The California QSO Party (CQP) is held every year on the first weekend of October. The first CQP took place in 1966. Since 1974, the Northern California Contest Club (NCCC) has sponsored CQP. CQP has traditionally opened the annual contest season by providing an opportunity for contesters to prepare for the ARRL November Sweepstakes since the format is similar. Stations outside of California, worldwide, work stations in California only. The 58 counties of CA are the multipliers. California stations work all stations in or out of CA. The 50 US states and 13 Canadian provinces/territories are the multipliers. Stations outside of Canada […]
Yearly Archives: 2026
20 posts
Attending Pacificon gives a chance to interact and share information with lots of other amateur radio enthusiasts to further (or begin) your own knowledge and to advance the hobby.
Calaveras Amateur Radio Society (CARS) and the Tuolumne County Amateur Radio and Electronics Society (TCARES) are having a joint picnic & BBQ on September 19, 2026 at Utica Park, 1075 Utica Lane, Angels Camp, California, from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. For details go to this event: Tri-County Picnic
NAQP CW (August): August 1, 1800Z to August 2, 0559Z, 2026. The North American QSO Parties are favorites of beginners and seasoned operators alike. The NAQPs are low-power only (no amplifiers allowed) which makes for a lot more breathing room on the bands. Small stations can generate very effective “runs” in the NAQP contests. Multipliers count once per-band, which makes for an exciting format, as multipliers can be “moved” from band to band. The NAQPs allow stations from all parts of North America to be in the running for the top spots. The 12 hour format allows participants to do some great […]