Topband: P.O.A.

[W9UCW at aol.com]

Brian, your comments about digital  modes made me think back on times 
"BDM," (before digital modes). The  occurrence I'm about to describe clarified 
what it takes for me to feel  accomplishment in the "on the air" part of Ham 
radio. This happened over 40  years ago.
 
While I was on one of 20 trips to South America  that allways included 
operating from HK0, San Andres, a lifelong buddy of  mine in Illinois drove out 
to our home and asked my wife to let him fire up  my station. He got on the 
air and worked two DXpeditions at a couple very rare  locations, using my 
call. He knew I didn't have those two and they might  not be on again for many 
years.
 
While he was there, he filled out QSL cards for  the contacts, took them 
with him and sent them out. Neither he nor my wife or  daughters mentioned 
this occurrence to me. Getting the cards would be the big  surprise.
 
So later, when the cards came, I looked at the  date and started asking 
questions. My buddy was all giddy about what he had done  for me. Everybody 
gets their jollies in different ways and that's what makes the  world go 
around. I can't think of a reason why I would complain about how others  get 
theirs. But I remember looking at those cards and realizing that they meant  
nothing to me. There was no satisfaction in the fact that they had been worked  
from my station, because I was not part of the equation. .
 
I thanked my buddy. For him, his jollies came  from getting in the log and 
getting the cards, by any means possible. I respect  that and didn't argue. 
He laughed and said "Those were P.O.A. contacts." That  means "power of 
attorney." I wasn't happy until I had worked those two entities  myself. This 
all made it clear to me how I get satisfaction from on-the-air  contacts.
 
73, Barry, W9UCW