Improving HF DX operating behaviour

I am writing to raise a matter of increasing concern about the standard of on-the-air operating. A number of your readers have, I’m sure, commented to you that there is now a serious problem with operating behaviour, especially when calling DX stations in pile-ups on the HF bands.

As President of The First Class CW Operators’ Club (FOC), I and Randy, W6SJ, in partnership with leading DX operators, have decided that we will take the initiative to encourage all DXers to work together in order to improve standards. To this end we have created the following simple DX Code of Conduct which I would ask you to bring to the attention of your readers.  If we all pull together to improve standards then we will all be able to work more DX and have more fun on-the-air. 

More information is available at the FOC website http://www.g4foc.org/ , in March 2010 QST, at http://www.g4ifb.com/html/dxing.html#PileupTips   and in more detail at http://www.on4ww.be/OperatingPracticeEnglish.html

Please translate the DX Code  into your local language if that makes the message more effective.

Thanks for your help and 73,

Bob Whelan, G3PJT, President, FOC.

DX CODE OF CONDUCT

1. I WILL LISTEN, AND LISTEN, AND THEN LISTEN SOME MORE

2. I WILL ONLY CALL IF I CAN COPY THE DX STATION PROPERLY

3. I WILL NOT TRUST THE CLUSTER AND WILL BE SURE OF THE DX STATION'S CALL SIGN BEFORE CALLING

4. I WILL NOT INTERFERE WITH THE DX STATION NOR ANYONE CALLING HIM AND WILL NEVER TUNE UP ON THE DX FREQUENCY OR IN THE QSX SLOT

5. I WILL WAIT FOR THE DX STATION TO END A CONTACT BEFORE CALLING HIM

6. I WILL ALWAYS SEND MY FULL CALL SIGN

7. I WILL CALL AND THEN LISTEN FOR A REASONABLE INTERVAL. I WILL NOT CALL CONTINUOUSLY.

8. I WILL NOT TRANSMIT WHEN THE DX OPERATOR CALLS ANOTHER CALL SIGN, NOT MINE

9. I WILL NOT TRANSMIT WHEN THE DX OPERATOR QUERIES A CALL SIGN NOT LIKE MINE

10.  I WILL NOT TRANSMIT  WHEN THE DX STATION CALLS OTHER GEOGRAPHIC AREAS THAN MINE

11. WHEN THE DX OPERATOR CALLS ME, I WILL NOT REPEAT MY CALL SIGN UNLESS I THINK HE HAS COPIED IT INCORRECTLY

12. I WILL BE THANKFUL IF AND WHEN I DO MAKE A CONTACT

13. I WILL RESPECT MY FELLOW HAMS AND CONDUCT MYSELF SO AS TO EARN THEIR RESPECT.