FISTS Down Under - The club for Morse Code Enthusiasts

The FISTS Club, (International Morse Preservation Society) was founded in 1987 by Geo Longden G3ZQS of Darwen, Lancs England, after recognising a need for a club in which veteran operators would help newcomers and less-experienced operators learn and improve CW proficiency. During the first year, membership reached 300, most of whom were in Great Britain and Europe.

The North American chapter was formed in 1990 to assist 11 members in the USA receive the newsletter and as a banking convenience. Nancy Kott WZ8C of Hadley, Michigan was named US representative, a position she still holds but she now handles the affairs of over 2,000 members in the Americas.

The New Zealand / Australia Chapter was formed in 1998 to provide a similar service to Australasian members, with Ralph Sutton ZL2AOH as the VK/ZL representative. From a VK/ZL membership of four, there are now over 70 members "Down Under", principally in New Zealand. The New Zealand membership is the largest in any country outside England and Wales and North America.

World wide, FISTS members now number over 4500 members, growing by up to 100 each month. Membership to FISTS Down Under is welcome - click here to Join!

The FISTS Club is one amateur radio's fastest growing organisations. It's an unique club, founded and maintained on solid principles using radio's oldest and yet most reliable communications mode - CW!

I used to be a member of TOPS before it went out. Quote on their banner was "Where FISTS Make Friends". A "FIST", as you know, is nothing more than a CW operator's reference to another operator's keying characteristic. Phil (TOPS founder/secretary) was delighted when I told him of the connection though he was later to follow his XYL and his beloved dog, but I will never forget the enthusiasm which came back from his old vibro.

 73 de Geo.

FISTS operate QSL bureau services in the USA, UK and New Zealand/Australia for the quick exchange of QSL cards between members. This is a no-cost service to members.

FISTS Downunder operates a free QSL service for both Outward and Inward QSL Cards, between FISTS Downunder members in Australia and New Zealand and FISTS members overseas.

Inward Cards
Cards arriving from the overseas bureau services destined for Australian and New Zealand Members are received by the above Managers, from the Bureau's in England and the United States of America. They are sorted into call sign order and filed in your envelopes awaiting the next month's issue of the FISTS "Down Under" Newsletter. When this is ready it is included and they are posted to you. Those members receiving "Down Under" by e-mail will have their cards posted to them automatically.

Outward Cards
Members in Australia and New Zealand wishing to send QSL cards to members overseas, should post these cards to the Managers whose addresses appear below. Cards received are sorted into the various countries and then posted either by Air Mail, or Economy Air depending on the volume.

Whilst we try to offer a FREE Service for members, many members enclose occasional donations to assist with postal costs. These donations are gratefully received (mint postage stamps preferred) and are acknowledged in both the FISTS "Down Under" newsletter and the yearly expense report.

Assisting your manager
You can greatly assist your Manager by sorting your cards into order before posting them. This saves him a lot of time. Sort them into country and alphabetical order. For example - cards destined for U.S and U.K. stations could be as follows: AA1A, AB1A, K2AA, K4AA, KC4A, G2AA, G2CCC, G3DDD, G4AAA, M5AAA, M0AAA, GI3AAA, GM3AAA, MM3AAA and so on.

Finally, please print on the reverse of your card top left the following information: - CALL SIGN, NAME of Operator, QTH, FISTS Number.

**FISTS Down Under QSL Managers **

New Zealand:  Nigel Hardy ZL2TX,P.O. Box 15078, Otaki Railway, Otaki 5543,

Australia:  Chris Thompson, VK2CTN,P O Box 178, Wellington, NSW 2820, Australia.

Address e-mails for  the above to: <fists-down-under@ihug.co.nz>