Special Event Station 2002

Special Event Station W5FQ. The Meridian Amateur Radio Club will be operating during the Jimmie Rodgers Memorial Festival in Meridian, MS from 1800 (2300 UTC) 10 May 2002 until 1800 (2300 UTC) 11 May 2002. We will be operating out of the Caboose of the Memorial Train next to the Jimmie Rodgers museum in Highland Park, 19th Street and 41st Avenue, Meridian, MS.  The museum contains the original guitar of Jimmie Rodgers and other memorabilia of his life and career, as well as railroad equipment from the steam engine era. Open year-round 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1 - 5 p.m. on Sundays. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day.

MARC members will be operating on or about the following frequencies: 28.462 / 21.362 / 18.162 / 14.262 / 7.262 / 3.862 / 146.700 / 444.500. Exchange will be Call Sign, RST and Location.

Please send a 9 X 12 SASE to receive your personalized Jimmie Rodgers Special Event Certificate. Please send QSL card to W5FQ at the following address: MERIDIAN AMATEUR RADIO CLUB

Born September 8, 1897 in Meridian, MS. Jimmie Rodgers was also known as America's Blue Yodeler, The Father of Country Music, and The Singing Brakeman. He was the first inductee into the Country Music Hall of Fame. Jimmie passed away in a New York hotel while recording twelve of twenty four songs for an album. He was 35 years old and died of tuberculosis on May 26, 1933. More info on http://www.jimmierodgers.com/

Followup

Hello Fellow Amateurs,

The first annual Jimmie Rodgers Special Event Station held on the 10th and 11th of May was a huge sucess. Members of MARC commenced operating at precisely 1800 hrs CDT and operated for the complete 24 hour period. Although propagation was poor we managed to log over 200 contacts from all over the US and Canada.

We did however, get off to a rough start. We had a small problem getting the mast up and Jim WB5OCD got himself a genuine Ham Radio Purple Heart. He had to get 5 stitches in his forearm when he received a cut when the mast slipped. Trooper that he is, Jim returned to the site for the night shift.

We couldn't have had a more appropriate site to operate from as we were set up inside of the Caboose of the memorial train next to the Jimmie Rodgers museum. Real Neat huh ? We thought so. We were visited by several of the Jimmie Rodgers dignitaries and had visits from a California Ham, Dave KA6OMV who is our own Lew's ( KA8LUM) son. Oh Yeah, Lew was there too. We also had a visit from Larry AG5Z from Hattiesburg.

I want to thank all the folks that joined in to help. KD5GBQ Doug brought along his friend Mac Yates who seem to enjoy helping although he wasn't a Ham. There's a prospect for us. Don't guess we could have made it without all the snacks and drinks and the runs made to the sandwich shop by Miss Brenda, KD5JYK. Of course, I must mention all the support and posting to the web page and contacting of the local newspaper done by Darrell W5MAV and the pictures taken by Miss Debbie, KD5JYJ and Jim WB5OCD. Thanks also to Bill KB5ASR, Dan KD5JLG, Jim KD5GMP, Donna KD5GWM, and Terry KB5QOD who were a big help with the tear- down and clean-up.

I guess now all we have to do is wait for the SASE's to come in and get the Certificates and QSL's sent out. Kudos to Michael N5VWS for coming up with a real good looking certificate and again thanks Doug KD5GBQ for the QSL design.

Well, until next time, probably Field Day, this is N5JCG saying 73 and don't forget the June 1st meeting. ditditditdahditdah