The ARRL has informed me that my entry in the 160 Meter contest was not
listed because the Virgin Islands are regarded *not* as DX but as a
domestic W/VE entry. The various contest programs that I have used over
the years have not allowed me to log DX contacts but only W/VE.
I guess many of us l read the rules wrong, including the contest
software pros, yet it was a fair interpretation of the existing ARRL
rules that the overseas possessions of the US are indeed DX, i.e. KP2,
KP1, KP3, KP4, KH2. Not so says the ARRL and I should have known
better. They claim that this is not a DX contest but rather a 160 meter
version of SS. But having said that ARRL Sweepstakes do not allow any DX
contacts at all, so how can this be correct.
Does anybody know the story about this? Has anyone had a similar
experience with this contest. I have must have had it wrong for over
the last 10 years in refusing to work DX, when I could have, but working
only W/VE as my contest software was setup by the designers to do just
that. I must admit I feel kind of stupid after reading the rules over
and over and it clearly says that DX works W/VE but no where in the
rules is it clear that overseas US possessions are not DX. Also nowhere
in the rules is reference made to the ARRL 160 meter contest as a
version of the ARRL Sweepstakes. IMHO the ARRL 160 meter Contest is a DX
contest because it allows DX contacts and rewards them in the scoring.
I understand this is a matter for the ARRL CAC to deal with but how
could so many have gotten it wrong, if the present ruling is right,
without any correction in the rules?
I don't mind the idea of working DX during this event, that is fine with
me. I just wish I would have known that at times the ARRL considers
DXCC countries, i.e. KP2 and KP4 as domestic contacts.
73
Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ
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