2017 TTF RULES

Date and Time	*Saturday,* *April 22, 2017* *0800-1800 Your Local Time* Eastern: 0800-1800 EDT Central: 0800-1800 CDT Mountain: 0800-1800 MDT Pacific: 0800-1800 PDT
Bands and modes	*QRP (5W or less CW, 10W or less SSB)* *on the non-WARC HF bands* *Standard QRP calling frequencies*
Theme	Operate from a river or stream.

A FIRST TIMER? SLOW AT CW?

If you've never worked a contest before, or find the 35 word per minute exchanges of other contests intimidating, try QRPTTF. It's pretty low-key and built for fun. If you hear a station calling “QRP TTF,” give a call. Don't be afraid to say “PSE QRS” (please slow down) if he's too fast for you. If you miss an element of the exchange, ask for a repeat (“SPC?” or “NAME?"). We all fail to get the exchange at times. Often, by listening to a QRPTTF station working another, you can copy the exchange before you call. These are all tricks to help you with your code speed and to get on the air to make some contacts.

Remember, we want to work you as much as you want to work us!

Every year, summary sheets are submitted that say "These were my first CW contacts ever," or "my first contest." That's what this is all about.

Get on the air, have fun.

PHOTOS. If you snap a photo or selfie of your QRPTTF or SOTA station, send it along with your Summary Sheet to be included on the results page.

Questions or comments may be directed to: qrp-l@mailman.qth.net (QRP-L Forum)

or na5n@zianet.com

72, Paul NA5N and Jan NØQT

Socorro, New Mexico

PS - I'll be operating from the west bank of the Rio Grande near Socorro, NM at a particularly scenic spot.

QRPTTF is an annual operating event to encourage QRPers and SOTA stations to get out of the house and operate portable “from the field” or a summit, and of course, have fun. Find a nice operating location for yourself, or combine it with some buddies for a day-long adventure. QRPTTF encourages participation by QRP hams of all skill levels. CW speeds are usually in the 13-18 wpm range.

RULES:

Exchange: RST, SPC, Name of River (or your name if Field or Home station)

RIVER station: example: 579 TX Pecos R. or 55N OK Flint Creek

FIELD station: example: 479 NJ Ralph

HOME station: example: 5NN BC Irving

HINT: If you're operating from the "Weekiewachookiehokiecanobie river," you're welcome to shorten it to something reasonable!!!

Mode: CW and SSB

Power: QRP only (5 watts or less CW; 10W or less SSB)

CQ: The recommended CQ is "CQ TTF"

Suggested Frequencies:

CW QRP watering holes: 3560, 7030/7040, 7110-7120, 14060, 21060, 28060 KHz

SSB QRP frequencies: 3985, 7285, 14285, 21385, 28885 KHz

SCORING:

Per band: Number of QSOs per band TIMES the number of SPCs and SOTA summits worked

For clarity: if you work a SOTA station in UT, it counts as a UT SPC + a SOTA station.

QSO points: ADD scores for each band for QSO points

Total Score: QSO points TIMES Multiplier

Multipliers: x1 home station

x2 QRPTTF “Field” station

x3 QRPTTF "River" or SOTA station

2017 Summary Sheet click here

Edit and submit above Summary Sheet, which calculates your score automatically.

You do not need to submit logs.

Theme ... "A River Runs Through It" was a 1992 award winning movie about a father and his sons who enjoy the solitude of fly-fishing on a Montana river, directed and narrated by Robert Redford. Sounds like a great QRPTTF outing and location, and suggested this year by Paul WØRW. Everybody should have a river or creek nearby, likely including a few trees along the bank for antennas.

And for those in withdrawal from the NPOTA and POTA activities, you can consider it "Rivers On the Air" (ROTA). We aim to please.

Qualifying River: To avoid any confusion defining a river, creek, stream, canal, etc.

– if it has a name, it qualifies, whether or not there's water in it when you arrive. This would include dry river beds and arroyos (with a name) common in the Southwest. Operate from near the river as safety or local facilities allow.

Station categories this year are:

RIVER - operating from a river or a qualifying SOTA summit for x3 multiplier

FIELD - operating from a non-river field location for x2 multiplier

HOME - those operating from their home stations for x1 multiplier

SOTA (Summits On The Air) stations are our QRPTTF partners and gives us all more stations to work, earn extra points, and have more fun. You'll know the SOTA stations from an exchange like "NM W5/MG011" – the SPC and summit ID. SOTA stations count as any QRPTTF contact, PLUS - each summit worked counts as an SPC (extra credit for copying that weird exchange!). SOTA stations are considered a RIVER station for the x3 multiplier. SOTA stations: Please also send your SPC.

Some SOTA stations like to operate from 2 or 3 different summits during the day. Working the same station from different summits (different summit ID exchange) do not count as dupes.

To find a SOTA summit in your area, check the SOTA Association page for your region here:

http://www.sota.org.uk/Associations

Scroll down to find your state.

Also, scroll down to "Summit Search," enter the summit ID to find out the SPC and summit of the station.