The 2024 Virginia QSO Party will take place the weekend of March 16 & 17.
VAQP is designed to promote amateur radio activity in Virginia's 95 counties and 38 independent cities. This contest offers an abundance of certificates and plaques for operators of all skill levels and capabilities. RATS has sponsored the Single Operator VHF Only plaque for many years.
You'll find the full contest rules here. Here's an excerpt with the key points from the rules as currently published (2/10/2024):
- Virginia stations work all stations. Out-of-State stations work Virginia stations only.
- Work fixed stations once per band/mode.
- Work Virginia Expeditions, Rovers, and Mobiles in each Virginia County or Independent City from which they operate.
- Stations on County or Independent City lines count as one QSO and one County/Independent City multiplier.
- Mobile, Rover, and Expedition stations must use appropriate suffix in call sign.
- Satellite contacts allowed.
- No cross-mode or repeater QSO's.
- Spotting nets, DX clusters, etc., may be used to locate other stations.
- Self-spotting permitted.
This year, we plan to put a radio or two on the air at Laurel Park in Henrico County. We're in the process of finalizing our reservation for the same shelter we use for Summer Field Day every year. We hope you can join us on the air or at the park.
As usual we'll be looking for a few volunteers to help with equipment transport, set-up, and tear-down.
Find out more at our February and March membership meetings.
