The 2012 CQ DX Marathon

2011 Logs Due by January 31, 2012

This year’s DX  Marathon ends on December 31, so it’s time to go back through your log, see what you have worked, enter it onto the DX  Marathon spreadsheet, and then update it with any additional contacts through the  end of the year. See the main text or the DX  Marathon website for details  on how and where to submit your log. Remember, log submission dead- line for the 2011 CQ DX  Marathon is January 31, 2012.

The 2012 edition of the CQ DX Marathon begins at 0000 UTC on January 1, 2012 and runs  through 2359 UTC on December 31, 2012. The goal, as always, is to work as many countries and CQ zones as possible  at least once during the calendar  year. There are no significant changes to the rules this year, but there will be a significant increase in the number of plaques awarded. Sincere thanks to our new sponsors! We will continue to use a downloadable Microsoft Excel® template (or equivalent) which  may be filled in and emailed to a special address as your log entry. Conversion programs are available to automatically populate the tem- plate from your logging program. See the DX Marathon web- site  (http://www.dxmarathon.com)for  details. 

Here are the 2012 rules for the CQ DX Marathon:

The CQ DX Marathon is a year-long activ- ity, beginning at 0000 UTC  January 1 and ending at 2359 UTC December 31. Each year’s event is separate.

Any authorized amateur frequency may be used. Contacts through repeaters or satellites are not allowed for  credit,  nor are contacts  with maritime   or aeronautical mobile stations. All contacts must be made entirely over ama- teur radio frequencies—i.e., Echolink-type contacts do not count. Submissions with all contacts utilizing a single band will be recognized.

Any authorized amateur mode  may  be used. Three modes  will be recognized in the DX Marathon— CW, SSB, and Digital. All modes other than CW or voice will count as  Digital. Submissions with  all  contacts utilizing a single mode will be recognized.

Each entrant in the DX Marathon may submit one log each  year per operating location. Participants sub- mitting logs for single mode or single band entries must include only those contacts. Logs submitted with multiple modes or multiple bands will not be considered for  mode and band awards. Entries with two or more callsigns will only count as a single entry if all contacts were made by the same (single) operator at the same station using  the same antennas. Entries that include  contacts  made  with the assistance of remote receivers and/or transmitters in addition to contacts from a pri- mary station are not permitted.  There are two entry classes, “Formula” and “Unlimited.”

Formula: An entrant may choose one of two options in this class: (1) All contacts  must be made  with a maximum output power of 10 watts, regardless of band or mode; or (2) the operator may run a maximum of 100 watts output to a simple anten- na, such  as a vertical or dipole (see the appendix below for further rules on antennas used in either option for  Formula class). An operator in Formula class must select QRP (10 watts or less) or 100 watts and limited antennas at the beginning of the year’s DX Marathon, and may not switch between entry modes  during  the year. All contacts  must be made  without assistance of any sort, including but not limited to, lists, pass- es, or use of higher power  or prohibited antennas to initially secure the contact. Use of spotting nets such as a DX Cluster® is allowed.

Unlimited: Any antenna may be used, along with any power level for which  the operator is licensed. Use of spotting nets such as DX Cluster® is allowed.

Each country  worked is worth one point. Each CQ zone worked is worth one point. The total  score is the sum of zones and countries worked, on any mode and any authorized band. There are no multipliers of any kind. Each country and zone count only once. A  single QSO may count for both a country and a zone. If in the course of the year you work 238 countries and 37  zones, your score is 275. If you work all 40 zones and 150 countries, your score is 190. The CQ DX Countries List and the CQ Zone  List constitute the official lists. The lists are available on the DX Marathon web- site. In the case of ties, the operator whose last scoring con- tact was earlier chronologically will be judged the winner. Decisions of the Marathon Manager  are final.

Submissions must be made electronically, via  e-mail  to  <scores@dxmarathon.com>.  A       Microsoft Excel® template into which contacts may be entered is avail- able  for  download from the  CQ DX Marathon  website at <http://www.dxmarathon. com>.  The website also provides other options for those without access to Excel®. All scores must be received by January 31 following the close of each DX Marathon.

QSLs are not required. The operator is expected to claim con- tacts only from stations the operator has every reason to believe are legitimate, and only to claim contacts in which an accurate two-way exchange was clear- ly accomplished (see Appendix for fur- ther explanation). Scores will be adjust- ed by the DX Marathon committee for claimed contacts with pirates or any sta- tion not considered legitimate. Sub- missions may be penalized or voided in cases of fraud or poor sportsmanship. Submissions that do not provide clear descriptions of Formula class antennas to show that the antennas meet the Formula class antenna rules may be re- classified to Unlimited class. Decisions of the Marathon Manager are final.

Clubs are strongly encour- aged to use the framework of this con- test for intramural and regional competitions.

The final listing of  official scores will be posted on the DX Marathon website after the annual sum- mary of the winning scores and details is published in CQ magazine.

Plaques: The CQ DX Marathon Committee will award plaques as fol- lows: Highest overall score in Unlimited Class; Highest overall score in Formula Class; Highest overall CW-only score; Highest overall SSB-only score; Highest overall Digital-only score; High- est overall score for each of the six con- tinents; Highest overall score for single- band entries for the 10, 12, 15, 17, 20, 30, 40, and 80m bands. Plaques for CW, SSB, Continent, and Band winners will only be awarded if the winning scores in those categories are at least 50% of the score of the overall DX Marathon Unlimited Class winner.

Entrants may receive only one plaque per year. In the case of a participant qualifying for more than one plaque, that participant will receive a plaque for the highest level based on the above order. Plaques may be awarded to run- ners-up at the discretion of the DX Marathon Committee.

Certificates: Certificates are awarded to qualified participants in  this order: Highest  overall  score  per  CQ  zone; Highest  overall  score   per   country; Highest overall score per country; Highest overall score in the Formula Class 10 watts or less option.

Plaque winner are not eligible for certificates. Only one certificate will be awarded per entrant. In the case of a   

participant qualifying for more than one certificate, that participant will receive a certificate for the highest level based on the above order. Certificates may be awarded to runners-up at the discretion of the DX Marathon Committee.

In all cases, the rulings of the CQ DX Marathon Committee and the CQ DX Marathon Manager are final.

Formula Class antennas, option 1: Operators selecting the 10-watt option are limited to antennas on a single tower and whose height does not exceed 65 feet or 20 meters above ground eleva- tion within 330 feet or 100 meters of the tower base. Wire antennas may also be used but must meet the criteria of the 100-watt option, and may be tower-sup- ported at only one point.

Antennas for operators choosing the 100-watt option must be either simple verticals or wire antennas lacking sig- nificant gain. No arrays are allowed, whether vertical or horizontal, nor are long wires exceeding 130 feet or 40 meters, except on 80 and 160 meters. The base of vertical antennas used may not exceed 65 feet or 20 meters in height. Dipoles or other wire antennas must not be more than 60 feet above ground. Yagis, quads, or tower-mounted anten- nas (except wire antennas meeting the height limits above) may not be used in this category.

Each contact for a claimed country or zone must be a solid contact. The  station  claiming  a   contact  with another station is expected to have had his or her  callsign fully and accurately received  and transmitted by the other station, and to have copied his/her own call being correctly sent by the other sta- tion. For example, K2MGA may not claim credit for a QSO with a DX station who had his call as K3MGA, even though in many cases the DX station would QSL the contact with the correction made (after receiving a card from K2MGA, realizing the error and correcting his/her log). For a contact to count, both stations must correctly copy all of both callsigns.