THE FIRST CLASS C.W.

OPERATORS CLUB
Editor: G4BUE

NEWS SHEET 587

(http://members.aol.com/focuk)
(callsign in brackets indicate G4FOC op) September - 40m and 15m (G3LIK) Sept VQ9QM by W4QM (587) 5 Committee Meeting 17/27 ET by G3VMW etc (585) 26 Deadline for October News Sheet

September 1998

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 SEPTEMBER ARE 40 & 15 METRES

THE FUTURE OF CW by G3WGV
In FOCUS 27, G3MXJ outlined to role of the Future of the Amateur Service Committee (FASC) and what FOCs response should be to it. More recently, in the UK, USA and Canada in particular there has been considerable debate about future licensing requirements and especially the requirement for CW for access to HF. Many members have offered their views on these matters and these have been gratefully received and carefully considered by the Committee. An FOC positioning statement embodying these views has now been sent to the RSGB in response to its request for input. The response will be published in full in the next edition of FOCUS, number 36. Your Committee intends to play an active role on behalf of the Club, in the process of redefining the future of Amateur Radio. Continuing support and input from Members is therefore important and always welcome. I will, of course, keep you informed of our progress. Abstract of FOC statement There are complex issues facing the Amateur Radio service which in essence comprise two major facets, namely: 1. The licensing requirements for access to Amateur Radio. This includes, inter-alia, the regulatory environment that might prevail following IARU deliberations at conferences over the next few years; 2. The way in which Amateur Radio actually operates in practice which is not necessarily governed by regulatory regimen nor by commercial practices. It is proposed that: It is inappropriate and undesirable to continue the trend of continual lowering of standards for whatever reason but especially in pursuit of numbers, expressed either as members of the RSGB or as quantity of licence holders; Capability in Morse code is no longer a fair sole differentiator between those that have access to HF and those than do not. However, it is an excellent candidate amongst others for demonstration of capability, commitment and worthiness; Whilst it may, in time, no longer be an international requirement, ability in the use of Morse code will continue to be a valid Amateur Radio skill; The fact that use of CW is rapidly diminishing in the commercial world is irrelevant to its validity as a useful mode for Amateur Radio communications; There is scope for a higher class of Amateur Radio licence than the current Amateur-A; There is no validity to the argument that the standard of entry requirement to the hobby is unattainably high.

FOC CALENDAR

29 M/W4CK (585) October - 80m and 17m (G3KTZ) 3 Annual Dinner at Lords (583) 4 Open House at Wychwood 9/11 RSGB HF Convention 25/7 Nov D68BW by DJ2BW (587)

Starred List

MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION by G3MXJ

2. JY9QJ: KL7HF, K8MFO. 2. N8DCJ: K8MFO. 2. DJ6SI: DK8EI, GW3KGV, K8MFO, DJ5ZN. 1. LZ1AF: N6NT. 1. G3HCT: G3NKS.

3. G3KMQ: GW3HCL, SM3BCS, SMCCE, W1HT, W4QM. 1. 9H1EL: G3VMW, G3ZEM, GIVZ, NP3F, W4AN (+ZP6CW). An objection to SV1AOW is under consideration by the Committee.

New Member
1702 K1AO (Ron) - R. Simonton, 228 Fairway Court, Hopkinsville, KY 42240; tel - 502 885 5379; XYL Merrie; e-mail <simonton@commandnet.net>

Additional Nominations
6. VE6DXX: W9KNI, G3RTE. 5. N2NT: GW3SYL, N6NT, N5TJ. 3. K6RIM: W6CYX, W9KNI. 3. OK1TN: OK1KT, SM3BCS. 2. K6ZSR: W6THN. 2. G3HSP: GCMM. FOC wishes to see standards in Amateur Radio maintained and if possible enhanced. Whilst there should be routes into the hobby that are easy, those routes must be merely a beginning and those who aspire to full rights should be willing to work for them. There is especial concern in the membership that unregulated or even simplified access to the spectrum below 30MHz will result in anarchy akin to that to be heard every day on Citizens Band frequencies. FOC as a long established Amateur Radio society wishes to be involved in this debate and stands ready to contribute as appropriate.

Amendments
DK8IT (1701): Correction to fax number - 6201 23983. K5DQ (1660): new tel - 281-534-3802. 6.30pm for 7pm and the evening should end at 11.30pm. Tickets for the dinner are available at 27.50 from Maud Slater, Wychwood, Park Lane, Maplehurst, Horsham, West Sussex RH13 6LL. Tickets for the day only need no prior booking and will be available at the door at 5 each. The menu is:Terrine of Chicken and Wild Mushrooms (with a balsamic vinaigrette) Pan Fried Turkey Breast (in a white wine, tomato, tarragon and mushroom sauce) Medley of Seasonal Vegetables Fondante Potatoes Traditional Bread and Butter Pudding (served with creme Anglaise) Columbian Coffee (Chocolate Mints) Please let me know if you would like a vegetarian meal providing. Two hotels have arranged a special price with us, please see page 2 of the May News Sheet for details. Raffle prizes will be most gratefully accepted. Shall we see you there with friends and guests, to help to celebrate our 60th year? I am aware of the following overseas members who have either booked or intend attending: 4X1FC, K1SS and Gaby, N4AR and Betty, N4TO, OZ1LQH, OZ1LO, W4CK and Laura, W6RGG, and W9KNI and Judy.

1998 LORDS by G3PDL

This is the last bulletin before our largest social event, so please forgive a few reminders as well as some fresh information:-The room is available all day from 9am and tea / coffee are provided at intervals. The bar will open at 11am. The new management at the Tavern below will provide a range of traditional English meals ranging from Cumberland sausage to Sirloin steak. I will speak to the manager on the day and try to give an estimate of likely demand as he thinks things could be slow with a sudden invasion of 50 or so! There are other eating places quite near. In the afternoon there will be a presentation by some of the 9MC DXpedition. Dinner is at

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 1500z 30 August 1998.
K4KQ* 316 W9GIL 309 W1HMD 300 W6CYX 275 DL6TQ* 271 N2KW 265 K4FU 261 GM3POI* 251 YV1NX 250 EA8CN 246 G3KTZ* 246 GORH* 245 HA7PB 240 SMCCE 238 G3ZEM* 208 G3LIK 207 G4BUE* 201 G4ZDB 200 G4OEC 198 VE1BN 190 NP3F 187 PAVDV* 186 ZL1MH 185 F5VEX 184 G3IY 184 NP3G 184 K5DQ* 183 N4AR* 183 K4BAI 178 OH2FOC 177 PABW* 176 G4HZV 175 OK1KT* 175 GW3KDB 173 OZ4UN 172 ZS6QU 171 ZP6CW* 170 GIVZ 168 GW3KGV*168 N4TY* 165 G3HZL 161 YO4PX* 161 G2FDF 160 G4PKD* 160 N3BB 160 KF2AT* 154 SM5COP*154 W4DGJ* 154 W8KJP 154 G3KKQ* 152 XE2/NR7O*152 G4BJM 150 G4BUO 147 G3LTV 142 G3WGV 140 GCHV* 138 N4TO 138 W9GW 138 LA1IE* 136 JA7SSB 135 ON4RU 135 W1NV* 135 EA6ZY 134 GEBW 133 K4II* 132 W8EGB 131 GM3JKS*130 K4EF* 130 WIAK 130 K7UOT 129 G3PQC 128 G3AZ 125 G3HEJ GEBW 4X1FC* DJ5ZN* F3AT ZS6AL W6THN* AC5K* N4LS* W4YE G3LWI G3RFE G3SXW K6RA G3JJG* G3IZD G8VG* ZL2AGY 125 124 121 121 119 118 117 115 115 114 113 113 112 112 111 110 110 109 PADIN* G3LHJ GW3SB* K2VCO N4JT* W2DX W3NZ G2FFO* K1YT G4XRV I7ALE ZL1AH* W8XM G3SED G3MCK K4XU GW3HCL W1WEF 108 107 107 106 106 106 106 105 105 104 104 103 102 101 100 100 98 96 K6TS WA4SNI G3MXJ* K2VUI W4ZYT* N4XR SM6AOU* W4FOA WB2YQH G3YXX W1FJ* G3TXF* W6TZD U3DR* GFJT KT5X G2HKU* GW3SYL 93 93 92 92 92 90 90 89 89 88 87 86 86 85 83 83 82 78 G3LZK G3NOH K4DL W1HT* W1BIH G3NKS PALOU N4WJ VE3AR W5GEL* GM3HUN W4TAJ W9NN W1HL DK4LX KC7V LA3FL W1HT 77 77 76 76 75 74 74 73 72 72 70 70 68 66 62 58 58 54 DJ9SB W8VSK K2TT W2GW K2SX W4CK OH2KI PAINA K6RA OH6KI GVLW VA3LK OH2EA VK8AV N1BB N1DG W4PM K1AJ 52 50 47 47 46 45 43 43 40 40 36 30 28 27 26 22 21 20

THE 1998 WINDLE AWARD

ACCOUNTS by Maud Slater

PROFIT & LOSS ACCOUNT 31.12.97
Income Subscriptions Sales & sundries Donations: Individual Visalia Interest Profit on Lords Expenditure Printing: 8204.62 494.50 760.46 90.55 851.01 336.40 347.66 10234.19

MEMBERS NEWS by G4BUE

DJ2BW: Herman will be QRV 25 October/7 November as D68BW from Comoros, with emphasis on LF bands with a 20m high vertical. EA8CN: Irma and Andy are in EA8 for a while but will be back in Rostock in October as Irma has to go into hospital for an operation. They have almost finished the work on their summer home in SM3 and hope to get some antennas up there next spring. GCMM: Val and John spent a week at Chateau La Garrigue with F5VEX and family in south west France, and reports the 1997 vintage is a good one and has been passed by the authorities and famous wine-tasters. Val and Derek are now bottling en Chateau and have their own very distinctive label. GORH: Ken says, Ive worked a few of the gang on the new WARC QRGs, mainly 12 and 30m. Only time will tell if it is going to be a success but theres certainly no reason why not! G2HKU: Congratulations to Stella and Ted on celebrating their golden wedding anniversary on 25 August. Ted says, when the vicar asked for our choice of hymns, I suggested Fight the God Fight, but I was overruled!. G3LTV: Bill says, Who said Morse code was dead? I have just purchased a state of the art carbon monoxide detector for the home and in the operational notes it says: ALARM SIGNAL. The carbon monoxide alarm can be distinguished from smoke detector alarms as it signals CO in Morse code. At least British Gas still recognises the code. G8VG: Pete is QRT until early September apart from VHF. He heard G3LIK/M on 2m in July but was unable to raise Mick. GM3GNM: Members will be saddened to hear that ex-member Arthur died in hospital in Perth, Australia on 28 July after being in poor health since last autumn. He was a member of FOC from 1966 to 1994 - thanks G3FBN. GW3SB: Chas thanks members for their enquiries about his wife while she was in hospital. Alice has returned home but is very handicapped. JA7SSB: Jun now has his own Internet Home page at <http://www.roy.hi-ho.ne.jp/hamradio/> in English and Japanese.

News Sheets 461.80 Call Book 557.00 FOCUS 3520.00 Sundries 266.31 4805.11 Postage 3390.01 Trophies 336.40 Admin 704.50 FOC licence 15.00 Stationery 248.86 Ties 537.33 Sundries 184.73 10221.94 Excess of income over expenditure 12.25 Funds in Hand Instant savings Current account W2MUM cheque Petty cash Stamps Badges at cost Ties at cost 3783.25 822.90 6803.55 240.12 6.27 7.50 170.00 21833.59

This figure includes Lords payment of 3515.06 - awaiting invoice. Also included history book donations of 2208.64. I have checked all the figures and found them correct. (signed) D. Puttick. On your behalf, I would like to thank my daughter Susan for helping me with the books, to Doreen (G3LIKs xyl) for auditing them and to Elliott, W2MUM, for receiving subs and other monies from North American members. Finally, our thanks to those members who generously made additional payments with their subscription. I will list them in next months News Sheet.

K1SS: Gaby and Sid will be touring Scotland for a week from 21 September before heading south for Lords and a few days in London. They will visit friends in Cumbria and then take the Chunnel to Paris to visit Gabys cousins and return home around 13 October. KF2AT: Percy was hoping to be in Wales from 8 August for five to six weeks, and QRV on 20m (and possibly 17 and 15m) with 100W and a small antenna. N4AR: Hilary and Colin, G3VTT, were helping Bill put up an X9 tri-band beam on the tower at the new Michigan QTH, where Colin was hoping to be QRV as W8/G3VTT. N4TO: Vic will be staying with Ann and Dennis, G3MXJ after Lords and going to the RSGB HF Convention (the weekend after Lords). At home, W4QM helped Vic install the second 6 el 15m yagi and is now building the second Cushcraft 2 el 40m yagi. OZ1LQH: Lords regulars Rene and Leif, OZ1LO, have booked at the Four Seasons, Gloucester Place, London (very close to Lords) for the weekend. SM5COP: Rune says, I like the suggested WARC band spread and the frequencies chosen! I have tried those and been able to work many members there. SM5GLC: Lasse will be in Washington DC between 7 and 12 September at the Hilton Gaithersburg. Back home he has bought a second-hand 60ft tower, Tailtwister rotator and a TH6 tri-band beam, which he hopes to have up before the winter. VE7BS: I received an unconfirmed report that Bob had some kind of accident with gasoline. We hope it was nothing serious and all is well now. W1FJ: Ruth and Al had a great time in KL7 and met with Chuck and Del for coffee and a few lies!. W1NV: Carl received a nice letter from YO3AC thanking me for the valves, etc. W4QM: Dale will probably be QRV as VQ9QM again in September. WA4SNI: Dick had a close encounter with lightning recently which needed N4TOs help to fix the rotator.