The Alfa Tango Rules  

1. Call AT

For the AT Group the 11 mt. is a band, and like Hams on their band, only one call must be used for DX.

In certain circumstances, for local chats with friends, a "Mickey Mouse" call can be used.

This does not include to which you may belong, or your original call (before AT), you may only tell the operator your unit number in his Group (to avoid passing your qsl information on the air).

Your AT Call must be used for the Call and Qso.  Offenders will be subject to three disciplinary actions.

1a) First offence: Suspension for one year

1b) Second offence: Expulsion

1c) For the activation of a SES, Dx expedition, or country with another call: Immediate Expulsion.

Coordinators and Directors must send to HQ. a detailed report of single verified offences.

All directors and officials  of Alfa Tango must be 100% AT.

No involvement with other group’s activities, Web Master, etc. or resign their position (1990 Meeting decision).

No AT member can be an official  or member of another group (1994).

The AT Group is not a federation of Clubs or Division; when someone becomes a member they are part of the Group as a whole,not as member in a particular state, region or province, or even a member of Div.1, Div. 2, Div.13 and so on; they are in fact a member of the Alfa Tango Group WORLD-WIDE and all members share the same respects and rights.  

There are no divides.

There will be no more new appointments of Qsl Manager from 1994; this service will be entrusted to 1AT024 Saverio and his Team. 

The Team is formed by members who can prove that they have the spare time and financial status to do the work, and have not less than 5 years of membership.

More collaborators, in future and with the increase of propagation , can be added to this Team <No more than 10 members> under the supervision of 1AT024Saverio.

A Qsl Manager is some who receives the log of a station and sends Qsls on is behalf.

If the Qsl Manager does not receive logs or cards, or for any other reason cannot return a QSL in the normal manner, he will, after a period of not less than 90 days, send a card without information and enclose a note of explanation. (1993).

A Mail Manager is someone who forwards mail to a station who as difficulty in receiving mail in the normal way and hi is only like a Po Box, he cannot ask for contributions to send QSLs received.

5. Awards

All information regarding and requesting awards is to be sent to Asti H.Q <except for self governing Division who only need to send the SD/5 forms to HQ>.

This is not to be confused with the term "11 Metre band".

a.The operating frequency for the Group was .405 - .855 inclusive (1993). Regarding this frequency, because of the new ones given to other countries – ex: Germany, Uruguay, New Zealand etc., we have given consideration to this, and from 23.04.99, the new Group Band will include also the legal CB spectrum used in many countries (26.965 - 27.855) inclusive the allocated group CW frequency is .410 (1994). Reference to RTTY deleted.

Only QSL cards for voice contacts are permitted for awards, contests, upgrading, etc. 

Only cards dated after 23.04.99 will be accepted within the new group band, before this only the old group bands frequencies are allowed.

b. The Group totally disassociates itself from Packet Radio and SSTV. 

Members must not use their AT call, Image or pass any AT information (only name and Unit and please no AT call). Penalty, suspension of 6 months, without warning.

No member is allowed to be Qsl Manager / Mail Manager for any NON AT member, DX expedition or SES (1993).

Liable to immediate suspension or expulsion for a second offence.

In instances where Po Box is shared, a NON AT must say "I share the same Po.Box with xx ATxx, but Not  xx ATxx is my Mail Manager.

It is not allowable for any member to refuse to make a Qso with a courteous AT or non-AT for any reason.

Co-ordinators and Directors must send to HQ, a detail report of single verified offences.

Liable to suspension after 2 warning or expulsion for a second offence, which would warrant suspension (1995).

Members calling for "AT members ONLY" will be suspended for 3 months, after 3 verified reports have been received by H.Q. (1996)

No member shall make profit from the Group, by making and selling materials bearing the AT Logo, without permission of H.Q.   Liable to immediate suspension or expulsion for a second offence. (1995)

a. From 1995 for any Official AT card to be valid, the operators call/details on the front must be professionally over printed, writing in biro or pen or left blank is not acceptable and such cards is not valid for confirmation of contact.

We ask you to please return QSL cards of this type to the sender (professionally printed labels or stickers or stamp may be acceptable).

All QSL Managers MUST return invalid cards, without a card, using the contribution received for postage, otherwise the position as qsl manager will be deleted.

b. Permission must be obtained from H.Q. via Country Director, before any Personal/Region/State/District Qsl card is produced, a sample of the intended card must be submitted with the application.

The card can be regarded as valid if no reply has been received from HQ after 30 days of receipt <only in the case of a Non valid card will HQ reply>.

c. These non-flag cards must not contain provision for writing radio reports, and cannot be used for the sole confirmation of a QSO, but must be accompanied by an official card.(Liable to immediate suspension or expulsion for a second offence) 1995.

d. All financial members can use GRI AT Logos, free of charge, after HQ permission (see point b.)

e. Any awards, contest results, upgrading , must be based on Qsl card bearing the claimants AT CALL, only cards dated before joining the Group with a NON AT call sign can be considered. 

Nautical station and Oil Rigs are not valid as a country confirmation, Qsl cards from these can only count towards the Marine Mobile award.

Sea Platforms, fixed, are considered mainland territory (not Island!)

f. Island in rivers and lakes are not valid towards the IOTA award, such island must be activated using suffix IWI. (Inland Waterways Island). 

The contact with boats on rivers and lakes are not valid at all. 

g. Members participating in SES, ATDX, etc.and receive progressive numbers must send a Qsl.

For 10 offences 3 months or more of suspension.

a. No member, regardless of whether or not they live in a most wanted country may ask of a contribution, or mention the world dollar on the radio for a QSL card. 

But it is left to common sense of every good AT member to decide the justification of sending one voluntarily to a fellow member who may live in such a location that they are subject to a large amount of requests for Qsl cards every time they operate their radio.

They cannot work only to get money to buy Qsls and stamps to make "most wanted country hunters" happy.

After 1 warning letter, suspension of one year for a further offence (1994).

b. Any such member who is subject to a large expense for qsls may make a statement along the following line "dear friend, please excuse me, but I have a big economic problem to respond to you, please limit this contact a qso because if you send me a qsl card then it will place me in a difficult position".

c. Dx expeditions and SESs  may use the phrase  "standard contribution required"  and may explain to non AT that this means $  1 or 1 IRCs.

d.For SESs only "voluntary contribution" (2000), or if in the same country SASE , (1995).  Discretion should be used for countries where IRCs are not acceptable.

e. If a manager of two or more activations receives, in one or more envelopes, one dollar for each request, than the manager MUST reply with separate envelopes and QSLs.
Example : An Operator sends in one envelope, three requests and three dollars.
The manager must confirm by sending three separate envelopes.

Do not sponsor members into the Group, if they cannot afford to join, how can they afford to send Qsl cards or renew the following year. 

It is not acceptable for organisers of Dx-peditions and SES, to ask for sponsorship.

If you don’t have the "Financial Status" to carry out an event, stay at home.

Only the AT Logo must appear on the Qsl cards and Log. or a special permission must be asked in advance to Asti HQ.

a. The only Official Group Black List Manager is Salvatore 1AT028, countries may appoint black list manager for the purpose of co-ordinating their countries report. 

This is an internal divisional appointment, and this will not appear in the directory.

b. If a station does not reply in 90 days (180 days for Dx, IOTA or SES) a reminder must be sent giving details of the qso.

c.If the station does not reply within a similar period, then a report, containing all the relevant information, regarding date of QSO with radio-report, date of sending qsl, date of sending reminder, should be forwarded the Black List Manager 1AT028 or your country black list manager. (members on Internet may send direct, in the format load down, by 1AT028). 

Salvatore compiles a Black List annually for inclusion in the only official AT Web site.

The rules for IOTA activity are written on a separate sheet (IOTA Regulation) and are valid for all Division, without exception.

The IOTA committee which meets every year studies the opportunity to make changes where necessary.

15. Contests

All contests including the World Contest, National Trophy, etc. cannot use the frequency  .501 to .600 inclusive.

This band is to be kept clear for other operators.

It is permitted to call on .555 and then Qsy outside of this frequency.

Only single operators can use cards received for contacts during the contest for upgrading awards, etc.

a.The AT call for a SES must be applied for and approved by Editor Digest Manager (1AT059), as for Dx expeditions; 

otherwise it will be declared invalid and the operator (s) will face disciplinary action. 

From 2003 only 2 per country and must be of Historic or Radio interest.

b. Please don’t request authorization to commemorate wars or attacks, etc.(Indipendence Days are ok)

c. There are to be no SESs to raise money for charity funds, by asking for contributions <ex: Princess Diana, Kosovo, etc>

d. For SESs contribution is voluntary, or compulsory can be only a Self Addressed Envelope (SAE)

e. A new Qsl card cannot be counted as SES. Team leaders of SESs in rare countries and Dx expeditions, must send the Log of the event within 60 days of the last QSO.

(Validation regulations and penalties are now the same as for IOTA).

f. Normal SESs must to be validated by the country’s Director/Co-ordinator and info sent to Manager Digest Editor.

g. From Jan.1.2000: a SES must not last more than 48 hours, but may be spread over 2 weekends or midweek days.

h. From Jan.1.2001 : operators of Dx expeditions and SES, must give the call sign of the event and the Qsl Manager info, after 10 calls received, before calling QRZ again.

i. Operators using split frequency must not use more than 30 KHz.

l. Operators logs must not be posted on the Internet until the activation is complete and then only with the same system used on our web official site.

After the initial AT 0 and 3 AT Dx expeditions, the call must be portable.

In countries with less than 10 AT members, authorization and proofs are compulsory.

In countries with more than 10 AT members, no authorization and proofs are required, but it’s necessary that Manager Digest Editor be informed before the event, so that it can be insertedin the AT DX News Digests.

To ease the workload in HQ, which is always, busy. It is imperative that self - governing divisions continue to operate smoothly and that members to adhere to the correct lines of communication, i.e. director, country coordinator.

Do not send letters of complaint or requests to HQ directly. They will be returned to the Country’s HQ.   

This also applies to e-mail.

a. The call for the Club station must be obtained from HQ.

b.There must be one named operator who is responsible for the correct runnning of the station.

c.There must be a minimum of three operators present before the Club call sign can be activated.

d.An accurate log must be kept, using the progressive number system, even if qsl cards are not be exchanged; the log must be signed by ay least three of the operators present.

e.No money or IRCs are not being requested for qsl cards.

f.Contacts obtained via the Club station cannot be used for personal awards, or upgrading by the operators.

g.A record of the number of times the Club station is activated & total number of contacts is to be made available to HQ at renewal time each year.

h.A Club station call sign is issued only on the understanding that it represents a special AT Station & the highest level of operating quality is expected from ALL who use the station, this is to be the responsibility of the member named as the person responsible for the correct running of the station.

i.These rules may be amended at any time without prior notice by Asti HQ.

Divions with more than 100 members :

a. From 31.12.200 the Group will open for enrolment in all division with more than 100 members, for an unknown period, which will be assessed as required by the Central Board and Direttivo.

No new members in these divisions but late renewals can be accepted. During this period the directory will only be published as required (probably in 2003,2005 etc) and for the years whitout directory renewals will be compulsory but free. 

The upkeep of HQ. will be maintained by the "Old AT Guard" of Italy, but a voluntary contribution (sponsorship $ 5) to help support the Group, will be accepted.

Please send the renewal form to HQ to let know that you wish to remain in the Group.

For the year 2003 the renewal will be again the same of the year 2000 and will include the new Directory 2003/2004.

b. From 2002, members in all division, will have the option to renew direct to Asti HQ.

Divions with less than 100 members:

30 countries or 50 AT contacts confirmed. It is important that new members are explained the rules (before enrolment) by the director responsible.

Old rules apply for small divisions.

c. From Jan,1,2003 the enrolment is re-open in ALL Divisions

Courtesy should be used on the radio at all times and the following points observed.

a. Don’t repeat on the radio the Qsl address that appears in the directory (Some countries have monitoring stations)

b. Only say the call once to make contact ; during the qso repeat only the unit number without clubs name.

c. Don’t repeat the name of the country.

d. Don’t use .555 for qso.

e. Don’t use max.power; you can give qrm to others.

f. When calling a SES or DX station, don’t use his Call. (he knows who he is). 

Listen after the contact for the station to give qsl information. 

Do not interrupt a qso by asking for it.

g. After making contact with a SES or Dx expedition, send your qsl as soon as possible, and no later than 30 days after the contact, in order for the qsl manager estimate how many cards to be printed.

h.Do not cause Qrm on .555 by whistling and shouting to tune your radio or amplifier.

Please, that rule 21 is not a rule, but general guidance for the "Code of Conduct" expected of AT Members.

i. NO Call on the envelope – Use only plain envelopes, without Club Logos, Stickers, etc.

Do not write the Call of the station or your own on the envelope.

Not every country has legal SSB and this has resulted in many PoBoxes being closed and operators prosecuted for use of their radios.

Never send the qsl in an open envelope or one with a clear window, so that it can be seen from the outside.

l. Professionalism on the radio

Please refer to the Q codes. QRZ should only be used for it’s proper function by Dx expedition operators between calls.

The correct words are: My call is xxATxxx and not my QRZ is…..

Don't catch the progressive number for some of your friend.  It's unacceptable and pathetic!

Two digit numbers can be issued only to members who meet the following criteria, and are applied for to HQ, via a Country director/coordinator if not existants, in direct way to 1AT01 Aldo.

a) Ordinary members - 10 years of membership

b) Directors - after 5 years of membership and 3 of charge

c) Country Co-ordinator - The only exception to this is by the President, who can make the award of a 2-digit number, for exceptional work done for the Group.

From Jan,1,2000:

Once a number is awarded, it cannot be changed for a lower one, for the sake of change or vanity.

These rules will be amended according to the situation  (if is possible in advance,  by the central Board or during the World Meeting) and before the renewal date.

Coordinators and Directors must send to H.Q.  a detailed report of single verified offences