After the great response by folks who played in the Golden Jubilee last year, we have decided to go for another form of challenge this year.

We propose to endorse ONE person from each state to operate that state’s QSO party using the K6JSS callsign. K6JSS would be followed by a space and then the two letter abbreviation for the state (AK, AL, etc). The person would be someone in that state who can devote a fair amount of time to putting that callsign on the air during that state’s QSO party.

Now some states (namely, in New England and the 7th callsign area) would be on two different weekends during the year. The use of the state ID would tell folks that you are in the state of the QSO party. For example, K6JSS GA would be on during all segments of the GA QSO party. The reason for the space instead of the / is that we are prohibited from using anything that might make us appear that we are operating from a country with that prefix for example, K6JSS/OK would appear to be the Czech Republic.

Only one person can be on the air at a time – yes, I am aware that the FCC RULES permit more than one using the same callsign on the air at once (e.g. FD) but you can see that during a contest, this would be confusing to those working K6JSS. So for this event, there will only be one person on the air during the contest. Exception: If the person assigned the callsign wishes to sub assign it to another person in that state for a different time period, they can do that. For example, Bob signs up to use the call but finds out he can only do the contest on Saturday. He would find another ham to use the callsign for Sunday. Neither person needs to be a member of QRP ARCI. But please collect all logs and send to me W4QO (the K6JSS trustee) after the contest. This can be in ADIF or any format, even paper.

A full schedule of state QSO parties can be viewed on QRZ.com .
In February, we have Minnesota, Delaware, Vermont, Louisiana, New Hampshire, Mississippi and North Carolina.

So if you can get on during your state’s QSO Party during 2012 and would like to use the K6JSS callsign at QRP levels, send an email: W4QO ((AT)) qrparci.org and we’ll let you know if you were selected to use the callsign.

Please use qrpspots.com and/or the QRP SKED site (it’s a button at the bottom of qrpspots.com) to tell everyone if you spot one of the K6JSS callsigns on the air.

A certificate is offered for working 50% of the callsigns used. We know that some states will not be represented and Alaska has no state contest scheduled. So let’s say 40 states show up with K6JSS; then you would need to work 20 (or more) of them. Also, the person who works the most “K6JSS states” will earn an 2013 ARRL Handbook !

The QRP ARCI website and the qrz.com for K6JSS will keep you posted of those that are expected to have an operator. So go down the list and volunteer for your state QSO parties throughout the year – reserve it now! Just send an email to W4QO.

Have fun!