THE FIRST CLASS CW OPERATORS CLUB

NEWS SHEET 640

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

Editor: G4BUE

(g4bue@adur-press.co.uk)

February 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 FEBRUARY: 6th (THU), 21st (FRI), 23rd (SUN)
The best laid plans often go wrong, and that has been true of June and me this year! We had planned to go back to Florida about the middle of January, hence me being shown as W4/ G4BUE on the Marathon tick-sheet, but we will not now be going back until 5 February. The delay was due to June having an operation on her left eye on 8 January and me having surgery on my left shoulder on 11 January, and our subsequent recovery. We will return to the UK at the beginning of March for about three weeks and then plan to go back to Florida again. This will mean the publication of the March and April News Sheets will be done from the UK during that period and that the March News Sheet will be a little late and the April News Sheet a little early. Please see the deadlines in the FOC Calendar on the back page. It is intended to publish the 2003 Call Book in March and mail it with FOCUS 54 and the April News Sheet near the end of March before we return to Florida. Please let G3MXJ have any changes you want made to your entry in the Call Book by 20 February. The committee met at G3MXJs QTH on 19 January. G3LIK, G3MXJ, G3WGV, G3RXP , G3NOH and G4VXE attended with apologies received from G3SWH and G3RVM. G4VXE reported that the response to the FOCUS article on the Morse Proficiency Programme had been small but quality. It is intended to proceed with the programme, once the overall direction is clear from the RSGB. G4VXE will co-ordinate our preparation for the programme. It was agreed that the Annual Dinner should be held at Cirencester in 2004, with the intention of alternating back to Greenwich in 2005. The Cotswold Group had put together a detailed proposal for running the dinner which the Committee was delighted to accept. It was proposed that Committee meetings might be held at

EDITORIAL by G4BUE

Cirencester, at the Royal Agricultural College, as the room hire was very reasonable. It was agreed that as a trial, the next meeting on 13 April will be held there.. Committee responsibilities were discussed, with G3MXJ leaving the Committee on account of his impending move to France. G3NOH will take over the correspondence work of the Membership Secretary and G4VXE will assist with the database maintenance. The 2002 Accounts had been received from GW3KDB and were approved. The current membership status is 500 members, including seven Permanent Associates and four Temporary Associates, with nine on the Starred List. An objection to membership was considered and overruled. It was noted, with regret, that G4OEC had resigned. G3RXP confirmed the date of the Harrogate Get-Together as 8 July. Tonight (19 December) I was in a very nice QSO with W2CBO. We had been going on for about 45 minutes and no signs of stopping when one of our European members breaks in to get a Windle point. In my FOC Call Book under the Code of Conduct it says that we consider it inconsiderate to break-in to a contact unless there is a reason that is relevant to both stations. Maybe the member thought it was relevant, but I most certainly didnt. This was yet another example this year where the exact same kind of thing has happened to me. I am sure I am not alone. I understand that some guys really enjoy chasing points for the Windle Award and it keeps them on the air. That is a good thing. But I wish those guys would take more notice of the constant reminders published in the News Sheet that breaking in to on-going QSOs simply to exchange numbers is unbelievably rude and obnoxious. As a contester, I would never consider breaking in to a QSO of any kind simply for a multiplier. Being a contester, I can appreciate chasing points. However, as rag-chewer I hope members

WINDLE POINT CHASING by W4AN

COMMITTEE REPORT by G4VXE

will consider my plea to impart some restraint when chasing Windle points. Many simply want a signal report so they can fill in their Windle sheet. If some members want that kind of QSO, then they can find me in a contest when it is mutually beneficial. My station is QRV in every CW contest. I am very pleased to invite you to the 20th annual West Coast FOC Dinner at the International DX Convention in Visalia, California at 7pm on Friday 2 May. The Convention is well worth the trip, as is the opportunity to enjoy the good fellowship of your FOC friends, with wine, food, prizes, and an especially interesting programme Our speaker will be our own Tom Taormina, K5RC, and his topic is FOC Promotes Excellence - A slogan or a state of mind? We use words like excellence and quality in many aspects of our lives. What do these terms really mean and how can we ensure they are part of the future of our hobby? Tom is an internationally recognised expert in the field of quality and business leadership. He has published seven books and is a lecturer and consultant. He has been a radio amateur for 43 years and is at the top of the DXCC Honor Roll. The Holiday Inn Park Plaza hotel is located a short distance from the Visalia exit on Freeway 99. The room will be open at 5pm and dinner will be served at 7pm. The menu choices will be Filet Mignon, Baked Salmon, and Eggplant Gratini and the cost will remain at $35 per person, despite the hotels price increase! Please make reservations with me as soon as possible, but in any case I must receive all cheques no later than 25 April. Please specify your menu choice with your reservation. Overseas members can pay me at the door, but please let me know you are coming before the deadline! You are invited to bring something to be given away as a prize. Please make your cheque payable to me, Vic Rosenthal, and send it along with your menu choice to me at 2639 N. Adoline Ave, Fresno CA, 93705-4606, USA. You can e-mail me at <vic@rakefet.com>. Members are encouraged to bring guests to the banquet, but reservations should be made with me by the member inviting and not by the guest himself. The DX convention is sponsored this year by the Northern California DX Club. For registration or information contact IDXC 2003, c /o Dick Letrich, W6KM, 3686 Kirk Road, San Jose, CA 95124-3816, USA. The Convention web site has (or will have) a great deal of information, including local hotels, etc, see <http://ncdxc.org/ Ncdxc/Convention/>. For hotel reservations at the Holiday Inn, call the hotel directly at 559651-5000. Please come!

MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION by G3MXJ

Starred List
3. DJ1YFK (Fabian): PA5XM, YO4PX, K1JD, DJ5ZN, DK8IT, PADIN SM5COP KT4P OY3QN, G3MCK, G4VHH, GKDZ. , , 3. K5ALU (Red): W1WEF, WCGR, AA4Z, K5AX, VA3LK, K5CA, G3NOH, ZS6QU. 2. K1DG (Doug): S5A, N6NT, N2AA, KC7V, N7BG, K4OJ, SM3EVR, G3SXW. 2. G3JAG (John): ZL1AH, VK6VZ, ZS6QU, G2FFO, ZL1MH, G3IY. 2. N2JZ (Mike): N4UB, K5DQ, N2UU, KZ5D, G2FFO, KF2AT, DK8IT, EI3CP . 2. DL1BUG (Red): DL7AKC, PA5XM, DL6TQ, DJ5ZN, DK8IT, DL4CF, PADIN, GJWB, W1HMD, K9QVB, W4LZ. 1. WA2RUE (Phil): W4PM, K6LQA, N2UU, DK8IT, N4UB, KC4YDP LZ1AF, G3IZD, G4CEO, G2FFO. , 1. KL7J (Les): W5ZR, G4SIE, DL4CF, LA5HE, K5NA. 1. W3EF (Maury): G3NOH, K2VUI, G3SWH, K1AJ, G4VXE. 1. W6ZH (Pete): K2VUI, W9KNI, W5GEL, K4FW, W4DGJ, ZP6CW, DK8IT, G3LIK.

2003 WEST COAST DINNER by K2VCO

An invitation will be sent to DK7VW. An objection to K1DG has been considered by the Committee and overruled.

Additional Nominations

6. G4GZG (Larry): G3LPN, G3MCK, SV1AOW. 6. G3ILO (Steve): N3RS, SV1AOW. 4. G3XTT (Don): W9KNI, G3SED, K9QVB, G3RTE. 4. OH2PM (Pertti): W6IJ, VK6VZ. 2. VK4TT (Keith): VK4XA, N6NT, 2. KFX (Don): N4UB, K9QVB, N6NT, DK8IT. 1. AF1Q (Jim): N6FB. 1. GTBD (Terry): G3LPN. 1. G3JRE (Ray): G3LPN. 1. W1JR (Joe): W2MUM.

Amendments

GIHM (1519): Silent Key. G2DPY (338): Silent Key. G3JLB (453): Silent Key. G3RFE (1579): Silent Key. G4IP (1431): Silent Key. G4OEC (1696): resigned. K8ZH (A1549): resigned N8BR ((1450): new address - 3335 Marchester Drive, Maumee, OH 43537; telephone - 419 868 5218. SMCCE (477): new address - Ekla Gaard, SE610 60 Tystberga, Sweden; new call SM5CCE; telephone - 155 260 345. W1CW (913): Silent Key. W8TPS (1395): resigned. The 2003 Condin will be held on 6, 7 and 8 June at the Hotel Undeloher Hof, Wilseder Strasse 22, D-21274 Undeloh. Undeloh is a small village in the centre of the unique nature park area Lneburger heather in northern Germany, approximately 35 kilometres south of Hamburg. Friday 6 June: Get-together for the early arrivals at the Hotel Restaurant. Saturday 7 June: 10.30am - a horse drawn

THE 2003 CONDIN by DK8EI

carriage two hour tour through the unique heather natural park from the hotel car park. In the afternoon there is time to take a walk around the village and its vicinity, or just relax with friends on the hotel terrace or in the beautiful Brunnencafe with famous varieties of cakes and ice-cream. 7pm - the Dinner in the Heather Room, available just for our group, cold and warm buffet style with served soup. The cost is EU24.50 per person, excluding drinks and is payable to the hotel cashier on the evening. Sunday 8 June: About 11am - Open house with Angelika and Klaus, DK8EI, at the Heidehof, Dorfeiche 22. We plan for a hot butter cake from the old stone oven, coffee, tea and other beverages. The room rates at the Hotel Undeloher Hof are single EU45 and double EU75 per night. Please book yourselves early by telephone +49 4189-457, Fax +49 4189-468, or by e-mail to <info@undeloherhof.de>. More information about the Undeloher Hof, their Landhaus and their guesthouse Uhlchen is available on the Internet at <www.undeloher-hof.de>. Please let me know about your plans via our telephone +44 212 76604. We hope to CU up there! The 2003 Harrogate Get-Together will again be held at the Imperial Hotel, Harrogate, (telephone 01423 565071 and fax 01423 500082) on Saturday 5th July 2003. All accommodation must be booked with the hotel (ask for Penny Wells and mention FOC). I have pre-booked 10 double rooms and four 4 single rooms for the Saturday only. If Friday or Sunday night is to be included, Penny Wells will give a discounted price on the whole weekend. These rooms if not taken, will be given back to the hotel three weeks before the event for the double rooms and two weeks for the single rooms. The Dinner is at 6.30pm with drinks in the new restaurant bar at 6pm, now all on the fifth floor. The Dinner will be 17.50 per person and accommodation (single or double rooms) will be 45 per person per night, including breakfast and VAT. Non-residential guests will pay for their Dinner individually on the night at the hotel Reception Desk. Reservations for the meal only are to be made direct to the hotel or/and myself. There is now a very nice wine bar situated on the ground floor for the more discerning and/or hardened drinker. We look forward to seeing you there. A reminder about the W5 Weekend 7/9 March (January News Sheet), the special hotel rate of $69.99 has a cut-off on 19 February. Please contact the Holidome directly to book and mention the FOC Meeting. If you have any difficulty then please contact me at <KZ5D@aol.com>.

The first WAS Award certificates have been issued as follows: 1. W4CK 39 states 28 Nov 2002 2. W5ZR 37 states 29 Nov 2002 3. GW3KDB 40 states 17 Dec 2002 5B4AGC: In December George reached 150,000 QSOs since he started operating from Cyprus. EA6ACC: Josep was QRV in the CQ 160 Meter Contest as EA6IB. F5NZY: Congratulations to Steph and Paul on being placed first and second in Class A of the 2002 EUCW Fraternising CW. DL8LBK was 4th, PADIN 12th, HB9QO 15th and LY3BA 19th - thanks F5NZY. G3IZD: Ivan has changed his USA call from AE4WK to N3ZD. G3JHF: Jim was taken into hospital on 19 January following a heart attack at home. He is making good progress and was hoping to go home on 27 January - thanks G8VG. G3JLB: Les became a Silent Key on 6 December. He was Secretary of FOC between 1956 and 1967 and sadly didnt see the overview of his station published on page 35 and his antennas on the front cover of FOCUS 53. Our condolences to his wife Janet - thanks G3MXJ. G3LHJ: Congratulations to Derrick on working two new two-way QRP countries (JA and DU) in the G-QRP Clubs QRP Winter Sports at the end of December. G3LPN: Our sincere condolences to Pat and Phil who lost their two sons in a tragic aircraft accident in January. They were training for the British Aerobatics Championships when their aircraft suffered a catastrophic failure from which there was no recovery. G3PJT: Bob will be using the call GB4RS from time to time until the end of his term as President of RSGB in December 2003. G3UOF: Think of Mike at midnight on the Friday of the Marathon! He writes, I can already tell you the highlight of the event for me! My early retirement starts 1 February and to celebrate it, I have promised Sheila that I will take a break from the Marathon for five minutes either side of midnight 31 Jan/1 Feb to shave my moustache off! Apologies to all members if my sending after midnight became a little unusual following the separation from my friend of 30 years who has remained so close to me!. G3WUX: Terry writes, Many thanks to all who sponsored my entry in the CQ CW Contest in support of the RNIB New College, Costa Rica Experience. I am pleased to report that we raised over 3800, a significant contribution to their fund effort. The expedition will take place 8/19 April 2003, please visit <www.rnibnew college.worcs.sch.uk> from late April. In a later message, Terry writes, Anne got a job in Glasgow, so we will be moving to Scotland in

THE WAS AWARD by W4CK

MEMBERS NEWS by G4BUE

HARROGATE GET-TOGETHER by G3RXP

THE W5 WEEKEND by KZ5D

April. Apart from the exciting prospect of GM3WUX in the long term, it will mean virtual QRT whilst issues (like finding somewhere to live and moving in) are resolved. G3XAQ: Alan made 7000 QSOs as 3C5XA during his 9/21 January operation with a K2/100 (borrowed from G3VMW) and a doublet off the hotel roof (apex at 40 feet). Alan says The location was a big help - sea water on three sides with a perfect take-off to EU and NA. G4IP: Syd sadly passed away on 4 January. He did not regain consciousness from the coma he was in after the stroke he had in December. Our condolences to his wife Joyce - thanks GADE and GW3KGV. GW3KDB: With regard to the photograph of Table 8 of the Greenwich Dinner on page 7 of FOCUS 53, Pete wishes to reassure his wife, GW3KGV and all his girl friends that he has not got his hand on Margarets leg! Who says the camera cannot lie? K1NA: Jim will be QRV in the ARRL DX Phone Contest as PJ5NA and on CW until 15 March. K2LE: Too late to be included on the Marathon tick-sheet, Andy will be QRV 29 January/7 February as P4/K2LE again. K3TW: Tom has bought two acres in Lecanto, FL (Citrus County) and plans to build a retirement home there in a few years time - thanks W2MUM. LA5HE: Rag is planning to be QRV from JW during then last half of February. LU6EF: Raul will not be as QRV in the Marathon as he had hoped due to recent leg surgery. He says, I hope the doctors and my wife allow me to stay seated, at least for short periods, so as to meet as many members as possible. N3RS: Due to family problems, Sig says he will attempt to get on the air for a few brief periods, but alas, Ill not be able to do my best this year. NR7O: Due to the Mexican Government changing the rules to Tonys amateur radio licence, he has decided not to be QRV from there any more, and will now only be QRV when he is at home in California. Tony is also planning to be QRV mobile - thanks W2MUM. OK1RP: Petr has a bad case of TVI and RFI but doesnt know which neighbour (he has just had slogans painted on his door overnight telling him to stop transmitting!) Petr is using 100 watts and a Butternut HF6V vertical mounted on a 3 metre pipe with nine radials (approximately a quarter wavelength long 1x10m, 1x15m, 4x20m,

February (G3SWH) Until 9 P4/K2LE (640) 6 FOC Activity Day 8/17 ZF by VE3DZ (640) 15 JW by LA5HE (640) 20 Deadline for FOCUS 54 20 Deadline for 2003 Call Book 21 FOC Activity Day 23 FOC Activity Day March (G3RXP) 4 Deadline for March News Sheet 7/9 The W5 Weekend (639) 10/15 PJ5 by K1NA (640) 11 FOC Activity Day 22 FOC Activity Day 23 Deadline for April News Sheet 28 FOC Activity Day 2x30m, 1x40m and none for 80m). He has stopped calling CQ but may answer other members CQs even is he has to suddenly go QRT. VE3DZ: Yuri will be QRV with Bruce, ZF2NT, in the ARRL CW DX Contest (MS) in February and also 8/17 February with his own call (yet to be issued) - thanks N6NT. W1DV: Dave is now QRV all bands with a G5RV from their QTH in Upstate New York. W1PL: Laci flew to Sarasota, FL on 11 January to stay with his sister-in-law until 22 March, but will not be QRV there. W4AN: Congratulations to Dana and Bill on the birth of their second son Erik on 8 November. Bill was QRV as K8JI during the CQ 160 Meter Contest in January. W4CK: Congratulations to Laura and Mark on the birth of their daughter, Sara MacKenzie, on 27 January. W5GEL: Our condolences to Bob on the passing of his wife Hallye, WB5NLY, on 18 January. She finally lost her six year fight with breast cancer and died peacefully in her sleep. Bob says, Wendy loved everything and everybody about FOC and was personally known and loved by many members. Had she lived for two more days, we would have been able to celebrate our 63rd wedding anniversary. W6IJ: Tommy has just put up a two element quad at 72 feet for 30m and finds It is really super. I am amazed at the signals I can now hear, especially LP around 1500z.

(callsign in brackets indicate G4FOC operator)

FOC CALENDAR

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 0800z 29 January 2003. The two scores are total points and number of different members worked.
W6CYX W5ZR G3KTZ W4QM W6TZD LY2PX G3LIK 181 155 141 140 117 107 105 N6NT W8FJ LY3BA N4AF G4HZV G4BUE G4BJM 101 101 92 89 85 72 68 K2VCO G3IZD G3IZD LA5HE W8LX W4PM G3MCK 68 67 65 65 64 60 58 W3MC DL8LBK 4Z4KX N1DG G3LHJ K5RC K4WJ 52 51 50 47 46 44 43 KC7V W9VNE G2JL K9QVB GW3SB HB9QO 43 43 42 42 35 26 W1DV DU3NXE VE3HX G8VG G2HKU DK4LX 26 24 21 20 19 6

THE 2003 BILL WINDLE CENTENARY AWARD