Compulsive box ticking disorder

In view of the many discussions regarding the pros and cons of using the leader board facility on ClubLog;

I think the leader board is a great facility and would prefer to see it being used at all times, but I do see the argument against using it. There are simply far too many that suffer from compulsive-box-ticking-disorder (CBTD).

Maybe ClubLog should consider having an alternative leader board facility?

Have a tick-box for each and every band the expedition plans to operate on and place a tick regardless of the operating mode. Then have a tick-box for each of the following modes: CW, PH and DIG.

Assuming the expedition will be operating on 160m through 6m on all modes, then there will be only 13  tick-boxes (10 bands + 3 modes).

A further refinement to the above proposal might be to have a numeric value visible in the tick-boxes to indicate the number of QSOs. The objective should be to have only a 1 indicated in each band tick-box, a value of 2 or more should be frowned upon as being selfish and having little regard for the needs of others.

The above idea might satisfy most DX chasers?

We all love seeing how we fare against our peers and that is why we love the leader board, but there is simply no merit in working the station on each band in each and every mode.

The main objective should be to green out the band tick-boxes and to work the entity in each of the 3 modes.

Alternative ClubLog Leaderboard

Disgusting manners / radio procedures

I fully aware that the title of this rant is strongly worded, but I believe it is high time that we question our operating procedures especially when it comes to chasing DX.

In just about each and every pile-up lately I saw the following behaviour:

The DX station hears a partial call and then responds along the line of “W1A?”, that seemingly is the green light for each and every station from the North pole to the South pole to send their call, over and over ad nauseam. 

Even worse than the previous example. The DX station replies to a station “W1AW 599" and  the callers continue calling. Are they: deaf, stupid, both deaf and stupid or just simply rude?

 

Do we now have we so little regard for others? What has happened to good manners and ham spirit? Have we degenerated into a bunch of unruly mongrels?

 

IMHO the DX stations should work these out of turn callers (get them of their backs), but they must not enter them into the log. Eventually the message will get through. 

Play by the rules or suffer the consequences

 

Africa DX'ing - Reality check

Chasing DX from Africa

Have a careful look at the great circle map below, centered on Lord Howe Island - VK9DLX note the beam heading towards Africa, compare that to the beam headings to the beam headings to NA, EU and AS

The directional antennas used by many expeditions will work against African DX'ers most of the time.The signal off the side of a typical directional antenna can be >20 dB down compared to the forward lobe.

The same logic applies to many rare countries.......

The statistics below from the recent Western Kiribati DX expedition - T30D after some 69,000 QSOs

The activity from Africa is miniscule, it is therefore understandable that the expedition will be beaming to where the greatest demand is: North America, Europe and Asia.

Why would any DX expedition beam towards Africa, let alone make directional calls to Africa only?

Chasing DX from Africa is not easy. The odds are stacked against us most of the time. 

Please consider this issue when you next hear an African DX'er calling out of turn :-)

Great Circle map based on Lord Howe Island - VK9DLX

VK9AN Christmas Island

The team consisting of Rob/N7QT and Melanie/AB1UH were on a small, suitcase mini-DXpedition to Christmas Island for a period of about 2 weeks.

The propagation between South Africa and that part of the world is normally very challenging due to the near polar path with all its associated problems.

I was very pleased to have worked them on 6 band slots with my mediocre station. This is no doubt due to the patience and superior skills of the operators.

I was equally pleased to see that they diligently used ClubLog throughout the expedition and the cherry on the top is that all my QSOs are already confirmed on LoTW.

This is the type of DX expedition I would gladly support with a small donation. Oddly enough I see no request for such and no provision was made for that either.

IMHO This is Ham spirit at its best.