|
President's Message
After a very successful flea market (thanks to everyone's hard work) we are now starting to look forward to Field Day. If you are interested in helping to plan Field Day 2000, we need your help! Please contact Bev, N1LOO, or myself. We want to make FARA's first Field Day of the new millennium the best ever!
Much has been said about the license restructuring, but whether you agree or disagree with it, please welcome all the new Extras and Generals into our ranks. These hams now have more privileges, and they will need help in learning how to use them. That's what we're here for. Let's make them feel welcome, and Field Day is the perfect opportunity!
License in a Weekend is coming up this month, May 12-14. If you'd like to help teach, please contact Ed, W1NXC. He'll be glad to have your help, and you'll get the satisfaction of helping to create a new ham.
My final comments are not so upbeat. We learned this month, of the tragic death of Samir Durakovic, T99S, killed by a drunk driver. Sharon has written a wonderful piece about Samir for this issue, and has put additional material on the web page. Those of you who met him when he visited FARA know that Samir was an exceptional individual with a great sense of humor and love of ham radio. FARA is planning to make a donation in his memory to an appropriate charity. We'll be circulating a sympathy card and accepting donations at the May meeting.
Peter, KA1AXY
FCC License Activity
By Ed, W1NXC
The new FCC restructuring rules generated a flurry of license applications and associated exam activity this spring. FARA held no less than three VE sessions, The 3-26-00 session was attended by 49 candidates, most of whom were hoping to qualify under the new revised code requirements (No more 13 and 20 WPM tests to qualify for the General and Extra licenses). At this session a total of 49 candidates participated and the VE team administered 62 exams.
On April 15, 2000 32 candidates attended a 'paper-work' only session and this resulted in 17 new General and 15 new Extra licenses. These hams can operate with their new privileges immediately, using the 'temporary' identifiers and when their license shows up in the FCC data base, this temp-AG/AE tag on their call sign can be dropped.
If you missed out on these exams, mark your calendar for the License-in a- Weekend scheduled for May 12, 13 and 14, 2000. Exams will be held on Sunday for the students and this VE session will be open to anyone interested in upgrading. Note that the new license classes are Technician, General and Extra. No more Novice or Advanced and 5 wpm ONLY necessary.
Samir T99S, Silent Key
By Sharon, KC1YR
Honorary FARA member Samir Durakovic T99S (ex-T94ON) was killed in a car crash April 13 near Sarajevo along with his friend Riad T95MAW.
Samir exemplified the very best of ham radio. During the terrible siege of Sarajevo, he passed countless messages in and out of the city so that people trapped by the war could stay in touch with loved ones outside the city. During many months of the war, ham radio was the only option for people outside the war zone desperate for news about the fate of friends and family in the Bosnian capital. He wrote about
|
|
