Amateur News User Society
NEWINGTON, CN (April 1, 2018)
At their January board meeting,
the AARL directors, together with the DXXC advisory committee has
determined that all FT8 mode QSOs are invalid for DXXC awards.
The board stated "we have decided
that FT8 is not a valid Amateur Radio mode, and have voted to strike all the
QSOs that have been submitted for DXXC awards. We are still discussing
the validity of other 'computer' modes, including JT65, JT9, RTTY and PSK-31,
which may eventually be removed."
There was some dissent among the
directors. Hiram Longbottom KC4ZZQ said
"the DXXC advisory committee originally intended to invalidate all modes
except for CW and AM Phone, but we convinced those old-timers that Single
Sideband was a valid mode for DXXC awards," shortly before he was removed
from the room after likening the macro infested modes to saved CW playback
using a computer or buttons on a rig.
All FT8 DXXC records in the World
Logbook will be removed, effective immediately. Amateurs, who have
received DXXC awards, including certificates and plaques, are asked to return
them, postage due, to the League immediately.
When contacted, FT8 designer Joe
Tailor KT1JT stated "this is a sad day for FT8 operators and robots in
general."