[QCWA] history question

[Dave Heil]

I've been licensed since 1963 and do not recall hearing or reading this 
term earlier than the Rod Newkirk article.  With all respect to Newkirk, 
I think my mentor, Andy Timberlake, the original W8MN, would roll over 
in his grave if he ever heard himself being referred to as an Elmer.  I 
maintained a friendship with Andy which lasted for the last twenty years 
of his life.

Dave Heil K8MN

On 08-Nov-15 00:54, Art (K5FNQ) wrote:
> 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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>