Dx Call Sig Verification

[kg4kww]

If you work a International Dx station and there call sign is not listed on QRZ or Hamcall then how do you go about verifying thet the station is not a priate station?

[KI4ITV]

If I am really that suspicious, I might google the call to see what comes up or check the DX clusters for notes to that effect.
Other than that, I just choose to believe. Sometimes it just comes down to faith.
http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

going to Frostfest??

[N7RJD]

Greg,

You have to understand that because international stations are not licensed through the FCC and therefore not in the ULS they will not automatically appear in the QRZ or most other domestic call sign databases.

Some countries may have similar lookups while others will not. I guess you just have to fall back on the pre-computer age and trust your fellow man, it's the Christian thing to do.

[n0iu]

There was a "super group" in the late 60's called Blind Faith (composed of Steve Winwood of Traffic, Eric Clapton and Ginger Baker of Cream, and Rick Grech) and that is pretty much how you determine if the station is legitimate or not.

While QRZ is probably the #1 callbook on the web, it is not necessarily complete when it comes to DX stations. If the call does not come up on QRZ, I go to their sister site in Russia that has a multi-lookup feature.

http://www.qrz.ru/multi/

Not only will it search several callbooks at once, it will also check to see if the call has been posted on the DX Summit DX spotting web site.

http://oh2aq.kolumbus.com/dxs/

You can also check to see if the call appears on the DX Central web site (if you check that option).

If it is a 1x1, it will also check the NCVEC website (if you check that option).

Even though the site is in Russian, it is pretty much self-explanatory. Simply put the callsign in the box next to where it says Введите позывной: at the top of the yellow box then press the OK button. Of course, you could always select the Translate to English option at the top of the page!

Good luck, Good DX and Happy New Year!

Scott NØIU

[kg4kww]

I just tried the http://www.qrz.ru/multi/ this is a interesting site and yep other hams did post contacts with the station however, none of the sites had any QSL or call sign owner info.

[k7mh]

Well...what's the DX callsign???
Another popular callsign lookup website is;
Buckmaster (http://buck.com/call)
Just because the call is not listed does not mean it is a bootlegger, pirate or a slim.
Here is a page on the differences between the three (although they may overlap) which is rather interesting;
Of Pirates, Bootleggers and Slims. (http://www.ac6v.com/pirates.htm)

[kg4kww]

The station I worked was J69BJ.

[ky5u]

Quote[/b] (kg4kww @ Dec. 29 2007,23:53)]The station I worked was J69BJ.
James Kieran on Gros-Islet, St Lucia, West Indies. I found this with a Google search as you could have.

[n0iu]

One of the things about working DX is patience. Sometimes a DX station will eventually give out their QSL route periodically or you may even see it on the DX spot.

And here's another thought... ask the DX station for their QSL information! If there is a pile-up, there are most likely other stations who will also want this information.

Scott NØIU

[kg4kww]

Charlie, thanks for finding the information, I tried using the call sign on Google and I didn't find the info you did.

Did you google using something other than the call sign?

[N2RJ]

Pirates are usually well documented. MU0A was one that I worked during CQWW and turned out to be a pirate.

I found out by googling "MU0A pirate" and it showed up on a couple of discussion boards.

I'll give you a little insight into the J69 station. A lot of Caribbean hams really don't care to put their callsign in QRZ.com.

However, Buckmaster somehow got a whole bunch of them. I think they got lists from the national ham radio clubs.

In 9Y we had a national callbook that listed every ham in the country. We got it every year or so (sometimes every few years) at the Annual General Meeting. Many of them weren't in QRZ.com. The ones in QRZ.com are usually very active on HF or computer savvy. Many of the caribbean hams who aren't active on HF, are actually active on 2 meters, and use ham radio to communicate locally. In fact, that's how I was when I first got my license.

Believe it or not the computer and internet access in the Caribbean isn't as universal as it is in the United States. In many places they're still using dialup or slow DSL. This is thanks to contractual monopolies that Cable and Wireless had.

[w3wn]

It's also possible that this is a relatively new call sign that simply hasn't "made the rounds" and gotten into one or more of the various on-line sources yet.

FWIW, I've had a lot of success using AA6YQ's Pathfinder application. You can fine the Online version at http://www.dxlabsuite.com/pathfinder/WebClient/DustFree.htm . It saves a lot of time trying to dig up information!

73

[kg4kww]

Ryan, if Caribbean hams don't put there call sign on QRZ then how do they expect to get a QSL card or do they even care?

Will the ARRL now except a print out of a eqsl.cc QSL as credit towards DXCC ?

[N2RJ]

Quote[/b] (kg4kww @ Dec. 30 2007,21:27)]Ryan, if Caribbean hams don't put there call sign on QRZ then how do they expect to get a QSL card or do they even care?
Many don't care. In fact, some view being flooded with QSL requests from North America and Europe as an annoyance.

Some have gone eQSL only, others simply do not QSL, and some others simply don't get on the air.

There are a few dedicated ones though, that either handle the QSLs themselves or have managers.

Quote[/b] ]
Will the ARRL now except a print out of a eqsl.cc QSL as credit towards DXCC ?

No, and this is not likely to change. Trust me, eQSL.cc bent over backwards and ARRL still said no. They want people to use LoTW.

[kg4kww]

That sucks

[WA3KYY]

If eQSL had used a blind confirmation method instead of permitting you to see QSLs from others before you uploaded your log, then ARRL might have decided to accept them. I think that was the major problem ARRL had with eQSL. In LoTW, if data from both sides of the QSO do not match, you do not get a confirmation record and there is no way to view the data the other station uploaded.

[w3wn]

Quote[/b] (N2RJ @ Dec. 30 2007,23:50)]Trust me, eQSL.cc bent over backwards and ARRL still said no. #They want people to use LoTW.
Not true.

eQSL and ARRL could not come to an agreement, but that all pre-dated the establishment of Logbook of the World. The key issues were over security.

Am I the only person who remembers the day that eQSL changed their entire system to be almost useless, claiming that this was done at the demand of the ARRL? And then when the League denied that they had done so, eQSL changed things back citing "user demands?"

The League isn't perfect, but they're not to blame for everything. Let's not rewrite history.

[WA3KYY]

Quote[/b] (w3wn @ Dec. 31 2007,15:53)]Quote[/b] (N2RJ @ Dec. 30 2007,23:50)]Trust me, eQSL.cc bent over backwards and ARRL still said no. #They want people to use LoTW.
Not true.
I agree with Bill. If eQSL had switched to a system which prevented you from seeing QSO data from someone you worked unless your data matched, ARRL would likely have accepted them. I do not recall any version of eQSL having been set up in that manner.

It can be argued that in reality this is no different than getting a QSL in the mail and realizing you did not get the information in your log correct and fixing it before sending your own QSL back. I don't think in reality there is any significant amount of "cheating" going on in eQSL. All of the not in log eQSLs I have received can be attributed to either busting a call or working a different station in a contest than the one who sent the eQSL. Nothing intentional.

[ks4du]

Actually....it doesn't matter if the station is listed in the QRZ database, Hamcall, or anywhere else. It could still be a pirate. Anyone can pick a call off QRZ and use it.

Update: I just worked KG4KWW on 20 meters CW. Yep, he's listed on QRZ...No way he's a pirate.

[kg4kww]

You just worked me on 20m cw? I don't think so.

I have gas and so does my client.

[ks4du]

Happy New Year Greg. And.....that's disgusting.

[KA4DPO]

Quote[/b] (n0iu @ Dec. 30 2007,00:25)]There was a "super group" in the late 60's called Blind Faith (composed of Steve Winwood of Traffic, Eric Clapton and Ginger Baker of Cream, and Rick Grech) and that is pretty much how you determine if the station is legitimate or not.

While QRZ is probably the #1 callbook on the web, it is not necessarily complete when it comes to DX stations. If the call does not come up on QRZ, I go to their sister site in Russia that has a multi-lookup feature.

http://www.qrz.ru/multi/

Not only will it search several callbooks at once, it will also check to see if the call has been posted on the DX Summit DX spotting web site.

http://oh2aq.kolumbus.com/dxs/

You can also check to see if the call appears on the DX Central web site (if you check that option).

If it is a 1x1, it will also check the NCVEC website (if you check that option).

Even though the site is in Russian, it is pretty much self-explanatory. Simply put the callsign in the box next to where it says Введите позывной: at the top of the yellow box then press the OK button. Of course, you could always select the Translate to English option at the top of the page!

Good luck, Good DX and Happy New Year!

Scott NØIU
Blind faith was one of my favorite groups. Also, the Soviet union fell apart because they can't spell. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[wa9cwx]

I Think the term 'Slim' was used MUCH earlier than the mid 60's, as reported in that link.

Not sure, but I think I saw a reference to it in an old QST from the 30's.

"Pirates' have a different connotation off the Ham Bands.

In this country, they are NOT usually seriously based on political opposition, usually more of an entertainment thing, often by bored and otherwise underchallenged individuals, although not always...

In Europe, and third world countries, various degrees of displeasure are a MAJOR source of the Pirate activity.

Some don't like the Government controled programs, some don't like the government policies. In GENERAL, Pirate activity overseas is a serious undertaking, NOT a hobby like pastime.

And some Pirate stations have a very long an illustrious history, especially overseas.

Frank