One of the Local QRPers was up the hill the other day, this one clearly on a mission. He sat down at the table and looked at us for a few seconds, then burst out "There will be no more DXing! The ARRL is going to do away with the DXCC program." This was the first we'd heard of such an terrifying possibility. It certainly got our attention. "Tell us more", we said, hoping the QRPer was mistaken, "how did you find this out?"
The QRPer jumped up and walked back and forth several times, then sat back down again. "It all started with 3W3RR and his antics.", he replied, "First there was the bogus P5RS7 operation. Then the 5A0RR operation. And the straw that broke the camel's back was when K5FUV found evidence that Romeo's entry papers for the XY0RR operation into Burma were fake." We'd heard all this before, but before we could comment, the QRPer jumped up and glared at us. "And what did the ARRL do about all this?", he asked, "They kicked 3W3RR out of the DXCC program, that's what they did! His own DXCC certificate is worthless." We had to admit we'd heard this too, but we were becoming confused. "What does this have to do with the ARRL doing away with the entire DXCC program?", we asked.
The QRPer sat back down and said rather slowly. "Who was the team leader for the Ukraine 5A1A DXpedition?" "Toly, UT3UY", we replied, "what does that have to do with anything?" "Look at the back of your P5RS7 QSL", the QRPer replied. "Who's there with Romeo?" We dug out our P5 card from the 'almost made it' pile and had a look. There was UT3UY with 3W3RR! "See, I told you", the QRPer said, his voice rising every so slightly, "do you think the ARRL is going to ever count 5A1A if one of the P5RS7 ops was the leader? Not on your life! The story about needing more documentation is just a stall. And if they disqualified Romeo for the P5 fiasco, aren't Toly's DXCC days numbered too?" We were getting the uncomfortable feeling that the QRPer might be on to something here. "Well, you might have a point but the ARRL isn't going to hold up every DXpedition just because of things like this.", we replied, trying to put a positive spin on the situation. "What's done is done and the DXCC program will go on as before. It survived Don Miller and it will survive 3W3RR too. Don't worry."
"I wouldn't be so sure!", the QRPer said, jumping to his feet and glaring at us with his beady little eyes. "What if Gena, UA9MA, were to join the Heard Island DXpedition next year? "Or if Harry, RA3AUU, were to be QSL manager for a DXpedition? Would any of these count? Not a chance. Anyone who had anything to do with P5RS7, XY0RR or any of Romeo's operations will put an end to anything they touch. One of the Big Guns at the DX club even told me that if we send in our QSLs for any of these operations, we will get kicked out of the DXCC program too!" The QRPer had worked himself into a frenzy and was sweating and trembling. "Did you send in any cards for these operations?" we asked, now starting to see the light. "Of course I did!", the QRPer replied, "I thought they were good so I sent them in. Now they are on record on the DXCC computer. As soon as the league decides, they can disqualify all of us for working illegal operations!"
Son of a Gun! We thought we had heard everything! "Pretty well every active DXer has at least one of Romeo's cards in for something!", the QRPer bellowed at us. "They'll all be disqualified too! Do you know what that means? It means there'll only be a few dozen members left in the DXCC, that's what it means, Buster! And the league isn't going to keep a program going with that few. Not a chance at all! The DXCC program is finished! K5FUV will be standing in the unemployment line!", he screamed as he ran down the hill, arms waving wildly.
What could we say? The Flat Days of DXing were clearly taking their toll on the QRPers. And the Legion of Handwringers at the DX club weren't helping matters, either. We decided it was time to have a serious talk with the Leader of the Palos Verdes Sun Dancers. We needed sunspots, and we need them soon because the QRPers clearly had too much spare time on their hands! Be a Believer! Don't listen to QRPers with spare time and XY0RR QSLs! The Great Days of DXing are near. The signs are everywhere. Be prepared! DX IS!
Best Regards, Paul
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