Amplitude Modulation Party!

A good friend of mine, Simon Taylor, NW0NWM, who has a special interest in AM, has organised a big event for the coming weekend.  I encourage you to have a go; I certainly will!

AM QSO Party in Europe this weekend

This coming weekend is the AM QSO PARTY in Europe.

Have you dusted off that homebrew or vintage equipment, or set up your modern transceiver for AM?

Well do it now, don't delay!

But what is the event all about? How do you take part?

AM QSO PARTY 2020

RULES

When?

Saturday 25th January 2020 - 06:00 UTC, until Sunday 26th January 2020, 12:00 UTC

Purpose

To promote / encourage the use of AM on the 160, 80, 40, 20, 15 and 10 metre amateur bands. This is not a 5/9 contest and aim to encourage QSOs and conversation, however points can be gained and certificates awarded.

Scoring

1 point for each station worked on a specific band. If you work the same station on more than one band, you get a point for each contact.

10 points for each new DXCC worked.

Categories

You can enter different categories based on the output power you used.

Power

The power levels described are the unmodulated carrier
1) 2.5 watts QRP (suitable for UK Foundation licence holder)
2) 12.5 watts (suitable for the UK Intemediate licence)
3) 12.5 – 100 watts (suitable for the UK Full Licence)
4) The legal power limit in your home country
For example using an Elecraft KX3 with a carrier of 2.5 Watts = category 1 Or Using a FTDX101D and linear amplifier for a 100 Watt carrier = category 3 -

Frequencies

The organisers have decided to create operating windows for this even and a few Spot Frequencies which fall outside of these windows, but are popular in various parts of Europe. The purpose of these windows is to help people find one another, plus to avoid spreading across the whole of a band and making life too difficult to other users.-

160m 1.900 - 2 MHz (1.850 spot frequency) 80m 3.600 - 3.700 MHz (3.705 spot frequency) 40m 7.170 - 7.199 MHz and (7.143 spot frequency) 20m 14.250 - 14.350 MHz 15m 21.350 - 21.450 MHz 10m 29.000 - 29.1000 MHz -

QSOs outside these windows and spot frequencies will not count towards scores in the event.
-

Self Spotting on a Cluster

As this is not a contest, but an operating event, the use of an online cluster for self spotting is perfectly acceptable. Let everyone know where you are!

Log

Please use the log sheet and complete the submission document found in the Documents section of the website.

After the event, please submit your log and submission document by Saturday 15th February 2020 to:
am.qso.party@gmx.co.uk

Awards

There will be a certificate awarded to the leading station in each power category and all entrants will receive a participation certificate by email.

You can join the fun without submitting a log, but to gain a certificate of participation a log will be required.

GOOD LUCK!

Full details including how to set up a modern transceiver for AM, plus log sheets and associated forms can be found at the following website:
https://amqsoparty.wixsite.com/mysite
or join the AM Amateur Radio Europe Facebook group