[TowerTalk] 2005 Dayton Contest Dinner, Super Suite and Forum Wrap Up

[Tim Duffy K3LR]

The North Coast Contesters hosted contesters from all over the world in
Dayton, Ohio this past May  21, 2005 during the 13th annual Dayton
Contest Dinner where 370 attended. The Dayton Contest dinner is home to
the yearly induction of fellow contesters into the CQ Contest Hall of
Fame. Since the award was created, 43 contesters have been inducted. We
were honored to have Rusty, W6OAT and Jeff, K1ZM join the CQ Contest
Hall of Fame this year (#44 and #45).

The prize list was extensive this year. Almost fifty prizes were given
to contest operators in attendance. These prizes came from companies who
consider contesters to be a substantial part of their business. I’d like
to thank the following companies who donated super prizes: Force12
antennas, American Radio Relay League,  Writelog, CQ Magazine, Comtek
Systems, W4MPY QSL Man, The DX Magazine, Radio Bookstore, Radio Ware,
Top Ten Devices, DX Engineering, National Contest Journal, Daily DX,
Weekly DX, The Rotor Doctor, Tony Rogozinski, W4OI, WinTest and 9V1YC.
If you won a prize, please write a thank you letter or email to these
companies. Their continued support is vital.

Special thanks to Jay Terleski and his companies from Array Solutions
for stepping up and sponsoring The 2005 Contest Super Suite for all 3
nights. OptiBeam, AY technologies, AN Wireless, Prosistel and Bushcomm
all contributed funds.  North Coast Contesters, Frankford Radio Club and
The Mad River Radio Club all hosted the Super Suite.

Dave, K8CC and Tim, K3LR sponsored the Super Suite Pizza Party at
midnight on Thursday night honoring Rush Drake, W7RM where contest
operators enjoyed 25 Pizzas. The outstanding Yankee Clipper Contest Club
hosted the Pizza party in the Contest Super Suite at midnight on Friday
night where 35 pizzas went down fast. The fabulous Potomac Valley Radio
Club sponsored the midnight Saturday night Pizza party, where 30 pizzas
were consumed in 15 minutes! WoW!

The new venue for the Antenna forum and the Contest forum at the Crowne
Plaza on Saturday afternoon was a major hit. K1DG and K3LR are not
certain which location will be used next year (HARA or the hotel). The 5
hours of forum talks this year were well attended. Many of the talks can
be downloaded at http://www.k3lr.com (Thanks K5TR!).  Sincere thanks to
Comtek Systems for helping with the expenses of the AV equipment.

Thanks to Jim Miller, K4SQR for helping to coordinate the dinner. Also
thanks to Tom Roscoe, K8CX for taking the dinner pictures.

I am in discussions with the PVRC to bring their highly successful
Contest University program to Dayton next year. If there is sufficient
interest,  I am proposing that it be held all day Thursday before Dayton
at the Crowne Plaza hotel. It would have beginner and intermediate
tracks and would be taught be experienced members of the PVRC and other
contest clubs. If you are interested in attending, please send me an
email. We might even open the Super Suite and throw a Pizza party on
Wednesday night!

Ticket sales for the 2006 Contest dinner start February 2006.

I hope to see you in Dayton 2006!

Very 73!
Tim K3LR

k3lr at k3lr.com

http://www.k3lr.com