It might well be worth remembering that the ARRL can revoke participation in the DXCC program for poor sportsmanship.  While this is normally construed to mean an operator, I am sure the DXAC would have no problem applying it to an operation should they feel it appropriate.  I think it unlikely that behaviour in this case has risen to such egregious levels (yet), it appears the potential is there.  Again, the concern would not be how funds are distributed internally, but rather the willingness of the operators to resort to public fora to hurl invective and indeed profanity at one another.  Such disqualification, while unfair to those who worked ZL9HR for an ATNO or even a new band/country, would serve notice to future operations to behave in a civilized manner, at least in public.

@MM0NDX:
Did you bother to read or comprehend my previous post?

@K0AP
Far from telling anyone what they should or shouldn't do, I'm simply suggesting interested parties consider the implications of their unseemly behaviour on funding for future DXpeditions.  BTW, isn't telling me not to read or comment on the posts contrary to your own advice?  Do I not have a right to be as interested in the future of DXing as anyone else?

For those of you who are enjoying wallowing in this pathetic display, have a great time.

Perhaps that's because there is no irony intended.

Who has an interest in the internal financial details of this DXpedition other than the principals?

Donating a few bucks to the OQRS doesn't buy you a front row seat to a food fight.

It could be argued that major donors are entitled to some type of financial accounting, but even that assertion is dubious.  Contributors donate expecting that a DXpedition actually takes place.  If they are scammed of their donation or if the expedition significantly underperforms, then they have an interest in what became of their money.  I don't think anyone would argue that is the case with this particular operation.  How funds are distributed internally is the business of the members of the DXpedition.  That is not to say there are no problems here, but it is difficult for me to comprehend how that is the interest of the DX community at large.  I think the airing of this problem in public forums such as this does a disservice to the DX community, especially with the dubious conduct and language that has so far been exemplified.

Bull.  Mudslinging and hurling accusations are in no way akin to a trial.  That statement is nonsense.


More bull.  While there are plenty of voyeurs out there that will follow this soap opera with barely self-contained glee, the fact is that these poor actors on an international stage behaving like children will make the vast majority of DXers more disinclined to contribute financially to DXpeditions in the future.  The DX world in general will suffer for this.  Grow up.  Keep your pissing contests private, please.

I agree 100% with Paul.

I am saddened and embarrassed to to see this discussion taking place on the eHam forum.  I sincerely hope that the members of the DXdepition can arrive at solution or consensus that is satisfactory to the participants...in private.

Enough of this trial by public opinion and these hearsay accusations.

Larry/K0RS

Personally, I prefer a minimum of 36".  YMMV, as they say, but I operate CW and like to have my elbow on the desk when I use my key.  I find my sending is more accurate and of course there is less fatigue when your entire forearm is supported.  Many guys can use a key with only the edge of the palm of their hand on the desk and their forearm swinging around in free space.  I am not one of them.  I read years ago as a novice, (maybe in an ARRL publication?) that one should have their arm supported when sending with a key.  I took it to heart and now I'm stuck with it as sending that way has become second nature.  I even put a piece of foam or a towel under my arm to make the position more comfortable.  You can see my desk here:

https://sites.google.com/a/wildblue.net/k0rs/Home/station

The rigs have changed.  There is an Orion 2 in place of the TS-950SDX, and it is huge, especially the front to rear dimension!  So I don't regret having plenty of depth.

Chris, NU1O, and I had a conversation awhile back about how I could work Vietnam daily when I was in the army from our MARS station at Ft Leonard Wood, MO, but couldn't work XV as a civilian because it was on the banned list.  Arrgh, the irony.  I remember my first non-MARS QSO with Vietnam.  Romeo (yes, that Romeo) managed to activate it as he was living there at the time.  He got on the good side of the correct officials and got a legitimate license.  I worked him on a fading 15m band late one evening with almost ESP signal levels.  That was one of those "impossible" QSOs that I thought I would never make because of politics.  So, have faith (and patience).    Those entities that seem impossible now will return eventually.  DX is.

For those that still need band fills, or even an ATNO, XV9NPS is being posted today.

Is the imminent eruption going to be so eminent that it could do that?

I saw this come across the cluster last night:


I heard zip at my QTH despite being on 1825 at that time.  A search this morning shows a few more spots after 1000Z.  I dunno if a couple of guys got pranked or if it was the real thing.  It will be interesting if KU6W shows up in the online log.  I worked ZL3IX @ 0800 with good signals both ways.  I gave up on ZL9HR at 1000Z.  Hearing nothing, and seeing no more spots, I thought they were off the island.

He came back "LIX?" but clearly got the "KB3" on the next transmission.  He's been S9 here on 30m for hours.

I just worked ZL3IX on 1826.5 kHz @0800Z and I'm gnashing my teeth they aren't on 160m...arrgghhh.

KB3LIX I heard ur QSO @ 0845!  Nice job!

30m is always good for a surprise.  I just worked ZL9HR @ 0453Z (9:53 PM local) on a due south beam heading over the south pole.  Not terribly strong, but very Q5.  Picked my call out on the 2nd try.  It's midafternoon on Campbell according to my Geochron!  Wow, neat prop.

This my first night home since they have been QRV, so maybe some more low band action tonite!

None.  I watch the A and K indices as well as the SSN and SFI.  After 48 years doing this nonsense I find that I pretty well know what band is open to where and at what time better than most prediction programs.  Propagation is probably even more of my hobby in ham radio than chasing DX for the sake of just working DX.  It's interesting to me to see how far various bands can be pushed to make unlikely QSOs.  My "hobby within a hobby" is finding unusual secondary openings, long path or skew path, by pointing my antennas in the "wrong" direction at the "wrong" times.  Most of these secondary paths don't show up in predictions anyway as typically programs are concerned with high probability openings.

7P8D was consistanly being misspotted as ZL9HR on 30m today.  Lots of bogus ops out there that can't copy code.

Hey Mark,

I heard that QSO.  He did the same for me just a few minutes later.

One of my goals with these guys was to work them on as many bands as possible without an amp.  He was having trouble pulling out the last letter of my call and kept asking "K0RH??" and sending KN over and over.  Of course no one stopped calling.  Finally he stopped the whole pileup with "AS AS AS" and asked again for my call.  He finally got it OK.  Wow, I appreciate the willingness to work until they get it right.  This was awesome.  Kudos to the ops.

I've been on the other end of pileups in contests and marvel at the lack of cooperation from callers.  If they understood the least bit about human nature they would see that their continued calling just makes the other operator more determined than ever to get it right.  By continuous calling it only delays QSOs for everyone.  If I ask for "...AB," I'm sure as hell not going to take "...YZ."

A bit perplexed that I wasn't hearing them (2120Z) on 20 CW when obviously he was working NA.  I realized it was mostly east coast getting thru, so I turned my beam long path, and  boom, there he was at 46 degrees!  Worked in a couple of calls with a very small pileup.