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April 11, 2006
Souvenir from the Past
Recently I bought a framed certificate from one of the thrift stores on Södermalm. The DX CENTURY CLUB certificate, from the American Radio Relay League, certifies that Axel Strom “has this day submitted evidence satisfactory to the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) that his station has conducted two-way communication with other amateur stations in at least 100 different countries since November 15, 1945. This certificate recognizes his outstanding performance and attests his membership in the DX Century Club.”
I'm pretty sure that Axel Strom, a Swedish ham radio enthusiast, is either long gone or packed off to an old folks’ home. It's the best explanation for the sale of this engraved, two-color certificate, which was signed by the communications manager for the American Radio Relay League, George Hart, on October 1, 1968 in Newington, Connecticut. The purchase cost 25 crowns, about $3.50, money well spent for a thrilling souvenir of the days before Skype and before the Internet, when it was no small accomplishment to establish two-way non-telephone communication with radio fans in at least 100 different countries.
Even if Axel could know about my purchase, I doubt it would cheer him. It's bound to dismay my husband, once he notices, and my daughter, who will end up having to get rid of it eventually (along with everything else I own). But it cheers me up, for some odd reason. Axel may be gone but visible proof of his passion for amateur radio lives on. Along with the ARRL.
Posted by Deborah Branscum at April 11, 2006 04:28 PM