THE FIRST CLASS C.W.

OPERATORS CLUB

NEWS SHEET 634

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

Editor: G4BUE

August 2002

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 2002 LONDON FOC DINNER

Saturday 5 October 2002 See page 2 of FOCUS 50 for full information
Tickets 29.50 each from Maud Slater, Wychwood, Park Lane, Maplehurst, West Sussex. Telephone 01403 891342.
Believe it or not there are only two months left before our Annual London Dinner at Greenwich. If you have still to book your ticket or hotel, then now is the time to make your mind up and get moving! If you have been reading the News Sheet you will know that you now have a choice of meal and should indicate this to Maud when ordering your ticket. See Mauds contact information on this page. You can order either a meat, fish or vegetarian meal and remember to hang onto your ticket on the day to mark your place and meal. Payment can either be by cheque, (payable to FOC), with your order to Maud or, if you are an overseas member, you can pay on the day. Last month I gave details of how to travel to Greenwich and the Trafalgar Tavern by rail. Next month I will give details of the parking arrangements, although I suspect many of you will be parking in the large car park at the end of Park Row. It is only a few steps to the Tavern, simply head in the direction of the River Thames, and the venue is on the right. I heard a few days ago that Jens, DL7AKC, is once again supporting the function and I am informed that there are many members who have not attended a London Dinner for quite some time coming too. The latest overseas members to indicate their attendance are DL8LBK, K2VUI, N4TO, ND4AA, W4QM, W4ZYT and W6RGG. We hope to have the Club station operational once again, presumably with an improved signal as the Trafalgar has the added benefit of a salt water location. My thanks to those members that have sent encouraging e-mails and offers of raffle prizes. More are always welcome. Maud will once again be holding her Open House on the Sunday after the Dinner but this year would like to know the numbers attending in advance. Please let Maud know if you would like to attend. G4BUE has offered to accept notification for Maud by e-mail, as Chris is also asking you let him and June know if you intend attending their Friday Party on the day before the Dinner. and liaison with other Morse orientated clubs over the Morse Proficiency Programme will continue. It was agreed that the power level of the new QRP Section in the Marathon will be five watts output to bring it into line with the international QRP standard and the intention to award one plaque only (to the world winner) will be reviewed after the 2003 Marathon. The responses to three Rule 8 letters will be considered at the next meeting. Members views on the new style tick-sheets, especially for the Marathon, were considered, in particular the large number of negative com-

GW3KGV, G3LIK (Chairman), G3NOH and G4BUE attended a meeting at G4BUEs QTH on 10 July 2002. Apologies were received from G3MXJ, G3WGV, G3WUX (President) and G4VXE Progress had not been made on the Defining the Future Shape of FOC project due to several reasons but will be considered and discussed at the next meeting. The possibility of FOC having its own system for accepting payment of subscriptions by credit card will be looked into

COMMITTEE REPORT by G4BUE

ments that G3LIK had received with the Marathon logs. Suggestions from G3KTZ and K6TS to revert to the three area page format (UK, Rest of World and USA) but in alpha-numeric order on each sheet were considered, but in view of the fact that a decision does not have to be made until later in the year and that the two main people (G3MXJ and G3WGV) involved in any change were not present, it was decided to defer a decision to the next meeting. Arrangements were made for the nomination for the President for 2003 and a nomination for the Al Slater, G3FXB, Memorial Trophy was considered. Maud reported 21 tickets sold (mostly to overseas members) for the Greenwich Dinner and confirmed that her Sunday Open House would be going ahead but she needed advance numbers this year. A replacement for GW3KGV on Committee was discussed and a referral by a member about another member apparently not being active was considered. The next meeting will be at 2pm on Thursday 12 September at GW3KGVs QTH. Congratulations to Phil, G3SWH, on being nominated as our President for 2003. Phil originally joined FOC as number 840 in July 1965 and left in April 1969. He rejoined with his present number 1513 in August 1987. Phil says, I am delighted and honoured to accept the Committees kind offer for me to act as President for the coming year. Phil will be installed as president at the Greenwich Dinner. Maud has decided to give up mailing the UK News Sheets after the September edition. She has been doing it from the days when Al, G3FXB, was the Editor and continued doing it when I took over as Editor from Al in 1988. I think youll agree that she now deserves a rest. We are therefore looking for a volunteer in the UK to take over from Maud and be responsible for mailing the UK News Sheets. This is a good opportunity for a member who wants to do something to help FOC but without being a Committee member and involved in the direct running of the Club. June and I will continue to mail the overseas News Sheets when we are in the UK, but when we go to Florida we only mail the North American ones (from there) and Maud has been mailing the rest of the overseas ones. Perhaps anyone who thinks they might like to help would like to get in touch with me for an informal chat about what is involved? I regret to report that some errors crept into the results of the 2002 Marathon on page 2 of FOCUS 51. Please add IXXR, KC7V, VK2BPN and

MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION by G3MXJ

Starred List
3. HS/OZ1HET (Finn): LA5HE, G3UOF, OZ5DX, K8JP, SMKV SM6CLU, LA8XM, LZ1AF, JA1NUT. 3. S53R (Robert): VK6VZ, OK1RR, G4ZVJ, S5A, N8GZ, 4X4NJ. 2. G3HJF (Jim): GM3JKS, G3MCK, G4BJM, VE1BN, G8VG, W4QM, ZL1AH, N4AF, ZS1AAX, YV1NX. 2. DU3NXE (Chuck): G4ZVJ, W5ZR, K8MFO, G3NOH, G4UZN, N3RD, G3WGV, VE3HX, DU9/NNM, SV1AOW, N3BB, W4LZ. 2. GWKJ (Chris): G3WUX, G3LIK, GADE, G3LPN, N4AF, N3BB, W4PM, KT4P .

Invitations will be sent to TL8DV, WK2G, G4TSH and W8FJ.

Additional Nominations

PRESIDENT 2003

6. N1TO (Ed): N4JT, W4QM. 6. SV1LV (Castor): SV1AOW, VK8AV. 5. ON4WW (Mark): VK6VZ, G4ZVJ, PAVDV, LA5HE. 4. G3PDH (Malcolm): G3LIK, GADE, G4YNU, G3MCK, G8VG, YV1NX. 4. G3OWO (John): F5VHC. 4. GGKH (Dave): G3LPN, GJWB. 2. K1DG (Doug): S5A. 2. N9RV (Pat): K8MFO. 2. W4CI (Dave): K5DQ. 1. DJ1YFK (Fabian): PA5XM. 1. DL1BUG (Red): DL7AKC. 1. K6TA (Ken): K6TS.

New Members

NEWS SHEET MAILING by G4BUE

1783 G4OHX (Sam) S. Kennard, 16 Conifer Close, Ormesby St Margaret, Norfolk NR29 3RU: XYL - Grace: tel - 01493 384161; e-mail <samg4ohx@btinternet.com>. 1784 HS/G3NOM (Ray) R. Gerrard, Box 69, Bangkok Airport, 10212 Bangkok, Thailand; email - <g3nom@rast.or.th>.

Amendments

W6TZD (1084): new address - PO Box 838, Running Springs, CA 92382-0838, USA; tel - 909 867 3394. W1HMD as Check logs. I never received Chass, Mikes, Peters or Larrys e-mail logs. Larry claimed 2281 points from 954 QSOs. W2MUM is listed in both the Open (79th) and Restricted Sections (14th) for North America! The correct entry for Elliott is the Open Section, the Restricted Section entry should have referred to W3NZ. Apologies to Elliott and Fritz. W1OT is listed in position 20 in the North American Open Section with 2044 points. Tony was in the Restricted Section and should have been listed as such. His score would have placed him in third position in the Restricted Section. My apologies to Tony. I guess I must be getting senile in my old age but it is easy to make a mistake when you have logs all over the floor! To try and overcome the problem of me not receiving logs, next year I will reply to each log received with a simple QSL so you will know , I have received it ok.

THE 2002 MARATHON RESULTS by G3LIK

Very many congratulations to N5TJ and K1TO, who were the overall winners of the 52 teams competing at WRTC 2002 in Finland in July. Operating as OJ3A, Jeff and Dan were over 10,000 points ahead of their nearest rivals, the Russian team operating as OJ8E. Jeff and Dan retained their domination of this event after winning the previous two WRTCs, a really wonderful achievement. Congratulations also to all the other FOC members who took part. The top five positions, plus others having an FOC member in the team (in bold) are shown below:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 8. 13. 19. 23. 29. 33. 34. OJ3A OJ8E OJ2V OJ3R OJ8K OJ6E OJ5U OJ8A OJ3D OJ2Z OJ7X OJ4S N5TJ/K1TO RA3AUU/RV1AW DL2CC/DL6FBL N6MJ/N2NL KQ2M/W7WA UT4UZ/UT3UA N6RT/N2NT K1AR/K1DG W4AN/K4BAI G4PIQ/G4BWP S5A/S59AA JM1CAX/JE1JKL 438 426 473 436 394 416 432 432 389 419 379 392 2782 2627 2468 2705 2816 2637 2435 2382 2530 2342 2542 2289 1,629,798 1,619,226 1,608,673 1,560,008 1,479,470 1,468,064 1,412,640 1,382,400 1,347,107 1,277,950 1,210,147 1,205,008

WRTC 2002 by G4BUE

In addition to the competitors, many FOC members were involved in the event as Adjudicators and on the Organising Committee. Hans, OH2EA, reported that there were over 20 members at the FOC meeting held at WRTC.

5B4AGC: George thanks all the members who worked him as H2G in the IOTA Contest, including the few on SSB! George says he has now just passed the 140,000 QSOs from 5B4, 5B4AGN: Bob thanks members for all the QSOs in the IARU Test he made as P3F. DJ3KR: Juergen reports many QSOs with members in January as BV3/DJ3KR. He says, 160 metres from BV was particularly interesting and efficient into Europe and the USA despite my 100 watts and simple sloping dipole, one leg was 20 metres high and the leg and the feed point was just six metres high. Juergen went back to BV in the middle of July and will be QRV until 17 August with a new prefix as BX3/DJ3KR. DL8LBK: Ken and Alexandra have rented a flat for a holiday in the UK to include the Greenwich Dinner. EA6ZY: Stan writes, Bands of the Month, I never pay any attention to this - who does?. F3AT: Congratulations to Ivan who has taken his DXCC to 380/335 Mixed and 360/ 334 CW after recent QSOs with VP6DI and P5/4L4FN.

MEMBERS NEWS by G4BUE

G3IY: Jim has a FT-817 to use /P from Janes QTH with a low wire and 5 watts QRP . G3LHJ: Sylvia and Derrick have had visits recently from EI3CP G3SXW and G3ZRJ , G3MXJ: Dennis is QRV until early September as F/G3MXJ with 100 watts and a Butternut from their summer QTH in France. G3RVM: Ian was QRV with GORH and G3ZGC as G5XV in the IOTA Contest from the Isle of Wight (EU-112). G3SJJ: Chris was one of the operators at the GU8D IOTA Contest station from Guernsey (EU-114) - thanks Daily DX. G3SXW: Roger writes, In answer to your question about Band of the Month - I suggest drop it. G3XNG: Lee suffered a fall from a ladder in his garden breaking his left wrist and left hip in June and spent a spell in hospital - thanks G4CEO and N3JT. G4OHX: Sam says ut is 99.9% certain that I will be QRV from XE3 from about 22 August until 3 September using an IC-706 with 100 watts to a dipole. Obviously, until I get to the hotel, I have no idea of antenna configuration etc but I will do my level best. G4VXE: Tim says, Members in the UK, and further afield, may be interested to learn that UK amateurs have the possibility to apply for permits to use several frequencies around 5.5MHz. Full details can be seen at <http:// w w w. r s g b . o r g / l i c e n s i n g / f i v e m e g s / fivemegs.htm>. The band plan shows CW, voice and data - so I wonder who will have the first FOC-FOC CW QSO on the band?. GW3SB: Charles writes, You may be interested to know that I have at last mastered the use of a paddle. I started with a bug-key in 1938 and never liked it. I tried el-bugs from time to time but could not make them work. Recently increasing stiffness in my right wrist has made it imperative to learn and, after days of practice I have at last managed to use it but my speed is slow - not exceeding 20WPM, whereas I can manage more than 25 with a straight key. K1JD: John visited Peggy and Don, K5DQ/ CA on their way to NM to visit Debby and Fred, KT5X for a drive to MT through UT and ID. John and Fred did a K2 portable operation and K2VCO worked them on 20 July in Utah on 20 metres when they had a G5RV slung from a precipice at Flaming Gorge. K2VUI: Jenny and Joe will be attending the Greenwich Dinner. K6NA: Glen was QRV from OH on 8 July. K8JP: Joe writes, I have not been as active as I would like since we got back from Belize. Between chores and my arthritis giving me fits up here in the north, my hands and fin-

gers have been rather knotty. The 30C plus temperatures have helped a little. Bev has to have hospital treatment which will delay us going south this autumn to Belize. KY7M: Lee was in KP4 on business over the IOTA Contest weekend and was planning to be QRV from the hotel with the K2 and a MP1 mini-vertical on 20 metres. LA8XM: Congratulations to Trond on completing his DXCC with a recent QSO with P5/ 4L4FN. He started serious DXing in 1985, and became an Honor Roll member in 1991. This just shows that a DXer needs to be patient. Trond has refurbished a 30 years old TH3 which was given to him and he hopes to have it up on his mast in August. MCVR: Dan writes, I regret that due to an impending house move, my radio time will be restricted until 4 October, then QRT for at least two weeks while I re-rig the station. ND4AA: Norm will be attending the Greenwich Dinner and staying with G3LIK. ON4RU: Mar was QRV as SV9/ON4RU between 22/26 July - thanks G3LIK. VE3HX: Alan was QRV from the VE2AEJ QTH as VE3HX/2 in the IARU Contest and was pleased to work all the WRTC OJ teams with FOC members in. W1HT: Our condolences to Ralph on the loss of his wife Linda in June after a long illness. W4AN: Bill says that while he was QRV in WRTC as OJ3D, his home station was operated by Scott, W4PA. W4QM: Dale will be making his first visit to a London Dinner when he attends Greenwich. He and N4TO will be staying with G4BUE in September before the Dinner. W4ZYT: Mary Carole and Don will be attending the Greenwich Dinner. W5ZR: Bert writes, While visiting Knoxville, TN , I met John, W4XJ. We had a great day and ended up at my daughters house for a

(callsign in brackets indicate G4FOC operator)

FOC CALENDAR

August (G4BUE) until 17 BX3/DJ3KR (634) 1/8 HR/W4CK (631) 17 EA/F5VEX (633) 22/3 Sept XE3 by G4OHX (634) 23 Deadline for FOCUS 52 29 Deadline for September News Sheet September (G3WUX) until 3 F/G3MXJ (634) 28 Deadline for October News Sheet October (G3LIK) 4 June & Chris, G4BUE, Party (633) 5 Annual Dinner at Greenwich (FOCUS 50) 6 Mauds Open House (634) 11/13 RSGB HF & IOTA Convention

good Cajun meal which was washed down by a decent amount of wine. A good time was had by all in those Tennessee hills. W6RGG: Bob is planning to attend the Greenwich Dinner, with Gwen for the first time. W6TZD: Genes new QTH is on a city lot and I hope to get the CL-33 up before too long as I am using a mobile Hustler whip fastened to the top of a chain link fence at the moment. First QSO from the new QTH was W4AN, so off to a good start. It is beautiful up in the San Bernardino Mountains at 6000 feet ASL and, so far, it seems to be pretty quiet radio wise. I cannot believe that I have moved into a nest of radio amateurs, four of them in a block radius but I understand they are either not very active or VHF types. Boy, I hope so!. W8KJP: Del said his Little red truck is doing a fine job for him working mobile and he recently Snagged DU9/NNM. Was so excited almost drove off the road!. W9NN: Bob is getting weaker but is still at home and welcomes telephone calls from members, (715) 341-4647 - thanks W3MC.

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 0700z 31 July 2002. The two scores are the total points and the number of different members worked.
W4QM W5ZR* G3LIK* YV1NX* W3NZ* SV1AOW* LY3BA* K8JP* LY2PX* LZ1AF G4BUE* LY5BA KT4P* G4BJM* DJ5ZN* G3RVM* 750/360 710/328 678/325 565 500/278 500/244 448/276 430/285 409/239 398/259 396/269 385/249 345/218 334/219 322/204 308/202 W6TZD G3KTZ* GORH G3JJG* KZ5D* G4HZV* OK1RR* G2FFO* G5LP G3JZV* W3MC* G3ZGC N3RS* K6TS* W8KJP* EA6ACC 299/204 274 264/184 251/182 251/163 244/174 241 233/168 226/158 224/207 221/154 217 210/150 209/138 208 205/161 K1JD* W4CK K6LQA F5VEX W4ZYT W9GW* N3BB K4EV WCGR ZL1AH W4LZ K5DQ F3AT* G4PKD G3IY* PABW 200/152 191 186 180 179/145 175/138 174/137 173/136 170/106 169/147 166 161/130 156 149 145/131 145/111 K2VCO 143 K4EF 140/118 G3MCK* 139/107 W8LX* 127/89 VE3DZZ 122 G4XRV 121/99 K5RC* 119/91 ZS1EL* 118/95 W8KJP/M* 114 ZP6CW 114/93 LA8XM* 112/96 G3LPN* 110 G3NKS 109/102 GW3SB* 109/97 W4YE* 109/94 G3KKQ G3LHJ* G3NOH N1DG VE3AR* KC7V DK4LX* VE3HX K4XU HB9QO GW3HCL G2HKU* W2DX N4TY 4Z4KX* 108/96 108 103/96 101/83 101/80 101 100 96 95 89/80 88 87 83 82 78/70 K6WG* OZ4FF W1FJ K4LQ G8VG W1HT KY7M* N4AF G3LCS K5CA OH2EA* LA5HE W1FZY* OZ6XT W1RM* 78 78 76/62 73/61 72 68 61 56 55 51 50 42 33 8 1

THE 2002 BILL WINDLE CENTENARY AWARD