What is the DX Century Club (DXCC) award?

The DX Century Club (DXCC) award is a prestigious and popular achievement in the world of amateur radio, administered by the American Radio Relay League (ARRL). The award recognizes operators who have made confirmed radio contacts (QSOs) with at least 100 different entities on the ARRL’s DXCC list, which represents a collection of countries, territories, and other distinct geographic locations worldwide.

The DXCC list is continuously updated to reflect political changes and the establishment of new entities. As of September 2021, there are 340 entities on the list, providing a challenging and ongoing pursuit for amateur radio operators. The goal of the DXCC award program is to encourage operators to improve their skills, expand their knowledge of propagation and geography, and foster global goodwill through amateur radio communication.

There are several categories and endorsements within the DXCC program, allowing operators to pursue awards based on specific criteria:

• DXCC Mixed: This is the basic award category, requiring confirmed contacts with 100 entities on any combination of bands or modes.
• DXCC Phone, CW, and Digital: These awards recognize operators who have made contacts with 100 entities using specific modes: phone (voice), CW (Morse code), or digital modes such as RTTY or FT8.
• DXCC Band: Awards are available for operators who have made contacts with 100 entities on specific bands, ranging from 160 meters to 6 meters.
• DXCC Challenge: This category acknowledges operators who have achieved high levels of DXCC activity across all bands and modes. Points are awarded for each band-mode-entity combination, and the award is given for reaching a specific point threshold.
• Honor Roll and Top of the Honor Roll: The Honor Roll recognizes operators who have confirmed contacts with all but the ten rarest entities on the current DXCC list, while the Top of the Honor Roll includes those who have made contacts with all but the rarest entity.

To apply for a DXCC award, an operator must submit a log of their confirmed contacts along with verification, which can include QSL cards, electronic confirmations through Logbook of The World (LoTW), or a combination of both. Once the ARRL has reviewed and approved the submission, the operator will receive a certificate and may be eligible for additional endorsements or plaques based on their achievements.

The DXCC program is a fun and challenging aspect of amateur radio, providing operators with a tangible goal to work towards and a way to measure their progress as they explore the world through radio communication.