Pardon me? The ARRL is neither for nor against Kosova's independance. The DXCC desk is simply applying the rules as they currently exist. Unwarranted smears against the organization are not going to help matters any, if you're inclined to try and change their minds on the matter.
Funny that you should mention this today. In today's mail came my card from FJ/OH2AM. Within the letter, besides the usual fillers for The Daily DX and NCDXF was a nice, slick, preprinted post card, already addressed to my Division Director -- in short, a form letter that all I had to do was sign stamp & drop in the mail -- requesting a change in the DXCC rules retroactive to February 17, which (not coincidentally, I'm sure) would make the operation a few weeks back "count." This troubles me on several levels. I don't like it in general when someone, even people I know and respect, try to do an end-run around the rules that were in place at the time of the operation. I don't like it when someone tries to influence an organization with mass-mailings like this, which sometimes work, but sometimes backfire. What I dislike the most, though, are these continued calls for a quick-fix to the rules we've had in place for close to 10 years. Overall, the current DXCC rules (while not perfect -- I still disagree about not placing new deleted entities on the existing deleted list) are fair, baqlanced, and devoid of many of the unintended loopholes that existed in the past. The irony is that the rules originally had a way around the UN / ITU recognition. The existance of an IARU society. Now, I always thought that rule was simply a way to make certain that a few entities (Hong Kong and Macao specifically) to stay on the list after their political situation changed. But it has been pointed out to me, by someone who was very involved in the drafting and updating of the rules, that this was also intended to be used to cover political situations similar to Kosova. [Why did the rule get dropped? Do an internet search on the original Swain's expedition. I can't say more about that, or the rule that replaced it (which did get Swain's put on the list after all) without revealing some of my sources; I should not speak for them or put them further on the spot.] Bottom line is that the rules of unintended consequences have led to this situation. Yet, in all of the clamor to add Kosova to the list, no one seems to be able to suggest HOW to do it, in a fair way. Just THAT it should (or shouldn't) be done. Rather than try to put pressure on the DXCC desk, directly or indirectly through the ARRL board, why don't we draft a proposed rule that WILL cover this and similar situations. And if this rule can't be applied retroactively? Well, that's the risks a DXpedition trying to be "first from a new one" takes. Just like the first group to Swain's, or Scarborogh, or others. Them's the breaks. 73, ron w3wn -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Saturday, March 22, 2008 10:06 AM To: dx-chat@njdxa.org Subject: [DX-CHAT] Re:Kosova China, Russia, ARRL against. Free world in favor. Whose the patsies guys. David W1GDQ [EMAIL PROTECTED] ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- Create a Home Theater Like the Pros. Watch the video on AOL Home. Subscribe/unsubscribe, feedback, FAQ, problems http://njdxa.org/dx-chat To post a message, DX related items only, dx-chat@njdxa.org This is the DX-CHAT reflector sponsored by the NJDXA http://njdxa.org Subscribe/unsubscribe, feedback, FAQ, problems http://njdxa.org/dx-chat To post a message, DX related items only, dx-chat@njdxa.org This is the DX-CHAT reflector sponsored by the NJDXA http://njdxa.org
