DXCC Card Checking FAQ
Introduction:
KA5EYH is a ARRL certified card checker and will
be happy to check your cards, please follow the guidelines below. (NOTE: I can also check cards for
ARRL WAS).
I am also a card checker for CQ
Magazine Awards (CQDX,
CQ DX Field, WAZ and WPX). Please see CQ's
web site for application rules.
FAQ:
Q: Will you check anyone's cards?
A: Yes, as long as you are a member of the ARRL and follow DXCC Program
guidelines. I will check cards in the order I receive them (if by mail, in
person or at a Ham Fest). In cases
where I am backlogged if by mail, I may suggest using a local checker in your area.
Q: What materials do I need to send or bring with me?
A: You will need the following items:
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Your cards to be checked must be in the order
specified below.
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A DXCC Application form,
downloadable, (Text file
available from ARRL
web site)
or (PDF file available from ARRL
web site)
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A record sheet of QSOs you are claiming
(Text file available from ARRL
web site) or (PDF file available from ARRL
web site).
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A check made to the ARRL for the
appropriate fees. The full version of the fee schedule is listed
here then
scroll to Section 15 Fees. An abbreviated version of the fee
schedule is listed here.
Please remember that return postage is now required. In general,
add $1 to cover paperwork only, or $4 which covers paperwork plus up
to 3 certificates.
I am recommending that you use a credit
card when submitting your application. This way, there is no
guesswork about what the specific fees are. The application form
has a spot to include your credit card info.
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If your application is 3 pages or less,
please include a business sized envelope addressed to the ARRL
DXCC Desk with one unit of postage.
If your application is greater than 3
pages, please include a 6x9" manila envelope addressed
to the ARRL DXCC Desk with sufficient postage to cover the envelope.
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Cards mailed to me to be checked will
need, An Envelope and Sufficient return postage to mail your
cards back to you. I will return your cards by Priority
Mail (see below).
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DXCC
Hybrid Application (see web page)
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Q: Can you check all cards?
A: No. I cannot check cards for 160 Meters or deleted countries.
(The previous rule about not checking cards older than 10 years old has been
dropped.)
Q: Can I use my logging program to generate the necessary paperwork?
A: Generally, no. Unless your program produces pages that look exactly
like the ARRL forms, this is discouraged. The problems uncovered with
third party logging forms include:
The DXCC Desk is trying to work with logging software vendors to produce
compatible form output, but this is a work-in-progress. I will accept
forms produced by logging software, but I may kick the forms back to you if they
have the above problems.
Q: Is there a preferred way to ship cards to you?
A: I prefer Priority Mail since it is fast and cheap, and I don't have to sign
for it, or go to the Post Office or UPS Office in person.
Q: Can I just send my materials to you?
A: No, I would rather hear from you in advance, especially if I'm out of
town you won't have to wonder what happened to your cards. My
address/phone number/email address are shown below.
Q: Can I check the status of my DXCC application at the ARRL?
A: Yes, the League has setup a web page where you can check that your
application has been received, and where you are in the processing queue.
Click here to visit
the Applications Received page.
Q: What order do the cards need to be in?
A: The DXCC Desk has asked that your cards be sorted by band beginning with 80m -
10m, then by
mode CW - RTTY - SSB, then
multi-QSO cards at the end of the stack. This is spelled out on the record
sheet of QSOs you got from the League's web site. So, first put 80 Meter
CW cards, then 80 Meter SSB cards, then 40 M CW cards, and so on, until 10 Meter
SSB cards. After that, list any cards that have multiple QSOs on them.
Q: How do I sort the "multiple QSO" cards at the end of my list
of cards?
A: Sort cards by prefix see ARRL's
prefix list.
Q: Are official DXCC Rules available online?
A: Yes, click here
to read the rules. The rules contain a detailed description of how field
checking works, and what cards are acceptable for field checking.
Q: Can I use any DXCC forms I have in the shack?
A: No, please make certain the forms are the latest ones. If they are not
dated within 1-2 years (as noted on the bottom right), please use the above
links to download and print the latest forms.
Q: What common mistakes are observed on DXCC forms and paperwork?
A: Prefix and Country Names do not match. Please double check your
entries, especially if hand prepared and not computer generated. Also,
many applications are missing the award, certificate or endorsement desired.
Please check the appropriate box(es) in the upper left corner of the form.
Also, it may be difficult to calculate the fees required for your application.
Please contact the DXCC Desk with any
specific questions.
Q: Should I submit exactly 100 cards for my initial DXCC certificate?
A: No, you should submit 2 or 3 extra cards (see the next question).
Q: Why do cards get rejected?
A: I have found 3 reasons that cards are typically kicked out. First, the
callsign is wrong or missing. In several cases, letters in the callsign
have been transposed, such as W1AW was submitted as W1WA. Also I have seen
cards with no callsign. It's just missing. In both of these cases
the cards are rejected and as far as I know there is no recourse, you must
resend to the manager to get it fixed.
Second, the entity name for some common prefixes is missing. This is
the case for prefixes such as FO, VP8, VK9 and probably others. If you
submit a FO card for credit as the Australs it must clearly say Austral Islands
somewhere on the card. This is also true for Falkland Islands and so on.
As far as I know, it is not required to have the entity name displayed on the
card for all entities, just the ones with multiple definitions (FO, VP8, VK9). So if you
submit a card for DL1ABC it is obviously a German card even if Germany is not
displayed on the card.
Third, if the QSO data has been rewritten, struck through or modified it
maybe rejected. This is much less common in these days of computer printed
labels. I have seen cards with "white out" covering part of the
QSO data and new data rewritten over the "white out". A card
like this will get rejected.
Q: Does the ARRL maintain a DXCC FAQ list?
A: Yes! Check here for an
extensive list of DXCC questions and answers maintained by the DXCC Desk.
73,
Don Hinte, KA5EYH
12430 Cannonade
San Antonio, TX 78233
210.775.6302
ka5eyh[at]arrl[dot]net
D.R. Hinte, KA5EYH.
Copyright © 2008 Don Hinte, KA5EYH. All rights reserved.
Revised: July 26, 2008
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