Well, I've had an interesting collection of responses. I do want to thank everyone who bothered to reply, and I think I've pretty much made my decision. But first...
Let's see. I've had a six people tell me just to maximize as much as I can; two suggest that I do them all if the checker is willing and get it all done & over with. I would if I could, but I do belive card checkers have a limit to how many cards they can check at a time (and driving to Newington is not possible right now). You also pay a premium if you submit more than (I think) 120 cards at a time. So putting in for Mixed, Phone, CW, & 5BDXCC all at once just ain't gonna happen. I've had four suggestions to just use Logbook of the World. That's easy enough to do, and LotW shows me with enough credits for Mixed & Phone right now, CW is about 6 confirmations short. But -- again, there's a premium charge to pay, and since I already HAVE the physical cards... not this time. I've had three people question my motives into sending the cards in at all. True, I have the cards, and _I_ know I did it. So maybe it's just a little ego showing through, but I really would like to have the certificates on file (if not on the wall) for my own sake anyway, so why not? Besides, after 35+ years licensed, I think I'm entitled to show off a LITTLE bit! <g> Four people sympathize with my tendencies to procrastinate. I am not alone! Three misunderstood the question and gave me advice on setting goals towards earning DXCC and how I shouldn't try to do it all at once. Oh kay. One person, tongue in cheek I hope, stated that if the group suggested I choice that I later came to regret, he didn't feel that it was fair that the whole reflector would suffer for the harsh feelings that might engender. Hmmmm. And finally one person -- only one! -- Mike W5UC gave me a direct suggestion, that I go for 30 meters single band if I could (alas, the post man was not kind and brought me no cards today, so that won't happen), but otherwise submit for both Mixed & CW at the same time. The decision, though, was finally made through the magic of dBase. I'm going to pull out enough cards for DXCC Mixed, Phone, and 10 Meters. Why? Simple, really. The database shows 166 confirmed on 10 SSB. Now, I also have 197 confirmed on 15 SSB & 195 on 20 SSB, so any of the three would do. But way back when -- so far back I was still married to the first XYL! -- when I realized I had enough cards for DXCC, I also noticed at the time that I had about 90 on 10 meters, so I decided to wait for 10 or 15 more, just to be sure... so 10 would have been my first single band if I hadn't stalled (and at the time, there weren't single band DXCC awards for 20 & 15, as I recall). Now I don't know how long it will take to process the application; I'm hopeful that by getting it in before the 1st of the year, I might have a shot at having the paperwork approved by the end of February. I'm hoping that by then, my last few cards for 30 meters will have shown up, so if the timing works out, I should be presenting cards for 30 M and CW DXCC (1 set, 2 awards!) at the WASHFest hamfest on the last Sunday of the month. If the cards aren't in? Well, the database right now shows exactly 100 confirmed on 40 CW (the only single band with 3 digits confirmed right now), with a few more (FJ!) worked but not yet confirmed, so that's the "backup." Somewhere along the line, I'll also submit the cards for the other HF bands completed. I wonder, though... when I submit the last single band, and have DXCC for all 5 "original" HF bands... will they make me resubmit the 500 cards for 5BDXCC, or just accept the paperwork and the check? I guess I'll find out soon enough! Thanks again to all who replied. 73, ron w3wn -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Ron Notarius W3WN Sent: Saturday, December 22, 2007 11:29 AM To: DX Chat Reflector Subject: [DX-CHAT] Making a List & Checking It Twice... As I've mentioned from time to time, being the master procrastinator that I am, I never did get around to sending in anything towards DXCC. Well, I finally decided enough is enough is enough, and I will be visiting with the local DXCC card checker before the end of the year to finally get off my keister and get it done. Only question is... which set of cards to send? I'd hoped to have my 30 M DXCC completed by now, so that I could send in Mixed, CW, & 30 all at the same time with the same cards. Alas, unless the postal carrier is kind to me today, I'm going to fall about 4 cards shy, so that's out. Regardless, I can send in a set of cards for Mixed, either CW or SSB, or any single band 80/40/20/15/10. I might have single mode on one band, but I haven't filtered the database that tightly yet; if I do, that will probably be "the" candidate to get a "3 for 1" submission. But, assuming that I don't... would you send in for a single mode (which one?) or a single band (which one?)? Thoughts? 73, ron w3wn Subscribe/unsubscribe, feedback, FAQ, problems http://njdxa.org/dx-chat To post a message, DX related items only, dx-chat@njdxa.org This is the DX-CHAT reflector sponsored by the NJDXA http://njdxa.org Subscribe/unsubscribe, feedback, FAQ, problems http://njdxa.org/dx-chat To post a message, DX related items only, dx-chat@njdxa.org This is the DX-CHAT reflector sponsored by the NJDXA http://njdxa.org
