Indiana QSO Party CQ INQP CQ INQP
Sponsored by HDXCCthe Hoosier DX and Contest Club


2024 Indiana QSO Party Rules
  1. Objective: For Amateurs worldwide to contact as many stations in Indiana as possible on the 160, 80, 40, 20, 15 and 10 meter Amateur bands.

  2. Date and Contest Period: Contest starts at 1500 UTC Saturday and ends at 0259 UTC Sunday the first full weekend of May. (Saturday 11am to 11pm EDT or 10am to 10pm CDT.) For 2024, this is May 4-5. All stations may operate the full 12-hour period.

  3. Entry Categories:
    • Single-operator (High Power, Low Power or QRP). One person performs all logging, spotting, and operating functions.
      • Low Power is transmitter output of 100 watts or less.
      • QRP is transmitter output power of 5 watts or less.
    • Multi-operator single transmitter (Multi-Single). Only one signal is permitted on the air at any time.
    • Multi-Operator Multi-transmitter (Multi-Multi). Stations may operate without limit on the number of operators, transmitters or signals per band. Any station that transmits more than one simultaneous signal must enter as Multi-Mutli.
    • Mobile. Mobile is defined as a self-contained single or multi-operator station, capable of legal motion (land, water or air), motion optional. A mobile station that at any time uses a larger antenna incapable of being used in motion is considered a rover (see below).
    • Portable (one county). A single transmitter station set up in a temporary location with temporary antennas (Field Day style). Portable stations may be either single or multiple operator. All operations to be conducted from a single county.
    • Portable (county line). A single transmitter station set up in a temporary location with temporary antennas (Field Day style). Portable stations may be either single or multiple operator. The station must sit on a county line, operating equally from both counties.
    • Rover. A portable or a mobile station using larger (non-mobile) antennas, that operates from more than one location.
      • A portable station may move (in entirety -- antennas included) to a new county or county line, thereby becoming a rover.
      • Rover stations may be worked again when they change counties (same as mobile stations).
      • Operation while mobile is permitted.
    • A county line mobile, portable, or rover may operate from only one or two counties at a time. In other words, three and four county operations are not allowed.
    • Multi-Multi entrants may transmit any number of signals simultaneously. All others may transmit only one signal on the air at any given time.
    • All entrants may use spotting assistance (DX cluster, etc) including self-spotting.
    • Pre-contest announcements of planned operations and estimated times are allowed (and encouraged!).
    • The use of APRS or other position/location reporting technologies by mobiles/rovers to broadcast the operator location is allowed, so long as the operating band or frequency is not included in the broadcast.
    • Fixed stations must enter as Single-operator, Multi-Single or Multi-Multi only.
    • Simultaneous use of a single call sign by more than one active station (e.g., by local club members active in different locations using the club call sign) is not permitted. Logs submitted for such operations will be categorized as checklogs and are not eligible for certificates or plaques.

  4. Contest Exchange:
    • Indiana stations send RS(T) plus their INQP exchange from this list. For example, an Indiana station in Marion county would send "59 INMRN".
    • Non-Indiana stations in the USA and Canada send RS(T) and state, province or territory.
    • All others send RS(T) and "DX".

  5. Scoring:
    • Count one point for each complete two-way phone QSO.
    • Count two points for each complete two-way CW QSO.
    • Stations may be worked once in each mode (CW/phone) on each band (160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10). The same fixed station could theoretically be worked twelve times. Exception: Mobile and rover stations may be worked in each county of operation. For example, you may rework the same mobile station in both modes on every band every time the mobile moves to a new county.
    • Stations on county boundaries may be worked for multiple county credit (stations need not physically move to declare a new county). Contacts with such stations should be logged in either of two ways:
      • as multiple QSOs, one per county.
      • as one QSO with each county duly noted.
        Note that most contest logging programs have a mechanism for entering multiple counties for each QSO.
    • Non-Indiana stations may work only Indiana stations.
    • Repeater, cross-band and cross-mode contacts are not allowed.

    Multipliers:
    • Non-Indiana stations:
      • The 92 Indiana counties (see Section 9).
    • Indiana stations:
      • The 92 Indiana counties (see Section 9).
      • The other 49 U.S. states (District of Columbia counts as Maryland).
      • The 13 Canadian Provinces/Territories: NB, NS, QC, ON, MB, SK, AB, BC, NT, NL, YT, PE and NU.
    • Multipliers count once per mode (i.e. once on CW and once on phone). This means you can double your possible mults by working both modes.
    • Indiana stations may work DX stations for QSO point credit, but there are no DX multipliers.

    Final Scoring:
    • Multiply QSO points by total multipliers.

    Example #1: KX9IO (in Indiana) has 354 non-duplicate CW QSOs with stations in 39 states/provinces and 27 Indiana counties and 292 non-duplicate SSB QSOs with stations in 41 states/provinces and 32 Indiana counties.
    Total score = ((354 x 2) + 292) x (39 + 27 + 41 + 32)
    Total score = 1000 x 139
    Total score = 139, 000
    Example #2: WX5ZR (outside Indiana) has 103 non-duplicate CW QSOs with stations in 24 Indiana counties and 42 non-duplicate SSB QSOs with stations in 12 Indiana counties.
    Total score = ((103 x 2) + 42) x (24 + 12)
    Total score = 248 x 36
    Total score = 8928

  6. Club Competition:
    In addition to individual awards, there is an award for the Indiana Amateur Radio Club whose members turn in the highest total aggregate score.
    • Clubs must be legitimate radio clubs, meeting FCC requirements for club licensing. Clubs need not have a club license. The sponsor of Indiana QSO Party, currently the Hoosier DX and Contest Club, is not eligible for this award.
    • Logs turned in by a club's members must be for contacts made from within the state of Indiana for the Indiana QSO Party.
    • Club members must CLEARLY indicate the club name when submitting logs. The club name should be spelled out fully in the Cabrillo header. Do not use abbreviations or club callsigns.
      Example for the club Hot Dog Amateur Radio Club
      1. CLUB: HDARC
      2. CLUB: WX9HDC
      3. CLUB: Hot Dog Amatuer Radio Club
      4. CLUB: Hot Dog Amateur Radio Club

      #1 is not acceptable because the abbreviated name is ambiguous. The log checking software cannot positively identify the club.
      #2 is a callsign - not a club name.
      #3 is almost correct, but the name is spelled incorrectly (this is a common error).
      #4 is correct.

  7. To be eligible for the club competition award, at least three club members must participate. One of the following conditions must be satisfied:

    • at least three club members submit individual logs meeting the above requirements for single operator logs, or
    • the club submits a single log for a multi-operator station (single or multi transmitter) with at least three club members shown as operators, or
    • the club submits a combination of single and multi-operator station logs to meet the minimum participation requirement.

    It is not necessary for a log to be from a station using a club's call sign, although the activation of club stations is encouraged.

  8. Awards:
    • The top scoring station in each category receives a plaque.
    • Sponsors for additional plaques are always welecome. Contact HDXCC for additional information.
    • The top scoring club (aggregate score of three or more members' logs from Indiana operations) will receive a plaque.
    • Additional plaques may be awarded for "Rare County" activations. The list of "rare" counties changes each year. See Rare County Plaques for details.
    • Certificates for each entry category, each Indiana county, each state/province/territory and each country will be awarded where significant effort or competition is evident.

  9. Log Submissions:
    • Cabrillo format logs are required (new, starting 2024). Send logs via e-mail to inqp@hdxcc.org.
      NOTE: This address is for logs only. Do not use it for any other purpose as it is unmonitored.

      Please name the log file with your call (e.g., N9NS.LOG). No summary sheet is required with Cabrillo logs.

      Note: Files in ADIF, Excel, Word, PDF or any other format will not be accepted.

    • Logs must be received no later than June 1.

  10. Suggested Frequencies:
    • CW: 1.805 MHz and 30 kHz up from the band edge on 80-10 meters. A window for only mobiles to call CQ should be observed from 35 to 40 KHz up.
    • SSB: 1.845, 3.820, 7.190, 14.250, 21.300 and 28.400 MHz.
    • Try 160 meters at 0200 UTC.

  11. Web Site: www.hdxcc.org/inqp  Please visit the web site for additional information including:
    • A list of Indiana counties and abbreviations
    • Indiana county map
    • Notes on compatible logging software
    • Mobile and county expedition plans