[CQ-Contest] A small brag, large thanks, and a little sadness

[Art Boyars]

Monday evening, November 10, just as I was heading out for the
monthly meeting of PVRC's Maryland Metro Chapter, I received an exciting
package: the "Larry Kayser, VE3LK memorial" plaque for "Top Scoring Single
Operator Foreign Entry" [i.e., non-Canadian] in the 2025 RAC Canada Day
Contest.

The RAC Contests -- Canada Day and Winter -- are run by VE5SF and VE5CPU,
themselves well known in the contest world. These contests are a lot of fun
(well, if you like 'domestic' contests, as I do).  The format and broad
spectrum of entry classes give casual op's a reason to put in a few hours,
and give 'serious' competitors a real challenge.  You have to work hard to
come out on top.  In my case, in addition to heavy BIC you need to have
some regular competitors sit one out.

Sam and Bart do a great job of evolving the rules as operating evolves,
publicizing the 'Tests, adjudicating and scoring the entries, and
publishing the results and distributing the awards.  I thank them for their
efforts as much as I thank them, and RAC, for the plaque.

I'd also thank the sponsor of the plaque, Alan Goodacre, VE3HX.  He's been
sponsoring this award for as long as I can remember.  But when I went to
QRZ.com to get his postal address for a letter of thanks, I found that he
became a Silent Key just two weeks before Canada Day.

I am surprisingly saddened by the loss of a fellow I never met, a ham with
whom I never had a QSO.  Reading his obituary, he seems like the kind of
person we all should emulate.

https://colefuneralservices.com/tribute/details/9765/Alan-Goodacre/obituary.html

I'll certainly have him in mind when I participate in future RAC contests.

73, Art K3KU/VE4VTR