As I told Hal last weekend, I know that I have worked W4STB in some SSB
contests, probably including the Florida QSO Party and maybe ARRL
Sweepstakes or NAQP.
I know that W4OZK, from Alabama, was endorsed by Dan, W4NTI.
I know that I have been hearing Rudy, WA4PUP, check in to the Sunday
morning session of the Georgia Cracker Net on 3995 khz at 8 AM for many
years and believe that he has served as ARRL Section Manager for North
Florida.
That's about all I can offer. It may be that we should consider
supporting someone who holds DXCC and who participates in some contests.
The SE Division Director has been a Floridian for many years, but Larry,
W4RA, from Statesboro was, I think, the Director before W4RH. As most
of you know, Larry moved on up the ladder to President of ARRL and later
of IARU.
I often felt that we in Georgia might get more attention from a director
from our state or from Alabama as opposed to Florida which has many more
hams and many more ARRL members than the other two states combined.
However, I always was treated courteously by W4RH (and W4QM, also from
FL, the SE Div director before W4RA) and never felt that my concerns
were of less concern to Frank that those of Florida ARRL members. Maybe
that was because Frank was from the Florida panhandle and we can feel
more in common with AL and GA with those who live in the panhandle.
Anyway, I am glad that a number of apparently qualified individuals are
willing to serve the ARRL in this capactiy. I once thought I would like
to do that myself, but it is far more time consuming and politically
charged than I would want for myself.
I don't know that Sandy, W4RU, has really been active on the air himself
much since he was a kid growing up in Florida, but he lived in GA for
many years (in the Atlanta area) and has certainly supported ARRL
activities and been very accessible in the past. He has supported the
GQP by donating a plaque (with the use of discretionary funds available
to him as ARRL GA Section Manager). He once operated GQP with K0DI
multi op from California. He used to operate a lot at W4AQL on the air
contest activities. He now lives in Alabama. It could be argued that
it would be good to continue to have at least a Vice Director who is not
presently living in FL. Sandy has attended many of the meetings of the
SEDXC that I have attended. Bill Fisher, W4AN, never had applied for
DXCC either. He kept all the QSLs that I answered for him "just in
case" he might one day apply for DXCC or some other award. So, lack of
a DXCC certificate is not itself an indication of lack of interest in
encouraging DX activities.
73,
John, K4BAI.
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