[CQ-Contest] Michigan QSO Party this weekend

[David Pruett]

2010 MICHIGAN QSO PARTY
April 17-18, 2010

All amateurs are invited to mark their calendars for Saturday, April 17, 
2010 for the 2010 Michigan QSO Party (MiQP), sponsored by the Mad River 
Radio Club.  The operating period is a convenient twelve hours long, 
from noon local time (1600Z) until midnight local (0400Z) here in 
Michigan.  Stations outside of Michigan may only work Michigan stations, 
while Michigan stations may work anybody.  Activity takes place on the 
80 thru 10 meter bands, on both phone and CW.  The exchange is simple: a 
sequential QSO number (starting with 1, then 2, 3...) and your location 
(county for Michigan stations, and state, province or "DX" for others).  
A station may be worked once per band and mode, with CW QSOs counting 
two points and phone QSOs counting one point (just like Field Day).  
Multipliers are states, provinces, and Michigan counties, counted once 
on phone and once on CW.  Final score is total QSO points times total 
multipliers.  See the MiQP website at http://www.miqp.org for complete 
rules.

MiQP offers an extensive awards program, with handsome plaques awarded 
for the winners of the major categories.  Certificates are awarded for 
the top single-operator score in each Michigan county and non-MI 
geographic region, and there are club competition for Michigan and 
non-MI clubs.  There are also categories and awards for mobile and 
multi-operator stations.

The separate category instituted in 2008 for Emergency Operation Center 
(EOC) stations has become a permanent part of MiQP, and continues in 
2010.  A handsome MiQP plaque will be awarded to the highest scoring EOC 
station and certificates for second and third place. The MiQP rules 
defining an EOC station are essentially the same as for Field Day - 
"Michigan entries located at an established EOC site, activated by an 
individual or group, utilizing either permanant or temporary equipment 
and antennas".  This category was specifically created to encourage EOC 
stations to participate, and to recognize their contributions.  Eight 
EOC stations from around the state participated in 2009.

We are also continuing the "MiQP Rookie Of The Year" plaque instituted 
in 2007, which is awarded to the top single-operator score submitted by 
a Michigan station who has never participated in MiQP before.

There is a wealth of information about the Michigan QSO Party available 
on the MiQP website at http://www.miqp.org, such as official log and 
summary sheets, results from past years, and free logging software.  
Questions about MiQP can be directed via e-mail to: miqp at miqp.org.  
There is also an e-mail reflector for those interested in MiQP - details 
are on the web site at http://www.miqp.org/MiQP_Reflector.htm.

We hope to see a great turnout of contesters on the air on April 17th!

73,

MiQP Organizing Committee