A CQ Exclusive: Amateur Operators Worldwide Await First Republic of Uzupis Operation

Lauton Institute, Grossmaul-an der Donau, Austria

Anyone who chases DX — and that’s a significant proportion of the world’s amateur radio population — knows the creation and recognition of a “new” country for contest and award purposes is a significant event for the international ham radio community. But what is a country? The original DXCC List, as we will see, was created for the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) by Clinton B. DeSoto, W1CBD (SK), and first published in 1937. DeSoto always maintained “countries” should be distinct geographic and political entities that DXers seek to contact. That said, some argue the counting of reefs barely above water at high tide stretches credulity. Whatever your position, at the least this tells us that we, as DXers and contesters, are running out of countries. So, it is with great excitement and anticipation I share with you our good professor’s findings in the matter of the Republic of Uzupis. –W2VU

Just about every DXer is familiar with the many contests and awards sponsored by such organizations as CQ and the ARRL in the United States, as well as virtually every national amateur radio organization