LAQP Rules

1. Object: For Amateurs to exchange QSO information with as many Louisiana stations as possible on the 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10, 6 and 2 meter bands. It is also an opportunity for county hunters to work rare or otherwise inactive Louisiana Parishes.

1.1 Louisiana stations work everyone.

1.2 Non-Louisiana stations work Louisiana stations only.

2. Contest Period: The Louisiana QSO Party will run from 14:00 UTC April 6, 2024 to 02:00 UTC April 7, 2024

2.1 All stations may work the entire contest period or any part thereof.

3. Suggested Frequencies +/-:

3.1 CW

3.1.1 HF: 1.840, 3.540, 7.040, 14.040, 21.040, 28.040 VHF: 50.095, 144.050

3.2 Phone

3.2.1 HF: 1.865, 3.865, 7.255, 14.255, 21.365, 28.465 VHF: 50.135, 144.210

3.3 Digital – includes RTTY and any digital mode that supports the required exchange

3.3.1 In the standard digital sub-bands

3.4 No WARC band contacts

4. Classes: Non-Louisiana and Louisiana

Non-Louisiana stations compete only against other Non-Louisiana stations. Louisiana stations compete only against other Louisiana stations.

4.1 CATEGORY-OPERATOR: Cabrillo tag is ignored and everyone is lumped together regardless of the number of operators

5. Categories: There will be twelve main categories:

5.1 NON-Louisiana

5.1.1 Phone only

5.1.2 CW/Digital only

5.1.3 Mixed mode

5.2 Louisiana fixed stations

5.2.1 Phone only

5.2.2 CW/Digital only

5.2.3 Mixed mode

5.3 Rover (inside Louisiana)

5.3.1 Phone only

5.3.2 CW/Digital only

5.3.3 Mixed mode

5.4 Overlay – For Louisiana and Non-Louisiana Stations

5.4.1 CATEGORY-OVERLAY: WIRES (antennas made of wires only, no aluminum tubing)

5.4.2 CATEGORY-OVERLAY: TB-WIRES (tribander for 10/ 15/20M and wires for 40/80/160

5.4.3 CATEGORY:OVERLAY: POTA (POTA, Campground, Federal Wildlife Refuge)

6. Power:

6.1 Participants in each of the categories above may chose to operate at one of the power levels:

6.1.1 High Power – up to 1500 watts or the maximum allowed in your country, whichever is less

6.1.2 Low power – up to 100 watts

6.1.3 QRP – up to 5 watts

6.2 If ANY contacts are made at a higher power level, then the entire log shall be classified at that higher power level

6.3 Power output shall be measured at the last amplified gain stage before the antenna

7. Contest Exchange:

7.1 Non-Louisiana stations send call, signal report and state/province/country

7.2 Louisiana stations send call, signal report and parish abbreviation

7.2.1 Official list of Louisiana parishes and abbreviations is available at: laqp.org

8. Scoring:

8.1 QSO Points

8.1.1 Count two (2) points for each complete PHONE QSO

8.1.2 Count four (4) points for each complete CW/Digital QSO

8.2 Multipliers

8.2.1 For Non-Louisiana stations, multipliers are Louisiana Parishes (64 possible per band/mode)

8.2.2 For Louisiana stations, multipliers are: Louisiana Parishes, States (other than Louisiana), Provinces, and DXCC, per band/mode

8.2.3 For purpose of multipliers, the following 13 Canadian provinces shall be recognized: AB, BC, MB, NB, NL, NS, NT, NU, ON, PE, QC, SK, and YT. To be more in line with other state QSO parties, Maritime regions will not be recognized as multipliers.

8.3 Final Score

8.3.1 Non Louisiana Stations: Multiply QSO points by total multipliers (sum of Louisiana Parishes per band/mode)

8.3.2 Louisiana Stations: Multiply QSO points by total multipliers (sum of Louisiana parishes, States (other than Louisiana), Canadian Provinces and DXCC, per band/mode)

8.3.3 Rovers: Multiply QSO points by total multipliers (sum of Louisiana parishes, States (other than Louisiana), Canadian Provinces and DXCC, per band/mode), PLUS 50 points per Parish activated

9. Miscellaneous:

9.1 Multipliers: CW/Digital and Phone contacts count as separate multipliers

9.2 NO repeater contacts may be claimed for QSO or multiplier credit

9.3 There are NOT separate assisted / non-assisted categories. Please feel free to spot other stations (no self spotting, though)

9.4 All fixed stations may be worked once on CW/Digital and once on Phone PER BAND

9.4.1 Rovers may be worked once on CW/Digital and once on Phone per band, in EACH parish activated

9.4.2 Rovers must clearly indicate parish of operation

9.4.3 Rovers who are PRECISELY on a parish line may give contacts for both parishes, however, a separate and complete QSO and log entry must be made for each contact

9.5 Any station working N5LCC, the Louisiana Contest Club station, may claim a one-time 100 POINT BONUS

9.6 See http://www.arrl.org/general-rules-for-all-arrl-contests . Where a conflict occurs between ARRL rules and LaQP rules, then ARRL rules shall take precedence.

10. Log Submission:

10.1 To upload a Cabrillo log go to the LAQP Log Handling Website

10.2 To create a Cabrillo file online: http://www.b4h.net/cabforms/

10.3 By uploading a log or creating a log online, you agree that the LAQP Contest Committee may use your e-mail address to:

10.3.1: Send you an acknowledgement and confirmation that your log has been received and entered

10.3.2: Ask you a question about your log

10.3.3: Send you an invitation to operate in next year’s LAQP

10.3.4: The LAQP Contest Committee will not publish or share your e-mail address with anyone for any reason.

10.4 The deadline for log submission is 10 days from the day of the LAQP. Logs received after that time will not be considered for awards

10.5 All logs generated using a computer must submit an ASCII text file of the log in ARRL (Cabrillo) format.

10.6 By submitting a log, you agree that your score, and possibly your entire log – except your e-mail address – may be made public

10.7 By submitting a log, you agree that all decisions by the LAQP Contest Committee are final

10.8 Claimed scores will be checked against QSO count and multipliers and scores corrected as necessary

11. Awards:

11.1 The Louisiana Contest Club offers a large number of awards for you to compete for. Separate awards are available for each power level, listed in Rule #6. Certificates will be awarded to the top three scoring stations in each category:

11.1.1 Non-Louisiana, Phone only

11.1.2 Non-Louisiana, CW/Digital only

11.1.3 Non-Louisiana Mixed mode

11.1.4 Louisiana Phone Only

11.1.5 Louisiana CW/Digital only

11.1.6 Louisiana Mixed mode

11.1.7 Rover (inside Louisiana), Phone only

11.1.8 Rover (inside Louisiana), CW/Digital only

11.1.9 Rover (inside Louisiana), Mixed mode

11.1.10 Additional awards may be issued at the discretion of the LaQP Contest Committee

11.2 Results of ALL entries shall be posted on the Louisiana Contest Club website

11.2.1 Any station making ten (10) or more contacts may receive a certificate of participation by including in the submitted Cabrillo log file a line CERTIFICATE: YES

12. Contact Us:

12.1 Please direct any questions to: questions@laqp.org

Revised Feb 19, 2024 WM5H, W5WZ