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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Hi, folks-</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>There was some recent ballyhoo over whether you had
to send your own call as part of the exchange in Sweepstakes, or if merely
giving your call during your CQ message or answering a CQ was
enough.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The rules state the following items must be
included in the exchange:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>4.1. A consecutive serial number;<BR>4.2.
Precedence;<BR>4.2.1. "Q" for Single Op QRP (5 Watts output or less); 4.2.2. "A"
for Single Op Low Power (up to 150 W output); 4.2.3. "B" for Single Op High
Power (greater than 150 W output); 4.2.4. "U" for Single Op Unlimited; 4.2.5.
"M" for Multi-Op; 4.2.6. "S" for School Club;<BR>4.3 Your Callsign;<BR>4.4.
Check<BR>4.4.1. The last 2 digits of the year of first license for either the
operator or the station. <BR>4.4.2. The same Check must be used the entire
contest. <BR>4.5. ARRL/RAC Section</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>So, to answer this question, your own call MUST be
a part of the standard exchange of information along with the other station's
call, QSO number, Precedence, Check and Section.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>As to the order of the items in the exchange, we're
not quite as hard on that issue as we were back in 1947:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>"1) Contest exchanges must be sent in the order
indicated, that of ARRL message preambles. Incomplete exchanges or wrong order
of sending justifies disqualification." - ARRL 14th Sweepstakes Rules, October
1947 QST, p.49</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>We're not going to disqualify you if you send all
the items in the non-standard order...but why would you want to? All the logging
tools are geared toward receiving the information in the way it has been
received for decades. By sending the data out of the standard order, you give
the other operator that "deer in the headlights" moment that nobody likes. So,
be a swell operator; send that data in the standard format, OM!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Hope everybody has fun this weekend. May you get a
Clean Sweep!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>73, </FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Sean Kutzko, KX9X<BR>Contest Branch
Manager</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>ARRL - The national association for Amateur
Radio<BR>225 Main Street<BR>Newington CT 06111-1494<BR>Telephone:
860-594-0232<BR>Fax:
860-594-0259<BR>email:skutzko@arrl.org</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>