The Slovak Association of Radio Amateurs organizes OM Activity contest (OMAC), which for many years has been among the most stable and popular events of Slovak and Czech radio amateurs. The competition, focused on the activity of individuals in the 80-meter band, has clear and transparent rules that give equal chances to all participants - from experienced operators with powerful equipment to fans QRP operation with minimum power.
OMAC consists of twelve month stages, each taking place second Saturday of the month. The first part, dedicated to telegraphy (CW), takes place from 06:00 to 06:59 local time, the second - phone (SSB) - follows from 07:00 to 07:59. It competes exclusively in the band 80 meters, in sections 3520–3560 kHz for CW a 3700–3775 kHz for SSB.
The competition is intended exclusively for OM and OK stations, which establish connections only between themselves. The condition for participation is that the broadcasting station is located on the territory of the Slovak or Czech Republic. OMAC is therefore a specific national activity that supports connections between radio amateurs of both countries and strengthens their long-term cooperation.
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Categories and scoring
Contestants can participate in six categories - combined (CW + SSB) or separate (only CW or only SSB), each of which is divided according to performance into QRO (up to 100 W) a QRP (up to 5 W). This enables a fair comparison of performances even between participants with different technical capabilities.
Each valid connection is scored one point, but if the connection is made with the same station on both modes (CW and SSB), the operator gets a total of three points. They are multipliers last letters of call signs counter stations, while the maximum number of multipliers is 26. The total result is thus calculated as the sum of points multiplied by the number of multipliers.
Log submission and evaluation
Each participant is obliged to send his diary within seven days after the end of the stage through the web interface on the site sq.szr.sk. The log must be in the format Cabrillo and include an affidavit of compliance with the rules and permit conditions. This electronic system simplifies the processing of results and eliminates errors.
The results of the individual stages are published within seven days after their end, directly on the page of the competition. It is included in the overall evaluation of the year nine best stage results out of twelve, which also leaves room for operators who cannot compete every month.
Fairness and control
OMAC emphasizes fairness and transparency. Connections are recognized only if they are both sides confirmed in the contest journals and contain the correctly received code. To prevent unauthorized counting, connections with unsent logs are only acknowledged if the call sign of such a station appears at least in five diaries of other participants.
The contestant can be from the monthly stage eliminated, if it violates the competition conditions or permit regulations, or if it has more than 30% errors or fictitious connections in the diary. Repeated violations can lead to disqualification from the entire year, on which he decides KV commission SZR.
The importance and benefit of the competition
OM Activity contest nie je len o bodoch a výsledkoch. Je to predovšetkým long-term activity, which maintains an active life in the 80 m zone throughout the year. It allows radio amateurs to practice discipline, speed and accuracy in telegraphy or phone operation. Thanks to the short duration of the stages - only two hours a month - the competition is available to everyone, even for those who do not have the possibility of longer broadcasts.
Many participants also appreciate the social dimension of OMAC. The competition has become a platform where old acquaintances and new enthusiasts meet, and where healthy competition is created between individuals and regions. The regular participation of Slovak and Czech operators strengthens the tradition of joint races and builds a community of radio amateurs with an emphasis on the quality of connections, not just quantity.
New year - new challenge
Each new year of OMAC brings an opportunity to measure one's strengths, improve one's own results and support activity on the band. The continuous evaluation system allows you to track progress throughout the year and motivates regular participation.
Slovenský zväz rádioamatérov tak opäť vytvára priestor pre súťaženie v priateľskej atmosfére, s dôrazom na technickú zdatnosť, čestnosť a kolegiálnosť. OM Activity contest zostáva jednou z najdôležitejších domácich KV súťaží – a zároveň pripomienkou, že aj v digitálnej dobe má klasické rádioamatérstvo stále svoje nezastupiteľné miesto.
73! And may the new year of OMAC bring many nice connections, good signals and fair play on the air to all operators.