[CQ-Contest] WRTC is indeed upon us! Some thoughts on a contender

[Jim White]

Tnx K1DG for doing some WRTC/Radiosport marketing - as all who follow this
reflector know I took a vow of silence as far as operating event promotion
is considered until it is time for me to promote the FQP next Spring - by
the way did you see how many guys have....ooops, BAD OJ - NO ORANGE!


The WRTC is something indeed special and I am sorry to once again miss
attending it - it is a personal goal to attend one of them some day - I
would kind of like to cheer on my fellow Florida Contest Group members and
the other US teams.  The FCG offers defending co-champ K1TO and N2NL - who
is out to see if youth can overcome the keen minds (and crafty
competitiveness) of the WRTC's sages: two time champs K1TO and N5TJ - not to
mention a cast of other absolutely fantastic teams from around the world.

This past weekend was Field Day here in the states and one of the best parts
of the weekend for me was shaking the hands of K1TO and WC4E who were there
along with several other Florida Contest Group Members helping the local
Emergency Preparedness club who several of us contest guys have teamed up
with over the past few years.

I wished "Dahs" and "Dit" a safe and fun time in Europe...WC4E will be there
as a an adjudicator (that's judge for those in Rio Linda)

When I shook K1TO's, hand I wished him luck and I don't think I have ever
quite felt so motivated to do such - you see Dan is more than a contester,
he is a model ham.

I had just watched him spend most of his weekend Elmering new hams at the
Get On The Air station at our Field Day setup - the GOTA position is
intended to allow hams who do not have HF exposure to see what the
attraction is!  He spent hours mentoring newcomers - and he did it like a
parent teaching his children - not barking at them when they said "please
copy" and "thank you for 59 Colorado you are" - but subtly letting them know
that this was inefficient procedure, why not do this instead...you will make
more contacts!

Today I saw the first fallout of his weekend's investment in the future of
ham radio contesting - a husband and wife team that were mentored by Dan
this past weekend apparently had some real fun at Field Day...they have
since contacted the Florida Contest Group and applied for membership.

This past few years my health has gone downhill but when Dan heard I wanted
to get the multi-op in shape for the Fall '01 contest season his first words
were "HOW CAN I HELP?"  I am NOT alone, Dan has helped many club members
with antenna projects and in so doing forsaken his own station which has
been down for of a year from a major lightning strike.

No matter who wins in Finland I consider Dan to be the world's #1 contester.
I have known him since we were teenagers just getting the contest bug - and
I consider him one of my best friends.  Dan practices what a lot of us
preach - and he delivers....

I encourage hams who have not met Dan before to seek him out in OH - no, not
to get him drunk so he will have a hangover during the WRTC/Radiosport [he
will see you coming!], but to meet the man who I am proud to call my
friend...I have know him for almost 30 years now (ouch) and can tell you I
have been exposed to ham's and ham radio all of my life through my family
and have yet to find a better example of what a contester should be.  K1TO
doesn't just win when he is contesting he puts back into the hobby.

Many of the WRTC competitors I am certain are like Dan in many ways and in
this I am happy to say that yes, I am a contester...not as good as, but
still trying to be like my contesting friends, especially  K1TO.  We are a
vibrant community who often gets slammed but the fact that our scores
increase year after year indicates to me we are doing better at finding ways
to communicate with each other be it through better understanding of antenna
systems or mastering the elusive high end SO2R technique!

WRTC does us all proud - I know that the competitors will engage in the
highest level of competitive operating - including its ethics and morality!
Beside how can I not like a bunch of guys with OJ in their calls?


Good Luck Dan, that

Kid's One Terrific Operator

Go get  'em Samurai Dan!

Jim, K4OJ

....we need to work on that Kid part - anyone got Grecian Formulae? :-)