HF awards

The RSGB offers a range of HF awards

Foundation Award

For the specification see our Foundation Awards page

Intermediate 100 Award

This award is available to UK Intermediate licence holders. It encourages activity during the first year of having the Intermediate licence.

Requirements: 25 contacts on each of the four designated bands
Modes: CW, SSB, Data modes, as appropriate on each band
Bands: 80m, 40m, 30m, 17m
Rules: Multiple contacts with the same amateur do not count.

IARU Region 1 Award

This award encourages activity on the HF bands. It recognises the work of the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) Region 1 in representing amateur radio within the region and the world. There are three classes of award:

  • Class 1: all member countries on the IARU list (currently 102)
    Class 2: 60 member countries
    Class 3: 40 member countries

Requirements: The minimum number of contacts stated for each class of award
Modes: Any
Bands: 160, 80, 40, 30, 20, 17, 15, 12 and 10m.
Rules: Confirmation of two-way contacts is required by QSL cards, LoTW or ClubLog with any amateur radio station in the required number of countries.

IARU Region 1 band-specific awards

This special single band award recognises the work of the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) Region 1 in representing amateur radio within the region and the world. There are three classes of award:

  • Class 1: all member countries on the list (currently 102)
  • Class 2: 60 member countries
  • Class 3: 40 member countries

Requirements: The minimum number of contacts stated for each class of award
Modes: Any
Bands: Either WARC Bands (10MHz, 18MHz, 24MHz) or one only of the following bands—10MHz, 18MHz, 24MHz, 28MH
Rules: Confirmation of two-way contacts is required by QSL cards, LoTW or ClubLog with any amateur radio station in the required number of countries. Application may be for an award with contacts on a single band only, or for contacts across all three of the WARC bands.

The Commonwealth Century Award (CCA)

This award recognises the operating skill required by amateurs on the HF bands. There are three levels of award within each band category.

  • Century: 100 contacts
  • Silver: 70 contacts
  • Bronze: 40 contacts

Modes: Any
Bands: (5 band award): 80, 40, 20, 15 and 10m. (9 band award): 160, 80, 40, 30, 20, 17, 15, 12 and 10m.
Rules: Confirmation of two-way contacts is required by QSL cards, LoTW or ClubLog with any amateur radio station within the Commonwealth call areas at the time of application.

Worked ITU Zones awards

International Telecommunications Union (ITU) Zones offers a number of awards which allow progression through the bands. They are challenging and require a good range of operating skills. The awards recognise the work of the ITU in coordinating and facilitating communication networks throughout the world. The following awards are available:

  • Classic Worked ITU Zones: minimum of 70 ITU zones defined by the ITU
  • 5 Band Worked ITU Zones:
    5BWITUZ Supreme: 350 Zones
    5BWITUZ Class 1: 300 Zones (minimum of 50 on each band)
    5BWITUZ Class 2: 200 Zones (minimum of 30 on each band)
  • WARC Band Award:
    WARC Supreme: 210 Zones
    WARC Class 1: 195 Zones (minimum of 30 on each band)
    WARC Class 2: 120 Zones (minimum of 30 on each band)
  • Top Band Award:
    Top Band Supreme: 60 Zones
    Top Band Class 1: 40 Zones
    Top Band Class 2: 20 Zones

Requirements: Produce evidence of the required number of contacts within ITU Zones
Modes: Any Mode
Bands: (Classic ITU Zones): 80, 40, 20, 15 and 10m. (5 Band Worked ITU Zones): 80, 40, 20, 15 and 10m. (WARC Band ITU Zones): 30, 17 and 12m. (Top Band ITU Zones): 160m
Rules: You may only apply for the WARC and Top Band Award if you currently hold either the Classic or 5 Band Worked Award.
Confirmation of two-way contacts is required by QSL cards, LoTW or Clublog with any amateur radio station within the ITU Zones listed at the time of application.

Worked All Continents (WAC) Award

The WAC award encourages activity on the HF bands and recognises specific achievements across all bands or on a single band. The award is issued by IARU Headquarters (ARRL). It may be claimed by any licensed radio amateur in the UK, Channel Islands and Isle of Man, who can show evidence of having contacted amateur radio stations in each of the six continents: Africa, Asia, Europe, Oceania, North America and South America. There is a range of awards and endorsements available:

  • Awards:
    Basic Certificate
    CW Certificate
    Phone Certificate
    Image Certificate
    Digital Certificate
    Satellite Certificate
  • Endorsements:
    QRP Endorsement (5 Watts output or less)
    1.8 MHz Endorsement
    3.5 MHz endorsement
    50MHz Endorsement
    144 MHz Endorsement
    432 Endorsement
    1296 Endorsement
    Other Endorsements

Requirements: Produce evidence of the required number of contacts within each of the six continents
Rules: All contacts must be made from the same country or separate territory within the same continent.

The ARRL does not currently accept LoTW confirmations for this award, further information can be found here—

To apply for the award using LOTW credits saved in a DXCC award account, please list claimed contacts on the ARRL WAC Award application form (1-page/634KB PDF) and forward it to the ARRL address given on the application form—it does not need to go via the RSGB Awards Manager.

If you need to use physical QSL cards to support your application, then send a copy of the application form by email together with scans of the QSL cards—or the physical cards and a self-addressed stamped envelope for their return—to the RSGB Awards Manager.

When an application has been certified by the RSGB Awards Manager as card-checker, it will be forwarded to IARU Headquarters (ARRL) for issue of the award and copied to the applicant for confirmation.