[amsat-bb] Re: ISS Not A Satellite

[Wayne Estes]

Cathryn Mataga wrote:

ARRL should recognize the ISS as a country.  That would
stir up the pot.  If Scarborough reef is a country, then why can't
the ISS be a country?

Wayne replies:

Contacts with ISS don't count for any DXCC awards, same as maritime 
mobile contacts.  I also wish that the DXCC program recognized the ISS 
(or perhaps ANY ham station in orbit) as a DXCC entity.  One reason is 
that I have the ISS confirmed and most top DXers don't!  But if ISS was 
a DXCC entity, there would be an "arms race" of top DXers trying to make 
contacts.  The pileups wouldn't be much fun for the astronauts or most 
satellite enthusiasts.

Cross-band contacts are NOT allowed for DXCC.  So if the ISS ham station 
ever makes regular contacts with separate uplink and downlink bands (as 
proposed by WB4APR), that would automatically be excluded from the 
"regular" DXCC.

Wayne Estes W9AE
Oakland, Oregon, USA, CN83ik
DXCC totals: 317 mixed (terrestrial), 128 satellite