THE FIRST CLASS C.W.

OPERATORS CLUB
Editor: G4BUE

NEWS SHEET 584

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

June 1998

A man should keep his friendship in constant repair - Samuel Johnson (1755).

BANDS OF THE MONTH FOR JUNE ARE VHF AND 10 METRES

Friends This June News Sheet was not mailed until 2 June, due to June and me trying to catch up with the backlog after returning from three weeks in the USA. Thanks to everyone who made our trip so wonderful, especially Laura and Mark, W4CK, with who we stayed before the Washington Dinner, the Dinner Committee for putting on the best North American Dinner yet (apart from the weather!), Betty and Bill, N4AR, for hosting us after the Dinner and to all the members, wives and friends who we met in Washington, Dayton and elsewhere. On the Sunday after Dayton, N4AR, GM3POI and OK1CZ helped me make a list of FOC members we saw at Dayton: G3IZD,
G3MXJ, G3SXW, G3VMW, G3ZEM, G4BUE, G4PKT, G4ZVJ, GM3POI, GM3YTS, GW3YDX, K1AJ, K1AR, K1MEM, K1ZZ, K2SX, K2ZR, K3ZO, K4LTA, K4OJ, K5NA, K6NA, K7GE, K8MFO, K8NW, K9DX, K9WA, KC7V, N1BB, N1DG, N2AA, N3RD, N3RS, N4AR, N4TO, N4TY, N5TJ, N7BG, N9DX, N9RD, OK1CZ, OZ8RO, W1CW, W1RAN, W1WEF, W1YL, W3LPL, W4XJ, W6RGG, W8AV, W9GIL, W9KNI, W9VNE and

FOC CALENDAR

(callsign in brackets indicate G4FOC op) June - VHF and 10m (G4BUE) 4/13 July ZF by N6NT 10/17 SV8/G3SWH from Mykonos 12/25 EI2IM by W4ZYT 20 12th Harrogate Dinner 25/27 HAM RADIO 98 Friedrichshafen 27 FOC gathering at Friedrichshafen 26 Deadline for July News Sheet

July - 40m and 12m (G3PDL) July JW/DJ3KR? 8/15 KG4 by N4TO 18 Committee meeting 24/10 Aug BV3/DJ3KR 28 Deadline for August News Sheet August - 30m and 10m (GW3KGV) Aug/Sept JW/DJ3KR? 24 Deadline for FOCUS 36

Starred List

MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION by G3MXJ

3. VE6DXX: W9KNI, G3RTE. 2. N2NT: GW3SYL, N6NT, N5TJ.

2. K1AO: G3IY, GW3KGV, N2UU, VE7NH, W1OT (+N6NT, KT5X, K5DQ, W9NN, K1RH, G3XNG). 1. SV1AOW: G3LZK, N3JT, N3SZQ, OH2KI, W8EGB (+OK1GT, ON4RU).

Amendments
G4VXE (1623): new address - Upstairs Flat, 11A Vansittart Road, Windsor, Berkshire, SL4 5BZ. GORH (1684): xyl Margaret. VA3LK (1690): xyl Joyce is VE3JAK. K5VO (1667): Silent Key. of 300 were on hand for the ceremony. Inductee G3SXW gave a short talk about how fun and focus make for successful contesting. Congratulations to Glen, Roger and Gene - three out of four new inductees are FOC members! Congratulations also to Bob, W1CW, on being inducted into the CQ DX Hall of Fame at the Dayton Hamvention (watch for a report in FOCUS) - G4BUE.

An invitation has been sent to DK8IT.

Additional Nominations
5. K5RC: W4AN, K5DQ, K4BAI, N3JT. 5. G3KMQ: W4QM, GW3HCL, SM3BCS. 4. W7VR: K4DL, ZL1MH.

WB2YQH. That is 54 members or 11% of the total membership. Did we miss anyone? If you saw someone who is not on the list then please let me know. If you intend operating away from home (either on a DXpedition or casually as part of holiday), then please let me know in good time to publish details in the News Sheet. The Committee will be considering FOC frequencies for the WARC bands at their next meeting on 18 July and GCMM has suggested some (see Members News). Do you agree with John? What do you suggest? Finally, I have just called the Imperial Hotel at Harrogate to book our seats for the Dinner and found they have a good number of reservations, both for the dinner and for accommodation at the hotel. Joe, K2VUI, is planning to attend on his way to Germany and it looks as if it is going to be a nice weekend.

criteria for the award is described on page 6 of the Call Book and you are reminded that recipients need not be members of FOC. Previous recipients of the Award are: 1997 Peter Watson, ZL3GQ 1996 Northern California DX Foundation 1995 Fred Laun, K3ZO 1994 Chiltern DX Club 1993 Bill Maxson, N4AR

1998 FLORIDA DINNER by K4EFZ

The 1998 FOC Florida Dinner will be held on Saturday 5 December in Orlando at a new venue, the Holiday Inn Select near Orlando International Airport, with Ellen and Bob Whites Open House on the Sunday. Further details will be published in the next issue of FOCUS.

MEMBERS NEWS by G4BUE

AC5K: Due to the need to accurately QSY when members call, Wes recently added a digital readout to his Ten-Tec Argosy that he uses for CW mobile. The counter he installed was built from a kit by Blue Sky Engineering for about $41US. DF2IC: Greg was planning to be QRV 27 May/3 June as DF2IC/HI3 while on holiday. DJ3KR: Juergen was QRV as JW/DJ3KR at the end of April. His work schedule does not usually give him much notice when he is to visit JW, but thinks he may be QRV again at the beginning of July and again at the end of August/beginning of September. He will be QRV 24 July/12 August as BV3/ DJ3KR in Taiwan.

ARRL NEWSLETTER Vol 17, No 22, 29 May 1998

Contesters Richard Frey, WA2AAU; Glen Rattmann, K6NA; Roger Western, G3SXW; and Gene Walsh, N2AA, have been inducted into the CQ Contest Hall of Fame. The four were honoured during the CQ Contest dinner held during the Dayton Hamvention, 16 May. The event, organised by John Dorr, K1AR, and Tim Duffy, K3LR, was sold out, and upwards

AL SLATER, G3FXB MEMORIAL TROPHY by G3MXJ

Members are reminded that nominations for this years trophy should be submitted to me by 13 July. See News Sheet 526 for the procedure for making nominations. The

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 1030z 2 June 1998.
W9GIL 309 W1HMD* 300 W6CYX* 275 N2KW* 265 K4KQ 260 EA8CN 246 SMCCE 238 GM3POI 236 DL6TQ 223 GORH* 222 N3SZQ 205 G4ZDB 200 G4OEC* 198 VE1BN 190 NP3F* 187 ZL1MH 185 NP3G* 184 YV1NX 180 OH2FOC* 177 G4BUE* 176 G3LIK 175 GW3KDB 173 OZ4UN* 172 ZS6QU* 171 K5DQ* 163 G3HZL 161 G2FDF 160 G4HZV* 159 W8KJP 154 G3IY* 151 G4BJM K5DQ N4TY* G3LTV* N4TO ON4RU W8EGB PAVDV K4BAI* G3AZ PABW F3AT* W4DGJ ZS6AL* G3PQC* 150 147 146 142 138 135 131 129 128 125 124 119 119 118 115 G3KKQ 114 KF2AT* 113 K6RA 112 G3KTZ 110 G4PKD* 110 GM3JKS*110 N3BB* 110 ZL2AGY* 109 SM5COP*107 K2VCO* 106 W3NZ 106 GW3KGV 105 K1YT 105 W8XM* 102 K4FU 101 G3MCK JA7SSB K4XU GW3HCL G8VG* GW3SB* K6TS WA4SNI AC5K* K2VUI W4YE* W4FOA* EA6ZY G3YXX* N4LS 100 100 100 98 93 93 93 93 92 92 91 89 88 88 87 W9GW W6TZD GCHV G3IZD K4EF* F5VEX GFJT KT5X K7UOT G3MXJ* WB2YQH* GW3SYL* G3LZK* K4DL W1BIH 87 86 85 85 85 84 83 83 82 81 80 78 77 76 75 G3NKS* PALOU N4WJ VE3AR* GEBW N4JT* G2HKU* K4II YO4PX* W2DX W1HL G3SXW G4XRV SM6AOU* 74 74 73 72 71 71 69 68 68 67 66 65 63 63 DK4LX* G3NOH* ZL1AH U3DR W1HT G3LHJ W9NN W8VSK W2GW W5GEL* K2SX* W4CK* LA3FL* PAINA 62 62 59 58 54 52 52 50 47 47 46 45 44 43 OH6KI* G3HEJ GVLW DJ9SB ZP6CW* VA3LK* KC7V OH2EA* VK8AV N1BB N1DG OH2KI W4PM K1AJ* 40 36 36 34 32 30 29 28 27 26 22 21 21 10

THE 1998 WINDLE AWARD

DL7AKC: Jens says that members going to Friedrichshafen on 27 June are invited to join an informal gathering of members at the Hotel Rosengartern in Tettnang, Ravensburger Str at 7pm. The following members will be attending: G3SXW, G3VMW, G3ZEM, G4XRV, G4ZVJ, DJ2BW, SM3EVR and SM5COP. Further information is available from Jens. GCMM: In response to the Committee considering FOC calling frequencies on the WARC bands, John suggests 10110, 18078 and 24900kHz (10kHz up from the bottom band edge). What do other members think? GORH: One of Kens other interests outside amateur radio is classic motor cycles. He is the owner of a Triumph Bonneville which he is thinking of riding to Harrogate. On 27 May Ken and Ian, G3RVM, had a Mini Dinner with Sandra and Jan during a 470 miles round trip to GIVZs QTH to collect a beam Ken has bought from Jan. G3IY: Jim enjoyed his first visit to the Washington Dinner and was off to Trier for the ConDin when he wrote saying, I have had Bill, G2FDF, and Wendy staying for two days....a tour around our beautiful countryside including a visit to Skipton Castle. To round it off I organised a Mini Dinner with Audrey and Dick, G2FFO, and Lorraine and Jack, G4PKD, and we had a great time. G3SWH: Phil will be QRV again 10/17 June as SV8/G3SWH from Mykonos (IOTA EU067) while on holiday with Jan. As usual, CW only on 80-10m with the pattern of a couple of hours in the early mornings and a couple of hours in the late afternoons. Phil has a large quantity of IRCs for sale at 50p each, plus an SASE, cheques payable to Phil. The proceeds are for the 9MC DXpedition fund, Phil is QSL manager. G4BJM: Fraser has fixed the bad note on his TS-940 that he used in his winning Marathon performance but the VCO lock range is now so small that it drifts out of lock as the rig warms up, so further head scratching is required to cure the second fault. G4VXE: Tim has moved to a near QTH near Windsor by the River Thames.

G8VG: Pete received an interesting comment during the RSGB Morse Test Service Anniversary in May when one whipper snapper, on noting my call, said It is nice to know that you can send and receive CW at any age. Cheeky monkey! I told him that I was not yet in my dotage. (G8 calls were first issued about 60 years ago - G4BUE). Pete found 23 of the GB special event stations during the weekend. GW3SYL: In referring to the Internet, Roy says I have at last joined the 20th century and got connected. He has also got the FT-920 and is spending a lot of time on 6m, not a lot of members there but Roy is enjoying the band. He likes the three maximum output levels (100, 50 and 10W) of the FT-920, each variable from 0 to the maximum you have chosen, and says it makes a good QRP rig. He is trying to work DXCC with QRP. JA5DQH: Aki was QRV 8/15 May as KH7A. JA7SSB: Juns 160MHz Pentium computer crashed with a hard disk failure and his new 333MHz Pentium II also crashed! Thankfully, all is now back to normal. K2ZR: Dick was QRV as K2ZR/4 from the Florida Keys (NA-062 for IOTA chasers) around 20 May. K2VUI: Joe will not be able to make Lords this year, but he will be attending the Northern Get-together at Harrogate and the HamRadio Friedrichshafen in Germany. K4EF: Ev has rented a house in the Cotswolds for several weeks in late summer. He will attend Lords but will not be there until the afternoon as he is going to a RAF dinner near Telford on the evening before. K5BGB: Rod has founded the Quenby Street Library Memorial Radio Club and successfully applied for W5ADZ. Brad, the last holder of the call, was a FOC member and became a Silent Key in 1995. K5VO: Tom, K6TS, reports the passing of Bill on 23 May when complications set in following a heart attack. LA3FL: Per leaves home on 17 June for his next spell at sea. MAUD: Maud Slater had to cancel her plans to attend the Washington Dinner at the last

minute due to an illness. She was very disappointed not to be there and appreciates the card from the Dinner, together with other cards and get well messages. Maud is making good progress and is planning to attend the 1999 Washington Dinner. N1DG: Don is QRV 1/7 June from A61AD. N4JT: Jeff is going to put up a new tower with help from W4QM when Dale gets home from sea in the second half of May. He is thinking of putting a log periodic on it and a 6m antenna. N4TO: Vic will be QRV a few days before and after the IARU HF Championship, 11/12 July, from Guantanamo Bay, possibly as KG4TO, CW all bands. He will be with others from the Florida Contest Club in the IARU HF Championship as KG4OX. N6NT: Bruce will be QRV 4 June/13 July from Grand Cayman, but did not know his callsign at press time. PAVDV: Joeke is strongly in favour of FOC frequencies for the WARC bands. SM5COP: Since Runes office was moved from Stockholm (SM) to Jonkoping (SM7) his operating had been limited to weekends, but he will be starting a new job closer to his home in August and will be more QRV. VA3LK: Larry is often QRV /M from downtown Montreal. with an electronic bug with manual dashes and making dots. Congratulations to Joyce on becoming VE3JAK. VK8AV: Alan has moved out of his QTH to a caravan park before heading for Brisbane and eventually to London for Lords. He is nursing two cracked ribs while playing in the squash final of the Senior Mens Singles. Alan is QRV as VK8AV/P with 80W to a vertical (10 feet length of copper pipe) on the roof of his Nissan. W2MUM: Gladys and Elliott thank everyone for their telephone calls, cards and concern after Gladyss recent operation, particularly the card signed by everyone at the Washington Dinner. W4ZYT: Don will be QRV12/25 June as EI2IM and hopefully for a period as EJ/EI2IM/ P from Inishmore in the Aran Islands (EU-006 for IOTA chasers),