Frequently Asked Questions Q. When and how did the NAQPC begin? A. The inspiration behind the NAQPC came from Rich N6KT. From Rich's suggestions and ideas, Dean N6DE and Stu K6TU created the NAQPC when in leadership roles at the NCCC in 2012. The goal of the Challenge was to increase NAQP participation among NCCC members by creating a fun competition between NCCC and other contesting clubs. See the article in the Jan/Feb 2014 issue of the National Contest Journal for more information. Q. What is the connection or relationship between the Challenge and the NAQP contests? A. The NAQP is a series of six contests sponsored each year by the National Contest Journal. There is no formal relationship between the NCJ and the NAQPC, although NCJ staff are fully aware of the Challenge. The Challenge uses the on-line results of the NAQP contests to score the Challenge. Q. How can I participate in the NAQPC? A. You must be a member of one of the three sponsoring clubs to participate: NCCC, PVRC or SMC. See the Contacts page of this web site for contact information for the clubs. If you are already a member of one of the clubs, then you only need to submit one or more logs each year for any or all of the NAQP contests to participate. Q. I don’t live within the “Circle” of my club. Can I still participate? A. Yes. Geographic location is not a factor in determining your eligibility for the NAQPC. A club member in good standing can contribute from anywhere in the world. Q. Circle? What’s this about a circle? A. There are nine ARRL-sponsored contests that are designated as Affiliated Club Competitions (ACC) for ARRL affiliated clubs. In order to have your log count for your club in these competitions, your club must be an affiliated club, you must be a member in good standing in your club, and you must live within the club’s “territory.” For the NCCC, PVRC and SMC, the club’s territory is defined as a 175-mile circle from a center designated by each club. See each club’s web site for the exact location of their circles. However, the circle is only a factor in ARRL contests, not the NAQP and not the NAQP Challenge. Q. How is the NAQPC scored? A. See the Rules page of this web site for a full description. Scoring takes into account both the number of participants from each club and the actual score from the logs submitted by each club’s members. Q. Do I need to do anything extra to have my log count for the NAQPC? A. Make sure you are listed as a member in good standing in your club and then submit your NAQP log to the NCJ. Your log will automatically be counted in your club’s Challenge score. Q. Are all NAQP entry classifications eligible to participate in the NAQPC? A. The NAQP has two entry categories, Single Operator and Multi-Operator Two-Transmitter. You can operate in either category for the NAQP and your log will count towards the Challenge. Your effort will also count if you submit a check log, although in that case only your participation point will count, not your score. Again, see the Rules page of this web site for a full description of the scoring of the Challenge. Q. How can I maximize my score to benefit my club’s score for the Challenge? A. Your club will benefit if you score as many points as possible, or have as many participants as possible. 1. If you are operating by yourself, consider using assistance, especially for the CW or RTTY contests where Skimmer spots are available, if this will help you achieve a higher score than if you operate without assistance. Be aware, however, that operating assisted will place you in the M2 category for the NAQP and make you ineligible for the NAQP team competition. 2. Don’t forget the fundamental rule of contesting: keep your butt in your chair. Other things being equal, the longer you operate, the higher your score. Q. What’s this about an NAQP team competition? A. The NCJ has a team competion that is part of each NAQP contest. Each team has five members who must be single op entries. The NAQP team competition and the NAQP Challenge are totally separate and run in parallel. Your being part of one has no bearing on the other, as long as you operate as a single op. Q. Can I have non-club members participate in my M2 effort? A. Yes. Your M2 score will be pro-rated based on the percent of club members in the group. Example: If you have five operators on your M2 team and three of the five are club members, your club will be credited with 60% of your total score. A M2 entry, however, can only earn a maximum of one participation point, regardless of how many club members participate.