From ac5shfistop at gmail.com Mon Mar 2 18:39:35 2015 From: ac5shfistop at gmail.com (Tim O) Date: Mon, 2 Mar 2015 17:39:35 -0600 Subject: [Fists] Dan's Morse Book Message-ID: Morse book by Dan, KB6NU, our Keynote Editor :) 73 Tim, AC5SH http://forums.qrz.com/showthread.php?470255-Book-helps-Hams-have-fun-with-Morse-Code From karl at fistsna.org Wed Mar 4 10:38:34 2015 From: karl at fistsna.org (Karl) Date: Wed, 4 Mar 2015 09:38:34 -0600 Subject: [Fists] KeyNote Issue # 1, 2015 Message-ID: <012801d05691$47a162f0$d6e428d0$@org> Issue #1, 2015 of our KeyNote is available to download for those who have chosen to receive the .pdf edition. The print edition of the issue should be arriving in active member mail boxes beginning sometime next week. 73, Karl, KB1DSB From karl at fistsna.org Thu Mar 5 09:54:59 2015 From: karl at fistsna.org (Karl) Date: Thu, 5 Mar 2015 08:54:59 -0600 Subject: [Fists] Americas FIST Chapter Admin Update Message-ID: <000b01d05754$5bc3c390$134b4ab0$@org> Membership status: Current - up to date with dues and/or a life member. Expired - Renewal date is within the last six months, but not yet renewed. Lapsed - Any member, not a life member, whose renewal date is 6 months past or longer. We have http://fistsna.org/expdate.php as a search list for members to check their dues expiration/renewal date. If you do not find your call on this list it means your dues are 6 months or more past due and you are considered lapsed. We update this list with each renewal and new member joining our chapter. We offer our members the option of either receiving their KeyNote in print form or by .pdf download. It is one or the other. Dues paying members get a reduced dues rate of $10.00 per year for the .pdf download option as it saves printing and mailing costs. Active members DO NOT automatically receive their personal ID and password for the on-line edition KeyNote. It is only done at the request of the member. And, the request is made to myself, karl at fistsna.org not to Dennis, K6DF our webmaster. If a member's dues are expired, I will not process a request for the on-line edition of the KeyNote. Put my email address karl at fistsna.org or at least our domain name "fistna.org " on your white list, approved senders list or whatever approved list your email program uses. I am finding members are not receiving emails and it is most likely due to SPAM filtering internet providers have in place. While ample time has been given to resolve questions about renewals that were made and not recorded, I am sure there are still some out there. Email me with your payment check date and amount or a copy of your PayPal transaction. I will work to get things right. I have 45 emails in my in box all querying about on-line ID and passwords. I will get to you, first in, first out. 73, Karl, KB1DSB FISTS, Americas Chapter, president karl at fistsna.org From karl at fistsna.org Tue Mar 10 16:17:02 2015 From: karl at fistsna.org (Karl) Date: Tue, 10 Mar 2015 15:17:02 -0500 Subject: [Fists] Americas Chapter, FISTS, Admin Update Message-ID: <006f01d05b6f$2d09d160$871d7420$@org> The WM7D Active Members Search List has been replaced with our "FISTS Active Member Look Up". It is located on the bottom of our website home page. You can also go to: http://fistsna.org/fistslookup.php . Questions, errors contact me. The world-wide active member list available for download on the bottom of our home page is only updated quarterly. The "FISTS Expiration Date" page: http://fistsna.org/expdate.php is your place to check your dues expiration date. Expiration dates will still be found on the address label for those receiving the print issues. A good resource for those who receive their KeyNote by .pdf download. Questions, errors contact me. The "FISTS Events Calendar was created to serve as a place where our members can check for our on-air events and KN0WCW operations. It can be found at: http://fistsna.org/calendar.html Bookmark it and check it regularly. Due to time constraints it is not always possible to post new events or KN0WCW operations on the reflectors and Facebook, they will be posted on the calendar page. Submissions for the calendar should be directed to myself or Dennis, K6DF at webmaster at fistsna.org . Americas Chapter Life member: Life membership cannot be purchased with "X" amount of dollars. It is offered to active chapter members who have reached the age of at least 80 years young and who request it. KeyNote Issue #1, 2015 is available for download for those who have opted to receive their KeyNotes in that manner. If you emailed me to request it or renewed by mail and requested it and you have not received an email from me with the info needed and your password, check your SPAM folder. I have set up passwords for and emailed all requests. All requests for opting to receive the KeyNote by .pdf download need to be directed to myself. The print edition should be in the hands of the USPS today. A little thing of a ice and sleet storm late last week in south central TN put the printing company behind. If your receive the print edition of the KeyNote and renewed in the last two weeks, your new expiration date will not appear on the Issue #1 mailing label. I notify all renewing members of their new expiration date by email or postal card. Many of you who were active members and in the last couple of weeks have opted for the .pdf download version to receive the KeyNote will also be getting a print issue. No way to stop a process that was already in the works. 73 de Karl, KB1DSB FISTS, Americas Chapter, president karl at fistsna.org From w2lj at verizon.net Mon Mar 16 19:57:24 2015 From: w2lj at verizon.net (Larry Makoski) Date: Mon, 16 Mar 2015 19:57:24 -0400 Subject: [Fists] NAQCC Sprint Wednesday Night Message-ID: The March sprint is this coming Wednesday evening local time (March 18th, EST - 8:30-10:30PM, CST - 7:30-9:30PM, MST - 6:30-8:30PM, PST - 5:30-7:30PM), which translates as Thursday, March 19th, 0130 to 0330Z in all cases. For all the "official" information, please go to: http://naqcc.info/sprint201503.html There you will find all the details as to time, frequencies and other important information. Certificates: SWA (simple wire antennas) certificates by call area, VE and DX for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place finishers (New!). A Certificate for top score in the GAIN antenna category. Prizes: Too many to list!! - check out the prizes page on our website. This is a monthly event that caters to the CW veteran, the CW newcomer, straight key and bug fans. All are welcome to participate (this includes QRO); but you must use QRP power levels to compete for awards. If you've been hesitant to join in our sprints because you hear other sprints running at breakneck speeds, have no fear. Our sprints are geared to the newcomer to CW and/or contesting. Virtually everyone including the many veteran contesters who regularly enter our sprints will slow down to YOUR speed to help you make your contacts. If you are not already a member of NAQCC... membership is FREE! Now is your chance to join the largest QRP CW Club in the world!! We currently have 7100+ members in: All 50 States - 9 VE Provinces - 100 Countries. Sign up on the NAQCC website today (http://naqcc.info/) and receive a handsome certificate, with your membership number on it, which is good for life. Come join us and have a real good time! 72/73 de Larry W2LJ NAQCC #35 for NAQCC http://naqcc.info/ --- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. http://www.avast.com From karl at fistsna.org Thu Mar 26 11:54:50 2015 From: karl at fistsna.org (Karl) Date: Thu, 26 Mar 2015 10:54:50 -0500 Subject: [Fists] Email SPAM Filters Message-ID: <004001d067dd$334975b0$99dc6110$@org> Internet Service Providers (ISP's) contract with third party companies to perform SPAM screening of emails. They may key on the volume of mail, bulk mailings and also key words. I am suffering from having some emails to members blocked for "abuse" by these entities. And, there is no way to contact them to get them to stop blocking my emails. Even my own ISP cannot help. Should you have renewed joined by PayPal or mail and not received an email verifying the it was processed, please go to http://fistsna.org/expdate.php and check you renewal status to see if it was updated. New members can see if they are shown on the home page of our website under the "new member" listing. I believe these companies are possibly keying on the "FISTS" word in the subject line of my emails to members. I am going to change that to "your call" de KB1DSB. Hopefully that will work. Additionally, I ask that you make sure that you have my email address in your approved senders list, so your own pc SPAM filter does not kick it. 73, Karl, KB1DSB FISTS, Americas Chapter, president karl at fistsna.org From ac5shfistop at gmail.com Thu Mar 26 15:22:56 2015 From: ac5shfistop at gmail.com (Tim O) Date: Thu, 26 Mar 2015 14:22:56 -0500 Subject: [Fists] Bandlplan rearrangement and potential rule change petitions at FCC Message-ID: ARRL bandplan proposals and potential petitions to FCC to move segments around etc Here is the link here to their questionnaire page which has links to the actual documents. It looks like MAYBE they will listen to Hams this time. Without a doubt, FCC listens when ARRL speaks so my suggestion is that we all follow the link to the ARRL questionnaire, download the docs and carefully consider them then answer the questionnaire. The ARRL bandplan questionnaire and info link page: http://www.arrl.org/bandplan Among their proposals is one to actually expand the Novice 80 meter CW segment, a miracle I think we should support. I hear they also want to give the RTTY guys what is left of Novice 40 though, very bad for us if true. Please go read the stuff and register your thoughts with them. 73 Tim, AC5SH From karl at fistsna.org Mon Mar 30 14:01:20 2015 From: karl at fistsna.org (Karl) Date: Mon, 30 Mar 2015 13:01:20 -0500 Subject: [Fists] Special - FISTS Americas Chapter Drawings at Dayton Message-ID: <005a01d06b13$88e27ec0$9aa77c40$@org> Americas Chapter, FISTS CW Club will be holding special drawings at Dayton Hamvention 2015, thanks in part to the generosity of RF Concepts/Ten-Tec and Vibroplex. There will be 16 drawings conducted using a random selection algorithm. The drawings will be held starting at 1100 hours local Dayton time on May 17, 2015. All active members of the "Americas Chapter" will be in the pool for the drawings, that includes life, under 18, new members, family members. Dues must be current for dues paying members, as of 1000 local Dayton time on May 17, 2015. Active members do not need to be present at Dayton to be eligible. Prize winners will have their prize, shipped to them if they are not at Dayton. Those winners at Dayton will be given their prize if they present themselves at our booth prior to closing down on the 17th. Otherwise, their prize will be shipped to them. There will be no substitution of any prizes. Check the "Expiration Date" list: http://fistsna.org/expdate.php to verify that your dues will not expire before the drawing date. Please note that no renewal or new members joining by mail or PayPal will be processed for the period of 12-17 May, 2015 as I will be either in route to or at Dayton. Renewal and new member applications by mail or PayPal must be received by me by 2400 GMT on May 10, 2015. Attention must be given to those attending Dayton and processing their renewals and applications to join while Dayton is in progress to insure they are eligible for the drawings. This posting serves to give you at least a month's notice to determine if your membership is current. You then choose whether or not you wish to effect renewal your membership before the cut off dates and times. All officers and directors of the chapter are ineligible for the drawings. 73, Karl, KB1DSB FISTS, Americas Chapter, president karl at fistsna.org 73, Karl, KB1DSB FISTS, Americas Chapter, president karl at fistsna.org