THE ARRL AWARDS PROGRAM One of the most exciting facets of Amateur Radio operating is awards chasing. It's a major motivating force of so many QSOs that occur on the bands day after day. Indeed it's a vital aspect that--if you want it-- makes each and every radio contact a key element in your present or future Amateur Radio success. So transform those QSOs into beautiful certificates or plaques for your ham-shack wall! Aside from the fun of operating itself, awards chasing is also a good way to maximum performance from your station, become familiar with propagation, and even learn about the geography, history or culture of places near and far. The League sponsors some of the more popular operating awards (if you are in the US and Possessions, Canada and Puerto Rico, you must be a full- fledged League member to participate), and this brochure gives a brief summary of what ARRL has to offer. RCC Novice, Technician or Extra--start off right, where just about every awards hunter begins, with the Rag Chewers Club certificate, which encourages friendly, meaningful contacts, rather than the impersonal hello-goodbye QSO. "Chew the rag" for at least 1/2 hour, and report that QSO to HQ, and enclose a business-size SASE. Your Rag Chewers Club certificate will be sent to you by return mail. Your first contact as a licensed amateur could earn your first award! WAS The Worked-All-States award is just what it says: Work and confirm all 50 states. Aside from the basic certificates for any combination of bands/modes, specialty certificates are issued for a variety of different bands and modes such as Satellite, 160-meters, SSTV, RTTY, and VHF band, and 75-meter 2-Letter Extra Class. Endorsement stickers available include SSB, CW, Novice, QRP, Packet, EME, and any single band. Cards are checked by a volunteer ARRL HF Awards Manager affiliated with ARRL Special Service Clubs (although QSL cards can be checked at HQ, absent an awards manager). To encourage increased activity and station improvement throughout the band, the 5-BAND WAS certificate (and plaque) is available for working all states on 5 amateur bands (except 10/18/24 MHz). Cards for 5BWAS can be checked by your local HF Awards Manager or at ARRL HQ. A-1 OP Only the best operators can qualify for the A-1 Operator Club, amateurs who have met the highest operating standards (details on request). But you can't apply; you must be recommended independently by two amateurs who already belong to the A-1 Operator Club. Who knows? Fine-tune your operating skills, and one of these days you may be pleasantly surprised when the mailman delivers an A-1 Operator Club certificate. DXCC The premier operating award in all of Amateur Radio is the DX Century Club. The basic certificate (which can be obtained in several categories--mixed modes, phone, CW, RTTY, satellite, 160, 80, 40, 10, 6 and 2 meters) is awarded for working and confirming at least 100 countries on the ARRL DXCC Countries List. Endorsements are available in specific increments beyond the 100- country level, culminating in the coveted DXCC Honor Roll, for those at or near working them all! DXCC qualifiers are also eligible for a DXCC lapel pin, available at a nominal charge. For those who enjoy the thrill of the hunt on more than one band, the 5-Band DXCC can be earned for working 100 countries on 80, 40, 20, 15, and 10-meter bands. 5BDXCC is a good test of the DXer's operating abilities, but is well within the reach of all of those willing to work for it. 5BDXCC qualifiers receive a handsome certificate and are eligible for a very attractive plaque. The 5-Band DXCC award is endorsable for the 160, 17, 12, 6 and 2-meter bands. OTC The coveted OTC certificate can be yours if you have been licensed at least 20 years. Drop a note to HQ with the date of your first license, and your call (both then and now), along with a business-size SASE. HQ will verify this information and send your Old Timers Club certificate promptly. VUCC The VHF/UHF Century Club is the League's newest award, for working and confirming V/UHF contacts in 2 degrees x 1 degree grid square locators on all V/H/SHF bands from 50 MHz to 300 GHz. Satellite and Laser contact count, too. Individual certificates are issued per band to those meeting initial qualifying levels, with an extensive endorsement program beyond the initial certificate. All cards must be checked by ARRL VHF Awards Managers--contact HQ for the Awards Manager near you. A VUCC lapel pin is available at a nominal charge. Extra Class Certificate For those of you who have learned and earned your way to the top, why hide the evidence in your wallet? Send a photocopy of your license and a nominal fee of $3.00 for the ARRL Amateur Extra Class Radio Operator certificate. ARRL Friendship Award The purpose of this award is to encourage friendly contact between radio amateurs (hams) and thereby discover new friends through personal communication with others. The ARRL Friendship Award is available to any ARRL member who submits log extracts that show two-way communications with 26 stations whose callsigns end with each of the 26 letters of the alphabet. (For example: W4RA, K0ORB, W3ABC...K1ZZ.) An SASE will bring you the rules and application. WAC Sponsored by the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU), the Worked-All-Continents award is issued for working and confirming all six continents (Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, South America, Oceania) on a variety of different bands and modes. A 5-Band WAC certificate and a 6-Band sticker are also available. For US amateurs, cards are checked at ARRL HQ. CP Evaluate your Morse code ability through the ARRL Code Proficiency program. Copy one of the W1AW's twice-monthly qualifying runs (sent at speeds from 10-40 WPM on virtually all bands--see W1AW Schedule), and submit one minute of solid copy and an SASE to HQ. Your submission will be checked directly against the official W1AW text, and if you pass, you'll get your initial Code Proficiency certificate. From then on, endorsements stickers are issued for speeds up to 40 WPM. Non-hams and hams alike are eligible for the Code Proficiency program. Contests The League sponsors exciting on-the-air contests for developing operating skills from 160-meters to 10 GHz, and participation certificates are available for all levels of activity, from casual participation to all-out war! Contests are also the "fast-track" way to make those needed QSOs for ARRL awards. See QST for details on all League-sponsored contests. Plaques Those who qualify for either 5BWAS and/or 5BDXCC are eligible for a handsome plaque. Further information, including required fee, is included in the 5BWAS or 5BDXCC application materials. ARRL Membership Recognition. Special plaques and pins are awarded for those who have attained 50- and 60-year continuous membership in the ARRL (pins and certificates are awarded for 25- and 40-year membership). ARRL International DX Contest Awards Program. Win beautiful plaques for specific achievements in the ARRL DX Contest. Details appear in QST. For WAS, DXCC, VUCC, and WAC, official application forms are required. Send your request with a business-size self addressed stamped envelope (SASE) to: SPECIAL REQUEST ARRL Headquarters 225 Main Street Newington, CT 06111