By Bob Hensey, K4VBM
US Islands 25th Anniversary Award
The US Islands (USI) Award Program celebrates its 25th anniversary this year and is offering commemorative awards for both chasers and activators for contacts made between January 1 and December 31. Information about the Anniversary Award Program is available on the US Islands web site.
[Note that as of January 1, 2019 the USI qualification rules have changed. The new rules are described on the US Islands web site's home page in the right hand column.]
The 25th Anniversary Award Program is not limited to Georgia islands. Information about all US islands that have been qualified and procedures for qualifying other islands are available on the US Islands web site. Click here to download a list of Georgia islands extracted from the US Islands list (list updated 4/7/2019).
NFARL is mounting a club-wide effort in 2019 to be the top activator for the US Islands 25th Anniversary, and to qualify for the 25th Aniversary Activator Award. In order to earn the Activator Award, we must activate (or qualify) 25 islands under the club call NF4GA. Click here to see a list of island activations that have been reported to date.
For more information, contact Terry W4YBV or Activities Chairman Bob Hensey K4VBM.
One-Day-Getaway
On Saturday, May 11th, we will have a cook out for the US Islands One-Day-Getaway at Indian Island on Stone Mountain Lake (in Stone Mountain Park - click here to view a map of Indian Island's location).
Note that this is a new location for the May 11th event. West Island will be closed during the month of May for repairs hence the move to Indian Island.
This will be a fun day for all to bring radios and antennas, make some island contacts and see what works the best for the W/VE Island QSO party in August.
We will be on this drive-on island from sun up until sun down so come when you can. Bring your own grilin' food to cook on the club's grills.
More information about the U. S. Islands One-Day-Getaway program is available at https://usislands.org/one-day-getaway/
Islands QSO Party & Summer Picnic
NFARL will hold a W/VE Islands QSO Party and Summer Picnic at Mary Alice Park, 1700 Mary Alice Park Rd, Cumming, GA 30041 on August 24th, 2019. Activities will start at around 8:00AM and wrap up up by 9:00PM.
Terry W4YBV is the contact person for the QSO Party; Bob Hensey, K4VBM is contact for the Picnic.
Click here to see a map of the park's location.
There is a $5 fee to enter the park.
W/VE Islands QSO Party
Island QSO Party Event Chairman Terry K4YBV has set our island location to Mary Alice Park on Mary Alice Island, GA028L, in Cumming.
Jim N4SEC will be the captain of our digital station, Jim W4QO will be captain of our CW station and Terry W4YBV will captain our 20/40-M SSB station. We need OPs for 15-M, 10-M and 6-M bands; we also need loggers.
Please let Terry W4YBV know by email (w4ybv@yahoo.com) if you are coming, what time you are coming, what you can bring to the party, and if you need a ride.
The QSO Party team plans to be at the gate at 7AM.
The bands should be hot - lots of other contests will be on the air on the 24th: HAWAII QSO PARTY, KANSAS QSO PARTY, OHIO QSO PARTY, ALARA CONTEST, CVADX CONTEST and the 50MHz FALL SPRINT.
Thanks to all taking part in this years Island QSO party.
NFARL Summer Picnic
Activities Chairman, Bob K4VBM and President Daryl K4RGK have designated August 24th, 2019 as NFARL Picnic Day.
This will be a radio day at Lake Lanier with fun for the whole family. You can choose to operate or just come for fellowship and fun, for one hour or for the whole day.
Lunch is scheduled for noon until no one is hungry! The club is furnishing hamburgers, hot dogs, buns, chips, soft drinks and bottled water. If you wish to bring steaks, chicken or whatever suits your taste and your schedule, you are welcome to do so. We'll be ready for you with plenty of hot grill space.
RSVP to Bob Hensey, K4VBM, k4vbm@nfarl.org, by Wednesday August 21st, so we will know how many hamburgers and hotdogs to buy.
Please plan to join your club members on Saturday August 24th while we celebrate NFARL, great friends, the sport of amateur radio and SUMMER! We would love to see you there.
See you on Saturday August 24th!!