The ARLHS Presents Its Annual

ARLHS LIGHTHOUSE SPRING LITES QSO PARTY


  • Purposes:
  • To promote public awareness of ham radio and lighthouses; to contribute to the recognition that lighthouses, lightships, and their keepers deserve; to foster camaraderie within the ham fraternity; and to provide fellowship amongst the members of the Amateur Radio Lighthouse Society

  • Dates & Times:
  • 0001 hrs UTC on April 15, 2006, through 2359 hrs UTC on April 23, 2006.

  • Suggested Modes / Calling Frequencies:
  • Any and all modes : SSB, CW, RTTY, PSK, FM, SSTV, etc.
  • Suggested SSB freqs: 1950-1990, 3950-3990, 7250-7290, 14.250-14.290, 21.350-21.390, 28.350-28.390
    (Calling on the centered 0.70 kHz on each band — Example: 14.270.)
  • Suggested CW center freqs: 1830, 3530, 7030, 14.030, 21.030, 28.030
    Note that these are center calling frequencies. Work 20 kHz each side of center.
  • To alleviate QRM, spread out and work SSB from 50 kHz to 90 kHz and on CW work from 10 kHz to 50 kHz (i.e., +/- 20 kHz of center.)

  • Scoring:
  • Each contact (member or nonmember) = 1 pt.
  • Add 2 points more if contact is an ARLHS member
  • Add 3 points more if contact is at a lighthouse or lightship
  • BONUS for activating a light: As an incentive for participants to activate a light beacon, we are instituting a multiplier. If you activate a lighthouse or lightship under the rules of the ARLHS, you qualify for an additional 2x multiplier of your total score (as determined above). If for example your base score is 600 points and these were all accumulated by your operation at one of the recognized ARLHS lights (see the ARLHS World List), multiply your 600 points x 2 = 1200 points final score. This will be indicated on the final scoring cover sheet, which MUST be attached for log to qualify — see section below under "Log Submissions."

  • Example:
  • You work ARLHS member #155 who is at lighthouse ARLHS USA-701.
  • Your score for this contact is 1 pt for the contact, plus 2 points
  • for working a member, plus 3 points for working a lighthouse.
  • Total score for this QSO = 6 points.
  • Answers to some other common scoring questions can be found on the Scoring FAQ page at http://arlhs.com/scoring.html

  • Exchanges:
  • ARLHS members send call sign, member number, name, state/province/country
  • Non-members send call, contact number (sequential), name, state/province/country
  • Lighthouse/Lightship Stations send call, ARLHS lighthouse number, name, state/province/country
  • NOTE: A numbered list of ARLHS lighthouses is available from page 10 of the Society's web page at http://arlhs.com

      • CERTIFICATES & PRIZES

      For All Participants: ALL participants are eligible for the following certificates and prizes:

      • First Prize: The entrant receiving the highest total number of points will receive their choice of prizes from the ARLHS online store. This is donated by The Weidner Publishing Group.
      • Second Prize: The entrant receiving the second highest total number of points will receive an official ARLHS coffee mug.
      • Third Prize: The entrant receiving the third highest total number of points will receive a gold lighthouse ornament.
      • A certificate is available with endorsements for those who work at least 50 lighthouses or at least 100 members of the ARLHS. Another certificate is available for those who work the club station, KC2HOU, during this event. The fee for each certificate is $2.00 + a SASE with sufficient postage (see Log Submissions below). SASE is required for all certificates.
      • The ARLHS offers several Awards for contacting or logging (if an SWL) light beacons (WAS-LH, WACA-LH, DX-LH, etc.). See the Society's Award Program on web page 9 for details and application forms.

      Members ONLY Prizes and Awards: The following prizes and awards are available ONLY TO MEMBERS of the Amateur Radio Lighthouse Society (ARLHS) in good standing as of the beginning date of the event. Be sure you are signed up and your membership is current!

      • Our sponsor, Harbour Lights, is offering a miniature collectible lighthouse to all ARLHS member participants. These exquisitely handcrafted models are available in local gift shops for $15-$25, but each ARLHS member entrant who submits a valid log showing ARLHS contact with at least one other member or one lighthouse is eligible to receive a FREE lighthouse from the Harbour Lights "Little Light of Mine" collection (sorry, no choice — selection is random). Applicant must pay shipping and handling of US $5.00. Payment must be in USA funds by USA check, cash, or money order (no IRC's). All checks should be made payable to "Weidner Publishing." Sorry, there is a limit of only ONE light per entrant.
      • In addition, the usual series of ARLHS awards is also available, and these are described on the Society's Award Program page 9.

      LOG SUBMISSIONS


      [1] Put your call & member number on EVERY PAGE of your log and on ALL other material submitted, including envelopes.

      [2] Attach a Scoring Summary Cover Sheet (see http://arlhs.com/score-coversheet.html for a sample) as the cover sheet for each log. If you choose to use your own version of a cover sheet, then it must at least include all items and elements on the ARLHS version: It should show the total points for all contacts; total points for member contacts; total pts for lighthouse contacts; grand total of points for that log a detailed list of all certificates, endorsements, and prizes applied for; and a listing of all amounts and totals of checks or money submitted.
      Versions of the cover sheet from previous ARLHS contests and events are not valid.
      Logs without the Summary Cover Sheet showing all required proper information will NOT be counted and no refunds will be made.

      [3] All logs MUST specify the entrant's call on EACH page of the log and clearly indicate the entrant's name, address, and member number (if applicable) on the first page, as well as on the summary score sheet.

      [4] All checks should be in US funds made payable to "Weidner Publishing." NOTE: IRC's are valid for postage only and can NOT be used for cash payments.

      [5] NEW! Each operation from a different QTH (home, mobile, lighthouse) using the same call but with a /P, /MM, or /M designation requires a separate log and separate score sheet. The scores from each log will then added together on the Summary Score Sheet to determine the final event score.

      [6] Send logs and all data to the Contest Manager:
      Dave Ruch, NFØJ
      P.O. Box 20696
      Bloomington, MN 55420-0696

      [7] Include a self-addressed 9 x 12-inch envelope with return postage (60 cents for USA, 2 IRCs for DX), along with $2.00 (US) for each certificate requested. Entries received without an SASE will not be acknowledged or returned.

      [8] Deadline for submissions is MAY 31, 2006. All logs must be postmarked by this date. Late entries can not be accepted.

      [9] No refunds will be made for logs and/or applications submitted improperly or without Summary Score Sheet and in proper form.

      [10] Although a sample log sheet is shown on the web site, any format of log sheet can be used, according to your preference, but be sure your log shows all appropriate information: Date, time (UTC preferred), station worked, op's name, member or sequential number, state or province, band, mode.

      [11] Rules, guidelines, criteria, prizes, etc, as cited herein, are subject to change at any time without notice and are at the sole discretion of the Amateur Radio Lighthouse Society.

      • NOTE: Failure to observe all rules for log submissions (see above) will result in disqualification. In such cases there will be NO refunds of any fees. Decision of the judges is final.
      • These guidelines apply to this event only. They do not apply to other ARLHS-sponsored events, which have their own set of guidelines. See the ARLHS Awards Program page for fees and details on applying for ARLHS awards.
      • Further Information :
      • E-mail to Jim: weidner [at] waterw.com
      • SASE to ARLHS -- Weidner Publishing, 114 Woodbine Ave, Merchantville, NJ 08109
      • SASE to Contest Manager, Dave Ruch, NFØJ, P.O. Box 20696, Bloomington, MN 55420-0696
      • Telephone to NJ: (856) 486-1755
      REV: JAN 13, 2006