Completed nominations and substantiating documentation must reach Amateur Radio Newsline™ by midnight on May 30, 2013 to be considered for this years award.  Both paper and electronically-filed nominations are welcome.  See nominating form for more details.

More information is below.

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The Amateur Radio Newsline TM
Young Ham of the Year Award

  

The "Newsline Young Ham of the Year Award" was originally known as the "Westlink Report Young Ham of the Year." Known as the YHOTY (pronounced YOTEE) this award program was conceived in late 1995 by "Amateur Radio Newsline" Producer Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF in association with the then "Westlink Report Amateur Radio Newsletter" which agreed to lend its name in support.

Bill Pasternak created the award after realizing that -- other than scholarship programs, there was no program anywhere to acknowledge the numerous accomplishments of the youth of Amateur Radio. It is his belief that the real-life experience of being honored for their youthful accomplishments in Amateur Radio may lead the award winners -- and through their example - many also lead other young hams into technology based careers that will make them the scientific, telecommunications and educational leaders of the future.

Joining in 1986 as the first (and continuing) Corporate Underwriter was/is Yaesu USA Corporation of Cerritos California.  Gordon West's Radio School served as an "additional gift" participant from 1986 through 1989.

The first YHOTY presentation was made in 1986 to Shawn Alan Wakefield, WK5P, of Bartelsville Oklahoma. Making the presentation were Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF of Newsline, Sanford "Burt" Hicks, WB6MQV, of Westlink Report and C.H. "Chip" Margelli of Yaesu USA Corporation.

From its inception in 1986 until 1995 the award traveled the nations ham radio convention circuit looking for a permanent home. It found that location when Mr. Scott Neustadter, W4WW, who is Chairman of the "Huntsville Hamfest," offered the hospitality of his event and his city. The Huntsville Hamfest, held each August in technology-based Huntsville Alabama is one of the nations largest and most popular Amateur Radio conventions. Its venue the Von Braun Civic Center in downtown Huntsville and usually attracting some 6000 attendees.

In 1993 the ARRL, through its Educational Department the ARRL became an ongoing "additional gift" participant in the Newsline "Young Ham of the Year Award Program.

With the absorption in 1995 of the Westlink Report readership base into Worldradio Magazine, the awards originator Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, decided to continue it under the banner of his own "Amateur Radio Newsline" organization. Yaesu USA offered to remain a primary corporate underwriter.

1995 saw the addition of CQ Publishing as a second corporate underwriter as its owner Richard Ross, K2MGA, offered the assistance of his corporation. This same year also saw the formation of the "Young Ham of the Year Steering Committee" chaired by Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF. Initial participants were Kevin Karamanos, WD6DIH of Yaesu USA Corp.; Rich Moseson, W2VU of CQ Magazine; Rosalie White WA1STO of ARRL; Mr. Keith Glispie, WA6TFD of Suite 16 Post Production, Inc. and Capt. Larry V. Zettwoch, KR4IF of U.S. Airways. Mr. Glispie resigned in 1998 and was replaced by Mr. Sandy Donahue, W4WU of WGNX Television.

1995 also saw the formation of the "Young Ham of the Year Judging Committee" chaired by Capt. Larry V. Zettwoch, KR4IF, of U.S. Airways with Rosalie White WA1STO and Rich Moseson W2VU of CQ Magazine as judges.

In 1996 Newsline was contacted by Mr. Nick Smith of TAP Publishing offering ongoing free advertising including publication of the "Young Ham of the Year Award" nominating form in his weekly Amateur Radio Trader Magazine.

In 1996 CQ Publishing expanded its involvement in the "Young Ham of the Year" program by underwriting the cost of a week at Spacecamp-Huntsville for the youngster selected as YHOTY recipient.

In 1999 the "Young Ham of the Year Judging Committee" was expanded to include former ARRL President George Wilson, W4OYI and former YHOTY recipient Brian Mileshowsky N5ZGT. Mr. Todd Hitzeroth, N6ZXJ, of 20th Century Fox Television was added as an Alternate Judge.

From 1997 through 2001 Rosewood Communications was an "additional gift" provider.

The current (as of 2012) "Young Ham of the Year Judging Committee" is chaired by Mark Abramowicz, NT3V: with members Rich Moseson,, W2VU;  Brian Mileshowsky, N5ZGT; Larry Wolfgang, WR1B and Bill Morine, N2COP. Todd Hitzeroth, N6ZXJ continues as an Alternate Judge.


HOW THE YHOTY AWARD WORKS

"The Young Ham of the Year Award" is presented annually to a United States licensed Radio Amateur (Ham) who is 18 years of age or younger and who has provided outstanding service to the nation, his community or the betterment of the state of the art in communications through the Amateur Radio hobby/service.

The award is open to any  FCC licensed Amateur Radio operator residing in the United States or its possessions or Industry Canada licensed radio amateur residing in the Canadian provinces who is aged 18 and younger and who has used Amateur Radio to significantly contribute to the benefit of the service, to the sate of the communications art, to their community or the nation is eligible.   

All nominations must be submitted before May 30 of any given calendar year on an official application and accompanied by verification materials. Applications forms are available for a self addressed stamped envelope mailed to the Young Ham of the Year Award % Newsline, 28197 Robin Avenue Santa Clarita California 91350. These nominating applications are also available for electronic download from at this site.

 

SOME BACKGROUND ON THE PRIMARY AWARD SPONSORS

The Amateur Radio Newsline, Inc., better known as "Newsline" is the worlds largest not for profit (501(c)(3) and totally independent ham radio broadcast news and data information service. It was organized in 1976 by Jim Hendershot WA6VQP and Bill Pasternak WA6ITF. Since that time it has produced and put to air over 960 consecutive weeks of news of free bulletin programming dealing with Amateur Radio and related personal communications issues.

Primary corporate underwriting since the inception of the "Young Ham of the Year Award" program is supplied by Yaesu U.S.A., CQ Magazine and Heil Sound. Yaesu is a world leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of Yaesu brand high quality Amateur Radio and Vertex brand commercial two-way radio equipment.

As of 1995, CQ Publishing has been an additional corporate underwriter. CQ Magazine and its sister publication CQ-Contest are owned by CQ Communications and are considered the trend-setting publications serving today's modern radio amateur.

In 2008 Heil Sound Ltd.; an innovative manufacturer of microphones for the amateur, professional sound and broadcast industries joined as the latest corporate underwriter.  

 

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