The International Award program “World Castles Award - WCA” is founded on January, 14th, 2009 by group of Russian radiohams under the aegis of the International Organization “Castles On The Air - COTA”.

The program goal is consolidation of radiohams from different countries for activation and popularization of historical objects – castles, fortresses etc all over the world, learning and maintenance of the historical Heritage in our countries including monuments and architectural constructions relating to fortification.

World Castles Award program includes 9 diplomas and 2 award plates for QSOs/SWLs with radiostations working from world castles, fortresses etc.

At present time World Castles Award program is supported in 16 countries of the world and 17 fortresses award programs take part in it:
- “Belgium Castles Award” (BCA), Belgium
- “Czech Castles Award” (CCA), Czech Republic
- “Castles And Stately Homes On The Air” (CASHOTA), England
- “Castles And Stately Homes On The Air - Ireland” (CASHOTA-EI), Ireland
- “Castles On The Air Team - Germany” (COTA-DL), Germany
- “Castles On The Air - Netherland” (COTA-NL), the Netherlands
- “Castles On The Air - Russia” (COTA-RU), Russia
- “Castles and Palaces of Belarus Award” (CPBA), Belarus
- “Diploma dos Castelos e Fortalezas de Portugal" (DCFP), Portugal
- “Diploma Dei Castelli d’Italia” (DCI), Italia
- “Hungarian Castle Series” (HCS), Hungary
- “Le Diplome des Chateaux Suisse” (DCS-SSD), Switzerland
- “Diplome des Forts et Chateaux de France” (DFCF), France
- “Slovakia Castles Award” (SCA), Slovakia
- “Swiss-French Castle Award-Diplome des Chateaux de la Suisse-Romande” (SFCA-DCSR), Switzerland
- “Ukraine Castles and Fortress Awards” (UCFA), Ukraine
- “Zamki w Polsce” (ZWP), Poland

Monuments and architectural constructions relating to fortification from countries of Asia, Europe and the South America are present in lists of Historical objects for World Castles Award program.

For the first time the diploma relating to fortification has appeared more than 10 years ago. Now this theme becomes more and more popular. Even more often we hear on the air amateur radio stations working from fortresses. Diplomas, clubs, web-sites of fortresses radiohams-activators are created.

In April, 2009 the official site of World Castles Award program was created. The main goal of them are:
- Information support and announcement of forthcoming expeditions;
- Selection of radio amateur diplomas, references relating to theme of fortification;
- Publication of articles and photoreports about expeditions.

We invite to cooperation the radio amateur organizations, radioclubs, radiohams of all countries to accept active participation, express an interest to historical places within the limits of our hobby. To learn history, to receive good unforgettable impression of work on the air from world fortresses!

Thanks!

Homepage: www.wcagroup.org ; http://rz1cwc.qrz.ru

E-mail: rn1cw@rambler.ru

The post address: WCA, P.O.Box 340/5, Sosnovy Bor, Leningrad oblast, 188540, Russia.

Welcome!

73! de Andrew RN1CW.
(award manager)