THE FIRST CLASS C.W.

OPERATORS CLUB

NEWS SHEET 602

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

Editor: G4BUE

December 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 DECEMBER ARE 30 & 15 METRES

If you received a blue paper with your October News Sheet, it means your subscription for 2000 is due by 31 December. Have you paid yet?

2000 SUBSCRIPTIONS

UK 14

Europe 16

Non-Europe $30

This News Sheet is being compiled on the Sunday of the CQ CW Contest in between searching the bands for members active in the contest. I apologise for the absence of Technical Topics this month but Roger, G3SXW, is on duty with the 9G5AA multimulti contest station (who I easily found on five bands again!). Next a plea, if you are taking part in the 2000 Marathon with a callsign other than your normal one, or will be operating with a different call next year. Please let G3MXJ know as soon as possible as Dennis will be preparing the tick-sheets for the 2000 Marathon and Windle Award for me to print and mail with your January News Sheet and FOCUS 41 on 31 December. Now a reminder that the FOC Millennium Award starts on 1 January 2000. The rules are on page 24 of FOCUS 40 and the record and entry sheet will also be mailed with your January News Sheet and FOCUS 41. June and I are looking forward to a couple of weeks of warmer temperatures when we attend the Florida Dinner in Orlando. We will also be spending some time with N4TO, both at his QTH in Sebring and touring, and return to the UK on 17 December. Finally, June and I wish you and your families a very happy holiday season and the very best of luck in making (and keeping!) your New Year and New Millennium resolutions.

EDITORIAL by G4BUE

We are going to get the new Millennium off to a really good start as we will be getting married in 2000.

I prefer Seasonal Greetings to Merry Christmas, because not every member is of the same faith and I wish to include every member, their wives and families. Our great hobby unites all faiths and sects and I just wish every-one in the world held our outlook on life (but, wouldnt there be some QRM if every-one in the world was licensed and on the air at once?). My wishes also go out to those members who will be spending the celebratory season alone, as I will. I guess nobody will grant all my wishes for 2000 (like 450 Windles!). I do not wish for a new rig or a linear, but if Clive would loan me his QTH in the Orkneys for a few months so I can achieve DXCC on 160 metres, then I wont reject that offer! Oh, one wish, is there anyone who is good with a bow and arrow, so that I can get my wires even higher in the trees! Dear friends, enjoy yourself, resolve to get on the bands, and not just HF, as often as you possibly can in this new century. Do please sponsor some new young blood to replace us ancient operators. Some say the vintage improves with age, but arthritis doesnt and that is beginning to play havoc with my keying! Anyone got an old USA J type key going?

PRESIDENTS CHRISTMAS MESSAGE

A reminder, and a plea, to send your 1999 Windle scores to me as soon after 31 December as you can please. Please also add your comments and suggestions. It does not matter how low your score is as the entries give the Committee some idea on the level of on-air club activity. I intend publishing the results in FOCUS 42. There will not be a table in the next News Sheet and the 2000 table will start with the February News Sheet. All members and G3HZL (president) attended a committee meeting on 13 November at G3PDLs QTH. G3MXJ has written a draft Membership & Objection Policy document which will be considered at the next meeting. Morse Camp 99 was a big success G3KTZ has written a report for FOCUS. A further event is being held on 19 November at RSGB HQ and it is likely that FOC members will continue to support this and further events in 2000. The 1999 Lords Dinner account shows a profit of 67.81 and all the feed-back received suggests it was one of the best ever. This was due to a number of reasons which will be carried forward to the 2000 Dinner at Lords, which has been booked for the 7 October. Consideration is being given to organising some form of event for the Friday before the Dinner, mainly for the benefit of overseas members. Several alternative venues for Annual Dinners for 2001 and beyond are continuing to be examined. The blue sheet system for subscriptions appears to be working well again. Maud Slater said she wished to stand down as Treasurer after the 1999 accounts have been finalised but will continue mailing the UK News Sheets and dealing with dinner ticket and badge sales. There are currently 484 members, nine Permanent and five Temporary Associate members. The five Temporary Associate members will be reviewed next meeting. An objection to N6TR was considered and upheld. Reference was made to G4JKSs (RSGB President) invitation for FOC to comment on her article in RadCom regarding options for action to be taken over CW band plans. G3WGV will prepare a draft response on the lines that strengthening the IARU Band Plan was the preferred option over legislative controls. A suggestion from G4VXE for an award and/or contest for non-members as suggested by VE7NH was considered and decided against for the time being.

THE 1999 WINDLE AWARD by GW3KGV

MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION by G3MXJ

Starred List
3. G4PDQ: G3JJG, G3SWH, G3UOF, ZL1MH, 5B4AGC. 1. LY3BA: G3HZL, G3LZK, GM4SID, K4BAI, N6NT (+N6RA). 1. GJWB: G3LPN, G3MCK, GADE, W1HMD, W4QM. Invitations have been sent to W4ML and OK1CF. The objection to N6TR has been upheld by the Committee.

COMMITTEE REPORT by G4BUE

Additional Nominations

5. S57NW: DL4CF, DJ5ZN, EA8CN, K1AO. 5. G4UZN: G4YNU, W8EGB, W1FZY. 4. OK1TN: OK1KT, OK1GT. 3. W4MQC: W4PM, K1AO, W1OT, N2UU. 1. K1SM: K1AJ. 1. F5NZY: G3VMW. 1. W6EU: N6RA. 1. KT3Y: DL8TWA.

New Members

1725 9Y1VC (James) J. A. Brooks, 26 Jalan Asas, Singapore 678787; tel 766 0201; e-mail <jamesb@pacific.net.sg>. 1726 KF7E (Jim) J. Henderson, 18601 East Via Del Rancho, Queen Creek, AZ 85242; email <jhenders@swlink.net>. 1727 WUA (George) G. E. Schultz, 318 Francis Street, Longmont, CO 80501; tel - 303 774 9082; e-mail <geo_w0ua@hotmail.com>

Amendment

G3HZL ((915): add postcode to address ST11 9SL. G3LQI (1438): new callsign EI5IY. PR7PO (1294): new address - Av Severino Brandao 463, Araticum, Lagao Seca, Paraiba 58117000, Brazil. SM5COP (1514): new address - Dybo, SE640 60 Akers Styckebruk, Sweden; tel - +46 152 51042. SM6AOU (1521): amend telephone - +46 300 77081. K1AO (1702): new callsign - K4AO. K2VUI (1561): new address - 17 Jericho Road, Weston, MA 02493, USA. The Club Web site continues to attract visitors and favourable comments. It is intended to add more relevant articles from FOCUS. The UK Six Metre Group (UKSMG) have produced a Code of Practice for 6 Metre Operators similar to our Code of Conduct and this will be published in the next FOCUS to help promote good operating practice. The next meeting will be on 22 January 2000 at G3LIKs QTH.

MEMBERS NEWS by G4BUE

5B4AGC: George was QRV 27 October with his new ZC4GB call and made over 1000 QSOs in seven hours, mostly on 10 metres. 9M2NK: Saty was QRV in the CQ CW Contest as 9M6NA and on 6 metres and the WARC bands outside the contest. He is sometimes QRV as 9M2JKL from the Japan Club of Kuala Lumpur (JKL) station and says Please do not be confused with my JA callsign JE1JKL, although 99% of the CW operation from this station is by me. Just a coincidence! I have not been so QRV as 9M2NK as I have a problem extending the fishing pole from the verandah of my condominium, but I am regularly QRV on 6 (50107kHz) and 2 metres, including QSOing OZ1LO and VQ9QM on 6 metres. G2FFO: Dick says that while in QSO with a W6 member recently, they agreed there seems to be a tendency for new members not to show their appreciation of becoming a member by getting on the bands. Until a few years ago, you could be sure to find new ones on the bands at all hours, often with quite big pile-ups, whereas nowadays they seem to be very shy. I think they owe their sponsors an explanation. G3LQI: Stans new EI licence is EI5IY when he and Jean move there in December. G3MRC: Joe was QRV as VK8CP from Darwin but will be returning to East Timor at the beginning of December. G3SED: Mike has recently put up a five element 205BA for 20 metres at 80 feet and says Its been a real revelation to run a monobander on 20 metres for the first time. Ive done quite a few comparisons with my old Cushcraft A3S Tribander - boy what a difference, the Mono bander is often more than 10dBs louder! Its been great to catch many of the gang on 20 metres now I have the new set up - I would welcome reports on the new antenna too. G3TXF: Nigel made 9200 QSOs as VP2V/ G3TXF and 3600 as FG/G3TXF (Les Saintes, NA-114) with a 100 watt transceiver and R7 vertical on the beach. G3VCN: Paul has been a collector of memorabilia, stamps and books on the Pitcairn Islands since 1967 when he was QRV as ZB2BF in Gibraltar. Unfortunately, he has never made a QSO with VR6 and would love some QSLs to add to his collection. Paul says If any member could spare VR6 cards I could be very grateful. Memories of a visit or photographs would also be gratefully received. I will, of course, refund any expenses incurred.

G3VMW: Steve, Bob, G3ZEM, and George, 5B4AGC, were QRV in the CQ CW Contest as ZC4AKR from Akrotiri (correct News Sheet 601). G3XAQ: Alan will be QRV 29 November to 9 December as G3XAQ/6Y5 while on holiday, but with a restricted antenna on 40 metres and higher. K4AO: Ron says, I have been playing with a variant of the Sterba Curtain for 15, 12 and 10 metre operation. So far the results have been pretty good. I am going to try to get at least one 10 metre only version of that operating this weekend. As in most things I seem to do with antennas, the variation from the original Sterba design was more of an error than a planned change; but at least I seem to be smart enough to figure out that what I stepped in really didnt smell that badly!. K2OZ: Paul is in poor health following an accident; Matt, N2RER, wrote I ask that you request members to keep Paul in their special thoughts. Last week he was up on a ladder fixing an antenna and fell 20 feet breaking his back. He went through five hours of surgery and still lies in a deep coma. From what I have been told for his age, his long term prognosis doesnt look good. K3TW: Tom was QRV as 3A/K3TW at the beginning of November while on holiday. K4II: Congratulations to Bill who was planning to get married on 6 November. K4LQ: Fred will be QRV 8/15 December as VP5/K4LQ all bands and with W4OV as VP5W in the ARRL 10 Meter Contest. K6NA: Glen was planning to be QRV again from 15 November as ZD8A, including the CQ WW CW Contest. The new QSL manager is Terry, N6CW, (5243 Mt. Burnham Dr., San Diego, CA 92111, USA). K8MFO: Don has had three 6 metre opening to 9J2BO recently. K9BG: Jerry is now QRV from his new Florida QTH. KL7PJ: Chuck was in hospital again in November but was back home recovering after a week. He has been promised he can turn on the 2 metre radio soon to keep in touch with local friends but CW is a while away thanks KL7HF. N5TJ: Congratulations to Jeff on his CQ SSB score of over 27 million points as single-operator all bands from EA8BH, beating the previous world record 0900z on the Sunday (after 33 hours of the contest). He broke the 10,000 QSO barrier for the first time. N6RA: Tom was QRV as F/N6RA at the beginning of October but was unable to get to England to make Lords.

N8DCJ: Dan will be QRV 25 December to 8 January as 8P9CW. He says On 23 October I worked Clive, GM3POI, on 15 metres and he had the loudest signal I have ever heard in 21 years as a radio amateur - he was a solid 40 over 9 peaking 55 over on my FT1000MP which only goes to 60 over! Even my neighbour three miles away isnt that loud!. OH2EA: Hans will be in south-east Asia for three months from 3 December, mostly in Thailand, but is not sure if he will be able to be QRV . PAVDV: Joeke made 255 FOC QSOs during his PJ2/PAVDV six week operation in October and November and says Only a few members were worked in the 10120-10125kHz section of 30 metres. In the Caribbean this section is one of the cleanest parts of the band. T3CW was also pretty active in this segment of the band. My request to members is to please tune and call more frequently above 10120kHz. SM5COP: Rune says that two-by-one contest calls are now available from the SSA in Sweden and he has obtained 7S5Q and SM3EVR has 7S3E. The 8S, SM, SK and SL prefixes are also being issued with one letter suffixes. Rune was QRV as KB1Q/9 in October while visiting W9SS in Chicago and also visited K9DXs QTH where he was very impressed with Johns antennas and contest station setup. SM6AOU: Phil is asking for help to trace information about the British Admiral Henry Jackson. He has the basic information about him but is interested in knowing more, espe-

(callsign in brackets indicate G4FOC operator)

FOC CALENDAR

Until 9 Dec G3XAQ/6Y5 (602) Until 31 Jan VQ9DX by AA5DX (600) Until 15 April NA-062 by K2ZR/4 (600) Until 14 May ZF2NT by N6NT (601) December - 30m & 15m (G3HZL) 2000 subscriptions due 1/8 W2JB & W2QM QRV de FS (599) 2/16 W4/G4BUE 4 Florida Dinner 8/15 VP5/K4LQ (602) 10 VP5W by K4LQ ARRL 10M Test 25/8 Jan 8P9CW by N8DCJ (602) 25/15 April NA-062 by K2ZR/4 (600) 29 January N/Sheet deadline January - 160m & 20m 1 Final day for 2000 subscriptions 11/30 XZA by G3VMW (601) 15 Galveston Get-together (601) 22 Committee Meeting

cially about his further officer career. Jackson was a wireless pioneer but did not develop it for commercial use as Marconi did. Phil is researching radio history and writes articles for the Swedish national societys (SSA) magazine. ZS6AL: Hester and Vidi returned safely after their seven week 8000 mile tour of the USA. While there, Vidi too the licence examinations and now holds the call AF4QD.

Score updates can be passed to G4BUE or any committee member. An asterisk against the call indicates the score has been updated this month. Table shows the scores received by 1800z 29 November 1999.
9H1EL 373 EA8CN 364 GM3POI 359 W4QM 353 SMCCE* 346 LZ1AF* 342 W1HMD 337 K4AO* 309 G3KTZ* 305 F5VEX 301 G4ZDB 300 G2FFO* 295 SV1AOW* 294 YV1NX 290 N6NT 287 G4OEC* 283 G3LIK 280 G3TXF* 280 N9RD* 277 DL6TQ 273 G3HZL* 269 G3SXW* 267 G4BUE* 266 GW3KDB 260 GW3KGV K2VCO G4HZV* G4PKD DJ5ZN* OH2FOC* W8XM* AC5K* VE1BN* G3JZV W6OV* W2GW GORH* W6TZD* N4TO K4XU K4BAI G4BJM* AA5DX G2FDF N3BB W6CYX K4II G3IY 259 249 245 243 242 237 233 228 225 223 220 215 210 210 205 201 198 196 195 195 195 194 192 190 VK8AV* 190 W3NZ 189 G3NKS* 186 K5DQ 185 GIVZ 179 PA5TT 170 YO4PX 168 PABW 167 N4AF 165 OZ4UN 165 SM5COP* 163 K4EF 159 W5GEL* 158 W8KJP 156 W9GW 156 G3WGV 152 W4ZYT 152 G3LHJ 151 LA1IE 147 G4BUO 144 K1JD 144 W4DGJ 144 4X1FC* 143 JA7SSB 140 ZP6CW 140 SM6AOU* 139 GFJT 138 VE1BN 137 G4AFU 132 N4JT 132 G3IZD 131 WB2YQH 131 DK4LX 130 G3MCK 130 N8DCJ* 130 WIAK 130 W1WEF 129 F3AT 128 GCHV 128 ON4WD 128 G3KKQ 127 K1SS* 126 K6DC* 125 VE3DZZ 123 ZS6AL* 122 N4TY 121 W6THN* 121 G8VG 120 KF2AT 117 GW3SB* 115 W6IJ 115 W5ZR 114 G3LTV 113 K6TS 111 OK1KT 111 VK6RU 110 W4YE 110 G3HEJ 108 K1SS 108 KT5X 108 OH2KI* 107 OZ8RO 107 GM3HUN*105 ZL1AH 105 G4VXE* 103 G3RVM 103 W1FZY* 103 W4FOA* 102 K4EFZ/M* 101 G3JJG 100 W3ABC* 100 K9BG 98 W1NV LA3FL VK4XA W2DX K7UOT ZL2AGY GCMM* G3PQC* VA3LK* K6OU* OK1RR GBQV G3NOH G3SED* GM4SID G2HKU KC7V W1HT PALOU G4SFO GM3JKS PAINA G3LZK 97 95 95 95 94 94 92 90 88 87 86 84 84 84 84 83 82 82 81 80 80 80 78 VK6VZ W4CK GDMN K5AX GW3SYL W4TAJ K2SX K2VUI* VK3XB W2MEL N1DG K2LE VE3BHZ DJ9SB VE3AR W1RM* G4UPS OH2EA* K2UFT* VK3KS LA8XM ZL1MH WA4SNI 78 78 77 77 75 75 74 74 74 73 72 71 71 70 70 68 67 67 66 65 64 62 60 G3IEW IXXR OZ4FF W1HL HB9QO GW3HCL W9NN GIHM N4WJ W1FJ W9VNE DF2IC K6RA W6ISQ* KL7PJ K2ZR K5CA NNM ZS6QU K6WG KL7PJ ZL2AZ OZ1LQH 59 55 54 53 46 45 45 42 40 37 37 34 34 31 30 25 23 20 20 19 13 10 3

THE 1999 WINDLE AWARD