I recently returned from a trip to Europe, part of which included 4
days in Macedonia to compete in the 6th IARU HST (high speed
telegraphy) Championship. It was a fun event, and great to meet
hams from Eastern Europe, many of whom I've QSOed over the years.
Simply wearing my FRC callsign badge at the hotel brought many warm
greetings.
While I consider myself a pretty good CW op, it was humbling to see
the level of CW proficiency out there, not only in active (OM) hams,
but in young people whose primary interest is CW itself. For
example, sitting next to me on the bus back to Skopje, after the
competition, was a YL from Russia, maybe 10 years old at best. She
had a better RUFZ score than me! There were 45 males and 34 females
competing. 34 were under age 20 (almost half being YLs.)
Getting back to my original question...
Several members of the HST Organizing Committee asked me to see what
I can do to stimulate interest here in the US to have future
participants. Generally, each national radio society has its own
internal competition to select teams to compete in the HST and
sponsors that team. In some countries, it's quite competitive. The
ARRL (K1ZZ) did submit my application to participate, however, I paid
my own way (unlike the other teams' members who were sponsored by
their national societies).
Is there any interest in pursuing a program (such as having a mini-
HST in Dayton) in the US to promote CW proficiency, with the plan to
have US hams compete in future HST world championships? Further
information, including rules, results of past HSTs, pictures, etc.
can be seen at http://www.darc.de/referate/dx/fedth.htm
73,
Barry W2UP--
Barry Kutner, W2UP Internet: w2up@mindspring.com
Newtown, PA Frankford Radio Club
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