Page last updated on: Sunday, October 1, 2017 0 Three contests in South Africa this week • On Thursday evening 5 October, you can participate in the popular SARL 80 m QSO Party which will run from 17:00 to 20:00 UTC. Phone activity takes place between 3 603 and 3650, and 3 700 and 3 800 kHz and the exchange is your call sign, a RS report and your name. Contacts with stations in South Africa are worth 10 points, while contacts outside South Africa are worth 15 points. Log sheets in MS Excel format ONLY must be submitted by e-mail to zs5lp@vodamail.co.za by Thursday 12 October 2017. • The second leg of the AWA Valve QSO Party takes place on 7 and 8 October. The AM QSO Party runs from 13:00 to 17:00 UTC on Saturday 7 October and the SSB QSO Party from 13:00 to 17:00 UTC Sunday 8 October 2017. Activity takes place on 40 metres between 7 063 and 7 100 kHz, and 7 130 and 7 200 kHz, and on 80 metres between 3 603 and 3 650 kHz. The exchange is your call sign, a RS report, a consecutive serial number starting at 001 and the type of radio used. The log sheets must be submitted by 23 October 2017 to andyzs6ady@vodamail.co.za. • The Spring QRP Contest is on the air from 12:00 to 15:00 UTC on Saturday 7 October 2017 with phone and CW activity using 5 Watts or less on the HF contest bands. The first hour is restricted to the 40 metre band. The exchange is a RS or RST report and your Grid locator. Logs, in ADIF, Cabrillo or MS Excel format and labelled "you call sign QRP Contest," must be submitted by Saturday 14 October 2017 by e-mail to contest@sarl.org.za. Note: A photo(s) of the station operating (JPG format) MUST accompany every log entry. Get the complete rules for these three contests in the 2017 SARL Blue Book. While talking about the Blue Book, Geoff, ZS6C and his team are working on the 2018 Blue Book and request any suggestions for changes or improvements to the present contests or suggestions for new contests to be sent by e-mail to contest@sarl.org.za by the end of October 2017. The South African Radio League http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2017/october/three-contests-in-south-africa-this-week.htm#.WdDry4_Wzcs