AWARDS

During my time off on Memorial Day weekend, I had some free time to go back to my childhood. I sat and watched television episodes from my past. They reminded me of my younger years and where I used to live. All the neighbors knew your name, they were good friends, and were willing to help if you needed assistance.

In one of the televisions shows, a character said that “a stranger is just a friend we’ve never met.” That immediately made me start thinking about how that line is a perfect fit for ham radio.

While watching another TV show, it was mentioned that one of the characters was considered to be the most trusted person in the area, not only by his friends but also by his foes. Think about how long (if it were a real person) it would take to be trusted like that. That person would be considered very honorable. Which brings us to the “honor system” in the ham community.

Many award programs use the honor system for most applications. A general example: If you claim you followed all of the award rules and have the required confirmations to qualify, your