1. These rules apply to all WIA Contests, except where inconsistent with a specific rule of a particular Contest.
2. Entrants must abide by their licence conditions.
(1) Multi-operator stations may abide by the Class licence conditions of the highest qualification level held by the operators or supervising operator of the contest station.

Contacts

3. Contacts
(a) A contact consists of an exchange of callsign and contest data with acknowledgement of receipt.
(1) Incomplete contacts must be logged with zero points claimed.
(2) Points are not lost if a non-competing station does not send appropriate information, but a report must be logged and any other exchange sent by that station must be recorded.
(3) The full contest exchange must be sent to all stations worked.

(b) In the time period relative to the specific contest, one contact only with the same station per band counts for points, regardless of that station’s operator or callsign.
(1) More than one contact with the same operator using different callsigns may not be claimed.
(2) Contacts with stations that have no other contest contacts may be disallowed.
(3) Duplicate contacts must be logged, with zero points claimed.

(c) Cross-band contacts do not score.

(d) Contacts scheduled before the contest do not count for points. Schedules may only be made during the contest.
(1) Arranging schedules or contacts is only permitted if arranged over the frequencies and radios in use during the contest.
(2) Self-spotting is not in the spirit of the contest. This includes using other callsigns an operator may own but are not in use during the contest.
(3) The use of public DX cluster networks is permitted.
(4) Private cluster networks are not permitted.

(e) Multi-operator stations may only transmit one signal on each band at a time.

(f) Proof of contact may be required.

(g) For contest purposes, /AM and /MM stations are treated as /M stations in their own
country. Other stations are regarded as being in the call area / country indicated by their callsign as sent.

(h) The practice of alternating CQs on two frequencies in the same band is not permitted.

Portable stations

4. Portable Stations
(a) Stations can be located in a permanent building or shelter.

(b) A station is portable only if all of its equipment is transported to a place which is not the normal location of any amateur station.

(c) All equipment, antennas and supports must be set up on site no more than 28 hours before the start of the contest. This does not apply to short term storage of equipment on site.

(d) All portable stations should sign /P when taking part in any WIA contest with a portable section.

(e) Portable stations may change location during the contest provided the station is dismantled and reassembled each time it moves.

Entrants

5. Entrants
(a) A single-operator station is operated by one person, who receives no assistance whatsoever from any other person in operating, log-keeping, checking and so on, and who does not receive notification of callsign information by packet, telnet, telephone or any other method including wideband (greater than 3 kHz) skimmer and skimmer-like technologies.

(b) Multi-operator entries are those not covered by 5(a). One operator must act as Entrant and submit the entry.

(c) All antennas, transmitters and receivers used by the entrant must be located within a circle of 500 metres diameter.
(1) All antennas used by the entrant must be physically connected by wires to the transmitters and receivers used by the entrant.
(2) An entrant's remote station is determined by the physical location of the transmitters, receivers, and antennas.
(3) Only one station may be used by the entrant during the contest period. That means, for example, that an entrant may not work themself by use of a remote station, nor may that second station be used to aid the operation of the entrant's station.

(d) Membership of the Wireless Institute of Australia (WIA) is not required.

(e) SPECIAL EVENT STATIONS
(1) Special event stations are encouraged to enter contests. However, a log must be submitted as a check log.
(2) Special event station operators are not eligible for contest champion points. A special event station gathers much more attention and contacts by its very nature and is not fair to other stations.

Adjudication

6. Adjudication
(a) Errors in sending / receiving information is penalised by the loss of all points for the QSO.

(b) Points may be deducted or entries disqualified or excluded for any breach of the rules or spirit of the contest. Subject to Rule 7 of these Rules, the decision of the WIA is final.

(c) The practice of club stations recruiting or pre-arranging contacts with other station from within that group, including from operators of the station itself, where there is no intention to make contact with other contest stations, is considered unfair and not in the spirit of the contest. Such practices may lead to disqualification.

Disputes

7. Disputes
The Contest Manager should be approached in the first instance and any issues should be resolved with them.
(1) If the matter cannot be resolved by the Contest Manager, the person concerned shall be invited to fully set out their concerns in writing, (which shall include by facsimile or email), within 7 days, which shall be referred to the WIA Director responsible for contests.
(2) That Director shall convene a meeting of the Contest Committee comprising at least themself and two other WIA Contest managers and ensure that the person concerned is given the opportunity to comment on any material or submissions provided by the Contest Manager.

(3) That committee shall then determine the matter. (Within 7 days of Receipt). The Contest Committee’s decision shall be final and binding.

Entries

8. Entries
(a) Log entries may be submitted by email, or on paper. Paper entries are acceptable if logging during the contest was not done on computer and/or a disability necessitates it.
(1) Subject to the rules of a particular Contest, the entry must be lodged within the timeframe indicated in the relevant rules. After the end of the Contest, log entries become the property of the WIA.
(2) The Contest Manager reserves the right to treat any entry as a checklog.

(b) The preferred log format for computer entries is Cabrillo V3.0. Entrants unsure of what information is required for a particular Contest are encouraged to use software that provides full support for WIA contests.

(c) Computer entries must be named with the stations callsign and the extension .log. i.e. CALLSIGN.LOG

(d) The log entry robot or vklogchecker.com must be used for online entry to all WIA contests unless indicated otherwise in the rules of a particular Contest.

(e) Paper logs should be sent to the address as indicated in the relevant rules. Acknowledgement will be sent if a stamped, addressed envelope is enclosed.
(f) Paper logs (and any not in Cabrillo format) must ensure the following information is shown for each contact: Time, Callsign worked, RS(T)/serial sent, RS(T)/ serial received, other data (specific to the contest), new bonus/multiplier, QSO points.

(g) Paper summary sheets should include the following declaration.
"I declare that this station was operated in accordance with the rules and spirit of the contest and within the conditions of my qualification under the Class licence. I agree to the data from this entry being entered into a computer for the purposes of contest adjudication and production of statistics. I agree that the decision of the Board of the WIA shall be final in all cases of dispute."

By submitting an entry via email or any other format, a contestant shall be deemed to have made a declaration to the same effect.

(h) Entrants shall ensure that the section or category being entered is clearly shown in the header or summary sheet. Entrants are encouraged to use soapbox lines in the Cabrillo header to give information about the equipment and antennas used as well as comments about the contest.

Changes to Rules

9. Changes to Rules
No change to these General Rules or to the Rules of a particular Contest shall be effective until approved by the WIA Contest Working Committee that must comprise the designated WIA Contest Director and at least two other managers of the WIA contests; changes must be posted on the WIA website as well as published in Amateur Radio magazine.

Awards

10. Awards
Trophies as specified will be presented at the WIA Annual Conference or similar appropriate event and will be held for a maximum period of one year for any annual event. Certificates will be awarded to leading stations in each category / band as appropriate.

Files For Download

Contest Terminology
Contest Terminology.pdf

Page Last Updated: Monday 10 March 2025 at 14:29 hours by Webmaster