Rules:

GENERAL

The 40M QRP Fox Hunt will begin on Thursday, 10/27/05 and conclude on  Thursday, 3/9/06.

With one exception, each hunt will start at 0200Z, and last for 90 minutes (last entry no later than 0329). The exception is the first week of the 40M Hunt, which will start at 0100Z because of Daylight Saving Time. 

The local Tuesday and Thursday evening starting times will be as follows in North America:

6:00pm Pacific
7:00pm Mountain
8:00pm Central
9:00pm Eastern

In each week there will be two Hunts, i.e. two Foxes operating simultaneously on each of the two bands..

GUIDELINES

• 1.1 The Fox tries to complete as many CW QRP QSOs as possible during the 90 minute hunt.
• 1.2 Each 40M Fox and each 80M Fox will have two sessions or "runs" during the season, and the Fox's score for the season will be the aggregate QSO total for the two runs.
• 1.3 No later than 5PM EST on the day before a Hunt, the Fox will post a notice on the listserver providing useful details such as his QTH, equipment, antenna(s), etc. Because many Hunters read the listserver's daily digest, changes after that time are to be avoided, as far as possible. Since it's a "Hunt," the Fox will not post his starting frequency.
• 1.4 The 40M Fox will operate within +/- 10Khz of 7.040 MHz.  The 80M Fox will operate within +/- 10Khz of 3.560 MHz.
• 1.5 The Fox will operate at an output level of 5W.
• 1.6 The Fox will call "CQ FOX DE [callsign]," "QRZ FOX," or otherwise identify himself as the Fox during the progress of the hunt.
• 1.7 The Fox may QSY to avoid QRM, but will indicate his intention to do so.
• 1.8 The Hounds should avoid transmitting on the Fox's transmitting frequency. Splits (separate transmit/receive capability or XIT/RIT) of up to 5 Khz may be used by the Fox, but the Fox will not ordinarily indicate where he is listening.  The Fox can be expected to change his listening frequency often, depending on the number of stations calling and the frequency spread. Hounds who cannot work "split" or do not have RIT should nevertheless operate as far from the Fox's transmitting frequency as possible, or wait until late in the hunt when the Fox is working zero-beat. 
• 1.9 The reporting of "spots" (or reports about fox activity that indicate a Fox's operating frequency) is prohibited during a hunt and will result in disqualification. This prohibition was developed in 2004 to level the playing field for those without real-time access to such reports and to enhance the overall "hunt" aspect of the event. 
• 1.10 A valid QSO is defined as the exchange of:
  - Signal Report
  - QTH
  - Operator's Name, and
  - Power Output

  Examples: 559 CO ET 500MW
  579 ND DOC 5W

  The Fox's information may in some cases be "deemed" to be exchanged. That is, the Hunter need not acknowledge the Fox's information, and the Fox may work a list. For example, the Fox may call several stations and acknowledge their information one by one, while sending his own information only once for the list. Hounds must be operating at QRP power levels (5W or less) if the contact is to count in the competition. Hounds may participate at QRPp power levels (1W or less), in which case they should report their power as 1W or as mW as appropriate. Foxes may work any station, but will receive Fox credits only for complete exchanges where the hound reports power of 5W or less. Hounds may work each Fox only once per session. Hounds must not work the Fox again using a different call sign (e.g. a club call). Foxes may also compete as Hounds, and may claim one point for their own sessions as the Fox, and one point for each other Fox operating at the same time (this is to avoid having Foxes abandon their frequencies in order to work each other).

• 1.11 Each Fox will post his log to QFOX as soon as practical after the completion of each hunt, ideally within 24 hours of completion of the Hunt. The log is to be in ASCII text format, showing one QSO per line with the following information:
  

  Time

  Call

  RST (received)

  QTH

  Operator

  Power

  For example:
  0101 N1FN 559 CO ET 500MW

  Extraneous information such as colons in the time entries, dates, and "QSO numbers" are to be deleted from the Fox's log before posting.

• 2.0 Hounds will ANSWER a CQ or QRZ? call by the FOX. Hounds do not call CQ, nor do they work each other in proximity to the hunt. 
• 2.1 In his notice to the listserver, the Fox may include suggestions as to preferred operating procedure, but in the absence of any other instructions, the Hound should send his call sign only once after a call by the Fox or the conclusion of a QSO. 
• 2.2 Hounds participating in the 40M Hunt may organize themselves into Teams of five members, with the Teams competing separately with each other for "team honors." Teams are to advise their rosters to the Teams Coordinator, (VE5RC), [email protected], before the third Hunt. "Sub-contests" are encouraged, but, with the exception of the "Teams Competition," are the sole responsibility of the person who decides to organize them. 
• 2.3 At the end of the Hunt, the winners will be everyone who participated! Certificates will be sent to the Hound who has worked the most Foxes, and the Fox who has worked the most Hounds.
• 2.4 Good hunting, and make FUN your First Priority!