[Swlfest] The Lonely Hobby

["Terry Klasek" <evharben@xxxxxxx>]

Greeting.

DXing is basically a lonely hobby. It is someing a person can do 
exceptionally well, without being on a team or having superior athletic 
aility. DXer's minds are the key, along with equipment, is what counts!

We memorize when our favourite stations are on, and those stations we have 
found elusive. We learn how to pick out IDs in many languages, and search 
for exotic music while learning about other peoples and nations.

We acumulate QSL cars and letters by the hundreds. We periodically look them 
over, and we can recall many details of the "catch." All of this we do 
usually by ourselves. Thgen we discover Shortwave and MW clubs.

When I joined NASWA, SPEEDX, ASWLC, NRC and IRCA I found I was not alone! 
Gee, there were other Dxers in my area too!! I called several, and ended up 
with being friends with Richard Eddie for many years. He came over to my 
home two or three times a week for DX sessions. He lived too close to many 
antennas that caused interferance, while I was near the airport where high 
antennas are not allowed.

We started SLIDX (Saint Louis International DXers), and found about 40 
fellow DXers over several years. We had monthly DX get to gethers for 
several years, and it was great fun! We brought all our newer QSL cards, 
radios, and new club bullitens. We had lunch, played whiffle Ball, and just 
talked shop.

Other clubs began get to gethers, and this evolved into large conventions 
and Dx Fests. It is great to DX, and learn about the world we live in. 
However, it is lonely to the extreme. In the late 1970s to about 1983 I can 
recall only about three YL Dxers out of several hundred YM Dxers.. I see 
amny new names with some old familiar ones. That tells me the hobbly is 
flourishing, and gaining more and more new hobbists.

Having a DX fest is great, but I encourage DXers to find othewrs in their 
area to have occational meetings to exchange ideas, QSLs, and other hobby 
related info. Older Dxers can show old QSLs from stations and nations no 
long in existance.

I have many duplicates of Soviet republics and Eastern bloc stations that I 
may be persuaded to part with. Some of them are blank, and never typed on. I 
just like all those map QSLs!

I started SLIDX as an egroup again, and hopefully it will grow into local 
meetings some time now that nice weather is approaching. So meet other Dxers 
at yearly meetings, but try to have a Dx session with a fellow Dxer because 
they may ID something you cannot. Meet other DXers in your area. Just Dxing 
by yourself is good, but not great.

I recall a SLIDX meeting when we were Dxing at night. The late Richard 
Pistek of Chicago was attending here in Saint Louis, and we sere sufing the 
dials. He suddenly said that the music coming from the speaker was, "Here 
Comes the rain" which was the national Anthem of Sierra Leone. I did not 
have that nheard before then so we all listened, and sent out reports to 
remember our Dx session together. That makes my first Sierra Leone QSL very 
special!

I still miss, and think kindly about Richard Pistek and Richard Eddie. Sad 
to not have their wisdom with us.

Cheers to all!!!!!

Terry Klasek
Saint Louis, Missouri

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