[OKDXA] A Holiday Greeting

[Coy Day]

Jerry,

Wow!  Well said....All

And a Merry Christmas to you Carol and the boys!

Coy
-- 
Coy Day, N5OK
20685 SW 29
Union City, OK 73090
405-483-5632




Jerry Chouinard via OKDXA wrote:
> Fellow Ham Radio Operators and Dear friends, yes even you guys in the
> Great State of Texas where my heart and daily thoughts of my childhood and
> first 35 years still reside. 
>
> What follows are my warm and heartfelt wishes for you and your families
> for and during this Holiday Season and coming New Year.
> Greetings and Happy Holidays from my radio shack to yours. Many years have
> passed now. My 70th will begin in January of this next year. 56 years of
> participating in the greatest hobby ever devised as a past time by the
> human race, bar none. I have had the privilege of being part of it now
> since I was a boy of 14 in high school. I have made fast and dear friends
> all over the world and had the honor of shaking the hands and hugging them
> at my first ever visit to the Dayton Hamvention, the WRTC event and ARRL
> Headquarters celebration of the 100th year of ARRL's founding by W1AW
> Hiram Percy Maxim. I had seen only pictures of the ARRL building and
> grounds in QST starting with my first issue in August 1959, the month and
> year I got my papers from the FCC. I had a mentor Harry Moore, W5BXV who
> loved to work 40 meter nets on weekends talking with and catching up on
> the health and well being of his fellow ham operators gathered over his 40
> plus years of ham radio. He was a perfect example of a person who would
> hold out his hand if you stumbled, and would make sure you were
> comfortable He always taught me something new about radio every time I saw
> him. Harry became a Silent Key in 2003 at 86 years old but was still
> checking in to the 40 meter nets every Saturday and Sunday morning. Harry
> along with Ken Adams K5KA are maybe the two Silent Keys I miss the most.
> Both were hard working, dedicated family men who could light up the
> airways with anything that transmitted. Ken Adams was known worldwide by
> top operators and often had them stop in to operate in his favorite
> contest the North American QSO Party, a 12 hour intense event that brought
> out the best operators. I had the honor and privilege to be asked many
> times by Ken to come join him and his crew to participate in those
> biyearly contests. We always had a celebration afterwards even though it
> was well after midnight on Saturday night in Oklahoma. We all enjoyed him
> and his XYLs unique and thoughtful preparations, trays of energy snacks
> like chocolate chip cookies, two kinds of grapes and something with sliced
> Jalapeno peppers decorating cheese on a cracker. Pizza and all the Coronas
> a fellow could down were always on hand to celebrate what was likely
> another top multi-operator winning NAQP score. I miss his enthusiasm, his
> hard work and his love and dedication to our hobby as many do around the
> world. So at this time of year I always, as all of you do, recall the best
> times and the best people in our lives. I want to pass along my thanks to
> each of you for the QSOs we had in 2014 and the ones we have had over my
> five decades in our beloved hobby and also thanks for your hospitality
> shown me for many years by people all over the world. Strangers who became
> the best of friends sharing what we call Amateur "Ham" Radio. 
>
> I have spent many holiday seasons in the warmth of ham shacks in Dallas,
> Texas, Memphis, TN, Spring Valley, MD, Argentia Newfoundland, Keflavik
> Iceland and Jefferson City, Missouri. There was always a top notch radio
> setup for my use and pleasure. I had the once in a lifetime opportunity
> and distinct pleasure of sitting in the old Hiram Maxims radio shack
> operating the headquarters station W100AW for three hours running
> Europeans for most of the three hours this past July. The best three hours
> of my ham radio lifetime. The World Radio Team Championship gave me the
> opportunity to meet, shake the hands of and hug people I have been talking
> to over fifty years. Dear friends all of them with peace and goodwill in
> common among each of us. Half of the DXCC 100 world was represented at
> that the WRTC event where many hard working and technically competent New
> England hams went many extra miles to insure all visitors, competitors and
> referees were welcomed and comfortable during their visit and preparation
> for the premier ham radio contesting event in the world. What a beautiful
> 5 days in New England and what energy was exhibited by all the
> participants. I drove my mobile station from Oklahoma just to say I was
> there. Perfect weather and the schedule of events went off without a
> hitch. I met newcomers and many old timers who had longer, more successful
> stories than me about our great hobby. We had a terrific IARU contest to
> test our skills and radio setups. I had the honor of having the Chairman
> of the WRTC, Doug Grant K1DG make mention of my presence in New England
> operating from my mobile that I drove from Oklahoma just for the two weeks
> of amateur radio showcasing. Said during the introduction of the Contest
> University Forum at ARRL Convention headquarters I responded with "My
> honor and pleasure Doug a great event!" The IARU contest was excellent
> making 999 QSOs mostly on CW and a large number of easy to work Europeans.
> The 24 straight hours I spent in my mobile van went by in what seemed like
> 24 minutes. I was surprisingly refreshed by the New England morning air on
> Sunday and was ready to go another straight 24 hours. 40 meter signals
> from Europe sounded like locals - what a terrific experience, one which I
> had not had since my years in Navy Air flying as a 19 year old flight
> radioman on Super Constellations over the grey, dark and frigid North
> Atlantic watching for and reporting via CW exclusively, the movements of
> aircraft from over the North Pole. The Russians had a habit of carrying
> supplies to Cuba in those days and also would stiffen if approached but
> fortunately they joined the world's peaceful people and now buy factory
> made radio gear now. None of that chirpy sounding signalling stuff like
> was common in the 50s, 60s and 70s. Some of the best radio operators in
> the world the Russian people, it is my pleasure to talk to many of them.
> Russians were always present on the air when I fired up as K5YAA/AM.
> Endless piles of stations kept me busy between Zulu (priority) messages.
> Those were the days of home brew, World War Two military surplus
> transmitters and receivers. Those were the days of my boyhood. We had this
> world by it's tail and never let go. The best times of prosperity and
> peace that has ever been lived in this world.
>
> I have a long and interesting story about my ham radio hobby as most of
> you do. I hope, a favorite word of mine hope, that we all are blessed with
> many more years to enjoy our beloved hobby. I look forward to another
> 50,000 QSOs next year and several hundred thousand contacts before I make
> a visit to the big ham shack in the sky. I have been blessed to have been
> part of a hobby that has only kindness , hospitality and lasting
> friendships to offer. If all the hobbies in the world offered what each of
> us take as common place what a world it would be. 
>
> Now my wishes to each of you and thanks again for the friendship and
> kindness shown me all these years. Look for me to be on daily as I test
> new technology and upgrade the station I have at home. Larger antennas and
> twenty first century radios are being put in place now. I will race each
> of you to the finish line of life. This next year, the Fall of my life, I
> will celebrate 50 years of marriage to probably the best woman in the
> world. Carol and I were high school sweethearts and wrote daily letters
> when I was in the Navy. A wonderful woman, the same kind most of you have
> had at your side during both lean and prosperous years. She has been my
> guardian angel for these 50 past years, my wealth builder and my greatest
> supporter. My two Sons are technology wizards having played on one of the
> very first video games, the Atari for hours on end and growing up during
> the advent of the first personal computers. I will say again I am a
> blessed man having lived a peaceful and productive life. Here's to more
> radio time in the warmth of a radio room.
>
> My very best Greetings and Wishes for the Holiday Season. Let's keep ham
> radio on top of the list of good things in this world in 2015 and for
> years to come. The original Facebook it is, as I said many times, the
> greatest hobby ever devised by man to pass his leisure time. It spawned
> not only my life's work but many thousands of us around the country and
> the world. It has a place in our hearts forever. 
>
> My Best 73 to each of you my friends and here is my favorite word of all
> time - Onward!
>
> Come join me add to our ranks these next several years. The world needs us
> to stabilize a growing unrest among it's people.
>
> Jerry K5YAA
>
> My Christmas decoration for you is a wreath decorated and hanging by the
> Welcome sign on on my front porch. I didn't put up my 60 foot tall lighted
> Christmas Tree this year on tower #1 so this wreath will have to do. 
>
> For now and until the bands open Cheers, Ciao, Au Revoir, Adios Amigo and
> until we meet again. 
>
> Jerry one of your best friends.
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