I was discussing the amateur service and the awards, grid square process and alike to another reserve officer who has a sailboat. During a short leave period we were discussing heading out further into the Hawaiian Chain and even to Midway/Kure Islands. He was moderately excited about the idea until I explained that the grid squares would be okay for 6 meter contacts but even though we're in the protected waters of an atoll, it would not count for DXCC unless we are on land. I laid out a map of Kwajalein and showed him that HUGE lagoon and explained that even if we were in the territorial waters of the RMI, in the lagoon, we still would not count for V73 DXCC credit. To quote a great movie line, "Why is that Captain Ron?" Is it so small time DXers don't stand a chance against teams with big sponsors? I doubt Kenwood would get a lot of mileage out of a DXpedition with a TS-660. Or is this a "because we can thing with the ARRL?" Since we're military, we're usually immune to dumb stuff but this one is a bit different. Yukwe Yuk Your thoughts please and yes I am an ARRL member!!
Is it an ARRL "because we can" thing? Of course, but there is a perfectly good reason to go along with it. The dry land thing is specifically put in there to remove any questions about the validity of a station's operating status...if the guys are climbing trees and dusting sand out of there shorts, it's a pretty good bet if they are where they actually say they are, then they are legit. On the other hand, let's suppose someone pulls up within 29.9 miles of the coast of some rare DX and starts operating. How do we know they are where they actually say they are? And does the government of the DX country know they are there? How would you feel if some guys pull up off your coast unannounced and set up a HF station just to capitalize on the fact that you're as uninhabited as the Sahara in June?? The locals wouldn't be pleased!! Plus, different countries have different territorial waters...remember the US bombing Libya 20 years ago over Khaddafi's so called "Line of Death" across the Gulf of Sidra? That was well over the 30 miles for territorial waters.
While it may seem that the ARRL DXCC program has a life and mind of its own....there IS a very real reason why they require that you BE there. In the late 50's and 60's, Don Miller staged expeditions where he sometimes didn't even get his anchor down. While he started with good intentions, and within the international definition of "The territorial Sea", he gradually slipped from reality enough that he may have actually been several hundred miles from his avowed destination. Eventually, he got caught. Once snookered, twice cautious....hence the present dxcc rules. I believe they require that the station actually BE on land. This also deals with the problem of small islets which are below water some/much of the time. Evidently there are such places in the Spratleys, and someone DID attempt credit for a 'first' expedition from what turned out to be a light station on a reef. The folks in Newington are pretty reasonable, on balance. Here's a thought: If you tie your bow off to a banyan tree in that lagoon....tuck in tight to the beach....and string your antenna into the trees, or put it up on land....you're there.
POSTSCRIPT: Where do I sign up to become "immune to dumb stuff"? Never mastered that skill, but can see where it would serve me well. Like your call, by the way....you wouldn't happen to be a chaplain, would you? Jim/N2EA
pull in really close to the beach, toss some coax over the side and haul the radio down to the margarita bar, there, all set
</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (n2ea @ Feb. 12 2002,05:59)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">POSTSCRIPT: Where do I sign up to become "immune to dumb stuff"? Never mastered that skill, but can see where it would serve me well. Like your call, by the way....you wouldn't happen to be a chaplain, would you? Jim/N2EA[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'> actually I have worked Bert and thhe GOD in his call probably reflects the first 3 letters in his last name "Godlewski" and he gets around on Kwalalien, Wake , and I think even Bikini as a rep for some company, I worked him on the HHH net a while ago on 40 meters, thanks for the card Bert, one of my favorites, even if it is pink... tom N6AJR
</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (user88992 @ Feb. 11 2002,20:33)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Just tell everyone that you are on land and keep the secret. The heck with the ARRL rules.[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'> And you probably don't record your strokes properly on the golf course either. You are only cheating yourself on the golf course, but in Ham Radio, you very likely will disqualify the OM or OW on the other end of your 'lie'. That's the bad thing about it, you may cheat someone who has been trying to make Kwajalein for years out of an IOTA or other award. Go play golf! Oh yeah, I forgot, nobody wants to golf with cheaters either. Well, you'll have three short of a foursome, but golf anyway. Same difference, go with the program, you'll make nothing but friends in golf and amateur radio. Cheat, and no one wants to 'play'. Jack W4HTX
You could not mention you're maritime mobile and log your contacts as "portable" which would qualify you for the DXCC qso. In geology, as atoll is part of an volcanic island that has eroded substantially that the island portion is below sea level and that the coral reef that was growing when the island was above sea level. Essentially, you're above the portion of the main island, symantics. It's your call but you're not lying or telling a white lie if you state you're portable. The island is still there, just below several hundreds to thousands of feet below sea level. 73 and good luck, AH6OK
