[OKDXA] DXCC Digital Awards

[Robert Redmon]

Coy,  I believe we have enough versions of the DXCC award as it is. It 
is my belief that the existing practice of counting all digital modes as 
RTTY is the most practical approach. I would also support changing the 
name of the RTTY award to digital, but I know that would ruffle lots of 
feathers. After all, all text based digital modes are RTTY even if they 
do not use the Baudot code and two tones.

73, Bob K5SM



Coy Day wrote:
> Gentlemen,
>
> As your representative to the DXAC, I'm requesting your input.
>
> The DX Advisory Committee has been tasked with the following:
> ---
> >From Programs  and Services Committee meeting, 4 April, 2009
>
> Subject: RTTY and Digital  DXCC Awards
>
> Participants in the DXCC program occasionally ask about the  existence of
> a separate award for the digital modes other than RTTY.  The RTTY DXCC
> Award was created in July, 1976 as a non-endorsable  award.  QSOs could
> be used dated back to 1945.  In July, 1984, the  RTTY DXCC became
> endorsable.  In December, 1993, the RTTY award became  an Honor Roll
> award.  Since the advent of newer digital modes after  RTTY, ARRL has
> allowed any other digital modes to feed a RTTY DXCC  record.
>
> Today, with the seemingly ever-expanding use of new digital  modes,
> we hear requests for a new DXCC award to recognize modes other than
> RTTY.  In a recent survey of amateurs asking about their digital mode
> preferences with respect to what modes W1AW should use, it is apparent
> that RTTY and PSK31 are far and away the most popular modes.  With the
> long history and high standings and still rising popularity of RTTY, it
> is not likely that we could do away with the RTTY DXCC as it stands now
> and have it replaced with a separate award.
>
> The Programs and Services  Committee asks the DX Advisory Committee to
> consider possibilities for  accommodating all the digital modes within
> the DXCC program.  Questions  that could be considered (but not limited
> to) are: The addition of a new  award, either endorsable or not, for
> additional modes; the addition of mode  endorsements for the RTTY award;
> renaming the RTTY award to Digital and  leaving the rest unchanged; start
> dates for any new awards; impact of  present and future awards on band
> planning and use; and impacts upon  DXpeditions.  While there will be
> administrative impact at HQ, please  do not base any recommendations on
> administrative conditions.
>
> We also  ask that the DX Advisory Committee consider the time required to
> respond to  the PSC.  Principally, this would be a choice between
> delivering its  response either before the summer Board meeting in July,
> or for the Board  meeting to occur in mid-January, 2010.
> ---
>
> Please send your comments on this directly to me:  n5ok at arrl.net
>
> Coy, N5OK
>