The CIRCUIT BOARD AWARD is a special recognition award that is presented to members of the York Radio Club who have distinguished themselves through long-term service to the club and within the amateur radio community. The award is presented only when a qualified member is recognized.
The original CIRCUIT BOARD AWARD was made to honor the sponsor of the York Radio Club at Elmhurst College when the club met there. It was presented to Dr. Sawyer when he left Elmhurst College to take a position elsewhere. In 1980 the then president of the club, Les Otto, WK9U decided some type of recognition for members who distinguished themselves over the long haul would be fitting for the club to present. At first the sole judge of who received the award was the institutor. As time went on all award recipients met and voted, but this became cumbersome. Now the group, those who are active Club members and recipients of the award, communicate amongst themselves and select the next recipient.
Some of the criteria considered are the length of elevated service (this means not just being a long-term member, but a long-term participant in the club and its activities); taking an active roll in the club by serving at some level (on a committee, as an officer or director, or in a chair position); and teaching, helping, volunteering, doing, in other words — ELMERING. The successful candidate does not set out to win this award, because it is not a “Ham of the Year” award. Most anyone can put forth the effort for a year or two in order to gain an award, but that is not good enough for this award. The recipient of the CIRCUIT BOARD AWARD has done exemplary work in the service of the Amateur Radio Community for many years, not because of the possibility of receiving the award, but because of the desire to promote the hobby and serve the club and community.
The person most likely to be selected to receive this award is one who continually jumps into the fray, not to make a splash, but to do a job that needs to be done. In other words, it is not for the recognition, but for the self-satisfaction of recognizing a need and fulfilling it. It is this type of person whose name comes to the fore when those in charge question if the award is to be presented. The CIRCUIT BOARD AWARD is most often presented to a person who has done much, but does not believe it was enough and continues to look for more ways to serve. Receipt of this award is partly an expression of thank you for service rendered, but also an expectation of continued leadership to the Amateur Radio Community.
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Award # | Year | Recipient | Call Sign | Note |
01 | 1980 | Rich Jensen | KD9ZQ | Now NR9J |
02 | 1980 | Jim Cameron | W9JDX | |
03 | 1981 | Carl Zaruba | WA9NRI | Silent Key |
04 | 1981 | Florence Zaruba | (none) | |
05 | 1986 | Joseph Gutwein | WA9RIJ | Silent Key |
06 | 1987 | Jordan Kaplan | W9KQE | |
07 | 1987 | Les Otto | W9LSO | |
08 | 1988 | Jack Kamm | WA9OHU | Silent Key |
09 | 1989 | Ernie Krause | K9BFU | |
10 | 1990 | Cliff Strain | W9KBU | Silent Key |
11 | 1991 | Darrell Burton | WB9TUF | Silent Key |
12 | 1992 | Ray Donley | WA9LCW | Silent Key |
13 | 1994 | Fred Bacon | WA1MRH | |
14 | 1994 | Mike Wenninger | WK9J | |
15 | 1996 | Don Longley | NU9B | Silent Key |
16 | 1998 | Al Martin | N9JSZ | Silent Key |
17 | 2000 | Rich Earl | W9JUC | Silent Key |
18 | 2002 | Paul Cavallaro | NJ9V | |
19 | 2003 | Terry Pelkola | KW9L | |
20 | 2004 | Don Drake | K9VGN | Silent Key |
21 | 2004 | Joe Sawukaytis | N9PX | |
22 | 2005 | Gehl Entwhistle | KB9DVC | |
23 | 2005 | Bob Bejna | KB9FUR | |
24 | 2007 | Marv Jelonek | KB9ZGR | |
25 | 2008 | Chuck Hopper | K9PLX | |
26 | 2009 | Dragan Dragojevic | NN9L | |
27 | 2010 | Todd Benson | W9YK | |
28 | 2011 | Mark Burlingame | KB9TVD | |
29 | 2012 | Crystal Scott | KC9ISR | |
30 | 2014 | George Tasson | KC9UIU | |
31 | 2015 | Steve Jurasek | N9ZE | |
32 | 2016 | Martin Roycewicz | KD4SLL | |
33 | 2017 | Don Mocarski | KB9SWI | |
34 | 2018 | Dave Novotny | KC9AMY | |
35 | 2019 | Bill Vest Jr | N9WGV | |
36 | 2019 – summer | John McCormick | K9KE | |
37 | 2023 | Bill Draheim | WD9END | |
38 | 2024 | John Putnam | AC9UV | |