Seen in the December 26, 1978 edition of the West Coast DX Bulletin — by Hugh Cassidy, WA6AUD, and his wife Virginia.

This is the season when you might see many of the DXers gathering to end the old year with a burst of song and things like that, many apparently considering themselves to be the latter day Corno di Basseto as they fumble through some variations of Auld Lang Syne.

Having heard enough of the vocalizing, we tried to get the talk turned to DX. We got an instant response. “Tell me something,” one QRPer said, “do you think that there will ever be good DX again. Good like we had in 1978. What will 1979 be like?”

We had heard these questions before as many wonder if the happy days will last forever as they want them to do. “There will be more and new DX tomorrow” we promised the QRPer, “there always is.”

This was one of the Eternal Enigmas that QRPers often have difficulty in understanding, DX and DXCC are self-creating and DXers will never run out of DX. They never have.

“But are you sure?” the QRPer asked and we had to list the joys of the closing year. “Iraq and Clipperton and South Sandwich,” we intoned, “and South Sudan and Desecheo. And coming up is the Laccadives, Aves, Spratly and Bouvet. What more could you want?”

The QRPer had to think for awhile. “You know something,” he said, “I often worry about running out of countries to work. What would I do then?”

And we thought of DXers who have worked at DXing just about every day for thirty or more years and haven’t worked everything and those few who do manage every valid one then having to worry that a new one might slip by them.

“Why not go back to your singing?” we suggested,” for we had long ago learned that DX will never run dry and there will be a new year coming and new DX not far down the pike. And there will always be those who worry about working everything, this a situation that not too many attain.

But there are those who like to worry and who will always find the thread of disaster running through every triumph. For those are here to help with a weekly influx of worry and concern.

For those who would rather sing, let flats be heard. 1978 was a good year for DX … 1979 will be even better. But don’t ask why!