[OKDXA] DXCC Digital Awards

[K5TT]

Coy, not being very familiar with the different digital modes, I can not address awards for each mode or combinations.  My view is from a slightly different angle.  Awards motivate people to be more active and to be more involved in amateur radio, so I would suggest considering awards that will encourage more people to stay involved in the hobby.  We have seen many times that a new award spurs a lot of new activity.  Secondly, amateur radio has been a means for the development of new technology particularly in technical specialties that perhaps do not have a profitable market.  I think having awards that will drive people to research, develop and apply new digital technology would be good.  New challenges can invigorate people.

If new awards can positively affect the enjoyment, growth, and development of amateur radio, I don't see how we can have too many of them.

Jim, K5TT



----- Original Message ----
From: Coy Day <n5ok at arrl.net>
To: OKDXA <okdxa at mailman.qth.net>
Cc: k5rav at arrl.org
Sent: Wednesday, June 3, 2009 4:24:21 PM
Subject: [OKDXA] DXCC Digital Awards

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
-- 
Coy Day
20685 SW 29
Union City, OK 73090
405-483-5632



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