Well done Steve and Trevor on successfully passing the recent City and Guilds Radio Amateurs Examination. The next step is the 5 wpm Morse test and then you will receive your well earned Transmitting Licence. A big vote of thanks to Alan G3PZB and David G0VZV for all their expert tuition in helping them achieve this. Anyone aspiring to obtain an amateur transmitting licence could do no better than join the Club and emulate Steve and Trevor who like Marconi really did start from scratch.
At the Annual General Meeting, the following members of the Club were elected to serve on the committee........Alan Ash G3PZB Chairman .......Alan Reeves G4ZFQ Treasurer...... John Francis G3LWI Secretary....... Terry Lishman G0WVD......... Trevor Parker....... Brian Pebody GOMWI) .......BobWilliams G8MBU
David A'Bear, GOVZV relinquished the post of Club Secretary at the last AGM. David had carried out the duties of Club Sec. for a number of years and the club has a great deal to thank him for. Although we were all sorry to see him return to the "Back Benches" he is justly entitled to a well deserved break. Apart from being a dedicated club member and radio amateur David is also a talented musician and composer. (not many people know that). From all the Club members - Thank you David, your's will be a hard act to follow. (P.S. His keying is not so bad either).
Yes I know that you all like to look at the pictures in the News Letter and that there 'aint none' in the edition, Just remember that your Editor is trying to get to grips with this new computer programme and the truth is he has not yet progressed to doing the art work. Perhaps in the next edition!!!!
Tottenham Hotspurs have recently signed Sergei Rebrov for £11 million. So what ? I hear you say ! Well Sergei is also UT5UDX with over 300 countries confirmed for his DXCC credit. Your Chairman and Treasurer are now considering having football practice on a Friday evening, in the hope of interesting Manchester United in a few of you lot. Any offer over five quid would be seriously considered.
If you have not yet renewed your subscription to the Club, please do so. If for any reason you are unable to afford the full sub. of £25 due to unemployment etc, please see the Treasurer. Any arrangement will be confidential between the two of you.
Walter Simpson, G4IKW a long time member of the Isle of Wight Radio Society, passed away at St. Mary's Hospital on the 30th May, aged 91.
Wally was previously licenced in 1938 and held the call sign G8RP. During the war Wally, a one time officer of the St. Johns Ambulance Brigade, saw action during the London Blitz where he helped save the lives of bomb victims. He was awarded the Order of St. John. He worked as an installation engineer for Mollins, the worlds largest manufacturer of machines, manufacturing cigarettes. Long before flying was the "norm" for international business, Wally travelled the world. His stories of Japan, Russia, America (North & South), to name but a few, were of great interest. He was once caught in an uprising in South America and was trapped there, spending much of his time in a hotel room, complete with mortar damage. It would have made a superb film. He was a fine gentleman. Farewell dear old pal, R.I.P.
Practical Wireless has reported the demise of the Plymouth Amateur Radio Society. This was due to the lack of support from it's members. Unfortunately this seems to be a common occurrence in these days of computers and the world-wide web. Amateur Radio still has a lot to offer. Please don't let that happen here. Any club is only as good as its members and input and QRO input at that, is what's required from all of it's members. Please don't take a back seat. If you feel that you would like to give a talk on a club night, on any subject, it need not be radio related, then please mention the fact. It can be about your own occupation or to any other hobby, that you may have and that may be of interest and entertaining to others.
Joyce Coalston, the widow of Larry G7TDJ, has expressed the wish to continue his membership subscription to the club. Joyce recently gave the Yaesu 7070 Receiver, Colour Bar Generator and bound copies of 'Radio Bygones' (a fine addition to the club library). We send Joyce our very best wishes and thanks for her most generous and welcomed support.
My friend Rich, W2WJ, recently wrote that we radio amateurs are members of a large-family. Well that is true and whether we like it or not, (as the saying goes) "You can choose your friends but not your relations" Well it's the same for "hams". Our "family ties" are demonstrated day after day. We routinely help each other, whether it's explaining on the air or at the club on how to do something, or taking that extra step, and going out of our way to help. It's what friends do, but more than that, We 're family. Like all families, we have our squabbles too, such as the 12 wpm code requirement. (Ed. My opinion is that it will be dropped within a year or so) We've even got the "every family has one" stereotypes -the wealthy uncle who needs to buy every latest model as soon as it comes out, the lazy brother-in-law who never raises a finger to help, but complains loudly when things aren't done to his liking and the workaholic nephew who lives and breaths his passion for amateur radio, but only when he can do what he wants to do. He is not really a team player. As in most families these folks are the exceptions. Radio enthusiasts could never be accused of such behaviour - could they! The majority of us, being well adjusted considerate human beings- both on and off the air. Long may the friendship we share within our club continue to flourish.
The former Japanese Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi who died last month was an amateur radio operator with the callsign JIlKIT
The Radiocommunications Agency has announced that transmitting licence fees are going up from 1st July. Don't panic, the fees for amateur transmitting licences remain the same. That's it for now. Take goodcare ....BCNU....73'sJohn G3LWI