2026 Sussex County, DE AUXCOMM Scavenger Hunt

1. Eligibility

Any amateur radio licensee may enter.

2. Object

To make contact with Sussex County, DE AUXCOMM from designated scavenger hunt locations and fixed locations using simplex, relays, and repeaters utilizing 2m and 70cm voice communications.

3. Sussex County Station

Any amateur radio station physically located in Sussex County, DE or within 10 miles of the borders of Sussex County, DE. Stations may be portable, mobile, or in fixed locations.

4. Contest Calendar

Round 1 - November 14, 2026

5. Entry Classifications

A) Portable/HT (PO)

Portable operation utilizing Handi(y)-talkie (HT) radio powered by radio's internal battery or portable external power source.
Attached antenna designed for the radio or high-gain antenna replacement. No external, coax-connected, permanently attached antennas. Mag-mount antennas temporarily attached to a vehicle are allowed provided power is solely provided to the HT by internal or portable batteries.
Mobile-style radios are allowed provided the entire setup is designed to be used in a portable fashion ("Go box", portable battery, portable antenna).

B) Mobile Operator (MO)

Mobile-style radio permanently or semi-permanently mounted in a vehicle.
Antenna permanently or semi-permanently mounted on the vehicle.
Powered by vehicle battery.

C) Fixed Operator (FO)

Any radio operated from a fixed location such as a home, shelter or other building.
Any antenna.
Power provided by any source.
A Fixed Location shall be one location per operator. Operators may not change or add additional Fixed Locations in order to claim additional contacts.

D) Relay Operator (RO)

Any operator may act as a relay operator on simplex only.
Any location can be relayed.
A relay is permitted only when the originating operator cannot make a direct contact from that same location using the same band/mode.
Protocol for relay operation is to act as relay for any main classification operator only after a request for a relay operator is sent.
Multiple relays are allowed. All relay operators involved in the contact receive points.

6. Output Power

Maximum of 100 W from the output of the final amplifier. Power categories are:

8 W or less — Low Power
9 – 100 W — More Power

7. Mode

Voice only.

8. Operation Modes

Simplex or repeater. Echolink and other internet-linked repeater operation is not permitted.

9. Bands

2 meters and 70 cm.

10. Station

All radio transmitters, receivers, and antennas used by an entrant must be associated with one station. Multiple participants may use the same station. As indicated by the classifications, stations may be portable, mobile, or in fixed locations.

11. Exchange

From designated scavenger hunt locations or a fixed location, participants will call Sussex AUXCOMM at EOC on a designated repeater or simplex frequency. Example: ("WS3EOC this is K3DI")
Sussex AUXCOMM will reply, acknowledging calling station and ask for their callsign and name.
Participant will reply with their callsign and name.
Sussex AUXCOMM will reply, acknowledging calling station and ask for their power category and classification.
Participant will reply with their power category and classification.
Sussex AUXCOMM will reply with their power category and classification.
If the classification is Relay, Sussex AUXCOMM will ask for callsign of originating operator.
Participant will reply with callsign of originating operator and any additional relay operators.
Sussex AUXCOMM will ask for station location. If the location is a designated scavenger hunt location, operator will give the scavenger hunt location number. Fixed locations will give their street address.
Scavenger hunt locations will have several possible challenge questions. Sussex AUXCOMM will select one at the time of contact; if prompted, operator will give the appropriate answer to the challenge question.

K) Examples

Scavenger Hunt location, direct contact:

K3DI: "WS3EOC, this is K3DI."
WS3EOC: "K3DI, this is WS3EOC. Please give your callsign and name."
K3DI: "K3DI, Jeff."
WS3EOC: "K3DI, Jeff. Please give your power category and classification."
K3DI: "Low power, Portable."
WS3EOC: "Low power, Portable. Please give your station location."
K3DI: "Scavenger Hunt location number five."
WS3EOC: "Scavenger Hunt number five. What are the sixth and seventh letters on the sign?"
K3DI: "Echo, Tango."
WS3EOC: "Echo, Tango. Thank you, K3DI. WS3EOC out."

Fixed location, direct contact:

N3ID: "WS3EOC, this is N3ID."
WS3EOC: "N3ID, this is WS3EOC. Please give your callsign and name."
N3ID: "N3ID, Bill."
WS3EOC: "N3ID, Bill. Please give your power category and classification."
N3ID: "More power, Fixed."
WS3EOC: "More power, Fixed. Please give your station location."
N3ID: "123 Sesame Street, Greenwood, Delaware."
WS3EOC: "123 Sesame Street, Greenwood. Thank you, N3ID. WS3EOC out."

Relayed contact from a Scavenger Hunt location:

W3ABC (unable to reach the EOC): "Is there a relay available for W3ABC?"
KC3XYZ: "W3ABC, this is KC3XYZ. I can relay for you."

KC3XYZ then calls the EOC on W3ABC's behalf:

KC3XYZ: "WS3EOC, this is KC3XYZ."
WS3EOC: "KC3XYZ, this is WS3EOC. Please give your callsign and name."
KC3XYZ: "KC3XYZ, Dana."
WS3EOC: "KC3XYZ, Dana. Please give your power category and classification."
KC3XYZ: "Low power, Relay."
WS3EOC: "Low power, Relay. Please give the callsign of the originating operator."
KC3XYZ: "Originating operator is W3ABC. No additional relays."
WS3EOC: "W3ABC. Please give the station location."
KC3XYZ: "Scavenger Hunt location number three."
WS3EOC: "Scavenger Hunt number three. What is the answer to the challenge question?"
KC3XYZ: "Delta, Whiskey."
WS3EOC: "Delta, Whiskey. Thank you, KC3XYZ. WS3EOC out."

On a relayed contact, the power category and classification given are those of the relay operator, not the originating operator.

12. Relaying

A relay contact occurs when an originating operator cannot reach Sussex AUXCOMM directly from their location on a given band and operation mode, and one or more intermediate operators pass the exchange to the EOC on their behalf. See Rule 5D for relay operator requirements and Rule 11 for the exchange procedure.
A relayed contact and a direct contact from the same location, band, and operation mode are the same contact. Only one may be claimed. Whichever is logged first by Sussex AUXCOMM stands; the other will be rejected — including a relay attempted after the originating operator has already completed a direct contact from that location on the same band and mode.
Scavenger Hunt location bonuses under Rule 15 are credited to the originating operator, who is the station physically at the location. Relay operators receive relay contact points but do not earn location bonuses for locations they did not work from.

13. Scoring

Simplex contact with EOC — 2 points
Repeater contact with EOC — 1 point
Relay contact with EOC — 1 point

All locations (Scavenger Hunt and Fixed) may be used once per Operation Mode, per band for contact points. Example: once on 2m simplex, once on 2m repeater, once on 70cm simplex, once on 70cm repeater.

14. Multipliers

Low power — 3×
More power — 2×
Relay, any power — 1×

15. Extra Scoring (after multiplier)

Scavenger Hunt location — +1 pt, awarded once per location regardless of how many times it is worked.
Six Scavenger Hunt locations — +10 pts.
All eleven Scavenger Hunt locations — an additional +15 pts.

16. Logging

All logging will be done by Sussex AUXCOMM. Scores will be displayed live on this site.

17. Disqualifications

Any entry may be disqualified for illegal operation, unethical operation, or rules violation. Such disqualification is at the discretion of the contest manager.

Claiming a Scavenger Hunt location without being physically present is a rules violation subject to disqualification at the discretion of the contest manager.

18. More Information

Questions regarding the contest may be addressed to the contest managers at the e-mail addresses listed below:

Bill Saunders, N3ID — ws3eoc@gmail.com
Jeff Stevenson, K3DI — jxs2151@gmail.com

19. Awards

To be announced.

Do I need to log anything or submit a score?

No. Sussex AUXCOMM does all the logging from the EOC. Just make the contact and give the exchange. Your score appears on the Live Scoring tab automatically.

Where do I find this round's Scavenger Hunt locations and repeaters?

The tab labeled "Round One" (later rounds will get their own tab, e.g. "Round Two"). It lists the chosen Fire Stations for that round — with addresses, phone numbers, and a Map link for each — along with the repeater frequencies in use. This is the current, active set of locations, not the full candidate pool shown on the Locations tab.

What's the difference between the Round tab and the Locations tab?

The Round tab (e.g. "Round One") shows only the locations and repeaters in play right now. The Locations tab lists every Fire Station in the county that could ever be chosen for a round — useful for reference, but it is not telling you where to go today.

How many rounds will there be?

Not yet decided. Rounds are added as they're scheduled, each with its own tab (Round One, Round Two, and so on) and its own set of locations and repeater list. Check back for new round tabs as the contest progresses.

Are there parking instructions for the Scavenger Hunt locations?

Check the current round's tab — any parking notes for that round's locations (for example, where to park at a fire station without blocking the apparatus bay) are posted there, since instructions can differ from round to round.

Can I work the same scavenger hunt location more than once?

Yes — once per band and operation mode. That means up to four contacts from a single location: 2m simplex, 2m repeater, 70cm simplex, and 70cm repeater. A repeat on a combination you have already used will be rejected.

Does working more repeaters earn more points?

No. A repeater contact is a repeater contact regardless of which machine you use. Working the same location on two different 2m repeaters counts once.

What earns the most points?

Simplex at low power. A simplex contact is worth 2 points and low power multiplies by 3, so 6 points — three times what a repeater contact at more power earns.

What if I can't reach the EOC from a location?

Ask for a relay on simplex. Another operator who can hear both you and the EOC passes your exchange along. You get credit for the contact and the location; the relay operator earns relay points.

Who gets points on a relayed contact?

Everyone involved. The originating operator, the relay operator, and any additional relay operators in the chain each receive 1 point. Relay points are not multiplied by power category.

Do I still get the scavenger hunt location bonus if I was relayed?

Yes. The +1 location bonus goes to the operator who was physically at the location, whether the contact was direct or relayed. Relay operators do not earn location bonuses for locations they were not at.

Can I relay a contact I could have made directly?

No. A relay is only permitted when you cannot reach the EOC from that location on that band and mode. If you have already made a direct contact from that location on the same band and mode, a relay of the same contact will be rejected.

Can a relay be done on a repeater?

No. Relays are simplex only.

Why does my contact show 0 points on the Logged Contacts tab?

Check the Reject Reason column. The most common causes are a duplicate of a contact you already made from that location on the same band and mode, or a relay of a contact that was already claimed.

What are the challenge questions?

Each scavenger hunt location has a question you can only answer by being there — something on a sign or marker at the site. Sussex AUXCOMM will prompt you for the answer during the exchange.

Can I operate from home?

Yes. Fixed stations may enter and earn contact points. Fixed locations do not earn scavenger hunt location bonuses.

How current is the scoreboard?

It refreshes every 15 seconds. Contacts appear once the EOC has logged them, which happens during or just after your exchange. The Round tab updates on the same 15-second cycle, so if locations or repeaters change mid-round, the site reflects it quickly.

Who do I contact with a question?

Bill Saunders, N3ID — ws3eoc@gmail.com
Jeff Stevenson, K3DI — jxs2151@gmail.com

2026 Sussex County AUXCOMM Scavenger Hunt