AM International, \"Discovery Weekend\"

People with contemporary shortwave transceivers are increasingly pushing the mode button marked "AM" and getting on this vintage mode for a nostalgic trip into radio's heritage.
Here are some details of an upcoming operating event designed to encourage newcomers to radio's oldest voice mode, now celebrating it's 100th Anniversary:






AMI International Discovery Weekend Announcement:



This is the second year this event has been scheduled for later in the month of September (Sept. 28 – 30) to better take advantage of lower noise on the 160 meter and 75 meter bands. This event is scheduled in the fall to encourage those AM operators who have taken the summer off to get their equipment ready to go for the fall and winter season.



Purpose.
With a strong turnout by regular AM enthusiasts to get on over these three days the general amateur population will “discover” AM where they might have missed it before.


This is good for us because it sets expectations with other hams about the frequencies we use and our operating procedures. The event begins anytime you get your filaments fired up on Friday evening and ends when you decide to quit Sunday evening.



Awards!
This is the AMI operating event with the complicated multi-level award structure. To earn the “Participant” award requires 20 or more AM contacts. These contacts can be made on 160, 75 and 40 meters. The “Participant Plus” award is achieved by making the 20 AM contacts on 160 – 40 meters and making at least one AM contact on 14.286 mHz. The coveted “Participant Primus” award is for 20 160-40 meter AM contacts, at least one 14.286 mHz AM contact and at least one AM contact on any higher band (15, 12, 10, 6 or 2 meters).



Logs should be legible with date, time, call signs, signal reports, name, equipment in use and AMI number (if available). You do not need to be a member of AM International to participate. Mail logs to AMI, Box 1500, Merrimack, NH 03054. If you have lost your AMI number, e-mail degagnon@earthlink.net. Impressive 5x7 award certificates, suitable for framing, are sent out to selected respondents.



--Paul/VJB, AMI No. 7