Updated 16-Nov-2007
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.)
- 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.- 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, past and present, counting only those past contests in which you have submitted a log
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 does not affect the scoring.)- 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).
- GENERAL SCORING RULES
- Each station may be worked once per band and mode for contest credit.
- The number of points for each contact is the "Years of Service" number received in the exchange.
- Each of the three modes (CW, PHONE, DIGITAL) is scored separately.
- One's Total Score is the sum of the three mode scores.
- THE LOCATION MULTIPLIER
- 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.
- For each mode, one's score 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.
- Only Published Location Codes may be used in calculating this multiplier, and these codes must be denoted on a Location Code check sheet. Enter the call sign of the first station worked from each location on these check sheets.
- MISCELLANY
- All logs must be kept in UTC (Zulu) time.
- A separate check sheet is required for each mode.
- You may not change your contest information (nickname, location code, years of service) during the contest.
- 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.
- AWARDS
Awards will be issued for the following categories:
- High 'Works Location' Top-10 Combined Scores
- Individual High Total Score
- Individual High CW Score
- Individual High Phone Score
- Individual High Digital Score
- Individual High Retiree Score *
- Individual High QRP Score *
- Individual Non-Bell System Participant High Total Score
- (And maybe a few others for 'Special Effort')
* From those self-designating themselves on the filed 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.
- 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: (These are Standard ARRL Rules)
- All e-mail entries must be standard ASCII text. (No Word Processor format, Spreadsheets, HTML, .ZIP, etc.)
- 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 - CQ-WE 2008).
- 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.
- FORMS
Here are copies of all the forms needed to participate in the contest. Only these forms should be used for filing your 2008 results:
- All required forms packaged as a PDF document
-- or --- All required forms packaged as an MS-Word document
-- or --- The suggested Log Sheet in text file format
- The Location Check Sheet in text file format
- The Score Summary Sheet in text file format
(A free MS-Word Reader for Windows is available from the Microsoft Web Site. A free Adobe Acrobat reader for viewing PDF files may be obtained HERE.)
- 2008 CONTEST SCHEDULE
Saturday, Nov 8 1900-2300Z CW, DIGITAL Sunday, Nov 9 * 0100-0500Z PHONE
Sunday, Nov 9 1900-2300Z PHONE Monday, Nov 10 * 0100-0500Z CW, DIGITAL * REMINDER: The Sunday and Monday 0100-0500Z times are really Saturday and Sunday evening in the states!
- 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 8 10M 2000Z
6M 2030Z
15M 2100Z
2M 2130Z
20M 2200Z Monday, Nov 10 40M 0200Z
1.25M 0230Z
80M 0300Z
70cm 0330Z
160M 0400Z - 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 7250-7300** 20 14040-14060 1460-14065 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)**NOTE: Europe uses 7060/7260 +/-
-- Back to CQ-WE Home Page --