171 Entities
39 Zones (missed #34)
-----------
210 total
The WWDXC is chalking up some big numbers. Very cool to see the club so active in CQ Marathon. On average the reports I've seen have each individually been north of 200 points -- some even above 300 when they include the Zone counts. Great work!
Right around the new year, a member of the WWDXC posed a question about How Long does it take for Honor Roll?
I put some thought to it and came up with this small story:
In 2018, our family visited Paris. Our son was 16 and we knew that soon his college preparation would occupy his time so this would be our last 'great adventure'. He picked Paris, so.. (twist my arm, right) .. we went.
We went to the usual places - the Louvre was one of them. But there were too many fine museums to see. We saw a dozen or so for the three weeks we stayed in the Latin Quarter (Rue Monge). We were fortunate that because of his education -- he was actually quite well versed in some of the history and at times was our 'docent' as we walked the parquet halls.
The question Rusty asked just a few days ago made me think of a hypothetical scenario -- several masters of painting are assembled together to walk the parquet floor of the Louvre after closing time to discuss each others work. No public in view, just masters in conference as they walk the hall and discuss each others work. Their Honor Roll. In my imagination, I can hear the question posed by one master to another "So, Lenny (Leonardo).. how long did it really take you to work out that smile on Mona?" etc..
To me at least, the work of attaining HL let alone #1 HL is like the work of a master. Serendipity, luck, and determination all playing a role in finding that rare ATNO in the log -- and better still the QSL paper in a stack. But I think there's also a less talked about skill involved and that skill eludes some of us. Sure, we read The Book and we are enamored by the fiction.
The skill involved is probably not as difficult to acquire as one thinks. That's my hope at least. When I started out in 2006, I had absolutely no clue how to do this. No advice, no Elmer, literally just whatever the ARRL Handbook said - it was my only reference. I was not a no-code Extra. I actually took a code-test, albeit a slow one. But the strangeness was being an Extra w/o a single QSO logged. First QSO? a DX -- KH6. Great. But it took 2.5 years to get DXCC. At or around #75 I did find The Book and (not making this up) -- the same weekend after I read it, I worked 11 ATNO in one night. When the ARRL DXCC wall-paper arrived in the mail, I was very proud.
But going from 100 to 210* went a lot easier actually. I sort of knew what to look for and organically the antenna system improved, the power improved and awareness of DX improved. But it all had to take a back-seat for a very long time (2011-1018) while I had a kid to raise and work to do.
During the hiatus from radio, FT-8 happened and I wasn't aware of it until 2020. Now the playing field is a bit more level. To be honest I hate FT-8, but I also love it for what it does - let's me put the ATNO in the book when nothing else works. But, FT-8 has been a useful foil -- FT8WW couldn't be worked on FT-8 (too many callers, maelstrom of signal), so I worked them on CW 15m almost immediately.
This leads me to my final point -- it's really remarkable how we look at DXCC HL -- I have the sheet in front of me -- the print-out I made of what I need to do -- my list of entities that I need to work. I made the list in April 2023. 15 of the entities on that paper list are now crossed off. There is now almost a direct correspondence to the News Letter announcement for stations planning to QRV and my need-list. Like ET3AA, etc.. The jog from 210 to 330 is going to be a rough one. The CQ Marathon only proves the point that in a few months (weeks, days even) someone could chalk up DXCC.
At this rate, with 15-20 ATNO per year (a conservative number given my work-schedule and role of Dad of College Student) -- it could be perhaps as early as 2026 to 2029 -- kind of around the time I can retire and hang up the spurs.
When the masters make their way through the halls, and discuss their work -- remember that the students on the side are hopeful to hear and watch and learn. At least in this club that seems to be the pattern. Thank goodness.
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