Ask the Old Timer!
One of the Local QRPers came by today, this one clearly upset and on a mission. He didn't waste a second and got right to the point. "Did you hear the stories going around about the DXCC? There's talk the program might be abolished!", he sputtered at us, his beady little eyes blazing and sweat dripping from his brow. We hadn't heard this one, and it sounded serious. So, we sat the QRPer down and got him a glass of water. "Tell us more.", we asked. "Well, it's all over the DX cluster message bases and on the e-mail on internet. Some of the guys are saying the league is so fed up with the bellyaching over BS7H and BV9P that they are going to abolish the whole DXCC program!", he shouted, jumping to his feet and knocking his water over. We got some paper towels, "Are you sure? The league wouldn't do anything like that. You must have made a mistake." The QRPer was sure, "No, no, no", he retorted, "I read a dozen or so messages on it. And some of them were from the Big Guns who should know!"
Son of a Gun! What could we do? It was clear that The Legion of Hand Wringers had been to work on this one! So we hauled the QRPer up the hill to the Old Timer. He repeated his story, adding "and I'm just about ready to send in for my 175 country endorsement too! Is all my hard work for nothing?" He was sweating and pacing back and forth, waving his arms and pointing at us as he told his story. The Old Timer looked at him for a few moments, then asked, "What is the rumour mill saying about a replacement DXCC program?" The QRPer slumped down in the nearest chair and said, "There's a dozen stories about that! One has it there will be a 'DXCC Emeritus' credit given for the old DXCC. Only DXers with DXCC already will get the 'Emeritus' status. And we'll all have to start over at zero. And another one says that they will only count countries that have membership in the UN . . . that countries like Bouvet and Kerguelen and Heard Island won't be included." He asked for more water and continued, "One story has it that once you work 100 in the 'new' DXCC, that's it! No endorsements for mode, band, or extra countries. Just one certificate! Think about it! No matter what they do, there will be less DX! How can I ever catch the Big Guns if the league takes all the countries away?"
The Old Timer thought for a moment, took a deep breath and said, "You've got to learn the true meaning of DX IS. DXers are different. There are things that only a DXer understands. Only a DXer understands DX and to be a DXer you have to be a Believer. If you are a Believer, then you will become one of the enlightened ones, and you will understand the meaning of DX IS . . . and the DXCC program will become clear. Listen to the Hero of Mafeking when he says, "Be Prepared!" Don't you see?"
"Yes!", the QRPer shouted, leaping to his feet, "Yes, I understand now. The Eternal Enigmas began thousands of years ago and will only be re-enforced by the DX that I work tomorrow!" He looked at us carefully and said in a sombre tone, "The Mysteries of the Ages are not burned in the DXCC rules and the true meaning of DX IS will never change. It doesn't matter what the league does. DX IS!" And with that, he was off down the hill, his heart joyful and his mind content that the world of DX was safe.
Son of a Gun! When the Old Timer speaks, it is like the lights of Time Square on New Year's eve. We had to admit, we were rejuvenated, and at a new DXing peak ourselves. We went back down to the shack, flipped on our gear and began tuning the bands. Then we noticed a message on the packet cluster entitled 'Maunder Minimum Imminent.' And it too was from one of The Legion of Hand Wringers. What could we do? We forwarded it to the QRPer who had just found the true meaning of DX IS, that's what we did! And we didn't read it, either. There are good days and bad days in this world of DX and we couldn't see the point of turning this one into a bad one! DX IS! 17-metres is open to Asia. Bring on the DX. The Great days of Dxing are at hand!
This story is in the public domain and may be reproduced in any format. - VE1DX
Last updated 15 December 2020