QRP ARCI is a club for low power enthusiasts worldwide.

We produce a professional quality magazine (QRP Quarterly), organize an annual conference at Dayton ('Four Days In May' or FDIM), and sponsor various QRP contests and awards.

Our aim is to promote QRP and a variety of related activites. Many of our members enjoy home construction, kit building, antenna experimentation, backpacking and portable operation. Minimalist radios built in small tins are very popular but we also enjoy the very latest high performance radios such as the Elecraft KX3, the new SDR rigs, and great kits like the QCX from QRP Labs, kits from 4 States QRP Group, and the uBitx rigs. 

QRP-ARCI is an affiliated Club of the American Radio Relay League

Let us know if we can promote your club, group, kit or product.

A new Mail List has been started for QRPARCI on the groups.io platform.  This mail list is open to members and non-members alike for the discussion of QRPARCI topics.  QRP-ARCI Staff handles the moderation of the list and you can gain access by sending an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and requesting to be added  to the mail list.  Be sure to add your callsign in the request. You can get your mail in digest form as well if you prefer it that way.   73 de ARCI Staff Moderators

Welcome to the QRP ARCI contest pages.

We sponsor several contests each year with the emphasis on having fun !

Geared completely to the QRPer, these contests are an excellent way to test out your new gear, antennas, or your homebrew creations. Not only can you compete in the various contests but you can also work on the many QRP awards offered both by QRP ARCI as well as other organizations and you can also add to your DX QRP totals or complete your QRP DXCC, WAS, WAC etc.

There are categories to suit just about everyone’s contesting needs including SSB and CW. There is also the A1 antenna category for those stations using single element antennas such as Verticals, Dipoles, Inverted V’s, Loops, long wires, etc. and we also have the A2 antenna category for those using multi element beams or arrays. This way everyone can compete with similarly equipped stations using similar type antennas.

Most of our contests also offer Single Band entries, Low Band entries, High Band entries and of course All Band entries. There are even power multipliers for using different power levels from 5 Watts down to just a few milliWatts!

You do not have to be able to run pile ups, copy 30 wpm CW, or generate 100s of QSOs. In fact you don’t have to be a contester at all to enjoy the fun - just get on the air, make a few QSOs, and be sure to send in a log. Except for the Spring and Fall QSO Parties most of our contests are only a few hours in length so you don’t have to commit an entire weekend to being on the air. Just get on for an hour or two and make some QSOs.  Even a few QSOs could win you a certificate!

Instant Logging is now available:  https://qrpcontest.com 

The pace of the QRP ARCI Contests are very relaxed and laid back for the most part compared to other contests. It’s the perfect place to practice your contesting skills if you are new to contesting and the perfect platform if you just want to test your latest antenna project or see how far you can be heard running just a few milliwatts into a ground mounted vertical for example.  You can even operate portable, field day style, such as at the beach, in a park, etc. and receive bonus points in most of our contests for your effort.

2025 QRP-ARCI  Top Band Sprint

Always the first Thursday of December (Zulu)

Date/Time:

December 4th 2025, 0000Z - 0300Z

(7PM to 10PM EST Weds Night Dec 3 2025 EST)

A very rewarding multi-mode contest on 160m

Put up a vertical or operate with a wire in the park.
With a little bit of planning YOU can work a 160m contest with QRP !

Contest Rules

2025 QRP-ARCI Fall QSO Party

Always the 2nd Saturday in October

Date/Time: 0000Z to 2359Z on 11 October

Mode:  HF CW only.

Exchange: 
Members send:  RST, State/Province/Country, ARCI member number
Non-Members send:  RST, State/Province/Country, Power Out

QSO Points:
Member = 5 points
Non-Member, Different Continent = 4 points
Non-Member, Same Continent = 2 points

Multiplier:
SPC (State/Province/Country) total for all bands.  The same station may be worked on multiple bands for QSO points and SPC credit.

Power Multiplier:
>5 Watts = x1
>1 - 5 Watts = x7
>250 mW - 1 Watt = x10
>55 mW - 250 mW = x15
55 mW or less = x20

Suggested Frequencies:
160m1810 kHz
80m3560 kHz
40m7030 kHz (please listen at 7040 kHz for rock bound participants)
20m14060 kHz
15m 21060 kHz
10m28060 kHz

Score:
Final Score = Points (total for all bands) x SPCs (total for all bands) x Power Multiplier.

BONUS POINTS: None available for this contest.

Categories:
Entry may be All-Band, Single Band, High Bands (10m-15m-20m) or Low Bands (40m-80m)

How to Participate:
Get on any of the HF bands except the WARC bands and hang out near the QRP frequencies.  Work as many stations calling CQ QRP. 

You can work a station for credit once on each band.

Log Submission:

Submit your entry online at https://www.qrpcontest.com

Deadline for posting logs will be Nov 1