DXing is a self rewarding accomplishment. How you measure your accomplishment is up to you. You can count an overseas telephone call if you want to and it makes you feel good. However, if you want the contacts to count toward DXCC you might want to think about the road you choose toward that goal. There is nothing wrong with getting a contact on a net. There are all kinds of nets out there for DX, WAS, county hunting, etc. Just remember, if you participate in a net, the QSO that you want to count for award credit has to match the rules of the award you are chasing.
Some people don't think "real" DXers hang out and work DX on nets and lists (list lizards). This is because too often the net control stations are "spoon-feeding" the DX to ops and assisting both sides of the contact. Assisted contacts are not valid for DXCC. (Which is also why you shouldn't "help" a station you hear struggling to make a contact with a DX station for DXCC credit.) If you submit a QSL from an assisted contact, then you are submitting a false claim. Does it matter? If you are happy that a net control operator can assist you by relaying your contact then that is your business. Many will think you should probably see if you can get the net control's callsign also listed on the certificate next to your callsign. After all, you didn't do it on your own....you did it with assistance.
Another problem with working contacts on nets is the reputation of the net. If the net is perceived as one that hands out spoon-fed "Candy QSOs" to all the lizards on the net then any QSO you get on that net, legitimate or not, will be perceived by other DXers as a non-contact. It is kind of like buying a newspaper from a porn store. It doesn't matter what you bought, everyone who saw you go in there believes you are there for other purposes. By participating in nets that encourage illegitimate or illegal operating, you are offering your endorsement and the net's survival. Don't do business in places where you don't endorse their practices.
Other reputations of nets are such things as "taking over a frequency." You know the "we meet every day on this frequency at this time" crowd. The nets that believe it is OUR frequency and the surrounding spectrum is also claimed. Once the net starts, the participants fan out and interrupt ongoing QSOs to complain to them that they are "interferring with a DX net." This gives those nets a bad reputation with not only other DXers but with all operators in general. Participating in these nets, although maybe getting legitimate contacts, will also be an endorsement of their behaviors and paint your station with the net's poor reputation.
So let's look at a typical "List Lizard" DX net operation (with net control assistance highlighted in red):
The net operator will ask for DX check-ins.
After getting his list of DX he will ask anyone who
wants to work the DX to give their "last two." (Which
is illegal if you do not give your full call in the
FCC mandated amount of time and poor
operating practice. This poor practice has spread to mainstream operation because new ops are learning from these nets.) Then the net control takes
his list and goes on down:
"XC make your call"
(Net control doesn't know the callsign yet
because "XC" hasn't given it and possibly more than 10 minutes
have gone by since he put his signal on the air)
Then, you might hear "This is KZ6XC. What's the
callsign of the station in South Africa?" The net
controller says, "ZS4SP" (Now he has just been "spoon-fed" the callsign. He didn't have to hear it.)
Next you might hear, "ZS4SP, this is KZ6XC, you are 33,
over." The ZS doesn't hear him so the net controller
says, "Over" right after he does.
The ZS station says, "Roger the 53. You are 22." The
net control breaks in and says, "You have the second
number correct. The first number is not as good as
that. Send it to him again XC."
Next you hear, "You are 33, 33, 33 over." Net control
says, "Over" ZS says, "Roger the 43." Net control
says, "No. One more time XC."
KZ6XC says, "33, 33, 33 over." Net control says,
"Over." ZS guesses, "33?" Net control says "Roger.
Now give him his report." And it happens all over
again the other direction.
If the DX station messes something up the net control
will make sure it is right.
ZS says, "Roger KB5XC. You are 22." KZ6XC with net
control assistance gets it and says, "Roger 22."
At the end of it all the net control gives his
blessing of this bogus QSO and corrects the miscopied call by saying, "Good contact.
ZS4SP you just worked KZ6XC. His prefix is KZ6." and
he goes on to the next person.
So now you have spoon-fed callsigns and spoon-fed
reports. Not a real contact unless you count relays.
So the "list lizard" is happy he got his new contact
and will send for a QSL and forward it to ARRL for
DXCC credit. This irritates some people because it
cheapens the program and promotes poor operating
practices. Just because the net control says, "Good contact. Put it in the log." does not make it so. He is no determining authority for DXCC. YOU have to make sure YOU follow the rules when submitting QSLs and applying for awards. Also, this back and forth continues until everyone on the list is done. Those who did not properly identify with a complete callsign way back at the beginning of net control taking a list STILL HAVE NOT PROPERLY IDENTIFIED WITH THEIR COMPLETE CALL and are in violation of FCC rules.
So why would someone want to operate in a net?
1) Ease of operation In a net, you no longer need to compete in pileups. The net control sets it up so just you and the DX are trying to work each other. This gives the smaller stations a much easier shot because they don't have to get through the "Big Gun" stations.
2) One stop shopping It is the convenience store of DX. You no longer have to search. You can sit on the same frequency every day and pick which DX you want to work out of the various DX check-ins.
3) QSLing DX that check into nets generally are good QSLers.
4) Orderly operation DX can relax and work stations that need them without having to deal with 59 pileups, QRM, and having to pick out calls. Everyone gets their turn in an orderly manner.
5) "Celebrity" Checking into a net every day or being Net Control gives some the feeling of being known and among friends. Whether it is ego or security, there is a nice feeling of being among others who share similar interests.
6) Simplicity You don't have to work "split" in a net. This is great for those older rigs that do not have dual VFO. This also makes it easy for those who can't seem to figure out how to operate split.
7) Timeliness You don't have to sit in front of the rig for an hour in a pileup hoping with each call you might be the one the DX comes back to. In a net you know if you are on the list and at what position you are on there. So if you aren't on the list you don't have to sit in front of the rig; you can do other things. If you are #9 on the list and they are on #2, you know you have time to go get coffee, potty break or whatever.
8) Fear Some think they won't ever find and work the DX unless they are in a net. For example, if the Egyptian station can always be found on a certain DX net every day but he never seems to operate outside the net.
9) Race. Some think DXCC is a race. Some think the numbers are important in status. You know the type: "Don't even think about talking to me about DXing until you have worked 300 countries." Since nets are faster, easier, and more certain all fear is gone and you can rack up those totals in no time. Instead of waiting 10 years for that elusive Egyptian station, you can work him every day on the net. This is great for those in a race or lacking self esteem and needing DXCC totals to promote their "worth" as an operator.
You are responsible for your own stations operation. How you chose to do that is up to you. For the new DXer these nets can be tempting. 99% of the DX you hear on these nets are common entities and can easily be found outside the nets. You can more quickly find and contact common DX outside the net. While others are listening to the monotonous back and forth of net controlled assisted contacts, you may find yourself engaged in a pleasant chat with one. You can also take pride in knowing you did it on your own.
DXing is a lifetime of enjoyment. You don't need to be in a hurry and finish it in a year. Fishing would be easy if you used a net to drag the lake. How fun would fishing be if after a year all the fish were gone from the lake? Same holds true for DXing. If you are going to use a net for DXing, at least make sure the contact is legitimate. You may have to tell the net control before you begin, "No assistance for my contacts!!!"
