42nd ALESSANDRO VOLTA RTTY DX CONTEST

www.contestvolta.it  

The SSB and RTTY club of COMO and the A.R.I. (Associazione Radioamatori Italiani) are pleased to announce the details of the 42nd "Alessandro VOLTA RTTY DX CONTEST". This contest is organized to increase interest in RTTY mode as used by radio amateurs and honor the Italian discoverer of electricity, ALESSANDRO VOLTA. 

• TEST PERIOD: from 12:00 GMT Saturday May 10, 2008 until 12:00 GMT Sunday May 11, 2008. In the future this event will take place on the second full week-end in May. 

• BANDS: 3,5 - 7 - 14 -21 - 28 MHz Amateur bands. 

            CLASSES: 

• "SINGLE-OP ALL" - Single operator, all bands. 

• "SINGLE-OP xxM" - Single operator, single band (where xx=10, 15, 20, 40, 80) (Single band entrants who also operate on other bands are encouraged to submit their logs to aid in the log-checking process. QSOs on other bands are counted: 0 points, 0 multipliers, 0 QSOs. Clearly mark in the log's CABRILLO header which band is to be counted as the single-band entry) 

• "MULTI-OP" - Multi operator single or multi transmitter 

• "SWL" - Short Wave Listeners. "CHECKLOG" - logs for QSO checking 

ALL CATEGORIES: Single band or all band, single operator or multi operators, only one signal allowed at any one time; the operator may change bands at any time. No power subcategories. Use of DX spotting nets is allowed. 

SCORING: All two way RTTY contacts will score in accordance with the exchange 

POINTS TABLE. Contacts between stations within the same country will not be valid. (e.g.: A W2 station can work W1, W3, W4 etc, but not W2). Contacts made outside one's own continent on 3.5 or 28 MHz are worth double points. 

CONTACTS: Station can be worked only once for each band. Additional contacts may be made with the same station if a different band is used. 

MULTIPLIERS: A multiplier of 1 is given for each Country contacted. The same Country may be claimed again if a different band is used. An additional multiplier is given for each INTERCONTINENTAL COUNTRY (DX) worked on at least 4 bands. A contact with a station which would count as multiplier will only be valid if that station appears in at least 4 other logs, or contest log is received from that station. 

POINTS: Total exchange points multiplied by the total number of multiplier multiplied by the total number of QSOs. [Points x Multipliers x QSOs = Final score]. 

COUNTRIES: ARRL DXCC Country list plus each call-area in Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand and the USA will be counted as a separate country. In those cases DO NOT COUNT the general Country multiplier (JA-VE-VK-W-ZL); COUNT ONLY each call-area worked (JA1..0, VE1...0, VK1..8, W1...0, ZL1...ZL4). 

• MESSAGE: Must consist of: RST - QSO number - Your CQ Zone number. (es.: 599-001-15) 

• SWL: The same scoring rules will apply but based on stations and message copied. Use one CABRILLO record for each station heard. If you heard both stations in QSO you have to log two heards. (see example)

AWARD:. Starting this edition the SOAB category will be split in separate category by Continent. A special Plaque will be awarded to the top stations in each category. In addition, to all contestants, an electronic certificate (.jpg file) will be downloadable from our site. 

PAPER LOGS AND SUMMARY SCORE SHEETS: Use one log per band. Logs must be clearly filled and must contain: Band, Date, Time GMT, Call sign of station worked, message sent, message received, points and multipliers. A summary score sheet is required with a list of multiplier worked in each band and EXTRA multipliers for 4 bands DX.. 

SEND YOUR PAPER LOGS to: I2DMI - Francesco DI MICHELE - P. O. Box 55 - 22063 CANTU'

LOGS: ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION. Send logs (VOLTA CABRILLO files) via e-mail to log2008@contestvolta.it. 

In the "Subject:" line of your e-mail message please include your callsign and the category you entered (e.g., I2DMI SINGLE-OP 20M, I2DMI MULTI-OP, I2DMI SWL, etc). Logs should be sent as an e-mail attachment, not in the text of the email, and the filename for the log should be yourcall.log (e.g., I2DMI.LOG). No summary score sheet is required for CABRILLO logs.  If you want you can send it as YOURCALL.SUM file (free layout). 

CABRILLO files will be checked by a Robot (see instructions in the VOLTA site). You will get first a successful delivery message and then an e-mail with diagnostic errors message. You can correct them and send the log again. See on www.contestvolta.it programs for Cabrillo conversion.

IF YOU DO NOT RECEIVE ANY MESSAGE FROM US PLEASE SEND THE LOG AGAIN: LOGS MUST BE RECEIVED BY 2008, JULY 31st TO QUALIFY. 

PLEASE DO NOT SEND BOTH PAPER AND ELECTRONIC LOGS.