QCX WARC Party - includes QDX and QMX
The QCX WARC party is our monthly operating event to encourage operators to get on the air with their WARC-bands with a QRP Labs or other radio and enjoy the pleasures and benefits of CW, Phone and selected conversational datamodes.
See also the QCX monthly QSO Party page for the non-WARC bands event.
QCX: means any version of the QCX: Classic, Plus or Mini, plus any existing or future QRP Labs rigs (QDX, QMX, QSX, ...).
For simplicity, we will keep the original name "QCX WARC Party", covering all models.
Who: any ham anywhere
When: each month, on the Monday TWO WEEKS before the QCX Challenge, in the same time slots, so 1 hour each at 13:00 UTC, 19:00 UTC and 03:00 UTC (=Tuesday morning).
The QCX Challenge itself is always on the LAST Monday of the month.
Where: any WARC band where your rig can transmit and receive.
Of course, if you modified a QCX for 12m you probably will be calling in the desert …
Call CQ around the QRP watering holes according to the mode used, but these may be different for different regions.
Find some suggestions here http://www.zerobeat.net/qrp/qrpbands.html
Meet the other ops, and post your QRG on the QRP sked page: https://discord.com/invite/
(On a PC, you can use the browser, but on a phone or tablet, you must install the Discord app).
The first time, you have to accept the "invitation" by Joe N3XLS.
Then you must provide an e-mail address, select a password, and enter your screen name in the format "Name Callsign" (e.g. Luc ON7DQ).
Then join the #qcx-qrp-operating channel (see left column).
Mode: CW, Phone (whenever it becomes available in the QMX), and any “conversational” Datamode: so RTTY, JS8Call, Olivia, ... are acceptable, but FT8/FT4 (read: all modes that are in WSJT-X) are not, since it is (nearly) impossible to send the required exchange for a valid QSO, or ask a question and get a decent reply …
Exchange: minimum exchange is RST, operator name, rig and power. If time is available, and signals are good, feel free to make a longer QSO with QTH, Antenna, WX, … maybe tell your whole life story.
Logs: not needed
Amplifiers? If you really must … but more fun and satisfaction will be yours if you stick to QRP levels. And like in the Challenge, let’s keep the power below 100W (and certainly below any legal limit for the band and region you’re in, e.g. 15W for most of us in the 60m band).
Points, Scores? NOPE, none whatsoever.
Post a report in the QRP Labs newsgroup (https://groups.io/g/QRPLabs) of what you accomplished, how many QSO’s you made, on what band and in what mode, your best DX, what power and antenna(s) were used, etc.
All just for bragging rights.
Others will be interested to read what can be done with a QRP Labs rig. You will be admired!
GL and have fun !
Hans - TA4/G0UPL and Luc - ON7DQ