[OKDXA] Randy Thompson, K5ZD, Named Director of CQ World Wide DX Contest

[Bert Aaron]

CQ Communications, Inc. / 25 Newbridge Rd. / Hicksville, NY  11801 / Phone: 
(516) 681-2922 / Fax: (516-681-2926) / e-mail:  w2vu at cq-amateur-radio.com

NEWS RELEASE

For more information,  contact:
Richard Moseson (W2VU)
Editor, CQ Amateur Radio
(516) 681-2922  / w2vu at cq-amateur-radio.com Randy Thompson  (K5ZD)
k5zd at cqwpx.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 1,  2012

Randy Thompson, K5ZD, Named Director of CQ World Wide DX  Contest

(Hicksville, NY) October 1, 2012 -- CQ Contest Hall of Fame  member and WPX
Contest Director Randy Thompson, K5ZD, has been named Director of  the CQ
World Wide DX Contest, effective immediately. Randy succeeds Bob Cox,
K3EST, who retired in September after 35 years at the helm of the world's
most popular amateur radio contest. 

Thompson, 53, has been a ham since age  13. He is an accomplished contester,
having multiple wins in the CQ World Wide  DX Contest and the CQ WPX
Contest, among others. He has also competed in four  World Radiosport Team
Championships. In addition, Randy is a past editor of the  "National Contest
Journal" (a post he has held three separate times) and a  co-founder of the
eHam.net website. He is a longtime member of the Yankee  Clipper Contest
Club and an instructor at K3LR's Contest University. He has been  Director
of the CQ WPX Contest since 2008, coincidentally the same year in which  he
was inducted into the CQ Contest Hall of Fame.

"The CQ WW is the  biggest event on the contest calendar," commented
Thompson. "I am honored to be  involved and follow in the giant footsteps of
K3EST. With the great conditions  we are seeing on the bands, this year
should be the biggest CQ WW ever! The  first order of business is to have
the team ready for the new 5-day log deadline  and faster results
reporting."

CQ Publisher Dick Ross, K2MGA, said  Thompson's appointment marks the start
of a new chapter in the history of CQ  World Wide DX Contest, adding "The CQ
management team looks forward to working  with Randy as CQWW Director. His
four years as WPX Contest Director have already  demonstrated his ability to
successfully and creatively guide a major contest,  and we are totally
confident that he will take the CQWW to even greater  heights."

Thompson's appointment to the directorship of the CQWW creates  a vacancy
for director of the CQ WPX Contests. Anyone interested in taking on  the
challenge of leading a major contest should contact Randy at
<k5zd at cqwpx.com>.