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DXCC
For some hams DXCC is a goal and for others it really doesn't matter. DXCC
stands for DX Century Club and it means that you have worked and confirmed 100
countries. There are 18 separate awards available covering the bands 160 meters
through 2 meters and satellite, plus the DXCC Honor Roll. Rather than list all
the rules here you can go to the ARRL
DX page and read them. The ARRL is the body that administers the DXCC
program.
To qualify for the DXCC program you have to get the QSL cards from the
stations that you work. The QSL card is written proof that you had a contact
with that station, and some cards will have very nice pictures and interesting
information about the location. For the common countries the best way to
exchange QSL cards is to use the QSL Bureaus. In the US you have to be a member
of the ARRL to use the outgoing bureau. Then for $8.00 a pound you can send your
outgoing QSL cards to the ARRL Outgoing bureau and they will send them on to the
bureaus around the world. There are a few countries that don't have a bureau so
you cannot use this method to send cards to them. Check the
ARRL Outgoing QSL page for all
the details.
It will take a while for the cards to start coming to you. Sometimes it takes
a couple years for your card to get to the other station, and then for that
stations card to get back to you. Before that happens you need to send some
SASE's to the person that will sort your cards. Check the
ARRL Incoming QSL page for the
details. You should always keep envelopes on hand with your card sorter so you
can receive your incoming cards. Be patient and they will come. Eventually you
will get cards for all of the common countries, and maybe a few that aren't all
that common.
For other stations, usually in the more rare countries, you will have to go a
different route. For those stations the best choice is to go direct, or mail
your QSL card directly to the station operator or the
QSL Manager if there is one. There are two things that you should include
with your own QSL card when you mail it out, a return SASE for stateside
managers, or an SAE for foreign managers along with some means of
paying the return postage. Usually a couple "green stamps" or US dollars will
pay for return postage from anywhere. You will have to keep an eye on postage
rates from foreign countries to make sure. You can use IRC's which you get at
the post office, but most operators and managers seem to prefer US dollars.
When sending direct DO NOT put anything on the envelope to indicate that the
letter is from a ham. Some places the mail isn't so secure and if it is
suspected that you are sending money to someone it will never arrive. Also,
there are a few places where it is against the law for people to receive money
in the mail, so make sure it is OK before you send it. I will try to find that
information and post it on the page for QSL'ing or the
QSL Managers page.