THE FIRST CLASS C.W.

OPERATORS CLUB

NEWS SHEET 598

(http://members.aol.com/focuk)

Editor: G4BUE

August 1999

A man should keep his friendship in constant repair - Samuel Johnson (1755)
(3525, 7025, 10120-10125, 14025, 18080-18085, 21025, 24905-24910 and 28025kHz)

BANDS OF THE MONTH FOR AUGUST ARE 30 & 20 METRES

THE 1998 LORDS ANNUAL DINNER

Saturday 2 October 1999 See Page 47 of FOCUS 39 for full information
Tickets 31.50 each from Maud Slater, Wychwood, Park Lane, Maplehurst, West Sussex. Telephone 01403 891342.
With just two months to go, the countdown to Lords 99 is well under way. It looks like being a good one too, with the following overseas members either attending or strongly considering attending: DL7AKC, K1AJ, K2VUI, K4II, N4TO, VE7BF and W6RGG. Please let a committee member know of any other overseas members who are considering attending. A recent survey of UK members also produced a good show of enthusiasm. As one UK member put it: talking to a W member on HF really sealed it. If he can come all that way with enthusiasm for FOC, the least I can do as a local G is to go to Lords and see him. Details of the menu are being finalised and will appear in the September News-Sheet. There have been some difficulties at the Hilton Hotel (see page 47 of FOCUS 39) as our contact Wendy Blamire has gone on maternity leave. Our new contact is Kai, though in fact John Paul knows most about the special arrangements for FOC. Let G3PDL know if you still have problems there. If you are planning to travel to London by train, G3IEW, mentions the benefit of booking Apex fares at least 14 days in advance. Stan says the second class return fare from Exeter to London is 25 if booked in advance whereas the normal fare is 52, and the first class fare is 42 against 92 normally. You can book by credit card over the telephone (0345 484950 to enquire and 0345 000125 to book) which includes a seat reservation. Lets make the last Lords of the millennium a resounding success with the best attendance ever. See you there! We have looked at alternative venues for Lords several times since I first came on committee, but have never been able to find another complete package that gives us everything Lords does for the same price. In view of the escalating prices of hotels in London, and the present requirement for a venue catering for 100-150 people, we are having another look. If you have ideas or suggestions then please get in contact with G3PDL or G3WGV as soon as possible. We will be considering potential venues and formats at the next committee meeting with a view to carrying out a more detailed examination and preparing a business plan of any we think could be viable. If were going to make a change, then the year 2000 could be the right year to do it. Finally, a reminder that my e-mail address is now <g4bue@infinnet.co.uk>. Despite the

The latest information for Lords is published in this News Sheet. Please consider going this year, especially if you havent been for a few years. You will see from the committee report that if the number attending Lords continues to decrease, then the event will not become viable. What will then happen to our main social event of the year? Should we subsidise it from club funds and run the risk of upsetting members who are either unable, or do not wish, to attend? Should we change the format and / or the venue to try and make the event cheaper (the main reason given for non-attendance given by those who answered the questionnaire sent to UK members with the June News Sheet) and more attractive?

EDITORIAL by G4BUE

note in the June News Sheet about the change, I have still been receiving many messages via Prestel. This address was cancelled on 1 August and any messages now sent there should bounce and not reach me. Micks wife Doreen passed away suddenly in hospital in Dumfries, Scotland on Saturday 26 June. Although she had been ill for some time and had been undergoing tests at hospital, her passing came as a big shock. She collapsed while visiting her daughter at Dumfries, Scotland and was rushed into the local hospital on the previous Friday. Her funeral was in Cowplain, Hampshire on 8 July. Doreen was the auditor of the club accounts and regularly attended committee meetings with Mick. She will be sadly missed by us all and our deepest sympathy and condolences go to Mick and the family on their tragic loss. An obituary will be published in the next FOCUS. Mick wrote on 28 July, thanks to all members who have sent cards to me, they are very much appreciated. Doreen had fond memories of meeting so many of the gang over the years. All is going well here and I hope to get started back to work next Monday. At the last committee meeting Don, G3HZL, was unanimously agreed to be President for 2000. Don has been a member of FOC (915) since April 1967 and will be installed at the annual dinner at Lords in October. The price of the membership plaque is now 20 or US $30 and the Augie Nickel plaque (which is larger) is now 30 or US $45, including delivery. Payment with order to G3LIK (cheques to FOC) or to W9KNI (payment in US $, cheques to R. Locher). The price of the club badges is now 5 or US $7.50, including delivery. Orders to Maud Slater and payment to Maud or W2MUM (US $). This event is being held at Cuffley, Hertfordshire on 18/19 September to promote the use of Morse. It is sponsored by the RSGB, Martin Lynch & Sons and Yaesu UK and will include free Morse tuition for the 5 and 12wpm Morse tests which will be held on both days. The Chiltern DX Club are supporting the event and FOC has been asked to provide some members to help with the Morse training. Members interested should contact me for more information. All members attended a meeting on 17 July at GW3KGVs QTH. G3HZL was nominated President for 2000 and

MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION by G3MXJ

Starred List
3. K5CA: EA8CN, G4ZDB, KF2AT, VE1BN, W6IJ (+W1HMD, W9NN, W2DX, W1WEF. N9RD, G4HZV, DL6TQ). 3. K2UFT: EA8CN, G4ZDB, K1JD, K4BAI, KT5X (+VE3DZZ, K5DQ). 3. W5ZR: G4ZDB, K2ZR, VA3CH, VK6RU, W1WEF (+G3LZK, VE1BN, G3YXX). 3. KC4YDP: G3VTT, G4ZDB, K5DQ, VE3DZZ, WIAK (+N4JT). 2. 9V1YC: G4HZV, K5NA, N3BB, N6NT, VK2BJ (+N1DG, JA1NUT, N3RS). 2. EA6ACC: EA6ZY, G3UOF, K9QVB, W4QM, 5B4AGC. 1. KF7E: G3WGV, K4EWG, KT5X, KC7V, 9J2BO (+ZL2AGY). 1. WUA: G4CEO, JA1NUT, K2SG, K2VUI, W1WEF.

DOREEN, G1YDW, (G3LIK/2) by G4BUE

Invitations have been sent to LA8XM and W4LZ.

Additional Nominations

PRESIDENT 2000

6. KFW: W8EGB. 6. W4ML: W4PM, W4YE, W4QM, G4HZV. 6. KY7M: KC7V, G3SXW. 6. TA2DS: K4EWG. 6. HA7PJ: K4EWG, W2MEL, HA7PB. 5. N7DR: G4BUO. 5. SM6CLU: W2MEL. 5. JH1GNU: W6IJ. 3. OK1CF: OK1KT, N6NT, W4QM, N6QR, OK1RR. 3. N6TR: VK6VZ, G3YXX. 3. G4PDQ: G3JJG, G3SWH, ZL1MH. 3. G3ZGC: GORH, G3RVM. 2. GJWB: G3LPN, G3MCK. 1. S57NW: DL4CF. 1. G4UZN: G4YNU.

PLAQUES & BADGES by G3LIK

DL9PR has indicated that he does not wish to be considered for FOC and the nomination is withdrawn.

New Members

1716 GKDZ (Mike) - M. Birch, Whitestone Cottage, Sutton, Thirsk, North Yorkshire YO7 2QA; Tel - 01845 597695; XYL - Margaret. 1717 ZL2AZ (Pete) - P B. Lake, 12 Brasenose . Place, Tawa, Wellington, New Zealand; Tel - 4 232 4386; XYL - Margaret; e-mail - <aaspbl@ ibm.net>.

MORSE CAMP 1999 by G3WGV

Amendments

EA8CN (1656): add alternate address - SM/ EA8CN, Smamursvagen 98, S-805 96 Gavle, Sweden; tel - 70 674 7216. PR7PO (1294): amend address - Av Severino Brandau 463, Araticum, N.S. Fatima, Lagoa Seca, Paraibo 58117000; tel - 3661217. despite two nominations received from members, it was decided not to make an award of the Al Slater, G3FXB, Memorial Trophy this year in an attempt to maintain the criteria and standard of the trophy. There had not been any nominations for committee service received and as G3KTZ, G3LIK, G3PDL, G3WGV and G4BUE were all willing to continue, the committee membership will re-

COMMITTEE REPORT by G4BUE

main unchanged. Menu options for the annual dinner at Lords were considered and it was decided to keep the floor plan introduced in 1998. Potential raffle prize donors will be approached and various options for publicity were discussed and agreed. The results of the questionnaire sent to UK members with the June News Sheet was considered, along with suggestions for future annual dinners. The dilemma facing committee is whether to make changes to the format of the annual dinner now and risk not increasing the number of attendees (or even decreasing them), or not doing anything until if and when the number of attendees reduces to not make Lords viable, by which time it may be too late to attract some of them back. It was decided for committee members to look for potential venues in their respective areas to replace Lords and to decide at the next meeting if any of them are worthy of further investigation and the preparation of an actual business plan. Increased prices for plaques and badges were considered and agreed. It was decided not to increase subscriptions for 2000. There are currently 481 members, including nine permanent and five temporary Associate members. The result of four Rule 8 letters was considered. Rules for the Millennium Award were considered and agreed and will be published in the next FOCUS. The club Web site is continuing to work well with many complimentary comments being made in the guest book. Work is being done on a members only section to allow the down-loading of Marathon and Windle tick sheets and other member information. A suggestion from GORH was considered and the use of 025kHz by members and an annual minimum member QSO requirement was discussed. It was decided not to make any changes at this time. FOC will support Morse Camp in the UK (18/19 September) by asking for members to volunteer as Morse tutors. The next meeting is on 4 September at G4BUEs QTH. 5B4AGC: George was QRV 25 and 30 June as ZC4ATC again, QSL direct to George or via 5B4YX. George is a member of the newly formed ZC4 radio club and may soon have his own pass (and possibly his own call), which should make future operations easier. The club meet on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month, so look for George on these dates. 9J2BO: Brian has been working into Western Europe on 6m giving many a new country on the band, including PALOU for Lous number 111, first new one in two years. AA5DX: Congratulations to Suzanne and Ron on the birth of their second son on 29 July (10lbs 14oz). Ron returned to Texas on 6 June after going QRT as VQ9DX and is QRV with a two

MEMBERS NEWS by G4BUE

element 40m Yagi at 87 feet and a Cushcraft X9 multi-band beam at 80 feet. DJ3KR: Jurgen was QRV from JW again 7/14 July. DK4LX: Holger enjoyed the FOC Friedrichshafen meeting very much and thanks Jens, DL7AKC, for organising it. DL7AKC: Congratulations to Jens on receiving a QSL for the first DL/P5 20m QSO. He QSOd Martti on CW during his P51BH operation earlier this year. Jens is hoping to be at Lords. GORH: Ken is still waiting for the return of his FT1000 after his lightning hit in June. He suggests one of our members with more knowledge on the subject may like to write a short article for FOCUS about the dangers of a lightning hit to an amateur radio station and giving advice on how to protect the equipment from a strike. A good idea - how about one of our Florida members putting pen to paper for us? G2FDF: Our condolences to Bill on the passing of Wendy on 25 June. Two days before they had sent out the invitations for what would have been their 60th wedding anniversary in October. G2HKU: Stella collapsed again recently and Ted had a cold followed by bronchitis and so we have had to curtail things a bit. We wish you better health in the future. G3IY: Jim says that Harrogate was fine as always. G3NWQ: Older members will be saddened to learn that Maurice Caplin (ex VS1MK, VS6AA and VS5MC) became a Silent Key on 4 July. He had been in a nursing home following a long illness - thanks GWAZ. G3SXW: Roger reports on the Double-Din at Friedrichshafen where DF2IC, DJ2BW, DJ5ZN, DJ6SI, DJ8FW, DK4LX, DK8EI, DK8IT, DL4CF, DL6TQ, DL7AKC, F5VEX, G3SJJ, G3SXW, G3VMW, G3XAQ, G4XRV, G4ZVJ, HB9QO, LZ1AF, OH2EA, OH2KI, OZ8RO, S5A, SM3EVR, SM5COP and W6CF attended. A full report and photographs will be published in the next FOCUS. GM3AWF: David is recovering after major stomach surgery in June, and is hoping to be allowed to play golf again soon! K1AJ: Bruce will be attending Lords but not Donna this year. K2VUI: Joe visited KL7PJ and KL7HF in July during a two week holiday in Alaska. K7UOT: Tom and his family spent two weeks on holiday in KH6 in June before returning home to build a new surgery for Toms dentist practice. Congratulations to Tom on obtaining his 5BDXCC with 100 watts. LA3FL: Per rejoined his ship on 21 July and will not be home again for three months. he says, as you know, CW was officially abandoned as a mode of communication in the maritime industry by 1 February 1999. I was lucky enough to be crossing the date line then, so we

went directly from 31 January to 2 February. I FOC CALENDAR therefore claim that I am not victimised by the (callsign in brackets indicate G4FOC operator) decision to get away from CW. I must, however, admit that I have not been working CW com- August - 30m & 10m (G3MXJ) 25 Deadline for FOCUS 40 mercially for the last decade. 28 Sept N/Sheet NNM: Jon went QRT as 3DACA in July September - 40m & 15m (G3PDL) deadline and will be in the USA for two years post 4 Committee meeting graduate study in Virginia where he will be 13 VQ9QM by W4QM (598) QRV as NNM/4. He then hopes to return to 24 MBYO by N4TO (598) Africa. 28 October N/Sheet deadline N4TO: Vic has booked his flight for Lords and October - 80m & 17m (G3KTZ) will be in the UK 24 September/8 October 2 Annual Dinner at Lords

using his MBYO call. Vic and K4BAI will be QRV 23/30 November from Barbados, and in the CQ CW Contest with K1TO multi-single as 8P9Z or with an 8P call. W4QM, N4OO, K4LQ, WB4OSN, W1CW, W1YL and K4OJ were among 30 Florida contesters who attended a barbecue at Vics QTH on 25 July. OH2EA: Hans went to Friedrichshafen with OH2KI for the first time and says, it was very nice indeed, meeting a bunch of guys face to face for the first time. Dereks wines were memorable too... OH2FOC: Congratulations to Seppo on QSOing P51BH on 20m CW to give him all worked on CW. SM5COP: Heide and Rune visited their daughter Mirja, SMUOP in Manhattan in , May, and a mini-dinner with Andy, K2LE, and Agnes was arranged. Percy, KF2AT, visited them another evening. SV1AA: Ex-member Jack (1352) became a Silent Key in June after an illness. He also held the call W6GBG and joined FOC in April 1978 as SVWTT, became an Associate member in July 1996 and resigned earlier this year. VE6BF: Bill has booked his flight to London for Lords and will be in the UK for about two weeks. The last time he attended Lords was in 1968.

VK2AYD: Dee and David will probably be attending the Florida Dinner. VK3KS: Mavis thanks everyone for their cards and letters following the passing of Ivor, and in particular VK4XA and VK3MJ who rang me with messages from members before and after Ivor died. It was much appreciated. I would like those concerned to know I did receive their messages. VK8AV: Alan will be in the UK for a short stay in September after a visit to Russia in August. W2SR: Robbie went into hospital 25 July for an operation for kidney stones and is not doing so well. We wish him a speedy recovery thanks N4TO. W4QM: Dale will be QRV again from 13 September as VQ9QM from Diego Garcia. ZL2AZ: Margaret and Peter will be visiting the UK 11 August/13 September. ZP6CW: Doug is planning to attend the Florida Dinner again. ZS6AL: Hester and Vidi will be visiting Hesters two sons is eastern USA and her brother in Oregon in September/October. They will be using Amtrak from Atlanta, GA and plan to call on a few amateur radio friends along the way.

Score updates can be passed to G4BUE or any committee member. An asterisk against the call indicates the score has been updated this month. Scores received by 1000z 1 August 1999.
W4QM* 342 9H1EL 327 LZ1AF* 308 EA8CN 305 K1AO 276 DL6TQ* 273 F5VEX* 267 W1HMD 267 N6NT* 259 G3KTZ 253 SV1AOW* 253 G4ZDB 250 G4OEC* 237 YV1NX 237 G2FFO* 230 G4BUE* 225 GW3KGV*224 G3LIK 220 G3SXW* 220 G4PKD* G3JZV* W2GW N9RD* VE1BN K2VCO* G4HZV* G3HZL W6CYX G4BUE W3NZ AA5DX* OH2FOC* GIVZ G4BJM* K5DQ* W8XM* K4II* G2FDF 220 218 215 213 206 205 204 200 194 189 189 188 186 179 178 174 174 171 170 N3BB* 165 G3NKS* 163 G3IY* 159 K4EF* 159 AC5K* 158 GORH 158 GW3KDB 151 K4XU 150 K1JD* 144 VE1BN 137 VK8AV* 136 W4ZYT* 136 W8KJP* 134 DJ5ZN 133 SM5COP* 131 W9GW 131 G3WGV* 130 W1WEF 129 YO4PX 125 W6TZD 124 N4TY* 121 OZ4UN 120 G3KKQ* 116 G8VG 116 WB2YQH 116 W6IJ 115 W8KJP 114 SM6AOU* 114 ZP6CW* 114 G3LTV* 113 G4BUO 112 K4BAI 111 K6TS 111 W5GEL* 111 VK6RU 110 DK4LX* 108 G3HEJ 108 G3IZD 108 4X1FC* 107 F3AT 107 G3MCK 106 GW3SB* 104 G3RVM 103 G3LHJ 102 WIAK 102 GCHV 101 KF2AT 101 JA7SSB 99 K9BG 98 N4AF 96 LA3FL* 95 VK4XA 95 K7UOT* 94 ZL2AGY 94 VE3DZZ 91 GM3HUN* 90 W1NV 90 G3JJG* ZS6AL* OK1RR G3NOH G4AFU KC7V OK1KT N4JT PALOU* G4SFO GM3JKS PAINA K6DC VK6VZ GDMN GW3SYL W4TAJ* K2SX VK3XB 88 87 86 84 82 82 82 81 81 80 80 80 78 78 77 75 75 74 74 W2MEL N1DG W1FZY* W2DX K2LE G4VXE ZL1AH G2HKU* W1HT* VK3KS ZL1MH OH2KI WA4SNI G3IEW G3PQC* IXXR W6THN W4CK VA3LK 73 72 72 72 71 69 69 68 68 65 62 60 60 59 55 55 55 55 52 W4YE W3ABC* VE3AR HB9QO GW3HCL W9NN DJ9SB N4TO N4WJ OH2EA* W1FJ W1RM DF2IC K6RA KL7PJ NNM* ZS6QU K6WG KL7PJ OZ1LQH 52 50 47 46 45 45 44 41 40 40 37 36 34 34 30 20 20 19 13 3

THE 1999 WINDLE AWARD