Rookie Roundup This Sunday in Garfield Park

SPARC will participate in the ARRL Rookie Roundup this Sunday, April 14. The contest runs for six hours, from 11 am to 4:59 pm (1800 to 2359 UTC).

The contest is intended for newly-licensed hams who have had their ticket for under three years. “Old hams” are welcome, but your role will be to coach and provide additional contacts to rookie stations calling CQ. From ARRL’s explanation of the rules:

• You can be a Rookie if you were first licensed in 2019, 2018 or 2017. Send the year you were first licensed in the exchange.

• If you were licensed before 2017 you can also be a Rookie if you made your first Amateur Radio contact during 2019,  2018 or 2017 or if you haven’t made any contacts on the contest mode (SSB for April) before the Rookie Roundup contest. Send the current year (2019) in your exchange. Either of these reasons qualify you as a Rookie for just one year.

• Rookies will attempt to make as many contacts as possible during this six-hour event. Rookies work everyone, and non-Rookies work only Rookies.

This is a great way to try out contesting in an event designed for newcomers.

You can participate from your own station on the 80, 40, 20, 15, and 10 meter HF bands (3.840-3.860, 7.215-7.235, 14.240-14.260, 21.315-21.335, and 28.390-28.410 MHz).

We’ll be set up with a few operating positions around the northeast corner of Garfield Park. Hope to see you there!