DX EXPEDITION

DX is shorthand for “distance.” DXing is the pursuit of distant stations with the goal of earning various DXCC Awards. A DXpedition is a trip to operate in a rare DXCC entity.

Tips

Don’t call the DX unless you can hear their signal.
When the DX station acknowledges someone’s call, stop calling until the contact is completed. Wait until you hear “QRZ” or something similar before calling again. (In CW pileups, the end of the contact may only be signaled by the DX station sending his own call sign.)
When calling, send your call sign, not the call of the DX station.
When a DX station is trying to sort out a call sign, he may send “W4? AGN,” meaning that he hears a W4, but can’t make out the rest of the call sign (AGN is a CW abbreviation for “again.”) If you aren’t the station he is looking for, don’t call.
If you’re trying to make an SSB contact, this is probably a good time to use speech compression (or speech processing) if your transceiver offers this feature.
If you make contact, send only the information the DX operator needs, typically your location and signal report.

FIELD DAY

Field Day is an annual amateur radio exercise, widely sponsored by IARU regions and member organizations, encouraging emergency communications preparedness[1] among amateur radio operators. In the United States, it is typically the largest single emergency preparedness exercise in the country, with over 30,000 operators participating each year. Field Day is always the fourth full weekend of June, beginning at 18:00 UTC Saturday and running through 20:59 UTC Sunday.

Since the first ARRL Field Day in 1933, radio amateurs throughout North America have practiced the rapid deployment of radio communications equipment in environments ranging from operations under tents in remote areas to operations inside Emergency Operations Centers (EOCs). Operations using emergency and alternative power sources are highly encouraged, since electricity and other public infrastructures are often among the first to fail during a natural disaster or severe weather.

To determine the effectiveness of the exercise and of each participant’s operations, there is an integrated competitive component, and many clubs also engage in concurrent leisure activities (e.g., camping, cookouts). Operations typically last a continuous twenty-four hours, requiring scheduled relief operators to keep stations on the air. Additional contest points are awarded for experimenting with unusual modes, making contacts via satellite, and involving youth in the activity.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A.R.R.L CONTEST

 A contest to encourage W/VE stations to expand knowledge of DX propagation on the HF and MF bands, improve operating skills, and improve station capability by creating a competition in which DX stations may only contact W/VE stations. One contest period is CW-only and one is Phone-only.  Use only the 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, and 10 meter bands.

W/VE (U.S and CANADIAN) amateurs: Work as many DX stations in as many DXCC entities as possible.

DX stations (WORLD WIDE Except U.S and CANADA) : Work as many W/VE stations in as many of the 48 contiguous states and provinces as possible.

info from: A.R.R.L website

QRP OPERATIONS (LOW POWER)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A homebrew QRP low-power transmitter and receiver that fits inside an Altoids tin.
In amateur radio, QRP operation refers to transmitting at reduced power while attempting to maximize one’s effective range. QRP operation is a specialized pursuit within the hobby that was first popularized in the early 1920s. QRP operators generally limit their transmitted RF output power to 5 watts or less for CW operation and 10 watts or less for SSB operation.[1] Reliable two-way communication at such low power levels can be challenging due to changing radio propagation and the difficulty of receiving the relatively weak transmitted signals. QRP enthusiasts may employ optimized antenna systems, enhanced operating skills, and a variety of special modes, in order to maximize their ability to make and maintain radio contact. Since the late 1960s, commercial transceivers specially designed for QRP operation have evolved from vacuum tube to solid state technology. A number of organizations dedicated to QRP operation exist, and aficionados participate in various contests designed to test their skill in making long-distance contacts at low power levels.

The term QRP derives from the standard Q code used in radio communications, where “QRP” and “QRP?” are used to request “Reduce power” and ask “Should I reduce power?” respectively. The opposite of QRP is QRO, or increased power operation.

SPECIAL EVENTS

In amateur radio, a Special Event Station is a special operation usually in observation or commemoration of a special or historical event, often with a special vanity call sign. These stations generally operate for a short time and have special QSL cards to commemorate the event.

Special event stations licensed in the United States will often have a special 1×1 call sign.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia