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Activities Calendar
Please choose a year for the activities:
2021
2020
Older
To see reports and tables of results, visit the
Activity Results
page.
The free
FISTS Log Converter
program for Windows can be used to create entries for all the FISTS activities below.
Activities Calendar 2021
To see a list of dates and times for these and some other on-air activities, please visit the Upcoming Events web page.MECHANICAL KEY DAYS 2021 (MKD) | |||||||||||
DESCRIPTION | Mechanical Key Days runs from May to December 2021. You must send CQs and have QSOs using a straight ("up & down") key, a sideswiper (aka "cootie") key or a semi-automatic (aka "bug") key - no electronic keyers, keyboards, or other gizmos! If in doubt about the eligibility of your key, please ask. It does not matter what type of key your QSO partner uses. | ||||||||||
DATES and TIMES |
FIRST day of each month - 0001hrs to 2359hrs UTC. 01 May, 01 June, 01 July, 01 August, 01 September, 01 October, 01 November, & 01 December. |
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FREQUENCIES |
The following rules apply only if you are sending in an entry:
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EXCHANGE |
The minimum exchange is: RST, Name, QTH, and FISTS member number (if applicable). |
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SCORING |
A station can be claimed once on each day. Scoring:
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LOGS |
Each month's entry must be received no later than 07 of that month and
must include your callsign, name,
and email address (if you have one). Log formats:
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PROVISIONAL: WHAT 3 WORDS 2021 (W3W) | |||||
DESCRIPTION | An activity designed to encourage further familiarity with the What 3 Words locating app. Qualifying QSO will be QSO wherein a W3W location is exchanged. This can be the station location OR a stated location sent by the sender, e.g. Salisbury Cathedral, STOPS.YAPPY.MASS | ||||
DATES and TIMES |
ONE hour periods commencing at the cardinal times of the clock
(think radio room clock silence periods), 12, 3, 6, 9. Twice per 24hrs, so EIGHT x ONE hour operating periods per 24hrs. 00:01- 2359UTC first Friday, Saturday and Sunday in June, July and August 2021 June 4,5,6, July 2,3,4 and August 6,7,8. |
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FREQUENCIES |
The following rules apply only if you are sending in an entry:
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EXCHANGE |
The minimum exchange is: RST, Name,
W3W locator
OR
W3W locator
AND the stated place (see text),
and FISTS member number (if applicable). |
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SCORING |
A station can be claimed once on each day. Scoring:
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LOGS |
Send in your entry after the last day. Entries must be received by 07 December 2021 and
must include your callsign, name,
and email address (if you have one). Log formats:
|
SPRING WORD SEARCH 2021 | |
DESCRIPTION |
The idea is for members to work sufficient stations to be able to use one letter of each callsign to spell
I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills, When all at once I saw a crowd, A host, of golden daffodils; |
DATES and TIMES |
Every day, 0001 hours April 1st 2021 - 2359 hours June 30th 2021. All times Zulu. |
BANDS | Operation only on 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m, & 2m bands. |
RECOMMENDED FREQUENCIES |
FISTS Centre of Activity frequencies AND UP PLEASE. |
EXCHANGE |
There is no required exchange. Why not say you're chasing the letters and which letter of theirs you're using? |
GENERAL |
ANY STATION COUNTS.
FISTS OR NOT.
The aim is to use any letter of a callsign suffix to spell
I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills, When all at once I saw a crowd, A host, of golden daffodils; For example, in M0CDL/P the suffix letters are "CDL" and any one of them can be used as they all occur in the phrase. There are two sections:
Entrants may use QRP (5 Watts or less) or Open (any power). Callsigns used in one section may be used in the other but they must be worked again. Whilst QSOs of greater than 5 Watts cannot be counted in the QRP section, QSOs made using QRP can be counted in the Open section if desired. For example, G4LHI counts as an H for HIGH but if I work him using 5 Watts I can count him in the QRP section OR the Open section BUT if I choose subsequently to enter the other section as well, I MUST work G4LHI AGAIN on a different day to get the H for the new section. Please email the Activities Manager, David G4YVM, with any questions: |
POINTS |
Points for LETTERS IN PHRASE.
1 PER LETTER. The winning three places will be based on the number of letters achieved and the start date and time of the final qualifying QSO. IF THREE PEOPLE ALL GET ALL LETTERS, THE TIMES OF QSO WILL DECIDE THE WINNER. |
LOGS |
You can send in your log at any time but no later than 7th July 2021 please.
If you send in more than one log, each log must contain the full list of QSOs and the most recent log supersedes earlier logs.
Include your callsign, name, and email address (if you have one). Log formats:
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LADDER 2021 | |||||||||||
DESCRIPTION |
The Ladder is a monthly activity with two, two-hour sessions on the 2nd and 4th
Sunday in a month. As with all FISTS Europe activities, it is a relaxed and sociable activity. The results at the end of the year will list the leading three entries in two categories:
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DATES and TIMES |
Session times are 14:00-16:00 UTC and 18:00-20:00 UTC on the following Sundays: 10/24 January, 14/28 February, 14/28 March, 11/25 April, 09/23 May, 13/27 June, 11/25 July, 08/22 August, 12/26 September, 10/24 October, 14/28 November, 12/26 December. |
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FREQUENCIES |
The following rules apply only if you are sending in an entry:
|
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EXCHANGE |
The minimum exchange is: RST, Name, QTH, and FISTS member number (if applicable). |
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SCORING |
There are four 2-hour sessions in each month of which at most two can be claimed.
Within each claimed session, a station can be worked once;
it follows that a station can earn points at most twice (once per claimed session).
Scoring:
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LOGS |
Send in your entry after the last session in a month.
Entries must be received no later than the 7th of
the following month and must include your callsign, name,
and email address (if you have one). Log formats:
|
Activities Calendar 2020
To see a list of dates and times for these and some other on-air activities, please visit the Upcoming Events web page.New!!! Exchange Your Gifts 2020 |
Mechanical Key Days 2020 (MKD) |
2m Chronophage 2020 |
Dunkirk Memorial 2020 |
Straight Key Week 2020 (SKW) |
Word Search 2020 |
Ladder 2020 |
Low Bands Day Hopper 2020 |
MECHANICAL KEY DAYS 2020 (MKD) | |||||||||||
DESCRIPTION | Mechanical Key Days runs from Monday 16 - Sunday 22 November 2020. You must send CQs and have QSOs using a straight ("up & down") key, a sideswiper (aka "cootie") key or a semi-automatic (aka "bug") key - no electronic keyers, keyboards, or other gizmos! If in doubt about the eligibility of your key, please ask. It does not matter what type of key your QSO partner uses. | ||||||||||
DATES and TIMES |
ONE hour periods commencing at the cardinal times of the clock (think radio room clock silence periods), 12, 3, 6, 9.
Twice per 24hrs, so EIGHT x ONE hour operating periods per 24hrs. 00:01 UTC Monday 16 November to 22:00 UTC Sunday 22 November. |
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FREQUENCIES |
The following rules apply only if you are sending in an entry:
|
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EXCHANGE |
The minimum exchange is: RST, Name, QTH, and FISTS member number (if applicable). |
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SCORING |
A station can be claimed once on each day. Scoring:
|
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LOGS |
Send in your entry after the last day. Entries must be received by 07 December 2020 and
must include your callsign, name,
and email address (if you have one). Log formats:
|
2M CHRONOPHAGE 2020 | |
DESCRIPTION | Those of you who know your Latin or your clocks will know the chronophage as a time eater (do Google Chronophage and if you can get to Cambridge, do so…it is well worth the trip! www.johnctaylor.com/the-chronophage). |
DATES and TIMES |
Sept 28th to Oct 25th. Monday, Friday Saturday and Sunday. 1200, 1500, 1900 Z each day. |
FREQUENCIES |
2m ONLY, CW obviously. Now this is contentious. I would say calling on 144.050 but I know some FISTS would also say no, no, it's on 144.058. SO... Calling on either 144.050 or 144.058, you take your pick. I would like to be able to be hard and fast on this but that's just not possible. Perhaps what I should say is… "call CQ and tune low to high"! Now that takes us back! |
LOGS and COMMENTS | Logs and comments welcome to ...let's have some VHF fun. |
DUNKIRK MEMORIAL 2020 | |||||||||
DESCRIPTION |
During the period 18th May 0001z to 5th June 2359z,
which date covers both the memorial event and the actual operation dates, this activity is to simply work as many stations around Dunkirk and Dover (the operation was run from Dover) as you can. Remember it is FUN. Exchanges should be normal but more points will be awarded for stations within 50 miles of Dover or Dunkirk. Distances will be based on Locator distances. Locators do NOT need to be exchanged but for stations in Belgium, England, France, & Netherlands, you MUST enter the locator of the station into your log to claim "within 50 miles" bonus points. If you are not given the locator over the ear, it is often shown as the Grid Square in QRZ.com. If it's not there, you can find it using the postal address from QRZ.com on this Maidenhead Grid Square Locator Map web page. The scores are 1 point per qso, 3 points per qso within 50 miles of either Dunkirk or Dover castle, and 10 points for the Andover club special event callsign GB4DLS. Locators for the two anchor points are:
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DATES and TIMES |
18th May 0001z to 5th June 2359 UTC. | ||||||||
FREQUENCIES |
The following rules apply only if you are sending in an entry:
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EXCHANGE | There is no minimum exchange. | ||||||||
SCORING |
You may claim only ONE QSO with any given operator during the activity, i.e. all QSOs claimed must be unique callsigns.
Scoring:
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LOGS |
Send in your entry after the last day. Entries must be received by 07 July 2020 and must include your callsign, name,
and email address (if you have one). Log formats:
|
STRAIGHT KEY WEEK 2020 (SKW) | |||||||||||
DESCRIPTION | Straight Key Week runs for 7 days in July. You must send CQs and have QSOs using a straight ("up & down") key or a sideswiper (aka "cootie") key; no semi-automatic (aka "bug") keys or electronic keyers. If in doubt about the eligibility of your key, please ask. It does not matter what type of key your QSO partner uses. | ||||||||||
DATES and TIMES |
ONE hour periods commencing at the cardinal times of the clock (think radio room clock silence periods), 12, 3, 6, 9.
Twice per 24hrs, so EIGHT x ONE hour operating periods per 24hrs. 00:01 UTC Wednesday 01 July to 22:00 UTC Tuesday 07 July. |
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FREQUENCIES |
The following rules apply only if you are sending in an entry:
|
||||||||||
EXCHANGE |
The minimum exchange is: RST, Name, QTH, and FISTS member number (if applicable). |
||||||||||
SCORING |
You may claim only ONE QSO with any given operator per day,
i.e. all QSOs claimed each day must be unique callsigns.
Scoring:
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LOGS |
Send in your entry after the last day. Entries must be received by 07 August
2020 and must include your callsign, name,
and email address (if you have one). Log formats:
|
WORD SEARCH 2020 | |
DESCRIPTION |
The idea is for members to work sufficient FISTS members to be able to use one letter of each callsign to spell
'FOR GOD'S SAKE SEND US ASSISTANCE!'. DE SS TREVEAL.
|
DATES and TIMES |
Every day, 0001 hours August 1st 2020 - 2359 hours October 31st 2020. All times Zulu. |
BANDS | Operation only on 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m, & 2m bands. |
RECOMMENDED FREQUENCIES |
FISTS Centre of Activity frequencies. |
EXCHANGE |
The minimum exchange is: FISTS member number.
Why not say you're chasing the letters and which letter of theirs you're using? |
GENERAL |
ONLY FISTS members count.
The aim is to use any letter of a callsign suffix to spell
'FOR GOD'S SAKE SEND US ASSISTANCE!'. DE SS TREVEAL.
For example, in M0CDL/P the suffix letters are "CDL" and any of them can be used as they all occur in the phrase.There are two sections:
Entrants may use QRP (5 Watts or less) or Open (any power). Callsigns used in one section may be used in the other but they must be worked again. Whilst QSOs of greater than 5 Watts cannot be counted in the QRP section, QSOs made using QRP can be counted in the Open section if desired. For example, G4LHI counts as an H for WHAT but if I work him using 5 Watts I can count him in the QRP section OR the Open section BUT if I choose subsequently to enter the other section as well, I MUST work G4LHI AGAIN on a different day to get the H for the new section. Please email the Activities Manager, David G4YVM, with any questions: |
POINTS |
Points for FISTS:FISTS only. The winning three places will be based on the number of letters achieved and the start date and time of the final qualifying QSO. |
LOGS |
You can send in your log at any time but no later than 7th November 2020 please.
If you send in more than one log, each log must contain the full list of QSOs and the most recent log supersedes earlier logs.
Include your callsign, name, and email address (if you have one). Log formats:
|
LADDER 2020 | |||||||||||
DESCRIPTION |
The Ladder is a monthly activity with two, two-hour sessions on the 2nd and 4th
Sunday in a month. As with all FISTS Europe activities, it is a relaxed and sociable activity. The results at the end of the year will list the leading three entries in two categories:
|
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DATES and TIMES |
Session times are 14:00-16:00 UTC and 18:00-20:00 UTC on the following Sundays: 12/26 January, 09/23 February, 08/22 March, 12/26 April, 10/24 May, 14/28 June, 12/26 July, 09/23 August, 13/27 September, 11/25 October, 08/22 November, 13/27 December. |
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FREQUENCIES |
The following rules apply only if you are sending in an entry:
|
||||||||||
EXCHANGE |
The minimum exchange is: RST, Name, QTH, and FISTS member number (if applicable). |
||||||||||
SCORING |
There are four 2-hour sessions in each month of which at most two can be claimed.
Within each claimed session, a station can be worked once;
it follows that a station can earn points at most twice (once per claimed session).
Scoring:
|
||||||||||
LOGS |
Send in your entry after the last session in a month.
Entries must be received no later than the 7th of
the following month and must include your callsign, name,
and email address (if you have one). Log formats:
|
LOW BANDS DAY HOPPER 2020 | |
DESCRIPTION | The idea is absolutely NOT a contest but a means of enabling us to meet each other on air. |
BANDS | Operation only on 160,80,40 and 2m bands. NOTE band restrictions for this one! |
DATES and TIMES |
Friday 17th January, Saturday 25th. Sunday February 2nd, Monday 10th, Tuesday 18th, Wednesday 26th. Thursday 5th March, Friday 13th, Saturday 21st, Sunday 29th. Three periods per day 08-0900, 13-1400, 18-1900 Zulu. |
FREQUENCIES |
FISTS CoA. Perhaps call "CQ FISTS". |
GENERAL |
Members can submit reports of numbers worked, soap-box comments etc. etc. as a "Round-up news" at the end of the session
(by end Apr 2020 please) to
Please email David G4YVM with any questions: |
Details of earlier activities are available on the Activities Calendar Archive web page.