Updated 2023-08-30

PNWVHFS Club Territory
and Club Scoring Explanation

For ARRL contests, clubs must define a "club territory" per Section 8 of the ARRL General Rules for All Contests (off-site).

As of October 2016, "members must BOTH reside AND operate from within the club territory to be eligible" to include in a club score.

Please note the club territory has no effect on individual contest scores. Individual scores can and should be submitted by all members. Only by showing the level of activity in the Pacific Northwest can we have an impact on future rule changes that will allow all members to be included in the club competition.

Who is Eligible?

For club competition purposes, only members RESIDING IN and OPERATING WITHIN the defined club territory can have their individual scores count cumulatively toward a club score.

  • Rover stations operating OUTSIDE the club territory during any part of the contest must submit a separate log for the club competition score, showing contacts made only while they were INSIDE the club territory.
  • Members residing OUTSIDE the club territory that are VISITING or operating portable within the club territory, are not eligible to contribute to the club score.
  • See ARRL's latest Club Contest Frequently Asked Questions (off-site).

Club Territory

PNWVHFS center point is grid square DN05ar at North 45.731076 and West -119.954514.

In defining the club territory, we had a choice of using either "one ARRL section" or a "250-mile radius circle." The 250-mile radius circle is the bigger and more-inclusive choice. We spent some hours plotting various circles, attempting to include as many members as possible from our stated club area (BC, EWA, ID, OR and WWA RAC/ARRL sections).

As of Oct 20, 2016, a 175-mile radius circle includes 392 members of the 495 members (80%) residing in WA-OR-ID-BC.
As of Aug 6, 2018, the circle includes 438 members of the 621 members (71%).
As of Aug 1, 2023, the circle includes 523 of 748 members (70%).
As of Sep 1, 2023, ARRL expanded the circle to 250-mile radius and we include Portland, the Idaho panhandle, and much more of SW Idaho.

I'm not perfectly happy with the result; however, every time I moved the circle to include members in more areas, a greater number of members were excluded in other areas.

To see the members inside or outside the club territory:

The board of directors reviewed the club territory; while no one is pleased that some members will be excluded from the club competition portion of the contest, this "club territory" seems to be the best we can do under the current rules.

Questions?

If you have questions regarding whether you are eligible to have your individual contest score counted toward the club competition, please contact the contest chair at contest@pnwvhfs.org (email).

Barry Hansen K7BWH
October 2016