[DX] DXing and DX nets

Mon, 23 Sep 2002 16:44:48 -0400

John,

The existance of DX Nets is a sore subject for many amateurs and can (and
will) arouse heated passions on both sides of the issue.

I too once used DX Nets for some of my DX contacts.  But there are nets, and
there are nets.

The net I once frequented in the mid-to-late 80's acted as a "clear
frequency."  Although it could be tough getting ahold of some of the "list
takers" sometimes to get in line, this 15 meter net, run most of the time by
a gentleman in Wales(which I don't believe exists any longer) did NOT feed
your signal report or other information to the DX station.  They did often
alert the DX to who was calling, which I had questionable feelings about,
but it was still up to YOU to make the contact.  No relays.  It was also a
good source for QSL information.

Many other nets that I ran across, including the 20 meter version of that
same net, often had NCS's that did you a "favor" by confirming and relaying
the signal report and other information.  So it could be very possible to
"work" someone who couldn't hear you & who you couldn't hear.  Nets like
this I have concerns about.  These are the nets that make it seem like
you're "shooting fish in a barrel" and who give even the best DX nets a bad
name.  And this is where the charge of poor ethics comes from.

However... I have since learned that even with my modest station (currently
a TS-140S, SB-200, HF6V & HF2V verticals, an AR-99 for 10 meters on the
roof, and as of this afternoon, a longwire), I don't need DX Nets anymore --
if I ever did.  I can work just about all the DX I want.  It takes some
patience on my part, and a study of the habits of some of the DX (who works
split, who works tail enders, and so on).

I have since managed to re-work almost all of the DX entities that I had
once contacted on the various nets.  So, for my own personal satisfaction,
when the time comes to finally send in for DXCC (20 more confirmed to go on
80 to complete the last band for 5BDXCC!), I plan to include none of the
cards from the DX nets I'd worked, way back when.  There will be no need.
But that's for me, I don't expect to dictate that to anyone else.  Let me
stress that again -- I'm not saying there's anything universally or
across-the-board wrong with ALL DX nets, nor am I attempting to put down ALL
who operate on these nets.  I'm just saying that I now know that I don't
need them and that they're not for me, and that the few nets that cross the
line tar & feather the lot.

And I should mention that bad or unethical practices are not limited to DX
nets.  I had the occasion to "witness" a Left Coast station, a few nights
ago, trying to work an African station on 75 phone.  The amateur in question
knew, courtesy of packet, who was on frequency; announced he couldn't hear
the DX; had someone hear in the East relay his presence; and said relay
"confirmed" the RS reports both ways.  Legit contact?  Not to my way of
thinking, but I'm not the DXCC police (which is why calls involved is
omitted).  By the same token, last night I was trying to work OH0B on 75,
and had some trouble getting Martti to hear me (antenna problem on my end,
it turned out).  I might have succeeded, but someone jumped on frequency and
told Martti what RS I was sending.  I terminated the attempt at that point;
I'm sure that person meant well, but to me, the QSO was "contaminated" -- to
continue the attempt would have been unethical for my personal standards.
I'll just try again another night.

Finally, if you still feel insulted, have you discussed your reaction with
the How's DX editor?  Bernie's a nice guy -- he even puts up with me, and
that's saying a lot.  You should consider discussing your reaction with him.
If nothing else, he should have the courtesy of responding to comments &
complaints about controversial items he's submitted to the column.

(Oh, and I'm no longer on the other DX reflector, so if you want any
reaction from that crowd, you'll have to relay my comments over there.)

73, ron wn3vaw

"And they give you cash,
which is just as good as money!"
Yogi Berra, AFLAC Commercial, 2002

----- Original Message -----
From: John Geiger <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>; <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, September 23, 2002 3:35 PM
Subject: [DX] DXing and DX nets

Was anyone also insulted by the article in the last
Hows DX in October 2002 QST?  In this article, working
DX on a DX net was compared to "Selling your soul" and
stated to be as unethical as running over the legal
limit of power (which is not only ethical, it is
illegal, but that was not mentioned).

I have worked DX on DX nets, and am not ashamed to say
so.  I have worked 299 countries, with what most would
say is a very modest station.  I have never run more
than 100 watts, to most either a dipole or vertical
antenna.  My current antenna is a miniproducts Mini
Quad at 28 feet.  Before that I had a Cushcraft MA5B
(installed in Feb 2001) at 30 feet.  I also had a mini
quad for awhile in 1984-1986, and did use a 4 element
10 meter monobander for a couple of months in 1984,
which was near the bottom of the sunspot cycle, and
didnt work any new countries on it.  I also used an
indoor dipole in a second floor apartment from
1993-1996 and did work 7Q, 9G, 1A0, OK, OM, 9A, T9,
ZA, and a few others for all time new ones.

My point is-how is it unethical and selling my soul to
use a DX net.  If I had a few monobanders at 75 feet
and a Texas Kilowatt, I might work all DX on the first
or second call, and hear everything at 20 over 9, but
that setup won't be in my possession anytime soon.  So
I have learned to work DX through operator skill.  I
run alot of CW since I seem to have better luck there.
 I recently got into RTTY and also seem to go very
good DXing there.  I use the WARC bands alot, I
LISTEN, and I constantly develop my pileup skills.  I
also use DX nets if it will net me a new country or a
new band country, or sometimes just for the fun of it.

I had worked 240 countries before ever seeing a DX
spotting cluster.  I don't consider using a cluster
unethical, or selling your soul, although it does take
away some of the need to develop good listening
habits, and picking out callsigns from very weak
signals.

So, does anyone else feel the same way as I do about
DX nets, or am I going to be seriously flamed and
forever banished from the DXers Vahalla?

73s John NE0P

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