10 m Grounwave Contest? Sounds fun!

[Hans Brakob]

N5OP Said:
>	Gee, how about some details on this one; sounds like it could
>be a fun way to introduce people to contesting!
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We usually run the contest on the first Saturday (local time) starting at
8:00 PM and running for 4 hours.  (So far no cries have been heard
for a 2-hour category!)  It is sponsored by our club, and we provide 2 
plaques (1st and 2nd).

Rules are very simple, aimed at interesting newcomers.  

SSB contacts 1 point.   CW contacts 2 points.  Can work same station
once each mode, but not on same freq. 

Multiplier is Counties.  (There are two highly populated and about 20
less populated in "groundwave" distance.)  Been running only 3 years
and already some have "dxpeditioned" to rare (less populated) counties!

Exchange is signal report, Name/County/club member (yes/no).

	"N0ABC DE N0DEF 599 JIM/HENNEPIN/Y K" 

Scoring is multipliers x points, plus bonus adder of 5 points per club
member worked, up to 25 points.

We talk up the contest on repeaters for a couple weeks before, and
have had very good participation, growing every year.  Most participants
are techs/novices, and we have had a couple multi-ops already.  (No
special categories.)

Seems to work, with spiritied competition for the plaques, and some of
the "N0xxx" calls are now being heard in SS.

de Hans, K0HB