This Rules page will be very different from what you most likely would be accustomed to.
Mainly because this contest is very different from what you may have done before.
These are the Rules from 2023. They may change some for 2024, or maybe not at all.

As described, this is the contesters contest.
And we are currently analyzing the suggestions made by the
2023 compeditiors of what to change in the Mayhem.
What to add, what to keep, what to get rid of.
Hey, we are even open to ideas from anyone!
Have an idea? Send it to us! info@w9et.com

At first glance this contest may seem extremely complicated and hard to understand.
But it is designed to reward you for the effort in making the contacts.
The more difficult to make the contact, the more points you get for making it.

But not to worry all this "Difficulty" stuff is done automatically for you in the Logger. When actually doing the contest all you need to think about is finding new stations to contact, and new mults to find and work. It is That Simple.
The Logger does all the complicated work FOR YOU! Nothing to stress about.
Below on the left will be the "RULE" and on the right an explanation of why the rule is as it is.
RULE
 REASON
Date/Time:
There will be two separate events of this contest.

First will be a shortened "Sprint" version so people can get used to this very complex format. The format may seem very complex, but once you understand it, it really is not.
In addition the loggers will do all the work for you anyway.

And then later in the year will be the full
MAIN MAIDENHEAD MAYHEM Contest.
SPRINT:
Start: 00:00 UTC March 23 2024
END: 23:59 UTC March 24 2024
 Maximum Operating Time = 4 Hours.
Minimum "OFF" Time = 1 Hour
Logs Due Date On Or Before April 8, 2024 at 00:00 UTC
Only submit logger generated Cabrillo Logs.
In the Subject line of the E-Mail only put Your Call-Log
E-Mail Logs and any supporting Documentation to:
logs@w9et.com


Full Main MAIDENHEAD MAYHEM:
Start: 00:00 UTC July 20, 2024
END: 23:59 UTC July 28, 2024
Maximum Operating Time = 24 Hours.
Minimum "OFF" Time = 1 Hour
Logs Due Date On Or Before August 12 at 00:00 UTC
Only submit logger generated Cabrillo Logs.
In the Subject line of the E-Mail only put Your Call-Log
E-Mail Logs and any supporting Documentation to:
logs@w9et.com
 You may be thinking What?

The "Sprint", Out of a 48 hour long contest window to operate in, yet you can only use up to 4 hours of actual on the air operating time.

And In the Main MAIDENHEAD MAYHEM Contest.
You have a 216 hour long contest window, but you can only use up to a max of 24 hours of on the air operating time. Some of you may be old enough to remember the old classic Novice Roundup. This is very similar to that.

Reason we have this wide open time frame, is several reasons.
But mainly three.

1- A Strategy Component.
You can not just "Get On" and do a marathon and make as many contacts as possible. You need to think, When is my "BEST" time to get on?
Like I need multipliers in Europe. What time and what band will give me the best chance to have propagation into Europe. To grab these needed multipliers?


2- This is the main reason.
Simply "TIME" The number one reason we hear for someone NOT to do any particular contest is "TIME". Some as simple as "I work on weekends." Or "I can't commit to take a whole weekend just to do something on the radio.
"I have other things I must do on the weekends." Many just can not dedicate a whole weekend to just being on the radio.


3- Physical Limitations.
Most contests are the kind that now days yeah a LOT of us are getting older, and we just can not physically do many of the contests now. The days of doing a 48 hour long CQWW something, or even a 24 hour long Sweepstakes, It is just not physically possible. This is a reason that so many of these newer sprint contest that have come around lately are so popular! Anyone can sit down and do one of the hour long sprints.  And most are able to put in the "B.I.C." time needed to do like many of the State QSO parties where they are only six hours long or so. For those not familiar with "B.I.C" it is a term a lot of contesters use for how long you are sitting in the chair. Butt In Chair.

MAIDENHEAD MAYHEM, is giving you 216 Hours of time to use up your 24 hours of operating time. You can operate in as many short runs as you need.
And take off times as needed also.
OBJECTIVE: For amateurs around the world to contact as many other amateurs in as many Maidenhead Grid Fields as possible.
No explanation necessary.
Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10 No explanation necessary.
Suggested Frequencies:
BAND
 CW
 SSB
 RTTY
160
 1805 & UP
 1850 & UP
 1835 & UP
80
 3570 & DOWN
 3805 & UP
 3590 & DOWN
40
 7045 & UP
 7180 & UP
 7080 & UP
20
 14055 & DOWN
 14240 & UP
 14080 & UP
15
 21060 & DOWN
 21280 & UP
 21080 & UP
10
 28060 & DOWN
 28380 & UP
 28080 & UP
Other digital modes, use the best frequency for each mode.


These are only suggested frequencies to start on.
Adjust as needed up or down depending on Band
conditions and QRM.
Modes: CW, SSB, RTTY, PSK31, PSK63, FT4, FT8 No explanation necessary.
Power Levels: Only 2 levels
QRP- 5 Watts or less, and Full Power- 100 watts max
No explanation necessary.
Entry Class: Veteran and Rookie.
New Rules for FT-8 & FT-4 Contacts. 		A Veteran is anyone that has been contesting for over two years.
A Rookie is anyone that has been contesting less than two years.
Any logs submitted containing contacts in FT-8 or FT-4, will be seperated into their own FT-X entry class.
Contest Exchange:
First two Letters of your Maidenhead Grid Square
You can now use either 2 or 4 digit for the exchange. 		Such as "EN" "FM" "IO".
Also, Now you can use either 2 or 4 digits for the exchange.
Example : "EN" or "EN43" both are OK.
Mode Points:
QSO points given Per Mode Type Per Contact.

CW= 3 Points, SSB= 2 Points, ALL Digital Modes= 1 Point
RTTY, PSK31, PSK63, FT4, FT8, are all digital modes.


No explanation necessary.
QSO Dupes:  You can work each station on each band AND each mode.
Three Modes, CW, Phone, Digital.
So if you do all six bands, and all three modes,
you could work each station up to 18 times.
Dupes: No explanation necessary.
Multipliers:
Each multiplier is the first two Letters of the maidenhead grid field.
Such as "EN" "FM" "IO".
 Multipliers:
 Just like the QSO's, you can earn each grid field on each band AND each mode.
So again each multiplier can be earned up to 18 times.
This means there are a total possible of 5832 Multipliers!!!









Difficulty Factor: This is one of the new things in this contest that has never been in any other contest before. This "DF" rewards you with more points for making contacts that are more difficult to make.
 Difficulty Factor:This is something you have never seen before.
At first glance it may be hard to understand, but once you understand it, it is really simple. This part of the contest rewards you with a HIGHER QSO point value for making contacts that are typically because of the nature of average propagation a contact would typically be harder to make. Here is how it works.

First this example is for the bands 160/80/40 Meters.
Example you are in Grid "EN"
You make a Contact with another station also in Grid "EN"
To apply the "Difficulty Factor", you take the QSO point value of the contact,
1, 2 or 3 points, and Multiply that QSO point(s) by the "Difficulty Factor"
Being in the Same grid the factor is X1. So the final point value for this contact is still the same as the QSO point value.

Next example you are still in "EN" and you make a contact with any grid that "Touches" "EN"  IE: "DO, EO, FO, FN, FM, EM, DM, DN" These grids have a "Difficulty Factor" of X2. Because they are typically harder to make a contact into those areas than it is into grid "EN" So take the QSO point value of the contact 1, 2, or 3, and apply the X2 "Difficulty Factor" And the final point value of this QSO is double the QSO point Value.

Next example you are still in "EN" and you make a contact with any grid that is beyond grids "EN, DO, EO, FO, FN, FM, EM, DM, DN" outside this more or less circle. These grids have a "Difficulty Factor" of X3. Because they are typically harder to make a contact into those areas than it is into all the closer in grids. So take the QSO point value of the contact, again 1, 2, or 3 QSO Points, and apply the X3 "Difficulty Factor" And the final point value of this QSO is triple the QSO point Value.

Now the Upper three bands 20/15/10 things are slightly different. It works the same way as above. But the "Difficulty Factor"  multiplication values are different.

Say your Grid is still "EN", A contact that is, "EN" to "EN" on these bands is the hardest to make. So the Factor is X3

"EN" to "DO, EO, FO, FN, FM, EM, DM, DN" Those grids that touch "EN" Is the easiest to make so factor of X1.

"EN" to any grid beyond these above has the factor of X2.

Of course all these grids are different if you are in any grid other than "EN"
The Key is your "HOME GRID", Grids Touching your Home Grid, all other grids.
Spotting:
Spotting is allowed to be used. And Encouraged! Spot stations that you
contact when doing Search & Pounce, will earn you again 500 Bonus points!
Most loggers can be set up to automatically spot these S&P Stations for you.
Even self spotting is legal to be used.
(But will not count towards bonus points)

We have even added a small web page to spot yourself. Spots placed here will NOT go out to the spotting network. You must visit this site to see any spots made there. http://qsopartyhub.com/maidenhead-mayhem-spots.php
 		Spotting:
Since digital and CW signals all get automatically spotted by the RBN beacon network, we feel it only fair to let SSB signals get spotted by self spotting. We also HIGHLY encourage people that are in Search and pounce mode, to have their logger activated that it automatically spots any contacts made.

This was sadly rarely used. SPOT SPOT SPOT! Spot others, Spot yourself. One Common comment from the Sprint was they couldn't find people to contact! But no one was spotting, AND everyone was looking for people CQing.
No one was CQing, if everyone is looking and no one is CQing there is no one to contact!  SPOT SPOT and CQ CQ CQ!!!!


Online Scoreboard: Having your Logger send your live status during the contest to the online scoreboard listed here, you will earn 500 Bonus Points.  http://scoredistributor.net


 		Verification:
To earn these bonus points you must prove you had the scoreboard running by sending a screen grab showing your station listed in the display.

Look in your logger on how to activate this feature.






































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