[CQ-Contest] CQ CQ BCQP 2018 -- Join Orca DXCC first weekend in February

Rebecca Kimoto va7bec at rac.ca
Sun Jan 14 14:20:48 EST 2018


Hello everyone near and far


Invitation to British Columbia QSO Party 2018

 1600z Feb 3 to 0359z Feb 4 
AND 
1600z to 2359z Feb 4


BCQP 2018 is coming up soon — the first weekend in February — and there is a big change. 

The event has been expanded with an additional block of time — eight (8) hours on Sunday.  

BCQP 2018 will run in two blocks over the weekend, with the usual 12 hours on what is Saturday in British Columbia — 1600z Feb 3 to 0359z Feb 4 — as well as eight hours on Sunday, 1600z to 2359z Feb 4.
You can work all 20 hours of the contest or a few hours on Saturday and a few hours on Sunday, or just Saturday or just Sunday. Completely up to you. There is no required off-time, but do NOT work during the gap between the 12-hour block on Saturday and the eight-hour block on Sunday. 
Sunday operation is merely an option, one intended to make BCQP more enjoyable for CW operators who like BCQP but find their efforts derailed when NA Sprint CW starts. Digital operators may also find the going easier because the XE RTTY Contest will have finished. 
If you are a CWer and only have Saturday to play, try the suggested alternate suggested frequencies for CW on 80m, 40m and 20m (3570, 7070 and 14050) after 0000z. These frequencies are above the sprint mayhem but encroach on other mode allocations, so be courteous. 

Please remember, BCQP Saturday and Sunday operation is NOT split by mode. 
Operate PH, CW and/or digital, as you wish, on one day or both during the designated blocks of time.

Mark your new calendar, if it isn’t already marked.

February 3, local time, 8am to 8pm AND February 4 8am to 4pm
That’s UTC 1600z Feb 3 to 0359z Feb 4 and 1600z to 2359z Feb 4

One other change: The e-mail address for log submission.
Send to va7bec [at] rac [dot] ca

Rules, multiplier list, in-depth event analysis/reports and scores from past years, examples of the lovely photo-based certificates and plaques... all available for viewing from links on the BCQP page of the Orca DXCC website. Go to http://www.orcadxcc.org/bcqp.html <http://www.orcadxcc.org/bcqp.html>.

More details and resource links below.


Key Details

Date/Time: 1600z Feb 3 to 0359z Feb 4 AND 1600z Feb 4 to 2359 Feb 4

Objectives: Stations outside BC have to find as many VE7/VA7s as possible in the 20 hours of the contest.
                BC stations will be taking calls from anyone, anywhere. 

Exchange: BC stations give RS(T) + three-letter code representing the federal electoral district in BC  
        Stations outside BC give province/state/"DX"*
       *In BCQP, Hawaii and Alaska are not considered DX. Stations in KH6 and KL7 will give "HI" and "AK", respectively. 
        Stations outside the U.S. and Canada will give "DX".

Resources
Rules: http://orcadxcc.org/bcqp_rules.html <http://orcadxcc.org/bcqp_rules.html>
FAQ: http://orcadxcc.org/bcqp_faq.html <http://orcadxcc.org/bcqp_faq.html>
Multipliers: http://orcadxcc.org/bcqp_districts.html <http://orcadxcc.org/bcqp_districts.html>
Same-day event schedule: http://orcadxcc.org/content/pdf/excel_sked_2018.pdf <http://orcadxcc.org/content/pdf/excel_sked_2018.pdf>  
Federal electoral district lookup:  http://www.elections.ca/home.aspx <http://www.elections.ca/home.aspx> 

Tangible Rewards
Certificates: Top scores in each class of entry, in BC and outside BC, receive a beautiful photo-based certificate highlighting something scenic or special about BC. Pictures are different every year. Collectible!!
Special Recognition: If submitted logs are particularly numerous in any given category or results are particularly noteworthy, additional certificates are awarded, as appropriate.
Plaques: 10 sponsored categories [Top Score BC (single op), Top Score Canada outside BC, Top YL Score, Top Score USA, Most Federal Electoral Districts Worked, Top DX, Top Mixed Mode, Top Club in BC, Top Score BC (multi-op), Top CW (new!)]

Logging Software
BCQP is fully supported by N1MM Logger+ as well as CQ/X GPS-enabled software for mobile contesting and QSO party software by N3FJP. Other programs, like GenLog and SD, have generic QSO party options but may not score accurately because they lack details on multipliers and bonus points. Paper logs are OK if the QSO count is less than 50. 
The log-checking team at Orca DXCC will make sure everyone gets the points s/he is entitled to. But logs MUST show the required information. See the rules for details.

There's lots of contest activity on the first weekend of February and the draw of 3Y0Z.
Even if BCQP is not your target contest of the weekend, if you hear a BC station calling "CQ BCQP", please drop by. If you are in the host state of one of the other same-day QSO parties, BC stations will be able to trade a Q with you.    

GL es 73,

Rebecca VA7BEC

Orca DXCC, Contest Coordinator, BCQP


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