[OKDXA] DXCC Digital Awards

[John Geiger]

Coy,

I agree with Bob.  A digital mode is a digital mode is a digital mode.  RTTY is a digital mode, as is PSK31, Hellschriber, Olivia, MT63, MFSK16, etc.  If we make a special digital mode DXCC non-inclusive of RTTY, then pretty soon people will want one for PSK only, and so on.

73s John AA5JG

--- On Wed, 6/3/09, Robert Redmon <k5sm.bob at gmail.com> wrote:

> From: Robert Redmon <k5sm.bob at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [OKDXA] DXCC Digital Awards
> To: n5ok at arrl.net, "Discussion of OKDXA" <okdxa at mailman.qth.net>
> Date: Wednesday, June 3, 2009, 6:38 PM
> 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
> >   
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