Good afternoon from #hamr alternative shackadelic as my day winds down and thoughts turn toward inspirational. I enjoyed Padraig Lysandrou, KC9UUS' article about his first ever holiday style DXpedition to the island of Cyprus in the May 2013 edition of QST magazine. His excitement and enthusiasim leaps off the pages.
Lysandrou is 15 years of age according to the article and his words communicate youthful passion for a hobby that is generally unknown to others in his cohort. Perhaps, like most of us, a teacher was instrumental during Lysandrou's discovery process ultimately leading to licensure. Lysandrou took the reigns of self leadership and quickly moved through the ranks culminating in Extra class priveleges.
According to his article, Lysandrou's chemistry teacher fired up the enthusiast and passionate, with ham radio high adventure video -- Peter Island DXpedition 3Y0X Antarctica 2006 digital video disc.
I can say that many of The Novices who were members of WB3CSO, Sharon High School Amateur Radio Club, dreamt of high ham radio adventure to far flung destinations like Cyprus. We sat in our chairs like mine on Edgewood Road logging stations in the deep south Pacific and calling each other using touch tone phones instead of rotary dials chatting about who logged who over the weekend. At the end of our conversation, we would again return to that dream, as if it was only a matter of time.
KC9UUS accomplished what most of us at WB3CSO could not and he accomplished the lion's share of the work himself! I have written that on this side of the Atlantic there is a significant age gap in the hobby. My attitude is changing after reading Lysandrou's article and the club success in Santa Barbara with there high altitude ballon challenge.
Slowly, ever so slowly, there may yet be a sea change among our future leaders in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. I have teachers like Mister Rapp to thank as we face probably the biggest challenge confronting the Silent Generation.
73 from the shackadelic near the beach.