European HF Championship 2023

For a year 2023 were added to the rules of the European HF Championship, also known as EUHFC, new categories for the exam: SINGLE-OP-UNLIMITED, SINGLE-OP QRP a ONE-BAND (160m – 10m). If they prove themselves, in subsequent years they will be a standard part of the rules. The goal of the European HF Championship is, for European amateurs to contact as many other European amateurs as possible and compete for the title of "European HF Champion". Only EU-to-EU contacts are counted, considering the list of CQWW countries.

2. Date

The date of the competition is the first Saturday of August every year, from 12:00 UTC do 23:59 UTC (5. augusta 2023).

3. Bands

It competes in bands 160 – 10m (mimo WARC).

4. European HF Championship categories 2023

Participants can compete in one of 9 categories listed below:

#	Category	Category designation in the Cabrillo journal
1	CW/SSB – High Power	SINGLE-OP ALL HIGH MIXED
2	CW/SSB – Low Power	SINGLE-OP ALL LOW MIXED
3	CW only – High Power	SINGLE-OP ALL HIGH CW
4	CW only – Low Power	SINGLE-OP ALL LOW CW
5	SSB only – High Power	SINGLE-OP ALL HIGH SSB
6	SSB only – Low Power	SINGLE-OP ALL LOW SSB
7	SINGLE-OP-UNLIMITED	SINGLE-OP-UNLIMITED
8	SINGLE-OP QRP	SINGLE-OP ALL QRP
9	ONE-BAND (160m – 10m)	SINGLE-OP ONE-BAND

General concepts related to output power for all categories

a. High performance: The total output power must not be exceeded at any time 1500 watts.
b. Low performance: The total output power must not be exceeded at any time 100 watts.
c. QRP: The total output power must never be exceeded 5 watts

Competition conditions for all categories

a. All operational and logging activities are performed by only one person (operator).
b. All participants must work within the limits of their chosen category when performing any activity, which could affect their results.
c. Only one broadcast signal is allowed at any time. Only one operator can perform all operational and logging activities and only one call sign is allowed from a particular station.
d. If there are two or more transmitters on the same band at the same time, a hardware device must be used to prevent more than one signal from being broadcast at a time. You are not allowed to request or solicit QSOs (e.g.. CQ call) on more than one frequency on the same band at the same time. The second locked station on the band should be a calling station only and must change frequency after each QSO.
e. The entire operation must take place from one operating location. The transmitter and receiver must be placed in a circle with a diameter of 500 meters.
f. Remote station operation is enabled, if the physical location of all transmitters, receivers and antennas in a circle with a diameter 500 meters. A remotely operated station must comply with the station's license, license operator and restrictions for individual categories. The call sign used must be issued or authorized by the regulatory authority where the station is located. Remote receivers outside the station location are not allowed.
g. Any public assistance in reporting QSOs is permitted for all categories. This includes, among others, DX Cluster networks, local or remote Skimmer and/or Skimmer-like technologies and RBN networks.
h. Self-spotting or requesting spotting is not allowed.
i. Diaries with recorded connections in only one mode in categories no. 1 – 6 will be classified as “single mode” (CW or SSB).

Competition conditions for new experimental categories

SINGLE-OP-UNLIMITED

The new SINGLE-OP-UNLIMITED category is subject to the same rules as the existing All Band High Power categories (C. 1, 3, 5), except that, that there is no limit to the maximum number of band/mode changes and an audio recording of the competition is required (see a more detailed explanation below).

SINGLE-OP-UNLIMITED has classification only “All Band Mixed”, there is no separate department regarding”Band”, “Mode” or “Power”.

Request for audio recording

SINGLE-OP-UNLIMITED subscriber, who is competing for a top five finish (5):
– it must record the transmitted and received sound so, as heard by the operator during the duration
competition operation
– the entry must be in a common format (e.g.. mp3, wav…) and should include audio for each
as a separate channel.
– the record must be continuous (not a record of individual QSOs)
– time “off the air” (when not transmitting or receiving) may not be recorded
– the committee may request the record by 90 days after the diary closes, to help
when deciding on a diary
– the recording files must be provided by the participant by 5 days from the request
– failure to submit the required audio recording may result in category reclassification in the journal or disqualification

SINGLE-OP QRP

The new SINGLE-OP QRP category is subject to the same rules as category no. 2 (Mixed LP), with the exception of total power output, which must not be exceeded at any time 5 W. Ten at the most (10) band and mode changes(see paragraph 9).

SINGLE-OP QRP has classification only “All Band Mixed”, there is no separate division regarding “Band”, resp.”Mode”.

SINGLE-OP ONE-BAND

The new SINGLE-OP ONE-BAND category is primarily intended for amateurs, who do not have antennas for all bands and work only on one of 6 band (160m, 80m, 40m, 20m, 15m or 10m). Ten at the most (10) mode changes are possible (see point 9).

SINGLE-OP ONE-BAND has classification only “Mixed mode”, there is no separate division regarding “Mode” or “Power”.

SINGLE-OP ONE-BAND participants are required to include all connections made during the contest period, even if they are on different bands. Only connections made on the band listed in the Cabrillo header will be considered for evaluation purposes. Logs with connections on only one band will be classified as single band.

NOTE: An overview of issued brands 6 new single-band categories, but only 1 (one) common category, all single-band results, regardless of traffic band, will be evaluated against other single-band results within one common single-band category.

5. Competition code

SSB: RS report / CW: RST report + a two-digit number. That is the year the operator's amateur radio license was first issued regardless, whether it uses a given brand or another.

NOTE:

– 59(9) 82 means, that the first official radio amateur license was issued in 1982, 17 means 2017 etc..
– the official SWL license is also considered an official radio amateur concession
– there is no exception for work on specialty brands or competition brands, exactly the same rules apply, as written above: the first official concession of the operator is considered valid data for the broadcast two-digit number
– if you are unsure or have doubts about the correctness of the competition code, contact the organizer before the competition

6. Multipliers

Multipliers are different two-digit numbers, which means the last two digits of the year, in which the contestant won the amateur radio license for the first time. The multiplier is calculated only once per band, regardless of the mode.

7. Connection points

One is counted for each terminated valid connection (1) point regardless of mod. The same station can be contacted once on each band and mode.

8. Final score

The final score is the sum of the QSO points multiplied by the total number of multipliers.

9. Band and fashion changes – valid for all categories except the SINGLE-OP-UNLIMITED category

a. Categories with mixed mode (category no. 1, 2, 8) – a maximum of ten can be performed (10) band and mode changes at any hour (00 to 59 minutes). For example, five (5) band changes and five (5) change mode, while the band change together with the mode change is counted as one (1) change.
b. categories with one mode (CW or SSB only) (category no. 3, 4, 5, 6) – a maximum of ten (10) band changes at any hour (00 to 59 minutes).
c. Category ONE-BAND (one band) (category no. 9) – a maximum of ten can be performed (10) change mode at any hour (00 to 59 minutes).
d. Band or mode change after the tenth band change / mode will be penalized with QSO points and multipliers deducted for those QSOs in the given hour.

10. DXCC competition

Separate list of results according to DXCC entities (sum of all results from valid DXCC countries), regardless of club affiliation, it will be published. The latest ARRL DXCC list of current countries will be used for this purpose.

11. Awards (plaques and certificates)

a. Plaques will be awarded to European champions in several categories depending on
sponsorships.
b. It is strongly recommended that you log the exact operating frequency for each QSO in the Cabrillo log. Only logs with accurately entered frequencies will be eligible for plaques.
Note: If you are not using the CAT check to record the exact frequency of the QSO, log only the general frequency (1800, 3500, 7000 etc.) In your Cabrillo and do not use other artificial
frequencies within the band (3545, 7033 and so on).
c. Journals submitted after the deadline may be listed in the results, but they are not entitled to plaques.
Resubmitting an entry after the deadline will result in, that it will be considered a late entry.
d. Electronic certificates will be available for everyone to download, who submits the journal for evaluation.

12. Decision

The EUHFC competition committee is responsible for checking and judging the competition logs. All logs are reviewed using proprietary software and human judgment. Participants are expected, that they will follow the rules and best radio amateur practices. Violation of competition rules or unsportsmanlike conduct may lead to disciplinary action by the committee.

13. Penalties

a. For missed connections, incorrectly exchanged contest code and QSO, which will not be entered in the competition diary, and other similar cases such as discrepancies in the log, the connection is subtracted and an additional one (1) QSO point for each such error. A high percentage of bad connections or a violation of the competition rules will result in the participant being disqualified from the classification.
b. Participants, who were disqualified or sanctioned in other competitions in the previous year, will result in the participant being disqualified from the classification.
c. Other reasons can also lead to rejection, such as failure to submit required information from the participant.

14. Disqualification

a. Violation of competition rules, unsportsmanlike conduct or a very high percentage of unverifiable QSOs will be considered sufficient grounds for disqualification
b. Examples of unsportsmanlike conduct include but are not limited to:
– arranging or confirming any connection during or after the competition using ANY non-amateur means such as telephones, internet, instant messages, chat rooms, VoIP, e-mail, social networks, etc..
– broadcasting of the contestant on frequencies outside the license restrictions
– changing the times in the diary in order to accommodate the change of zone/mode or adjusting the time at the beginning or end of the competition
– excessive number of unverifiable QSOs or unverifiable multipliers
– signals with excessive bandwidth (e.g.. spetry, click) or harmonic signals on other bands
– operation of stations, which establish more than three consecutive connections without sending their call sign
c. Disqualified participants will be published in the results and are not eligible for an award
d. Notification of the committee's actions will be sent by e-mail to the address indicated in the logo
filing. The participant has five (5) days for it, to appeal the decision to the competition director. After this period, the decision is final.
e. The committee reserves the right to change the category of any journal based on review
diary or other information f. A disqualified operator will not be classified in the European HF Championship in the year following the disqualification.

15. Supervision

The organizer reserves the right to use any publicly available technology and designate different persons to control the operation of different stations during the competition.

16. Statement

By submitting the EUHFC Competition Log and taking into account the efforts of the EUHFC Competition Committee
to review and evaluate this journal, the participant unconditionally and irrevocably agrees to it, that:
– has read and understood the contest rules and agrees to them, that he will follow them
– works in accordance with all rules and regulations, which relate to the amateur radio station
– agreed, that the journal entry and the UBN report can be made available to the public
– agreed, that the issuance of disqualifications and other committee decisions are official and
finally

If the participant is not willing or able to agree to all the above conditions, should not send the log or submit it only as a control log.

17. Date and diary instructions

All participants must submit logs in electronic form and must meet the requirements below:
– The log must contain the following data for each connection: correct date and time in UTC, frequency (or band), station call sign, which was worked with, test code sent and received. A log without all the required information can be reclassified as a Checklog.
– Connections should be logged at the time they are terminated. Station, that compete for the European Champion must indicate in the logbook the actual frequencies for all connections.
– Contest participants on one band are required to list all connections made during the contest period, even if made on other bands. Only connections made on the band listed in the Cabrilla header will be considered for evaluation purposes. Logs with connections on only one band will be classified as single-band logs.

The Cabrillo file format is a standard for logs. Here is the pattern/template, what your EUHFC Cabrillo diary should look like.

Uploading to the web is the only way to submit logs. Uploading logs to the web is available on the Log Submission page. All received logs will be confirmed by email.
The participant can download the sent diary for any reason until 30 days from the closing of the diaries. Contact the Competition Committee, who will give you instructions.

All applications must be sent to 48 hours after the end of the competition (Monday 23.59 UTC).

If you cannot send a journal in CABRILLO format or you have other questions, contact
organizer to the e-mail address “euhfc (at) s5cc.eu” and ask him for help.