[SADXA] On the Air, Sort Of...3D2AG Rotuma, Legit or Not?

[MikeZW0LTL at aol.com]

Any fees?
Mike
 
 
In a message dated 1/12/2016 2:28:29 P.M. Pacific Standard Time,  
keith at schlottmancpa.com writes:

I know  this is a controversial topic, and I am very interested in hearing
any  comments.

Today I made my first QSO using a remoterig setup.  It's  a nice setup,
using a K3S control head so it "feels" exactly like using a  normal home
station.

Except...the remoterig unit uses the internet  to link me to another
station.  I used remotehamradio.com to connect  to a W6 in San Jose, and
that station has a K3 on their end with a 500 watt  amplifier and a SteppIR
beam.

Using the setup, I logged 3D2AG/p on  Rotuma Island on 20m phone.  I used an
Elecraft hand mic and it  sounded to me just like I was working him from my
old home station, no  noticeable lag and just like a typical SSB contact
down in the noise. And  while my station was linked to the W6 via the
internet, the connection from  W6 to 3D was a completely normal rig-to-rig
RF contact complete with QSB,  lids, band conditions etc.

Rotuma isn't a total new one for me (have  them on 10m CW), but it would be
a new 20m and new phone entity for  me.  The ARRL DXCC Desk has ruled that
they will allow DXCC credits  for remote QSO's (as long as it's from the
same country, it would add to my  total).

When I had my home station, my own SteppIR setup, I had a more  "purist"
attitude and would not have been interested in using a remote to  any
station other than my own (in fact, I originally bought the  remoterig
intending to use it to control my base from my office, but never  actually
set it up).  But now I have no ability to set up a home  station, and I'm
craving ham radio badly.  The remote stations seem  like an opportunity to
chase DX and enjoy some radio, not the ideal  situation but better than
nothing.  (I've also been using a portable  go-box on occasion but that has
its own challenges).

I've also found  a local setup which is only a couple of miles from my home,
that has a  remoterig setup with a tuned vertical, and the owner has given
me  permission to use it.  Eventually I may try to locate a local site  
where
I could put up my own remote station to operate from (anybody got  space for
another tower hihi).  Somehow it seems like I'd enjoy it  more if I knew it
was my own equipment setup and it was in my own  town.

Logging in to a remote setup has the obvious advantage of finding  a station
that has better propagation to the DX.  Somehow that makes  me feel a bit
guilty about logging them.

So...what do you guys  think?  Is it OK to chase DX using remote setups? Is
there a dividing  line between acceptable versus going too far?

73 and gud  DX

Keith  KR7RK
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