Announcing a new RSGB Award that is designed to celebrate the friendship of amateur radio over the airwaves.

Radio amateurs are encouraged to exchange the four-letter identifier of “NTON” and accumulate points for each qualifying QSO. Through this you can gain the award. However, the main purpose of the award is to contact other people in a friendly and non-competitive way, connecting with them rather than simply making a quick QSO and moving on. If you’re not a club member but are a member of the RSGB, you can use the RSGB identifier “RSGB”.

There will be monthly and annual awards for individuals, clubs and the highest-scoring club in each region. The points system is simply an encouragement to get on the air, represent your club and have a chat with radio amateurs across the airwaves.

This award is part of the RSGB-NHS ‘Get on the air to care’ campaign which was created at the start of the pandemic. Its aim has been to support radio amateurs living in social isolation, promote mental wellbeing and raise the profile of amateur radio in the mainstream media to help people looking for something to do during lockdown. We hope that the Friendship on the Air award will continue to support the radio amateur community as restrictions lift over the coming months. To find out how to take part, visit our website: www.rsgb.org/friendship-award