From: turner@safety.ics.uci.edu (Clark Savage Turner)
Subject: Re: DX Etiquette (an oxymoron)
Newsgroups: rec.radio.amateur.misc
Organization: UC Irvine Department of ICS
Date: 12 Dec 92 20:28:36 GMT
Distribution: usa

In <1992Dec10.204035.95992@watson.ibm.com> uri@watson.ibm.com (Uri Blumenthal) writes:

>In article <2B265291.15586@ics.uci.edu>, turner@safety.ics.uci.edu (Clark Savage Turner) writes:

>|> >However, I feel that *some* DX stations (the rarer ones) do have an
>|> >obligation to work the rest of the mortals as well as their friends.
>|>  ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>|> This is quite a concept.  I am sympathetic to the "feeling", but completely
>|> opposed to the thought.  No ham has any obligation to work/QSL anyone, IMHO.
......

>Well, yes, but why should one person usurp a frequency suitable
>for DX and ragchew forever, while others are striving to make a
>DX contact?

Wow!  Where did the "ragchew forever" come from when I was commenting
on some "obligation" I have when I am "rare DX" to work and QSL some
of the fellows?

>You see, on one side there are silly people who'd break anything
>to get their QSL card - no politeness whatsoever.  On the other

Agreed.  Not very good.

>side there are boneheads, who apparently haven't learned that
>landline telephone service connects now many places, and
>they'd run their [usually meaningless :-] conversations
>for ages, with total disregard of the needs and rights
>[to this band/frequency] of others...

This is where we part ways.  Though I really agree with your "feeling"
here that the guys "should" hold their QSO's to a time IF there is
a great band opening AND if there are others who are politely asking.....
There certainly is NO OBLIGATION here for hams to "yield" the
frequency....IF they want to ragchew forever, this it OK in ham radio
as I know it.

Since the "landline telephone service connects now many places"
where is there ANY purpose for ham radio.  Aren't you arguing that
ham radio is only for those places that don't have telephones?  I
suppose not, but the argument doesn't help much.  If two hams want
to talk on 2 meters from a distance of 20 miles for several hours,
do you really think this is wrong?  If two hams want to talk on 20
meters from a distance of 20 miles for several hours, what business
is it of ours????  I really ask you this question.  I understand
clearly the desireability of such etiquette, but I am not prepared
to condemn someone else who does not follow such etiquette that
I prescribe, but yet operates within the limits of the law perfectly
well.

>Without mutual respect of both ragchewers and DX-chasers
>the life will be hell for both classes (:-).

Absolutely true.  If this is your main point and I am over reacting
to the rest, I completely agree.

Clark WA3JPG
.....................

Clark Savage Turner, Graduate Student Researcher
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WA3JPG, QRP #3526, active on HF, VHF and UHF.
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Newsgroups: rec.radio.amateur.misc