[South Florida DX Association] Remote stations Under Scrutiny for DXCC

[Bill Marx]

>From The Collins List...
-Bill W2CQ

Subject: {Collins} Remote stations Under Scrutiny for DXCC
Attached is a recent note I received regarding remote operation.
Bob AD5ZW

In reference to my program on "Remote Control Your Station", Bob Beaudet 
W1YRC sent me a message about the use of radio controlled stations and their 
use in DXCC.  The ARRL DX Advisory Committee is wrestling with the propriety 
of remote station use for DXCC.  Read what he says and, if you have a 
position, send it to our division's representative.

Doug Kilgore  KD5OUG

Bob Beaudet  <w1yrc at verizon.net> wrote:

Hi Doug,

I was nominated by my ARRL Director to serve as the New England rep on the 
DX Advisory Committee. As such,
I'm one of 16 DX "experts" around the country and Canada who make decisions 
regarding interpretations on the various
details of the DXCC and DeSoto Challenge program.
Last week, we spent 1 1/2 hours on an all-hands teleconference discussing 
the subject that you will be discussing at
RWK, remote operation of an amateur station. Relative to DXing, the 
application is slightly different, however.
Something that has come into limited popularity with the use of things like 
Internet control programs such as Echolink
and IRLP. I know you have been a user of these techniques for quite a while. 
You demonstrated it to me from the
parking lot of the church after a club meeting. Very impressive.

The problem that DXCC might have with these remote station techniques has to 
do with operating a powerful DX station
in California from a 35th floor apartment in New York City or even toggling 
between a big DX station in Germany
and another one in Hawaii by someone operating a simple station or even no 
station in Chicago (all just examples).
Tilting the playing field by someone using optimum propagation from 
different locations compared to a traditional
station with a good radio, amplifier, tower, beam, etc. has the ARRL Board 
concerned over the fairness issue within
DXCC. Theoretically, someone could attain DXCC and not even own a station. 
Someone using multiple transmitting
and receiving locations across the country or world can make contacts that 
are impossible to a DXer friend across town
for whom propagation has closed the band. Is it fair regarding DXCC? These 
are the questions we're wrestling with.

Recommendations are going to be finalized (hopefully) in time to be 
submitted to the July ARRL Board meeting.
I wish I could attend your meeting on the 14th. If members have any comments 
that concern the fairness issue
of using remote stations to work DX, please let me know what was said. I'd 
really appreciate it. Your division's
DXAC rep is John P. Warren, NT5C, 3517 Gattis School Road, Round Rock, TX 
78664. He took part in our
teleconference.


73,
Bob Beaudet, W1YRC