County Challenge Award – Top List
Rules and Operation
Version 30-Jul-24
(original by W6RK on 9-Aug-06)
DESCRIPTION: The CCA Top Lists
are a changing ranking of county hunters in different emission categories that
is based solely on the total number of county slots that are worked on the 10
non-channelized amateur HF bands (160m through 6m). There are 5 ranked mode groups:
Mixed Modes (which count CW -or- Phone -or- Digital slots in each county),
CW Mode, Phone Modes, Digital Modes and Combo Modes (which count CW -and- Phone
-and- Digital slots in each county).
OBJECTIVE:
To make valid contacts with other stations in as many counties, on as many
bands and in as many mode groups as possible, up to the point where all
counties have been worked on each band in all mode groups. The following 10
non-channelized bands are eligible for participation in the Top Lists: 160m, 80m, 40m, 30m, 20m, 17m, 15m,
12m, 10m, and 6m (no 60m or higher than 6m). In each ranked
mode group, the total number of county slots worked on all bands is determined
by the combined total number of county slots worked on each band. For example,
if you have 500 county slots worked on 80m, 1500 on 40m, 2000 on 30m and 3000
on 20m in a given mode group, your Traditional Top List total is 7000 and you
will have achieved CCA Level II within that mode group. Then once you work 2231 more county slots in
that mode group you will have achieved CCA Level III. The Top Lists encourage
county hunters to work and activate counties on as many bands and in as many
mode groups as possible as well as to work fixed stations on bands and in mode
groups that are not often or usually activated by mobiles. It also offers an
opportunity to have one score per mode group to measure your progress in county
hunting with a possibility to always improving it and reaching the next
challenge level which is a goal that -you-
set for yourself.
START
DATE:
All QSOs are counted. There is no start date for participating in the Top
Lists.
TOTAL COUNTY SLOTS: The total number of county slots it
is possible to work on each band in each of the Mixed, CW, Phone and Digital
mode groups is the total number of counties in the U.S. which is currently
equal to 3077. Although this number has been the same since the inception of
the CCA Top Lists in 2006, it will be changed on the fly as the total number of
counties in the U.S. changes over time, and if that number goes up, then it
will likely have a profound effect on some of the “specialty” Top Lists
discussed below.
CCA
TOP LIST LEVELS: Every 3077 county slots worked in each mode group is one
Level in a Traditional Top List.
CCA Level
I: 3077 county slots worked
CCA Level II: 6154 county slots
worked
CCA Level III: 9231 county slots
worked
CCA Level IV: 12308 county slots
worked
CCA Level V: 15385 county slots
worked
CCA Level VI: 18462 county slots
worked
CCA Level VII: 21539 county slots
worked
CCA Level VIII: 24616 county slots
worked
CCA Level IX: 27693 county slots
worked (highest Level and WBOW in the
Phone mode group since there is no 30m Phone mode permitted)
CCA Level X: 30770 county slots
worked (highest Level and WBOW in the
Mixed, CW and Digital mode groups)
CCA
TOP LIST COMBO COUNTY SLOTS: In addition to individual CCA Mixed, CW, Phone and Digital
mode groups, a special CCA Combo score is derived from the combined totals of
each participating band and mode group. The Combo score is determined by
summing the total number of county slots worked on each band in the CW + Phone
+ Digital mode groups. Levels of the CCA Combo score are every 9231 (3077 x 3
mode groups) county slots, e.g. CCA Combo Level I: 9231 county slots worked,
CCA Combo Level II: 18462 county slots worked, CCA Combo Level III: 27693
county slots worked… to CCA Combo Level X: 89233, which is the total possible
maximum county slots worked (92310 on 10 bands minus 3077 for no 30m Phone mode
permitted).
SINGLE
MODE GROUP SUBMISSIONS: It is perfectly acceptable to
submit county slot totals for only a single, specific mode group. In this
special case, Mixed mode group county slot totals may also be extrapolated as being
identical to the those which are provided in the specific, single mode group
submission. This means that if a participant submits county slot totals for
only a single mode group in the CW, Phone or Digital mode group lists, then by
default that participant will also automatically have an entry and rank in the
Mixed mode group list even if Mixed mode group county slot totals have not
necessarily been submitted. If this participant then adds another specific mode
group to the submission that contains any non-zero county slot total, the Mixed
mode group county slot totals may no longer be extrapolated because there are
now two mode groups, and this will necessitate being removed from the Mixed
mode group list unless and until Mixed mode group county slot totals are
submitted as well.
LIST
POSITIONING FOR MODE GROUPS AND COUNTY SLOT TOTAL TIES: Starting
in February 2022, in each Top Lists mode group, currently licensed participants
who have submitted county slot totals during the past 8 years are listed
together first in an [Active] list, and silent keys as well as expired
licensees, and now participants who have not submitted county slot totals
during the past 8 years (added in December 2023) are listed together in an
[Inactive] list immediately below the currently licensed and active
participants. Currently licensed and active participants have county slot
totals that can increase at any time, and silent keys as well as expired
licensees, and now inactive participants who have not submitted county slot
totals during the past 8 years have slot totals that are frozen in time and
will likely never again increase, which defines a natural divide between these
two groups of participants. In
the event of county slot total ties in the Traditional Top Lists between two or
more participants, list positioning is determined by “callbook”
lookup order (i.e. call sign numerals + suffix + prefix).
HIGHEST BAND SLOTS (BY HIGHEST RANK)
LIST: This is a
separate short listing immediately following the Traditional Top List in each
mode group which tracks the participants who have the highest 3 county slot
totals on each of 10 bands (only 9 bands in the Phone mode group). In the event
of Highest Band Slot ties between two or more participants, the one with the
highest rank and positioning in the Traditional Top List for that mode group is
selected first (see above for how Traditional Top List positioning is
determined for mode group county slot total ties). The complete mode group county
slot totals and levels for each selected participant in a Highest Band Slot
List are derived from the Traditional Top List in each mode group. There is a
very interesting statistic about these Highest Band Slot Lists: A participant
who has one of the highest 3 county slot totals on any band in any mode group also
occupies one of the highest 3 ranks for that mode group in a Traditional Top
List only about half, or 50% (±7%) of the time. Conversely, this also means
that a participant who does not occupy one of the highest 3 ranks for any given
mode group in a Traditional Top List can very easily have one of the highest 3 county
slot totals on any band in that mode group.
SINGLE
BAND 3077 SLOTS (IN ORDER BY RANK) LIST: This is another set of listings immediately
following the Highest Band Slots (by highest Rank) List in each mode group
which tracks participants who have worked all 3077 county slots on Single Bands
(9231 county slots for Single Bands in the Combo modes group except 6154 county
slots on 30m because there are no Phone modes permitted on that band). The
complete mode group county slot totals and levels for each selected participant
in a Single Band 3077 Slot List are derived from the Traditional Top List in
each mode group. There is also a separate rank that is assigned in a Single
Band 3077 Slot List, and this rank tracks in an identical fashion with the
ranks of these participants in the Traditional Top List for each mode group. Please
note that while MARAC
accepts “self-credit” for its own “USA - Single Band” award (reference page 40 in the MARAC Award Rules document), it does NOT accept
“self-credit” for its own “County Challenge” award levels, and the Top Lists
are aligned with this policy (reference page 16 in the MARAC Award Rules document).
CCA
LEVEL / SINGLE BAND 3077 SERIAL NUMBER LISTS: In May-June of 2017, the Top
Lists began to proactively issue non-serialized PDF award certificates for
Level and Single Band 3077 Achievements to participants. After the initial large
batch of non-serialized PDF award certificates were issued using then current (or
previous, if no current) submission dates, non-serialized PDF award
certificates continued to be issued proactively as submissions were received,
and nearly 1,200 non-serialized PDF award certificates have been issued to date
for Top List participants over a period of 7 years. Then in May of 2024, the
necessary time was invested to research the dates of all previously issued PDF
award certificates, and as determined by the (current or previous) submission
dates when the PDF award certificates were issued, serial numbers were assigned
to all outstanding award certificates, including for those who qualified for
some achievement awards in the very first Top List posting on 10-Aug-06, as
well as for those who have become silent keys and for those who subsequently
requested to be removed from the Top Lists. If there was a tie between Top List
participants in submission dates for the same achievement award, the serial
numbers were assigned by the snapshot of the order of these participants on the
traditional Top List posting in that month for that mode. Going forward, the
Top Lists will continue to proactively issue serialized PDF award
certificates for these achievements and serial numbers will be assigned in the date
order of submissions received.
ROBOTIC
OR UNATTENDED OPERATION: The Top Lists are aligned with MARAC Award Rules policy on this, which states: All contacts for MARAC awards
require that the operator be fully involved in each and every contact, without
the aid of software that would otherwise make the contacts without the presence
of the operator (reference page 11 in the MARAC Award Rules document).
FORMATTING AND HIGHLIGHTING: Each mode group category in the Top
Lists has a specific bordering color which identifies it and conditional
formatting is utilized each month to highlight entries that are designed to
draw attention to those participants who reach milestones on the Top Lists.
Bordering
The Mixed
(CW -or- Phone -or- Digital) Modes Top Lists bordering is highlighted in this color.
The CW
Mode Top Lists bordering is highlighted in this color.
The Phone
Modes Top Lists bordering is highlighted in this color.
The
Digital Modes Top Lists bordering is highlighted in this color.
The Combo
(CW -and- Phone -and- Digital) Modes Top Lists bordering is highlighted in this color.
Entries
Silent
Keys and those who have expired licenses have an italic font in their call sign and last submission date columns.
Those who
last submitted county slot totals prior to the previous 366 days have a light gray font.
Those who
last submitted county slot totals in the previous 366 days but prior to the
previous month have no special formatting.
Those who
last submitted county slot totals in the previous month have a bold black font.
Those who
are brand new entries in the Traditional Top Lists or Single Band 3077 Slots
(in order by Rank) Lists are highlighted in this color.
Those who
achieve a new CCA or MARAC
Level or a new #1 position in the Traditional Top Lists, Highest Band Slots (by
Highest Rank) Lists or Single Band 3077 Slots (in order by Rank) Lists are
highlighted in this color.
County Slots
County
slot totals last submitted prior to the previous 366 days that are >3073 (or
>9227 in the Combo Top Lists) have a bold italic light gray font.
#1 county
slot totals last submitted prior to the previous 366 days that are >3073 (or
>9227 in the Combo Top Lists) have a bold underlined italic light gray font.
All other
#1 county slot totals last submitted prior to the previous 366 days have a bold underlined light gray font.
County
slot totals last submitted in the previous 366 days that are >3073 (or
>9227 in the Combo Top Lists) have a bold italic brown font.
#1 county
slot totals last submitted in the previous 366 days that are >3073 (or
>9227 in the Combo Top Lists) have a bold underlined italic brown font.
All other
#1 county slot totals last submitted in the previous 366 days have a bold underlined black font.
Bullet Ranks
Bullet Ranks in the
Traditional Top Lists mark an upward change of the current month’s Rank to the
previous month’s Rank with a bolded up arrow for easy spotting. If a
participant in any Traditional Top List has had upward movement from the
previous month, the current Rank is highlighted in red with a ▲
Bullet.
The term “with a bullet” originates from the practice which started in 1961 by
the Billboard and Cashbox recording industry trade Magazines of placing a circular
“bullet” (or red background marking) on a chart list rank that has moved upward
from one position to another with notable speed.
CCA
TOP LISTS ONLINE:
The Traditional, Highest Band Slots (by highest Rank) and Single Band 3077
Slots (in order by Rank) Top Lists for each mode group are maintained and
published online at countyhunter.com under the [Top Lists] dropdown. The Top Lists contain the total county slots
worked on each band per mode group for each participant as well as the Combo
scores if separate CW, Phone or Digital mode groups are included. Here are
direct links to the CCA Top Lists and the CCA Level / Single Band 3077 Serial Number Lists.
PARTICIPATION
AND FEES: There are
no fees for participating in the Top Lists. The intent is never to remove
anyone from the Top Lists for simply not submitting county slot totals on a
regular schedule. It is implied and understood that when you submit county slot
totals to the Top Lists, even if only a single time, your last submission will
be recorded on these Lists in perpetuity. If you want to be removed from the
Top Lists permanently you must send a specific request in an email addressed to
ccatoplist@gmail.com. At that time, you will be recorded on the Top Lists page
as having been a former participant and removed by request.
Four
templates are available online to accommodate different software requirements
for use to submit county slot totals:
CCAtemplate.xls for MS Office Excel 97-2003 (and
higher) and TDF LibreOffice Calc users
CCAtemplate.ods for Apache OpenOffice
Calc and Sun StarOffice Calc users
CCAtemplate (Excel 95).xls for MS Office Excel 5.0-95 users
CCAtemplate (Works).xlr for MS Works Spreadsheet users
The XLS (MS
Office Excel and LibreOffice Calc Spreadsheet)
templates are “locked” so that you can enter data into or modify only the cells
which are highlighted in this color to indicate
that they available for your use. The ODS (Open
Document Spreadsheet) and XLR (MS Works Spreadsheet) templates are not locked
so it is very easy to enter data into or modify any cell of the template. BE
VERY CAREFUL to leave all formulas in the other highlighted cells of these
templates unchanged.
County
slot totals only (no logs) may be submitted once per month and PRIOR TO the first day of each
month. You may either download the template of your choice and use it to submit
your county slot totals, or, in the MARAC Roadrunner Logger 2 program, select
[County Challenge And Top List] in
the [Tools] menu dropdown on your
screen, press the [Save Top List]
button to save your county slot totals to a CSV (Comma Separated Values) file
for export, and then follow the on-screen instructions after the Save operation
to submit them. Attach your CSV (Roadrunner Logger 2 export) file, XLS (MS
Office Excel or TDF LibreOffice Calc) template, ODS
(Apache OpenOffice or Sun StarOffice
Calc) template, or, XLR (MS Works) template to an email addressed to ccatoplist@gmail.com.
Please note that as specified in the SINGLE
BAND 3077 SLOTS (IN ORDER BY RANK) LIST section above, the Roadrunner Logger 2 software has been programmed to NOT include “self-credit”
contacts in the export files for the CCA Top Lists that it generates, even
though a Roadrunner Logger 2 user who has “self-credit” enabled will likely see
these contacts counted in their numbers for the MARAC USA -
Single Band award.
Normally,
submissions are accepted through the LAST
DAY of each month and new Top Lists are posted on the second day of the new month. A
late submission (i.e. a submission that arrives on the first day of the new month)
will be backdated to the last day of the previous month if it arrives before
posting and the support files have not yet “gone to press”. Once the Top Lists
have been posted, any submissions subsequently received during that month will
be included in the next month’s posting.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
MARAC County Challenge Award
The Mobile Amateur Radio Awards
Club also has a County Challenge Award. The text below is taken from page 16 in the MARAC Award Rules document.
IN MEMORIAM: The County Challenge Award is dedicated to Bill Inkrote (K2NJ-SK). In addition to his years of service to MARAC
and leadership as MARAC President, Bill was an active DXCC
Honor Roll member, contester, DXpeditioner, and a
dedicated county hunter who led the way in working counties on all bands and
modes.
OBJECTIVE: To encourage county hunters to work and activate counties on
as many bands as possible and to work as many counties as possible on the
following bands: 160m, 75-80m, 40m, 30m, 20m, 17m, 15m, 12m, 10m, and 6m.
SPECIAL RULES: The number of counties worked for the award is the combined
total of counties worked on each band. For example, if 500 counties are worked
on 80m, 1500 on 40m, 2000 on 30m, and 3000 on 20m, the County Challenge total
is 7000.
AWARD LEVELS: Each one thousand (1000) counties worked is one level of the
award. For example, a CC total of 7,000 counties would be eligible for CC Level
#7.
APPLICATION AND FEES: Standard application, logs, and fees.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________