All Freeband DX groups have rules; a set of laws which regulate the behaviour of members in accordance with what the headquarters of that group see as essential to the image and prosperity of the group. Some groups, however, are more rigid than others in their expectations and edicts around what members can and cannot do. Others exist at the other end of the scale — with no obvious behaviour limitations in place to govern the performance of those associated with the group or a tendency to turn a blind eye to conduct that, at the very least, can be described controversial.

Let the questions be asked the, “What are the rules of your radio group or organisation? Have you ever broken one of these rules knowingly or unknowingly?” Given the variety of rule systems in place in our DX Community which fall at different points on the severity continuum, the world’s most comprehensive online DX magazine for Freeband buffs, 11m DX Activities Oz’, with the help and unbiased analysis of our Users, will put the rules of our many DX Groups under the microscope. The purpose of this analysis is to not only quash rumours and innuendo about the policing operations of groups which comprise our community but also to provide an edification for existing members of those groups as well as potential or future ones.

The first group off the rank is arguably the Kingpin of them all…Alfa Tango.

Alfa Tango Rules by AT HQ (As provided to ‘11m DX Activities Oz’)

Warning: These Rules are valid for all AT Divisions without exception.

RULE 1: One callsign only MUST be used

For the Alfa Tang Group the Eleven Meters is a band, and like Hams on their bands, only one call must be used for DX. In certain circumstances (e.g. for local chat with friends), a ‘Mickey Mouse’ call (CB Handle) can be used. This does not include the callsign of another group to which you may belong or your original callsign before AT. Your Alfa Tango callsign must be used for the call and QSO. Offenders will be subject to three disciplinary actions.

* First offence — Suspension from the AT Group for one year
* Second offence — Expulsion
* For the activation of an SES, DX Expedition, or rare country with a another call — Immediate Expulsion

Co-ordinators and Directors must send to Headquarters in Asti a detailed report of single verified offences so that they can be dealt with immediately.

RULE 2: 100% AT

All Directors and Officials of Alfa Tango must be 100% AT. No involvement with other group's activities (eg. Field Day work, DXpeditions, website design etc) are permitted. Furthermore, no AT member can be an official of another group.

RULE 3: No divides

The Alfa Tango Group is NOT a federation of Clubs or Divisions. When someone becomes a member they are part of the Group as a whole, not as a member in a particular state, region or province, or even a member of Italy, Germany and USA and so on. They are in fact a member of the Alfa Tango Group Worldwide and all members share the same respects and rights.

RULE 4: No New QSL and Mail Managers

There will be no more new appointments of QSL Managers from 1994. This service will be entrusted to 1AT024 Saverio and his team. The ‘Team’ is formed by members who can prove that they have the spare time and financial status to do the work, and have not less than 5 years’ membership. More collaborators in the future with the increase in propagation will be added to this team although no more than 10 will come under the supervision of 1AT024 Saverio.

A QSL Manager is some who receives the log of a station, and sends QSLs on his behalf. If the QSL Manager does not receive logs or cards, or for any other reason cannot return a QSL in the normal manner, he will, after a period of not less than 90 days, send a card without information and enclose a note of explanation.

A Mail Manager is someone who forwards mail to a station who has difficulty in receiving mail in the normal way and is only like a PO Box. He cannot ask for contributions to forward QSLs received.

RULE 5: Only use AT Group band (This is not to be confused with the term "11 Metre Band")

The Operating frequency allocation for the AT group is 26.965 MHz — 27.855 MHz inclusive. The allocated group CW/RTTY/SSTV frequency is 27.410 MHz. Only QSL cards for phone contacts are permitted for awards, contests, upgrading etc. Any QSL cards bearing information outside of these frequencies are not acceptable for awards, contests, upgrading etc.

The AT Group totally disassociates itself from Packet Radio, RTTY and SSTV. Members must not use their AT call, image or pass any AT information via these modes. Penalty is suspension after 1 warning letter.

RULE 6: No callsign on envelope

Use only plain envelopes without Club Logos or stickers. Do NOT write the callsign of the station, or your own, on the envelope. Not every country has legal SSB CB and this has resulted in many PO Boxes being closed and the operators prosecuted for illegal use of their radios. Never send the QSL in an open envelope or one with a clear window so that it can be seen from the outside.

RULE 7: No QSL Managerialship allowed for non-AT events

No member is allowed to be QSL Manager/Mail Manager for any Non-AT member, DX Expedition or SES. Any such behaviour will incur immediate suspension or expulsion for a second offence.

In instances where a PO Box is shared, a non-AT must say, "I share the same PO Box with **AT**" but not "**AT** is my Mail Manager".

RULE 8: No unlawful use of AT logo for profit

No member shall make profit from the Group by making and selling materials bearing the Alfa Tango Logo without permission. Offenders are liable for immediate suspension or expulsion for a second offence.

RULE 9: Professional QSL cards only

From 1995 for any Official Alfa Tango card to be valid, the operator’s qrz/details on the front must be professionally overprinted. Writing in biro or pen or left blank is not acceptable and such cards are not valid for confirmation of contact. We ask that you please return QSL cards of this type to the sender. (Professionally printed labels or stickers or stamp may be acceptable)

ALL QSL Managers MUST return invalid cards, without a card, using the contribution received for postage, otherwise the position as QSL manager will be deleted.

Permission must be sought from Asti via Country Headquarters before any Personal /Region /State /District QSL card is produced. A sample of the intended card must be submitted with the application and when printed must show "Approved by Asti" on them. The card can be regarded as valid if no reply has been received from Asti HQ after 30 days of receipt (only in the case of a non-valid card will HQ reply).

These Non-Flag cards must not contain provision for writing radio reports and cannot be used for the sole confirmation of a qso, but must be accompanied by an official card. Offenders are liable for immediate suspension or expulsion for a second offence.

All financial members can use GRI AT logos free of charge, after Asti permission.

Any awards, contest results, upgrading etc. must be based on QSL cards bearing the claimants AT QRZ. Only cards dated before joining the group with a non—AT call-sign can be considered. Nautical stations and Oil Rigs are not valid as a country confirmation. QSL cards from these can only count towards the Marine Mobile award.

Islands in rivers and lakes are not valid towards the IOTA award. Such Islands must be activated using the suffix IWI (Inland Waterways Island). The contact with boats on rivers and lakes are only valid for the Province.

Members who participate in SES, AT—DX etc and receive progressive numbers must send a QSL. For 10 offences, one year of suspension without warning is incurred.

RULE 10: Do NOT ask for contribution

No member, regardless of whether or not they live in a most wanted country, may ask for a contribution, or mention the word “dollar” on the radio in return for a QSL card. Rather, it is left to the common sense of every good AT member to decide the justification of sending one voluntarily to a fellow member who may live in such a location that they are subjected to a large amount of requests for QSL cards every time they operate their radio. After 1 warning letter, offenders face suspension and for a further offence expulsion.

Any such member who is subjected to a large expense for QSLs may make a statement along the following lines. "Dear friend, please excuse me but I have a big economic problem to respond to you. Please limit this contact to a QSO only because if you send me a QSL card then it will place me in a difficult position.”

DXpeditions and SES may use the phrase "standard contribution required" and may explain to non—AT that this means $1 or 2 x IRCs (For SES, now changed to 1 IRC, or if in the same country SASE). Again, discretion should be used for countries where IRCs are not acceptable.

RULE 11: No Sponsoring Members

Do not sponsor members into the group. If they cannot afford to join, how can they afford to send QSL cards or renew the following year? It is not acceptable for organisers of DXpeditions and SES to ask for sponsorship. If you do not have the "Financial Status" to carry out an event then stay at home. Only the AT Logo must appear on the QSL cards and Log.

RULE 12: No Unofficial Blacklists Allowed

The only Official Group Black List Manager is 1AT028 Salvatore. Countries may appoint a black list manager for the purpose of co-ordinating their country’s reports. This is an internal divisional appointment will not appear in the directory.

The Black list rules are:

a) If a station does not reply with 90 days, a reminder must be sent giving details of the QSO.
b) If the station then does not reply within a similar period, then a report, containing all the relevant information, regarding date of QSO with radio report, date of sending QSL, date of sending reminder, should be forwarded to the Black List Manager, 1AT028 Salvatore or your country's black list manager. (Members on Internet may send direct, in the format laid down by Salvatore). Salvatore compiles a Black List annually for inclusion in the only official 11 news, which is the Italian one.

RULE 13: No Contest Operations within 27.500 MHz and 27.600 MHz

With the exception of the World Contest, all contests including National and Bilateral, must take place outside of the band 27.500 MHz to 27.600 MHz inclusive. It is permitted to call on 27.555 MHz and then QSY outside of the band limit.

Only single operators can use cards received for contacts during the contest for upgrading, awards etc.

RULE 14: SES Approval required

The Alfa Tango QRZ for an SES must be applied for and approved by Asti Headquarters. As for DXpeditions, from 1997 only 5 per country are allowed and must be of Historic or Radio significance. Please do not request authorisation to commemorate wars or attacks etc. (Independence Days are OK) as these will not be approved. Furthermore, there are to be no SES to raise money for charity funds by asking for contributions. Maximum contribution for all SES is 1 IRC, or if in the same country SASE (SAE).

A new QSL card cannot be counted as SES. Team leaders of SES in rare countries and DXpeditions must send the Log of the event within 90 days to 1AT410 Paolo or one of his team otherwise the event will not be validated and deleted from the list. Other SES must be validated by the country's Director/Coordinator and information sent to Asti Headquarters. From January 1 2000, an SES must not last more than 96 hours but may be spread over 2 weekends or midweek days.

RULE 15: Follow the Chain of Command

To ease the work load on Asti HQ which is always busy, it is imperative that self governing divisions continue to operate smoothly and that members adhere to the correct lines of communication (i.e. Director, Country Co-ordinator). Do not send letters of complaint or requests to Asti directly as they will be returned to the sender’s Country HQ. This also applies to e-mail.

RULE 16: Rules for the forming of and running of a Club Station (000)

a) The QRZ for the club station must be obtained from Asti HQ
b) There must be one named operator who is responsible for the correct running of the station
c) There must be a minimum of three operators present before the club call sign can be activated
d) An accurate log must be kept using the progressive number system — even if QSL cards are not to be exchanged. The log must be signed by at least three of the operators present.
e) No money or International Reply Coupons are to be requested for qsl cards
f) Contacts obtained via the club station cannot be used for personal awards or upgrading by the operators
g) A record of the number of times the club station is activated and the total number of contacts is to be made available to HQ at renewal time each year
h) A club station callsign is issued only on the understanding that it represents a special Alfa Tango station and the highest level of operating quality is expected from all who use the station. This is to be the responsibility of the member named as the person responsible for the correct running of the station.
i) These rules may be amended at any time without prior notice by Asti HQ

RULE 17: Applying for Membership

* Divisions with more than 100 members require that the applicant must have 100 DXCC countries worked and confirmed in the last two years. This means that the oldest QSO must have been made almost 24 months before the request of enrolment.

* Divisions with more than 50 members require that the applicant must have 50 DXCC countries worked and confirmed in the last four years. This means that the oldest QSO must have been made almost 48 months before the request of enrolment.

* Membership is also available if the applicant has 500 QSO confirmed by QSL with Alfa Tango stations. (No time or country limit).

RULE 18: Courtesy

It is not allowable for any member to refuse to make a QSO with a courteous AT or Non-AT for any reason. Co-ordinators and Directors must send to Asti Headquarters a detailed report of single verified offences to be dealt with.

Courtesy should be used on the radio at all times and the following points observed:

a) Don't repeat on the radio the QSL address that appears in the directory as some countries have monitoring stations
b) Only say the callsign once to make contact. During the QSO repeat only the unit number without club’s name
c) Don't repeat the name of the country
d) Don't use "555" for QSO
e) Don't use maximum power as you can give QRM to others
f) When calling a SES or DX station, do not use his QRZ. He knows who he is. Listen after the contact for the station to give QSL information. Do not interrupt a QSO by asking for it
g) After making contact with a SES or DXpedition, send your QSL as soon as possible, and no later than 30 days after the contact, in order for the QSL manager to estimate how many cards to be printed
h) Do not cause QRM on 555 by whistling and shouting to tune your radio or amplifier. Please note that Rule 19 is not a rule, but general guidance for the "Code of Conduct" expected of AT Members

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73 de Admin