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| Going out to dinner during the 2010 Hamvention |
Frank Beafore, chairman for the 2016 Hamvention® awards has announced winners for the annual Hamvention awards convocation.
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Special Achievement Award: Stan Horzepa, WA1LOU
The Special Achievement Award recognizes WA1LOU as an advocate for cutting edge technologies that are now commonly used in amateur radio. Stan authored five books and wrote over 1,200 pieces for the ARRL and TAPR while evangelizing the use of home computers, packet radio, APRS, Digital Signal Processing (DSP) and Software Defined Radio (SDR) in amateur radio. Licensed in 1969 as WN1LOU, Stan has sampled almost every entrée on the ham radio menu and served in a slew of roles including Section Manager of Connecticut. Presently, Stan is a director and secretary for TAPR and serves as editor of TAPR’s newsletter (PSR). “LOU” has driven the 735 miles to Hamvention most years since 1978 and looks forward to doing so forever. “My fondest memories of ham radio are rubbing elbows and making friends with the makers and shakers of our hobby who show up at Hamvention every year.”I received a phone call two weeks ago informing me that I won the award, but I was asked to keep it to myself until an official announcement was made, which occurred on Friday.
When I took the call, I was floored. The award was totally unexpected and is a very big thing. I follow in the footsteps of astronauts, scientists, broadcasters and a U.S Senator who have won Hamvention awards in the past. I was so excited that I was physically shaking hours after receiving the news.
I informed the fellow who phoned me that I was trans, have been attending Hamvention as a woman since 2010 and would there be a problem? He was surprised, but did not think it would be a problem. However, he said he would pass that information along to the awards committee.
I waited for the other shoe to drop, but the only thing that happened was that the awards chairman asked me for a photo and a short biography to use on the Hamvention website and in 25,000 copies of the printed Hamvention program book.
I don't know all that winning the award entails. I hope free parking, but I do know that I will attend an awards dinner during Hamvention and that I will be presented with the award at the end of the event in an arena full of all the attendees who are still around. (There is usually a good crowd because the awards ceremony is followed by the prize drawing.)
My only concern now is what to wear to the awards dinner!
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| Wearing Boston Proper. |
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| Allied Prisoners of World War II at Stalag 383 |
Congrats on your recognition. Hamvention states it is a no-fly zone so that should preclude your wearing trousers. Maybe some designer would let you borrow one of the Oscars gowns for the occasion. Twirl in one and produce some static in the airwaves. Looking very good in the 2010 dinner photo.
ReplyDeleteChris1
Congratulations Stana on a very impressive award and Ham radio resume. While not a Ham myself, I have several friends that are and can appreciate what this must mean to you. Good luck with the enhanced parking at Hamvention though... that alone is huge (being a natine Daytonian, I know the surrounding frenzy).
ReplyDeleteBest wishes!
Janet
Wow, fantastic! Congratulations! I'm so happy for you. A great honor! Will look forward to hearing more about it...
ReplyDeleteMandy
Congratulations Stana. Well done!!!!
ReplyDeletecongratulations. Now you have no excuse to find a really nice dress!
ReplyDeleteStana:
ReplyDeleteWhat an outstanding and well deserved achievement, congratulations. (Now, have you considered asking them to insert the missing "A" in you name on the award plaque? Just a fun, and appropriate, thought.)
Again, congratulations.
Best regards,
Rhonda
Congratulations!
ReplyDeleteWell done, Stana. I'd followed the 'Surfin' blog, and happened to find this one, which I've been reading with interest. I don't think I'll make it to Dayton this year to meet you, so I'll offer congratulations here!
ReplyDeleteThe best photo of you ever!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations, I think you deserve it.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations. Ask, also if they can engrave the award to Stana.
ReplyDeleteVery many congratulations Stana. Looking forward to the awards night post.
ReplyDeletep
x
Congratulations!
ReplyDeleteContrats. This is a big deal. It's like Caitlyn Jenner winning the Espy Award (No Pressure). But your picture will be in this major industry mag and you will accept an award and give at least a short thank you in front of a nice size crowd. I am excited for you because you have the opportunity to make a difference and change minds by just begin your gracious self. You will represent us well.
ReplyDeleteNow, what to wear!
I have no suggestions on what to wear, but I can't wait to see what you come up with!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations. And I would have loved to hear the discussions after they got your call.
They list her on the Board of Directors as Stana. So methinks they're very cool people.
DeleteAs for what to wear... This occasion calls for a stunning outfit. https://www.renttherunway.com
ReplyDeleteDear Stana,
ReplyDeleteCONGRATULATIONS, sweetie!
The awards ceremony may be the perfect setting for you to eschew your normal near-the-knee hemlines and buy a luscious floor-length formal. I vaguely remember reading about one or more companies that sell almost exact copies of the gowns famous actresses wore at the Academy Awards for around $100. Alas (and we all love being "a lass"), I can't remember their names or web addresses. Sorry!
Love,
Sheila.
I am so excited for you. My dad has been an amateur radio operator since the early 1950's and continues today. He has built a ton of rigs, his ham shack takes up most of the basement and still has every issue of CQ magazine since he started. Your work in this field speaks to your technical expertise as well as being a social person. Congratulations on the award, it truly does sound like a "Major Award" unlike the leg lamp in the movie "Christmas Story"!
ReplyDeleteWow and congratulations, Stana. Unless the event is formal, I would say this is definitely time for a LBD and pearls.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations, Stana! I can't pretend to know anything about ham radio, but the length of the list of achievements cited in the announcement speaks for itself. And have you noticed that one of your fellow 2016 award-winners is a Nobel Prize winner? You're in very distinguished company! This is also a wonderful opportunity for increasing the visibility of our community. Your radiant presence will make a difference.
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Davina Liffey
Congratulations, very well deserved I am sure. My Father-in-Law was a dedicated Radio amateur Building his own rigs and going out into his shack for a few hours every morning, I remember him struggling and then coming to love packet radio. I even think I may have had at least one your books, even over here in the UK
ReplyDeleteCongratulations!!!!! What every you wear you represent all of us well.
ReplyDeleteBeyond outstanding. Congratulations on a life well let. I love the outfit in the photo and think that may be appropriate for the award.
ReplyDeleteI notice how none of the other comments even mentioned the possibility that you would accept the award as Stan rather than Stana
Pat
There is absolutely no possibility that I will accept the award in Stan-mode! LOL
DeleteVery nice and well deserved! Congratulations!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Stana and I love that picture you took. Looking fantastic as always.
ReplyDeleteMany congratulations: not familiar with amateur radio, but the citation reads as if you have been in the vanguard of the whole odyssey from wholly analogue to digitally encoded radio.
ReplyDeleteTruly sounds like recognition of a lifetime´s work.
I know you've talked before about Ham Radio but this award made me stop, think, and remember. My father was one of the first ham radio operators in CT and in the US - 1AJO and later W1AJO. I would love to share my recollections and hear yours. Please contact me at capirro@aol.com
ReplyDeleteA friend in a fashion freedom group on Facebook mentioned your blog and your History with Ham Radio. I am gender non conforming and love that they had no problems with you presenting as women. I will be taking my technicians class test in the next couple of weeks. I love your blog.
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