Contesting and DXing - no shame here.

One of the things I'd like to touch on here is that my opponent and his friends seem to think that the message that "contesters and DXers are elitists" is a winning strategy with the ham radio public.

For the record, I am a very avid and active DXer and contester. I have 324 countries confirmed (326 including deleted), 9 bands DXCC including 160 meters and DXCC challenge at the 1500 level. I also have numerous contest wins, both on my own and on VHF with Andrea, K2EZ who owns and operates a Ford Explorer rover.

Interestingly enough, my opponent is also a DXer and contester. In fact, he is even on the DXCC honor roll. This means that he is in the top 10% of DXers worldwide in terms of new countries worked. Wow. It takes a lot of dedication to do that. He's also a member of the Order of Boiled Owls of New York, a well known, but small contest club. So as it turns out, he's one of us, and in some respects more elite than I am.

I sincerely don't get why he goes around attacking me for my DXing and contesting "cred."  I mean, contesting and DXing are fun activities. I am not ashamed to be a contester or DXer. It is a major part of my amateur radio activities but it's not all of it. I am also on DMR, FM repeaters and I also rag chew on 40 and 80 meters (look for us and join us!) But I am absolutely not ashamed to be a contester and DXer. I love the activities and look forward to working a new one, or working a contest.

Contesting and DXing also has a togetherness and "ham spirit" that is simply amazing. Contesters will gladly show you their shacks, get you started, train you and even offer you a seat at a super station. Contest clubs have been simply amazing with mentoring, to the point where they serve as a model for many other general interest clubs. FRC, YCCC, PVRC, SMC, NCC, AOCC, NCCC, SCCC, WVDXC etc all have extensive formal and/or informal mentoring programs, mostly taking the form of recruiting new contesters and showing them contest technique and station building.Tim Duffy, K3LR, a well known contester, along with the North Coast Contesters has also been unwavering in his support of youth. Other prominent contesters such as Ray, W2RE and Lee, WW2DX, owners of Remote Ham Radio have even been giving youth free access to their remote ham radio network. I can't even think of something bad to say about that, because it is simply so generous and noble to give youth access to such a facility.

The bottom line is that my opponent has essentially decided to run a very negative campaign with baseless and senseless personal attacks rather than substance. That is unfortunate because I would rather be positive and tell you about the future - a forward thinking, technically astute, transparent, member-driven ARRL that we can all be proud of. When I'm elected, that's what I'm bringing to you.

By the way, if you ever want to guest op my station remotely (US licensees only, sorry), I can arrange for that to happen. :)

73
Ria, N2RJ

Comments

  1. If all he has is to verbally attack his opponent, he may be running for the wrong office. I don't know a more friendlier, well spoken, smarter person, who will help just about anyone who asks. That is just the opposite of an elitist. You might be running against an elitist, and that isn't good for Amateur Radio. I'm just sorry that I don't live in your district so I could not only vote for you, but also promote you as the poster child for what Amateur radio is all about.

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