Charter Group QCWA Chapter 17 March 1989
Standing W3TDF (Ray), W3CJI (Brownie), KU3K & KA3NJR
XYL (Bob & Janice), K3CP (Van), W3XM (Andy), N3AWT (Ray), K3ANS (Bill)
Seated W3ECT (Andy), KA3MNY (Roy), K9TBD (Joel), W4YID
(Bud), W3ZIF (Roy), W3HHC (Paul), W3EGY (Ken), W3ZMN (Conrad)
Thanks to W4YID Bud for the photo.
Chapter 17 Quarter Century Wireless Association (QCWA) was originally chartered on December 12, 1962 as the Susquehanna chapter and was eventually disbanded in 1965. This chapter number was inactive until early in 1988 when a group of hams from the Lehigh Valley met to discuss the organization of a QCWA chapter. A petition was filed with the National QCWA and a charter was granted for Chapter 17 on January 29, 1989. However, news of the official designation was not received until February of 1989.
Much of the success of Chapter 17 belongs to the late Richard "Brownie" Brown W3CJI who was instrumental in obtaining the chapter number of the defunct group. In recognition of his efforts, Brownie was elected the first president of Chapter 17. The first official meeting of the new group was March 25, 1989. A major component of the chapter--- the constitution and by laws were finalized in July of 1989. Since that time, there have been a few amendments, but very little to change the tenor of the original constitution and by-laws.
Chapter 17's initial membership totaled somewhat more than 50; however, in recent years, that number had plummeted to the 30's. Ray Bilger, W3TDF, was elected the first Secretary Treasurer and served in that post until 1998. Over the years, the chapter has had many different meeting places; however, for the past several years, it has taken up residence at the Olde Country Buffet in Whitehall.
Chapter activities center around a monthly meeting, annual picnic and
annual banquet. The club call sign is W3GS and the current license trustee
is Ray Bilger W3TDF.
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