[SCCC] Fwd: W1AW/6 OPERATING EVENT 2/15 - 2/21 2023

[Don Minkoff]

FYI

J*
**W1AW/6*

As a part of the *Year of the Volunteer celebration* 
<https://ok.arrl.org/vota/>, the mystical callsign W1AW will be 
operating from all corners of land. ARRL members in each state/territory 
will be approved to operate their stations during two different weeks 
using the callsign W1AW/x where x is one of the local regions: 0, 1, 2, 
3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, KL, KH0, KH2, KH6, KH7, KH8, KP2, KP3, or KP4.

California’s first week starts February 15, 2023, at 0000z and will run 
through February 21, 2023, at 2359z, using the callsign W1AW/6. Each 
state coordinator will approve time, band, and mode slots throughout the 
week and hams will be able to operate their stations using W1AW/x.

If you wish to be one of the official W1AW/6 authorized operators for 
California, you must first email the CA VOTA Coordinator: John Litz, 
NZ6Q at nz6q at arrl.org <mailto:nz6q at arrl.org> . You may also call John at 
209-687-0774.  Once approved, you may, subject to the following 
conditions, select any available one-hour operating time slot for the 
band and mode (SSB, CW, Digital) of your choice. Once selected, it’s 
selected - NO CLAIM JUMPING !! Use an approved electronic logging 
program capable of creating an ADIF file. You will email your files to 
the coordinator.

*/All approved W1AW/6 operators are expected to observe all FCC 
regulations, including only operating on frequencies allocated to their 
license class and at permitted power levels. Violators, may, unless The 
Old Man is merciful, be/**/Wouff-Honged/**/!/*

By a toss of the 2023 Toys for Tots US Marine Corp coin, it was decided 
that *Northern CA would primarily sign-up to cover WEDNESDAY, FRIDAY, 
SUNDAY and Southern CA would primarily cover THURSDAY, SATURDAY, 
MONDAY*. Tuesday 2/21 is open for both North and South.

Minimum station requirements:
- 100W + yagi or hexbeam or better on 20-15-10M
- 100W (or more up to Legal Limit) + good vertical or dipole antenna on 
80-40M

Be comfortable with the modes you select. If you work a lot of FT-8 or 
your station may be limited then sign-up on FT-8. If you like RTTY or 
digital do that. If you have a solid station on all bands then sign-up 
for bands/modes/times following the guidelines below.

*Portable W1AW Rules*

  * Each operator must follow the rules for their own license class.
    Stay in the sub-bands that you are legally allowed to operate.
  * Operators can operate anywhere in the state. Please observe the
    above guidelines when choosing your time/mode slots.
  * ARRL members that contact the Portable W1AW stations will receive 5
    points in the VOTA event.
  * Each band/mode combination can be activated simultaneously. For
    example, N6ACL could be working on 20M SSB, N5SML could be working
    on 20M FT8, NZ6Q could be working on 20 M CW, and K6WX could be on
    40 M SSB, all at the same time.
  * The state weekly assignments are shown in the W1AW/ Schedule area at
    http://vota.arrl.org <http://vota.arrl.org/> State operations start
    at 0000z each Wednesday and stop at 2359z the following Tuesday.
  * Operations are not allowed on the 12 M, 17 M, 30 M, 60 M, 630 M, or
    2190 M bands.
  * All logs for the week must be consolidated into one ADIF file and
    sent to the state coordinator to be uploaded to LoTW.
  * When you sign up for a one-hour slot, you are also selecting a band
    and a mode. Signing up for CW on 20M is one slot, phone and digital
    modes are two other slots.
  * One operator per band/mode at the same time. (i.e. two stations
    cannot be on 40CW or 20 SSB from CA at the same time)
  * You may only use the band and mode you have selected, for the time
    period you requested. You may request multiple slots throughout the
    week. To allow for as many stations as possible to operate, please
    limit yourself to no more than 4 hours in a row on any band and
    mode. You are encouraged to select multiple modes (i.e… 2 hours on
    CW, 2 hours on SSB, 2 hours on RTTY on any band is a full day - and
    it gives others the chance to participate.
  * Check back on the sign-up sheet often & during the event. If you’re
    operating 20M FT8 for two hours, but the next hour is open and you
    want to continue, then add your call into that 3rd hour and continue…

If you have any questions, please contact the California State 
Coordinator John Litz at nz6q at arrl.org <mailto:nz6q at arrl.org> or by 
phone 209-687-0774.

73,

John Litz, NZ6Q
ARRL Section Manager - San Joaquin Valley Section
nz6q at arrl.org
209.331.3078