Summer is on its way - the Spring contests are behind us, the northern hemisphere is receiving more solar radiation resulting in better HF conditions for us and warmer temperatures. The Dayton hamfest in the USA was a big success, and Europe is waiting for the Friedrichshafen “Ham Radio”. After a flurry of larger newsletters, we’re settling down to the summer doldrums here, the “cucumber season” as it is known in 4X-land….
 

HOLYLAND CONTEST UPDATE

As promised in our last issue here are some more information’s about the ‘Holyland Contest’, the participants and partial results.

Mark Stern, 4Z4KX, the Contest Manager reported to me on the last day of May, that up to that moment 250 logs from 50 foreign countries and 5 continents had been received as well as 80 logs from the 4X boys. The deadline for the sending of the logs is the 15^th of June so there will be, for sure, some more logs on their way to Israel.

In general Mark is very satisfied with these results, especially that new countries like Z32, VE and HL sent logs .

In the last newsletter we pointed out a few foreign amateurs that did participate with a 4X/ callsign among them OK1DTP David, OE1GZA Guenter, WB4FSV Arnold and W2GKR Donald.

We would like to thank all participants for their interest in our contest. This actually proves that the interest in our contest is growing by the year. As far as we know it is the only contest, that each and every participant sending in a log receives a diploma confirmating his score and in the contest.

Looking at the ages of the contestants, we we find that the youngest was a British SWL while the oldest, as far as we know, was 4X4BO aged about 80. So far logs have been received from 50 countries in 5 continents.

So, actually, all contestants are satisfied and are looking forward to next year’s contest. We will participate again because it is really fun. (de 4X1AT)
 

4Z1PF, MOSHE INGER– A PROFILE

In 1963 Moshe Inger, then a 7^th grade pupil, watched a group of youths erect a transmitting antenna on the roof of the synagogue on Sheinkin Street in Givatayim, a Tel-Aviv suburb. This aroused his curiosity, and he decided to join them and their instructor, Yehuda Crystal 4X4DC.

During the period of his instruction he built a number of transmitters (for experimental purposes, he says) and amongst them were high-power AM rigs using 813s and 817’s.

When Moshe received his Novice licence, he operated the Technion Institute’s club station 4X4HT. Later on, a group crystallised including Diko 4X1UH, Avner 4X4YV and Moshe who studied together until the Class “A” (Advanced-Extra) licence was attained.

Moshe kept occupied building and learning new subjects, and thus built various SWR meters, antenna tuners, power supplies, CW transmitters, antennas and other items that may be found in his station.

Moshe was the instigator and main moving force behind the amateur radio courses at the Centre for Technological Education in 1982 which produced the study book for the Novice licence. Years later he expanded the book to include the Grade “B” (General) licence. In conjunction with that he began to teach the amateur radio courses in the framework of the Open University, in which 368 people had the good fortune to be included amongst his students. 4Z1PF also taught two courses for the Grade “A” licence.

Befitting the teacher of his new generation, Sarit 4Z4PF and Yaron 4X4PF earned callsigns with a family character.

In the last while, Moshe is instructing in the Mikve Israel School club, and has already brought through about twenty new radio amateurs.

(translated from the Hebrew HAGAL magazine)
 

ANOTHER FIELD DAY

On Saturday June 3, IARC members had a get together, or field-day, in a park near Hadera. This meeting showed again, that there is a real need for more frequent outings. Well over a hundred Active radio amateurs, together with there families did attend.. Present were not only old-timers but hams with brand new callsigns, and it was a pleasure to watch them mixing in with the rest. 4X4GT Tuvia, counted over 80 vehicles parked

. As the park was half way between Tel Aviv and Haifa, we had the pleasure to meet amateurs from northern Israel as well to places south of Tel Aviv. Actually there should have been a flea market but it was just me, your scribe, that brought some equipment along – there just wasn’t any interest in buying or selling. The main occupation was sitting in groups and making eyeball QSOs. But wherever or whenever Israelis meet there is also the obligatory barbecue. Thus the main occupation during the day was eating and chatting.

Tuvia took a lot of pictures and you will have the pleasure to inspect them as they will be on display at the net-site of the IARC. (de 4X1AT)

THE INDEPENDENCE DAY VHF-UHF CONTEST

It seems that participation this year was somewhat down from previous years, whereas conditions were better than average. From my Negev QTH (4X1MK) with a 3 metre-long 144 MHz yagi at only 10 metres above ground, I worked stations as far north as Acre and Nazareth. There were a number of portable, mobile and club stations giving out Holyland squares.

This is four-hour contest in the late morning of the Israel Independence day, when a good part of the population is out in nature making burnt offerings over the grill, and a good time for portable mountain-top activities while the family enjoys being in the “bosom of nature”(as we say in Hebrew). Each score is the sum-total of the number of kilometres spanned by all the contacts. So, we await with baited breath for Mark 4Z4KX to tabulate the results.
 

NEWS BRIEFS

-…- The Ministry of Communications has sent everyone new licensees, free of charge this time, making us legal until the end of 2000. We still await the appearance of the plastic credit-card size tickets.

-…- The responsibility for maintenance and upkeep of the Haifa VHF repeater on R3 (145.675 MHz) has been transferred to Tzvi 4Z7ACB, placing control of the machine in local hands.

-…- The IARC will once again have a booth at the European “Ham Radio” hamfest in Friedrichshafen. All those flying there to man it will be doing so, as usual, at their own expense, representing us well, and giving publicity to our contests and awards programmes.

-…- DF2CK was present at the April IARC executive council session, and was awarded, with all due honor, his trophy for first place in last year’s Holyland Contest by Mark 4Z4KX.

-…- The IARC has made a modest donation to AMSAT to aid in its ongoing amateur satellite activities.
 

Until the next time, 73 and shalom from Ahron and Ron.