QCWA Peach State Chapter 49 October 2005 Newsletter MEETING NOTICE: SATURDAY October 22, 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 August 27, 2005 Our meeting at Fire Mountain Restaurant brought out 23 folks: Thirteen members, six guests and four spouses were present. After the round-robin introductions, Mike continued with health and welfare status and a moment of silence for recent SK's AE4GQ and W5SNX. The July meeting minutes were accepted as published. Treasurers report of $620 in the account. Frankie noted that MATPARC now has a new repeater unit and it needs to be installed. He is scheduling the time and volunteers. Mike reminded everyone of the upcoming elections at the December meeting and introduced all to the Nominating Committee Chairman, Bobby Canup W4OHA. There were no nominations forthcoming at the meeting. We guess everyone is holding out to make it suspenseful! Sandy W4RU is still working on the details of Chapter 49 hosting the 2008 QCWA National convention. The Chapter will also again have a table at the Lawrenceville hamfest, with Mike handling the details and Doug KT4XF as first volunteer. Upcoming hamfest dates were noted along with the meeting schedule (10/22, 12/10). Sandy mentioned that the October meeting program would be on Estate Planning. Sandy introduced our speaker, well-known DX-peditioner Bob Allphin K4UEE. Bob talked and showed slides about the extensive planning required for a major DX-pedition like Peter I, 3Y0X, which is scheduled to begin in January 2006 after having to be cancelled earlier this year because of logistics problems. This will be the third expedition to Peter I inside the Antarctic circle off the coast of Antarctica. Peter I is under Norwegian Authority, but US rules govern the DX-pedition, i.e. State Department, EPA, etc. The first two expeditions occurred in 1987 and 1994. It is a very difficult island to access with no port or beaches, only steep ice cliffs on the coast. Everything must come in and out by helicopter off the ship. The team is hoping for 100 thousand contacts next year. There are over 20 team members going to the island and they've been planning for three years now. At $500 thousand dollars, it will be the most costly DX-pedition ever. This is funded by the team members themselves, individual contributions, corporate sponsors, the DX community and Amateur Radio clubs. Bob showed slides from the 94 expedition and a video of the ship going through the Drake Passage at the tip of South America. There was a period of Q & A following. As a fund-raiser, Bob auctioned off two bags of sand from Heard Island, the VK0IR expedition and some sea shells from Howland Island, the AH1A expedition. A very interesting presentation and a major undertaking. Thanks. A motion was made and passed to contribute $100 from Chapter 49 to the Peter I DX-pedition. Respectfully submitted, Bob Lear K4SZ, Sec/Treas Chapter 49 "Presidential Pontification" (or Da President Yaps!!!) HI Folks: The Aug 27 QCWA meeting was a really 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 a new meeting room right near the front door. We had a full house listening to Bob Allphin, K4UEE, present his program on the efforts to mount a recent DX-pedition to Peter I. Bob also had a give away raffle so to speak to help defray expedition costs. I won a bag of black "dirt" from the 1997 VK0IR Heard Island DX-pedition. I have not broken the seal to determine if it came out of someone's shoe or boot. Thank You Bob for an excellent presentation, movie and pictures. Also thank you Sandy, W4RU, our Program Manager for bringing the high level of programs to the QCWA meetings A reminder, Chap 49 elections will be held at the December 10 meeting. Contact Bobby Canup, W4OHA, Nomination Committee Chair or anyone 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. Also at the Aug 27 QCWA meeting, a poll was conducted of existing officers and directors to see who would be willing to continue in their current position or maybe want to try another position. Nominations for Officers: President - open Vice President - Offering to continue; Jerry W3CDE Secretary/Treasurer - open Nominations for Directors: Offering to continue; Frankie W4BJT, Sandy W4RU, Fred K4KAZ Speaking of Bobby Canup, W4OHA, Nomination Committee Chair, Bobby also has agreed to take on the QCWA Journal Report submission task. A review of the Fall 2005 QCWA JOURNAL had a lot of coverage (print and pictures) of Chapter 49, due in part to QCWA National President, John W3BE, being here for that meeting and also in part to Bob, K4SZ, for his submission. Thank You Bobby for taking the Journal Report position. Sandy, W4RU, our Program Manager reports that our Oct 22 meeting will have a unique program in Chapter 49 history and something that effects each and every one of us. So come join us at this meeting The Lawrenceville Hamfest is Nov 5 & 6. I am working on getting us our regular table at the hamfest. Doug KT4XF has been working on the historical documents, pictures, etc. and indicates he will have "A Really Good Show" at the table. Also Mary W4NZJ and Bill AB0KF Ahls recently sent an envelope of photos from the 1999 Holiday gathering, for Doug to add to the archives. Come to the table and review. Same rules apply, feel free to sell items while YOU are sitting behind the table. On a personal note, Susan and I have been kept quite busy with Katrina, Rita, SET, and lightning damage repair. I am not even going to get into the two weeks where everything in the house seemed to need tender loving care, repair, a swift kick, or pounding on with a large hammer ( ps sledge hammers are overkill sometimes). We did not make Shelby or Prater's Mill, but are heading to Augusta and Rome before our next meeting 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 Pres. QCWA PEACH STATE CHAPTER 49 Web address: www.mindspring.com/~w4gbu/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 Committee 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.