Single Operator stations may operate up to 24 hours out of the 30-hour contest period. Multioperator stations may operate the entire 30 hours.  See "Internation Digital Contest" rules in the complete rules document.

Following the first QSO, up to 6 hours of off-time may be taken in one or two breaks before the final QSO is logged.  Each off-time must be at least 60 minutes (1 hour) long.  The log checking software will count the 2 longest breaks in your log and use those as the 2 off-times.  Additional breaks, and breaks shorter than 60 minutes are ignored. The time before your first QSO and the time after your last QSO don't count as these two off-times. 

The log checking process will check your QSOs and calculate your score over the first 24 hours of operating time. You are encouraged to continue operating if you like - there won't be any penalty for doing so and those QSOs will count for the other operators. Don't delete any QSOs after the 24-hour limit so the other stations get credit for your contact.

The intent of the "two break" rule is to add another element of strategy to the contest. By limiting off-time to no more than two blocks, you can't take a bunch of short breaks. You have to decide based on local propagation, need for sleep, etc.  For Single Operator entrants, only 24 hours of the 30 hours count towards your score. 
 
These examples satisfy the rules:
- start at 1800 Sat and operate 24 hours straight
- start an hour late at 1900, take 2 two-hour breaks, end at 2300 one hour early
- start at 1800, operate 12 hours, sleep 5.5 hours, finish at 2330 one half-hour early
If you take several 60-minute off-times, even if they total 6 hours or more, only the first two will be counted toward the 6 hours of required off-time.

FT-4 Recommended Sub-bands

(Technician licensees are limited (per FCC Rules) to using only the 10 and 6 meter subbands {see below in bold}):

1.836-1.840 (users are encouraged to avoiding WSPR operations on 1.840)
3.580-3.590
7.080-7.090
14.080-14.090
21.080-21.090
28.080-28.090
50.330 to 50.340

When choosing your operating frequency, set the radio dial at the bottom of the sub-band and QSO with stations on audio frequencies within the radio passband, typically 2.5-4 kHz wide. If a sub-band becomes crowded, move the radio dial frequency up in 2 kHz increments, as needed. (For example: 7.080, 7.082, 7.084, 7.086 and 7.088)

 

FT-8 Recommended Sub-bands

(Technician licensees are limited (per FCC Rules) to using only the 10 and 6 meter subbands {see below in bold}):

1.840-1.844 (users are encouraged to avoiding WSPR operations on 1.840)
3.590-3.600 (No Digital above 3600)
7.090-7.100
14.090-14.100
21.090-21.100
28.090-28.100
50.340 to 50.350

When choosing your operating frequency, set the radio dial at the bottom of the sub-band and QSO with stations on audio frequencies within the radio passband typically 2.5-4 kHz wide. If a sub-band becomes crowded, move the radio dial frequency up in 2 kHz increments, as needed. (For example: 7,090, 7.092, 7.094, 7.096 and 7.098)

Tell us how you did! Send us feedback and photos!  Tell us what fun you had, and how you did, what challenges you faced, via our contest Soapbox page.  

Send us your photos!   Please, send us your high-resolution photos – especially youth!  Kids (and us adults wanting to regain our youth!)  We love to see activity photos – Kids and adults having fun, operating, setting up antennas!  For higher resolution, please send your photos as 500kb to 3mb in size. ARRL is always looking for youth activity photos for Write-Ups, Strays and Upfront in QST!

Please be sure to send a Photo Release for each person shown when submitting youth photos - found at www.arrl.org/photo-video-release-form.