SAC Awards history

OH2YV Veikko informed me of the very start of SAC test and it is this story I will give to you.

Hi Henning,
I read in the club newsletter of OH3AC that you are missing pictures of some of the SAC contest certificates.
Here are the three first ones, 1959, 1960 and 1961. Your misslist includes also the year 1958, but I can tell you that during that year the rules were just under consideration and no contest was held yet. You can trust me because I was the initiator of the SAC, and the original rulewriter, hi!

Find some of Veikko’s pictures – CLICK HERE

It is a long story how this Contest was born, but just briefly the following.
During 1950’s I participated many times in the OZCCA Contest, with a good success at times. Also NRRL and SSA had their own activities. I became great friends with Boerge, OZ2NU (sk) and one day just asked him what he would think about a new international Contest covering the Nordic Countries, Scandinavia.
At first he was not very eager as he was a little worried about the future of the OZCCA Contest but after more consideration he thought the idea is good. This happened already in 1957. I talked also with some other friends in LA and SM, and got “green light” to go further. Nick, OH2XK (sk) was the Contest Manager of SRAL, and together with him we started preparing the lines for this contest.
We made a proposal to the Administrative Board of SRAL, and got a “go ahead” from there. I wrote a draft for the rules, which was sent to the other three Societies EDR, SSA and NRRL. After some discussions and negotiations the rules found their final form, and the SRAL was ready to start with first SAC in 1959.

So last year, 2018 the 60th SAC took place, and actually, when this year’s (2019) contest begins, the SAC will be exactly 60 years old.

Personally I am happy to see, after 60 years, how vital this contest still is.
I am an oldtimer, 85 years of age, licensed in 1951 as OH2YV. I am no more participating in contests but like to follow
the progress and activities.

Veikko “John” Velamo, OH2YV