CQ DX - CQ DX - CQ DX - CQ DX
Working DX? What is DX? DX means "Long Distance".
Here it means when one Ham Radio Operator works another Ham Radio Operator in a
different country or part of the world.
When a Ham in Mexico makes a contact with a Ham in France, it is a DX contact
for both stations. A list of the 337 ARRL recognized DX countries or "entities" for U.S. Hams
can be located
HERE.
One of the Basis and Purposes of Amateur Radio as described in Part 97 of the
FCC rules is: "(e) Continuation and extension of the amateur's unique ability
to enhance international goodwill." In other words, we are to make friends
with other Amateur Radio Delegates around the world via Communicating on Amateur
Radio, or plainly put, WORK DX. Contrary to some of my high strung
"Ham Radio is for Emergency Service Only" friends, it's right there in the same
section as (a) Recognition and enhancement of the value of the amateur
service to the public as a voluntary noncommercial communication service,
particularly with respect to providing emergency communications. Therefore,
WORKING DX as an Amateur Radio Operator is an equally emphasized responsibility as being a RACES member. So
There.
I find working Amateur Radio DX an incredible lesson in social
studies and geography or maybe better said, Cultural Studies. How many of you
can tell me where Belarus is located? Well not only can a DXer tell you where
Belarus is but also he/she can pull out a few post cards from friends they met
on the air from Belarus. Often we share a few nice words while in contact with
Ham Radio Operators from other countries making U.S. citizens less the Imperialist
some others in foreign countries might think of us as.
Other than the political benefits of being a DXer, a
DXer needs to have a grasp on the science of radio propagation. Just what does
that SFI, K and A index mean? What is MUF? What is the grey line? Those are just
some of the mysteries we hope to reveal here in the DX handbook and hopefully in
a language somebody other than a
MIT professor can understand.
Now many a DXer has a very impressive radio station
at there home QTH. I know of DXers who have invested thousands of green stamps
(dollars) in there stations. While I also have friends that might have a simple
thirty year old FT-101E
transceiver along with a simple inverted vee
antenna. So the point is, one doesn't need stacked mono-banders, high powered
amplifiers and $7k+ transceivers to work DX (but it doesn't hurt). For the first
time in my Ham life I own a new store bought HF transceiver. My home station
consist of a Yaesu FT-2000, an Ameritron AL-811H amplifier and a C3SS Force 12
beam antenna on a U.S. Tower model MA-40.
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