I've been away from being able to pick up e-mail so apologies for this late
reply.

The Transatlantic Challenge is hosted on the RSGB HF Committee site on
behalf of the other sponsors (DARC and AMRAD).
The URL is http://www.g3wkl.freeserve.co.uk/awards/136_trans_challenge.html

Whilst there has been some excellent work done, both in terms of technical
and the operating aspects, I will need to confer with my opposite numbers
within DARC and AMRAD to decide whether we consider that we can recommend
that the intent of the award has infact been met by this and other recent
exchanges.

This may take a little while as amateur radio is a hobby that has to take
second place with our jobs.

Best 73
John
G3WKL
RSGB HF Committee member


-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]]On
Behalf Of Larry Kayser
Sent: Wednesday, February 21, 2001 03:05
To: [email protected]
Subject: LF: Re: Claiming the Bobek Award?


David et all

Hi All,   but in particular Laurie and Larry.

Well done to both on the transatlantic QSO Marathon.
Can to clarify if you are both claiming the Peter Bobek award from the
sponsoring organizations with this QSO?

Thank You David for your wishes.

You also pose a very interesting question.  I am travelling at the moment
and for the next few days so I will have to post this when I go by Westport,
I will not be able to deal with any issues raised by this reply until the
weekend.

When I saw your message I did a search for information on the Bobek award,
in the short time I had I only found information available on the AMRAD web
site.  I tried to do some additional search refinements - they produced some
interesting results for the Bobek name but nothing about the award.

After studying the Bobek Award information on AMRAD I offer the following.

First, the Award Information is mute on any process for applying for, or as
you suggest "claiming" the award.  I have been involved in several other
prizes over the years and my response to this is that the
managers/originators of the award have been mute, then it is beholding on
Laurie and I to in fact keep quiet.  I am sure the managers/originators of
the Bobek Award have some internal process and it would therefor be very
inappropriate for Laurie or myself to be "claiming" the award.  There is
very simply no process for us to do so within the Bobek Award information.

Second, to your question, certainly Laurie and I would like to be recognized
by our peers for the work we have done in this first two way LF QSO across
the North Atlantic.  I sensed late last year that there was a large amount
of
thrashing around going on in our LF community, signals could be heard both
ways over the Atlantic but the completing of a QSO just did not happen.  I
ask you to remember that the opportunity for a QSO, using existing aural CW
QSO
models, did not happen over a period of about four months.  In January when
my signal was heard rather well in Europe - I started seeking a partner for
a QSO attempt.  David, you received one of those messages inquiring of you
if it was time to do the trick.

Simply put, Laurie and I got together and we did the trick, albeit slowly.
We exchanged call signs, we exchanged reports, we acknowledged the reports
we ended the QSO.  We did it with our very best efforts using what was
working now - even to the extent of my climbing a tall tower after dark to
effect repairs so the QSO process could continue.  There are now stakes in
the ground for those who come next to follow and improve on.  Our work will
be improved upon, but for the moment we are first and that is a simple fact.
The model for a QSO is interesting, their are both traditions and processes
used by many groups in amateur radio.  No existing QSO processes accommodate
90 second and 180 second information bits.  We have entered new ground -
new QSO processes are needed to deal with the new ground.

David, your question was asked in public, I have answered in public for
Laurie
and myself. Recognition by our peers would be great, however the first two
way
LF QSO over the North Atlantic has now occurred.  The next QSO over the
North Atlantic will improve and press beyond what we have done, it will be
at
the end of the day be the second two way LF QSO over the North Atlantic.

Larry
VA3LK