Written by: RS 1175 (Florida, USA) e-mail:

Original story published in the April 2000 issue of Sporadic Waves


DX Gone Crazy? International DX on the eleven meter free-band is there

for the taking just about everyday on sideband. AM is also giving up
rare contacts. But one of the better known frequencies for
international DX contacts, 27.555 USB, once a jewel of pleasant
listening and international contacts, has unfortunately deteriorated
rapidly over the last few months, morphing itself into a vile
cesspool, spewing forth all it's bile and waste, due to a small,
intellectually-challenged, rapid group of angry, self-loathing and
pathetic operators who have taken it upon themselves to take up a
permanent-like residential status there, and in the process,
completely abdicated any civil, polite conversation.

27.555 has long been an international world wide contact frequency.
Standard protocol has always dictated one makes a contact and QSY's to

another frequency for their conversation, thus leaving the call
frequency open at all times for contacts. This small but nefarious
group is attempting to jam, interfere, and prevent any DX contacts
from being made on frequency. In case you haven't listened in on 555
as of late, the frequency has literally become a key down fest with
language that one would be embarrassed to hear in the company of
children, while only those blowing ridiculous amounts of power are
being heard. Some incredibly rare and difficult DX contacts have
effectively been nullified because so many operators are choosing to
fight fire with fire....in other words, many are pumping up their
wattage rather than surrender the frequency. While I can somewhat
empathize with the operators who are attempting to defend this bit of

DX space, especially the ones who are located outside of the U.S. and

are permitted to transmit there, I can't seem to shake the old adage
that keeps playing in my mind, "If you are not part of the solution,
you are part of the problem."

Power wars are not going to solve anything. The frequency has so much

trash on it that it is already beginning to sound like the frequencies

many have attempted to elude. While 27.555 used to be an everyday stop

during my channel surfing activities, it no longer is. Oh, I
occasionally flip there in hopes that the channel may somehow have
become civilized again, but as soon as I hear the hate and discontent,

I no longer have the patience to listen for a far off exotic station
just to have them get keyed on as they give the frequency they are
QSYing to. It is easier to change the frequency.

Other operators around the world are also gravitating to nearby and
other frequencies. In the last 2 weeks, I have heard France, Italy,
Germany, the U.K., and Holland comment on what a sad state 27.555 has

become due to the selfish and inconsiderate actions of a few. 27.415
to 27.595 is yielding great DX. It appears that operators are still
making their contacts, they are just working a little harder to get
them. Instead of relying strictly on 555, many long time ops who USED

to utilize that frequency exclusively are found hovering close by.
Since January, I have counted no less than 30 countries on frequencies

close to 555. While 38 LSB(27.385) continues to be a productive DX
channel, it mirrors 555 in language, harassment and abuse. Not
surprisingly, the perpetrators on 38 claim the same geographical
locale as the offenders on 555, which is more than likely true, as I
noticed that when the skip conditions begin to fade from the
blathering idiots on 555, the same occurs on 38.














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