[CQ-Contest] Contest Support

[Shelby Summerville]

Don Field wrote: "As for plaques, these are usually donated by external
sponsors, but this sponsorship doesn't grow on trees - sponsors support
sporting events because they get cheap publicity, but that doesn't really
work with ham radio contests."

As Awards Manager, for NAQP, I'm directly involved with those plaques.
Plaques for NAQP CW/SSB are sponsored by Florida Contest Group, Texas DX
Society, Southeast Contest Club and Tennessee Contest Group. NAQP RTTY
plaques are sponsored by ICOM America. The name of each sponsor is included
on the face of the plaque. As the plaque is a "lasting memento of the win",
so is the name of the sponsor. Along with each plaque I send, is included a
"congratulatory" letter and a reminder of the plaque sponsor. Also a request
to "acknowledge the sponsorship" to the respective sponsor. As I don't get
"copied in" on all of the acknowledgements, I have no idea of how many
actually do the "acknowledgement"? I do know that most, if not all, NAQP
RTTY plaque winners "acknowledge the sponsorship", and it has been a
"rewarding" benefit to some!

C'Ya, Shelby - K4WW