We just had the August NARS Board of Director's meeting and we viewed the latest release of the NARS Web page. Now you can view all the latest club information out there on the World Wide Web on the Internet. Here are just a few pointers for you. First, a web page is an evolving thing: it is not cast in stone. If you have an idea for the web page just click on the "webmaster" spot and an e-mail will be started. Drop us a line and tell us about your idea. Second, if you want to e-mail a member, find him on the roster and click on the e-mail address (if there is one). A mail window will pop up and all you have to do is start writing, and click on send. Nifty, huh? Third, there are clickable links to other, amateur related sites, including AMSAT for keplerian satellite elements.

The web site will have back issues of the newsletters. However, I must remind you that it will not become a vehicle to publish the newsletter. We will still use snail mail for that purpose. There is something about getting the newsletter out of the mail box and holding it in your hot hands that feels soooo gooood.

Remember, the WWW page is subject to "poetic license." All omissions, misspelling, ....... etc. are purely accidental and not intentional. If you have any likes or dislikes about the page please see me or drop me a line. Please do have a little patience with us because we are just learning the web. Go for the GUSTO. The address is:

http://www.flash.net/~nars

O.J. WA1YIA is getting together a radio Santa Claus near DXpedition to visit a couple of local hospital children's wards in December. He is looking (listening) for a Santa voice and helpers. This promises to be a very exciting and rewarding opportunity for you.

The board has approved providing radio support for the Sun Mart Texas Trail Endurance Run to be held at the Huntsville State Park on December 14, 1996. This is a 50 mile and 50 kilometer run sponsored by the US Track and Field organization for athletes to qualify for other events. If you would like to volunteer to do this please see me.

The nominating committee chairman has been appointed and he will be approaching members to be next year's officers. Boy Howdy, it is hard for me to believe that it is already September.

At August's meeting the speaker was Tom Comstock N5TC. He is the ARRL West Gulf Division Director. He had some very interesting information for us. The most important message he had was we should make our likes and dislikes known to our league representatives.

This month's meeting topic is a DX program by Bill Gary K8CSG. This promises to be a very interesting look at yet another aspect of ham radio. I am chomping at the bit to see y'all there.

Dxing Subject of September Meeting

This month's program focuses on DXing, one of the exciting facets of amateur radio. DX -- the abbreviation for distance on CW -- has long held an allure for many hams. It is the ultimate attraction for many. Bill Gary K8CSG will discuss some of the facets of DXing, and will introduce a videotape program which depicts one of the most successful DXpeditions ever -- the story of the 1994 operation from Peter I Island.

Peter I Island was discovered in 1821 but was not landed upon until 1929. It is so remote and difficult to reach that no operation had ever taken place from it until 1987. By 1994 it had become the most wanted DXCC country of all. The team that implemented the DXpedition made approximately 60,000 contacts with amateurs throughout the world. The planning that went into the mission is explained and depicted in the video; it should be interesting to all hams, and especially those who enjoy working DX or want to work DX.

Bill will also display his collection of DXCC cards for confirmed countries, and other interesting items.

I am gratified to see more interest from our members in producing articles for the newsletter. Harry Gage is now a regular contributor and Bill Rister is not far behind. Thanks fellas. Now Rick Aikman KI5ME is interested in starting a column on graphics. I have asked him to design a new banner for the newsletter.

Anybody interested in contesting? I tried my hand at single-op during last month's NAQP. Let me tell you, it is a real challenge to keep the QSO rate up when you are running 150 watts through a choice of a couple of dipoles. But it was a real blast anyway! I ended up with 155 Q's and 78 mults for a total of 12,090 points. This pales in comparison to the multi-op efforts of others, but I expect to improve over time...

In Bill Denton's Contest Connection column, Bill suggests that NARS enter the next Sweepstakes contest as a club. The date is November 16-18. Plan to be a part of this team effort!

DX Notes --The man who never in his life,
Has washed the dishes with his wife,
or polished up the silver plate --
Is a DXer par celebrate. . .

August began with the Solar Flux at 80, with the A at 14 and the K at 3. Band conditions were relatively poor, with lots of summertime noise and other QRN. The TDXS DX Cluster had numerous and frequent spots, but many were put up by DX stations themselves. Within a week the SFI had dropped into the low seventies and below. However, Cycle 23 may have begun! There is a good probability that the new cycle began earlier this summer. It will be a while before we know for sure, but a tiny bit of improvement may be seen during September. On Aug. 22, 15 meters was open to Midway for the contact there at 10:30pm local. On Aug. 23 the SFI climbed to 73 and there was an excellent 20-meter opening into Africa. On Aug. 26 the SFI was at 75 and the A index hit 11, but there was another opening into Africa. These changes may be merely seasonal, but they may also have more important implications.

DX worked: 4X1FQ (Israel); VK6LC (W. Australia); P29TL (Papua New Guinea); AH4/AH0W (Midway Island); 5Z4RL (Kenya); 7X2LS (Algeria); TJ1PD (Cameroon); UV5D (Ukraine); HB0/DL1AZZ (Liechtenstein); GD4PTV (Isle of Man); T91ELD (Bosnia Herzgovina); 9G1BL (Ghana); TJ1HP (Cameroon); ZL1AXQ (New Zealand); ZB2JO (Gibraltar);LY1TR (Lithuania); Z31FK (Macedonia).

DX heard: ZL1AMO (New Zealand); YI1AS (Iraq); 5R8DA (Madagascar); JG8NQJ/JD1 (Minami Torishima); D2FIB (Angola); 5B4XF (Cyprus); ET3BT (Ethiopia);T92M (Bosnia Herzgovina); 4X6UO (Israel); 5A1A (Libya).

KB5YVT is proud of working EM1KA (Ukraine) on 160 meters. WA1YIA and KM5AO worked 7J1AYK/JD1 for a new one (Ogassawara Isl.). O. J. also worked AH4/AH0W (Midway) for another new one the same evening.

ZL8RI cards are coming out now; mine arrived Aug. 9. After their successful DXpedition to Kermadec in 1996, the Kermadec DX Assn. is planning to go to Campbell Island next: in January, 1999. Aukland and Campbell Islands have not been especially easy to work for many years. Although on the air as recently as early this year, it is still in considerable demand. Like Kermadec, these islands are difficult to get to and difficult to get permission for landing. My contact in 1978 remains the only one I have from Campbell, although I did work Kiyoko ZL9YL on Aukland in 1991.

YK0B operated by some 20 German operators will be on for about a week from Syria during the first week in October. Since the death of an old friend a couple of years ago (YK1AA, Syria's first licensed amateur), Syria has been fairly difficult to work. It was never that easy, since Rasheed had a big mountain directly between his home and North America. I used to enjoy ragchewing with him from HZ1AB (to the South of him). This might be a good chance to work a fairly difficult country.

Dan Tassell KC5PCB reports he worked a TG5 (Guatemala) on ten meters recently using his home-brewed version of a B&W vertical antenna. Nice going, Dan! WA5MLT is talking about returning to the HF bands after having his station in storage for several years. H. O. says he has found the equipment and antenna in good shape. However, the DX cards are still missing! WA1YIA is busy working DX on 40 meters and having relatively good success at it. He recently worked A61AM in Qatar and HB0/DL1AZZ. Dick W5VHN worked T91ELD for a new country on Aug. 26.

Some of the best news is that KE5IV and the trustworthy DX cluster there returned to Houston availability on Aug. 28. I finally obtained a connection with Kenny's facility via TDXS95 on 144.95 MHz. No info on what has been done to make this possible, but it is certainly welcome regardless of the route and reason(s).

October 16-22 should see an expedition to 3C1, Equatorial Guinea. Teo EA6BH plans to be there, operating as 3C1DX. 3C1 is a relatively rare spot on the DXCC list and this may be a good opportunity given conditions on the bands.

Eritrea (E3) has been very quiet since the opening burst of activity from E35X in mid-1993. A recent inquiry brought a negative reaction, identical to that received a year ago by the same individual. Supposedly, a key individual in the telecomms ministry was in Norway, studying their rules for amateur radio.

8Q7AS should be on the air from the Maldive Islands for about ten days to two weeks, beginning around September 8. This is a good one for K5ZTY and AB5TV, since Andy prefers QRP CW.

This was an exciting month for those of us at NARS who like to do a little bit of contesting. At the August general meeting we were presented with plaques from the Texas DX Society for our participation in the Texas QSO Party. NARS won first place in the club competition and the group operating at my station for the highest scoring Texas entry. A special thanks to TDXS for the great looking plaques.

In August we also got the results of the January North American QSO Party. We placed 6th overall operating in the multi-op category as WA5DWX. We have just completed the August NAQP. Although our score was lower that the one in January, we still did well with 170,000+ points. A total of 13 operators came to try their hand at the mic's. Since the sunspot cycle is at its lowest point, I had decided to take this opportunity to rebuild my shack and do some painting to dress things up a little bit. It was time to clean out all the decayed peanut shells and dead QSO's. I was not planning on participating in the August NAQP. A couple weeks prior to the contest my radios were scattered all over the place. I have two complete stations on one eight foot long console and it was completely disassembled. However, reconstruction of the console progressed a little faster than I had thought it would and I was able to get enough copper together in time for the contest.

In addition to the 13 operators, Margaret Quarles (WA1YIA) and Anita Townsend (WA5MLT) brought over some great vittles. Any time any of the NARS bunch gets together, food will be involved. Thanks ladies. The operators were: WA1YIA, KJ5IP, N5KEU, KK5LO, KK5LD, KB5ZXO, KB5SGV, KC5IKL, K5ZTY, KM5AO, WA5DWX, WA5MLT and K8CSG.

Here's the kick off crew. l-to-r: WA1YIA - O.J., N5KEU - Scott, and host WA5DWX - Bill.
Photo - WA5MLT - H. O.

Several of the guys around the club participate in QRP contests. This month K5ZTY, WA1YIA, WA5POK, KK5GJ and KB5YVT worked the Colorado QRP Summer QSO Party. They all reported good scores. K5ZTY was using a OHR 400 5 watt rig that he had just built and WA5POK was running a mighty home brew 6L6 rig that he a just finished. They both were operating at the K5AAD shack. On September 21st is the Montana QRP Field Contest. The requirement for operators in this contest is they have to operate from the field, very much like our regular field day in June. They will be running 5 watts or less. I'm sure that most of these guys will be there and will try and recruit some help. The last time they went out in the field with all that power they "nuked" the grass in a 50 foot circle and it took months for it to get green again. They have a blast with their QRP rigs.

We are looking forward to the November Sweepstakes. We hope to enter this one as a club, so stay tuned.

FCC PUBLIC NOTICE

Federal Communications Commission, 1919 M St., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20554
August 22, 1996
AMATEUR STATION VANITY CALL SIGN SYSTEM FILING GATE 2 OPENS SEPTEMBER 23, 1996

Amateur operators who meet the following eligibility standards may request a vanity call sign on or after September 23,1996. File your request on FCC Form 610-V. Legibility is critical! If the information on your application is not legible, you could experience a delay in processing, lose the opportunity to obtain a requested call sign or even obtain a call sign different from what you want. You must hold an unexpired amateur operator/ primary station license grant of the proper operator class, as described below, to request a vanity call sign for your primary station. To request a vanity call sign for a club station, you must also hold an unexpired club station license grant listing you as the license trustee. Refer to the licensee data base to verify that the call sign you are requesting is not already assigned. A call sign is normally assignable two years following license expiration, surrender, revocation, set aside, cancellation, void ab initio, or death of the grantee. See Fact Sheet PR5000 Number 206-V AMATEUR STATION VANITY CALL SIGN SYSTEM. For explanations of Groups A, B, C and D and the geographic Regions, see Fact Sheet PR5000 Number 206-S, AMATEUR STATION SEQUENTIAL CALL SIGN SYSTEM.

NOTE: A separate Public Notice will be released providing guidelines for the implementation of electronic filing procedures for FCC Form 610-V.

REQUEST BY LIST (PRIMARY OR CLUB STATION) - Provide a list of up to 25 call signs in the order of your preference. The first assignable call sign on your list will be assigned to your station. When so requesting for your primary or club station:

The call sign must have been unassigned for at least two years.

If you are an Amateur Extra Class operator, each call sign must be in Group A, B, C or D. NOTE: Advanced, General, Technician Plus, Technician, and Novice Class operators are not yet eligible to request by list. Advanced Class operators will be eligible at Gate 3. Others will be eligible at Gate 4.

Each call sign must be one designated for the Region of your mailing address as follows: ** One of the contiguous 48 states - Regions 1 to 10.
** Alaska - Regions 1 to 11.
** American Samoa - Regions 1 to 10, or Region 13 having numeral 8.
** Commonwealth of Northern Marianna Islands - Regions 1 to 10, or Region 13 having numeral 0.
** Guam - Regions 1 to 10, or Region 13 having numeral 2.
** Hawaii - Regions 1 to 10, or Region 13 having numeral 6 or 7.
** Puerto Rico - Regions 1 to 10, or Region 12 having numeral 3 or 4.
** Virgin Islands - Regions 1 to 10, or Region 12 having numeral 2.

REQUEST BY FORMER HOLDER (PRIMARY STATION) - Opened May 31, 1996. For your primary station, you may request a call sign that was previously assigned to your primary, secondary, repeater, auxiliary link, control, or space station. When so requesting for your primary station:

You may request your former call sign even though it has been unassigned for less than two years. The two year requirement does not apply to an otherwise eligible primary station if the call sign was previously assigned to a station of the requester.

You do not have to hold a class of operator license required for the Group (A, B, C, or D) for the call sign requested. A call sign request by former holder may be from any Group in the sequential system.

Your mailing address does not have to be in the Region designated in the sequential system for the call sign requested. A call sign requested by former a holder may be in any Region.

REQUEST BY CLOSE RELATIVE OF FORMER HOLDER NOW DECEASED (PRIMARY STATION) - Opened May 31, 1996. For your primary station, you may request a call sign that was previously assigned to the primary, secondary, repeater, auxiliary link, control, or space station of your now-deceased spouse, child, grandchild, stepchild, parent, grandparent, stepparent, brother, sister, stepbrother, stepsister, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, or in-law. When so requesting for your primary station:

You may request the former call sign of a close relative now deceased even though it has been unassigned for less than two years. Upon the death of the holder, a call sign is assignable immediately to an otherwise eligible primary station of a close relative.

You must be an Amateur Extra Class operator to request a Group A call sign.

You must be an Amateur Extra or Advanced Class operator to request a Group B call sign.

You must be an Amateur Extra, Advanced, General, Technician Plus, or Technician Class operator to request a Group C call sign.

You must be an Amateur Extra, Advanced, General, Technician Plus, Technician or Novice class operator to request a Group D call sign.

Your mailing address does not have to be in the Region designated in the sequential system for the call sign requested. A call sign requested by a close relative of former holder now deceased may be in any Region.

You must show your relationship to the deceased person exactly as listed in the instruction, i.e., child, niece or in-law.

The license grant of the former holder now deceased must have been deleted from the licensee database. That is accomplished by a relative of the deceased submitting a signed request to have the license grant canceled accompanied by a copy of an obituary or death certificate. The request for cancellation must be submitted to the FCC, 1270 Fairfield Road, Gettysburg, PA 173257245 prior to filing the application for a vanity call sign.

REQUEST BY FORMER HOLDER (CLUB STATION) - Opened May 31, 1996. For the club station for which you are the license trustee, you may request a call sign that was previously assigned to that station. When so requesting for a club station:

You may request your club station's former call sign even though it has been unassigned for less than two years. The two year requirement does not apply to an otherwise eligible club station if the call sign was previously assigned to the club station for which the requester is the license trustee.

You do not have to hold a class of operator license required for the Group (A, B, C, or D) for the call sign requested. A call sign request by former holder may be from any Group in the sequential system.
Your mailing address does not have to be in the Region designated in the sequential system for the call sign requested. A call sign requested by a former holder may be in any Region.

REQUEST IN MEMORIAM (CLUB STATION) - Opened July 22, 1996. If you are the license trustee for your club station, you may request in memoriam for your club station the call sign previously shown on the primary, secondary, repeater, auxiliary link, control, or space station license of a deceased person who was a member of the club. When so requesting in memoriam for your club station:

The club must have held a club station license grant on March 24, 1995, or you must be an Amateur Extra Class operator.

You may request the call sign even though it has been less than two years following death of the club member. Upon the death of the holder, the call sign is assignable immediately to an otherwise eligible club station.

You must have in your station records a written statement (do not send to FCC unless requested) from a spouse, child, grandchild, stepchild, parent, grandparent, stepparent, brother, sister, stepbrother, stepsister, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, or in-law of the deceased confirming the deceased person's association with the club and showing consent of the relative to your request.

You must be an Amateur Extra Class operator to request a Group A call sign.

You must be an Amateur Extra or Advanced Class operator to request a Group B call sign.

You must be an Amateur Extra, Advanced, General, Technician Plus, or Technician Class operator to request a Group C or D call sign.

Your mailing address does not have to be in the Region designated in the sequential system for the call sign requested. A call sign requested in memoriam may be in any Region.

You must enter the relationship to the deceased person giving consent exactly as listed in the instruction, i.e., child, niece or inlay.

The license grant of the former holder now deceased must have been deleted from the licensee database. That is accomplished by a relative of the deceased submitting a signed request to have the license grant canceled accompanied by a copy of an obituary or death certificate. The request for cancellation must be submitted to the FCC, 1270 Fairfield Road, Gettysburg, PA 17325-7245 prior to filing the application for a vanity call sign.

A $30.00 fee is required with your FCC Form 610-V application. Payment of fees may be made by check (payable to "FCC"), bank draft, money order or credit card. If paying by credit card, you must also complete and submit FCC Form 159 with your FCC Form 610V. Do not send cash.

Send your application package to: Federal Communications Commission Amateur Vanity Call Sign Request P.O. Box 358924 Pittsburgh, PA 15251-5924

If you do not qualify under the aforementioned eligibility standards, your application will be dismissed. A future public notice will announce Gate 3 which will have expanded eligibility standards. For further information, contact the Consumer Assistance Branch at 1-800-322-1117. -FCC-

Dick Rooney W5VHN has been licensed since 1938 and it wasn't until last year that his son, Mike, decided to obtain his license. He and his wife, Gloria, sail a 32 ft. Catalina and a lot of their fellow mariners have amateur installations to stay in touch with the mainland. Mike and Gloria received their license the first of this year. Her call is KC5VHM and, lo and behold, Mike's call is KC5VHN.