It looks like I missed the word "non-US" when I was looking at the application fees. (crow tastes like Burger Kings chicken fries by the way) I agree with not removing the requirement of membership. I guess we were both confused as the application still lets you fill everything out even if your membership is lapsed and I missed the non-US wording. It would be less confusing if membership was vetted by the system before allowing the application to be filled out. But that is another topic for the IT department I suppose. This person has now filled out the LoTW form, and was denied, and now has the paper version which any card checker would check and send in as we do not validate membership for card checking. This application will also be denied by the DXCC desk. I will advise accordingly. Thanks, Ria. 73.. Mark, HDX On Mon, Jul 25, 2022 at 9:20 AM Jairam, Ria, N2RJ (Dir, HD) <n2rj@arrl.org> wrote:
For US amateurs, you actually do have to be a member to participate in DXCC independently.
" ARRL membership <http://www.arrl.org/membership> is required for DXCC applicants in the US, its possessions, and Puerto Rico. "
That's DXCC rule I. 1.
Foreign amateurs do not need to be ARRL members.
It doesn't mean that you lose your awards once your membership lapses but from what I understand your DXCC is "frozen" and to do any updates you'll need to have a valid ARRL membership.
I am not comfortable with the idea of disincentivizing membership. There are members who become members *only* because they can participate in DXCC. If we remove that requirement I'm sure that some will opt to save that $49 per year.
As for LoTW, anyone can upload logs there, member or not. The idea is to not deny someone a confirmation because the person at the opposite end of the QSO is not a member.
Ria N2RJ ------------------------------ *From:* arrl-odv <arrl-odv-bounces@reflector.arrl.org> on behalf of Mark J Tharp <kb7hdx@gmail.com> *Sent:* Sunday, July 24, 2022 3:36:50 PM *To:* arrl-odv <arrl-odv@arrl.org> *Subject:* [arrl-odv:33934] member question
Can I get some clarification as to why you have to be a member to have award credits applied to your DXCC record from LoTW yet you do not need to be a member to participate in DXCC and LoTW independently.
We have additional fees for non members and this particular person for reasons I will not go into, has dropped membership, and now has been denied updating their DXCC record via LoTW.
If they want to pay the extra fees, I don't understand why we would not accept that.
Perhaps someone here was around when that decision was made.
I do not see where LoTW is listed as a "Member Benefit" so I am confused as to why we would require membership for the award credit via LoTW.
Thanks, Mark, HDX