What Are the Rules and Code of Conduct for QRZ Forums?

Updated

QRZ Forums maintains a Code of Conduct that applies to all users, and the site notes it was updated July 19, 2023. Beyond that general document, individual sections carry their own posting rules — for example, the Special Events forum is reserved for actual special events, not contest or QSO party call signs, and the Online Swapmeet requires you to be logged in before you can access it. If you post in the wrong place, moderators may move the thread to the appropriate forum.

The Code of Conduct

The forum's Code of Conduct is described as "Guidelines and Rules for users of the Forum," and the listing shows it was updated on July 19, 2023. It sits at the top of the forum index, which signals that it applies across the whole board rather than to one section.

The page evidence does not reproduce the full text of the Code of Conduct, so the specific clauses are not available here. What can be confirmed is that a single, site-wide conduct document exists, it is periodically revised, and it governs how users are expected to behave in discussions.

Section-Specific Posting Rules

The clearest rules on the index are the ones attached to individual forums. Several sections state explicitly what does and does not belong there:

Forum Stated rule
Videos, Podcasts, & Blogs Posts in other forums that are mostly just a video with little or no commentary in the original post will be moved here, regardless of content
General Announcements For amateur radio announcements of interest to all hams — but NOT for special events, contests, etc., which have a separate forum
Special Events Reserved for ACTUAL special events only — not SES call signs for contests or QSO parties
Contests, DXpeditions, QSO Parties Upcoming contests, DXpeditions, and QSO parties — NO SPECIAL EVENTS, which belong in the separate forum
Online Swapmeet You must be logged in to access the swapmeet forum

Two patterns stand out. First, QRZ separates "special events" from "contests and QSO parties" and enforces the distinction in both directions. Second, low-effort video posts are relocated rather than removed — the rule is about placement, not prohibition.

What Happens When You Break a Rule

The index describes two consequences directly:

  • Thread relocation. The Videos, Podcasts, & Blogs rule says posts that are mostly a video with little commentary "will be moved here, regardless of content." That is a stated moderation action, not a hypothetical.
  • Access restriction. The Online Swapmeet is gated behind login, so you cannot read or post there without an account.

The page evidence does not describe account suspension, bans, or warning systems, so no claim can be made about those here. If you need the full enforcement details, read the Code of Conduct thread itself, which is pinned at the top of the forum index.

Practical Checklist Before Posting

  1. Confirm which section fits your topic — especially whether it is a special event or a contest/QSO party, since those are split.
  2. If your post is essentially a video with little written commentary, expect it to land in Videos, Podcasts, & Blogs.
  3. Log in first if you intend to use the Online Swapmeet.
  4. Read the pinned Code of Conduct, updated July 19, 2023, for the rules that apply everywhere.

The forum index also shows the scale of activity these rules govern — for instance, Contests, DXpeditions, QSO Parties carries over 16,600 discussions and 41,000 messages, and Amateur Radio News over 14,100 discussions. Rules that keep topics in their proper sections matter at that volume.