I think David intended this to go to the whole list.  It answers a lot of 
questions.

-----Original Message----- 
From: David W Wood
Sent: Saturday, February 02, 2013 4:22 AM
To: 'Lloyd Rasmussen'
Cc: 'Roger Western'
Subject: RE: F O C contest??

Hi Lloyd and Tom

A bit of a long reply, but your answer will be adequately answered, and be
copied to the current secretary of F O C.

Your resolution of the acronym is not quite correct I am afraid.

FOC stands for:

Firstclass CW Operators' Club

The 48 hour this weekend is not a contest, but a challenge amongst the
members.
The aim is to work as many members of the club, and on as many bands as
possible with a bonus given for a member on 5 bands, and an additional one
for 6 bands.

The club was started 75 years ago this year, so you may hear celebratory
stations on the bands later in the summer, and as an aside, the RSGB (Radio
Society of Great Britain) is celebrating its centenary this year.

F O C is a limited membership club of 500 members world wide.
Lloyd, you are quite correct that it is a G-based club in origin, but
probably a majority are now from other countries.

Qualifications for membership can be found on the club's website, but the
main ones are:
are that you must be able to send and receive CW at 25 WPM or greater in
plain text.  This isn't done by examination, but being on the air and being
able to rag chew at that speed at least.
You must be active on the CW portion of the band.
You must be nominated by 6 existing members, two of whom must be outside
your own continent.
You must have met a member on at least two bands.
The qualification process takes several months as the nominee has to be seen
to be active on the bands.

To my knowledge, there are currently three blind members, K4LTA (Bill),
GM3WUX (Terry), AND me!
Our recently much loved and departed contributor, Kevin (K7RX) and I had
many QSO's on 20M but never made it on another band, otherwise I would have
nominated him as a member.  His CW was superb!

I don't know when this challenge started, but it has occurred during the
first weekend of February for many years.
FOC also started the Bill Windle QSO party  a few years ago.  These occur
twice a year to promote CW interchanges on the bands.
Bill was an original member of the club, and, I believe, its first
secretary.

Some members take this weekend very seriously, and there are prizes of
honour for winning various categories.
Do not feel shy to call members, but also don't feel shunned should you
receive a short report of the form of genuine RST plus a 3 or 4 figure
number which will be that member's membership number.
The current maximum number will be 2012.
Hopefully you will be greeted courteously by members.

I have just realised that this  means that for the first time in the club's
existence, that a membership number equivalent to the calendar year will be
the same - we await to see who will be 2013!

Another member of the club has been mentioned often in this forum, G4FON!
Others of notability in ham radio circles are also members.  Having said
that, it isn't an elitist club - after all, I am a member!

Take a look at
www.foc.org

You may ask why I am not on the bands this weekend!
The reason being that I am away from home in my former QTH sorting out some
affairs in order to complete my retirement process from my business.

Sorry about the long reply!

73

David W Wood - G3YXX





-----Original Message-----
From: For blind ham radio operators [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
On Behalf Of Lloyd Rasmussen
Sent: 02 February 2013 04:34
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: F O C contest??

F O C stands for Fine Operators Club.  Its origin is in England, but it has
members all over the world.  I think it's a "by invitation only" club, and
the QSO party is limited to F O C members.  I don't know how one becomes a
member.  I hope I have my information correct.

-----Original Message----- 
From: Tom Behler
Sent: Friday, February 01, 2013 10:27 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: F O C contest??

Hi, folks.

I try to keep up with contests as much as I can, but I was tuning around the
CW portions of the HF bands tonight, and came across a contest called F O C.

I can't find any reference to it on the wa7bnm contest web site, or the ARRL
web site.

Does anyone have any info on this one, including ccontest background,
typical exchange, etc.?

Thanks and 73 from Tom Behler: KB8TYJ