30/12/2024
ROC Our Blueprint For 2025
A Year of Excitement and Exploration awaits
Get ready to take your amateur radio skills to new heights with ROC ! This dynamic programme offers a thrilling blend of activities and challenges designed to test your abilities, broaden your horizons, and connect with the global amateur radio community. Earn points, unlock achievements, and compete for recognition while expanding your skills and making unforgettable contacts.
Challenge25 Overview
Challenge25 is an exciting year-long operating event running
throughout 2025, designed to encourage amateur radio operators to engage in diverse operating styles, explore the full potential of their stations, and achieve personal milestones in a competitive yet
inclusive environment. This will be the blueprint for ROC throughout 2025.
Purpose
The ultimate aim of Challenge25 is to work as many unique DXCC
entities as possible across three separate operating categories:
1. Phone (SSB/FM/AM)
2. CW (Morse Code)
3. Digital Modes
Each category operates as a standalone contest, with operators logging and tracking their progress independently for each mode.
In addition, we have added a number of smaller sub challenges
designed to promote activity in different areas, within on air activities and activations as well as promote learning within the hobby.
Challenge Objectives
Challenge25 is structured around two primary objectives:
1. DXCC Focus: Encourage participants to work as many unique
DXCC entities as possible in one or more categories (Phone, CW,
Digital).
2. Skill Expansion: Motivate operators to expand their expertise by
attempting the additional challenges across power levels, modes,
timeframes, geographical areas, and operating styles.
By integrating a variety of challenges, Challenge25 encourages
operators to refine their skills, embrace new operating techniques, and engage in the amateur radio community.
Key Rules and Guidelines
1. Mode-Specific Contests:
• Phone, CW, and Digital are treated as separate contests.
• Participants can choose to compete in one, two, or all three
modes.
2. DXCC Entity Logging:
• The primary goal is to log as many unique DXCC entities as
possible for each mode.
• All entrants MUST log in full via CLUBLOG and join the ROC
CLUBLOG league.
• Contacts with the same DXCC entity across multiple modes
count separately (one per mode).
3. Challenges:
• Operators are encouraged to participate in the additional
challenges outlined in Challenge25 (e.g., QRP, Time Zones,
State Hopper, etc.).
• Successful completion of challenges adds depth to
participation and offers opportunities for extra recognition.
4. Log Submission:
• Log Accuracy: Operators must maintain accurate logs with
proper documentation for verification.
• Submission Responsibility: It is the responsibility of each
operator to track their achievements and submit logs for
verification.
• Logs must be submitted to CLUBLOG and validated by
Radio Operators Cornwall (ROC).
5. Verification and Scoring:
• ROC will review submitted logs to verify DXCC claims and
challenge completions.
• Progress tracking is managed by the operator and validated
by ROC upon submission.
**Participants must be current FULL or CHALLENGE members of ROC**
Challenge Highlights
• Flexibility: Participants can focus on DXCC counts, challenge
completions, or a combination of both.
• Skill Development: Encourages operators to explore different
modes, improve QRP skills, and embrace portable or mobile
operations.
• Community Engagement: Challenges such as contacting ROC
operators, youth operators, or special event stations foster
camaraderie within the amateur radio community.
Challenge25 is not just about achieving DXCC milestones but also
about embracing the spirit of amateur radio: experimentation,
skill-building, and connecting with the world. Whether you're a
seasoned operator or a newcomer, Challenge25 offers something
for everyone.
POWER Challenges
Unleash your prowess in low-power communication and demonstrate
your ability to achieve more with less.
• Low Power Champ: Contact 25 stations transmitting at 100
watts or less. Prove your finesse in working efficient stations.
• QRP Explorer: Connect with 25 stations operating at just 5
watts.
Embrace the challenge of minimal power.
• QRPp Pioneer: Push the limits by making 5 contacts with
stations transmitting at only 1 watt.
• QRP Extra Mile – TX: Accomplish 5 QSOs over 4,000 miles using
5 watts or less. Showcase your precision and skill.
• QRPp Extra Mile – TX: Secure 5 QSOs spanning 2,500 miles or
more while operating at a mere 1 watt or less.
Each completed challenge earns an additional 25 points!
TIME Challenges
Master time-zone hopping and leverage every hour to enhance your
logbook.
• Time Zone Traveller: Log contacts from 5 distinct time zones.
Traverse the globe through the airwaves.
• Night Owl Operator: Work 25 DXCC entities during the quiet of
local night (22:00–06:00).
• Daylight Hunter: Work 25 DXCC entities in the vibrant hours of
local daytime (06:00–22:00).
Complete these challenges and claim 25 extra points per achievement!
GEOGRAPHY Challenges
Expand your footprint by connecting with operators across the world.
• State Hopper: Confirm contacts in 25 different US states.
• Continental DXer: Log at least one DXCC entity on every
continent.
• Distant DX Hunter: Work 25 DXCC entities located over 8,000
km away.
• Neighbourly DXer: Strengthen local ties by contacting 25 inter-G
stations on HF.
Earn 25 points for every geography challenge completed!
COMMUNITY Challenges
Celebrate camaraderie and connection within the amateur radio
community.
• Friendly ROCer: Log contacts with 25 ROC community operators
on ANY band (simplex).
• Club Connector: Reach out and work 25 club-operated stations.
• Youth Advocate: Support the next generation by working 25
operators under 25 years old.
• Event Chaser: Engage with 25 special event stations and be part
of the action.
Each challenge nets an additional 25 points for your total score.
BANDS Challenges
Demonstrate versatility across the spectrum and master multiple
bands.
• Band Mastery: Log 25 DXCC entities on each band, from 80m to
10m.
• Top Band Pro: Log 10 stations on 160m.
Each of these completed challenges earns an additional 25
points!
• Band DXCC Pro: Achieve 100 logged DXCC entities on each band.
25 points PER BAND available when you log 100 unique DXCC on
each HF band 160m - 10m.
For VHF:
• 2m Master: Log as many SIMPLEX QSOs as possible on 2m using
voice, CW, or digital modes.
• 2m DX: Log as many DXCC entities as possible on 2m.
VHF achievements offer 1 point per simplex QSO and 1 point per
logged DXCC in addition to HF scoring.
ACTIVITY Challenges
Combine exploration and operating to make the most of your year.
• Portable DXer: Log 25 unique DXCC entities while operating
portable.
• Mobile DXer: Log 25 unique DXCC entities while on the move.
• SOTA Activator: Activate 5 unique Summits on the Air (SOTA)
sites.
• POTA Explorer: Activate 5 unique Parks on the Air (POTA)
locations.
LOGGING Challenges
Sharpen your logging skills and chase unique stations.
• Prefix Collector: Log 25 stations with unique prefixes (for
example: “M”0ABC - “G”5XDX - “W”1A)
• Island Hopper: Work 25 stations on islands (IOTA).
• Maritime Connector: Contact 5 maritime mobile (/MM)
stations.
• Airwave Adventurer: Reach the skies by working 1 aeronautical
mobile (/AM) station.
• DX Net Pro: Participate in DX nets and log 10 QSOs.
• Portable Ops Enthusiast: Engage with and log 25 portable
stations (/P).
• Mobile Ops Specialist: Connect with and log 25 mobile stations
(/M).
• Contester: Enter at least one international contest and submit
your log to the organisers.
• See the Light: Log 10 Lighthouse/Lightship on the Air (LOTA)
stations.
Every completed logging challenge brings you 25 bonus points.
Scoring System
• Each unique DXCC entity logged (160m – 6m) earns 1 point.
• VHF Simplex QSOs earn 1 point per unique QSO logged and 1
point per DXCC logged. Points will be counted EITHER as a
simplex QSO OR a DXCC, not both.
• Challenges completed grant an additional 25 points each.
• Band DXCC Pro earns 25 points PER BAND 160m – 10m.
ROC Challenge25 offers something for everyone, from casual
operators to dedicated DXers. Whether you’re chasing awards,
improving your skills, or simply enjoying the thrill of the chase,
this programme will make 2025 your most exciting year in
amateur radio yet!
SAMPLE SCORING:
Operator Profile: Sarah, Call Sign M7SAR
Sarah, a passionate amateur radio enthusiast from Cornwall, set her
sights on making 2025 her most productive year on the airwaves. Witha well-equipped station and a determined spirit, she embarked on the ROC Challenge25 and achieved incredible results.
Sarah’s Accomplishments
Example Contacts and Scoring Summary:
Category 1: Phone (SSB/FM/AM)
• DXCC entities worked:
• 35 unique DXCC entities on Phone.
• Score: 35 points (1 point per DXCC).
• Challenges Completed:
• Neighbourly DXer: Contacted 25 inter-G stations on HF.
(+25 points)
• Daylight Hunter: Worked 25 DXCC entities during local
daytime (06:00–22:00). (+25 points)
• Portable DXer: Logged 25 unique DXCC entities while
operating portable. (+25 points)
Total Phone Score: 110 points
Category 2: Digital Modes
• DXCC entities worked:
• 40 unique DXCC entities on Digital.
• Score: 40 points (1 point per DXCC).
• Challenges Completed:
• Grid Hunter: Connected with operators in 25 different
Maidenhead grid squares. (+25 points)
• Event Chaser: Engaged with 25 special event stations. (+25
points)
• QRP Explorer: Made 25 contacts with stations operating at
5 watts. (+25 points)
Total Digital Score: 115 points
Additional Achievements Across Categories:
• Youth Advocate: Worked 25 operators under 25 years old. (+25
points)
• Airwave Adventurer: Contacted 1 aeronautical mobile (/AM)
station. (+25 points)
Grand Total Score for Sarah M7SAR:
• Phone Score: 110 points
• Digital Score: 115 points
• Additional Achievements: 50 points
Overall Score: 275 points
This scoring system demonstrates how Sarah’s diverse operating style and focus on challenges allow her to rack up points while broadening her amateur radio expertise!
