FOC in the North 2026
2026-04-11 12:30 - 17:00 UTC | The Blue Bell in Wentbridge, Great North Road, Wentbridge WF8 3JP, WF8 3JP, United Kingdom
Chris, G5VZ, has booked The Blue Bell in Wentbridge for our 2026 FOC in the North lunch, on Saturday, 11. April.
We will meet at 1230 (local time!).
The Blue Bell is on The Great North Road just a couple of hundred metres south of the bridge over the River Went, famous in the legend of Robin Hood.
The Blue Bell has an extensive menu and a range of beers – the web site is at bluebellwentbridge.co.uk. The address is The Blue Bell Inn, Great North Road, Wentbridge WF8 3JP
The phone number of The Blue Bell is 01977 620697. You can find a phone number for Chris in the Year Book or contact him at chris@g5vz.co.uk
Please let Chris know if you’re coming. Thanks!

Condin 2026
2026-05-08 - 2026-05-10 | Best Western Plus Hotel Bremerhaven, Fischkai 2,, Bremerhaven, 27572, Germany
In 2026, the traditional Continental Dinner will be held in the city of Bremerhaven in the North of Germany. Bremerhaven, a port city at the mouth of the Weser River, was founded in 1827, making it 199 years old as of 2026, and is known for its maritime heritage, hosting the German Maritime Museum and is a major fishing and container port. With a population of about 113,000, it blends industrial significance with cultural attractions like the Klimahaus science center.
The venue will be the Best Western Plus Hotel Bremerhaven, a 4-star property opened in 2013 in Bremerhaven’s historic Fischereihafen district. Plans for the weekend include a joint visit to a restaurant on Friday evening, museum visits or a harbor cruise on Saturday, and a dinner for the group on Saturday evening, of course. The date for this event has been set for the weekend from 8 May to 10 May 2026.
Booking for this event is open now. The rates are €119 for a single and €149 for a double room per night including a buffet style breakfast.
Please phone +49-471-80935300 or mail info@best-western-bremerhaven.de for your reservation, and do not forget to mention booking code FOC0526. These rates will only be available until 27 March 2026. If you have any questions about the event, please do not hesitate to contact DL5XL at felix@dl5xl.de. The organizers would also appreciate a short note if you intend to participate so that activities can be planned accordingly.

FOC Breakfast at 2026 Dayton Hamvention
2026-05-17 10:30 - 13:30 | Hope Hotel, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, OH, 45433, United States
Mark your calendars for Sunday, 17th May for the annual FOC Breakfast at Hamvention. The breakfast will again be
at the Hope Hotel which is located next to Wright Patterson Air Force Base at Gate 12A. The breakfast meeting starts at
7:30 AM and runs until about 10:30 AM. We are very grateful for the assistance of member K3LR, and DX Engineering,
for arranging the Sabre Room at no cost to FOC and for providing some really super door prizes! FOC will also be
sponsoring a coffee and tea station. This year Tom, N4LSJ, will be Coordinator/MC. More specific details will be in the
March News Sheet! If you have any questions, contact Dennis, WØJX.

QRS Day
2026-06-02
Now and again, we should switch down a few gears and QSO with those operators who are not
as fast at CW. Casual operators on the bands appreciate it when we slow down and work people
at their own pace. This is a chance to encourage wider activity on the bands with everyone,
including other members. Suggested maximum speed of 15wpm.

HAM Radio - FOC Dinner
2026-06-26 19:00 - 23:00 | Hotel Torstuben, Tettang, Bärenplatz 8, Tettnang, 88069, Germany
This year´s HAM RADIO will again feature the FOC DINNER a` la carte for 25 members on Friday 26th June at 07:00 PM, in Tettnang, Hotel Torstuben.
Members who have booked so far can be found on my website www.pileup.de.com. Please send registrations to Baldur, DJ6SI at drobbi@t-online.de

FOC Old School Classic 1960s QSO Party
2026-07-05 12:00 - 2026-07-06 12:00
Purpose: To turn the clocks back to what ham radio was like in the 1960s. To the extent possible, re-create the operating practices and gear used by amateurs before computers became a staple in most amateur stations, “contest” software became common, and DX Clusters were used for posting callsigns and frequencies of stations on the air anywhere in the world.
Participation: Open to all licensed amateurs
Date and Time: Summer: Last weekend in June or first weekend in July: Sunday
Winter: First weekend in January: Sunday
Time: 24 Hours beginning 1200 UTC through 1200 UTC following day.
Dates and Times are subject to change.
Mode: CW Only
Call: “CQ OS” or “CQ OSQP” or “CQ FOC OS”
Suggested CW Speed: 15-30 WPM with 30 WPM maximum speed
Bands: 160M, 80M, 40M, 20M, 15M, 10M and 6M bands only.
Suggested Operating Frequency: 28 to 45 Khz above Band Lower Edge.
Visit event page to read more

Bug Day
2026-07-18
There has been continued interest in an activity twice per year (to run alongside the Mechanical Key Days) where the idea is to get on the air using those bug keys. It is open to both FOC members and non-members.
The exchange is expected to include, at the very least, a description of the bug being used.
Calling CQ Bug Day is suggested. Frequencies are 25 khz above most band edges and up as needed.
Please send a list of stations worked using bugs and your vote for best bug fist to Benny K5KV.
Participants can contact Benny K5KV at email listed on QRZ.com with questions.

Mechanical Key Day (MKD)
2026-09-05
A regular opportunity for some friendly QSOs, while giving the electronic keyer some time
off. Members are encouraged to try to get on one of their favourite band(s) at some time during
this 24-hour period and look for other members. There are no set exchanges, just have an
enjoyable QSO with a fellow member using straight key, bug or sideswiper.

UK Annual Dinner 2026
2026-09-12 | Crewe Hall Hotel & Spa, Weston Road, Crewe, CW1 6UY, United Kingdom
This social event is held every year. It’s FOC’s flag-ship social event and is open to Members and their guests.
This year’s event is to be held Saturday, 12th of September 2026 at the Crewe Hall Hotel & Spa, near Crewe in Cheshire: https://www.crewehallcheshire.co.uk
Over the coming weeks, further details and a booking link will be provided – this is an opportunity to mark the weekend in your diary. For more information see https://www.g4foc.org/annual-dinner-2026/

Bill Windle QSO Party
2026-09-26
Here is a special invitation for you to join in the fun during the Bill Windle QSO Party (BWQP), formerly known as the FOC QSO Party (FOCQP), that we schedule twice a year. Many members have reported this is their favourite operating event! The idea behind the BWQP is to offer a stress-free opportunity for members to meet and greet both other members and nonmembers. Each one of us can make this event what you want it to be – some get on for a few casual QSOs, others spend several hours on different bands and still others treat it like a miniMarathon. The basic concept is to work as many stations as you can over the 24-hour period. All the contacts made during both BWQPs count for all the FOC awards. So, if you are chasing Windles, Augies, or WAFOC etc, this is a good opportunity to fill in the stations you still need to work. The BWQP runs for a 24-hour period from 0000z to 2359z. Call ‘CQ BW’ from 015 to 040kHz on all bands, excluding the WARC bands. The exchange is: RST, name, and FOC number (non-members send RST and name). Many also engage in longer QSOs; it is entirely up to you! Please note we still call ‘CQ BW’ to initiate a QSO, a tribute to Bill Windle who did so much to foster activity in our Club will be continued. Having your results listed has been a problem with a few stray emails. Ray, G4FON (SK) developed a new reporting method that allows you to simply enter your results into a web form that will assure that your report is received.
To report your results, use this address: FOCQP.g4foc.org Reports are due 7 days after the event. A complete list of the stations who do report will be included in FOCUS, and on our public website. Handsome certificates are awarded to members and non-members on each continent reporting the highest number of QSOs. Please do not email results to the previous address as these will not be tabulated.

Memorial Day QSO Party
2026-11-01 09:00 - 2026-11-02 08:59
Memorial Day QSO Party (MDQP) is an activity providing participants with an opportunity to honour amateur radio operators who are now Silent Key.
MDQP is being sponsored and managed by FOC and is open to all licensed amateurs: the idea is for each participant to honour a silent key. They might have a special memory to share, along with the callsign and name of one who went before us.
For more information : Memorial Day QSO Party

Florida Weekend
2026-12-04 - 2026-12-06 | Holiday Inn, Orlando Airport, 5750 T.G. LEE BLVD, Orlando, FL, 32822, United States
The 36th FOC Florida Dinner will be held at the Holiday Inn Orlando Airport on December 4, 5 and 6, 2026
Always a well-attended and exciting event with local dining events on Thursday and Friday evenings, FOC and member programs on Saturday, and an outstanding buffet dinner Saturday evening. W4FOC will be on the air and available for attendees to operate from the hotel.
More information here.
