BTC 2007-2008 Mid-Season Report - Jan. 13, 2008
We are currently at approximately the mid-point of the 2007-2008
medium wave DX season, and it seems like a good time to give you an interim
report on the work of your Broadcast Test Committee.
As you can probably guess, many hours of work goes into contacting
stations, scheduling and arranging tests, and making sure all the loose ends
get tied up after the test actually runs.
So far this season, the committee has contacted roughly 188
different stations in the United States and Canada with requests for DX
tests. The majority of these stations were approached by sending a request
package to a specific individual there, and included a detailed letter, a
brochure about our hobby, a couple of maps showing the coverage success of
some previous tests, copies of the two stories that ran in the local press
about the WLPO test and an SASE. The list of stations, compiled by committee
member J.D. Stephens, was taken primarily from club bulletins reporting
individuals who were good verifiers or who had otherwise demonstrated a
friendly attitude toward DXers.
From these nearly 200 stations contacted, we received positive
responses from 11 stations. Admittedly, not a particularly great return
rate, but as most of us know, we are up against a lot of challenges in
trying to get stations to test in the current broadcasting environment. In
any case, we are very thankful to those stations who have agreed to test for
us.
One of the goals I set when I took over the position as BTC
Coordinator was to use current technology as much as possible to improve the
delivery of information to DXers. Committee member Brandon Jordan already
had the highly successful and useful DXTests.info Web site up and running,
and we have continued to use it to deliver timely and accurate information
on tests.
Another of our committee members and a decorated veteran of the
CPC/BTC arena, J.D. Stephens, has broken new ground with the BTC Podcast.
J.D. has done seven of these very informative presentations so far, all in
an extremely professional and entertaining manner.
Looking ahead to the rest of the season, I am preparing request
packages for about another 40 stations. Additionally, a couple of our
committee members are working on direct contacts with stations in hopes of
scheduling tests by them in the near future. And we are still trying to nail
down dates and times with a few other stations who have agreed in principle
to test. We'll announce details on all these just as soon as we are able to
firm them up.
This brings me to a couple of requests I'd like to make of you in
the DX community. First, "cold call" requests for DX tests is just one part
of this process. Although we have "official" members of our committee, I
like to think of everyone who listens for the tests as potential ex officio
members.
So, if you work at a station, if you have a friend or acquaintance
who works at a station in your area, or would just like an excuse to meet
your local chief engineer or station manager, why not approach them about
the possibility of a test? Since station engineering personnel are often
hams, if you are also a ham, this may be an area of common interest where
your paths cross.
If you make an initial contact with a station and they seem
interested, please pass the info along to me. I'll be happy to make an
official contact with the station and send them a request package.
Second, as you can probably imagine, mailing out requests to
stations is a somewhat costly enterprise. Each package requires about $1 in
postage plus the cost of the stamp for the SASE. In addition to this is the
cost of the envelopes used, and paper for printing letters and other items.
Contributions of stamps or cash to aid in this work would be very
helpful. I'll be happy to send a receipt to anyone who needs one, and will
make a full accounting of all contributions and expenditures in my end of
the season report. Thanks in advance for any such financial assistance you
can provide.
The DX test season is now roughly half over. Although we currently
only have one additional test on the calendar, please rest assured that your
committee is still hard at work. But with numbers comes strength. If you can
help get the ball rolling on a test from a station in your area, we
gratefully welcome your help.
In conclusion, I send my sincere thanks to fellow committee members:
J.D. Stephens, Brandon Jordan, Joe Miller, Paul Walker and our newest member
Saul Chernos. They each bring special talents and capabilities to our
efforts, and I am very honored to work with all of them.
Please consider doing your part to open the doors for a test from a
station in your area. Working together, I believe we can get many more tests
on the calendar, stations in our logbooks and QSLs in our collections.
Thanks and 73s,
Jim Pogue/KH2AR
IRCA/NRC Joint BTC Coordinator
P.O. Box 3777
Memphis, TN 38173-0777
PH: (901) 828-0152
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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