Greetings ADXA Folks,

 

Some of you have ask me where the phrase “GET IN THERE AND WORK ‘EM!!” originated. Well, that phrase came from long ago and originally had nothing to do with DX’ing or amateur radio.

 

When I was in high school, I played basketball. I wasn’t very good, basically just taking up space out on the court but I was one of the starting five. My younger brother, who was a pretty amazing point guard and our lead scorer, was a sophomore when I was a senior so we were both on the court at the same time in 1975.

 

The coach would float the “sixth” man on the team in and out with me (I was just barely the #5 man) as the circumstance warranted. Our coach was a quiet, mild-mannered guy who never got too excited except when #6 screwed up out on the court. He would turn to me when I was on the bench, violently wave his finger, and say “GET IN THERE !!!!!!!!!!”

 

Basketball, or any intense sport, is like a DX pileup. It’s a fight, you have to be aggressive to get in there and “score” a new one in your log. Several years ago the ADXA trash talk was pretty intense as it was out on the court or football field………”You’re weak”……”You’re a weenie”…….”You’re a wimp in the pileup”. In those days of long ago that built character and determination rather than pooching your lip out, crying, and claiming your feelings are hurt so you need a safe space (2-meter repeater?) to go to.

 

I’ll not tell any of you that you’re a weenie, you’re weak, or you’re a wimp in a pileup (even though some of you are !!) but I will try to convince you DX’ing is a contact sport, you’re on the bench, and #6 is screwing up in the pileup so “GET IN THERE……………………….”

 

73 Joel W5ZN

 

p.s. On second thought, maybe I will tell a select few of you that you’re weak, a weening, or a wimp in the pileup !  😊