CQ WPX AWARD.
This one is of the ultimate challenge to those who are hunters of the rare prefixes, in order to obtain this one you must have at least 1000 prefixes confirmed. This does not mean via paper all of the electronic means for confirmation is accepted. However, the credit ends at the six meter band and nothing any higher is credited. We are not sure why this is done? Perhaps our boys in New York do not realize there is activity on two meter simplex FM and SSB. However, no repeater contacts count, so if that is the reason then why include six meters since repeaters are active on six as well?
What does one have to do to have this award in their possession and hanging on the walls of your shack? Let’s take a look, in fact let us start at the home front, say you have worked a K1, K2, K3 and so forth you have a possible ten prefixes in each district. Now lets move to KA1, KA2, KA3, and again you have ten more prefixes in each district
Repeat the process with all ten districts and you have a 100 prefixes. Lets take it another step KB1, KB2 another ten prefixes, move to KB3. With all the unusual calls these days in the states you can rack up about half the required prefixes of 1000 for basic entry.
So, in the process you work Canada VE1, VE2, and continue to all the districts in Canada you have more added to your total. Consider also you are not limited to stateside contacts, you can expand out to Europe, Africa, South America and so forth. It is fun chasing rare prefixes as well, and each year CQ magazine has a contest over the weekend called WPX. In this contest rare and unusual prefixes are heard on the air, mostly they use the list of International prefixes and that may be found in the back pages of any ARRL paper log. Or, on the ARRL web site, I would suggest you print it out for future reference if you become a serious chaser.
Once you have the required total you may apply to CQ for the paper award. Now, here is where I have felt the award itself is bogged down and takes an eternity to complete. On the positive side you do not have to ship paper cards to the award chairmen of CQ. You may use the GCR rule, or the General Certification Rule, this means that two hams, not of your own family must verify that you have what you claim to be confirmed.
Once the forms are signed along with your list of prefixes it is mailed either E mail, or snail mail to the award chairmen. He checks it and if all is well your request for the award is processed. I for one qualified for this award some time ago. However, never applied for it due to the large amount of paper work required. Once the computer era came, it was a little easier to keep track of all the prefixes and the listing of them. I would suggest a data base program and set it up according to the information they need at CQ magazine.
About two years ago I got it all together and had a grand total of 1784 prefixes, that was after I lost some on two meter SSB. Shame indeed. Ok, got all my paper work in and waited, and waited, it was a year after I applied for the award that I finally received it.
When I questioned about the long delay, I was told that an artist had to do the art work on this award. Well, what I got was not impressive! If it took an artist a year to draw this, he/she better go back to art school. Really, this could have been handled by Electronic means, once you qualified a PDF is sent to you via E mail and you print the certificate yourself. This award is up to you if you want to go to all the trouble to obtain it. To be honest, with all the work involved I have mixed feelings about the award in general. You may want to pursue it, if so be prepared for some paper work and a lot of time involved. To me this is not their best award effort, the USA-CA is much better and that one will be next.
