<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-size:large">Fellow members of NCDXA:</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-size:large"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-size:large">The matter of whether Kosovo should be added by the ARRL to the list of DXCC entities has reportedly been passed on the to ARRL DX Advisory Committee (DXAC) for consideration. I had been asked by my good friend, well-known DXpeditioneer Martti Laine, OH2BH, with whom I serve on the Board of Directors of the Yasme Foundation, to send a letter, as President of NCDXA, to the DXAC supporting this step. However, I did not feel comfortable acting on behalf of NCDXA without first consulting our membership.</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-size:large"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-size:large">So I added the matter to the agenda for our meeting on December 16, 2017 where the initiative was approved unanimously by those in attendance. As can be seen in the minutes of that meeting which have been sent to you earlier, I was tasked with composing a letter to be mailed to the DXAC. I have now done so, and I present it here for your information. In case anyone has any suggestions for additions or corrections, I will wait until Friday January 12 before mailing off the letter by USPS post.</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-size:large"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-size:large">The text follows herewith:</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-size:large"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-size:large">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">NATIONAL CAPITOL DX ASSOCIATION<br>
<span> </span>
P. O. BOX 1149<br>
CLINTON, MD 20735-5149<br>
<br>
<br>
Rick Roderick, Esq., President, American Radio Relay League<br>
Dr. Gary Jones, Chairman, ARRL DX Advisory Committee (DXAC)<br>
Chris Shalvoy, Atlantic Division Representative, DXAC<br>
Gary Dixon, Roanoke Division Representative, DXAC <br>
<br>
Dear Sirs:<br>
<br>
The National Capitol DX Association (NCDXA) is an ARRL-affiliated DX club, a
Virginia non-profit corporation and the administrator of the ARRL Third Call
Area Incoming QSL Bureau. Members are located primarily in the greater
Washington, D. C. area.<br>
<br>
It is our understanding that the DXAC is currently tasked with the
responsibility of determining whether Kosovo should be added to the list of
DXCC Entities. At its regular meeting on December 16, 2017 NCDXA members
in attendance voted unanimously to petition the DXAC to add Kosovo to the list
of DXCC Entities. <span> </span>Prior to sending this
letter to you, the draft has been circulated to the entire NCDXA membership via
the club reflector in an effort to make sure all members agree with this
decision, and to provide the membership with a chance to comment and make additions
or corrections to the proposal.<br>
<br>
While we realize that decision about this matter has been delayed in the past
due to the desire not to offend powerful member societies of the International
Amateur Radio Union (IARU) which opposed the addition of Kosovo to the DXCC
Entities list, now that the IARU society members themselves have added the<i> Shoqata e Radio Amatorëve të Kosovës</i>
(SHRAK) to the list of IARU member societies, we believe it is time to add
Kosovo to the list of DXCC Entities.<span> </span>It
should be noted that the web site </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_aircraft_registration_prefixes%20"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_aircraft_registration_prefixes
</span></a><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span> </span>lists Z6 as the aircraft registration prefix
for Kosovo (Kosovo listing right below Jordan on the list). <br>
<br>
Though we understand that most Serbians continue to oppose status as an
independent nation for Kosovo, Serbian President<i> Aleksandar Vučić</i> himself has indicated a willingness to normalize
relations between Serbia and Kosovo. Indeed, Kosovo already has all of
the trappings of an independent nation and in practice functions as such.
Currently the United States and 110 other members of the United Nations
recognize Kosovo as an independent nation.<span>
</span>A number of Radio Amateurs have been licensed by the Kosovo authorities and have
been eager to join the fun on the bands.<span>
</span>Unfortunately the fact that Kosovo has not been recognized as a DXCC
entity causes them to be subject to occasional
abuse on the packet clusters when their call signs are put out there. <br>
<br>
We believe that the addition of Kosovo as a DXCC Entity could be facilitated by
reinstating the former consideration that being a member society of the IARU
in itself qualifies the nation that society represents as eligible for status
as a DXCC Entity.<br>
<br>
Alternatively, the DXAC could specify that any nation appearing on the
Department of State's "Independent States in the World" list at </span><a href="https://www.state.gov/s/inr/rls/4250.htm" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">https://www.state.gov/s/inr/rls/4250.htm</span></a><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""> qualifies that nation to be a DXCC Entity.<br>
<br>
It is our hope that you will give favorable consideration to our request.
Our club has just been shocked by the untimely and tragic death of our former
President David Collingham, K3LP, who was elected to two terms as our leader,
and we would hope that you would keep in mind David’s very active participation
in DXpeditions all over the world as you make your decision. <span> </span><span> </span>Thank
you very much for your time and attention to this matter.<br>
<br>
73, <br>
<br>
Alfred A. "Fred" Laun, K3ZO<br>
President<br>
National Capitol DX Association </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">-------------------------------------------<br></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><br></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">73, Fred, K3ZO <br></span></p>
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