Rules of “Field Flowers” Marathon

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– Rules of “Field Flowers” Marathon

– Awarding in “Field Flowers” Marathon

Outdoor QRP Activity Group invites radio amateurs around the world to take part in the yearlong marathon “Field Flowers”. The aim of the Marathon is increasing of the interest for outdoor (fields) activity with QRP rigs, experiments with antennas and equipment as well as improving of skills of operating in a case of emergency.

We stand for careful handling of nature and presenting the most beautiful and interesting places of our planet Earth on the HAM radio air.

The Marathon “Field Flowers” starts at 00:00 UTC of January 01, 2016 and lasts whole year, until 23:59 UTC of December 31, 2016. Marathon participants will meet with surprises like as interesting short-term gaming events. Absolute winner and winners inside categories will be determined in beginning of 2017 after the Marathon completing.

Contacts credited with any HAM radio correspondents, on any bands, by any modes, but the Marathon participant's radio station must operate outdoors only with QRP (no more than 5 watts CW / DIGI and no more than 10 watts of peak power in Phone) or less power.

We recommend to use common QRP frequencies on HF:

CW – 1810, 3560, 7030, 10106/10116, 14060, 18096, 21060, 24906, 28060 kHz.

Phone – 1843/1910, 3690, 7090, 14285, 18130, 21285, 24950, 28385 kHz.

DIGI – at the low end of sub-band for each digital mode.

VHF – any eligible frequencies. Contacts via amateur satellites are welcome.

Duplicated QSO on different bands or modes are not counted. Besides that, duplicated contacts are not counted even if correspondent uses any additions to call sign. For example, if the call sign UR0ET is already credited earlier, any other QSO with DL/UR0ET or UR0ET/a, etc. are considered as duplication and do not counted into score.

Contacts, made in the framework of any activities of other amateur radio societies (i.e. SOTA, NPOTA, Fox Hunt, any contests, field or activity days etc.), may be applied for the Marathon, if conditions of these QSO correspond to requirements of the Marathon.

Radio stations are considered to be field, if they meet the criteria:

• autonomous power supply is used, such as Battery Pack, solar panel, gasoline generator, etc.;
• radio station is located at a distance no closer than 300 meters from the inhabited locality. Placing of radio station in parks and recreational areas, located in settlements, allowed if outside of capital buildings and autonomous power supply used.

Scoring group of participants

• Portable (P) – participants operating with a fixed outdoor (field) position;
• Mobile (M) – participants operating on move: bike, car, motorcycle, etc .;
• Pedestrian Mobile (PM) – walking participants operating on go.

Participation in one or several groups is allowed. It is recommended to make a preliminary announcement in a calender at organizers website www.outdoorQRP.org about your outdoor operation including day, time, location, used equipment and antenna, modes and other information.

Points and multipliers

Each valid QSO counts 1 point.

Additional bonuses will be added for the scoring of each outing in case of:

• for participants of the portable group (P) for new outdoor location away from the previous one at least for 500 meters – multiplier 2.0;
• for participants on the move (M) or on the go (PM) for new route – multiplier 1.5;
• for photo or video reportage with comments, or for a story about outdoor outing – multiplier 1.2.

Fractional results obtained as a result of multiplying will be truncated up or down to integer in accordance with the rules of arithmetic.

A competition for the most interesting story of the outdoor output and the most original photo/video reportage with comments will be held after completion of the Marathon, winners will get extra points. Photo/video reportage and stories will be published on the website www.outdoorQRP.org upon receipt, voting in the competition will be available to all participants of the Marathon, registered on the website.

Reports on participation in the form of log extract, indicating the claimed group, post address for mailing the Certificate of the Marathon Participant, attached story or photo/video reportage (or link for viewing/downloading) should be sent to the email address in a week at the end of the outdoor outing.
Intermediate results are published on the website www.outdoorQRP.org as processing of incoming reports with following notification of the participants about updates in the table of results.

Every participant of the Marathon who have sent at least one report, regardless of the number of QSO, gets free by mail a Certificate of the Marathon Participant.

• the absolute winner in the World;
• the absolute winner in the World by each group (P, M, PM);
• the winner of the Continent (Europe, Asia, America, Africa, Oceania) by each group.

All winners will be awarded by valuable Prizes if there are at least 5 participants in each group on the Continent. Second and third places winners will be awarded by Certificates of Winner.

It may to establish a prize/award/certificate in any category or own nomination in coordination with the Outdoor QRP Activity Group.

Supplement of the Marathon Rules is possible during a year regarding to the establishment of new awards, prizes, lottery and other incentives marathon.

Awards for Winners of “Field Flowers” Marathon

Additional awards and prizes in the nominations,
established or sponsored by other communities or participants of “Field Flowers” Marathon

– Rules of “Field Flowers” Marathon

– Awarding in “Field Flowers” Marathon