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By Brian Mileshosky, N5ZGT
Contributing Editor
February 27, 2001
Amateur Radio is a hobby we all enjoy, but Amateur Radio also offers an opportunity to provide service and leadership. It's time to think about recognizing the young people in our hobby who donate their time and energy to these kinds of activities.
I can remember receiving my ticket when I was a 12-year-old mid-school student, and all I could think about was talking to others on the air and studying for the CW test so I could talk to even more people. But as time passed, I began flirting with running nets, offering a helping hand at club activities, and promoting Amateur Radio to my peers.
Until then, I had not realized that providing service to the Amateur Radio community was as fun and as rewarding as it is. In fact, it's rather addictive!
Enough about me. I'm not the only young Amateur who has tried to give back to the hobby out of appreciation for what the hobby has given to me. All across the nation, there exist young Amateur Radio operators who are active running nets, involved in the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES), leading a particular club activity or convincing their young friends to join our ranks. I'm sure you know one of these valuable hams yourself. You may even have Elmered him or her. Or maybe you just met him or her through the local club.
Some of these younger hams already have demonstrated superlative skill and dedication that goes well beyond the ordinary. A few of these younger hams deserve special appreciation for their time and efforts on behalf of Amateur Radio. This month, I'd like to mention two awards specifically designed to recognize the best of the best among Amateur Radio's youth. I hope that you'll consider nominating an especially deserving young ham for either of them.
The Hiram Percy Maxim Memorial Award
The Hiram Percy Maxim Memorial Award is given annually to a licensed radio amateur under the age of 21 whose accomplishments and contributions are of the most exemplary nature within the framework of Amateur Radio activities, including, but not limited to, the following:
 Editor's note: Although he is too humble to mention it, the author Brian Mileshosky, N5ZGT, was the winner of the 1999 HPM Memorial Award. |
Established in 1936, this award has a rich history of recognizing one hard-working young Amateur for his or her efforts. To nominate the youth you know, contact your ARRL Section Manager (listed on page 12 of any issue of QST or on the ARRL Web site), as he or she is the person who makes the formal nominations.
A nomination form can be found on ARRLWeb. The individual making the nomination must complete the form and send it to his or her Section Manager. Be sure to include as much relevant and detailed information as possible about the service and effort the young ham you know has put forth over the past year.
Endorsement by an ARRL-affiliated club and elected or appointed ARRL officials also is required.
An award panel reviews the nominations submitted and selects the winner. The prize consists of a cash award of $1000, a suitably engraved plaque, and travel and accommodation expenses to enable the winner to attend an ARRL convention at which a formal presentation is made.
There is no limit to the number of nominations one may make. Nominations from section managers are due no later than March 31, 2001.
The Amateur Radio Newsline Young Ham of the Year Award
Another outstanding award program is The Amateur Radio Newsline Young Ham of the Year Award--or YHOTY--administered by Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, and Amateur Radio Newsline, the weekly ham radio newscast that Pasternak produces. The YHOTY is underwritten by Yaesu (Vertex Standard) and CQ magazine.
Created in 1986, this award is offered to recognize one young Amateur under the age of 18 in the continental United States for his or her contributions to society through Amateur Radio. The Young Ham of the Year Award selection committee will consider all received nominations and select one winner.
It is expected that Yaesu (Vertex Standard) will fly the winner to Huntsville, Alabama, where the award will be formally presented during the annual hamfest there in August. Hotel accommodations as well as convention tickets are normally provided, and CQ treats the recipient to a week at Spacecamp-Huntsville.
If the recipient is unable to travel to the convention, Amateur Radio Newsline attempts to arrange a special award ceremony where the winner resides, such as at school or at a ham radio club meeting. (In this case the trip to the convention will be forfeited by the recipient, but all other aspects of the award will remain.)
All nominations and materials required by the official rules must be received by Amateur Radio Newsline before May 30, 2001. Complete details and application forms are available on the Newsline Web site, or they can be obtained by sending a self-addressed stamped envelope to The Amateur Radio Newsline Young Ham of the Year Award, 28197 Robin Ave, Santa Clarita CA 91350.
Either of these awards offers a wonderful way to express appreciation to a young amateur who has been particularly diligent in making Amateur Radio better for all of us through his or her contributions. I enjoy referring to the youth as the future of Amateur Radio, and we owe them our sincere appreciation, so please don't let this opportunity pass you by! Collect as much information about the youth you know and be sure to submit your nomination well before the deadline.
The winner of the 2000 Young Ham of the Year Award was Christopher Arthur, KT4XA.
73 for Now!
That's all for this month! I'm happy to consider any topic suggestions that come my way, so please contact me with your ideas! Next month I will be featuring a large nation-wide youth club you might be interested in joining, as well as a young ham who has enjoyed a very special aspect of Amateur Radio, not only in his own community, but in other parts of the United States and abroad! And he's looking forward to being a part of this activity once again later this year. To find out more about these topics, you won't want to miss my next Youth@HamRadio.Fun column!
Editor's note: Brian Mileshosky, N5ZGT, hails from Albuquerque, New Mexico. A 21-year-old senior in electrical engineering at the University of New Mexico, Brian was the 1999 ARRL Hiram Percy Maxim Award winner as well as the 1997 winner of the YHOTY Award. He was first licensed in 1992 at age 12, holds a General license and now is studying for his Amateur Extra ticket. "I love Amateur Radio, and wish I could have gotten into the hobby sooner," he says. Brian enjoys many of the activities afforded by Amateur Radio, including CW, QRP CW, transmitter hunting, satellite operation, some digital modes, and, of course, just speaking into the microphone. Brian authored the "Youth Forum" column for Worldradio magazine for three years. He's a brother of the Kappa Sigma fraternity, as well as very active in the Boy Scouts of America as an assistant scoutmaster and a Vigil Honor member of the Order of the Arrow. Brian welcomes visitors to his Web site.
