AGCW-DL Bug and Cootie Activity
===============================

Goal
----
To promote the use of semi-automatic bugs and side swipers (cooties)
in a relaxing manner, far away from contests and pile-ups. A secondary
goal is to foster a culture of respect for the IARU band plan.

Entrants
--------
All radio amateurs being able to use a mechanical Bug or a
side swiper.

QSO Format
----------
Free format, i.e. normal contacts with a duration of 5 Minutes at
least. Entrants must use a mechanical bug or a side swiper over
the entire qso. The qso partner may use any method to generate CW.

Times/Dates
-----------
No time limits. Get on air whenever you wish.
1st round: January through June.
2nd round: July through December.

Frequencies
-----------
All ten kHz segments at the high frequency end of the CW
bands from 10m to 80m including WARC bands but excluding 60m 
(The IARU band plan for 60m does not allocate particular frequencies
to CW, and it discourages rag-chewing).
Please avoid traditional bug and cootie skeds and frequencies
in order not to disturb well-established returning events. 
Likewise, refrain from using "directed" calls such as "CQ
BUG" because inclusion is always better than exclusion. We
recommend a calling frequency of 5 kHz below the top end of
each CW band. e.g. 7035 kHz or 14065 kHz. CQ calls on these
frequencies should be done using mechanical bugs or cooties in
order to preserve the "swing" or cootie sound. Apart from these
calling frequencies electronic CQ loops are encouraged. This should
avoid operator fatigue before a QSO has even begun.

Scoring
-------
Divide your QSO in blocks of 5 minutes. Each completed block is
worth one point. 
A QSO of half an hour is worth 6 points because it contains 6 entire
five minute blocks. A QSO of 4 minutes scores zero points.
Outstanding operators will receive an award after each round.

Logs
----
Send the log of the previous month before the 8th of the current
month.

Implicit declaration
--------------------
The submission of a log implies the statement that the entrant
used a side swiper or a mechanical bug for all listed contacts.

Manager
-------
Lothar Grahle, DL1DXL, August-Bebel-Str. 15, 01468
Moritzburg. Email: bugcootie@agcw.de 

AGCW will publish the monthly standings on agcw.de and on the
air (3563 kHz) on Mondays at 1800 UT.