66 de WA6OTP...for all those who don't know, "66" is Merry Christmas in number code for morse. I hope to see all of you at the dinner on club day. We will have Santa and good food. Lots happening in the world on this the end of the millennium. Hope you all have happy holidays!

CUL, Jim, WA6OTP

At this time, it appears Al Bore (of the Sore-Loserman duo) will be making his long-overdue concession speech this evening. It appears the democrat-induced public nightmare is over?finally!

We'll be electing a new slate of officers and directors at the next meeting. Actually, the faces will remain pretty much the same. Since most of us haven't lived in Florida, I don't think we'll have much of a problem getting this done.

Don't forget the big Christmas party at 1800 (that's 6:00 PM for you civilians) next Tuesday at the Redwood Grange. You will have fun and eat too much! That is an order!

Don't forget that dues are due again as of 1 January.

If you have anything to submit for publication in the Gnus, see the contact information below the masthead.

73, Mike, N7GEI

Expect to really enjoy yourselves (and gain a couple of pounds) at the SOARC Christmas party next Tuesday.

Next month will be our annual election of club officers and directors. Our president has presented us with a slate of members to vote on. Also, don't forget to bring any projects you would like to show-and-tell.

73, Cy, W7MQL

Western Belles is a women's ham radio chat group that meets at 7:30 PM on the 1^st and 3^rd Thursdays of every month on the 147.300 repeater. Please check in!

The ladies will be getting together for a luncheon at 11:30 AM on January 6^th at the Royal Barge Thai Cuisine Restaurant, 120 SW H Street, Grants Pass. All female hams are invited to attend.

73, Wilma, W1LMA, and Anita, KC7MGH

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The SOARC Christmas party will commence at 1800 on 19 December at the Redwood Grange on Redwood Avenue in Grants Pass. There will loads of food and fun for the entire family!

Santa Claus will be visiting again this year to help us with our gift exchange. Bring a gift, get a gift. Like someone else's better, just take it!

The meal will be potluck and bring your own table service(s).

Anyone who has been to one of these will tell you it is a really great time to relax, eat, socialize, and get to know your fellow hams and their families.

If you have any questions, call Ann Randall, KB7TGO, at 476-2456.

Since our next two meetings are the Christmas party and the election, I wanted to extend many thanks via the newsletter to all those who helped plant redwood trees and those who attended the dedication on December 7th at the Lake Selmac County Park.

The ceremony was low-key and improptu with mostly hams and extended-ham family members attending. Also present were a park director, one guest, and three U. S. Navy recruiters--all hometown people.

Rusty Randall, KA7CZG, a Pearl Harbor survivor, dedicated the Pearl Harbor tree. The U. S. Navy dedicated a tree for Captain Edmond Pope, a former local resident who is still being held in Russia. Two construction battalion personnel dedicated a tree for the CB's and our guest planted a tree for the amphibious forces.

You would have been truly proud of our U. S. Navy boys. It was fine business.

Tnx and 73, Fred Schotte, N7XNH

Our president's show-and-tell at the last meeting featured a telescoping antenna similar to one I purchased about 40 years ago from Fair Radio Sales in Lima, Ohio. I had recently seen an advertisement for this business in one of the ham radio magazines and, since many of those present were unfamiliar with this great source of surplus electronic equipment, I called them to order a catalog. I told them about SOARC and they sent me several catalogs to share with our members.

If you would like one of their catalogs and a current sale flyer, see me at the Christmas party or the January club meeting.

These people stock all kinds of military and civilian surplus plus older parts like tubes and even galena crystals.

I used to order all kinds of surplus items just to play around with them--lifeboat radios, radiosondes, antennas, microphones, and military radio sets.

73, Mike Wright, N7GEI

2001 SOARC amateur radio license exams will be conducted at 6:30 PM at the Senior Center on January 26^th, April 27^th, July 27^th, and November 30^th.

73, Bill Tyner, WX7U

A man walking along a California beach was deep in prayer. All of a sudden he said out loud, "Lord grant me one wish".

Suddenly the sky clouded above his head and in a booming voice the Lord said, "Because you have TRIED to be faithful to me in all ways, I will grant you one wish".

The man said, "Build a bridge to Hawaii so I can drive over anytime I want to".

The Lord said, "Your request is very materialistic. Think of the logistics of that kind of undertaking. The supports required to reach the bottom of the Pacific! The concrete and steel it would take! I can do it, but it is hard for me to justify your desire for worldly things. Take a little more time and think of another wish, a wish you think would honor and glorify me."

The man thought about it for a long time. Finally he said, "Lord, I have been married and divorced four times. All of my wives said that I am uncaring and insensitive. I wish that I could understand women. I want to know how they feel inside, what they are thinking when they give me the silent treatment, why they cry, what they mean when they say "nothing" and how I can make a woman truly happy".

After a few minutes God said, "You want two lanes or four on that bridge?"

"The Ten Most Common Tower Building Mistakes", written by well-known tower expert Steve Morris, K7LXC, will help you avoid dangerous mistakes. Write to Tower Tech, Box 572, Woodinville WA 98072. E-mail upthetower@aol.com. Phone 800-TOWERS8. On the web, go to www.championradio.com.

Reprinted from "CQ Magazine"

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