General group rules
Article Index
Rev. 18/07/2023
This regulation can be revised at any time by the Board of Directors of the G.R.I. ALFA TANGO, according to new needs. In case of violation of rules, Coordinators and Directors (as defined in art. 2) are required to send a detailed report of the event to the Headquarters.
1. AT callsign
Since the AT Group considers 11 mt. as a real band, only the assigned AT callsign must be used for transmissions as it happens for the amateur radio operators. This does not prevent you from being member of other groups or associations, however for any local activity, Dx, Contest, S.E.S., etc., you are requested to use the allocated AT callsign only and exclusively.
Offenders will be subject to disciplinary actions:
- First violation: suspension of membership for one year
- Second violation: exclusion from AT Group
In case of violation, Coordinators and Directors are required to send the Headquarters a detailed report concerning the occurred events.
2. Coordinators and Directors
The Divisional (Overseas) and Regional (Italy) Coordinators take care of the organization and coordination of the regions / provinces and cooperate with Headquarters for all activities of the group.
All coordinators, directors, and those choosing to be involved in an official capacity in the Gruppo Radio Italia ALFA TANGO, must do so in an exclusive manner, and not be involved or active in other groups and associations.
They also take care of the selection of potential new members in their area of competence and therefore they act to ensure the first screening of the qualifications for their enrollment. They may promote local activities (activations, meetings, etc.) which need to be previously reported and approved by the Headquarters or by their superior bodies.
The Regional Coordinator is appointed by the Group's Board of Directors. Any application proposed by the Directors or by the individual members will be taken into consideration. The appointed Regional Coordinator will remain in charge for 4 years. In the event of resignation, the successor (appointed by the Board of Directors) will be in charge until the expiry of the resigning’s mandate.
The requirements to be appointed as a Regional Coordinator are:
- a minimum of 5 subsequent years of membership in the AT Group;
- exhibit distinctive adherence to the Group and / or carried out significant activities for it;
- availability of time to devote to the management of the area of competence (Region), to the supervision of the districts and to the activities for the benefit of the Group.
The Provincial Directors will be appointed only in the districts with at least 5 members, they are designated by the Regional Coordinator in agreement with the Headquarters.
The requirements to be appointed as a Provincial Director are:
- a minimum of 5 subsequent years of membership in the AT Group;
- exhibit distinctive adherence to the Group and / or carried out significant activities for it;
- availability of time to devote to the management of the area of competence (Province), to the supervision of the districts and to the activities for the benefit of the Group.
A "delegation representative" may be appointed in the provinces with less than 5 members, whose role is to work together with the Regional Coordinator and / or with the Headquarters
In the event of ascertained behavior not in conformity with the Group's regulations and with the spirit of friendship, which is essential among all the members of the Alfa Tango Group, both the Coordinators and the Directors may be removed from their assignment, at the sole discretion of the Group's Board of Directors.
As far as foreign Divisions go, the Board of Directors will evaluate the opportunity to appoint a Division Coordinator on case-by-case basis, identifying him/her among the members with the qualifications deemed necessary.
In specific circumstances, where it is deemed necessary, the Board of Directors may appoint Directors and Coordinators notwithstanding the current regulation.
3. 100% AT
All members cannot hold a position or carry out activities in other associations or groups.
4. AT World-Wide
The AT Group is not a federation of clubs or divisions. When you join ALFA TANGO, you become part of the Group as a whole and not as a member of a particular country, region or province, or Division 1, 2, 13 etc. All members joining G.R.I. ALFA TANGO “World-Wide” have the same rights and obligations.
5. QSL Managers & MAIL Managers
This service is entrusted to 1AT351 Marco and his Team (Marco's Team).
The Team is made up of AT members with no less than 5 years of membership in the Group, who can prove to have free time and financial conditions to carry out this task. In the future according to the conditions of the propagation, other collaborators might be added to the Team, under the supervision of 1AT351 Marco.
The QSL Manager is a member, in possession of the log of a station, who receives and fulfills the requests for QSL cards on his behalf. If for any reason (lack of log or QSL), the QSL Manager is unable to carry out his task for not less than 90 days, he is required to send the applicant a blank postcard and add an explanatory note.
The Mail Manager is a member who receives snail mail on behalf of a specific station, and periodically forwards it. He/She does not reply to QSL requests, but acts only as an intermediary for postal traffic. As such, cannot ask for any kind of contributions.
No AT can be QSL Manager or Mail Manager of NON AT stations. The guilty party will be susceptible to immediate suspension or expulsion if repeated offender. If the P.O.Box is shared with a NON AT, the member shall always report "I share the same mailbox with xxATxxx" and not "xx ATxx is my QSL Manager or Mail Manager".
Given this:
1) To take advantage of a QSL manager, at least one of the following conditions must be met:
- operate from a country where radio activity on 11 meters is risky;
- operate from a country where QSL management is difficult due to poorly managed, non-existent postal services or excessive and unsustainable costs;
- (other conditions possibly to be identified).
2) In addition to carry out the QSL traffic, the QSL manager is required to encourage the managed stations to increase radio activities.
In order to enjoy the services offered by a QSL manager, the members concerned shall take part to any form of activity: Dx, Contest, etc.
3) The QSL manager is required to report annually the logs managed and the number of contacts made by each managed station. Lacking such information, it is assumed that the managed station is no longer interested in carrying out activities within the AT Group and therefore the conditions to be assisted by a QSL manager no longer exist.
Marco's Team reserves the right to evaluate such rule in regard to specific propagation conditions of the period.
6. Awards
6a) Requests related to Awards issued by G.R.I. ALFA TANGO shall be addressed to the Award Manager, 1AT094 Giuseppe, by using the specific form available on the Group website.
Requests for information may be sent via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
6b) Requests for Awards and updates of the DXCC score shall be submitted on QSL bearing the applicant's AT callsign. QSL cards showing NON AT callsign may be taken into consideration only if they refer to contacts made on a date prior to joining the Group.
6c) Maritime mobile stations and stations transmitting from oil platforms are not valid as country confirmation. Fixed maritime platforms are considered as part of continental territory (not island!)
7. Partition of frequencies
7a) The Group encourages everyone to use the frequencies according to those allowed in their respective countries. The use of different frequencies results in the sole responsibility of the involved parties.
QSLs are valid only for phone contacts, as well as for Awards, DXCC credits, upgrades, etc.
7b) The use of telegraphy (CW) and digital modes is allowed. The QSO in CW and digital modes are valid to credit DXCC entity and also to apply for certificates and awards, also during the contests and events that foresee it (in compliance with assigned frequencies to this kind of activity).
8. Refusal of QSOs
ALFA TANGO means courtesy. Refusal of QSO to a NON-AT is deplorable, AT members are not allowed to refuse QSOs to a non-AT, under any circumstances.
Coordinators and Directors are required to submit a detailed report of any ascertained event to the Headquarters. A first warning shall be issued, after the second one, a suspension is expected.
It is also subject to penalty to make a selective call: "AT members ONLY". After 3 verified reports the offender will be suspended for 3 months.
9. AT material
No member will profit from the Group by producing and selling materials bearing AT logos without the permission of the Headquarters. The offender is liable to immediate suspension, or expulsion after the occurrence of a second event.
10. QSL cards
10a) Personal cards and those employed for activations of any type (DXCC countries, AT IOTA, SES, SOTA, LOTA, IWI), shall comply to a minimum common standard, as regards the use of official AT logos, AT mottos and the graphic aspect in general.
10b) Official logos made available by the Group may be used freely, with the agreement to observe their composition and the font to be used. Gruppo Radio Italia ALFA TANGO logo shall be strictly positioned on the top of the QSL front, with the wording “WORLDWIDE DX GROUP” under it.
Only the word ALFA TANGO may have chromatic variations.
The fonts to be used are the following:
- “Gruppo Radio Italia” uses the ALFATANGO font.
- “ALFA TANGO” uses the EGYPTIAN CONDENSED REGULAR font.
Both are available on the official website of the Group.
10c) Following wording are the only allowed on QSL cards:
- “WE ARE NOT STRANGERS, ONLY FRIENDS WHO HAVE NEVER MET”.
- “CALLING ALL OVER THE WORLD”.
- “THE FINAL COURTESY OF A QSO / DX IS A QSL”.
- “NOT ONLY RADIO”.
The BALLON font, available on the Group's official website, shall be used.
10d) Personal QSLs shall display on the front the division flag, preferably on the entire surface and bear the callsign, the operator’s name and any potential address.
10e) QSL cards shall be done professionally. Pen or stamp customizations are not allowed. Professionally printed labels or stickers may exceptionally be accepted, provided they are not usual routine.
10f) QSL cards shall be authorized by the Headquarters and printing will be allowed only WHEN APPROVAL IS RECEIVED. The aforementioned authorization is issued by 1AT351 Marco (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) to whom the QSL drafts shall be submitted. QSLs cards printed before this regulation comes into force are still valid for confirmation, except those where the callsign is NOT printed or applied with a sticker, as per rule 10f.
10g) e-QSLs (electronic or digital QSLs) follow the same rules as paper QSLs. Please note that they are not valid for Awards, Diplomas or DXCC credits.
10h) Activity with remote radio stations isn't valid for any QSO credit made during all the radio events organized by GRI AT (contests and so on), nor for the request of awards and DXCC standings.
11. Contributions
11a) No AT member, whether or not located in a most wanted country, may ask for contributions or amounts to send his QSL card. It is left to the common sense of each AT member to voluntarily send a contribution to stations operating from a rare location. It is reasonable to presume they receive a large number of requests for QSL cards every time they transmit on the radio. These operators can't just work to buy QSL cards and stamps to make the "most wanted countries’ hunters" happy.
11b) Any AT member who, due to the quantity of requests for confirmation of his contacts and for this reason has to incur a large expense to print QSL and postage, is allowed to make a statement like the following: "Dear friend, I'm sorry, answering all QSL requests I receive produce big financial problems for me; please limit this contact to QSO only, because if you send me your QSL you will put me in a difficult position”.
11c) Dx-Peditions may use the phrase "standard contribution required" and explain that this means $3
11d) For S.E.S. activities the contribution shall be "voluntary". If the QSL card goes to the same country (of the sender) a S.A.S.E. (self-addressed and stamped envelope) may be requested.
11e) In case a given QSL manager of several activations collects, in one or more envelopes, $3 for each request, he/she is OBLIGED to reply with separate envelopes and QSLs. Example: An operator sends in an envelope, three requests and six dollars, than the QSL manager must reply with three separate envelopes (or group your requests up to 4 different QSL with a single contribution).
12. Sponsor
It is strictly forbidden for AT members to ask for any kind of sponsorships. If they can't afford to join the Group, how can they afford to send QSLs or renew their membership the following year? It is not acceptable that organizers of Dx-Peditions and S.E.S. ask for funding. If you don't have the financial conditions to hold an event, simply quit and stay at home.
AT Logo may appear on QSL cards and logbooks only. Strictly no advertising of any kind. Exceptionally, under peculiar circumstances, a derogation may be negotiated with the Headquarters.
Banners or advertising banners may be displayed during the meetings, provided that the sponsor has contributed in a significant way to their realization.
13. Black List
Since 2021, the only official manager of the Group's Black List is 1AT041 Lory. Countries may appoint their own Divisional Black List manager with the purpose to coordinate domestic relationship. Divisional lists are considered matters of national interest and will not appear in the directory.
13a) If a station does not reply to a QSL request within 60 days, a reminder can be sent with the details of the QSO (the first QSL may have been lost).
13b) If no reply has yet been received after a further 60 days, the callsign of the AT member can be reported via e-mail to the Black List Manager, by entering, in addition to the normal data, other information (eg: contribution and or additional QSL sent).
13c) For DX-Peditions, S.E.S. and in general for services provided by QSL managers, the deadline is set at four months from the first demand.
Twice a year the Black List Manager will publish the list of all reports received. Anyone who subsequently receives a QSL initially reported as not received, must notify the Black List Manager.
14. IOTA
The rules for IOTA activity are written on the specific regulation for activators of Dx-Peditions and they are valid for all Divisions, without exception. IOTA committee meets annually to discuss rule changes where necessary.
Islands in rivers and lakes are not valid for I.O.T.A. These islands shall be activated under I.W.I. (Inland Water Islands).
Contacts with boats on rivers and lakes are not valid.
15. Contests
Competitors taking part to the Contests organized by the G.R.I. ALFA TANGO cannot use the frequency portion between .501 and .600 included. This part of the band must be kept free for other operators. Calling on .555 is allowed but it is mandatory afterwards to QSY on another frequency. Only single operators may use the QSLs received for contacts made during the Contest to request or upgrade Awards, upgrade their DXCC score, etc.
16. S.E.S. Stations o special events
16a) Request of activate a S.E.S. shall be addressed and approved by the Super Committee (1AT012 Giorgio), as it happens for DX-Peditions. Otherwise the activity will be declared as “not valid” and the member will go through disciplinary measures. According to the rules in force since 2003, authorization is granted to activate each year a maximum of two S.E.S. per division; requests shall be related to an event with historical interest or to the world of radio.
16b) Please do not make requests to celebrate events such as wars or attacks, etc. (independence days are ok).
16c) Fundraising for charity by asking for contributions are not allowed.
16d) Contribution shall be voluntary. A self-addressed and stamped envelope (SASE) can be mandatory.
16e) Printing a new QSL card cannot be the justification to organize a S.E.S. The team leader activating S.E.S. in rare countries and DX-Peditions shall submit the Event Log to the Supercommittee within 60 days of the last QSO. The validation rules and sanctions are the same as in IOTA.
16f) Ordinary S.E.S. shall be validated by the Director or the Coordinator of the organizing country while the information and proofs of the activity shall be reported to the Supercommittee.
16g) A S.E.S. must not transmit for more than 48 hours, however the duration can be spread over two weekends or during the weekdays.
16h) Operators of DX-Peditions and S.E.S. are required to mention in the calls, in addition to their callsign, also the information relating to the activity in progress (event, QSL Manager). These indications must be repeated approximately every 10 calls made.
16i) The range for split transmissions shall not exceed 30 KHz.
16l) Logs of Dx-Peditions and S.E.S. may not be published on the Internet until activation is over and in any case not before their publication on the official AT website by the Supercommittee which usually takes place after the validation of the activity.
17. Portable operations
In countries with no resident AT members, after the initial AT / 0 and three AT / DX-Peditions have taken place, subsequent activations shall be carried out using your callsign preceded by the strikethrough prefix. Ex: 400 / 1ATxxx.
In countries with less than 5 (five) AT members, the application for authorization and the presentation of proofs are mandatory. In countries with more than 5 AT members, prior authorization or presentation of proofs is not required, however the Supercommittee shall be informed before the event takes place so that it can dispose of the necessary disclosure.
18. Self-government
To lighten the workload of the Headquarters, it is mandatory that autonomous divisions continue to function smoothly and that the members adhere to the lines of communication, for example contacting the Director or National Coordinator.
Please do not send inquiry letters directly to the Central Headquarters. They will be returned to the headquarters of the country of origin. This also applies to e-mails.
19. Creation and management of a Club Station
19a) Authorization must be obtained from the Headquarters.
19b) An operator responsible for the correct functioning of the Club station shall be appointed.
19c) The presence of at least three operators is required for the establishment of a Club station.
19d) A station log must be kept accurately, using the progressive numbering system of the contacts made, even if QSL cards are not exchanged; the log shall be signed by at least three operators.
19e) Requesting contributions for QSLs are not allowed.
19f) Contacts made through the Club Station cannot be used by operators to upgrade their personal scores.
19g) A record of the number of times the Club Station is activated and the total number of contacts made shall be available to the Headquarters at any time.
19h) Members using the Club Station shall operate with highest skills being the Club Station representative of the Headquarters; compliance with these conditions is under the station manager supervision.
19i) These rules may be amended at any time without notice by the Headquarters.
20. Membership requirements
The minimum requirement to become a member of G.R.I. ALFA TANGO is to be in possession of QSL confirmations from 30 different DXCC countries or 50 AT stations.
These qualifications are not required for HAM (radio amateurs), who can be admitted ex officio assigning them the category based on the countries worked and confirmed on 11M. Coordinator or Director in charge shall explain the rules to the potential new members (before their enrollment), paying attention especially to art. 1.
Any AT member worldwide may renew the membership directly through the Headquarters, by contacting the mail address This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or following the appropriate procedure available on the Group's website.
Failure to renew, even by the O.G. (Old Guard) members, corresponds with resignation from the Group and the revocation of the allocated unit number, which can therefore be reassigned.
21. Categories of operators
G.R.I. ALFA TANGO recognizes 5 different categories of operator based on the 11M activity level of each operator. They are assigned according to the following criteria:
Category 3: 50 different ATs, contacted and confirmed with QSL card.
Category 2: 30 different entities (countries), as defined by the DXCC list, contacted and confirmed with QSL.
Category 1: 50 different entities (countries), as defined by the DXCC list, contacted and confirmed with QSL.
Category S: 100 or more different entities (countries), as defined by the DXCC list, contacted and confirmed with QSL.
Category OG (Old Guard): Members with 25 years of continuous membership in the Group. The lack of renewal is considered as tacit resignation from the Group, accordingly the allocated unit number may be recalled and therefore be reassigned.
22. Courtesy, AT Spirit and Code of Conduct
Courtesy and respect must always be used in radio and the following points must be observed:
22a) Do not repeat on the air the address that appears in the Directory (some countries have monitoring stations).
22b) Never repeat the name of the country.
22c) Do not use calling frequencies to make QSOs. These frequencies must be used exclusively for making calls and immediately left free.
22d) When calling a S.E.S. or a dx-pedition, you don't have to repeat the call sign used by the activator (he knows very well who he is). Listen after ending your QSO to receive information for QSL exchange. Do not interrupt someone else's QSO.
22e) When preparing a QSL request, use envelopes without logos, stickers, etc. Do not write the operator/activation call on the envelope. The use of SSB is not legal in all countries. Never send your QSL into an open envelope or with a transparent window, so that it can be seen from the outside.
22f) Professionalism in radio. Refer to and use the Q code correctly. Ex.: “QRZ?” is to be used only for its proper meaning by a dx-pedition operators. The correct words to use for those who want to work the activation are: My callsign is xxATxxx and NOT: “My QRZ is……”.
22g) Taking a progressive number on behalf of others, it is absolutely regrettable. It is a disloyalty and as such, subject to a sanction.
22h) During the activations please follow the code of conduct for dx-peditioners, activators and radio operators reported below:
CODE OF CONDUCT FOR DX-PEDITIONS AND SES
for expeditioners, activators and radio operators
• Expeditioners or activators must absolutely avoid making QSOs during an activation. Some operators have few and short propagation openings and a QSO that lasts for a long time can affect someone's ability to make the contact;
• Expeditioners who receive more than 2/3 calls from a station already entered in the log, are invited, at their discretion, to cancel the QSO and reply to the QSL request with a NOT IN LOG;
• Expeditions or activators must notify AT-HQ of the names of operators who disturb or have behavior not compliant with the code of conduct (also with audio/video recordings);
• Dx-peditions or activations not complying with these rules may not be credited as valid at the sole discretion of the Committee;
• Stations attempting to work the dx-pedition or the SES will have to behave correctly and respect the rules;
• Call and wait for the reply from the activator;
• Call using your full callsign XXATXXX;
• Do not ask for signals or modulation reports, wait for the "59 in the log" and make the way for other operators;
• Avoid any activity that could prejudice the contact to other operators, for example making QSOs on the frequency of the dx-pedition or activation;
• Report to AT-HQ any incorrect behavior suffered, both by the activators and by other operators (also by sending audio/video recordings);
• Behaviors not in line with what is specified above will be evaluated by the AT-HQ which will take the measures it deems appropriate to adopt.
23. Two-digit unit numbers allocation
Abroad: With regard to foreign countries, two digit numbers can only be assigned to members complying with the requirements listed below. Two digit numbers are requested to the Headquarters by a director/national coordinator if present, directly to the President in case a director/national coordinator is missing:
Ordinary members: after 10 years of continuous membership;
Directors: after 5 years of membership and 3 years in office;
Country Coordinator.
The Headquarters will authorize the callsign change only after verification that the applicant has not been a "silent" member but instead an active “on-air” operator and that he has taken part in the nationals and world wide events of the Group. Such a verification will continue for three years after the callsign change, reserving the Headquarters to reassign a three-digit callsign where the applicant has not honoured the two-digit callsign with a reasonable on-air activity. Determinating the congruity of the on-air activity is left exclusively to the Headquarters.
In Italy: Two-digit numbers callsign can only be allocated to members who meet the following criteria. The request for assignment to the Headquarters shall be made through a national Director / Coordinator. In the event that such figures do not exist, the request can be made directly to the President.
a) for Members: after 30 years of continuous membership
The only exception to this rule can be decided by the President, who may assign a two-digit number callsign to members who have distinguished themselves for special services or specific tasks performed for benefit of the Group.