KCARC Annual Feb Challenge (formerly known as the Brass Pounder Award), the purpose of this challenge is to encourage KCARC Club members to “Get on the Air” during the month of Feb. The challenge is open to all KCARC members (in good standing).

WHEN: Month-long challenge running from the first day to the last day of February (unless noted otherwise, see specific challenge announcement for details).

BANDS: 160M through 2M, including WARC bands. Any 2M QSOs shall not be made via a repeater.

MODES: All modes: SSB, CW and Digital (Digital is any mode other than SSB and CW, including RTTY, PSK, FT8, FT4, JT65, etc…)

SCORING: Final scores will be the number of DXCCs worked on each band, times the total number of QSOs made. Each DXCC counts only once per band. The scoring will be based on an honour system, no logs are required.

Note 1: Some Digital modes, like RTTY, are not very active except during a scheduled contest. Therefore, for this event you can only count QSOs, regardless of mode (SSB, CQ and Digital), made during a contest that give you a new DXCC. For example, if you work the RTTY WPX contest and make 100 QSOs and you work 2 new DXCCs during that contest, then you can count 2 for DXCCs and 2 for QSOs.

Note 1A: Digital includes all digital modes. Therefore, if you make a QSO with Germany in FT8 on 15 mtrs, and you also make a QSO Germany on 15 mtrs in RTTY, then you can only count this DXCC once , however, both QSOs count towards your QSO total. To get credit for Germany again you would have to make a QSO with Germany on a different band, in any of the digital modes. The QSO will count towards your total, unless made during a contest, when only new a DXCC and the associated QSO for that QSO would count towards you total.

Note 2: if you are working POTA, SOTA, VOTA, or a Net, then all DXCCs and QSOs count. The exception would be a 2 mtr net when QSOs are made through a repeater, these QSOs and DXCCs do not count.

Note 3: if you are calling CQ or doing Search and Pounce, then all DXCCs and QSOs count towards your final total. Remember that each DXCC counts only once per band. All QSOs count, unless made during a contest, where only the QSO counts when you work a new DXCC.

Note 4: you can submit scores for all three modes.  If you do, they you must provide your total score for each mode, SSB, CW and Digital.

SUBMISSION: All submissions to the challenge coordinator must include your name, mode and total score for the award or awards you are challenging for. You can challenge for one or all three awards, participants must submit separate scores for each mode: SSB, CW and Digital. Final scores to be submitted no later than March 15 the following month. See specific challenge announcement for submission details.

AWARDS: Plaques are awarded to the high score for each mode: SSB, CW and Digital. To qualify for a plaque, members must be in good standing as of the end of February (dues paid in full during the challenge). You can view previous challenge awards here.

Participation certificates have been given to any club member who participated.

Trophies/Certificates will be awarded at the April meeting.