05/22/2026
Dayton Hamvention¿ has long been the backdrop for recognizing those who have
made significant contributions to the amateur radio community. In addition to
Hamvention's own 2026 awards[1], the DX and Contest Dinners - with attendees
from around the world - offered a perfect opportunity to highlight outstanding
achievements in those segments of amateur radio.
The Southwest Ohio DX Association's[2] (SWODXA's) DX Dinner on Friday night was
the base for multiple award presentations, following the keynote address on
"radiosportsmanship" by ARRL CEO David Minster, NA2AA.
The Heritage CQ DX Hall of Fame[3], launched in 1967 and currently administered
by INDEXA, the International DX Association, welcomed two new members, legendary
QSL manager Charles Wilmott, MOOXO, and avid DXpeditioner Elvira Simoncini,
IV3FSG. Elvira, who has operated from 34 different DXCC entities, is only the
third woman inducted, and the first to be so honored individually rather than
with her husband. SWODXA honored Yuris Petersons, YL2GM, as DXpeditioner of the
Year for his operation from Marion Island as ZS8W, during which he completed
more than 31,000 contacts; and the 9U1RU operation from Burundi - which netted
nearly 180,000 QSOs - was honored as DXpedition of the Year. Finally, the
Northern California DX Foundation[4] presented its "DXcellence" awards to the
PJ6Y operation from Sable Island for its emphasis on youth participation, and to
the 100% solar-powered and 100% remote KP5/NP3VI operation from Desecheo Island,
another game-changer for DXpeditions.
Minster spoke on "radio sportsmanship," challenging the DXers in the room to pay
serious attention to questions about excessive power, remote operating that uses
stations in multiple locations, "pay to play" for getting confirmations from
some DX stations, whether certain stations really need to work DXpeditions on
all possible bands and modes while others are trying to make just one contact,
the future of the DXCC Honor Roll and deliberate QRM. "The most important aspect
of radiosport," he concluded, "is to have a good time, but not at the expense of
others."
At Saturday night's Contest Dinner, sponsored by the North Coast Contesters[5],
an international audience of nearly 500 people cheered the induction of four
notable competitors into the Contest Hall of Fame[6], established by CQ magazine
in 1986 and administered today by the World Wide Radio Operators Foundation[7]
(WWROF). This year's inductees are Doug Zwiebel, KR2Q, who revolutionized
contest scoring by writing the first mass computerized log-checking software
back in 1980; Tom Lee, K8AZ, who helped shape modern regional contest club
structures as a co-founder of both the North Coast Contesters and the WWROF; Tom
Young, K1XM, who created both the Yankee Clipper Contest Club SO2R
(Single-Operator 2 Radios) Box hardware and the widely-used Open Two Radio
Switching Protocol; and Mark Pride, K1RX, antenna director for the 2014 World
Radiosport Team Championship (WRTC) and producer of a 7-part series on
contesting for the Q5 Amateur Radio podcast. The 2026 WRTC[8], to be held in the
United Kingdom this July, was also on the Contest Dinner menu, as the
competition's chairman, Mark Haynes, MODXR, was the keynote speaker. Emcee and
famed contester John Dorr, K1AR, added a light and humorous touch to the
evening.
[1] https://www.arrl.org/news/dayton-hamvention-2026-award-winners-announced?utm
_source=Informz&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=ARRL&_zs=SQvQm&_zl
=Biem3
[2] https://www.swodxa.org
[3] https://indexa.org/halloffamemembers.html
[4] https://www.ncdxf.org
[5] https://www.northcoastcontesters.com
[6] https://contesthof.com
[7] https://wwrof.org
[8] https://www.wrtc2026.org
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