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[The following comments were made by Clinton B. DeSoto, W1CBD, Assistant to the Secretary, ARRL. They are transcribed from his "I.A.R.U. News" column on page 49 of the December, 1935, issue of QST. The text was converted to HTML by Tim Totten, N4GN, n4gn@n4gn.com. A text-only version of this document is also available. Used with permission, copyright © ARRL.] DX Score:W4EG's DX scoring system proposed on page 41 of the October issue of QST, has aroused appreciable comment, both pro and con. The general consensus of opinion seems to be that it is a good system, but that it has its faults -- these being primarily matters of definition, like all the rest of these DX problems. In view of the generally favorable reception of the suggestion, we are pursuing the matter to the additional extent of umpiring a few of the questions that have been raised and suggesting some uniform solutions. The principal objection to the system, which, it will be remembered, comprises the counting of districts worked, as indicated by prefix sub-divisions, seems to be that not all numerals following prefixes indicate geographical divisions. Countries where this is true are: Algeria (FA), Argentina (LU), Bolivia (CP), Dominican Republic (HI), Egypt (SU), Great Britain (G), Guatemala (TG), Hungary (HAF), Iraq (YI), Irish Free State (EI), Norway (LA), Panama (HP), Paraguay (ZP), Poland (SP), Uruguay (CX), and Venezuela (YV). Under the present call assignment systems in these countries, only one point can be claimed for each country in the DX Score. Information concerning other countries where these conditions apply is requested. A number of other, less obvious, points have been brought up. Among these is the status of such calls as W10, VE6, VE9, etc. Since the DX Score is based on geographical coverage, these prefixes fall into the same category as above, and do not count. Ships at sea, it would seem, cannot logically be counted, considerable discussion of this point having evolved no reasonable ruling. In South Africa, the prefixes ZS, ZT and ZU are regarded as identical, only the numerals being counted, giving a total of six districts. NY1 and NY2, being irregular amateur prefixes, it seems can best be combined with K5 to give one point to the Canal Zone. We wish again to emphasize that the DX Score system is offered only as a suggestion, in the interests of uniformity. Its use or non-use, adaptation or modification, is strictly up to the individual. But it does offer an interesting and sporting new DX goal to shoot at. Further comment is solicited.
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