The keen contesting group of radio amateurs from Ukraine, formed a very active Black Sea Contest Club in the year 2006. The free primary membership was open to all contesters from Ukraine. The very good work done by this Club, caught the attention of other contesters from all the neighbouring countries as well. The BSCC started enrolling other contesters from countries bordering the Black Sea, like Russia, Georgia, Asiatic Turkey, European Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova... The enrollment for the BSCC was quite fast , The first ever " Black Sea Cup International " Contest was organised in 2009, with a good set of Rules. The contesters from the coastal countries gave the exchange like BSYO, BSLZ, etc denoting in the last two alphabets their country prefix. Non members of BSCC from Ukraine itself gave BSUR. Club members gave the abbreviations of the clubs like BSUCC, UARL, etc.,. Members of the BSCC gave their membership numbers like BS156, BS19, BS200 etc.,.All the other contesters from around the world, gave their ITU zone numbers in exchange. This was quite unique and an improvement for calculating the scores. The first contest of 2009 went well, and published results and issued the Cup and Wall papers before the Contest of 2010 started.

This good performance attracted more amateur radio contesters for seeking membership of BSCC from other European and non-European Countries. Thus, the BSCI contest of 2010 saw some European contesters exchanging their BS membership numbers from Russia, Poland etc.,.That was an expansion spree and more and more contesters are enrolling now, after the contest of 2010.

From the Indian sub continent, as a keen Contester and a member of the "VU Contest Group", I had applied to BSCC for the membership and I have been given the honour of getting the BSCC membership number BS397. I hope you will have a QSO with me in the next BSCI contest of 2011.

I wish all the very best to the Organisers like BSCI Manager and BSCC President and other members of the BSCC, in the coming contests. I also wish,an award like " Black Sea Award" for working all the countries bordering the Black Sea, will be issued by BSCC, based on the contest logs alone. Another achievement award can also be instituted for non contesters to achieve this "Black Sea Award".

I hope by the time you read this, the membership in BSCC would have crossed the 500 mark .

de ARASU VU2UR