that dues are current and paid thru the beginning date of the event. Be sure that your membership has been renewed!

First Prize: The member entrant receiving the highest total number of log points will receive a choice of any two prizes from the ARLHS store..
Second Prize: The member entrant receiving the second highest total number of points will receive his/her choice of a prize from the ARLHS store..
Third Prize: The member entrant receiving the third highest total number of points will receive a coffee mug from the ARLHS store..
A certificate is available with endorsements for those who work at least 50 lighthouses or at least 100 members of the ARLHS. Another certificate is available for those who work the club station, W7QF, during this event. The mailing fee for each certificate is $2.00 + a SASE with sufficient postage (see Log Submissions below). SASE is required for all certificates.
MINIATURE COLLECTIBLE LIGHTS: We are once again able to offer a miniature collectible lighthouse to all ARLHS member participants. Each ARLHS member entrant who submits a valid log showing contact with at least ten other active ARLHS members or five lighthouses during this event is eligible to receive a miniature lighthouse collectible. (See sample HERE. This is a sample only. Yours will be of a different light. Selection is random, based on available stock.)
(Sorry, there is no choice of lighthouse at this time — selection is random.)
Due to increases in postage costs, we must ask the applicant to pay shipping and handling charges of US $5.00. Payment should be in USA funds by USA check, cash, or money order (no IRC's). All checks should be made payable to "Weidner Publishing." Sorry, there is a limit of only ONE light per entrant.
In addition, the usual series of ARLHS awards is also available, and these are described on the Society's Award Program page 9.

LOG SUBMISSIONS

[1] Put your call & member number on EVERY PAGE of your log and on ALL other material submitted, including envelopes and checks.

[2] A sample log sheet in Microsoft Excel (XLS) format can be found HERE, but you can use whatever format is most comfortable for you. You do NOT have to use this log sheet, provided that all the usual, pertinent information is obvious. Whatever log format you use, you MUST always attach as a top sheet a Scoring Summary Cover Sheet (see http://arlhs.com/score-coversheet.html for a sample) as the cover sheet foreach log. If you choose to use your own version of a cover sheet, then it must at least include all items and elements on the ARLHS version: It should show the total points for all contacts; total points for member contacts; total pts for lighthouse contacts; grand total of points for that log a detailed list of all certificates, endorsements, and prizes applied for; and a listing of all amounts and totals of checks or money submitted.
Versions of the cover sheet from previous ARLHS contests and events are not valid.
Logs without the Summary Cover Sheet showing all required proper information will NOT be counted and no refunds will be made.

[3] All logs MUST specify the entrant's call on EACH page of the log and clearly indicate the entrant's name, address, and member number (if applicable) on the first page, as well as on the summary score sheet.

[4] All checks should be in US funds made payable to "Weidner Publishing." NOTE: IRC's are no longer accepted.

[5] NEW! Each operation from a different QTH (home, mobile, lighthouse) using the same call but with a /P, /MM, or /M designation requires a separate log and separate score sheet. The scores from each log will then added together on the Summary Score Sheet to determine the final event score.

[6] Send log data to the Contest Manager:
Dave Ruch, NFØJ
P.O. Box 20696
Bloomington, MN 55420-0696

[7] Include a self-addressed 9 x 12-inch envelope with return postage (97 cents for USA -- IRCs are NOT accepted anymore), along with $2.00 (US) for each certificate requested. Entries received without an SASE will not be acknowledged or returned.

[8] Deadline for submissions is APRIL 30, 2012. All logs must be postmarked by this date. Late entries can not be accepted. No exceptions!

[9] NO refunds will be made for logs and/or applications submitted improperly or without Summary Score Sheet and in proper form. Once submitted there are *NO* refunds!
[10] Although a sample log sheet is shown on the web site, any format of log sheet can be used, according to your preference, but be sure your log shows all appropriate information; e.g., Date, time (UTC preferred), station worked, op's name, member or sequential number, state or province, band, mode — whatever the event calls for.

[11] Rules, guidelines, criteria, prizes, etc, as cited herein, are subject to change at any time without notice and are at the sole discretion of the Amateur Radio Lighthouse Society.

NOTE: Failure to observe all rules for log submissions (see above) will result in disqualification. In such cases there will be NO refunds of any fees. Decision of the judges is final.
These guidelines apply to this event only. They do not apply to other ARLHS-sponsored events, which have their own set of guidelines. See the ARLHS Awards Program page for fees and details on applying for ARLHS awards.
Further Information :
E-mail to Jim: weidner [at] waterw.com
SASE to ARLHS- Weidner Publishing, 114 Woodbine Ave, Merchantville, NJ 08109
SASE to Contest Manager, Dave Ruch, NFØJ, P.O. Box 20696, Bloomington, MN 55420-0696
Telephone to NJ: (856) 486-1755

http://arlhs.com/SL-2012-guidelines.html