Welcome to the DXCC program. Your services as a volunteer card checker is greatly appreciated by both the program participants and the DXCC desk. Your service is part of a long history of the DXCC program which stands on top in excellence as the number one award program in ham radio today.
THE FIELD CHECKING PROGRAM
The Card Checking program is a membership service. It is designed to provide a service where participants can bring their cards to you and have them checked, and returned, quickly. Also, if the need arises to mail cards, sending them to you will guarantee a quick return of the cards to them while the paperwork is handled by DXCC. As presently configured, the main purpose of this service is to make it easier for ARRL members to apply for DXCC membership, and as a recruiting tool to help recruit new Dx'ers and provide a continuing service to current program participants.
It is important that the integrity of this most prestigious of all Amateur Radio award programs be maintained. Your service will help us maintain this integrity.
THE RULES
This guide and the DXCC Rules will describe the procedures for your card checking activities. Please remember that the spirit of the rules assures every applicant equal, fair and consistent treatment. That's why it's important that everyone involved in the DXCC program, in the field and at ARRL, follow these rules.
We expect you to:
. Treat applicants fairly and consistently
. Maintain high ethical standards
. Forward paperwork to us promptly
. Seek our assistance when you have a question
You can expect us
to:
. Appreciate your efforts
. Answer your questions
. Provide reference materials and instructions
. Handle any questionable card or application that's sent to us
. Inform you (and applicant) of errors or discrepancies encountered
Included with these guidelines,
is a copy of the ARRL DXCC List. It is the publication which is a must for all
program participants as it contains the latest rules, application form and DXCC
list and it is a valuable reference. In it you'll find a copy of the complete
DXCC list of entities both current and deleted. This is one publication you
should become really familiar with.
Entities Eligible For
Card Checking
All current entities on the DXCC list are eligible for card checking. Deleted entities are not eligible and must be sent to ARRL. (In a separate submission). Also ineligible are 160 meter contacts and contacts older than 10 calendar years of the year you are checking an application. (ie: If you check an application in 2001, contacts made before January 1, 1991 are not eligible. Cards not eligible for field checking must be sent to ARRL and cannot be sent along with an application checked by you. The applicant can opt to send the entire submission to ARRL if they wish. Also, ineligible cards, if sent to ARRL, are NOT considered part of the field checked application. They are considered a separate submission.
During checking, if a card appears altered it should be rejected. Applicants can challenge this decision to the DXCC desk. Do not enter into a dispute over this with an applicant.
Also, make sure all handwritten forms are legible. If you have a problem reading entries, chances are so will we. If necessary, assist the applicant if an application needs to be done over.
Who May Use The Field Checking Program?
Anyone may have cards field checked. A $10 fee is required for all new, first-time applicants only. This fee includes a certificate and DXCC pin for one award only. Each additional award requested (an applicant may qualify for several awards on their first submission) will require a $10 handling fee per award. All award fees include a certificate and lapel pin. After the first 120 QSO's (not cards) a $0.15 per QSO fee is charged. Fees should be collected by check, money order or credit card and forwarded to ARRL with the application. Enclosed is a fee sheet which will assist you. DXCC rule 15 covers fees in detail.
All US applicants are required to be members of the ARRL. You can take the applicant's word on membership, we'll confirm this at HQ.
Which DXCC awards are included?
You may check cards for the all DXCC awards, and endorsements, noted on the application form. They include:
. Mixed
. Phone
. CW
. RTTY
. Satellite
. 80 Meter
. 40 Meter
. 20 Meter
. 17 Meters
. 15 Meter
. 10 Meter
. 6 Meter
. 2 Meter
There are currently no certificates for 12 meters, however, this will be added in the future.
There is no award or endorsement for 30 Meters (10 MHz), however, an applicant may use these towards a Mixed, CW or RTTY award.
Important note: 160 meter cards may NOT be checked.
All contacts must have been made from the same DXCC entity. Several prefixes such as KH2, KP2, KP4, KL7, and a host of others are separate DXCC entities. Entities confirmed from one of these are not acceptable for a DXCC application in the 48 contiguous states. At the same time, an application from a KH6 for example, cannot include cards for contacts made from the mainland, KH2, or KH7. With the mobility of this country's residents, and a current trend toward obtaining or keeping a callsign from out of the contiguous 48 states as a "vanity call," it is important to know the difference.
THE PROCESS
The applicant is responsible for getting cards to and from you. You may, if you choose, handle QSLs by mail. In that case, applicants are responsible for all costs. ARRL does not provide reimbursement for out of pocket expenses. (ARRL is not responsible for the cards you handle and will not honor any claims.) UPS, registered mail and some others provide for claims for items lost in the mail.
Applicants should deliver to you a completed application, QSL cards for each entity claimed must be in the same order as listed on the form. The required order is by band first, then by mode. Cards must not be arranged alphabetically. Also, a check or money order made out to ARRL and a business-sized envelope addressed to ARRL is the applicants responsibility. Credit card is OK for payment.
Remember, you, not the applicant are responsible for sending checked applications to ARRL. Applications returned to an applicant after checking are considered invalid
Applications must be forwarded to ARRL within 48 hours or 2 working days, after completion. Also, it is recommended that you keep a copy of this paperwork in case the original is lost in the mail. If, for some reason, you cannot send applications within this timeframe, conatct DXCC and advise us and why. Applicants often call or lookup the receipt status. If they do not see their application they will call and ask why.
Step One
Make sure the front page of the application form is completed and is printed or typed legibly. A form not completed may cause unnecessary delays while some information needs to be checked. The applicant is responsible for filling it out correctly, but you should assist the applicant, if necessary. There are places for both you and the applicant to sign near the bottom. Applications not signed by you will need to be held until we verify who the card checker is. This is required. The address shown in the address block is where all paperwork and certificates will be sent. Applicants are required to list cards first by band, then by mode. Cards with multiple QSO's must be together in a group of their own, either at the beginning or the end. It's not necessary to sort cards alphabetically. A list from a special database or word processor may be used, but the format MUST match the DXCC application form exactly. If it does not, assist the applicant to complete it correctly.
Please obtain a green pen. You will need it to make corrections or notations, if needed. Often, prefixes have multiple selections and it is important that the entity name from the card is exactly what is shown on the form. If not, DXCC may reject it.
Step Two
You are now ready for the verification process. It is best that you are set up in a comfortable spot where you will not be distracted. You must see the card and verify it against the entry on the form. Applicants cannot read the card to you while you check. You must handle everything. You must see the card and not accept an applicant's word if a card is not there. PHOTOCOPIES ARE STRICTLY PROHIBITED. However, very often the sender of a card will make a photocopy of their card, but they will write or type the QSO information or place an original label on the card. This is OK, but cards where the QSO data or the label has also been photocopied, are not acceptable.
If a card is missing for an entity you are checking, allow the applicant to search for it. If they cannot produce it, it must be rejected.
To reject an entry, draw a green line across the entire line. Also, make a note on the form as to why it was rejected. If you check cards with multiple QSOs and some QSOs are not listed, verify this with the applicant. Advise them that if they include all QSOs the card will never need to be submitted again for other credit. (It is also possible that the applicant may already have credit for the missing QSO because they received it in a prior submission).
Short Wave Listener (SWL) cards are not good for DXCC. These may be shown as someone with an odd looking callsign acknowledging a contact between 2 hams. You may not see too many of these, but they do show up now and then. (eg: UA0 123 098 and F-349374 etc)
QSL cards or other "written confirmation" may be used for field checked confirmations. This means the traditional card or the applicant's card with a note written on it confirming the contact and signed by the DX operator or QSL manager. Occasionally, the sender might not have a card to send so they write a letter. This is OK but it must contain all the necessary QSO data. Do not accept the applicant's word for which entity a card should count. Verify that the card states the entity as shown on the DXCC list. If it does not, make the correction as needed. If there is a problem, reject the card from the list and suggest that the card be sent to ARRL with a letter of explanation, and DXCC will review it.
After you've checked all cards, initial and date every page of the application. Make sure the number of QSOs you checked matches the number in the section provided on the front page of the application form. Make corrections if needed.
Applicant's Call Sign
While checking the cards against the list, make sure the applicant's call appears on each card. Most of us have had more than one call in our amateur career. If the applicant is submitting cards acquired under more than one call, all calls the applicant has held must appear on cards submitted, and the old calls must be shown on the front of the application under the block Ex-calls. Remember, they must all be from the same DXCC entity. When cards for an ex-call are included and the call is not listed, have the applicant write that call on the application form. If, for some reason, they do not do this then cards under the questionable callsign must be rejected. Taking their word on other callsigns is OK, this is checked in the computer.
If an applicant requests a replacement certificate for a new callsign, there is a $10 fee and the lapel pin is included.
Problem Cards
Almost everyone who participates in the DXCC award has a problem with a card at one time or another. This is where your judgement will determine the outcome. You have the right to reject any card that appears altered. Applicants may challenge your decision, but only to DXCC. Do not get into disputes over this. Also, remember, that we often we see cards where the sender may have changed their callsign, this is normally OK if it is the same DXCC entity. If there is ever any question on this, contact DXCC. Keep in mind that when you reject a card for an alteration you are not accusing any one in particular. Judgement is not done on who alters a card, but altered cards are not acceptable under basic rule 11.
However, if a change in QSO information does not look like the same pen or handwriting of the sender you must reject it. Applicants may still challenge this to DXCC. The applicants callsign shown on the card must match exactly. If it is different in any way it must be rejected. (ie: WA1ABC is not the same as WA1BCA etc). Also, the callsign of both the sender and the applicant must be on the card. Required QSO information for DXCC verification is: Both callsigns, complete date, band, mode and DXCC entity name as it appears on the official DXCC List. When checking cards against the application make sure all fields match exactly from left to right across the page. Often, we receive checked applications where the callsign does not match the entity. Check everything slowly and carefully, you should have plenty of time.
The computer will screen dates, bad operations, etc. Valid operations will be determined by ARRL. If an applicant shows you their log entry for confirmation, this is not acceptable.
If you aren't sure of a card, you are perfectly within your rights as a Card Checker to decline to accept it. Draw a line through that entry on the list. The applicant has the right to challenge any card to DXCC, and should be encouraged to do so. Your responsibility is only to verify that the information on the sheet matches the card(s) exactly. If you suspect fraud or cheating, contact DXCC as soon as you can.
Awarding Entity Credits
Granting entity credits for all DXCC applications is done only at ARRL. Let applicants know that you are only checking the cards, not awarding credits.
Audits
We may ask to see any or all cards from any applicant, if only for quality control purposes. We do perform random audits. The rules require us to do that.
If you think an application has problems, please contact us. Since ARRL has the right to review applications and inspect cards, you may want to recommend that we audit some or all of the cards from an application.
First Time Applicants
The first time applicant must present at least 100 acceptable cards for a DXCC certificate. Don't forward new DXCC applications with less than 100 credits. If there are less than 100 cards, do not check the application. Suggest that the applicant either wait until they receive at least 100 cards eligible for the program, or that they send all of the cards to DXCC. DXCC members may present fewer cards for endorsements. Also, applicants once in the DXCC program, may submit cards to build towards other future awards. The things people submit, and why, can vary greatly. Sometimes it may not make sense as to why they are submitting certain things. It is OK as long as it meet the basic checking criteria. The minimum limit only applies to first-time applicants. (ie: An applicant comes to you with 101 cards. One card is for a CW contact, the rest are phone and all are for 10 Meters. The applicant wants mixed, phone, and 10 meter awards. If all cards are accepted, there should be no problem. However, if one of the phone cards is rejected for some reason, the request for the phone award should be struck out. (The applicant can submit a single card to HQ at a later date to receive the phone DXCC award.)
If the CW card in the example was defective, no problem. A mixed DXCC can be issued even if all the QSOs were made on phone (or CW).
Under no circumstances should cards be forwarded with any application. If some of the cards are not eligible for field checking, they must be sent to DXCC as an endorsement at a later time, or, the applicant may send the entire application to DXCC.
THANKS!
You can be proud of the service you are providing to fellow amateur. Thanks to you and other DXCC Card Checkers, the program will continue to operate smoothly and with the highest level of integrity. Future plans call for being able to submit applications electronically. When this is ready, you will be notified and DXCC will explain the process. This will be one of the best services you will be providing as it will eliminate the need for the costly and time consuming data entry of the submitted data. Thanks for your efforts and please feel free to contact us if you have any problems, question and, yes, suggestions you feel may enhance the program even more.
Contacting the DXCC Desk
If you should have any questions about any aspect of the program, contact us. You don't have to sign off any application on the spot. If you want to talk to us first, ask the applicant to come back or to submit the cards directly to DXCC.
Ways of contacting HQ DXCC desk:
Telephone - (860)594-0234
FAX - (860)594-0259
Internet - dxcc@arrl.org
Hours:8 AM to 5 PM Eastern
US time Mon-Fri
DXCC Web Site: www.arrl.org/awards/dxcc