QCWA Peach State Chapter 49 December 2005 Newsletter MEETING NOTICE: SATURDAY December 10, 2005 High Noon Our next meeting will be at our usual location, Fire Mountain Restaurant, Norcross. The restaurant is just west of Peachtree Industrial (141) on Jimmy Carter Blvd (140). Meeting Minutes October 22, 2005 At the meeting at Fire Mountain Restaurant were eight members, two spouses and our guest speaker in attendance. Mike started the round-robin introductions and mentioned H&W status of some unable to attend. The August meeting minutes were accepted as published. Treasurers report of $512 in the account prior to today's activities. Mike reminded everyone of the upcoming elections and the need for nominations. The club will have a table at the Stone Mountain Hamfest as usual, thanks to the generous donation by the Alford Club. The usual rules apply: Feel free to sell items while YOU are manning the table. Sandy introduced our guest speaker, Dick Baxter K5TF. Dick talked about the need for estate planning and informing your family about your station equipment and all your basement treasures. Dick's father Jack passed away suddenly from an auto accident at age 81. Dick talked about his equipment and the problems of disposing of equipment. He suggested that we hams make a complete list of all equipment that needs to be disposed of after death. This would be a great help to the family, especially those without another active amateur. The list should include equipment valuation (and you'd need to keep that up to date), who to call for tower removal (and you should try to help your family out with that), disassembly and disposition (maybe you want something to go to friends or your club). Dick also suggested that clubs could be involved with their members and encourage producing this information. The club would then have a place to start to help the family and the family would have your list to go by and never feel like they are being taken advantage of because they don't know about the gear and also not put the volunteers on the spot either. Of course, you need to be realistic about pricing and keep it up to date. It was also suggested that you could produce a letter (legal release) authorizing your club or an individual to properly dispose of your station and equipment. Dick mentioned that getting everyone going with these ideas can be a great club project and a great service to your family. So make your lists and write your letters and help your family and friends out. Let's just hope it's well into the future and you'll have to update for years. Dick and the SE DX club are starting to do this as a club project. Dick also mentioned that his daughter Charamie Dunlap, a school teacher, has obtained her grandfather Jack's call sign W5FRM. Thanks to Dick for the great program and making us think about these important ideas. The door prize drawing of the book "ARRL's Vintage Radio" was won by Norm Sklar WA4ZXV. Respectfully submitted, Bob Lear K4SZ, Sec/Treas Chapter 49 "Presidential Pontification" (or Da President Yaps!!!) Hi Folks, and Merry Christmas to All: The October QCWA meeting was definitely a good time with fun and fellowship, and even education. The meeting was held at the normal location, Fire Mountain restaurant on Jimmy Carter Blvd, but in our new meeting room near the front door. We had good attendance with K5TF, RICHARD N BAXTER giving a presentation on ham estate planning. Think about it, give thoughts to what will happen to your stuff when you are not around to give direction. Over our life we amass a lot of stuff that has worth. The stuff has value, cash or memories, which may not be realized by those who will be responsible for those items later. The SE DX Club is working on a program to help with estate handling. Well the time is here, Chapter 49 elections will be held at the December 10 meeting. Please notify any of the officers or directors if you would like to be considered for an office or want to offer someone for nomination. This is your organization, so what happens is YOUR doing, we have a tremendous group and let us keep getting better and better. Slots to be filed, i.e. no nominations yet are the President and the Secretary/Treasurer. We will be taking nominations for these positions and all others. Offering to continue are Jerry W3CDE for Vice President; Frankie W4BJT, Sandy W4RU, and Fred K4KAZ for the Directors. Bobby Canup, W4OHA, who was the Nomination Committee Chair and recently agreed to take on the QCWA Journal Report submission task has just resigned from those tasks due to health reasons. Thanks Bobby for your support and we wish the best for you. We look forward to your recovery and future participation. It has been my pleasure serving you as president of Chapter 49 for the last four years. Alas, it is time for new blood and leadership, so thank you for your past support and the wonderful memories. I intend to remain a faithful QCWA member and supporter of the Chapter. Unless requested otherwise I will continue to remain the K4VNlicense trustee for the Chapter. I offer my best and my support to the incoming officers. Looking back, a number of changes in the club were accomplished that made Chapter 49 more than a club, but a family of sorts. Thank You all for making my terms as President a wonderful experience and very pleasurable. Our next Chapter 49 meeting is our Holiday Meeting and will be held at our usual location, Fire Mountain Restaurant, at noon on December 10. Come out and enjoy the fun and fellowship. A reminder of the "ham" and "non-ham" gift exchange that will be held and a chance to get rid of that gift you did not like from last year or a "shack" clean out item. Please keep the members of the QCWA family in your thoughts and prayers. Hope to see you at the next meeting and remember the Wed VHF and Saturday HF nets. Again, Thanks Bob, K4SZ, for the great Chapter 49 Newsletter. See you all soon, VY 73 Mike Swiderski, K4HBI, CH 49 Lame Duck President. VP and NET NOTES Hello all and Happy After Thanksgiving... and early Merry Christmas. I trust everyone has learned by now not to over eat during holiday dinners 8-).. I hope this newsletter finds you in good health. Not much happening up here on the top of the hill and steep driveway. I am now eagerly awaiting Spring as these cold nights are getting to me already. Participation in the Saturday net has been good but could use a few additional participants. Gee guys, 9 AM isn't too early to get up on Saturday Morning, is it??? The fellowship shared during the net makes my week and helps us keep in touch with everyone. Please consider joining us on 3857.5 KC on Saturday @ 9 AM. Participation on Wednesday evening has usually been K4HBI Mike, KT4XF Doug and myself. We had W9BKJ Wayne check in a couple of weeks ago with this new 2 Meter radio. Sounded good Wayne, just like you... W4BJT Frankie is still working on getting the new transmitter up in the Bell Tower. I am looking forward to seeing all who can attend the December 10 Holiday party at Fire Mountain. And do not forget to save you appetite for all the good/great munchies!! If we do not get to see you, please accept Ann's and my Happiest and Healthiest Holiday wishes to all. 73 Jerry W3CDE, VP & Net Manager Sec/Treas/NL Editor NOTES Current balance in the club checking account is $467.38 with no outstanding debts. I think this is the most we've ever ended a year with. We ran into new Chapter 49 Friend Mark Wilson at the Stone Mountain Hamfest. Mark had joined at the picnic in July and has since gotten his license and even a vanity call of WI1SON which looks even more suspiciously like his name if in lower case: Wi1son. Congratulations to Mark and now you only have to wait another 25 years to join National QCWA!!! Here's to a long and happy relationship. I didn't get the sign-in sheet from the hamfest, but it appeared to have over 20 sign-ins when I got to it at the booth. Doug did man the booth for a good while like he always does. We did see a number of folks around the flea-market area where we stayed most of the time, trying to sell a few items. The weather was excellent and so was the fellowship. Now we have to wait until Dalton at the end of February. Hope we can make it through the winter hamfest withdrawal blues. No other big news for this newsletter. We will remind everyone that the election of new officers will be held at the December 10 meeting and the offices of President and Secretary/Treasurer are open and looking for someone new to take them on. Let us who have held the posts so long take a break. It is YOUR CLUB too. Come forward and be part of it. We will help you transition and give guidance anytime in the future. Hope to see you all at the meeting. 73 Bob K4SZ QCWA PEACH STATE CHAPTER 49 Web address: http://w4gbu.home.mindspring.com/qcwa.htm 2004-2005 CHAPTER OFFICERS President Mike Swiderski K4HBI 770-449-0369 k4hbi@arrl.net VP/ Net Mgr Jerry Lofstead W3CDE 770-979-5500 w3cde@arrl.net Sec/Treas Bob Lear K4SZ 706-864-6229 k4sz@arrl.net Exec Comm: Fred Runkle K4KAZ 770-945-6326 runkle@charter.net Frankie Womack W4BJT 404-767-5382 w4bjt@mindspring.com Sandy Donahue W4RU 404-315-1443 w4ru@arrl.org NetManager Jerry W3CDE using the K4VN Chapter 49 Club Call: Chapter 49 QCWA VHF Net Wednesday 2000 145.410- MHz ( MATPARC repeater) Chapter 49 QCWA HF Net Saturday 0900 3.8575 Mhz.