All QSO’s must originate and be reciprocated by licensed amateur radio operators, each using transmitters operating in established amateur radio frequency bands and identified using the respective callsign of each QSO participant. Transmissions that use a relay or repeater or an Internet link may not be used for credit towards awards unless such modes are specifically authorized by the rules for a particular award sought. [There are no such awards at this time.]
Side-noting the "at this time" part -- I'm not an "award-driven" user (although I have nothing against them either - I'm in a middle-management position and understand the value of a "badge" or some sort of recognition to keep certain people engaged). But I would totally be behind a different set of -- "Network Assisted Modes" (for lack of a better term) badges. I have to admit, it irritates me when such users (and I'm sort of hard-core into DMR myself for the record as you can probably tell just from my avatar) claim stacks of awards for working DMR for an afternoon that people I know have been grinding away for years on RF to obtain. That said - there are two sides to this. (1) They're not reading or understanding the rules (I was guilty of waking up "eligible" myself one morning, clicked through - then read the rules - and subsequently had the award removed). (2) I think it's an oversight to some extent by QRZ to not have some sort of differentiation - such as, adding those modes specifically and making them non-applicable to the normal RF awards, and/or possibly adding awards specifically for those modes to give those who are either just starting out or are otherwise unable to operate traditional modes, some sort of "goal" to shoot for. That would be the win-win-win scenario IMO... (A) Those limited to such modes (the "rookies" to some extent and also many of the old-timers that might be graduating to assisted living or condo life that limits their access to traditional modes) have something to shoot for. (B) The seasoned users that are just playing around on those modes will also - and that doesn't hurt. Something new for them too when the bands are crappy. (C) The awards system will reflect the experience or interest of the user more accurately. At this point, the easy availability of the awards (again, through misunderstanding in some cases and misrepresentation in others) sort of "cheapens" the awards for those who actually made the effort. And again, I have no dog in the race. My HF rig at this point is a shopping list - but it's a list. And if I find myself eligible for some of these awards at some point, I'm sure I'll display them proudly, although that's not why I'm here. But I see no down-side to recognition of "non traditional" modes for the reasons above and then some. I'm in that middle-point -- Many hams I know in the generation that preceded me are starting to hang-up (so to speak) their rigs due to just not being able to physically handle the tasks (or again, assisted living, apartments, in-laws house, etc.). I know several that just recently started working on DMR, Echolink, (etc.) just to still be able to talk with the rest of the world. And the generation behind me needs a trophy or a ribbon for everything. Psychological fulfilment. They'll get a badge that recognizes an accomplishment -- but it won't be the same badge as the HF guys earn (and HF guys can have new ones to shoot for if they care to). And if that encourages them to keep going farther, everyone wins. Geez, I might just copy this into my blog...
