QUARTER CENTURY WIRELESS ASSOCIATION, Inc. “What We are All About” Ken Simpson, W8EK National Director, QCWA 1

QCWA MISSION • Provide Friendship Amongst and Encourage Cooperation Between All Radio Amateurs • Provide A Relationship With Dedicated & Proficient Radio Amateurs Worldwide • Preserve Amateur Radio’s Traditions That Might Affect Our Future 2

QCWA HISTORY • Began with a 10-meter round-table in New York City, November 1947 • Organizational meeting held December 1947 with 34 New York Amateurs • Charter membership was later expanded to include 20 additional Amateurs for a total of 54 Commonality between these 54 included: – licensed 25 or more years – Proficient spark operators – operated on 200 meter and above 3

QCWA HISTORY What’s in a name? • Frank Lester, W2AMJ (W4AMJ - SK) Suggested: “Quarter Century” - 25-years licensed “Wireless Association” - Early Pioneers of Wireless Transmissions 4

QCWA MEETINGS • Initial Meetings held in New York City, Twice a Year • First Meeting outside New York was held in Washington, DC in 1972 • Decision made at that time to form Chapters Worldwide • National membership required to join Chapter, and to receive any of the many awards • Chapters can be formed with 5 or more active members 5

• Currently there are over 120 active Chapters QCWA CHAPTERS • Currently there are over 120 active Chapters • Chapters are located in the US, Canada, Germany, and Switzerland • We have Members in 22 foreign countries 6

QCWA CHAPTERS & ACTIVITIES WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME? • Chapters are the center of major QCWA Activities; they are usually social in nature but may include special events and activities reflecting the “personality” of the chapter • Meetings are as technical or non-technical as the membership desires • Most meetings are a mix of ham/non-ham • Programs of general interest are most popular 7

QCWA NATIONAL ACTIVITIES • Twice a year QCWA QSO Party – Promotes awareness of QCWA among the general ham population • QCWA supports an aggressive scholarship program for hams attending college – Started in 1974 – Over $350,000 given – in 2012, $14,000 distributed for scholarships – Totally paid from investment interest and dividends – Managed by the Foundation for Amateur Radio (FAR) at no cost to QCWA 8

HOW WE COMMUNICATE WITH OUR MEMBERS • QCWA Journal published four times a year, includes: Chapter reports Technical articles Human interest stories (By George Hart and Novice history are two examples) The Rules Say (John Johnston, W3BE) List of new members and Silent Keys E-mail reflector to exchange comments/discussions/information 9

HOW WE COMMUNICATE WITH OUR MEMBERS Local Chapter Nets on both HF and VHF National HF Nets: 20M International SSB Net Sundays – 2000(Z), 14.347 MHz CW net Wednesdays at 8 PM Local Eastern Time on 7035 KHz

HOW WE COMMUNICATE WITH OUR MEMBERS QCWA Web page (http://www.qcwa.org) has: historical information web page for each member with his info new members each month member applications member supplies order form Silent Key information much more • Chapters support various hamfests – a place to “Fly Our Banner” 11

QCWA ORGANIZATION Four Officers: President Vice President Secretary Treasurer • Eight Directors • Term is two years - next election, 2014 • General Manager - responsible for business aspects of QCWA • Journal Editor • GM and Editor are contracted by BoD – Only “paid employees” 12

DAYTON IS A MAJOR ACTIVITY FOR QCWA

QCWA & ARRL sign Memorandum of Agreement QCWA — DAYTON QCWA Booth QCWA & ARRL sign Memorandum of Agreement

QCWA CONVENTIONS • Held in the fall - provide for “eyeball” QSOs between members • Technical sessions and informative tours provided • Board of Directors Meeting held during annual National Convention • QCWA Forum held for BoD to report to members 15

Your Local Chapter Meets at Golden Corral on Route 200 in Ocala, at 1:15 PM on the fourth Thursday of the even numbered months

QUARTER CENTURY WIRELESS ASSOCIATION QUESTIONS?? See us on http://www.qcwa.org 17