SETI League annual QSO Party

SETI League Policy Manual

Annual Ham Radio QSO Party
Rules and Regulations
April QSO Party

For the benefit of those members who happen to be licensed radio amateurs, as well as those in the ham radio community who wish to learn more about its activities, The SETI League, Inc. (a worldwide organization of amateur radio astronomers devoted to the scientific Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence) sponsors an on-the-air QSO party. The event runs every year in mid-April, on the Saturday nearest the anniversary of the launch of The SETI League's Project Argus all-sky survey. Operating rules and procedures for this activity are listed below.

Dates and Times:
Annually, the first Saturday on or following 16 April. Event runs from 0000 UTC through 2359 UTC. See The SETI League's Event Horizon for the specific date every year.

Contacts:
SETI League members and staff work everyone; others work SETI League members, staff and other interested stations.

Exchange:
Partricipants will send signal report, grid square, and SETI League membership status, as follows:

A = active Project Argus station
S = SETI League staff
M = SETI League member
N = non-member

Principal Calling Frequencies:
Contacts may be made at any mode or frequency authorized under the terms of a participant's amateur radio license. In order to help contest participants to find each other, The SETI League has identified a number of possible operating frequencies of astronomical significance. Initially, the following calling frequencies, all related to the natural emission frequency of neutral interstellar hydrogen (a focal point for SETI activity worldwide), were recommended:

14.204 Mhz (1% of the hydrogen line)
21.306 Mhz (1.5% of the hydrogen line)
28.408 Mhz (2% of the hydrogen line)

Additionally, SETI League technical advisor Bob Dixon, W8ERD, has suggested that we add this frequency in the 40 meter amateur radio band, which also has astrophysical significance:

7.2039 MHz (0.01% of the emission line of interstellar Deutrated Formylium)

And, Paul Hurm, N8OT, has suggested we include some designated CW frequencies. Thus, the following freqencies (the first two of which fall with in the US Novice/Technician class license allocations) are also added:

3.551 MHz (0.25% of the hydrogen line)
7.0309 MHz (1/70,000 of the CI transition frequency of carbon)
14.084 MHz (1/10,000 of the emission frequency of formaldehyde H₂CO)

Stations operating on the primary frequency of 14.204 MHz may opt to listen 14.225 and up. In the US, General class stations operate 14.225 and up. Participants may solicit contacts by calling "CQ SETI."

QSOs:
Participants are encouraged to discuss SETI, Project Argus, results to date, and the influence of project Argus on microwave activity in amateur radio.

SWLs:
Short Wave Listeners are encouraged to monitor the assigned frequencies throughout the QSO Party period, logging the time, frequency, grid square and callsign of any SETI League members and officials heard, to qualify for an SWL Certificate.

Logs:
Send logs to Burley Amateur Radio Club, Box 639, Burley, Washington, 98322 USA, attn: SETI. Log deadline is June 16 of each year. Include 9" x 12" SASE (or two International Reply Coupons) for a special certificate confirming QSOs with active Project Argus stations or members of The SETI League staff.

QSLs:
A special QSL card will be sent to those stations contacting W2ETI, the official SETI League Club Station.

Further Information:
For further information, email SETI League regional coordinator Tom Sanders, W6QJI, tjsand_at_wavecable_dot_com.

Cost:
There will be no charge for the issuance of any QSO Party certificate or QSL card. Claimants in the US are asked to provide a stamped, self-addressed #10 business sized envelope, for each QSL Card requested. Claimants outside of the US are asked to provide a self-addressed envelope of similar size, and two International Reply Coupons (IRCs) per QSL Card requested. Participants are welcome to make voluntary contributions to the nonprofit SETI League, Inc., which may be tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.

False Claims:
Any submitted logs which The SETI League, Inc., in its sole discretion, deems to be false, misleading, or in any way altered, will be disqualified from consideration, and the submitter excluded from participation in SETI League programs. Hoaxes will not be tolerated.

Interpretation of Rules:
All decisions of the Board of Trustees of The SETI League, Inc., with respect to interpretation of the rules presented herein or subsequently amended, shall be final.

Response Time:
Because this program is administered solely by volunteers, participants should expect a time lag of several weeks for the processing of QSO Party logs. The SETI League thanks program participants for your patience and understanding.

Effectivity:
These Policies shall have the force and effect of Bylaws of The SETI League, Inc. They may be amended as necessary from time to time by the Board of Trustees. Amendments or revisions shall become effective as of 0001 UTC on the day following the date of their posting to the World Wide Web site of The SETI League, Inc.

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