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Re: [Swlfest] The Lonely Hobby
Terry-
Can you give us the particulars on the e-group that you've started? I'm
in St. Louis, and would be interested...although I have to admit that I
don't have nearly as much time to spend with the radios as I would like
:(
Ken
On Mar 21, 2004, at 10:40 AM, Terry Klasek wrote:
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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