DARC XMAS-Contest
The XMAS-Contest is a very popular short-contest sponsored by the DARC. It's the last competition which counts for the German annual club championship, which ensures a competitive field of participants from all parts of the country. For these, the XMAS-contest which only lasts 2.5 hours truly is a sprint contest, where every second wasted can hurt the score. But there is another feature which makes it unique: The QSY rule. After completing a contact, the station which called CQ on the frequency has to move and leave the frequency to the calling station, Contrary to most contests where the big guns with high power are occupying the run frequencies for most of the contest, in the XMAS contest the skill, speed and experience of the operator is the key to success. And a clean log is a must: More than once, the top places in the XMAS contest changed from the claimed scores to the final results, where bad contacts were removed,
But the XMAS-Contest is also an event where you meet many old and new friends, most of them for the last time in that year, and you often hear the words "Frohes Fest" ("Merry Xmas!") or in CW "FF" after a QSO.
Also the propagation makes the XMAS contest an interesting and challenging event. Especially on 40m, the skip zone is often too large to make contacts within Germany at the start of the contest; yet the multipliers from 40m are needed to achieve a high score. The right strategy and a lot of experience are more helpful than a big amplifier.
We hope to welcome you as a participant in the next XMAS contest. Foreign stations are always welcome to take part, and with the current conditions on 40m, they truly have an advantage in propagation over the DLs.
Rules of the DARC XMAS-Contest
Rules of the DARC XMAS-Contest
The Deutscher Amateur-Radio-Club (DARC) has the honor to invite all radio amateurs to participate in the annual XMAS Sprint-Contest.
Please have a look into the new General Rules for DARC DXHF-Contests before you start in the contest.
1. Contest Periode
XMAS, 26. December 2020, 8.30-10.59 UT
Log submission deadline: 7 days after contest.
2. Bands / Modes
| 80m | 40m | |
| CW | 3510-3560 khz | 7010-7040 khz |
| SSB | 3610-3650 khz 3700-3775 khz | 7060-7100 khz 7130-7200 khz |
Each station may be worked one time on 3.5 MHz and one time on 7 MHz.
The station calling CQ must QSY after the QSO, leaving the frequency to the station which answered his/her call.
A maximum of 20 band changes or mode changes are allowed during the contest periode.
3. Categories
- Single operator, mixed, low power
- Single operator, mixed, high power
- Single operator, CW, low power
- Single operator, CW, high power
- Single operator, SSB, low power
- Single operator, SSB, high power
- Checklog
Output power: low power = up to 100 watts, high power = more than 100 watts
4. Exchange
German stations send RS(T) and their DOK, or "NM" (no member) if they are not a DARC member. NM does not count as a multiplier.
Foreign stations send only: RS(T) + serial number
"NM" does only apply to German stations who aren´t member of the DARC and therefore have no "DOK"
5. Multiplier Points
1 per DOK per band and 1 per prefix per band
6. QSO Points
Each completed QSO counts 1 point
7. Contest awards
Certificates will be awarded to every participant as PDF-file for self-printing.
8. Disqualification
Violation of the rules of the contest or unsportsmanlike conduct will be deemed sufficient cause for disqualification.
The decisions of the contest-committee are final.
8. Score
The sum of the QSO points multiplied by the sum of the multiplier points.
Incorrect QSOs will be deleted.
9. Log Submission
Please submit your log in CABRILLO file format via web upload. The web upload is available at
http://www.darc.de/der-club/referate/conteste/weihnachtswettbewerb/logupload/
The receipt of the log will be automatically confirmed by an email with a message of possible errors in the log and the password for the access to your UBN-file. The logs will be part of the DCL (DARC Community Logbook). By submitting the log, the participant claims to fully accept the rules of the contest.
10. Deadline
All entries must be sent within seven (7) days after the contest (for 2020: January 2nd 2021).
11. Addresses
for questions: xmas-info(at)dxhf.darc.de
DARC XMAS-Contest Results
DARC XMAS-Contest Soapbox
Pictures
Certificates
DARC XMAS-Contest Results Archive
