Hi All: Along the lines of what Coy and Bob have said about 60 mtrs, let me give you a personal observation on this matter. What the gentleman said to Coy is on point. There are many DXers that are waiting in the wings to start the DX runs on 60 mtrs. I am one of them. Like others, though, I have been avoiding that band. It's not suppose to be a DX band and contacts right now don't count for the DXCC Challenge Award. However, like Coy's message pointed out, more and more of the big guns are now moving stations down there. If I am going to keep up with them, and ya'll know I am slightly competitive, I'm going to start playing 60 mtrs DX myself, and I suspect that my views are no different than many others in this regard. Just this week I searched for some info on what wire to clip to allow my FT-1000 to transmit on 60 mtrs. In fact, I had planned to go clip that little wire tonight when I got home from work. Ya see, I don't want to miss the N8 on 60 mtrs! After all, I better get on there to keep up with the Jones'. The contacts may not count now, but someday they might and I don't want to play catch up on the Challenge given I'm number 6 in the standings as I run for the DeSoto Cup! (hi) Seriously, the big N8S DXpedition that's currently underway has published that it plans to get on 60 mtrs, so this issue is getting some attention right now. Just a few weeks ago another large operation tried 60 mtrs after so many asked them to move there, the J20 group. In the minds of a lot of the DXers, saying the contacts don't count now is not enough to stop the migration of the big guns to that band. They will work the stuff anyway in anticipation that someday the contacts will be backdated to count. Unless we say that contacts will not be backdated, or something like that, I can assure you the DXers will slowly but surely move there and DXpeditions will, too. Just wait until the N8 fires up down there and brings even more attention to it. So, I think the big question is whether our initial thoughts about protecting 60 mtrs are still valid. If so, then do we need to try some things to help control the situation? Seems I recall we were quite concerned about this when we asked for 60 mtrs, with potential QRM, etc. If that is still the case, then we might need to look at something a little more strong than saying contacts don't count for certain awards. Maybe we need to go ahead and say it clearly that contacts will not be backdated to count if at some future time we start to count band countries for 60 mtrs, and WAS as well, like the fellow said in Coy's email. It doesn't matter to me one way or the other. This is just an observation, and timely, since I personally have been eyeing the growth in DX activity on 60 mtrs the past few weeks. Have a great Holiday weekend. 73, Rick - Kilowatt 5 Unlimited Radiation The loudest and most powerful station in America -----Original Message----- From: rbvallio@gmail.com To: arrl-odv@reflector.arrl.org Cc: arrl-odv@reflector.arrl.org Sent: Fri, 6 Apr 2007 2:26 PM Subject: [arrl-odv:15391] Re: [Fwd: 60M DX] It gives me great pleasure to endorse the recommendations of Mr. Day. He is right, and the sooner we take action, the better. Bob W6RGG On 4/6/07, Coy Day <n5ok@arrl.org> wrote: Hi Folks, Thought I would forward Ken's note as I had the same feelings when Dave put out the caution on 60 meters earlier in the week. I'm afraid that if we don't take action we may lose a very valuable band for EmComm. Coy -- Coy Day, N5OK 20685 SW 29 Union City, OK 73090 405-483-5632 ---------------------------- Original Message ---------------------------- Subject: 60M DX From: "Ken - K5KC" < k5kc@suddenlink.net> Date: Fri, April 6, 2007 09:50 To: n5ok@arrl.org -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hi Coy, I'm actually writing on "business" (hi)!! I've read at least two warnings / concerns from ARRL about DXing on 60M. It all makes perfect sense - and I agree with it - BUT, the request (in my opinion) is without teeth, will likely influence only minor behavior changes, and has the potential to REALLY upset some DXers. Let me explain and make a suggestion. First, the suggestion: ARRL should decree right away that 60M is NOT a DX band and, as such, QSOs made will NOT now or in the future count toward the Challenge or 60M DXCC or anything else from ARRL. IF AND WHEN THIS CHANGES, ARRL will notify us all that only as of some future date will QSOs count toward the ARRL DX program. Now, the explanation. You have surely noticed that a few heavyweight DXers have begun to show up in the spots on 60. And, of course, there are many DX commoners also chasing DX there. THEY ARE COVERING THEIR TAILS so they are not behind if and when 60M is added to the Challenge list. I cannot blame them. If left alone, they will continue to (carefully) chase DX and rack up the countries. Suppose some ham DOES take ARRL's request seriously and does NOT use 60M for DXing. They are going to be madder than $%^&* if ARRL later does allow DX QSOs being made now to count. If that were to happen, I could not blame them for being mad. Since I am writing to you in your capacity as a BoD member, feel free to send this input along to whomever - if you think it represents a rational line of thought. 73 Ken K5KC ________________________________________________________________________ AOL now offers free email to everyone. Find out more about what's free from AOL at AOL.com.