BVRC BINGO Award Rules
BVRC BINGO is an amateur radio operating award designed to encourage contacts with a variety of stations, locations, modes, bands, and operating activities while having fun.
The award is open to members of the Bella Vista Radio Club. Applicants must be current members of the Bella Vista Radio Club in good standing. There is no charge for the award.
Download the full BVRC BINGO Award Rules PDF, including instructions and printable score card
1. Purpose
BVRC BINGO is an amateur radio operating award designed to encourage contacts with a variety of stations, locations, modes, bands, and operating activities while having fun.
2. The Bingo Card
The Bingo Award card serves as a checklist of completed operating activities and contains 24 squares plus a FREE SQUARE. Each square represents a qualifying amateur radio achievement or contact toward acquiring the award.
Participants may use the interactive Bingo Award tracker on the BVRC website. The interactive card can be used for storing contact information for each square on the score card and for monitoring the rankings of other members pursuing the award. Participants may also enter contacts in their own personal log.
To use the interactive card, click the square of the QSO requirement or achievement. A pop-up window will appear to enter the QSO data.
Download or print the full-size BVRC BINGO score card
Open the interactive Bingo Award tracker
Either the hard copy card or the electronic interactive card must be used to apply for awards. If using the hard copy card, a log extract must accompany an image of the hard copy card when applying for the award(s).
3. Award Period
The award period begins October 1, 2026 and continues ad infinitum, or until interest in the award diminishes to the point that it is discontinued. All qualifying contacts for the award must be on or after October 1, 2026. Contacts made before October 1, 2026 do not qualify for the award.
4. Making Contacts
A qualifying contact must be a legitimate amateur radio QSO conducted in accordance with:
- The operator’s license privileges
- Applicable FCC rules and regulations
Contacts made through prohibited, non-air wave means (for example, EchoLink or any digital mode using the internet), or non-amateur means do not count.
A single QSO may satisfy only one bingo square. It may not satisfy multiple squares. Each contact for each square must be a unique contact. For example, if a contact is made with a station activating a POTA park on 20 meters, that QSO can be used for either the 20-meter square or the POTA square, but not both. If it is used for the POTA square, then another contact with a different station on 20 meters must be completed to satisfy the 20-meter square.
5. BINGO!
A participant earns the BVRC BINGO AWARD by completing any one of the following:
- Five squares in a line horizontally
- Five squares in a line vertically
- Five squares in a line diagonally
The FREE SPACE counts toward a line.
6. Full Card
A participant who completes all 25 squares earns the prestigious BVRC BLACKOUT AWARD. A Blackout is the highest level of the BVRC BINGO award.
A qualifying participant for the standard BINGO award may apply, or may opt to wait and continue working toward the BVRC BLACKOUT Award. Both the Standard and Blackout awards can be issued to the participant at their discretion. Notify the award coordinator if you wish to receive both awards upon qualifying for each.
7. Proof of Contacts
Participants should maintain a log showing:
- Date
- Time
- Callsign worked
- Band
- Mode
- Any additional information that may be necessary to demonstrate that the applicable square was completed
LoTW, QRZ, Club Log, paper logs, electronic logging programs, and other reasonable documentation are accepted.
The BVRC BINGO Award Coordinator reserves the right to request reasonable evidence of a claimed contact.
8. Bands, Modes, & Time
Contacts must be made using legal amateur license allocations and modes. Times in the log can be recorded in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) or local (Central) time. Time options are shown in the interactive Bingo card when entering QSO information.
9. Honor System
BVRC BINGO is intended primarily as a fun operating award. Participants are expected to claim squares honestly. By submitting an award application, the operator certifies that the claimed contacts and activities are accurate, honestly made, and comply with applicable amateur radio regulations.
10. Submission
Applications should be made by email to [email protected].
The application should include:
- Operator name
- Callsign
- Bingo card:
- If you use the interactive card, simply advise the award coordinator when applying for an award that you used the interactive card. The coordinator can then access your card to view QSO information for each claimed square.
- If you use the hard copy card, submit an image of the completed squares along with log information supporting the claimed squares.
- Any additional supporting documentation
- Award level requested: regular BINGO or BVRC BLACKOUT
11. Award issuance
Upon submission approval and award issuance, an email will be sent to the award qualifier with a PDF attachment of their award, suitable for printing and framing.
12. The Fun Rule
The most important rule of BVRC BINGO is to have fun, make contacts, and encourage amateur radio activity. Friendly competition is promoted, but helping another operator complete their card is not only permitted — it is encouraged.
Award Examples
The full PDF includes examples labeled BINGO Award – Standard, BINGO Award – Blackout, OM, BINGO Award – Blackout, YL v.1, and BINGO Award – Blackout, YL v.2.
