Issue No. 40 - 1st July 2010

It would be easy to say that life on radio had quietened somewhat after our May Anniversary activities so I am happy to say that it has not. With thanks to Dennis GW4XKE and team we have enjoyed chasing GB4HFH F284 and GB5AFD F285 and hearing the odd crash as his cards arrive through our letterbox. I am looking at one of his excellent cards as I sit here typing. Yes, as always, an excellent quality card from Dennis. One must also remember apart from work involved getting the stations up and running he also completes every QSL card by hand from handwritten logs - well done Dennis and many thanks.

Also active for three days during June we had Jack G3PWK keeping us busy with GB70AAF F289 and it was good (a) to get MØOIC in his log on 22nd June and (b) to hear him being kept busy with a pile-up on 80m CW. It is hoped that conditions on 26th and 27th June allowed him to do the same for there must be nothing worse than sitting calling for RSARS members without result.

Talking about our members calling continuously without result reminds me of the efforts put in by Nick G3RWF and Sam G4OHX when overseas for second, third or more occasions. For example Nick 5X1NH has spent many hours calling CQ RSARS but the sad news is that the regulars already have him in their log with 293 and of course the N2DAN key F283. So apart from saying 'hello' to Nick no points are available after working him with these calls. However thanks to Mike GØSWY members travelling overseas for the second or third time and more will now have a new AFF number allocated for each annual visit after the first. Further to this, in an attempt to 'up' the activity to and from VK and ZL members Mike GØSWY is now also awarding AFF numbers to the VK/ZL Chapter. From 30 June 2010 Alan VK6PG will, in addition to 843 also hold F293 until passing F293 to another VK/ZL member as it moves around down under. All will be revealed more fully in our next "MERCURY" journal and on our website but you may have heard it here first? :)

So I am sure that we can look forward to excitement in the future as we chase our Overseas travellers about Kenya, Cyprus and again hopefully Nick back in Uganda, importantly also renewed efforts in working our VK/ZL members and vice versa.

We also have Mal VK6LC travelling back to Vietnam in August - again with XV2LC (but with an AFF number). He will also move within the area and become XV4LC but only with his own number 2088 available as he has not worked RSARS members with XV4LC before. Many of us who worked Mal from HCMC last time will remember the wonderful hand-painted silk QSL cards received for a successful QSO. Linda 2E1SIS and I were both lucky enough to hear him and thoughtfully Mal sent us two differently designed cards - kept separate from the rest. We live in hope for doing it all again during August and September. If any member did not work Mal these cards could have been seen in one of my earlier newsletters but to save you searching why not visit www.qrz.com the call sign database and input XV2LC and view the complete set - a bonus of course where you can meet Mal, view his aerials and travels past and future.

All of the above news, with dates, is available elsewhere on our website at http://www.rsars.org.uk/specevts.htm and I mention it here not only to inform members, but to show my excitement well knowing additional Bureau activity will be the result of all aforementioned overseas activities. Cards from Mal XV2LC etc, owing to their larger size, give Bureaux Managers a slight headache if I remember conversations with the a former RSARS Bureau Manager John G3OAZ. However as did John, I will enjoy the challenge in getting it sorted.

As expected the statistics for this month of June 2010 have been an improvement on earlier months this year but slightly down on June 2009. Personally this is not unexpected as we are all aware of the adverse band conditions.

Members attending the AGM may have heard me mention in the bureau report that the activity trend line was showing that we may be moving out of recession. (Now where have we heard that before?) Anyway call it what you like but the chart displayed below shows just that. No doubt it will have its ups and downs but it is good to see that things maybe improving?

 

73, Bryan MØOIC
RSARS 3867
QSL Bureau Manager