Official web-site of the WCA - www.wcagroup.org

2. The Purpose of the program is joining of efforts of radiohams in different countries for activation and popularization historical objects relating to fortification (fortresses, castles, forts e.t.c) and attract attention to historical and architectural heritage as well as visiting extant historical monuments all over the world.

3. Fortifications are military constructions and buildings designed for defense in warfare and military bases. Humans have constructed defensive works for many thousands of years, in a variety of increasingly complex designs. The term is derived from the Latin fortis ("strong") and facere ("to make").
Fortification is usually divided into two branches, namely permanent fortification and field fortification. Permanent fortifications are erected at leisure, with all the resources that a state can supply of constructive and mechanical skill, and are built of enduring materials. Field fortifications are extemporized by troops in the field, perhaps assisted by such local labor and tools as may be procurable and with materials that do not require much preparation, such as earth, brushwood and light timber, or sandbags.

4. Contacts with objects of permanent fortification such as castles, fortresses, forts, fortified areas (including their parts like gate, walls, towers etc) having obviously expressed signs of preservation or anew restored are valid for WCA.
Contacts with anew restored objects of field fortification such as stockaded towns, fortified ancient settlement etc are valid too.

5. World Castles Award Program (WCA) includes following diplomas:

• WCA 50 - for QSOs with 50 any objects in the world;
• WCA 100 - for QSOs with 100 any objects in the world;
• WCA 200 - for QSOs with 200 any objects in the world;
• WCA 300 - for QSOs with 300 any objects in the world;
• WCA 400 - for QSOs with 400 any objects in the world;
• WCA 500 - for QSOs with 500 any objects in the world;
• WCA 600 - for QSOs with 600 any objects in the world;
• WCA 700 - for QSOs with 700 any objects in the world;
• WCA 800 - for QSOs with 800 any objects in the world;
• WCA 900 - for QSOs with 900 any objects in the world;
• The Award certificate “World Castles Activator Award - WCAA” is issued for work on the air form historical objects (activation) such as castles, fortresses, forts etc. ;
• WCA HONOUR ROLL PLATE - for QSOs with 1000 any objects in the world;
• WCA Hunter Awards – for QSOs for each 500 objects in the world beginning with 1500.

6. For WCA 50 ÷ WCA 900WCA 50 – WCA 900 need to have QSOs with not less than 3 countries from any continents.
For WCA HONOUR ROLL PLATE need to have QSOs with not less than 10 countries from 3 continents.
For WCA Hunter there are no limitations by number of countries and continents.

7. Object activation has to take place on a distance no more than 1000 meters (1km) from the object.
It is permissible to activate two and more objects if they are located on a distance no more than 1000 meters (1km) from each other.

It is not necessary to notify WCA Committee about object activation..

WCA Committee can require necessary data (photos, videos etc) if some activation gives rise to doubt.

8. Recommended frequencies for WCA activity:

     CW: 3.511, 7.011, 10.121, 14.011, 18.081, 21.011, 24.891, 28.011;

     SSB: 3.711, 7.111, 14.211, 18.151, 21.211, 24.951, 28.511.

9 . WCA Committee have made a decision to institute greeting code during working from fortification objects.

Code "11" ("Two towers") means "best wishes form castles and fortresses of the world".

10. The new system of WCA identification numbers is constituted since November, 1st, 2009.
All objects (castles, fortresses, forts etc.) are identified by an alphanumeric designation. Letters indicates the country according to prefixes, for example: DL - ( Germany ), I - ( Italy ), LY - ( Lithuania ) etc., and next digits indicates the serial number of object. For example: DL-00001, I-00002, LY-00003 etc
*It is permissible not to transmit superfluous zero during QSO to simplify transmission and receiving of identification numbers.
** Correspondence between identification numbers of national award programs (BCA, CASHOTA, CASHOTA-EI, CCA, COTA-9A, COTA-DL, COTA-NL, COTA-RU, CPBA, DCFP, DCI, DCS, DFCF, HCS, IDES, SCA, UCFA, ZWP, DMHP) and WCA identification numbers is in the table CASTLES-WCA (Excel ~ 4,3 Mb)

WCA-List (Excel ~ 6 Mb ) is distributed by countries.

WCA-List is not final and will be constantly updated.

11. Repeated QSOs are not valid. The object is valid only once regardless of bands and any kind of mode.

12. The same award rules are for SWL.

13. QSOs/SWLs are valid since January 1st. 1995 on any bands (including WARC) by any kind of modes.

14. Application for diploma is based on the received QSL cards according to Application form WCA, and must be signed by two radio hams. QSL-card must have identification number according to WCA-List.

QSL-card having object name or identification number according to national castles and fortresses award programs are valid for the diploma.

No QSLs, only certified application is required. The award manager can require QSL for check.

15. Since 1st of September 2010 began to work WCA E-Log which allows to check up data about made QSOs which have been recieved from radiohams-activators for WCA expeditions and confirm QSOs interesting for you.

16. The award can be issued for separate MODE (optionally).

17. The application should sent to award manager by e-mail: rn1cw@rambler.ru or award@wcagroup.org
Or by post: Petushkov Andrey Aleksandrovich RN1CW, Russia, 188540, Leningrad oblast, Sosnovy Bor, P.O.Box 340/5

18. Since January, 1st, 2011 the order an issue of the “World Castles” Award (WCA) will change.

Awards will be issue by two means:

• in electronic form in JPG or PDF-format (free of charge);
• in print form.

• For Russia - 200 Roubles, for the CIS countries - 7 EURO, 7 USD, 7 IRC.
• For the others - 10 EURO, 10 USD, 10 IRC.

19. Award certificate “World Castles Activator Award - WCAA” is free of charge. You can obtain it in electronic form - JPG file completely ready for printing in A4 format (297x240) will send by e-mail.