GridMaster Award

AMSAT’s most prestigious award is the GridMaster Award. This award was first introduced by Star Comm Group in 2014. AMSAT thanks Damon Runion, WA4HFN, and Rick Tillman, WA4NVM, for not only sponsoring this award since its inception, but, also, entrusting AMSAT with the honor of carrying on this important award for the benefit of the entire AMSAT community.

The GridMaster award is available to all amateurs worldwide who submit proof with written confirmation of contacts with each of the 488 maidenhead grids located within the contiguous United States of America.

Two-way communication must be established via amateur satellite with each grid. There is no minimum signal report required.
Contacts must be made from the same location, or from locations no two of which are more than 200 kilometers apart. The applicant’s attestation in the award application serves as affirmation of abidance to the distance rule. Individuals may apply for and be granted multiple GridMaster awards, when achieved from another location, which is in a different 200-kilometer circle.

Contacts must be confirmed in writing, preferably in the form of QSL cards or via Logbook of the World (LoTW).

AMSAT reserves the right to inspect original QSL cards from any application in order to maintain the integrity of the program. Failure of the applicant to respond to inspection requests may result in disqualification from the GridMaster program. False statements on GridMaster applications or submission of forged or altered cards may result in disqualification. The decision of the AMSAT Awards Committee, regarding any issue with which it is tasked, is final.

GridMaster Award, sponsored by Star Comm Group and Squirt the Birds

Cert No.NameCall SignDate Issued
01John PapayK8YSEMay 16, 2014
02Doug PapayKD8CAODecember 15, 2014
03Rick TIllmanWA4NVMApril 26, 2015
04Glenn MillerAA5PKAugust 22, 2017
05Clayton ColemanW5PFGSeptember 14, 2017
06Alvaro De Leon R.XE2ATNovember 1, 2017
07Fernando RamirezNP4JVDecember 28, 2017
08Ron OldhamN8ROJanuary 14, 2018
09Randy KohlweyWI7PJuly 18, 2018
10Frank WestphalK6FWApril 7, 2019

GridMaster Award, sponsored by AMSAT

Cert No.NameCall SignDate Issued
11Drew GlasbrennerKO4MAJune 19, 2020
12Kevin ManzerN4UFOJune 25, 2020
13Hector Luis Martinez SisW5CBFJuly 19, 2020
14Gerry KrebsN0JESeptember 12, 2020
15Paul StoetzerN8HMSeptember 20, 2020
16Chris PolenaAA8CHOctober 28, 2020
17Robert BankstonKE4ALOctober 28, 2020
18George SakaiN3GSOctober 29, 2020
19Kerry LaDukeWC7VOctober 30, 2020
20Martin A. SchuetteN9EATNovember 1, 2020
21Kevin ZariKK4YELNovember 19, 2020
22Robert SoursK9UONovember 23, 2020
23Chris TaborK7TABNovember 23, 2020
24Paul OvernKE0PBRNovember 23, 2020
25Casey TuckerKI7UNJNovember 23, 2020
26Greg PhillipsWI4TNovember 30, 2020
27Tanner JonesW9TWJJanuary 23, 2021
28Ronald ParsonsW5RKNFebruary 19, 2021
29Kell BodholtKI7UXTApril 16, 2021
30John PapayK8YSE/7May 27, 2021
31Christy HunterKB6LTYJune 21, 2021
32Michael McCoyKC9ELUJuly 06, 2021
33Dave ChaseyN9FNAugust 28, 2021
34Douglas TaborN6UASeptember 16, 2021
35Patrick StoddardWD9EWKMarch 15, 2022
36Dennis LoveN7EGYMarch 26, 2022
37Chris WilfordVE7CEWMarch 26, 2022
38Merle OlmstedAA4QEMarch 28, 2022
39Randy ShirbrounND0CApril 03, 2022
40Justin FountainN5BOMay 02, 2022
41Jerod SpeckW4ZXTMay 02, 2022
42Adam WhitneyK0FFYMay 03, 2022
43Robert GoodmanK3RRRMay 05, 2022
44Paul BousquetN1PEBMay 24, 2022
45Michael WhitmanN4DCWJune 08, 2022
46Jerry RogersW8LRJune 23, 2022
47Humberto GonzalezXE1HGJune 25, 2022
48Keith AustermillerKB9STRJuly 09, 2022
49Walt HaynesWI6KAugust 31, 2022
50Mitch AhrenstorffAD0HJSeptember 27, 2022
51Vince RosemannK7VNEOctober 27, 2022
52Paul PhilipAC9ONovember 18, 2022
53Scott DavisK5TANovember 22, 2022
54Mark JohnsK0JMDecember 25, 2022
55Larry CalahanKF6JOQMarch 23, 2023
56Carlos CardonW7QLMay 26, 2023
57Terry HolmanAJ4AJune 11, 2023
58Steve NordahlNS3LJune 26, 2023
59Bill AttwoodVE6WKJune 26, 2023
60Joel WeinerVE6WQJuly 16, 2023
61John LangilleVE1CWJSeptember 26, 2023
62Alan BowkerWA6DNROctober 28, 2023
63Lyle HoodWB7VUFJanuary 12, 2024

Application Process

To apply for the GridMaster Award, applicants must email a completed GridMaster Application Form and GridMaster Grid Schedule (the GridMaster Grid Schedule is no longer required as of 10/26/20), along with confirmation of two-way satellite communication for each of the 488 worked/confirmed grids.  Acceptable forms of confirmation include photocopies or scans of QSL card and the below LoTW complete listing of your account.

  • QSL confirmation must include, at a minimum, the applicant’s call sign, band, mode, satellite, confirmed grid, date and time, and indicate that the QSO was two-way.
  • To provide your LOTW confirmation is quite easy to produce.                                                         
    • Click on your VUCC Award in LoTW                                                                                                                                           
    • Click on All Credits                                                                                                                                                                                    
    • Right click within the listing and select Print                                                                                                                                      
    • Choose PDF instead of your printer, provide a location and name for your file and save. Next time you print something, be sure to select your local printer as Microsoft likes to remember your last choice and print there. 

  • Download GridMaster Application Form (PDF)
  • Download GridMaster Grid Schedule (Excel) (PDF)

Application Fees

The application and certificate for GridMaster achievement has been underwritten by an anonymous donor.  In addition, recipients may purchase an engraved acrylic trophy.  After your application has been approved, you may order the trophy. The certificate may take a little bit of time to receive. 

Email your application and the LoTW PDF to Bruce, KK5DO. kk5do  @(at)  arrl .(dot) net or  kk5do  @(at)  amsat .(dot) org