Yuri Gagarin cup international HF and VHF contest – 2026

In memory of Konstantin KHACHATUROV RT3A

The contest is organized by «Planet of radio», Lipetsk city and oblast amateur radio organization

Rules

Starts: April 11th 2026, 12:00 UTC
Ends: April 12th 2026, 11:59 UTC

OPERATING MODES:

CW, SSB

BANDS:

HF: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10 meters

All amateur radio satellites
Contacts via non amateur radio satellites are not valid.

Operating time – 24 hours or 12 hours.
For 12 hours category entrants off times are a minimum of 60 minutes during which no QSO is logged.
If the log shows more than 12 hours of operation, only the first 12 hours will be counted.

CQ CALL: CQ GC ( CQ Gagarin cup)

ENTRANT`S CATEGORIES:

GROUP 1: SATELITES USED (only legal amateur radio satellites are allowed)

WORLD

===============

SOAB HP – MIX (Single operator, high power, CW and SSB, HF and all satellites except geostationary)

SOAB LP – MIX (Single operator, low power, CW and SSB, HF and all satellites except geostationary)

MOST HP – MIX (Multi- operator, high power, CW and SSB, HF and all satellites except geostationary)

SO-SAT – MIX (Single operator, satellite operation only, CW and SSB except geostationary)

SO-SAT-GS-MIX (Single operator, geostationary satellite operation only, CW and SSB)

SPECIAL (Special multiplier stations)

SWL (Short wave listeners)

GROUP 2: NO SATELITES USED

WORLD

===============

SOAB HP – MIX (Single operator, high power, CW and SSB)

SOAB HP – CW (Single operator, high power, CW)

SOAB HP – SSB (Single operator, high power, SSB)

SOAB LP – MIX (Single operator, low power, CW and SSB)

SOAB LP – CW (Single operator, low power, CW)

SOAB LP – SSB (Single operator, low power, SSB)

SOSB HP – MIX (Single operator, single band, high power, CW and SSB )

SOSB LP – MIX (Single operator, single band, low power, CW and SSB )

MOST HP – MIX (Multi- operator, high power, CW and SSB)

SOAB HP 12 hours – MIX (Single operator, high power, CW and SSB, 12 hours)

SOAB HP 12 hours – CW (Single operator, high power, CW, 12 hours)

SOAB HP 12 hours – SSB (Single operator, high power, SSB, 12 hours)

SOAB LP 12 hours – MIX (Single operator, low power, CW and SSB, 12 hours)

SOAB LP 12 hours – CW (Single operator, low power, CW, 12 hours)

SOAB LP 12 hours – SSB (Single operator, low power, SSB, 12 hours)

OVERLAY CATEGORIES FOR JUNIOR OPERATORS

Y-MOST
Y-SOAB

Junior overlay categories:  All the operators must be 19 years of age or younger by the date of the beginning of the contest.
Operator`s date of birth is noted in the SOAPBOX field of the log.

GENERAL STANDINGS

High Power: Total output power must not exceed 1500 Watts
Low Power: Total output power must not exceed 100 Watts

MOST multi-band operation only, any number of operators is allowed-

All GROUP 1 participants except SO—SAT—GS—MIX are allowed to make contacts using only non-geostationary amateur radio satellites. Multipliers worked via satellites count as worked on an additional band to the 6 HF bands.

SO—SAT—GS—MIX participants are allowed to make contacts using only geostationary satellites.

Only one signal is allowed to be emitted at a single moment of time except GROUP 1 participants, who are allowed to emit an additional signal on satellite bands simultaneously while operating on HF bands.

There is no limit on number of band changes.

Duplicate QSO are allowed on different HF bands and in different modes. While operating via satellites duplicate contacts are allowed using different satellites, different orbits and different modes.

Contacts with humans operating from the International Space Station (RS0ISS call sign) are allowed using FM mode.

Self spotting is allowed when changing the operating frequency, or not more than once in every 10 minutes on the same frequency.

QO-100 operation frequency bands:

Uplink area 2400.370 – 2400.490 MHz
Downlink area 10489.870 – 10489.990 MHz

Band indicated in the log: 2.3G

Exchange numbers:

RS(T) plus ITU zone number.
Special category stations use a combination of two letters for exchange.
See the list of the special stations below.

QSO points:

QSO with your own country (P-150-C list) – 2 points
QSO with a different country (P-150-C list) on your own continent – 3 points
QSO with a different continent – 4 points
QSO made using satellites (non-geostationary) – 50 points
QSO made using geostationary satellites – 25 points
QSO with the International Space Station – 200 points
All the points for the QSO made on 160 and 80 meter bands are multiplied by a factor of 3.
All the points for the QSO made on 40 meter band are multiplied by a factor of 2.
All the points for the QSO made using SSB mode are additionally multiplied by a factor of 2.
Example: 80m SSB QSO with continent different from yours would cost 4 x 3 x 2 = 24 points

Multipliers:

Each ITU zone worked on each band counts as 1 point for multiplier. In addition, QSO with special stations according to the list below count as 1 point for multiplier on each band and each mode.

1.        UA1OLM Plesetsk cosmodrome KP
2.        RT2C Mission control center CU
3.        RT3F Cosmonaut training center CP
4.        R5AG Aerospace laboratory AL
5.        RK3LWA Gagarin`s birthplace RG
6.        UA5L Gagarin`s birthplace YG
7.        RT4D Yuri Gagarin`s spaceship landing place MP
8.        RG2X The birthplace of Russian cosmonautics RK
9.        RC3XC Space exploration laboratory LA
10.     RW0A Reshetnev Siberian State University of science and technology SA
11.     RN0JT Vostochny cosmodrome KV
12.     R2VA Parachute design research institute PC
13.     R8TT Orenburg aviation school AU
14.     RS0ISS International space station SS
Rosсosmos corporation enterprises
15.     UA4WW VZ
16.     RD4A TB
17.     R9YU AT
18.     RD0A RV
19.     R8IZ PL
20.     R9MM SP
21.     UA8A MK
22.     RT4F FI
23.     RO3M YR
24.     RA9A ZM
25.     UA6M IR
26.     RK3PWA BZ
27.     RD1T RA
28.     RN4K PG
29.     RF9C AM
30.     RK5K HA
31.     UA2FZ FA
32.     R9FL PM
33.     UA9W SZ
34.     RW1A PR

 

QSOs made with Russian cosmonauts (Alexander Volkov, U4MIR and Alexander Grebionkin, R3HP) on each band and each mode scores 2 multiplier points.

35.     R3HP Cosmonaut Alexander Grebionkin CG
36.     U4MIR Cosmonaut Alexander Volkov CV

 

FINAL SCORE:

The total number of QSO points on all bands is multiplied by the total number of multipliers worked on all bands.

PENALTIES:

Penalties are worth the QSO point value for the contact.

Penalty is applied in case of:

  • incorrectly logged call;
  • incorrectly logged exchange number;

The QSO is neither counted nor penalized for the following:

  • QSO time difference of more than 3 minutes (except for cases in which the judges determine the error as fault of your correspondent);
  • QSO bands or modes difference (except for cases in which the judges determine the error as fault of your correspondent);

Contacts with participants who fail to submit log are counted if their call is found in at least 3 submitted logs.

Notes for SWLs:

If both calls and only one exchange are received the SWL counts 1 point.
If both calls and both exchanges are received the SWL counts 3 points.
Duplicate call signs are allowed on different bands, different satellites, different orbits and modes.
Satellites SWL points are multiplied by a factor of 10.
No multipliers are used for point scoring for SWL category entrants.

AWARDS:

Big cups are awarded to participants who win in the following GROUP 1 categories:

SOAB HP – MIX,
SOAB LP – MIX,
MOST HP – MIX,
SO-SAT – MIX,
SO–SAT–GS–MIX

Small cups and certificates are awarded to participants who win in the following GROUP 2 categories:

SOAB HP – MIX,
SOAB HP – CW,
SOAB HP – SSB,
SOAB LP – MIX,
SOAB LP – CW,
SOAB LP – SSB,
MOST HP — MIX,
SOAB HP 12 hours – MIX,
SOAB LP 12 hours – MIX.

Pennants are awarded to the participants outside of Russia who win in the following categories:

GROUP 1:
SWL

GROUP 2:
SOSB HP (6 bands) – MIX,
SOSB LP (6 bands) – MIX

Electronic certificates are awarded to any participants who send their log to the contest committee.

Participants operating from a country found in Top 200 DXCC Most Wanted List(https://dxnews.com/dxcc-2017/) will be awarded with the commemorative pennant signed by a cosmonaut,
provided they make at least 50 QSO in the contest and submit a log with at least 50 QSO .

For QSO with the Russian cosmonauts (Alexander Volkov, U4MIR and Alexander Grebionkin, R3HP) all the participants who submit their logs will receive special autographed QSL cards

LOGS:
Logs in Cabrillo format are uploaded via the Web interface on the https://ua9qcq.com/submit_log.php

Should any problems occur with uploading of your log via the web interface, please try to send your log via e-mail to info@gccontest.ru.
Please put your callsign and category in the «topic» field of the letter. E.g.: RA3AAA NO SAT SOSB HP 40M.

The deadline for uploading your logs is April, 26th 2026.

Contacts: info@gccontest.ru

WebSite: https://gccontest.ru/

 

 

 

Start time: April, 12 2025, 12.00 UTC

Final time: April, 13 2025, 11.59 UTC

Modes: CW, SSB

Bands:

HF: 160 m, 80 m. 40 m, 20 m, 15 m, 10 m

VHF: 144 MHz, 430MHz, SAT-GS (SO –SAT–GS–MIX category only)

only contacts via amateur radio satellites are valid on VHF bands

Operating time: 24 hours

exceptions : for Y-MOST and 12-HOURS categories

total operating time is 12 hours. The duration of any of the breaks

must be more than one hour. All the breaks need to be indicated in the log.

CQ call: CQ GC (CQ Gagarin Cup)

Categories:

GROUP 1: Satellites used

SOAB HP – MIX

SOAB LP – MIX

MOST HP MIX

SO—SAT – MIX (all contacts only using non-geostationary satellites)

SO—SAT—GS—MIX (all contacts only using GS)

Y—MOST (young operators, HP)

SPECIAL (special multiplier stations)

SWL

GROUP 2 : No satellites used

SOAB HP – MIX

SOAB HP – CW

SOAB HP – SSB

SOAB LP – MIX

SOAB LP – CW

SOAB LP – SSB

SOSB HP – MIX (any of the 6 HF bands)

SOSB LP – MIX (any of the 6 HF bands)

MOST HP MIX

Y—MOST (young operators, HP)

SOAB HP 12 hours – MIX

SOAB HP 12 hours – CW

SOAB HP 12 hours – SSB

SOAB LP 12 hours – MIX

SOAB LP 12 hours – CW

SOAB LP 12 hours – SSB

General standings

High power: total output power must not exceed 1500 Watts

Low power: total output power must not exceed 100 Watts

Y-MOST: only participants 19 years of age and younger

(by the contest start date). Date of birth must be indicated in the SOAPBOX section of the log.

All the GROUP 1 participants are allowed to make contacts using non-geostationary amateur radio satellites. Multipliers worked via satellites cont as worked on an additional band, besides the 6 HF bands.

Only SO—SAT—GS—MIX participants are allowed to make contacts using geostationary satellites.

Only one signal is allowed to be emitted at a single moment of time.

Exceptions:

  • SPECIAL category participants operating in multyoperator-multyband mode with only one signal per band allowed.
  • GROUP 1 participants allowed to emit an additional signal on one of the VHF bands simultaneously while operating on HF bands.

Duplicate QSOs are allowed on different HF bands and in different modes. While operating via satellites duplicate contacts are allowed using different satellites, different orbits and different modes.

Contacts with the International Space Station (RS0ISS call sign) are allowed using FM mode.

QO-100 operation frequency bands:

Uplink area 2400.370 – 2400.490 MHz
Downlink area 10489.870 – 10489.990 MHz

Band indicated in the log: 2,3 G.

Exchange numbers:

RS(T) plus ITU zone number.

Special category stations use a combination of two letters for exchange.

QSO points:

QSO with your own country ( P-150-C list) – 2 points

QSO with a different country ( P-150-C list) on your own continent – 3 points

QSO with a different continent – 4 points

QSOs made using satellites – 50 points

QSOs with the International Space Station – 200 points

All the points for the QSOs made on 160 and 80 meter bands are multiplied by a factor of 3.

All the points for the QSOs made on 40 meter band are multiplied by a factor of 2.

All the points for the QSOs made using SSB mode are additionally multiplied by a factor of 2.

Multipliers:

Each ITU zone worked on each band counts as 1 point for multiplier. In addition, QSOs with special stations according to the list below count as 1 point for multiplier on each band and in each mode.

№

Callsign

Object

Exchange code

1

RJ1O

Plesetsk Cosmodrome

KP

2

RT2C

Mission Control Center

CU

3

RT3F

Cosmonaut Training Center

CP

4

R5AG

Aerospace Laboratory

AL

5

UA5L

The birthplace of Yuri Gagarin

YG

6

R3LA

The birthplace of Yuri Gagarin

RG

7

RT4D

The landing place of Yuri Gagarin

MP

8

RG2X

The birthplace of Russian Cosmonautics

RK

9

RC3XC

Space Exploration Laboratory

LA

10

RW0A

Reshetnev Siberian State University of Science and Technology

SA

11

RW0J

Vostochny Cosmodrome

KV

12

R2VA

Parashute Design Research Institute

PC

13

U4MIR

Cosmonaut Alexander Volkov

CV

14

R8TT

Orenburg Aviation School

AU

15

RS0ISS

International Space Station

SS

16

R3HP

Cosmonaut Alexander Grebionkin

CG

Final Score:

The total number of QSO points on all bands is multiplied by the total number of multipliers worked on all bands.

Penalties:

Penalties are worth the QSO point value for the contact.

Penalty is applied in case of:

  • incorrectly logged calls;
  • incorrectly logged exchange numbers;

QSO neither counted nor penalized for the following:

  • QSO time difference of more than 3 minutes (except for cases in which the judges determines error as fault of the correspondent);
  • QSO bands or modes difference (except for cases in which the judges determines error as fault of the correspondent);

In case of participants not sending their logs to the contest committee all contacts with them are valid only if their calls are contained in at least three logs.

Notes for SWLs:

If both calls and only one exchange are received the SWL counts 1 point.

If both calls and both exchanges are received the SWL counts 3 points.

Duplicate call signs are allowed on different bands and in different modes, and in case of listening using satellites on different orbits and in different modes.

In case of listening using satellites all the points are multiplied by a factor of 10.

No multipliers are used for point scoring for SWL category entrants.

Awards:
Big cups are awarded to participants who win in all GROUP 1 categories.

Small cups and certificates are awarded to participants who win in the following GROUP 2 categories:

SOAB HP – MIX,

SOAB HP – CW,

SOAB HP – SSB,

SOAB LP – MIX,

SOAB LP – CW,

SOAB LP – SSB,

MOST, Y—MOST,

SOAB HP 12 hours – MIX,

SOAB LP 12 hours – MIX.

Medals and certificates are awarded to the participants from Russia who win in the following categories:

GROUP 1:

SWL

GROUP 2:

SOSB HP (6 bands) – MIX,

SOSB HP (6 bands) – MIX

Pennants are awarded to the participants outside of Russia who win in the following categories:

GROUP 1:

SWL

GROUP 2:

SOSB HP (6 bands) – MIX,

SOSB HP (6 bands) – MIX

Special commemorative certificates are awarded to the SPECIAL category participants who make at least 300 confirmed QSO in the competition.

Electronic certificates are awarded to any participants who send their log to the contest committee.

Logs:
Logs in Cabrillo format are downloaded via the Web interface on the https://ua9qcq.com/ru/submit_log.php?lang=ru
The deadline for uploading logs is April 28, 2024.

Contacts: info@gccontest.ru

WebSite: https://gccontest.ru/