FISTS Operating Activities

The club has many activities and membership in FISTS is not required to participate, just a love of Morse! All FISTS activities are designed to promote camaraderie among members of the club and help hams hone and improve their Morse skills.

FISTS has a "Code Buddies" program which matches up experienced operators with new ones that want to develop their skills. To volunteer contact the program manager Nick, K3NY. For more information, visit The Code Buddies Information Page

				BAND	Frequency			       BAND    Frequency

			       160m     1.808 MHz				17m    18.085 MHz
			 	80m     3.558 MHz				15m    21.058 MHz
			 	40m     7.058 MHz - IARU Region 2		12m    24.908 MHz
			 	40m     7.028 MHz - All IARU Regions		10m    28.058 MHz
			 	30m    10.118 MHz				 6m    50.058 MHz
			 	20m    14.058 MHz				 2m   144.058 MHz

* Please Note :     The calling frequencies on 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, and 10 meters - are only 2 KHz below the QRP calling frequencies (7.030 MHz is the QRP calling frequency in Europe). Please be considerate to the QRP CW ops and only QSY *down* from these frequencies.

OBJECTIVE:
To exchange specified information with as many FISTS members as possible using Morse Code only, and within the time frame stipulated.

PARTICIPANTS:
Any properly licensed amateur radio operator, FISTS member or non-member is invited to take part in the contest. At least one of the two stations in each QSO must be a FISTS member.

DATE AND TIME: (subject to change, see main index page)
The Winter SPRINT will run from 1700 UTC to 2100 UTC on Second Saturday in February.
The Spring SPRINT will run from 1700 UTC to 2100 UTC on Second Saturday in May.
The Summer SPRINT will run from 2000 EDT to 2400 EDT on Second Friday in July.
The Fall SPRINT will run from 1700 UTC to 2100 UTC on Second Saturday in October.

BANDS:
Operation is limited to the following amateur bands: 3.5, 7, 14, 21, and 28 MHz amateur bands.
Work stations only once per band.

ENTRY CLASSES:
There are three entry classes:
QRO: Over 5 watts -100 watts output power. 100 watts is the maximum output power allowed.
QRP: 5 watts output power or less.
Club: (regardless of power).
Entry class MUST be shown on logs to be considered for entry in a particular class, or will be assumed QRO.
An entry must be ONE class only, no combination of classes is allowed.

EXCHANGE:
The following information must be exchanged by both stations to count as a valid contest QSO:

For FISTS members:
RST, U.S. state/Canadian province/DXCC country, first name, FISTS number.

For non-FISTS members:
RST, U.S. state/Canadian province/DXCC country, first name, Power output.

DX COUNTRY STATUS:
U.S. states and Canadian provinces are those states and provinces that are contiguous and found within the North American continent. DX are those entities listed in the current ARRL DXCC publication, other than the above.

MULTIPLIERS:
Each U.S. State and Canadian province counts as 1 multiplier. Count each only once, no matter how many times worked.
Each DXCC entity counts as 1 multiplier. Count each no matter how many times worked.

SCORING:
Each QSO with a FISTS member: 5 points.
Each QSO with a non-FISTS member: 2 points.
Final score is total QSO points times multipliers.

CERTIFICATES:
U.S./VE:
Certificates will be awarded to the first, second, and third place finishers in each Entry Class.

LOG SUBMISSIONS:
All log entries must be received 30 days after the Sprint to be considered valid.
Sending the logs is what counts, and they will be spot checked for accuracy and correct scoring procedures.
Logs not sent to the proper address will not be considered for entry.

All logs MUST contain the following information to be considered for entry;
Your name and call sign. Club name if entry is for a club. Your FISTS number if a member. Entry class. Your claimed score. List of claimed multipliers.
The entry form is the best way to record this information.

Download the entry form as a text file

ELECTRONIC LOGS:
We will accept E-logs in standard Cabrillo format, Text, or ASCII text files. If you're not sure about your format, please contact me before the contest entry deadline.

E-logs are sent to ONLY.

PAPER LOGS:
Send log and forms to:

FISTS Sprint Log
c/o Ed Wlodarski N2ED
3 Shore Rd.
Andover, NJ
07821-2240

But, like we all were (or are!), they are intimidated and nervous about getting on the air. They've had bad experiences on Field Day or other contests and QSO's where people won't QRS (slow down), and they are getting frustrated. We don't want that to happen! We want to encourage and nurture these new CW operators. The Novice RoundUp used to be a good forum for this, but the Novice concept is obsolete. Something needs to be implemented that would include all classes of newcomers and give them a friendly place to learn the ropes.

The 2013 Get Your Feet Wet Weekend will be 0000Z Friday September 13 (Thursday local) through 0000Z September 16, 2013.

The focus is on sending slowly and clearly and sending the exchange in order. No memory or programable keyers or code readers are allowed -human-powered transmissions only. Certificates will be sent out to the top three scorers in each category free of charge. 

The rules: Operate under one of two categories for the entire event, Newcomer or Experienced. You can be licensed a long time but still be a Newcomer to CW or contesting. You're on the honor system: Choose whichever describes your ability.

Suggested calling frequencies are 3.558, 7.110, 14.110, 21.110, and 28.110.If you don't hear anyone, go ahead and call. Get your feet wet and jump in with a CQ FC on a clear frequency. YOU are there listening; chances are someone else is listening and waiting to hear a CQ, too.

Call CQ FC.

The Exchange: Callsign/N (newcomer) or Callsign/E (experienced), RST, Name, QTH, FISTS number or power, last two digits of the year licensed.

Example: WZ8C/E, 599, Nancy, MI, 0379, 88.

Count 2 points for working someone out of your category, 1 point for working someone in your category

Multipliers are number of stations that were licensed during the last   six years. For example   in 2012, it would be stations licensed in 2007-2012, in year 2013 it would be stations licensed in 2008-2013, and so on.

Stations may be worked once per band for points, but their multiplier only counts once.

No WARC bands.

Contacts must be 2-way human-keyed CW (Iambics are fine - just no computerized or memory keyers).

LOG SUBMISSIONS:

All log entries must be received 30 days after the Sprint to be considered valid.
Sending the logs is what counts, and they will be spot checked for accuracy and correct scoring procedures.
Logs not sent to the proper address will not be considered for entry.

All logs MUST contain the following information to be considered for entry;
Your name and call sign. Your FISTS number if a member. Entry class. Your claimed score. List of claimed multipliers.
The entry form is the best way to record this information.

ELECTRONIC LOGS:

We will accept E-logs in standard, Text, Excel, ADIF, Word, or ASCII text files. If you're not sure about your format, please contact me before the contest entry deadline.

Logs within 30 days to: email (Text, Excel, ADIF, Word, or ASCII format) to

PAPER LOGS:

Send log and forms to:

Feet Wet Log
c/o Curtis Gidding KC9UNL
109-B West Tomaras Ave.
Savoy, IL
61874

Log and Summary pages in .pdf format can be downloaded here.

feetwetlog.pdf

feetwetsummary.pdf

BANDS:
Operation is limited to 3.5, 7, 14, 21, and 28 MHz amateur bands. No WARCs.
Work stations only once per band.

ENTRY CLASSES:
There are three entry classes:
QRO: QRP: Club: Entry class MUST be shown on logs to be considered for entry in a particular class, or will be assumed QRO.
An entry must be ONE class only, no combination of classes is allowed.

CALL: CQ FS (short for fists straight = straight key)

EXCHANGE: RST, U.S. state/Canadian province/DXCC country, first name, FISTS number (or power output for non-FISTS).

MULTIPLIERS:
Each U.S. State and Canadian province counts as 1 multiplier. Count each only once, no matter how many times worked.
Each DXCC entity counts as 1 multiplier. Count each no matter how many times worked.

SCORING:
Each QSO with a FISTS member: 5 points.
Each QSO with a non-FISTS member: 2 points.
Final score is total QSO points times multipliers.

Logs within 30 days to: email (ADIF, Excel or ASCII format) to Logs must indicate type of key used.

Updated 4/15/13