RAAWG – A Vision That Began in 1985
In 1985, a group of dedicated radio amateurs in Western Greece came together with a clear and ambitious purpose. They were not simply forming another club. They were laying the foundation for a long-term community built around education, technical development, public service, and competitive excellence.
The Radio Amateur Association of Western Greece was born under the callsign SV1AFA. In those early years, the focus was broad and intentional: train new operators, build infrastructure, support communication networks, and create a meeting point where experience could be shared and new voices could grow.
What started as a regional initiative steadily expanded in scope and impact. The association developed training programs to prepare countless new radio amateurs for licensing exams. It established and maintained a network of repeaters that today provide reliable coverage across Western Greece and beyond. It supported public events, emergency communications readiness, and community outreach. It created a culture where knowledge is passed forward and technical curiosity is encouraged.
In 2004, the association adopted the callsign SZ1A, marking the beginning of a new era. With that change came growth in scale, infrastructure, and ambition. Over time, SZ1A evolved into the largest contest and club station in Greece, while maintaining its founding principle: openness.
SZ1A has always remained open to all radio amateurs, from Greece and from abroad. Operators of different generations and nationalities have taken part in its activities.
Young newcomers sit beside seasoned contesters. International visitors operate alongside local members. The station has become a meeting point for collaboration and shared excellence.
More Than a Contest Station
While SZ1A is widely recognized for its contest achievements, contesting is only one dimension of the association’s identity.
The club has continuously invested in training and mentorship, preparing new radio amateurs for their exams and guiding them through their first experiences on the air. It has maintained and upgraded repeater systems that ensure communication reliability across the region. It has supported motorsport events, mountain races, and community initiatives by providing organized radio communication coverage.
Over time, SZ1A evolved into the largest contest and club station in Greece, while maintaining its founding principle: openness.
Portable field operations and mountain activations have strengthened emergency preparedness and reinforced teamwork outside the comfort of the main shack. Educational outreach efforts have introduced young people to amateur radio, technology, and experimentation. School presentations, youth initiatives, and collaboration with international programs have ensured that the next generation is not merely welcomed but actively encouraged.
At the technical level, SZ1A has consistently pushed forward. Towers have been rebuilt and reinforced. Antennas have been redesigned, raised, and optimized. Low-band systems have been experimented with and refined. RF signal paths have been measured and improved with precision instrumentation. Infrastructure upgrades have enhanced station reliability under multi-operator conditions. Equipment has been restored, modernized, and integrated with new technologies.
This culture of continuous improvement has created something rare: a club that grows competitively while strengthening its internal discipline and technical foundation.
Results followed naturally. Major contest participations across CW, SSB, RTTY, VHF, and low bands demonstrated both competitive progress and operational maturity. World-level placements, European rankings, and national first-place finishes confirmed that the effort invested behind the scenes translated into performance on the air.
But perhaps more importantly, the association strengthened as a team. New operators stepped forward. Younger voices entered the shack. Preparation replaced improvisation. Structure replaced last-minute stress. The station became not only stronger technically, but more cohesive organizationally.
That foundation is what makes celebrating forty years meaningful.
Honoring 40 Years On the Air
Forty years after its founding, the Radio Amateur Association of Western Greece continues to operate with the same core values that defined its beginning: education, teamwork, public service, and technical excellence.
To commemorate this milestone, we are proud to activate the special anniversary callsign:
SZ40A
From March 1st through May 31st, 2026, SZ40A will be active across multiple HF bands and operating modes.
This activation represents continuity. It connects the early days of SV1AFA with the international presence of SZ1A and carries that history forward into the present.
Operators from the association, along with guest participants, will take part in a coordinated effort to bring SZ40A to stations around the world. Every QSO will reflect not only a signal exchange, but four decades of collective dedication.
The SZ40A 40th Anniversary Award Program
To make this celebration engaging for the global amateur radio community, we have created a structured anniversary award program that reflects sustained participation and achievement.
The SZ40A Award is available in four distinct categories:
- CW
- SSB
- DIGITAL
- MIXED
Within each category, operators can progress through four achievement levels:
- Bronze Level: 3 confirmed QSOs
- Silver Level: 6 confirmed QSOs
- Gold Level: 9 confirmed QSOs
- Platinum Level: 12 confirmed QSOs
The Mixed category includes all confirmed QSOs regardless of mode, offering an additional path for active participants across bands and techniques.
The award system is fully automated and designed for simplicity and transparency. As logs are uploaded by SZ40A operators, confirmations are processed automatically, and participant progress is updated daily.
To participate:
- Work SZ40A on any HF band during the activation period.
- Accumulate the required number of confirmed QSOs in your chosen category.
- Enter your callsign into the award platform.
- Download your commemorative certificate instantly once you qualify.
All certificates are issued electronically as high-quality anniversary awards suitable for digital archiving or printing.
Progress tracking and award downloads are available at:
https://awards.sz1a.org
For Award Hunters this is your opportunity to:
- Collect multiple mode specific awards
- Aim for Platinum in CW, SSB, DIGITAL, and MIXED
- Track your progress online in real time
- Add a unique commemorative certificate to your collection
The more bands and modes you work, the closer you get to the higher levels. Will you stop at Bronze? Or will you go all the way to Platinum.
A Celebration of Past, Present, and Future
SZ40A is not simply a temporary callsign. It is a symbol.
It symbolizes the founders who built the association in 1985.
It symbolizes the operators who carried SV1AFA into national contest success.
It symbolizes the transformation into SZ1A and the rise of the largest contest and club station in Greece.
It symbolizes the mentors who trained new amateurs, the technicians who maintained repeaters, the volunteers who supported public events, and the young operators who represent the future.
Forty years ago, a group of radio amateurs believed in building something lasting. Today, that belief continues to transmit across continents.
We invite radio amateurs everywhere to join us in celebrating this milestone. Listen for SZ40A. Call us on the bands. Become part of the story.
Because this anniversary is not only about what has been achieved.
It is about what continues.
73 to all!,
The SZ40A Team
Radio Amateur Association of Western Greece – SZ1A
