With fall semester well underway, school clubs are at full throttle. That means it’s time for the ARRL School Club Roundup (SCR) — fall edition. Propagation is typically better at this time of year, and clubs should not find it too difficult to make contacts across the US and around the globe, even with a modest station. Unlike most contests, this one takes place during the week. SCR 2016 gets under way on Monday, October 17, beginning at 1300 UTC, and runs through Friday, October 21, at 2359 UTC. Stations may operate for up to 24 hours during the entire contest and may only operate for 6 hours during any single 24-hour period.

There are five participation categories: Elementary/Primary, Middle/Intermediate/Junior High School, Senior High School, College/University Club, and Non-School Club. There is also an Individual category.

If you just want to get on the air and hand out contacts, enter in the Individual category. Any mode — SSB, CW, or digital — is okay. Tune around and listen for SCR stations calling CQ, or do it yourself and see who answers (call “CQ School Clubs,” if you aren’t a club station). Stations exchange signal report, category (School, Club, or Individual), and state, province, or DXCC entity. Once the contest is over, submit your log online (preferred) or on paper.

The most popular time for younger students to be on the air is during after-school hours, but the older students may be on the air at any time. All groups are limited to one transmitter on the air.

The School Club Roundup is co-sponsored by the ARRL and the Long Island Mobile Amateur Radio Club (LIMARC), and results appear in QST as well as online. Bruce Horn, WA7BNM, has created a web entry service that accepts scores and logs. Paper logs and summary sheets are still available, but participants might want to try the logging program SCR-LOG, which is written especially for the School Club Roundup. Other logging program choices are listed on the SCR website. Logs are due by November 8. Upload some photos of your school team in action to the ARRL Soapbox.