A SPECIAL FAREWELL TO 4X/KB8RP

As the latest Israel Amateur Radio Club executive meeting came to order, Eli 4Z5IS, club chairman, announced that due to the special guest in our midst, the usual opening formalities will be done in English. Directly after that, a very special "thank you" ceremony got underway.

The guest of honor was none other than L. Joe Hawks, KB8RP. Joe, for years, (too long to remember) has had his QTH in Jerusalem, and of course as a active member utilising his knowledge of amateur radio, became involved into the digital modes of operations. It did not take long until the local Jerusalem Packet BBS, found a friend in Joe, who gently nudged the equipment into operation. Over the years, the IARC was busy setting up a satellite station in Shoresh, at the QTH of Alon Tavor, of blessed memory. Joe was constantly busy with this and other projects. After Alon's passing, Joe took charge of the station and moved it to his QTH.

Unfortunately for personal family reasons, he has had to leave us, and go back to his native Indiana in the USA.

Eli, 4Z5IS addressed the assembled saying, that we, the IARC understand the reason of his departure, sorry that he has to go, the project he took upon himself is more important than amateur radio, and has priority over everything else. He than passed the floor to Tidhar 4Z5CA, chairman of the Digital/Packet committee, Tidhar expressed his regretting Joe's leaving, he presented Joe with a most beautiful plaque with appropriate inscription, saying that he hopes it will find a place in the "shack" in Indiana and be a constant reminder of his years in Israel.

Joe thanked all present and said that he does not have to be reminded. He leaves his friends and a good part of his life behind, hoping to return one day, and pick up where he left off. Eli 4Z5IS than presented Joe, with a IARC engraved wrist watch, 4X6KJ suggesting that each time Joe will look at the watch, to see what time it is, he will know that it is time to return. Best wishes and addresses were exchanged.

Joe KB8RP, go and be successful in your mission, we know that you will succeed. We know that your absence from us, is only temporary, we know you will return and we are all looking forward to that day to have you here again in our family, the IARC. Of course there are no words, to express our thanks, for all you have done for the club and for its members, so let me suffice with a plain simple "Thank You " from all of us. Stay healthy, and come back soon, we miss you already.

THE ANNUAL DUES

In spite of last year's cost-of-living index in Israel rose by 10 percent, the council of the IARC has decided not to raise dues, keeping them at 200 sheqels per single member and 250 for families or amateur radio clubs. This actually means a real big reduction.

This step anticipates membership growth.. Much had been done during the last year to promote an increased membership. We all are still hoping to break our 'sound barrier' of one thousand members.

The same is true for our foreign associate members. We haven't raised our yearly dues and they have remained for years now at 30 US dollars. We kindly ask our members to submit us their dues by the first of January 1998. The address, is P.O.Box 17600, Tel-Aviv 61175, Israel.

THE MITZPE RAMON REPEATER

On Wednesday the 14,10.97 our new repeater at Mitzpe-Ramon has been installed. Ten members, led by Itzik 4X6ZH, Israel 4X1OM and David 4X1WA with all his excellent test equipment, drove up to the site. Everything was immaculately planned in advance and superbly executed. Others assisting were Ziv 4X1UK, Yossi 4X4BE, Amos 4X6PH, Chilik 4X6YA, Nimrod 4Z5IN and Zeev, 4Z7DFB.

The VHF machine installed is an 80 watt output Motorola MSR 2000, donated from Motorola through the good offices of Ehud 4Z4UR. The Repeater has also a UHF transmitter incorporated for links to the North.. The antennas are a VHF "Mark" vertical and a UHF yagi using exclusively Heliax feedline.

The Mitzpe Ramon water tower site was made available by the efforts of Yossi 4X4BE, who met with the town council and received their approval for the IARC repeater's installation.

50 YEARS OF COMMUNICATIONS

This is the name of the gala social event commemorating the 50th birthday of IARC, around February 18, 1998. The intended place is the Golda Meir Center for Arts, the new Tel-Aviv home of the Israel Opera.

There will be a cocktail party with many invited guests (in addition to all the radio amateurs) like the Minister of Communications and Ministry officials dealing with examinations and licensing, most of them licensed amateurs themselves. Invited too will be other veteran communications people such as I.D.F. Signal Corps commanders.

Also, a well known amateur of one of our neighboring countries, with which Israel has a peace treaty, has been invited. Will he come? It is written in the stars, but let us hope for the best!

The cultural part of the evening will be the appearance of the Israel Chamber Orchestra conducted by no other than Eitan Haberman 4Z7EEE. There will also a solo vocalist but we can not publish her name. The IARC council has proposed the making of some presentations, but nothing has been officially disclosed yet and will be decided on in the "kitchen".

THE 50th ANNIVERSARY CONTEST

We announced in our last issue the overseas participants' rules for the Israel 50th Anniversary Contest.

Here are the rules for Israeli hams: Each first QSO with a station on each band is one point. Interesting are the multipliers. One multiplier for each of the DXCC countries and an additional one for each of the 33 countries which voted in favour of the independence of Israel at the UN session at Lake Success, back in 1947.

Medals will be awarded as follows: A bronze medal for at least 80,000 points. The silver medal will be awarded for 150,000 points and the golden one, very very hard to achieve, for 250,000 points! These medals will be given to any Israeli amateur whether he is an IARC member or not.

There will be additional plaques and prizes for IARC members who are overall top scorers. The contest starts on January first 1998 at 0000 hours UTC and will end exactly fife month later, on May 31st at 2400 UTC. The IARC contest committee has prepared a real workout for us!

NEWS SNIPPETS

* Special QSL's for Israel's 50th Anniversary are available on the cheap at 50 sheqels a thousand. Orders must be in to 4X6KJ, POB 873, Kiryat Ono 55000, with name, address, Holyland Square, Maidenhead Locator (all in English) by November 15th... hurry! This offer for 4X/4Z hams only.

* A new amateur radio course for "White Caners", the blind, is underway at the Amishav community centre near Petah Tikva. Ten ladies and men, from totally sightless to visually impaired, are being instructed by Yossi 4X6KJ and Dudu 4Z5IC (who himself is 100% sightless). Yossi promises us a complete article on the new club 4X6EK there and its activities next month. * IARC Israel 50th Anniversary wristwatches and station clocks are still available.. images of them should soon be on the IARC web site:

http://www.iarc.org/

73 de Ahron and Ron