Worked All Zones

World map with WAZ (CQ) zones

Worked All Zones, or WAZ, is an amateur radio operating award given to those amateur radio operators who successfully complete two-way amateur radio communications with other amateur radio stations located in each of the 40 geographic zones of the world, as defined by the award sponsor, CQ Amateur Radio. It is available to radio amateurs world-wide. The basic award is for making such contacts using any combination of amateur radio bands and modes.

The WAZ award began in 1934 and slightly predates the somewhat similar DXCC award. It was apparently developed by K.V.R. Lansingh, W6QX, editor of R/9 magazine. Since the late 1940s it has been associated with CQ magazine. Three major fall contests, one for RTTY in September, one for SSB (voice) in October and the last for CW (Morse code) in November are held annually, allowing radio amateurs to work as many zones as possible during each weekend.

Specialty awards

Specialty awards are available for establishing two-way contact with stations in all 40 zones using certain transmission modes including: CW, AM, SSB, amateur radio satellites, Radioteletype (RTTY), a digital mode other than RTTY, or Slow-scan television (SSTV).

Specialty awards are also available for contacts entirely on specific amateur radio bands: 6m (50 MHz), 10m (28 MHz), 12m (24 MHz), 15m (21 MHz), 17m (18 MHz), 20m (14 MHz), 30m (10 MHz), 40m (7 MHz), 80m (3.5 MHz), and 160m (1.8 MHz). There is also a specialty WAZ award for using the EME moonbounce mode of propagation.

Endorsements are available for making all contacts from a mobile station or using low power.

5-Band WAZ

A special award is available for confirming contacts on five HF bands (10, 15, 20, 40 and 80 meters). There are no band or mode endorsements associated with 5BWAZ.

See also

• Worked All Continents
• Worked All States
• Summits on the Air
• Parks on the Air
• VHF/UHF Century Club

External links

• CQ Magazine's WAZ rules accessed 4 October 2010.