State QSO Party Guide: How They Work, Counties and Multipliers
Some contests ask you to work the whole world. A state QSO party asks something more specific and, for many people, more fun: work the stations in one state or province, and work as many of its counties as you can. State QSO parties are run by local clubs, they suit small stations as well as big ones, and they are friendly enough that a newcomer can join for an hour on a Saturday afternoon and still feel part of the event. This guide explains how a state QSO party works, how the exchange differs for in-state and out-of-state stations, why counties become multipliers, how mobile operators and county hunters fit in, and how an operator outside North America can join the fun.
What a QSO Party Is
The name comes from the Q code for a contact, and a QSO is simply a two-way radio conversation. A QSO party is a short operating event with a theme, usually geographic. In a state QSO party the theme is a US state or Canadian province, and the club that sponsors it invites everybody else to make contacts with stations located there. Stations inside the state are the targets for everyone else. They also work each other and, at the same time, they work the rest of the country and the world. The event usually lasts for several hours to a day, and the rules sit on the sponsor’s website, normally in a few pages that are easy to read.
The WA7BNM state QSO party calendar lists the events for the current year, with start and end times in UTC and a link to the rules for each. The list shows how widely the format is used: some events cover a single state, and others combine several states or provinces into one event, such as regional parties for the New England states, the Canadian Prairies, Atlantic Canada or the seventh US call area. Check the calendar for dates each year, because the schedule changes.
The common thread is local knowledge. A club that organises a state QSO party wants to show off its state, so the operators usually go out of their way to make contacts easy. That friendly culture is a large part of why these events attract new contesters. If you have read our introduction to how to choose your next contest, a QSO party is among the lowest-pressure choices on the list.
In-State and Out-of-State Roles
The rules are written for two groups, and you should know which group you belong to.
- In-state stations are located inside the sponsoring state or province. They send a signal report and the name of their county, and they receive the exchange from everyone else. Their multipliers usually include the other states, the Canadian provinces and sometimes DX countries.
- Out-of-state stations are everyone else. They send a signal report and their own state, province or country, and they receive the county of the in-state station. Their multipliers are normally the counties of the host state.
That asymmetry is the reason county abbreviations appear in the logs. The in-state station is a source of multipliers for you, and you are a source of multipliers for them, just in different forms. Many events also allow in-state stations to work each other for points, and some run separate categories for them. The exact scoring differs for each event, so read the rules before the day and not during it.
A Typical Exchange
The pattern is simple. An out-of-state station calls an in-state station and sends its report and its own location. The in-state station replies with a report and a county. In voice contests, that is spoken as “59 and the county”, and on CW it is sent as the report and the county abbreviation. Digital modes, where permitted, follow the same pattern. Do not assume the report is always 59 or 599, and check whether the rules say you can send a simple fixed report.
County abbreviations are short codes, usually three or four letters, defined by the sponsor. They are listed in the rules, and the logging program usually comes with a file that contains them. Having the abbreviations in the software is a great help, because a name that you hear once at a pileup speed can be hard to spell. Keep the county list open next to the logger.
Why Counties Matter
Counties are the heart of the game. In many US states a county is a small, recognisable area, and a few states have well over a hundred of them. An in-state operator can move between counties, and every county is a different multiplier for the callers outside the state. That is what makes a state QSO party different from a standard contest. A single strong station at home can only be one county. A rover who drives across several counties during the event creates many chances.
This also creates a hobby within the hobby. County hunting is the pursuit of contacts with as many US counties as possible, often for awards. Operators keep running totals, and county hunters spend the QSO party season working mobile stations in rare counties. If you like chasing, in the sense described in our guide to DXCC, the county hunting scene has the same appeal on a domestic scale, with the added challenge that the rarest counties are small and sparsely populated.
Mobiles and Rovers
A mobile station operates from a vehicle, and a rover deliberately visits a number of counties during the event. Stopping at county lines, setting up for a short operation and then moving on, they produce short bursts of high-demand activity. Callers line up quickly for a rare county, and the rover often runs at a very high rate for a few minutes before moving on.
The rules say how many counties a mobile may work and how it must log county changes. Cabrillo, the standard log format, has fields for the location, and a mobile needs a software setup that makes each county change easy. For the basics of the log format and how checking works, see our article on Cabrillo logs and the UBN process.
Comparing State QSO Parties With Other Contests
The table below shows how the format differs from general contests so that you can choose the activity that fits your station and your time.
| Feature | State QSO party | Large international contest | Weekly sprint |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical length | Several hours to a weekend | 24 to 48 hours | One to a few hours |
| Focus | One state or region and its counties | The whole world | Speed and accuracy |
| Multipliers | Counties, states, provinces | Countries, zones, prefixes | Often states or none |
| Station size needed | Small is fine | Bigger helps a lot | Small is fine |
| Atmosphere | Friendly, local | Competitive, intense | Fast, focused |
| Best for | First contests, mobile fun, county hunters | DX and high scores | Practice and skill building |
A neighbouring concept is the continent-wide event. The North American QSO Party is a short, fast event with a simple exchange, and it is an excellent next step after a state party if you like the pace of a sprint and want to push your rate.
How to Take Part With a Simple Station
You do not need a large antenna to enjoy a state QSO party. A wire antenna and 100 W will work many stations, because the in-state operators are looking for contacts, and the best calls are often heard at both ends. The following steps give a gentle introduction.
- Read the rules a few days ahead. Note the times, bands, modes, exchange and the log deadline.
- Download the county list and load it into your logger, if the software supports it. A contest logger such as the one in our N1MM Logger+ setup guide has support for most state parties through ready-made templates, and you only need to select the right one.
- Choose your category. For a first attempt a single-operator low-power entry is normal, and nobody expects you to stay for the whole event.
- Tune across the bands and answer the stations that call CQ. In a QSO party, searching and pouncing works well because the in-state stations are easy to find.
- Send the exchange clearly, and confirm the county if you are in doubt. Ask for a repeat politely rather than guessing.
- Submit your log by the deadline, even if you only made a few contacts. A small log still helps the sponsor with checking other entries.
Digital Modes and CW
Phone and CW are the main modes, and some events add digital modes, which are shown on the rules page. If you like CW, a QSO party is a good way to build speed, because the exchange is short and repetitive. The county abbreviations quickly become familiar. If you are not yet confident at speed, consider working in the slower parts of the band and using a CW decoder as a check, not as a crutch.
Tips for DX Operators
If you are located outside the host country, the QSO party is a good chance to add US states and counties to your totals. In general, a DX station is an out-of-state station and sends its report and a code that identifies it as DX, but the rules differ, so confirm what the sponsor wants. Propagation is the main factor. The in-state stations that you can hear depend on the time of day and the bands, and a day’s operation may involve working a number of different states as the conditions change. A tool that predicts propagation helps you choose where to look; our guide to propagation prediction tools covers the options.
Some in-state stations will call you back eagerly, because a DX contact is a bonus multiplier for them. If you do not hear them clearly, call CQ with your callsign a few times and let the in-state stations find you. Remember that a call from a rare county is likely to draw a pileup, so it pays to be patient and send your call once, clearly, with the right timing.
Logging, Checking and Awards
Most sponsors accept logs in Cabrillo format by email or through a web upload. They have a log deadline, usually a few weeks after the event, and many publish results with a certificate or a plaque for the winners. The soapbox comments you can add to the log are read and sometimes quoted in the results, and they are a good way to thank the hosts.
Keep your log accurate. A busted county costs the other station a multiplier as well as you, and a wrong abbreviation can cost points on both sides. If you make a mistake, correct it in the log before submitting. If you contact a mobile in a county that you need for an award, log the contact exactly as the operator gave it.
Awards for counties are managed by their own sponsors, and the rules are separate from the contest. The popular US county award is described in the sponsor’s rules and counts counties confirmed over time, so a contact that you make in a QSO party can also help that goal.
The Bottom Line
A state QSO party is a short, friendly and local contest in which the in-state stations are the targets and counties are the multipliers. It suits small stations, offers a gentle introduction to contesting and gives county hunters and DX operators a great chance to add new contacts. Read the rules, load the county list, choose a simple category and join in for an hour or two. Send a clear exchange, log it accurately and submit your log even if it is a short one. After one event you will know whether you prefer the chase, the mobile or the rate, and the calendar will offer you another one soon.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a state QSO party?
It is a contest sponsored by a club in a US state or Canadian province. Stations inside the state work everyone, and stations outside the state work the in-state stations, usually collecting counties as multipliers.
Do I have to be in the state to take part?
No. Out-of-state and DX stations are welcome and are the main targets for the in-state operators. You only need to send the exchange the rules specify, which is often a signal report and your state, province or country.
What is a county multiplier?
Each different county of the host state that you work counts as a multiplier for an out-of-state station. Working the same county on a different band or mode may count again, depending on the rules, so check the event’s scoring.
What is a rover in a QSO party?
A rover is a mobile station that visits several counties during the event and operates from each one briefly. It produces many new multipliers for the callers, so rover contacts are in high demand.
Do I need a big station to join?
No. A wire antenna and moderate power are enough, because the in-state stations are listening for contacts and the exchange is short. You can work for an hour and still submit a useful log.
How do I submit a log?
Most sponsors accept Cabrillo files by email or web upload by a published deadline. Your contest logger can usually export the file, so follow the instructions on the sponsor’s page.