THE FIRST CLASS CW OPERATORS CLUB

NEWS SHEET 641

(http://www.firstclasscw.org.uk)

Editor: G4BUE

(g4bue@adur-press.co.uk)

March 2003

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

ACTIVITY DAYS FOR MARCH: 11th (TUE), 22nd (SAT), 28th (FRI)
As reported last month, June and I arrived home from the USA this morning (6 March), hence this edition of the News Sheet being a few days late. Please note that the April News Sheet will be a few days early (deadline 25 March) as we plan to go back to Florida by the end of the month (subject to what Junes hospital doctor says on 12 March). FOCUS 55 and the 2003 Call Book will be mailed with the April News Sheet. Thanks to all those members who called me in the ARRL DX CW Contest operating as W4/ G4BUE, and to those members who called June operating as W4/MBUE two weeks later in the ARRL DX SSB Contest. We have both agreed that trying to bust pile-ups with a W4/home call in major contests can at times be very frustrating, as I know some of you heard! Please note that the contact for the Dinner at the Imperial Hotel is now Alexandria (Lexi) Nickolson, who has taken over from P Wells. . Thanks to G3IZD for this information. There are seven double rooms and only one single room left at the hotel for the Saturday. We have at least two members staying on the Friday night as well, taking advantage of the cheap weekend rate. Among the regulars, we hope to see Bruce, N6NT, there, who is visiting the UK at that time. Thank you to everyone who made the effort to send in an entry for the 2002 Windle Award and congratulations to the winners marked * below. A full report will be published on page 14 of FOCUS 55. 1 W4QM* 1401 8 LZ1AF 847 2 G3LIK* 1088 9 W1HMD 804 3 W5ZR 1085 10 GW3KDB 782 4 YV1NX* 1041 20 EA8CN* 655 5 K4LTA 974 24 W6TZD* 608 6 K9QVB 908 27 5B4AGC* 589 7 SMCCE 881 60 ZL1MH* 296

EDITORIAL by G4BUE

HARROGATE UPDATE by G3RXP

The 31st North American weekend will be held 9-11 May 2003 at the DoubleTree Hotel, Tysons Corner, Falls Church, Virginia (Washington DC). Brief details are given here to enable members to book early but full details will be published on page 39 of FOCUS 55. The DoubleTree Hotels North American FOC group rate, valid Friday and Saturday nights, is $74 per night. It is always best to arrange hotel reservations well in advance. The USA toll free telephone number is (800) 2228733 or you may dial (703) 893-1340. The hotel fax number is (703) 749-8528. The cost of the Saturday evening buffet dinner will be $65 per person. USA members and invited guests are requested to submit payment to Pete, W1RM, in advance of the weekend. Non-US attendees may pay Pete upon arrival. Everyone planning to attend the dinner must notify either W1RM, N3JT, or W3MC at least two weeks prior to the event, as a dinner count must be provided to the hotel banquet staff. For more information, please contact W1RM, N3JT, W3MC, or W4CK. The 2003 South and West Dinner will be held on Saturday 16 August at the Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester. The event will begin at 3pm with tea and coffee, a bar will be open at 5pm and the Dinner will be served at 7.30pm. Brief details are given here to enable you to book early and a full report will be published on page 46 of FOCUS 55. Space is limited for dining and the College has kept aside some en-suite bed and breakfast accommodation but this too is limited, so please order your tickets now. And, if you want to stay overnight, make your accommodation reservations at the same time. The ticket price for the dinner is 20 per person and College en-suite accommodation is 58 for a twin room and 30 for a single room. Tea and coffee making facilities are available in all rooms together with colour television. Cheques

NORTH AMERICAN WEEKEND by W4CK

SOUTH AND WEST DINNER by G8VG

THE 2002 WINDLE AWARD by G3RVM

made payable to FOC Cotswold Group should be sent with a SAE to Jim, G3HJF. Please do not book accommodation direct with the College. There is on site a car park big enough to hold 700 cars and a caravan site very close to the College. Several members have asked about claiming credit for Craig, KC9T, in Nebraska (his old Call Book address) or Iowa (his new Call Book address). I called Craig on the telephone and got the answer: QSOs December 2001 and before count for Nebraska and QSOs after December 2001 count for Illinois (where his antenna farm is located). It turns out that Craig has never been QRV from Iowa! I hope this helps you prepare your applications for the new FOC WAS Award!

MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION by G3MXJ

Change of Membership Secretary
Our retirement move to France finally takes place on 24 March so it is goodbye G3MXJ and hello F5VHY! All the functions of Membership Secretary will be taken over by George, G3NOH, during the next month, so please send all future communications to him (<g3noh@ aol.com>). My e-mail address remains unchanged for the time being, so anything that does come to me will be forwarded. I have much enjoyed my many years of involvement with the Committee and with handling the membership tasks and would like to thank George for taking over what can sometimes be a time-consuming job. I am looking forward to starting development of our 2.5 acres in Lot-et-Garonne, about 15 miles south of F5VEX - Anne thinks it is for growing vegetables but I have other ideas - and I hope there wont be too much confusion between F5VHY and F5VHC in next years Marathon! Thanks to all of you for your support and cooperation over the years.

FOC WAS AWARD UPDATE by W4CK

ACCOUNTS by GW3KDB FIRST CLASS CW OPERATORS CLUB Financial report for the year ending 31 December 2002
Income Subscriptions 2002 Subscriptions 2003 Bank interest Donations Sales Lords a) Ticket sales b) Raffles c) Donation Bank correction and compensation Petty cash repayment Total Expenditure Printing Postage Stationery Sundries Trophies Committee expenses Greenwich Greenwich deposit (for following year) Greenwich insurance G4FOC licence Bank charges Total 2001 5618.93 3742.00 224.50 1962.66 80.23 3478.00 691.50 0.00 2002 5690.53 3711.00 129.64 1076.06 85.56 3343.50 552.43 25.00

Starred List

28.85 5.00 27.22 0.00 15853.89 14618.72 5393.74 3505.34 283.40 17.00 1199.79 210.48 3667.59 6245.54 3596.03 264.75 0.00 391.50 269.50 3158.35

3. K1DG (Doug): S5A, N6NT, N2AA, KC7V, N7BG, K4OJ, SM3EVR, G3SXW. 3. G3JAG (John: ZL1AH, VK6VZ, ZS6QU, G2FFO, ZL1MH, G3IY. 3. N2JZ (Mike): N4UB, K5DQ, N2UU, KZ5D, G2FFO, KF2AT, K8IT, EI3CP . 3. DL1BUG (Red): DL7AKC, PA5XM, DL6TQ, DJ5ZN, DK8IT, DL4CF, PADIN, GJWB, W1HMD, K9QVB, W4LZ. 2. WA2RUE (Phil): W4PM, K6LQA, N2UU, DK8IT, N4UB, KC4YDP LZ1AF, G3IZD, G4CEO, G2FFO. , 2. W3EF (Maury): G3NOH, K2VUI, G3SWH, K1AJ, G4VXE. 2. W6ZH (Pete): K2VUI, W9KNI, W5GEL, K4FW, W4DGJ, ZP6CW, DK8IT, G3LIK, K2VCO. 1. G3XTT (Don): W9KNI, G3SED, K9QVB, G3RTE, LA5HE, G3VMW, DL7AKC.

Invitations will be sent to DJ1YFK and K5ALU. An objection to KL7J is under consideration by the Committee.

Additional Nominations

550.00 550.00 49.75 61.80 15.00 15.00 17.60 29.00 14909.69 14581.47

Excess income 944.20 37.25 Balance Bank 31 Dec 2001 9580.60 10524.80 Balance Bank 31 Dec 200210524.80 10562.05 Independent Examiner GP Stancey, G3MCK. Date 16 January 2003. Treasurer PA Miles, GW3KDB. Date 7 January 2003.

5. OH2PM (Pertti): W6IJ, VK6VZ. 3. VK4TT (Keith): VK4XA, N6NT, LZ1AF, VE3HX. 3. KFX (Don): N4UB, K9QVB, N6NT, DK8IT. 2. AF1Q (Jim): N6FB. 2. GTBD (Terry): G3LPN, G4YNU. 2. G3JRE (Ray): G3LPN, GADE. 2. W1JR (Joe): W2MUM, N6RA. 1. WA7SPY (Glenn): W6CYX. 1. K2UR (George): K5NA. 1. KCDJ (Bill): W1OT. 1. MUFAL (Colin): N4AF.

New Members

1794 G3PDH (Malcolm): M. H. Prestwood, Salatiga, Bell Lane, Salhouse, Norwich, Norfolk NR13 6RR; XYL - Ann; tel - 01603 721110; email - <g3pdh@btopenworld.com>.

1795 DK7VW (Joe): W. Jo hem, Gartenstr. 14, D -18439 Stralsund, Germany; tel - 3831 667273; e-mail - <joe@dk7vw.com>. 1796 DJ1YFK (Fabian) : F. Kurz, Weseweg 4, D-48431 Rheine, Germany; tel - 5971 931926; e-mail - <dj1yfk@darc.de>.

Amendments

EA6AAC (1724): new call: EA6BF. PJ2AM (1626): Silent Key W6CF (1060): Silent Key. 5B4AGN: Bob wonders if anyone else is planning to attend the North American Weekend and Dayton? He is looking for a travelling companion to spend some time with travelling between Washington DC and Dayton. DJ3KR: Juergen will be QRV 5 March/15 April as BX3/DJ3KR, CW only and says, JW is unlikely now, since our research project has been finished up there, although I do not exclude getting back to Svalbard but not as frequently. G3IY: Jim writes, It concerns me that although I am reasonably active, I never hear some of the new members. At one time when a new member appeared there was always a flurry of activity which could last a few days, but not now. I know that some are contest orientated but not everyone of course. G3IZD: Ivan was planning to be QRV 24 February/3 March as EA7/G3IZD with a FT-817 (10 watts) and his balcony antenna during a package holiday to Spain. He says, The trip includes a free bar for 12 hours daily so the sending may not always reflect the actual callsign!. G3SWH: Phil will be QRV 4/7 April with Vidi, ZS1EL; Hester, ZS1ESU, plus other G and ZS operators, from Robben Island (IOTA AF-064), South Africa with two 24 hour stations, one SSB and one CW, on 40-10 metres. QSL via G3SWH. G3TXF: Nigel will be QRV 6/12 March as VP2EN with 100 watts to a vertical and hopes to be QRV in the RSGBs BERU Contest 8/9 March. Between 13/18 March he hopes to be QRV occasionally as FS/G3TXF/P from Tintamarre (NA-199), probably daytime only operations from about 1400 to 2200z. He will stick to the zeroes ie 14030 or 14040, 18080 or 18090, 21030 or 21040, 24900 or 24910 and 28030 or 28040kHz. Further details at <http:/ /www.G3TXF.com>. G3VTT: Congratulations to Colin who was stunned to have is CQ on 160 metres answered by Steve, VK6VZ, on 25 February to give Colin his first ever VK QSO on the band. G4BWP: Fred was QRV 11/16 February as XT2WP including 15 metres in the ARRL DX , CW Contest and for which he is claiming a new single band African record - report in FOCUS 55. Commenting on Freds DXpedition, KF7E said, I remain amazed at, when many continue to decry the apparent increasing average age of the amateur radio population, there are so many

MEMBERS NEWS by G4BUE

people calling on Freds QRG that appear to have been born just yesterday as they are confounded by the meaning of the word up!. G4TSH: Justin was QRV as M5X on 15 metres in the ARRL DX CW Contest. GM3JKS: Frank was QRV as GM3W in the ARRL DX CW Contest on behalf of his local club in Wigtownshire. GM3POI: Congratulations to Clive on working all 67 counties in the 2002 Florida QSO Party (FQP) on CW, the first time it has ever been done from Europe. Clive won the Single Operator CW DX Award with 30k points and Gedas, LY3BA was runner-up with 26k points with the third placed station achieving only 12k points. Congratulations to John, K9QVB, who also worked all 67 on CW on low power (100 watts) and was placed third in the USA Single Operator USA CW section. Well done FOC! The 2003 FQP will be held over the last weekend of April when many FQP members, who are also FOCers, will be QRV (including your Editor as W4/G4BUE). GW3NJW: Clive was planning to be QRV as GW7X in the ARRL DX CW Contest, If I can operate one handed, after straining my right shoulder. Please excuse the QSD. Getting old is not fun!. GW3SB: Charles has a tale of woe: Alice was admitted to hospital with balance problems in February and is now home again but needs a lot of attention. Then their son David, who was in Southern India, broke his leg. He is still there although he and Charles are hoping he will be allowed to fly home soon. K3TW: Tom was an operator at W3DOS (the US Department of State Club station) during the ARRL DX CW Contest. K4BAI: John was QRV on 15 metres as W4KZ in the ARRL DX CW Contest from the NQ4I MM contest station in Georgia. KT4P: Carey had a minor stroke on 27 January and wanted the gang to know that although he is back at work, he is still fatigued after work days, and was only getting back on the air regularly towards the end of February and that was why he was QRT in the Marathon, and for a while afterwards - thanks G3LIK and N3BB. NSS: Tom was taken to hospital at the beginning of February and put on a respirator where he was unable to speak. Jeri said Tom, bored by writing on a pad to communicate, asked for his paddle/keyer and a local amateur radio friend to sit with him to translate code, which was much more to Toms satisfaction! A later report said he had been moved to a local hospital following surgery and anticipated being home in one or two weeks - thanks Elecraft Reflector. N4AR: While Bill was at his /8 QTH in Michigan, a bad ice storm swept through Kentucky leaving 1 inches of ice on everything, including his antennas! When Bill got home he found

the quad was finished as only four of the 16 spreaders were intact and his high (160 feet) 40 metre Yagi has its boom broken in two places. Bill says, It looks awful of course but mostly the elements are ok. If I can get it down before they fall off I will probably rebuild it again (for the third time), it is just too good an antenna not to try once more. Otherwise the rebuilds after the last ice storm in 1994 seem to have worked. The 20 metre array is a bit of a mess with elements rotated on the booms but nothing is broken. N4OO: Ink will be QRV 10 March as N4OO/M at 1300z from MS and at 1400z from AL for WAS Award QSOs on 14028, 18085 and 21028kHz on his way home from the W5 Weekend. OH2EA: Hans is back home from Thailand, and actually enjoying the 40C temperature difference! He is looking for an alternative QTH due to antenna restrictions and TVI problems where he is now. PJ2AM: Arthur became a Silent Key on 5 March, no other information at present - thanks PAVDV. S53R: Robert was QRV from YI1BGD on 7 February - thanks G4BWP . OY1CT: Caen had to miss the Marathon as he was still in Denmark awaiting another operation and was hoping to be back in the Faroe Islands four weeks after that. VE3DZ: Yuri was QRV as ZF1DZ during the week before the ARRL DX CW Contest and during the contest with Bruce as ZF2NT. VK2AYD: Dave will be QRV in the RSGBs BERU Contest 8/9 March as VK2WHQ (the VK2 HQ station). VK6LW: Kev is planning a trip to the UK in July. W1DV: Dave writes, After living at our upstate New York QTH for a few months and realising we will not be returning to TL8-land until September at the very earliest, at the beginning of March we will move to Maryland Washington, DC area) where we will join the staff as one of the pastors at our home church. I am not sure yet what the antenna situation will be there but I will be QRV as soon as possible!. W1PL: Laci has been staying with his sister-inlaw Eva in Sarasota, FL since January and unfortunately is not allowed to erect antennas. To keep in touch with amateur radio he found Echo-

(callsign in brackets indicate G4FOC operator)

FOC CALENDAR

March (G3RXP) 5/15 Apr BX3/DJ3KR (641) 6/12 VP2EN by G3TXF (641) 7/9 The W5 Weekend (639) 10 MS and AL by N4OO/M (641) 10/15 PJ5 by K1NA (640) 11 FOC Activity Day 13/18 FS/G3TXF/P (641) 22 FOC Activity Day 23 Deadline for April News Sheet 28 FOC Activity Day Link on the Internet, a voice chat facility for radio amateurs and noticed DJ6RX listed as a user. Laci wonders if any other members who, like himself, are temporary unable to get on the air, know of this facility? W1RAN: At 1am on 21 January Shirley suffered the first of two heart attacks and was taken to hospital where she was given the miracle drug tPA to dissolve the clot. Ned says, It worked perfectly leaving no detectable heart damage. She went by helicopter to Yale-New Haven teaching hospital, where angioplasty was performed and three stents put in. She is home, pale, a little weak, but recovering. We hope Shirley continues to recover well Ned. W2LZX: Ex-member Jack (1509) became a Silent Key on 1 February. He passed away peacefully at his home in Boca Raton, FL after a brief illness. It appears that following a traffic accident in November he never fully recovered and began a rapid decline. Jack would have been 83 in May. Ruth, his wife of 60 years, was at his side when he died. During WW II, Jack piloted a B-17 on many combat missions in the South Pacific, and his love for flying led him to found the Flying Hams Club in the 1950s. His lifelong passion, however, was amateur radio, specifically CW DXing. He was a member of FOC between June 1987 and April 1996 - thanks W9KNI. W6CF: Jim became a Silent Key on 6 February following a massive cerebral haemorrhage. He was only 69 years old and had been QRV in the Marathon a few days previously. An Obituary will be published in FOCUS 55.

Score updates can be passed to G3RVM or G4BUE. An asterisk against the call indicates the score has been updated this month. Table shows the scores received by 1800z 6 March 2003. The two scores are the total points and the total number of different members worked.
W6CYX* W5ZR* G3KTZ* W4QM* LY2PX* G3LIK* LZ1AF* W6TZD* G4BUE* W3NZ* 303/229 273/219 214/181 210/155 209/159 200/169 197/144 186/157 167/140 156/125 W5ZR LY3BA* G4HZV* G4BJM* N3BB* KZ5D* PAVDV* PABW* N6NT W8FJ 155 152/128 133/118 131/101 130/118 129/112 111/100 109/91 101 101 G3ZGC* DL8LBK* N3JT* K4WJ* G2JL* W4PM* W8LX* W4ZYT* G3LHJ* 96 92/84 92 91/82 91/81 90/80 89/83 73 70/70 G3IY* K2VCO G3IZD G3IZD LA5HE W1OT* W4CK* G3MCK W1DV* 68 68 67 65 65 64/61 61 58 58/52 W6IJ* K6TS* W3MC AA5DX* N1DG K5RC G2HKU* KC7V W9VNE 58 57/52 52 51 47 44 43 43 43 K9QVB GW3SB* PALOU* DK4LX* OZ4FF* DU3NXE VE3HX G8VG OH2EA* 42 38 38 30 29 24 21 20 2

THE 2003 BILL WINDLE CENTENARY AWARD