1. Chasing DX and Awards Jim Reisert AD1C
What kind of awards are out there?
How can contesting help you earn them?
How you can you help yourself earn them?

2. Band-specific (VUCC, 160 meters) Closed-ended (WAZ, WAS)
Types of awards
Worldwide (DXCC, IOTA)
Regional (USA-CA, RDA)
Band-specific (VUCC, 160 meters)
Closed-ended (WAZ, WAS)
Open-ended (WPX)
Cumulative (DXCC Challenge)
Open ended – new ones popping up all the time.

3. How many awards is this QSL good for?

4. Answer: at least 8! WAC – Asia DXCC – Asiatic Russia (UA9)
WAZ – Zone 18
WPX – RU0
IOTA – AS-057 (Uyedineniya I.)
RRA – RR-06-17
WLH – 0102
ARLHS – ASR-083

5. Many contests are award-based
ARRL DX -> DXCC, WAS
ARRL SS -> WAS
CQ WW -> WAZ
CQ WPX -> WPX
ARRL/CQ VHF -> VUCC
ARRL/CQ 160M -> DXCC, WAS
State QSO Parties -> USA-CA
ARRL SS not good for 5BWAS
Don’t work stateside stations in ARRL DX

6. Contests give you best bang for the buck
Qualify for an award in a weekend!
100 “Entities” (CQ WW or ARRL DX)
50 States (ARRL SS)
40 CQ Zones (CQ WW)
100 VUCC grids (ARRL/CQ VHF)
500 Counties (MARAC/US Counties)
Limits time away from family, chores and other activities.
Have I come close to this in any contest?

7. Contests can make it easier to work that rare place!
Contest DXpeditions
Rare station may be on for full contest period, begging for QSOs near the end
Everyone is spread out all over the bands, instead of on the same packet spot
State QSO parties – lots of counties!
If you are a multiplier in the contest, rare stations might call YOU

8. You don’t need a big station 100W, G5RV, AV-640 vertical
DXCC: 253 mixed, > M
WAZ: 40 zones, >30 on 10-30M
WAS on CW, SSB, RTTY, 20M
WPX: 1061 mixed, 661 SSB, 713 CW
IOTA: 421 mixed
USA-CA: 3037 mixed
VUCC: 308 grids on 6 meters

9. But we’re at the bottom of the cycle!
Look through old QSL cards
Mail QSLs for new award counters
Fill in holes on low bands or VHF
Try a new band or mode

10. How to improve your award chasing
Computer logging and record-keeping
DX Cluster
Read the DX Bulletins
Get on in the little contests, even if just for a couple of hours
Use LoTW or eQSL
Listen, listen, listen