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To complete the historical record of DXCC Rules evolution, copies of the ARRL DXCC Rules as published in certain editions of the ARRL DXCC Country List booklet are still needed. Full rule texts for the following years have not yet been located: 195419571958196...

A Simple Topband Upgrade That Made a Big Difference By Bill N6WS So where do I start? The need for a new 160-meter antenna began when I replaced my Cushcraft X-9 and X-940 with a SteppIR DB36. Prior to installing the DB36, I had been using a quarter-wave slope...

How the Phasing System Works A phased vertical system uses two or more antennas spaced apart and fed with controlled phase relationships. When the signals from the antennas combine in space, they reinforce in some directions and cancel in others. The result is...

Tree line / pasture Vertical #1 Vertical #2 MA-160V MA-160V | | | | | | ...

1. Verticals Work on 160mEven a modest vertical can dramatically outperform compromise antennas on Topband. 2. Bandwidth MattersCombining antennas using tuned 75-Ohm coax can narrow bandwidth more than expected. 3. Stagger Tuning HelpsTuning antennas slightly ...

What began as a simple attempt to replace a sloper turned into a much more interesting Topband project. The phased vertical system is still relatively simple, but it has already transformed my experience on 160 meters. Instead of treating Topband as a place to...

Updated October 8, 2026 By Bill Shell, N6WS The central question is not whether ARRL should exist. It should. The question is whether ARRL can modernize quickly enough, openly enough, and convincingly enough to remain not merely necessary, but inspiring. A Us...

Transparency, Participation, and Accountability By Bill Shell, N6WS ARRL faces many of the same challenges confronting other long-established membership organizations: attracting new members, retaining existing members, encouraging volunteers, and convincing ...

Why I Proposed a Participation and Progressive Engagement Framework Through LoTW By Bill Shell, N6WS DXCC remains one of amateur radio's most respected operating achievements, but the path into the program is not always obvious to a newer operator. Today, ma...