You can send and receive four character grid squares (ex: BL10) instead of the usual QTH name (MAU, CA, DX, etc) but ONLY if the mode you use cannot send or receive the required name. FT8, FT4 for example cannot exchange QTH names or abbreviations, but it can exchange grid square. So that is what you must log.
If the other station does not send you their grid square, you should still log the QSO but then you have a choice. You can leave the received QTH blank. That will result in zero points for that QSO. Or you can manually enter the grid if you know it, or the correct QTH abbreviation (MAU, CA, DX, etc) if you know that. If that matches the other station’s actual QTH correctly then you will get three points for a valid digital QSO. It is allowable to look up a call on QRZ to find the published address for this purpose.
For multiplier credit, if you log the grid square, you must accept our determination of what multiplier that grid qualifies for. For example EM71 could be either GA or AL. We will count it as GA because EM71 has more area and population in GA than the part that is in AL. We do not guarantee this to be accurate. We do the best we can. Hawaii has only a few grids. However, we know in which Moku every station is located. Just log the given grid square and you’ll get the proper mult credit.
NOTE: Your logging program may, or may not make this easy for you. If not, please contact your logger vendor.
If your logger does not allow entering a grid square, then you have a choice. You can use the HQP contest module in N1MM or Writelog (or other logger) and keep a pencil list of grid squares that you copied on the air. Then edit your log Cabrillo file after the event to include the grids (or QTHs). Then you have one log with everything in it.
The other choice is to keep two different logs. One log is the usual HQP log where you log SSB and CW. The other is a WWDigi log that logs your FT QSOs. Keep them separate and then upload both to the log entry page:
https://hqp.contesting.com/hqpsubmitlog.php
You will notice there are TWO places to upload your logs. Use one for your CW and SSB QSOs (Cabrillo) and the other for uploading your FT QSOs (Cabrillo). We will take care of combining them into a single entry. Then you can also upload your FT log file (Cabrillo) to the WW Digi site. If you just have one log, use the first box and ignore the other one.
NOTE: Your log(s) must include this line in the header of each:
CONTEST: HI-QSO-PARTY
For Hawaii stations: ALL FT QSOs will count
For non-Hawaii stations: Only Hawaii QSOs will count but other QSOs in your log won’t be penalized. They will be ignored. So, please don’t delete QSOs.
Here are examples of acceptable QSO lines:
QSO: 14033 CW 2020-08-22 0525 KH6TU 599 MAU W6OAT 599 WA
QSO: 14080 DG 2020-08-22 0528 KH6TU -04 MAU W6OAT -10 CN87
QSO: 14080 DG 2020-08-22 0528 KH6TU BL10 W6OAT CN87
Note that the RST or S/N columns are optional. We’ll accept it either way. S/N reports in digital contacts will be replaced with “599” We don’t check S/N values. Please send questions to info@hawaiiqsoparty.org
If you are on the “mainland” and your gridsquare is on a boundary, I strongly recommend changing your sent grid to a different grid that is in your state/prov and does not cross over to another state/prov. Do this ONLY for HQP and don’t forget to change it back afterwards.