The Awards and Trophies presented at the annual SARL Awards Dinner
A. SARL Honours
The SARL Centenary Award
Honorary Life Membership. The SARL’s highest honour. Rule 1.4, 1.5.1 and 28.2.1 – Constitution and Rules of the SARL
The Willie Wilson Gold Badge. Awarded by Council to a SARL member that gave exceptional and meritorious service to the League. Rule 28.2.2
The Koos & Annie van der Merwe Platinum Award
The Koos & Annie van der Merwe Gold Award
The Jack Twine Merit Award. To recognise qualities such as unselfishness, clean operating and a genuine interest in Amateur Radio and its affairs. This prestigious Award will be made to SARL members who, in the opinion of their fellow amateurs and the League’s Council, exemplify the qualities desirable in a Radio Amateur. Rule 28.2.3.
SARL Hall of Fame
The President’s Award. This award is bestowed annually by the President of the SARL.
B. Technical Awards:
The Icom Excellence Award. This award is bestowed annually by Council on the SARL member who through his/her activity in the Amateur Radio Service has brought international recognition to South Africa by either the achievement of a VHF/UHF long distance record which is internationally recognized by the IARU, or by service to the Republic of South Africa or the SARL in the field of scientific research using the amateur spectrum, or in promoting the amateur service internationally or as Council may determine from time to time.
The Tinus Lange 7066 Technical Excellence Award. The award is bestowed annually on the League member who submits a technical project in any of the following categories – a) the design and/or construction of projects such as a pre-amp, SWR bridge, patching unit, automatic ID’er, practical antenna ideas, mast, portable gear, power supplies, etc., or b) any software for use in Amateur Radio.
The SAATI Technology Award. The South African Amateur Telecommunication Institute has tasked the SARL to present an annual award on its behalf. The purpose of the award is to stimulate development of and activity on Amateur Radio bands in South Africa by rewarding radio amateurs who have contributed materially to this goal. New and lesser-known modes of operation are preferred. The award recognises contributions such as the development of a digital or analogue operating mode, contributing to amateur radio over an extended period or by materially contributing to Radio ZS.
C. Operating Awards
Awarded by Council to an SARL member who has been an exceptionally active HF mobile operator during the year. This award recognises commitment to HF mobile communications, contributing to the advancement HF equipment, antennas and operating. This may be operation from a vehicle but may also include other short term self-contained field operation such as SOTA, HOTA, POTA or similar activity.
The Bert Buckley Six Metre Trophy
Awarded by Council to any SARL member for his/her individual achievements with transmissions in the six-metre amateur band. This award is not for the longest distance worked but for outstanding work or activity on six metres.
The Radio ZS 4 Metre Floating Trophy
Awarded by Council to the SARL member who achieved the longest distance on the 4-metre band during the year.
The Arthur Hemsley 2 metre Trophy
Awarded by Council to a SARL member for his/her individual achievements with transmissions in the 2-metre amateur band. This award is made for extraordinary performance on EME or modes such as Tropospheric propagation. It is not for the longest distance worked but rather for persistence in achieving something special on 2 metres.
The Radio ZS Two Metre Floating Trophy
Awarded by Council to the SARL member who achieved the longest distance on the 2-metre band during the year.
The Joseph White Plaque
Awarded by Council to any SARL member for exceptional achievements in 432 MHz or higher during the past year. This is not awarded for the longest distance worked, but for all round achievements.
The Brian Jones, ZS6BV, SOTA ZS Award
Awarded by ZS-SOTA to the ZS amateur who contributed most towards the SOTA ZS programme in the past year.
Awarded by HOTA SA to the ZS amateur who contributed most towards the HOTA ZS programme in the past year.
D. Radio ZS Awards
The Gary Immelman RA Heritage Award Floating Trophy
Awarded by the Editor of Radio ZS for the best article of an historic nature of an event that occurred more than 5 years previously or an interesting personality that has played an important part in the development of Amateur Radio in years gone by.
The JJ Pienaar Trophy
Awarded by the Editor of Radio ZS for the best article published in Radio ZS during the past year.
E. Other Awards
The Arland Ussher Gold Pen Award
for achieving the highest marks in the Class A Radio Amateur Examination AE – awarded by Council.
For achieving the highest marks in the Class B Radio Amateur Examination
The Hamnet Shield
The Hamnet Shield rewards an individual or group for excellent service in a particular area to the community, the authorities and to Hamnet in particular. Criteria include cooperation with disaster relief organisations and enthusiastic provision of emergency communications. The Shield is awarded by the National Director of Hamnet, normally based on nominations by the provincial directors.
SARL Hammies Youth Development Excellence Award
SARL Young Amateur Excellence Award
To recognise on an annual basis affiliated Clubs that have made an exceptional and significant contribution in promoting and growing the amateur radio service.
SARL Certificate of Recognition
F: SARL HF Contest Awards
The Silent Keys Memorial Trophy SSB. Awarded by the Contest Committee to the SARL member who achieves the highest score during the annual HF Phone Contest.
The Joseph White Trophy. Awarded to the SARL member who as a Single Operator Single Band achieves the highest score on any one band, during the annual HF Phone Contest.
The AKYAB Trophy. Awarded by the Contest Committee to the SARL member who, in his/her first year of licensed activity, achieves the highest score during the annual HF Phone Contest.
The SARL Digital Trophy. Awarded by the Contest Committee to the SARL member who achieves the highest score during the annual HF Digital Contest.
The Silent Keys Memorial Trophy CW. Awarded by the Contest Committee to the SARL member who achieves the highest score during the annual HF CW Contest.
The Anon Trophy. Awarded to the SARL member who as a Single Operator Single Band achieves the highest score on any one band, during the annual HF CW Contest.
The HOS Trough. Awarded by the Contest Committee to the SARL member who achieves the highest aggregate score in the annual HF Phone, Digital and CW Contests.
The Fred Mills Trophy. Awarded by the Contest Committee to the SARL member who achieves the highest score during the annual HF Phone, Digital and CW Contest and who has never won a SARL HF Contest Trophy before.
The SAWRC Trophy. Awarded by the Contest Committee to the YL SARL member amateur who achieved the highest aggregate score in the annual HF Phone, Digital and CW Contests.
The SARL Youth Trophy. Awarded by the Contest Committee to the young SARL member amateur 25 years or younger who achieved the highest aggregate score in the annual HF Phone, Digital and CW Contests.
The Club Participation Award (Branch Participant Trophy). Awarded by the Contest Committee to the SARL affiliated club who achieves the highest participation in the annual HF Phone, Digital and CW Contests.
The “Ray Webber, ZS6RSW” VHF/UHF Trophy. Awarded by the Contest Committee to the SARL member/club who achieves the highest score during the annual SARL VHF/UHF Analogue Contest.
The Koos du Plessis, ZS6BFD VHF/UHF Trophy. Awarded by the Contest Committee to the SARL member/club who achieves the highest score during the annual SARL VHF/UHF Digital Contest.
H. The SARL Club Contest
The SARL 80 m Championship Trophy (SARL Wednesday 80 m Club Sprint)
The SARL 40 m Club Championship (SARL Saturday 40 m Club Sprint)