[amsat-bb] Re: [fieldops] Re: Re: ISS a Satellite or an airplane?

[Wayne Estes]

The ISS orbits at an altitude of 320-347 km.  The DXCC rules specify 
that an island is a separate DXCC entitity if it is separated from other 
land masses by more than 350 km.  Water is not the same as atmosphere 
and space, but the ARRL might be inclined to apply the same separation 
rule to the ISS, meaning that the ISS does not qualify as a separate 
DXCC entity.

I have a confirmed voice contact with the ISS, so I wish that ham 
stations in space would qualify as a separate DXCC entity.  But there 
are very practical reasons why the ARRL should never grant an orbiting 
ham station status as a separate DXCC entity.  If it happens, it would 
be virtually impossible for anybody to make a contact with the ISS. 
Thousands of well-equipped and very determined top DXers would suddenly 
be competing to make a contact.  AMSAT would be wasting its time 
petitioning the ARRL to grant the ISS status as a DXCC entity.

But I think AMSAT could prevail upon the ARRL to allow ISS digipeater 
and crossband repeater contacts (between two earth stations) to qualify 
as satellite contacts.  ARRL is correct in categorizing voice contacts 
with astronauts as equivalent to aeronautical/maritime mobile contacts 
which do not qualify for any DXCC entity.

Wayne Estes W9AE
Oakland, Oregon, USA, CN83ik