Amateur Radio County Hunting: USA-CA Award Tracking & Tools

Access essential resources for county hunting, including logging software, net procedures, and club information to achieve the USA-CA Award.

Austin
Reviewed by • Digital Modes & Software Editor March 2026

County Hunting is a popular amateur radio activity focused on contacting stations in all 3076 counties of the United States. This pursuit culminates in the prestigious USA-CA Award, sponsored by CQ Magazine. Resources available include dedicated logging software like Kwiklog Classic and the County Hunting software (version 6.1 for Windows), which facilitate award tracking, ADIF import/export, and QSL management. Participants utilize nets like the County Hunter Net for coordination and rely on DX Spot clusters for real-time county spotting. The Mobile Amateur Radio Awards Club (MARAC) provides significant support and community for county hunters worldwide.

The activity is supported by various tools and organizations. MARAC, established in 1970, serves as a key support group for mobile operations and county hunting. Specialized software, such as the County Hunting Mapper, assists in visualizing progress by creating fillable maps from ADIF or Cabrillo logs. Additionally, resources like state-by-state map books and log forms are available for manual tracking. These tools and community efforts streamline the process for operators aiming to achieve the coveted USA-CA Award.

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