[Dx-qsl] A Solution for lack of activity VU4-VU7

[N7DC@cs.com]

The following was just received from lthe ARRL , as part of the weekly 
bulletin.

"VU4 AND VU7 UPDATE (Why The Blanket Ban). Last week, some of our readers
wanted to know why there is a "blanket ban on operations" from Andaman,
Nicobar and Lakshdeep Islands. Sahruddin, VU2SDN, President of the Amateur
Radio Society of India, provided OPDX with the following answer:
"The Government feels that from the point of view of Defence, it is a
very sensitive area and they do not want anyone to operate any kind of
wireless system. The presumption is apparently based on intelligence
reports from people who do not understand what amateur radio is. ( or
perhaps, do not want to understand ) Even for Indians, going there is
permitted but not to operate from there. Not only this, at present, no
licences are being issued to radio amateurs from Jammu and Kashmir and
all the North-Eastern States. Whether we agree with this understanding
or not, we cannot do anything about it."

   In this case, there is certainly something the ARRL can do about it:  They 
can remove VU4 and VU7 from the active lists.  There is no reason to list 
something that is not likely to be activated due to political reasons, 
particularlly from a country that is part of the IARU and whose own amateurs 
are not allowed to operate from there.  Other entities have been removed so 
this would not be something new.  For those that have them worked, well and 
good, and they still count as countries for those dates they were active and 
cards checked by the ARRL.  Im not sure what it means in the DXCC List 
booklet "Entities deleted after 23:59 UTC March 31, 1998 will not be included 
in the deleted list."  Where do they go then???  They just never existed?  
That doesnt sound right.
What this means is that anyone who hasn't worked those two entities will 
NEVER be able to qualify for "Number One".  So we might as well all just stop 
now, and never try any more?
If in the future the "intelligence" people change their minds, then simply 
add the countries back to the list.  





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