I knew Gordon reasonably well, visited his home in 1980 when Rush Drake, W7RM lived next door to him on Foul Weather Bluff, and never heard a word about this offer, either from him or anyone else.

That doesn’t mean it didn’t happen; in that time frame I had no responsibility for or connection with DXCC. But I had not heard this story prior to today.

My daughter Deryn is a USC graduate. I’m very proud of the ARRL, but the League is not in USC’s league.

Dave K1ZZ

From: Richard J. Norton [mailto:richardjnorton@gmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, July 03, 2008 9:26 AM
To: arrl-odv
Subject: [arrl-odv:16904] Standing Order 63 - Volunteers - Chapter 3, W6RR and DXCC

Some years ago, Gordon S. Marshall, W6RR, was involved running his electronic parts distribution company, Marshall Industries. The company was eventually sold to Avnet, and Gordon is retired today. Gordon was an active contester and DXer, but is not presently active in Amateur Radio.

He apparently volunteered to have some of his computer programmers automate DXCC. His offer was turned down by the ARRL.

Gordon subsequently gave the University of Southern California something like $35 million, and their business school was then named after him. See http://www.marshall.usc.edu/

I don't know the details of the DXCC offer. I don't know what level of the League received the offer. I don't know if higher levels of ARRL management were aware of the offer or not.

I don't know what would have been produced had the League accepted the offer. Given my knowledge of Gordon, and his penchant for doing things well, I suspect it would have been a success.

This offer was certainly made well before the league took on a significant fund raising effort. It's certainly a case of 20-20 hindsight now, but I guess it might have been a good idea for the League to have become involved with Gordon Marshall.

73,

Dick, N6AA