Get involved with the Radio Surfer Award

The RSGB has two awards that are aimed at young radio amateurs. The awards are a fun way to learn about different areas of amateur radio. We spoke with the RSGB Youth Champion (Scouts, Cadets & Guides), Sam McCutchion, M7UEL to find out what he enjoyed about the programme, and which awards he’ll be chasing next.

What did you enjoy about completing the Radio Surfer Award?

The Radio Surfer Award encouraged me to try areas of the hobby I hadn’t tried before. Whilst a lot were not particularly difficult in practice, they encouraged me out of my comfort zone and I found the process enjoyable.

Would you recommend it?

Definitely! It’s a good experience no matter what level of licence you hold. It’s almost impossible to have completed all the tasks on it without meaning to, which means there is always something new to try.

Which awards are you thinking about doing next, and why?

I am currently working towards the HF IARU Region 1 Award, which I am trying to do all on 10W. This makes the process rather challenging but I am closing in – just some of the rarer DXCCs to go! Once I complete that I’m looking to extend it by doing the band specific variant and the Commonwealth Century Award.

Would you encourage other licensees to try aiming for some awards?

100% – they encourage you to try new elements of the hobby which you may not otherwise have been exposed to. I would also recommend helping someone else achieve the easier awards as it’s a good introduction to radio for those that are newly licensed.

What did you enjoy about doing the IARU R1 Award?

It has encouraged me to make contacts I would not have otherwise completed. I have picked up on some rare DXCCs that I would likely have misidentified as common entities if I hadn’t been aware of them from this award. I like the fact that the tiers provide a clear progression path to prevent me from becoming discouraged.

Would you recommend it?

Again, definitely! It has indirectly encouraged me to take up Morse code, which I now enjoy (even though I am far from proficient), and it’s very satisfying to spot and tick off new DXCCs!

If this has inspired you to chase an award, visit our awards page to get started. Our awards are open to everyone, whatever your age, licence level and personal interests. Let us know how you get on, by sending over your story to comms@rsgb.org.uk

Category: Award Stories