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DXCC requirements unfair?

Jul 23rd 2013, 06:34

NS5B

Joined: Jul 3rd 2013, 02:45
Total Topics: 0
Total Posts: 0
"...ARRL membership is required for DXCC applicants in the US, its possessions, and Puerto Rico. ARRL membership is NOT required for foreign applicants..."

This doesn't seem right to me. I think everyone should have to abide by the same rules regardless of where you call home. It should be made available to ALL amateur radio operators whether you are an ARRL member or not.

And the same should apply to all other awards that are offered as well. We still have to PAY for them. They aren't FREE.

I know its $10.00 more for foreign stations that are NOT a member of the ARRL...and $5.00 more for using LoTW submissions. What's wrong with doing the same for US stations?

This requirement needs to be changed.

Aug 1st 2013, 16:58

NS5B

Joined: Jul 3rd 2013, 02:45
Total Topics: 0
Total Posts: 0
SO, I guess no one but me feels it should NOT be mandatory to be an ARRL member to apply for any award that the ARRL has available? Really? It should be available to ALL hams as I said, regardless of QTH location, or member status.

And even though LoTW is open to ALL operators worldwide, even the US, with NO membership requirements...if you happen to LIVE in the US, and aren't an ARRL member...you can't apply for ANY awards.

I would love to get my DXCC award. I have more than enough qualifying QSO's to get it...but, I'm NOT an ARRL member...so unless I join, its not available to me as a US Amateur Radio Operator.....

Aug 2nd 2013, 14:35

KG5VK

Joined: Apr 4th 1998, 00:00
Total Topics: 0
Total Posts: 0
Stephen,

No I can not agree with you.
Printing and Shipping alone of DXCC awards is not some minor amount of money. If we want to reap the awards a sponsor offers we should support them.
Membership in the ARRL, is of great value to me well beyond a good quality magazine that comes once a month.
I see on your QRZ.com profile that you have a nice tower and a beam, have you ever considered that without the ARRL your rights to have that tower on your property may not exist ?
Today and actually it has been this way for years, if you do not have a lobbyist on your side the govt. will find away to take away things you enjoy
It is as true with the ARRL as it is with the NRA
If we do not support the League thru some small fee's for the parts of the hobby we love, the ability to enjoy those aspects will be taken away.
I do applaud you for voicing your opinion and I also want to congratulate you for working and getting a great number of countries confirmed.
Have you seen the DXCC certificates, they are not on some cheap paper, spit out of a cheap ink jet printer.
Join the league, process your QSL credits and get your award !

Cheers!
steve
KG5VK
Aug 3rd 2013, 03:47

NS5B

Joined: Jul 3rd 2013, 02:45
Total Topics: 0
Total Posts: 0
These awards are NOT FREE. Everyone PAYS for them. Example...

Application fee: $15.00
Certificate fee: $12.00
Shipping fee: $2.00 ($4.50 international)
Lapel pin fee: $7.00 (optional...but cool looking)
-------------------------------------
Total Fee: $36.00

Everyone can view the entire fee list here...

http://www.arrl.org/files/file/DXCC/Fees/201220Chart207.pdf

My whole point in writing this was the issue of "choice". Charge me a little more if you want for being a non member...but at least give me a choice to do so.

I let my membership lapse a few years ago...and haven't renewed it yet...but I have supported ARRL for quite a while. And I may join again. Maybe when they fix the digital version of QST. Don't have time to read the printed version.

Aug 4th 2013, 14:40

AC4RD

Joined: Apr 4th 1998, 00:00
Total Topics: 0
Total Posts: 0
Allowing foreign hams to get DXCC awards is both a nice courtesy and a way of increasing participation, in my opinion. But for American hams, it's no different (again, IMO) than having to be a Boy Scout to qualify for a Merit Badge. See my point? You can't get a diploma unless you've enrolled in the school; you have to participate. Again, just my opinion, but it seems entirely reasonable to me. 73! --ken
Aug 7th 2013, 19:21

NS5B

Joined: Jul 3rd 2013, 02:45
Total Topics: 0
Total Posts: 0
Yes, it IS a courtesy...and US hams should also be afforded that courtesy as well. We shouldn't be forced to be an ARRL member to get the DXCC certificate. Just charge a little more, and we would STILL be participating. The extra money above what a "member" pays can be added to the revenue pool.

Not sure how that would compare to being a Boy Scout...EVERYONE has to be a member to get a merit badge. No one is exempt, and no alternate method is available to get a badge like it is to get a DXCC award.

And respectfully...that's MY opinion.
Jan 3rd 2016, 18:22

2000759853H80

Joined: Mar 13th 2012, 15:33
Total Topics: 0
Total Posts: 0
I vote for being a member in order to get "THE ARRL" DXCC Award. There are other DXCC awards available on the internet some are free. However all of them require that you register with the web site (at least).

The Boy Scout's merit badges are a perfect example.

73,

W1XWX
Aug 26th 2017, 13:37

WD5IQR

Joined: Apr 4th 1998, 00:00
Total Topics: 0
Total Posts: 0
The LoTW program is a digital QSL Manager. It assures that both parties have made a legitimate contact and reduced the cost of paper QSLing with all of its problems. When I retired, I was on a shoe string for lots of extras and gave up QSLing unless the DX had a stateside manager. My brother Buzz NI5DX handled 50 of so DX stations. I still find it expensive to be a member of ARRL, but less than what I was spending for paper QSLs from overseas. Still have a few old worthless IRCs. LoTW could be simpler for an old guy, but the folks at the desk are very helpful and patient.

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