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Brockman and Cox (1977) stated, “A record 2060 logs were received for this years event, up 6% over last year.”

I’m curious if RadioSport Clubs through the 70s had an important role in local event activity and technological innovation? The Potomac Valley Radio Club (PVRC) and the Frankford Radio Club (FRC) fiercely competed against each other for the top slot in the Club Box according to Brockman and Cox (1977).

I arrive at my bullet point that clubs have a significant role in the hobby in terms of motivating activity in addition to promoting the advancement of radio as an art.

A quick look at the Top Three Club Box scores from 1976 suggest RadioSport Club influence on activity and its aggregated score for example PVRC (n = 58.7 million), FRC (n = 40.3 million), and Northeast Contest Club (n = 26.1 million). In comparison, the 2007 Top Three Club Box scores are FRC (n = 266.9 million), Yankee Clipper Contest Club (n = 260.5 million), and PVRC (n = 139.6 million).

What type of change drove RadioSport club scores above the quarter million point mark?

I submit RadioSport clubs and modest stations significantly contribute to the overall success of the game. A club has enough resources to generate interest and execute that interest into activity. Whereas modest station operators even when competing for a personal best score are more than willing to go an extra mile when contributing to the success of one’s club.

There are variations to this theme and clubs could harness attitude in addition to willingness of modest stations in terms of activity. One may consider inter club competitions while promoting success through its newsletter and/or website.

For example, why not publish with photograph and narrative, the top three modest station winners?

The photograph of WA6NVR operating VP2MNR really defined the meaningfulness of a modest station in the game of RadioSport; simple yet effective.

Believe in your signal!

Reference: Brockman, L. N6AR, Cox, B. K3EST (September, 1977). CQ Magazine: 1976 CQ World Wide DX Contest: C.W. Results. pp. 42 – 47, 87 – 88, 90.

Single Operator.

• W9RE | 238 Qs | 40 Mults | 4hrs | 9,440 Points [SMC #1].
• N4PN | 147 Qs | 43 Mults | 4hrs | 6,321 Points [Phreezing Sprinters].
• KU5B (@NX5M) | 169 Qs | 34 Mults | 4hrs | 5,915 Points [Phreezing Sprinters].

n = 19 scores submitted for this category.

A tough weekend for sideband sprinters with a multitude of events competing for one’s attention. Mike, W9RE piloted his station to a first place finish while leading The Society of Midwest Contesters to another banner week. I recommend visiting his website and take time to study his station configuration especially Mike’s antenna systems and/or station layout; meticulous craftsmanship.

Believe in your signal!

Single Operator All Band | CW.

• PA3ARM | 894 Qs | 154 Mults | 20hrs | 137,676 Points.
• UT8L (UY5LQ) | 217 Qs | 43 Mults | 17hrs | 9,331 Points [Ukrainian Contest Club].
• VE9DX | 149 Qs | 48 Mults | 7,152 Points.

n = 10 scores submitted in this category.

Practice, practice, practice and believe in your signal going into the ARRL International DX CW event this weekend. Congratulations UT8L for leading the Ukrainian Contest Club to its Top Three finish and best RadioSport results going into the future from the shackadelic on the beach.

Believe in your signal!

Single Operator All Band.

• CT1ILT | 1697 Qs | 6012 Pts | 716 Prfxs | 29h52m | 4,304,592 Points [WWYC].
• VA2UP | 1700 Qs | 6077 Pts | 708 Prfxs | 4,302,516 Points [Contest Group du Que].
• PJ2T (W8AV) | 1443 Qs | 5951 Points | 576 Prfxs | 30hrs | 3,427,776 Points.

n = 40 scores submitted in this division.

Bam! World Wide Young Contesters struck like Jedi after the Death Star. Ionospheric force is strong with CT1ILT who logged most prefixes in the game. Mission accomplished for the WWYC who garnered, yet, another banner position.

Contest on.

Single Operator All Band.

• WE4M (N2QT) | 1690 Qs | 4988 Pts | 683 Prfxs | 30hrs | 3,406,804 Points [PVRC].
• K9NR | 1317 Qs | 4028 Pts | 602 Prfxs | 30hrs | 2,424,856 Points [SMC].
• N9CK | 1139 Qs | 2957 Pts | 565 Prfxs | 23hrs | 1,670,705 Points [SMC].

n = 55 scores submitted in this division.

Maximum effort rewards maximum score equals 3830 Top Three position prior to log adjudication. Two of three operated single operator 2 radio (SO2R) for this event.

One radio called CQ while the other chased multipliers. I recommend downloading an SO2R mp3 at K5ZD while he operated the 2008 North American Sprint CW. The exercise is worth its value in learning about this distinctive RadioSport style.

73 from the shackadelic on the beach.

Fred, KI6QDH loaned his 144MHz Tape Measure Beam for field testing here in Shell Beach this afternoon. My location is ideal for pushing antenna performance issues at near zero feet above sea level to include geography conundrums. I found maintaining line-of-sight with our local repeater was problematic. Additionally, we shifted our frequency to simplex 145.500 and Fred’s signal was full quiet however he did not hear my transmission.

I experimented with an 1/8th vertical and the 3-element beam neither antenna produced dissimilar results. Both, in fact, performed poorly between .05 mW and 5-watts into our local repeater. The next antenna adventure at 144 MHz while walking Radio Dawg includes operating in the direction of Avila Beach beaming south of Shell Beach.

Project instructions are available from W6AB, Satellite Amateur Radio Club as a download portable document file.

73 from the shackadelic on the beach.

I’m speaking only for myself as one who is passionate about the game despite my station configuration. Whatever one’s resources, attitude, is not measured by the height of a tower or the output of an amplifier. Attitude instead is a matter of the heart.

I’m forever grateful that a phone call on a Pennsylvania winter’s day changed the direction of my life in a subtle but unyielding way. The ARRL Novice Roundup was in full swing while I operated a Heathkit DX-60 throwing a knife switch between it and a Heathkit HR-10 receiver.

My antenna system was a simple dipole strung between the house, a tree, and the knife switch. The phone rang that spoke to the heart of ham radio spirit. I was invited to operate a dream shack as a 16-year old who recently discovered the thrill of RadioSport.

I threw on my winter jacket and walked a country mile without a second thought.

The objective of the ARRL Rookie Roundup as an entry level event is RadioSport cause number one at all levels from clubs to individuals. It is clear, “Experienced operators are strongly encouraged to participate and help new operators – either on the air or in person.“

Furthermore it is stated, “For newly-licensed operators in North America (including territories and possessions) to experience competitive Amateur Radio…“

It is a rally call for active involvement in the execution and success of the ARRL Rookie Roundup at all levels. The long view value of this event cannot be underestimated or dismissed. However trying to please everyone, everywhere leads to not pleasing anyone, anywhere. Subsequently, real-time logging is a long awaited RadioSport innovation because Internet cloud service and storage is the future; right now.

Those organizations getting there first will own the high ground.

I do not agree with eliminating the Best of the Best while awarding everyone a certificate of participation. I participate because I want to and I compete because that is who I am. One does not need a certificate to participate although one needs recognition for their effort, commitment of resources, energy, and time.

I submit for consideration, if the Roundup is a group effort, incorporate club competition into the model wherein individual effort contributes to a Roundup Cup much like the coveted Sweepstakes’ gavel, and its historical competition between the Potomac Valley Radio Club and the Northern California Contest Club.

There is a need for a little more skin in this game.

I can vividly see the dream shack nearly 30-years later where I sat in front of a Drake TR-7 pumping radio frequency into a 4-element 40m monobander while penciling nearly 600 contacts into the log. His phone call changed the trajectory of my life that is the future of RadioSport is the 2010 ARRL Roookie Roundup.

73 from the shackadelic on the beach.