Sasquatch Stomp - March 31, 2023
The Sasquatch Stomp is an amateur radio contest sponsored by the Pacific North West QRP Group and is designed to get QRP operators on the air for a fun event similar to the Zombie Shuffle. As you will see, this event was inspired by the Zombie Shuffle and we would like to thank Paul, NA5N, and Jan, N0QT, for giving permission to copy their ideas. The main point of this contest is to get on the air and have fun. The event is scored, but unlike other contests the final score for each participant will be a negative number with the object being to get the lowest number below zero.
The Sasquatch Stomp will be held annually, on the Friday nearest April Fool's Day.
Why do Sasquatches Stomp? Because we can, and because it confounds those who are looking for us!
Hours of operation: From 19:00 UTC Friday until 03:00 UTC Saturday
For those on the West Coast, that translates to 12:00 Noon local to 8:00 PM local. On the East Coast that translates to 3:00 PM local until 11:00 PM local time. Work as little or as much as you care to of that time frame.
To that end, remember that this is not a high speed CW contest. Slow down and enjoy helping others improve their skills.
Bands of operation: 10, 15, 20, 40 and 80 Meters, near the QRP watering holes on each band. We've added 10 Meters this year based on how full of signals 10M was during the recent ARRL Sweepstakes contest. 15 was full as well.
Mode: CW Only
TX Power: 5 watts or less. Conditions on even the higher bands have been good recently, and coast to coast contacts have been easily made at this power level.
Initial Call: CQ STMP
Exchange: RST, SPC (state, province, or country), Sasquatch Number and Name.
If you don't yet have a Sasquatch Number, use the last three numbers of your ZIP Code, or, if you are Canadian, the numbers included in your Postal Code. This event is open to all licensed Radio Amateurs.
QSOs with stations other than "Stompers" count too. Use the three numbers of the signal report you receive in place of the Sasquatch Number for scoring.
Instead of SK, end contacts with STMP
REBIRTH RULE: So as to provide more action, work previously contacted stations again on the same band as previously worked as long as one hour has passed since the prior contact. Obviously, the same station can be worked on different bands with no time constraint.
Some select stations will be signing themselves as Yeti or Yetina. QSOs with these stations will be worth -999 extra bonus points. YLs are encouraged to sign as Yetina. If you have operated as a Yeti or Yetina in previous Stomps, please continue to do so.
Examples: 599 WA 999 Wayne
599 WA 998 Yetina
Sasquatch Numbers: Begin at 999 in descending order.
Grand Sasquatch: Wayne, NB6M, Sasquatch # 999
Grand Cryptid and Contest Recountant: Sandra, W7SKM, Sasquatch #998
Bonus Point OPs, Yeti or Yetina: -999
Straight Key All Night: -9,999
Poor Band Conditions: -9,999
Please email the Grand Cryptid (skmcfee@att.net) to secure your own Sasquatch Number (good for life).
You can view and download the "official" scoresheet below. When you first click on it, a viewable only file will be displayed. Download a copy and then open that copy from your downloads folder (or wherever you put it) and that copy is fully editable and will do all calculations for you.
There is no need to send your log, unless requested to do so in case of a tie.
On the score sheet, fill in the year of the event in the green box on line 4, fill in your callsign in the green box on line 7, and fill in your QTH (State, Province or Country if DX) in the green box on line 8.
Enter the exchange YOU sent, SPC, Sasquatch Number, and name in the green boxes on line 11. If you are a designated Yeti station, please use Yeti or Yetina, which ever is appropriate, in place of your name on the form and when making contacts.
Add up all of the Sasquatch Numbers you received, plus the three digit ZIP code numbers sent by those Stompers who don't yet have a Sasquatch Number, and add the three digit RST numbers received from stations contacted who were not participating in the Stomp. Enter the total with a minus sign in front of it in the green box on line 15 of the score sheet.
Here's an example log:
CALL RST SPC Sasquatch # NAME
K7NAW 599 WA 814 YETI
K4BAL 559 GA 936 JIM
N7KG 599 WA 363 LEN
KJ4KPZ 559 MD JAMES
The first two entries have assigned Sasquatch Numbers. The third entry is Stomping and using the last three numbers of his ZIP code because he doesn't yet have an assigned number. The last entry is a non-Stomper, so we will use the received RST in place of a Sasquatch Number..
So we add 814, 936, 363 and 559 to get the total needed for the green box on line 15 of the score sheet. This total is 2,672. We enter that number in the green box on line 15 with a minus sign in front of it to indicate that it is a negative number, like this -2,672, and hit enter.
Next we add up the number of Yetis and Yetinas we worked and enter that number as a regular positive number in the green box on line 16 of the score sheet. In this case we worked just one, so we enter a 1 in that box and hit enter.
Next we add up how many contacts we made and put that number as a regular positive number in the green box on line 17 of the score sheet. In this case we had a total of four contacts so we enter a 4 in that box. Once we hit enter, the form calculates our raw score.
Lastly, if we used a straight key for the whole event, we enter -9,999 in the green box on line 23 of the score sheet and hit enter. If not, we enter nothing.
Our final score is shown on line 27 as a large negative number.
If you care to check the math, here is what happens on the form. The number of Yetis and Yetinas worked is multiplied by -999 and that sum is added to the negative number which is the sum of the Sasquatch Numbers you worked. The total is then multiplied by the number of contacts you made, resulting in your RAW SCORE. Then -9,999 is added for Poor Band Conditions and another -9,999 points is added if you used a straight key. The result is your negative Total Score.
See the example score sheet downloadable below. You can even use it as your own, just change the info and numbers.
Score sheets must be submitted within two weeks of the contest. For 2023 that is April 14.
Score sheets can either be emailed to:
nb6m (at) att (dot) net or mailed to:
Wayne McFee NB6M
18345 Osprey Court
Mount Vernon, WA
98274
Thanks for participating.
Wayne NB6M, Sasquatch # 999
Sandra W7SKM, Sasquatch #998