Frequently Asked Questions

QCWA is a place to build friendships, share a lifetime of radio experience, and support the future of amateur radio. Members connect through chapters, on-air activities, online events, the digital eJournal, and volunteer service. Our scholarship program helps licensed students pursue higher education.

Whether you want to participate actively or support our purpose through membership, your experience belongs here. Read our mission or join QCWA.

You qualify if you hold a current amateur radio license and held an amateur radio license at least 25 years ago. Continuous licensing for all 25 years is not required. You may join during the calendar year in which you qualify.

See Join / Renew for eligibility and application guidance.

Send Headquarters a copy or photograph of your original license, a dated QSL card, a logbook page, or other evidence showing your early licensing history. Include your first call sign and approximate year; remember an original WN or KN Novice call if applicable.

If your records are missing, Headquarters can help check historical callbooks as part of a membership application. Email om@qcwa.org.

Visit Join / Renew and choose the new-member option. Have your current call sign, first call sign, first year licensed, and contact information ready. The page also provides a paper application and mailing instructions.

Yes. Use the renewal option on Join / Renew. Provide your call sign and QCWA membership number if known, and check that your email and mailing address are current.

Yes. A qualifying spouse, son, or daughter living at the same address as a Regular member must also meet QCWA’s licensing requirements. See the current options on Join / Renew, or ask Headquarters which membership type fits.

Review your membership information in Members Only, or ask the Office Manager at om@qcwa.org. Include your name, call sign, and QCWA number if known.

Local chapter dues are separate. Ask a chapter officer about your chapter membership status.

After your membership is entered into QCWA’s administrative database, Members Only access is normally available after the next morning’s update. Follow the access instructions provided with your membership confirmation.

If you need login help after processing, contact om@qcwa.org. Include your call sign and membership number if known.

Visit Members Only for available certificate and membership-card downloads. Most browsers can display PDF files, or you can use a PDF reader to print them.

For help with a certificate, award, or a printed copy, email Headquarters.

Use the address-change page or email om@qcwa.org. Include your name, call sign, membership number if known, and the information to update.

Visit the Member Supplies resource from Members Only or follow the supplies link on Join / Renew. For help with a supplies request, use the Member Supplies contact.

Email om@qcwa.org for general or membership questions. The Contact HQ page provides the mailing address and direct contacts for certificates, supplies, scholarships, Silent Key reports, the President, and website assistance.

Email sk@qcwa.org. Include the member’s name, call sign, QCWA number if known, and date of passing if available. A link to an obituary or other supporting information can help update our records.

Browse the chapter directory by location or by chapter number. Visit the chapter’s page for its information, and check Events for meeting listings.

A downloadable active-chapter list is also available. Check with the chapter for current details.

No. You can enjoy member resources, support scholarships, volunteer, and connect through Association events and on-air activities without belonging to a local chapter.

See Events, Chapters on the Air, and convention information for ways to participate. Check the current listings for schedules.

A minimum of five QCWA members with current national dues is required to petition for a chapter charter. Members select a chapter name and officers, complete the petition, and submit it to Headquarters for review and Board approval.

Follow the new-chapter instructions and contact Headquarters for assistance.

The recruitment and hamfest resource page provides materials for introducing QCWA and its programs. You can also share the scholarship program and scholarship video.

Contact Headquarters if you need help selecting current materials for your event.

Email ai1u@qcwa.org with your interests and skills. Opportunities include Scholarship Co-Chair, Webmaster Assistant, Certificate Custodian, Historian, Social Media Story Teller, Membership Supplies Coordinator, and Development Director.

See Leadership & Support Staff for current opportunities and contacts.

QCWA’s scholarship program is administered by the ARRL Foundation. The listed program provides 19 scholarships of $3,000 each—a total of $57,000—for qualified licensed radio amateurs pursuing higher education.

A recommendation from a current QCWA member is required. Learn more on the QCWA Scholarship Program page and review the ARRL scholarship descriptions.

No. The applicant needs an active amateur radio license and must meet the scholarship’s education and application requirements. The QCWA listing accepts any active amateur license class, any region, and any field of study, with study at an accredited two- or four-year college, university, or trade school; graduate studies are permitted.

The student must be recommended by a current QCWA member. Review the current ARRL Foundation requirements before applying.

Yes. A current QCWA member can provide a recommendation for a student who has an amateur radio license and meets the scholarship requirements. The student does not need to meet QCWA’s 25-year membership requirement.

Use the fillable recommendation form to describe the student’s radio activity, service, leadership, and educational goals. Follow the current ARRL application instructions for submitting the letter. A recommendation supports an application; the ARRL Foundation makes award decisions.

Prepare your recommendation letter, transcripts, and other required documents ahead of the announced opening.

Apply online through the ARRL Foundation Scholarship Program when its application window is open. Review the requirements and submit the application, transcripts, and required supporting documents through the application system.

QCWA’s program page and recommendation form can help you prepare.

Contact the Scholarship Chair at scholarship@qcwa.org.

Current Scholarship Chair: Ken Oelke VE6AFO

For mailing or donation assistance, contact QCWA Headquarters.

Yes. Include the person’s name and call sign with your contribution to the QCWA Memorial Scholarship Fund. Contact Headquarters for current payment and mailing instructions.

Yes. Include the names and call signs being remembered with the contribution so the memorial information can be recorded.

The QCWA program’s listed eligibility covers any region, and scholarship selection is managed by the ARRL Foundation. Before placing a geographic condition on a gift, discuss your intent with the Scholarship Chair. A local restriction should not be assumed to apply to a donation.

Contributions of any size are welcome. Individual members, families, clubs, and chapters can help support the QCWA Memorial Scholarship Fund.

Contact the Scholarship Chair or Headquarters before donating to confirm the named account and how to identify the designation. General gifts support the QCWA Memorial Scholarship Fund.

Yes. You can study free at HamStudy.org and email ai1u@qcwa.org to arrange an online exam with QCWA’s exam team. Ask about scheduling, equipment, identification, and the requirements for your session.

Students under 18 can qualify for a free exam through QCWA’s youth exam support. Ask the team about eligibility when scheduling.

Qualifying first-license candidates may also receive FCC application-fee reimbursement after passing, paying the fee, receiving their license, and completing the required reimbursement paperwork. The applicable program and testing requirements matter; confirm arrangements with ai1u@qcwa.org before your exam.

See the ARRL Youth Licensing Grant Program for its specific requirements. Its standard reduced exam fee is separate from QCWA’s free-exam support.

Start with your first call sign and approximate licensing year. Check old licenses, QSL cards, logbooks, and historical callbook entries. Headquarters can help verify early licensing history associated with a membership application.

Email om@qcwa.org with the information you have.

Gather the person’s full name, former addresses, approximate years on the air, and any club affiliations. Look for QSL cards, logbooks, equipment receipts, or correspondence. Historical callbooks, local radio clubs, and radio museums may help.

A name search on QRZ.com may provide a lead. Older records can require research by location and time period.

A discussion list distributes messages among its subscribers. Its rules determine who can post and how replies are handled. Use the email address registered with the list, and follow the list’s subscription and posting instructions.

An alias is another address that routes messages to a mailbox. A forwarding address sends received messages to another destination. Whether you can send using that address depends on the provider’s configuration; forwarding alone does not necessarily provide a separate inbox or sending account.

Download the QCWA Constitution and By-laws. The Information Center also provides links to Association resources.