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

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. • 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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
reflector to exchange comments/discussions/information 9

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

11. HOW WE COMMUNICATE WITH OUR MEMBERS
QCWA Web page ( 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

12. 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

13. DAYTON IS A MAJOR ACTIVITY FOR QCWA

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

15. 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

16. 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

17. QUARTER CENTURY WIRELESS ASSOCIATION
QUESTIONS??
See us on 17