[ADXA] I Want My MTV !

Tue Apr 23 10:47:49 EDT 2024

I echo Joel's comments.  It's like the carrot in front of the mule.  It
seems to be just out of reach and then someone shortens the stick and he
gets a bite off of the carrot.

After 50+ years of chasing, and soon to be 77 years old, I fully realize
that some of the goals I would like to accomplish (not just in amateur
radio) are becoming out of reach, but that doesn't mean that I'm stopping
anything.  However, if I had seriously started the chases 45 years ago
instead of the last 24, I would have a lot more bragging points to show for
my efforts.  Like I'm only 2 away from 300 DXCC entities, and waiting on 2
or 3 others to be confirmed now.  Yes, I'm disappointed, but mostly at my
lack of persistence in the 1970's, 1980's and 1990's when I was just a
lowly Technician who was still able to achieve 10m DXCC.

Those other goals seemed to be that  "Impossible Dream" and for not looking
at the whole picture (time and effort included) to achieve them.  Then in
November 2000, I was "shamed" into upgrading by John (WB5BHS), and that's
when things really took off.  Actually, I'm kicking his butt in several
categories nowadays.

However, deleted entities are just something we have to live with.  Like a
pile of rocks that soon may never be above several feet of water again.  Or
an island group that is washing away more and more by the year.

Having said all of this, I do NOT want the goals to be lowered so I can get
a "Participation Trophy" for my early failed efforts.  Plus, it would not
be fair to those that have achieved the "Top" spots the hard way just to
make me happy with an award followed by an asterisk.  A way of saying that
my peers really don't think I deserve the award.

73's
George - WB5JJJ
HoIP - 100105

On Tue, Apr 23, 2024 at 8:34 AM <w5znjoel at gmail.com> wrote:

> Greetings ADXA Folks,
>
>
>
> April is quickly moving into history. As I’ve noted before, the past
> several years I’ve been a 160-meter DX enthusiast in my goal to hit the 300
> DXCC mark on that band, currently at 290. The low band season starts to
> fade this time of year and my mind focusses on other amateur radio and
> personal interests. I’m quite excited with all the DX activity on the bands
> and within ADXA. Everyone is racking up nice band countries as well as all
> time new ones.
>
>
>
> This morning I was watching the YouTube video of the Visalia DX Forum.
> Well, up until the time the ridiculous madness took over and I could no
> longer stand it and turned it off. The primary topic of debate in the forum
> was reducing the requirement to achieve DXCC Honor Roll. We’ve had this
> same debate within ADXA more than once and Bill, K5FUV, has presented an
> excellent program on this topic during our past two annual conferences. The
> one comment during the Visalia DX Forum that pushed me over the cliff was
> “We need to Honor Roll easy for the ‘newbies’ so they can achieve some
> status!” WHAT???? (I actually added a few other words to “what” but it is
> inappropriate to repeat those here!). What is it about the DXCC Honor Roll
> that you must reduce the requirements just so a “newbie” can acquire some
> status? Let’s review the opportunities a “newbie” has for status in the
> DXCC program:
>
>
>
>    1. Achieving DXCC – confirming 100 countries. You have now entered the
>    great hall of DX
>    2. Achieving DXCC on more than one band or mode – You have proven you
>    aren’t running a Heathkit HW-32 and can move around to other bands/modes
>    effectively
>    3. Achieving the 1,000 mark in the DXCC Challenge, then increasing
>    that total to the next ‘500’ level
>    4. Achieving 5 Band DXCC (or many more than 5)
>
>
>
> These are all very special achievements…..ALL OF THEM! And I’m very proud
> of the fact that the ADXA folks are achieving goals in several of these
> areas and not simply focused on DXCC Honor Roll. Let’s not forget the
> reason the DXCC Honor Roll is so coveted is because it is the pinnacle
> achievement in DXCC and should not be reduced to “everyone gets a trophy!”
>
>
>
> C’mon Harrison, you are on the DXCC Honor Roll so you don’t want anyone
> else to get there. NOT SO! I want to see every ADXA member achieve DXCC
> Honor Roll, but not because the requirements were lowered. Even though I’m
> on the Honor Roll I am not “Top of the Honor Roll”. I need only one, P5
> North Korea. Now, Dennis W5RZ is “Top” so I’m jealous and have my lip
> pooched out. I’ve been DX’ing for what seems like a millennium and I
> “deserve” to have it so let’s remove P5? Absolutely not. The day I finally
> achieve “Top” I want it to still be as prestigious as it is today.
>
>
>
> Some of the comments during the portion of the forum I watched (before I
> had to vomit) is to place some countries on an “inactive” list, not delete
> them, but make them inactive so they don’t count toward the Honor Roll
> requirement. OK, let’s think about this for a minute and let me use the
> recent Bouvet operation as an example. Let’s say Bouvet was moved to the
> inactive list. Several of you make Honor Roll. Bouvet comes on the air and
> is moved from inactive to active and you are not able to work Bouvet. Some
> of you were not. So what happens now? You fall off the Honor Roll because
> the entity requirement increased and you didn’t make it. You going to turn
> in your plaque? I didn’t think so. There would be another cry to lower the
> requirements or allow for a “special accommodation”.
>
>
>
> With credit to Dire Straits - I want my MTV! “I shoulda learned to play
> the guitar, I shoulda learned to play them drums” Maybe we shoulda learned
> some patience! Honor Roll for nothing and your plaque for free?
>
>
>
> I once had a boss who kept a pacifier in his desk. When someone would walk
> into his office and start complaining (whining) he would reach in his desk
> and hand you the pacifier. Yea, I was the recipient on more than one
> occasion so for now I’ll stop whining and highlight some of the great
> achievements ADXA folks have made as recorded in the “Member Standings”
> page on the ADXA website.
>
>
>
> DXCC Challenge:
>
> 1,000 – 1,499 – 11
>
> 1,500 – 1,999 – 12
>
> 2,000 – 2,499 – 5
>
> 2,500-2,999 – 3
>
> >3,000 – 2
>
> Those so close to 1,000 they can smell it – 5
>
>
>
> 5 Band DXCC – 31
>
>
>
> DXCC on more than one band/mode – 52
>
>
>
> And for Honor Roll 10 are “Top of the Honor Roll” and 20 are on the Honor
> Roll.
>
>
>
> I’ll put the ADXA folks up against any DX group in the country…..heck, in
> the world. So, while working toward DXCC Honor Roll don’t overlook the fact
> there are many other highly coveted DXCC achievements that will cement your
> status as a BIG DOG in the world of DX. Now, with that pursuit in mind “GET
> IN THERE AND WORK ‘EM!”
>
>
>
> 73 Joel W5ZN
>
> ADXA President
>
>
>
>
>
>
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