Quite often I’ll make reference to something from long ago and younger folks, or those new to an activity I’ve been involved in for years, will look at me like I’m from Mars. Once such phrase I like to use in scheduling is “Book it Dano”, a reference to a line from the original Hawaii Five-0 series that ran from the late 60’s and 70’s. Today that usually requires a follow up explanation of who Dano is and why I just called someone by a name other than their own!

In recent posts I’ve made reference to the “DXCC Desk” at ARRL HQ and a few have asked what that is and what the significance of a “desk” is, especially in regard to the DXCC program. Well, I don’t know the specific origin! Obviously the DXCC program is not managed by a desk but for as many years as I can remember beginning in 1971 when I became an ARRL member there has always been reference made to the “DXCC Desk” when a decision, rules, or a question were addressed by ARRL HQ. It obviously references the place where the person who managed the program at any one particular time sat and conducted the daily business of the DXCC program. Maybe it took the heat of a controversial decision away from an individual, the DXCC manager, and placed it on an object.

Maybe some of the “older” ADXA folks know more about the origin than I do but if you see me reference the “DXCC Desk” its referring to the person, or persons, at ARRL HQ managing the DXCC program at any one time and not a benign piece of wood to stack papers on.

73 Joel W5ZN