Low Band Asia DXers' Guild
We were sitting in the shack, looking out the window for any sign of snow, for it was getting close to Christmas and the ground was still bare. We spied a local QRPer heading up the hill. We thought about heading out the back door, but the QRPer had seen us looking wistfully for snow and there was no escape. "You know,", the QRPer said, getting right to the point, "there are a lot of uppity DXers out there, an awful lot of them! They go around with their noses in the air and think they are better than the rest of us!" We were unsure where this QRPer was going for this generalization seemed to fly in the face of the amateur's code. If light of such an assertion, we could either remain neutral or run for cover. We chose the neutral path, mainly because the QRPer was blocking the exit! "Tell us more,", we asked, putting forth our best diplomatic look.
"It's those Big Guns who work the low bands,", the QRPer said, leaning close with a look of scorn in those beady little eyes, "they think they are a cut above the rest of us! And I, for one, am getting sick of it!" We had to hear more. "What are they doing?", we asked. "They've formed some kind of exclusive club, that's what they've done! The call themselves members of 'The Low Band Asian DXer's Guild'! Can you believe that! They don't even call it a club . . . they're so uppity they call it a guild. Why a guild is an association of artists or actors or the like!" We thought this over for a bit and finally spoke. "Well," we said, "it doesn't really matter what they call their group, does it?" "Maybe not," the QRPer glared at us, "but they think they're pretty high-and-mighty, just the same! Anyhow, it's not just the name, it's their attitude that's the big problem."
We were beginning to wish we had run for cover anyhow and taken the chance of getting caught. We could see that this QRPer was not going to be pacified. "The have restricted membership to their stupid club!", he shouted, drawing himself up to his full five foot five and a half, "And I can't even find out what the rules are to join!" We were beginning to see the light. "Did you ask?", we inquired cautiously. "Yes", the QRPer retorted, "and they told me I had to work the required amount of Asian DX on 160, 80 and 40 to qualify for membership. But they won't tell me how much DX I have to work! They keep saying: That's a nice catch. But they won't tell me how many I've got to work to join. Why I worked a 9V on a 75 meter list the other night and they still won't invite me in!" We tried to console the QRPer. "You've been working DX on the low bands for years", we said in a properly sympathetic tone, "and surely your country total is higher than some of their's. Why not forget about the Guild and just work DX? You probably wouldn't want to go to their gatherings, anyhow."
"But it isn't fair,", the QRPer shouted, "it's not fair at all. I finally worked a 9V on 80. I've got more Asian countries worked on 160 than any of them, I'm sure I have!" We tried another approach. "Maybe they want quality, not quantity . . . if most of your Asian DX is the middle east and the CIS and not the far east, maybe they don't count that." It was as if the spring in a clock had broke and flown apart! "Listen Buster,", the QRPer exploded, his beady eyes glistening, "DX is DX and Asia is Asia! The IARU doesn't care if you work Israel or Malaysia! It's all Asia. I don't want to join their stupid club, anyway!" And he was off, storming down the hill and waving his arms in anger.
Son of a Gun! What could we say to all this? Only that a thing is important if someone thinks it is important. We were also glad we had made the quick dash to the wall and taken down our membership certificate in 'The Low Band DXer's Guild' before the QRPer had gotten in! Survival of the fittest has always been our motto . . . and, we were still hoping for a white Christmas!
This story is in the public domain and may be reproduced in any format. - VE1DX
Last updated 15 December 2020