The Cypress Chapter W.A.F.C. Award

This award series retired June 1, 2008.

No more applications accepted at this time.

WAFC - Worked All Florida Counties, there are 67 Florida counties (more information about Florida counties here). Certificate is in process - August 22, 2007.

The purpose of the award it to promote the use of 10 meters, allow stations to claim county credits, and expose non-members to the Cypress Chapter and Ten-Ten International if they are not already members.

This award is a real challenge in itself as you must work a station on any 10 meter frequency (or mode) using any mode your license class allows you to use. The station you work for the WAFC does not need a Cypress Chapter number or 10-10 number. While working non-members of 10-10 or the Cypress Chapter we would ask that you extend an invitation to the other station to join these organizations.

Acquiring the WAFC Award adds 250 on air points to your total plus the points acquired for working individual counties (5 points per county).

• QSL card verification IS required! The Florida county you worked must be clearly marked on the QSL.
• eQSL verification is acceptable and encouraged.
• Digital (scanned) copies of paper QSL's are valid.
• ARRL's LoTW is not acceptable at this time.
• This award valid for any and all contacts made after September 1, 2007.

Worked All Florida Counties Rules & FAQ's

RULES

You must work the other station on 10 meters, no cross-band or Internet communications. Cross-mode is acceptable providing the stations are not exceeding any license restrictions in effect. 10 meter repeater QSO's are acceptable contacts for this award.

STATION DEFINITIONS

Fixed: Your `fixed' station whether it is your home QTH or possibly one you have station set up at your place of business that you use throughout the day. To qualify for the Fixed endorsement on the certificate you would have to make all contacts from this location
and certify it during the application process.

Mobile: Any vehicle (land, water, or air based) in which you are able to safely operate from. As with the Fixed endorsement you will need to certify that all contacts were made while you are operating as a mobile.

Portable: Portable is portable and not mobile such as you are running a special event using the same call sign as the one you apply for the award with. Field day, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, church events, camping, woodland hikes, car shows, etc. are all portable operations.

The major difference between mobile and portable would be the source of power (commercial mains, generators, non-vehicle mounted batteries) and the antenna (dipole, non-mobile verticals, trailer mounted towers, etc.). Same goes for certification of type of operation.

OPERATIONS:

Callsign: All contacts must be made using the same call sign, unless you upgrade or change your call sign. In other words you can't run a string of Florida counties using another call sign during an event and claim that for your personal call sign.

Confirmation: QSL cards must be used to confirm the contacts. It would be advantageous if everyone uses eQSL due to the price, lack of postage or the need to scan hardcopy QSL cards. The ARRL service is unavailable for anything like this award. The QSL card must have the county and band of the station confirming the QSO, i.e. if Tom, KD4WOV works me then my QSL to him must have my county on it along with the band we worked on.

Exchange: The standard 10-10 exchange of call, name, 10-10 # (if any), QTH (with the county added) should be used. The log format will not matter as you will apply for the counties via a web form.

Frequency: 10 meter contacts only, no exceptions. No repeater use unless the repeater runs on 10 meters, no Internet radio contacts, no cross-band contacts, no eQSO or EchoLinkQSO's.

Modes: Any modes that are legal for the portion of 10 meters that you operate in (and are licensed to operate in) are acceptable. Cross-mode contacts are allowed as long as you are permitted to do so within your license regulations.

Points: You get 5 points per county worked for a total additional on-air points of 335 once you work all 67 counties. An additional 250 points will be awarded for completing this award. Remember this will also help those of you who are county hunters as well.

Certificate: Issued upon confirmation of your first 5 Florida counties worked. The certificate will have all the county names printed on it and you will write in the date you receive credit for each county. You can only get the certificate with one of four endorsements: Fixed, Mobile, Portable, or Mixed (these station designations are explained here [link]).

FAQ's

I was interested in starting on the Florida Counties, but most of my operation is mobile. Do the contacts I make while mobile work toward the counties?

1) If I am driving in the Pasco county area and work a local station in Pasco County, does the contact count as a Pasco County contact or is that too far from my home QTH?

The WAFC award doesn't require Cypress Chapter membership, or a 10-10 number so this contact would count towards a Mobile WAFC Award.

2) While driving thru Osceola, Orange, Seminole, Lake and Volusia Counties, can I count the local contacts for those counties, or will I just count towards their counties?

Same as above, this will count as credit towards a mobile WAFC award.