The Colorado QSO Party is an excellent training ground for operator proficiency, technical know-how, and station readiness.
It helps hams:
- Increase “Radio Know-How”: Master the technical side of your gear.
- Sharpen Operating Skills: Improve both sending and receiving under real-world conditions.
- Promote Station Development: Identify and fix the “weak links” in your shack.
- Build Confidence: Transition from “listening” to “operating” with ease.
- First Operating Experience: A high percentage of new hams never make their first contact. The COQP is the perfect “Elmering” opportunity to change that.
- Colorado stations send RST plus their 3-character Colorado county abbreviation (e.g., “59 ADA” for Adams County).
- Stations outside Colorado send RST plus their 2-character state, Canadian province/territory abbreviation, or “DX” (e.g., “59 TX” or “59 BC”).
- See the Rules for suggested frequencies.
- Yes.
- Using spotting networks and assisted operation is fully permitted in COQP for all entry categories.
Yes, self-spotting is fine. And it’s OK to post on social media. In the spot comment, mention “COQP”.
If you’re doing both a POTA/SOTA activation and the QSO Party, your spot comment can say “COQP and POTA”.
- See the Rules for suggested frequencies.
- While you can operate on any frequency allowed by your license, suggested COQP frequencies are:
- CW: 3555, 7055, 14055, 21055, 28055 kHz
- SSB: 3850, 7180, 14280, 21380, 28380 kHz
- 6m: 50.125 MHz (SSB), 52.525 MHz (FM)
- 2m: 146.52 MHz (FM)
- See Rules
- Also, you can also track mobile and portable stations in real time using the COQP Mobile Tracker.
- Multipliers are counted per mode (CW and Phone separately), not per band.
- Colorado stations earn one multiplier for each unique Colorado county, U.S. state, Canadian province or territory, and one DX multiplier if any DX station is worked (maximum 128 per mode).
- Out-of-state stations earn one multiplier for each unique Colorado county worked (maximum 64 per mode).
- Log them for each contact, with different county exchanges.
- Yes, for Colorado Mobile and Portable stations only.
- A 500-point bonus is awarded for each Colorado county activated, provided at least 15 QSOs are made from that county.
No, the contact will still count for the Colorado station, even if the other station doesn’t submit a log. We encourage all stations to submit a log, but it is not required.
- Fixed: All operations from a single, permanent location. Includes both single-operator and multi-operator (multi-single) setups.
- Mobile: Operating in or on a movable vehicle, independent of commercial power, with all antennas capable of traveling without being disconnected or changed. Can be single or multi-operator.
- Portable: Operating from one or more temporary locations using antennas brought to the site. The station must be able to be set up, torn down, and relocated in a reasonable time. You may operate portable from your home county, but not from your home. Can be single or multi-operator.
- Your station must be capable of operating while in motion — that means all wiring and antennas must be able to travel without being disconnected or rearranged.
- However, you don’t have to be moving at all times.
- Parking at a good operating location between county transitions is perfectly fine.
- Yes.
- Mobile operations can involve multiple operators.
- Having a dedicated driver while a second operator handles the radio is a great way to cover more counties safely.
- Yes, as long as you are not operating from your home itself.
- A temporary setup in a park, field, or other location within your home county counts as Portable.
- A county-line QSO occurs when a mobile or portable station is physically located on the boundary between two (or more) counties.
- The county-line station must log the QSO separately for each county and give a separate exchange for each (e.g., “59 ADA / 59 ARA”).
- Stations working the county-line station log two separate QSOs and receive credit for two separate county multipliers.
- It’s one of the most exciting parts of the contest!
- The best practice would be to sign, for example, xx0xxx/ELP and then after moving sign xx0xx/TEL
- You could also self spot showing the new county.
- Counties in the eastern plains and the San Luis Valley tend to be less activated than Front Range counties.
- Check the Planned Activations page closer to the event to see which counties may lack coverage.
- — and consider activating an underserved one!
- Be sure to post your planned activation(s) on this page.
- You can update your reservations if your plans change.
- Yes! If you’re operating from a qualifying POTA unit in Colorado during COQP, be sure to submit your log to both programs.
- Your POTA or SOTA exchanges and logs do not require entry of your particular unit for it to be a valid activation.
- But, your COQP log DOES require your county to be exchanged and logged.
- See the POTA Parallel page for full details.
- Yes! Unlike many contests, COQP rules explicitly allow an unlimited number of operators at a single station.
- This makes it excellent mentoring and Elmering opportunities.
- Newer hams can get on the air with an experienced Elmer right there to help.
- If operating from Colorado – and you don’t have a “0” – just add /0 at the end – it helps hunters focus on you as a CO station.
- We suggest using W1XXX/0 when calling CQ from Colorado.
- W1XXX is fine when calling other stations, since you can work anyone, but adding /0 for consistency is fine too.
- Avoid calling CQ on a frequency already in use.
- Identify your station at least every 3 QSOs.
- CW operators: slow down to match the speed of slower stations calling you.
- Follow the WWROF Contester’s Code of Ethics
- Add a /0 to your call if operating from Colorado and you don’t have a zero call.
- The rules do not prohibit remote operation.
- Your station’s location — and therefore your entry category and county — is determined by the physical location of your transmitter and antennas, not where you are sitting.