"Steve Bonine" wrote in message
...
LVN wrote:

The term "Elmer"--meaning someone who provides personal guidance and
assistance to would-be hams--first appeared in QST in a March 1971 "How's
DX" column by Rod Newkirk, W9BRD (now also VA3ZBB).

The fact that it first appeared in QST in 1971 doesn't mean it wasn't used
before then. The fact that W9BRD picked the name "Elmer" in his QST text
"Too frequently one hears a sad story in this little nutshell: 'Oh, I
almost got a ticket, too, but Elmer, W9XYZ, moved away and I kind of lost
interest.'" may indicate that "Elmer" was already in common use. After
all, "Elmer" isn't a very common name that would have sprung to his mind.

I *think* that "Elmer" was a term that I used when I was first licensed in
the 60's . . . but maybe I am remembering the 70's instead of the 60's.

Alright then Elmer is an English surname derived from "the Old English
aethel (noble) and maer (famous). It was first adopted as a given name in
the 19th Century, most popularly in the United States".

Noble and Famous sounds about right.


--
10-10 (till we do it again) de G1LVN
--
My Call is M0WWS. I had an accident,
and I woke up in uk.radio.amateur.
Am I mad, in a coma, or back in time?
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