Information and Rules for the 2010
CQ-WE Contest

Updated 27-Feb-2010

The Annual CQ-WE (Western Electric) Contest is open to all Radio Amateurs. The objective is to contact, via ham radio, as many Radio Amateurs as possible who currently work for, did work for, or are retired from, any part of the pre-divestiture "Bell System", or any company that was created from the separated parts of what was once the "Bell System". This includes AT&T, Bell Labs, Western Electric, Local Phone Companies, and many other companies that are/were part of the "Bell System", including contractors who worked at "Bell System" Locations.
Please note: The rules are subject to review and change by the
Contest Committee until October 1st.
- - - - - -
Please use the most recent forms since they reflect the latest changes.
(See the FAQ for more info about the rules, including recent changes.)
  1. CONTEST PERIOD
    The contest shall be held the second full weekend in November, from 1900Z Saturday through 0500Z Monday. See "Contest Schedule" Section for suggested Times and Modes.
  2. THE EXCHANGE
    A contest exchange must include the following information:
    • Callsigns
    • First Names
    • Location Codes:
      • Bell System Participants: Use your Bell System Location Code
      • Non-Bell Participants: Use 'ZZ'
    • Years of Service:
      • Bell System Participants: Use your Years of Service within the 'Bell System'
      • Non-Bell Participants: Use the number of CQ-WE contests you have participated in, counting those past contests for which you have submitted a log, plus the current contest. (For 2010, this number will fall between 1 and 4)

    EXAMPLE: W4BXI de K8NU CARL CB 23
    (Note: By tradition, some Bell System retirees may optionally append an 'R' to their location code to designate themselves as retired, but doing so is optional, does not count as a separate location code, and does not affect the scoring.)

  3. THE BASICS

    • Each entry submitted must be for an individual operator, using one transmitter at a time.
    • Bell System Participants may contact anyone.
    • Non-Bell System Participants may only contact Bell System Participants.
    • A station may be worked in any of three modes (CW, PHONE, DIGITAL) for credit.
    • The DIGITAL mode includes all digital formats (for example: RTTY, AMTOR, and PSK), except Morse Code (CW).

  4. GENERAL SCORING RULES

    • Each station may be worked once per band and mode for contest credit.
    • Each of the three modes (CW, PHONE, DIGITAL) is scored separately.
    • The number of points for each contact is the "Years of Service" number received in the exchange.
    • To create an additional incentive for working a large number of locations, a Location Multiplier is used. This multiplier is the number of distinct Location Codes contacted using a given mode.
    • One's score for each mode is determined by multiplying the sum of the points (Years of Service) associated with each contact made using that mode by the Location Multiplier for that mode.
    • One's Total Score is the sum of the three mode scores.

  5. MISCELLANY

    • All logs must be kept in UTC (Zulu) time.
    • You may not change your contest information (nickname, location code, years of service) during the contest.
    • Only Published Location Codes may be used in the contest and when calculating a Location Code multiplier. A separate Location Check Sheet is required for each mode being scored. All Location Codes being claimed in each multiplier must be noted on the check sheet for that mode by entering the call sign of the first station worked from each location beside that contact's Location Code.
    • Simplex operation only. Contacts made through repeaters, digipeaters, or gateways are not permitted.
    • Cross-band contacts are not permitted.
    • Soliciting contacts by non-Amateur Radio means (for example, Internet or Telephone) during the contest is not permitted.
    • Contacting the same station consecutively on the same band using different modes is not allowed.

  6. AWARDS

    Awards will be issued for the following categories:

    • Works Location High Top-5 Combined Score
    • Works Location High Participation
    • Individual High Total Score
    • Individual High CW Score
    • Individual High Phone Score
    • Individual High Digital Score
    • Individual High QRP Score *
    • Individual High Active Bell System Employee or Retiree Score **
    • Individual Non-Bell System Participant High Total Score
    • (And maybe a few others for 'Special Effort')

    *   QRP status may be claimed by those operating the entire contest at 5 watts PEP output or less.
    **  Whichever category serves to complement the "High Total Score" winner, from those self-designating themselves as such on the submitted forms.

    A 'Certificate of Participation' will be awarded to every entrant who sends a properly completed entry form and who has made at least five (5) valid contacts.

  7. REPORTING

    • Send your Log, Location Check Sheets, and Entry Form to your Location Coordinator as soon as possible after the contest.
    • Your entry must be postmarked to your Coordinator no later than Dec 1st of this year.
    • If there is no Location Coordinator listed for your location, send your entry directly to the National Coordinator.
    • All entries must include complete summary information.

    E-mail Submission of Entries:

    • All e-mail entries must be submitted as either (1) standard ASCII text files, (2) a PDF file, (3) an OpenOffice Writer .odt file or an equivalent MS-Word .doc file that is capable of being read by OpenOffice, or (4) legible GIF or JPEG images scanned from paper logs.
    • Logs sent via e-mail must be sent as Attachments not as the text of the e-mail, and sent to the appropriate email address from the Location Coordinators list.
    • E-mail entries must include the participant's call sign, contest name, and year in the 'Subject' line of the e-mail. (Ex: W2EQ - Tom - CQ-WE 2010).
    • The attached file(s) must save by default to a filename which starts with the operator's call sign and end with the file extension '.TXT' (Ex: W2EQ.TXT or W2EQ-SUMMARY.TXT). The material may be coalesced into one file, or sent as multiple attachments, but if more than one attachment is used, each must have a unique name.
    • Files that are sent using a filename other than the operator's call sign are subject to being classified as checklogs.
    • Your comments, soapbox, etc. should be in the body of the email, not in the attachment.
    • Email entries are assumed to be signed when submitted.
    • Only one operator's logsheets may be included with each e-mail submission.
    • If you desire a paper Participation Certificate, you will need to send your contribution via US Mail to the Host Location Liaison. If you request a Certificate and don't send a contribution, your Certificate will be delivered via email.
    • Example of an E-mail Entry

    Paper Log Entries:

    • Entrants must use official Contest Forms or acceptable facsimile.
    • The most current forms should be used, as scoring rules, location codes, and requested information do change occasionally.
    • Handwritten logs showing required QSO information are acceptable for the CQ-WE contest.
    • Paper entries should be submitted to your Location Coordinator.
  8. FORMS

    Here are copies of all the forms needed to participate in the contest. Only these forms should be used for filing your 2010 results:

  9. 2010 CONTEST SCHEDULE
    Saturday, Nov 13 1900-2300Z CW, DIGITAL
    Sunday, Nov 14 * 0100-0500Z PHONE



    Sunday, Nov 14 1900-2300Z PHONE
    Monday, Nov 15 * 0100-0500Z CW, DIGITAL

    * REMINDER: The Sunday and Monday 0100-0500Z times are really Saturday and Sunday evening in the States!

  10. SUGGESTED DIGITAL SCHEDULE

    (These times are merely suggestions designed to enhance efficiency. Digital contacts may be made at any time during the CW/DIGITAL portion of the contest. For HF digital, note that the suggested digital frequencies have been located adjacent to the upper edge of the suggested CW frequencies, so that they may be easily checked for activity throughout the contest.)

    Saturday, Nov 13 10M 2000Z

    		6M 2030Z

    		15M 2100Z

    		2M 2130Z

    		20M 2200Z
    Monday, Nov 15 40M 0200Z

    		1.25M 0230Z

    		80M 0300Z

    		70cm 0330Z

    		160M 0400Z
  11. SUGGESTED FREQUENCIES
    BAND CW DIGITAL PHONE
    160 1810-1820 1820-1825 1850-1860
    80 3540-3560 3560-3565 3900-3975
    40 7025-7040 7040-7045 7178-7240
    20 14040-14060 14060-14065 14250-14300
    15 21040-21060 21060-21065 21360-21400
    10 28040-28060 28060-28065 28450-28480
    6 50.0-50.1 50.4 50.1 - 50.3
    2 144.08-144.1 145.6 144.220(SSB),
    145.75 (FM),
    146.55 (FM),
    146.58 (FM),
    147.54 (FM)
    1.25 (220) 222.1 223.6 222.15 (SSB)
    223.5 (FM)
    70 cm (420-450) 432.1 432.6 432.5 (SSB)
    446.0 (FM)


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