North Carolina QSO Party

The 2026 running of the North Carolina QSO Party will take place on the air Sunday, March 1, 2026.  We’ve come a long way since the initial event in 1970.  The committee has met and we’ve hammered out another round I’m sure you will find exciting!

First thing everyone should do is to take a few minutes to read over the rules.  For the newbie and old timer there’s a lot of good information there.  If you have any questions please get in touch with us for any clarification.  If we have missed anything, we sure would like to know about it!

I’ll get to the important administrative changes first.  The FT-8/4 Weak Signal Showcase now allows the out of state ops to participate.  They submit their ADIF log just like the NC stations do.  Secondly, we have cleaned up the rules concerning Portable and Expedition category.  No more complicated explanations about what equipment can be used for what category.  Folks go out to the field with their regular radio gear using whatever suits them.  Simple.  We keep the level playing field by limiting Expedition to one fixed location (Field Day style) for the duration now.  Portable can go to multiple QTH’s as before, just have to be stationary while operating.  Any QSOs made while moving makes you a Mobile.  It’s important to note that Portable ops use the same physical equipment (radio, antennas, and accessories, etc.) after moving for the duration of the event.  This protects the level playing field by disallowing two independent teams from coordinating a “leap frog” operation using the same call sign and identifying it as one operation.

Now for the much-anticipated bonus announcement.  “Rarest of NC Counties” is the name.  Ten least active counties have been identified.  (see rules)   Working anyone operating from these counties yields a 10X factor in QSO points scored for each contact made for the op outside of there.  Those are points scored on every QSO made, and added before the MULTs are calculated.  Note this is for ops outside of these counties only.  Nothing extra for the ops operating from there, but these will be highly sought after QSOs.  Operating from one of these counties should include calling CQ a lot as everyone will be looking out.

We’re hoping that improving conditions will get more stations on the air operating.  Looking forward to everyone carving out some time in their busy schedule to get on the air and have fun!

The event for 2025 is behind us and what a whirlwind.  Conditions were pretty decent and the NC ops were out in force.  The log deadline has passed and we’re crunching them now.  As is usual, we’ll have them out shortly, we just want to double and triple check our work.  Everyone did a great job of submitting their logs with a minimum of complications.  We had a couple of issues, but they were quickly resolved.  Not making any promises, but we plan to announce the results and have the plaques ready in time for RARSfest in early April so the winners that attend can pick them up. Looking forward to shaking some hands!  Keep an eye out here for the results! Marty

Everyone has been waiting for the Bonus station announcement for this year’s event. Here they are! Fifty extra points each for putting these call signs in your log.

K4MN Cape Fear ARS Cumberland County

WA4TRS The Roadshow ARC Buncombe County

W4YK Blue Ridge ARC Henderson County

K4EG Alamance ARC Alamance County

WA4J Watauga ARC Watauga County

W4YSB Ashe County ARC Ashe County

NI4BK Azalea Coast ARC New Hanover County

NC4OC Onslow ARC Onslow County

WW4DC East Davidson Repeater Group Montgomery County

W4DW Raleigh ARS Wake County

AA4RV Franklin County ARC Franklin County

Although not a bonus, NC4QP will be on the air also!

Thanks and good luck to all! 73

Greetings and Salutations to All!

In appreciation of the contributions our North Carolina amateur radio clubs make to NC QSO Party we are putting them front and center this year. The usual spelling bees with their 1×1 calls are put aside in favor of club call signs populating the air waves. We want as many of them as possible! So, what are we doing for 2025?

Club stations, who wish to participate, are the bonus stations! Both in and out of state ops who work a participating bonus club station get 50 extra points. We are not putting any limitation to the number of clubs that are a bonus, its just we have to go through a small process to get your club approved and on the bonus list ahead of time.

Club stations operate as they normally would, nothing special is required. The objective is just to get on the air and put out our usual North Carolina hospitality. Since there will be nothing extra for gaining a sweep, no need to cover all the modes if this isn’t usually done.

What are we looking for in a club that is eligible for this bonus status? -It be a club in North Carolina having regular public meetings and providing amateur radio service to the community; -It be open to all amateurs for membership, and; -It has officers, committees, members and a structure we are all familiar with serving amateur radio interests.

How does a cub get to be a bonus? Send an email to Marty, W4MY, at w4my@reagan.com requesting to be a bonus station for 2025. Include the name of your club, call sign that will be used, a link to your website and any other information helpful in showing your club is of the type described above. You will get an answer as to your clubs bonus status and be listed prior to the contest if approved.

Of course, clubs are not REQUIRED to do this. We still want you to get on the air in the usual multi category nonetheless. But let me reiterate, your bonus status must be approved prior to the event. I’m putting a February 1, 2025 deadline on the request so we can prepare.

ONE MORE THING! This post is getting long, but one more important item. Participating bonus clubs will not be recused for competition! All the “bonus clubs” will be put in a new one-time category for 2025. Operating under the same rules as Multi-op/Mixed/Low Power these stations will be ranked with their score in the results and a first place plaque and second place certificate will be awarded. So this one time you can be a bonus and still compete!

Looking forward to hearing from the Clubs this year!

73 Marty W4MY

NCQP Chairman

The committee has been wrestling with this very popular digital mode for some time and not been able to get it integrated into the event. Other state QSO parties have tried with mixed results. We are going to explore from a different angle, as a separate event happening at the same time as NCQP. There’s more information to come, our IT guy Andy, AA9P, is spearheading it. For those interested, please stay tuned for more information to follow.

The purpose of this co-activity is to gauge interest and explore future possibilities of this mode for NCQP in future years.

FT-8/4
A special activity will be tried using FT-8/4 mode this year. All stations may participate, but only NC stations are permitted to submit their special ADI log file for an award.

Stations make regular FT-8/4 QSOs as is customary in usual operation during the time frame and date of the regular NCQP contest. For NC stations only: Submit FT-8/4 log in ADI format separately using the special form to be set up on the NCQP website specially for this purpose.

DO NOT INCLUDE FT-8/4 QSOs in the regular Cabrillo log. Making QSOs in this activity does not change the category status of a station participating in the regular contest. (i.e., A single-op/CW/Low Power station DOES NOT go into the Mixed mode if they participate in this special activity)

The main purpose in NCQP is to have fun and we want to include those that enjoy this mode. We encourage everyone to DO BOTH if they want!

Just a reminder that logs are due March 11 at midnight, so be sure to get yours in! We’ve had a tremendous response this year and we want to be sure and include everyone that participated! Thanks again for the tremendous support of NCQP! …Marty W4MY

As promised, here is an update of the bonus lineup for this year’s QSO Party

N4RAL – Wake county home of Fin Gold, NC4FG, (Wake County) staffed mostly by members of the Raleigh Amateur Radio Club and guests. Note: they won’t be at a POTA park, but are representing RARS, the QSO Party sponsor. Thanks, Fin, for heading this up!

Work N4RAL and the other five for a clean sweep! All bonus stations will be QRV on both phone and CW.

We’re excited about the event coming up in a few months. Here are the highlights of the changes. Enjoy!

Bonus Theme for 2024

“North Carolina Outdoors”

We are encouraging hams to go outdoors portable or expedition style and get on the air! POTA is really getting big in NC and we want to challenge our in state activators to do their thing on Sunday, February 25, 2024. We see this as a way to get rarely activated counties on the air. Go to the website under the “County Activity” tab to view a great list of POTA parks by NC County. Spend the day at your POTA honey-spot no matter where you might live! That said, this is not a POTA event. Therefore, the “Outdoors” spot you pick does not have to be a POTA sanctioned place. A city park, private park, etc. is OK for NCQP. There’s no reason, though, a POTA activator can’t go to a recognized park and make their operation a “two-fer” a POTA and NCQP!

Work the bonus stations that will be on the air operating Phone and CW modes from a North Carolina (POTA) park as follows:

N4AMW – Carl Sandburg Home, National Historic Site, Flat Rock, NC, N4AMW Op.

N4W – Wright Brothers National Memorial, Kitty Hawk, NC, W4MPS Op.

N4A – Alamance Battleground, Alamance County, N4MIO Op.

NI4BK – USS North Carolina Battleship Memorial, Wilmington, NC ACARC, W4MY Ops.

NC4QP – Goose Creek State Park,, Beaufort County, W4TTX/K4RLC Ops.

N4RAL – QTH TBD, Raleigh Amateur Radio Society, Raleigh, NC*

*Will be updated when known

Expedition and Portable Categories

Please take the opportunity to read the new descriptions of these categories if they apply to you. There have been some small, but significant, changes. First thing you will notice is the name change. We brought back the name “Expedition” to describe the classic scenario of going out and setting up your station outside “Field Day” style. There are some new restrictions (no mobile equipment) to better level the playing field. Maximum simultaneous transmitters was reduced to one.

The name “Portable” is now reserved for a kind of new operation style that we see the need to accommodate. Many POTA activators who (for example) travel to a park expeditiously deploy their radio equipment using a combination of mobile radios and quick setup antennas. After making the desired QSO’s, they pack up quickly and travel to a new QTH doing it again. Its sort of a “no restriction” category where you get on the air with just about anything, move quickly and tak advantage of working everyone again in a new county. One transmitter only here also, and no QSO’s are to be made while in motion.

100 NC Counties on the Air

Our desire is always to light up North Carolina with as many of our friendly hams as possible for a day. It’s never been a disappointment! I am frequently amazed and humbled by our level of participation. That said, we always are trying to think of new ways to get all of out 100 counties represented.

NC Weather

With all the emphasis this year on the “outdoors” the issue of weather is always in the front of our minds. February is in the middle of winter and that’s always a concern. Over the years we’ve had snow, rain, fog, freezing temps, warm temps, clear skies… no telling what’s in store. But whatever it turns out to be, we NC hams are a hearty bunch! Minnesota, with their QSO party in the dead of winter (Feb 3), has nothing on us! At least they can depend on ice, snow, and sub-zero temps, we never know what we are going to get!

Make your plans!

Think about what you want to do this year and gather up your plans. Please announce your activation, on the website (/map/create.php) whether operating at home as a single/multi-op, or outside with the new Portable or classic Expedition categories. Of course, we always want our Mobiles out there also!

See you in the pile-ups

2023 is now official! Take a look at the Results page. We’ve worked hard to get them out as soon as possible. Winner or not in any of the categories, congratulations! If you do get a plaque this year, double high five for you, a really special treat is coming, they look fabulous! The draft orders for printing are on the way to JNS as we speak to be made. As soon as all the winners have theirs we’ll post a picture here. Marc did a super job with the design this year Now that we’ve switched over to making the plaques using the sublimation printing process the result will be nothing short of awe inspiring.

Lets not leave out Dwayne’s design of the second place certificates. He’s got that process nailed and they look great! We still put those in the snail mail, a frame quality document worthy of the achievement.

Click over to the RESULTS tab and have a look! Enjoy! And, as always, please let us know if you have any questions or comments about this or any other subject.

73 Marty W4MY NCQP Chairman

The present spelling bee bonus award system of the NC QSO Party has turned out to be very popular since its inception a few years ago. Whenever I am out and about talking with fellow QSO party hams I always hear proud stories of clean sweeps or the agony of the one that got away. Your NCQP committee expends good effort in organizing and balancing the spelling bee in such a way it is available and elusive at the same time making the game an enjoyable one. A very unfortunate issue has come to our attention and I want to address it right away. Bonus station N4T (New Hanover county) did not field a CW operation. It was not possible for anyone in one of the CW only categories to accomplish a clean sweep.

The first thing everyone should know is that we on the committee are aware of the situation and have verified that the rumors of N4T’s CW absence are correct. Many ideas have been kicked around on how to mitigate the damage and all committee members have contributed in just this short of time. I will just pare it down to whats going to happen. Rest assured steps have been identified so this doesn’t happen again.

1. No rule or scoring changes will take place. Those in other categories than CW only will receive what they earn, sweep bonus (if applicable) etc. CW only categories will not receive the sweep bonus but since this applies to everyone in that category its a level playing field. Bonus credit is still given for each individual bonus worked.
2. Sweep certificates will be automatically e-mailed to all non CW category entrants who earned it. CW only entrants who worked five out of the six possible can receive a certificate also in recognition of working every possible bonus station available to them.

To those entering one of the CW only categories, and to those that made a last minute decision to go mixed mode in order to work N4T on phone, please accept my sincere apology. I bare the responsibility of this miss step and promise to take corrective action so it doesn’t happen again.

As I say often, we appreciate each and every NCQP participant who gets on the air whatever mode it may be in this great hobby of ours.

Marty Young W4MY

NCQP Chairman