[QCWA] history question

[Art (K5FNQ)]

This is the Wikipedia story (believe it as you wish)
The term first appeared in the March, 1971 issue of/QST 
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QST>/magazine's "How'sDX 
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DXing>" column by Rod Newkirk, W9BRD (now 
also VA3ZBB). Newkirk called them "the unsung fathers of Amateur Radio." 
While he probably was not trying to coin a term at the time, here's how 
Newkirk introduced "Elmer" in his column and, as it turned out, to the 
rest of the amateur radio world: "Too frequently one hears a sad story 
in this little nutshell: 'Oh, I almost got a ticket, too, but Elmer, 
W9XYZ, moved away and I kind of lost interest.'" Newkirk went on to say, 
"We need those Elmers. All the Elmers, including the ham who took the 
most time and trouble to give you a push toward your license, are the 
birds who keep this great game young and fresh."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elmer

Art K5FNQ


On 11/7/2015 4:16 PM, Robert Rich wrote:
> Hello fellow QCWA family,
> I was licensed in 1965,
> The term "Elmer" was a house hold word at that time in the Ham community.
> Without Elmer there would be much fewer Hams I suspect.
> I would surmise that it started something like this; We all have an Uncle "Elmer" that new every thing, had been ever where, taught us nephews how to fish, shoot a gun ,
> Hunt, cuss, smoke, and slipped us a taste of moon shine, and never told our parents!
> However this doesn't answer the original question .
> 73,  de Bob. WA4PWA
>
>> On Nov 6, 2015, at 8:10 PM, Jeffrey D Angus <jdangus at att.net> wrote:
>>
>>> On 11/6/2015 7:41 PM, Lew M wrote:
>>> What is the origin of the term "Elmer" for a mentor in amateur radio?
>>>
>>> Thanks
>>>
>>> 73, Lew
>>> n2rq at arrl.net
>> Surprisingly, the term is not that old.
>> <http://www.arrl.org/elmer-award>
>>
>> "The term "Elmer"--meaning someone who provides personal guidance and
>> assistance to would-be hams--first appeared in/QST/in a March 1971 "How's
>> DX" column by Rod Newkirk, W9BRD (now also VA3ZBB)."
>>
>> Side note: About a year after I upgraded from Novice to Advanced, _my_ Elmer
>> gave me a brand new Vibroplex Original bug. That was about the same time
>> that this article was published. I still have the bug.
>>
>> 73
>> Jeff
>>
>> -- 
>> Jeff-1.0
>> wa6fwi
>> http://www.foxsmercantile.com
>>
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-- 
K5FNQ - Art Mouton k5fnq(at)lusfiber.net (or (at)arrl.net) ARRL, QCWA, 
CW OPS, Louisiana Contest Club, DXCC Honor Roll (Mixed & CW), 
Digital/RTTY DXCC, 5BDXCC, DXCC 10, 12, 15, 17, 20, 30, 40, 80 Meters