The first W9DXCC meeting was held Dec. 5, 1953 at the Sheraton Hotel in downtown Chicago. It was organized by chairman Bob Baird (W9NN), with an assist from Roy McCarty (W9KA) and Bob Carlson (W9PGW). They invited every W9 DXCC holder in the 1952 QST DXCC roster, plus all of the pre-war DXCC holders they could find. Forty-five responded to the invitation and 33—representing over one third of the 9th area amateurs who had achieved this key distinction—attended that first convention.
The first gathering had no formal program but featured a tour of the WGN studios, and discussions of skeds with AC4YN (Tibet) and bureau operations. Radio Amateur Callbook publisher Charles Stimson (W9TRD) outlined his system for obtaining foreign licensee information and provided copies of his DX Guide as the first door prize.
Most everyone agreed that the first W9DXCC meeting was such a success that it should be repeated. Mike Hexter (W9FKC) was elected the 1954 chairman. It was also agreed that DXCC holders from neighboring call districts would be invited. CQ Magazine requested a member of the group to serve on its DX committee, and W9NN was selected.
For a number of years, each meeting was organized and run by a chairman elected at the preceding meeting, with several clubs involved from the 9th call area. The programs at those early meetings covered topics that continue to be of interest: accounts of DXpeditions, opportunities for new entity recognition, bureau operations, regulatory developments, and new and home brew equipment and products, as well as presentations by prominent local DXers.
The convention has grown in size and complexity, and since 1976 has been produced by the Northern Illinois DX Association. As a central location for the 9th call area, each convention has been held in the Chicago area. Every year we strive to assemble a program that will appeal to both “Big Guns” and “Little Pistols,” all united in a common interest: a love of the art and sport of DXing.
We continue many of the traditions that originated at the first meeting, such as recognizing those with the most countries through the “DX Countdown.” Conducted during the W9DXCC banquet, all DXCC members stand up, and as each country level is called out, those whose totals fall below sit down. In 1953, Dallas Wulf (W9FID) was recognized with a remarkable 218 countries confirmed. Today, typically half the group remains standing as “300” is called out, and the last person standing usually has over 360 countries.
We’ve also continued to evolve over the years, including adding hospitality suites, raffle prizes, and DX and contest training in a classroom setting to help everyone improve their “DXing from the Black Hole.”
When the convention first started, the era of the DXpedition had barely started. Over the years we have been fortunate to feature presentations on several top DXpeditions to such exotic locations as XRØY, BS7H, AH1A, V59T, VP8SSI, VKØIR, KH1/KH7Z, FT5ZM, K1N, K9W, K5P, VK0STI, VK0EK, 3Y0J, & FT8WW.
Our founder W9NN was a fixture at many conventions, an we were saddened by his death just weeks before the 2002 convention (50th anniversary) at the age of 96.