QRZ Operating Awards Rules & Criteria

Introduction

The QRZ Operating Awards are our way of recognizing the individual, on-air accomplishments of the fantastic amateur radio community members. This document outlines the rules and criteria for issuance of each of the QRZ Operating Awards. The information in this document is subject to change as the needs of our community evolve.

Operating Awards - General Rules

1. All QSO’s must originate and be reciprocated by licensed amateur radio operators, each using transmitters operating in established amateur radio frequency bands and identified using the respective callsign of each QSO participant. Transmissions that use a relay or repeater or an Internet link may not be used for credit towards awards unless such modes are specifically authorized by the rules for a particular award sought. 
2. Contacts may be logged over any period of time commencing after November 15, 1945. 
3. All applicants for these awards must be QRZ Members in good standing. There is no requirement to be a paid subscriber of QRZ. 
4. Awards will be granted solely on the basis of contacts, which are recorded and confirmed by the online QRZ Logbook. Paper QSL cards or other physical documentation confirming QSO’s will not be accepted. 
5. All communications with the QRZ awards desk shall be via email or the QRZ Support Ticket system. The QRZ awards desk does not use FAX or Telephone, and does not accept postal mail. 
6. All contacts must originate from so-called ‘land’ stations. Contacts made from aircraft in flight cannot be counted. Contact made from ships may be counted if the QSO was conducted within 12 miles of shore of the entity being counted. 

• 12 Days of QRZ Award (2022, 2023, 2024)

  1. This award celebrates the winter holiday season and is awarded to any QRZ user who has confirmed QSOs on 12 days during the winter season in his or her logbook.
  2. The Winter Season is defined as the months of December, January, and February.
  3. Dates:

     Year / Edition	Starts	Ends
     2022	December 1, 2022 00:00:00 UTC	February 28, 2023 23:59:59 UTC
     2023	December 1, 2023 00:00:00 UTC	February 29, 2024 23:59:59 UTC
     2024	December 1, 2024 00:00:00 UTC	February 28, 2025 23:59:59 UTC

• 30 Years of QRZ

  1. This award was created to celebrate QRZ's 30th continuous year of business and is awarded to any QRZ user who has 30 or more confirmed QSOs in his or her logbook.
  2. Both the transmitting and receiving party must maintain a QRZ Logbook.

• DX World Award

  1. The DX World Award is available to any QRZ member whose Logbook on QRZ.com contains at least one confirmed contact from each of at least 100 distinct DXCC entities. 
  2. DXCC entities shall be governed by the ARRL DXCC list at: http://www.arrl.org/files/file/DXCC/2013_Current_Deleted.txt 
  3. All contacts must be made from within a single country and should preferably originate within a 50 mile radius of a given geographic point

• Grid Squared Award

  1. This award is based on 2-letter/2-number Maidenhead grid squares, such as DN05, FN31, etc.. This award is available to any QRZ member whose Logbook on QRZ.com contains at least one confirmed contact from each of 100 unique Maidenhead grid squares.
  2. All contacts must be made from within a single grid square and originate within a 50 mile radius of a given geographic point.

• Master Of Radio Communications: Africa

  1. The Master of Radio Communications: Africa Award is available to any QRZ member whose Logbook on QRZ.com contains at least 76 credits.  Credits are defined as confirmed contacts with the DXCC entities in Africa. (A credit is given for each entity on each band).
  2. DXCC entities shall be governed by the ARRL DXCC list at: http://www.arrl.org/files/file/DXCC/2013_Current_Deleted.txt 
  3. Deleted African DXCC entities may be used for credit toward this award.
  4. All contacts must be made from within a single country and should preferably originate within a 50 mile radius of a given geographic point

• Master Of Radio Communications: Asia

  1. The Master of Radio Communications: Asia Award is available to any QRZ member whose Logbook on QRZ.com contains at least 54 credits.  Credits are defined as confirmed contacts with the DXCC entities in Asia. (A credit is given for each entity on each band).
  2. DXCC entities shall be governed by the ARRL DXCC list at: http://www.arrl.org/files/file/DXCC/2013_Current_Deleted.txt 
  3. Deleted Asian DXCC entities may be used for credit toward this award.
  4. All contacts must be made from within a single country and should preferably originate within a 50 mile radius of a given geographic point

• Master Of Radio Communications: Europe

  1. The Master of Radio Communications: Europe Award is available to any QRZ member whose Logbook on QRZ.com contains at least 66 credits.  Credits are defined as confirmed contacts with the DXCC entities in Europe. (A credit is given for each entity on each band).
  2. DXCC entities shall be governed by the ARRL DXCC list at: http://www.arrl.org/files/file/DXCC/2013_Current_Deleted.txt 
  3. Deleted European DXCC entities may be used for credit toward this award.
  4. All contacts must be made from within a single country and should preferably originate within a 50 mile radius of a given geographic point.

• Master Of Radio Communications: North America

  1. The Master of Radio Communications: North America Award is available to any QRZ member whose Logbook on QRZ.com contains at least 49 credits.  Credits are defined as confirmed contacts with the DXCC entities in North America. (A credit is given for each entity on each band).
  2. DXCC entities shall be governed by the ARRL DXCC list at: http://www.arrl.org/files/file/DXCC/2013_Current_Deleted.txt 
  3. Deleted North American DXCC entities may be used for credit toward this award.
  4. All contacts must be made from within a single country and should preferably originate within a 50 mile radius of a given geographic point

• Master Of Radio Communications: Oceania

  1. The Master of Radio Communications: Oceania Award is available to any QRZ member whose Logbook on QRZ.com contains at least 60 credits.  Credits are defined as confirmed contacts with the DXCC entities in Oceania. (A credit is given for each entity on each band).
  2. DXCC entities shall be governed by the ARRL DXCC list at: http://www.arrl.org/files/file/DXCC/2013_Current_Deleted.txt 
  3. Deleted Oceania DXCC entities may be used for credit toward this award.
  4. All contacts must be made from within a single country and should preferably originate within a 50 mile radius of a given geographic point

• Master Of Radio Communications: South America

  1. The Master of Radio Communications: South America Award is available to any QRZ member whose Logbook on QRZ.com contains at least 30 credits.  Credits are defined as confirmed contacts with the DXCC entities in South America. (A credit is given for each entity on each band).
  2. DXCC entities shall be governed by the ARRL DXCC list at: http://www.arrl.org/files/file/DXCC/2013_Current_Deleted.txt 
  3. Deleted South American DXCC entities may be used for credit toward this award (There is only one at this time).
  4. All contacts must be made from within a single country and should preferably originate within a 50 mile radius of a given geographic point

• United States Award

  1. The United States Award is available to any QRZ member whose Logbook on QRZ.com contains at least one confirmed contact from each of the 50 US States.
  2. A contact with the District of Columbia will be credited as Maryland.
  3. All contacts must be made from within a single US state and should preferably originate within a 50 mile radius of a given geographic point within that state

• United States Counties Award

  1. The United States Counties Award is available to any QRZ member whose Logbook on QRZ.com contains at least one confirmed contact from each of 100 US Counties.  Endorsements are also available for 250, 500, 1000, 1500, 2000, 2500 and 3000 counties.
  2. Each parish in Louisiana and each borough in Alaska shall be considered one “county” for the purposes of the United States Counties Award
  3. All contacts should preferably originate within a 50 mile radius of a given geographic point

• World Continents Award

  1. The World Continents Award is available to any QRZ member whose Logbook on QRZ.com contains at least one confirmed contact from 6 continental zones of the world. These include: Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, South America, and Oceania. 
  2. Continental designations for all countries shall be governed by the ARRL WAC Continents list at: http://www.arrl.org/files/file/DXCC/WAC_Continents.txt
  3. All contacts must be made from within a single continent and should preferably originate within a 50 mile radius of a given geographic point.

• World Radio Friendship Award

  1. This award was created to celebrate QRZ's 25th continuous year of business and is awarded to any QRZ user who has 25 or more confirmed QSOs in his or her logbook.
  2. Both the transmitting and receiving party must maintain a QRZ Logbook.