CHANGE SEBVICE REOUESI ED ASHLAND, MA PEBMIT NO.7

lhe Quurler
Cenlury Wireless
Associulion
The Quarter Century Wireless
Association, lnc. was founded
ljecember 5, 194/, as a non-commercial
association of radio amateurs
organized for the promotion
of interest in Amateur Radio communication
and experimentation,
for the establishment and
advancement of the radio art and
of the public welfare.
QCWA is an incorporated association
without capital stock chartered
under the laws of the State
of New York, and is a tax exempt
5U l(L)J organrzatton unOer tne
lnrernal KevenLre Locte oT lv5b.
Its affairs are governed by a
President, Vice President,
Secretary, Treasurer and a Board of
Directors, whose votrng members
are elected every two years by the
general membership.
ln order to qualify for membership
in QCWA one must have demonstrable
proof of having been first
licensed as an Amateur Radro
operator at least 25 years prior to
application for membership and
must be currently licensed.
Membership inqliries and general
correspondence should be
addressed to the business office at
PO. Box 3247, Framingham, MA
01705-3247 U.S.A.
VP:508-405-1930
FAX: 508-405-'1965
EMAIL: qcwagm@rcn.com
THE MARGATE SAFARI NET
by Pat West, WTEA
the more interesting jnternational
nets I have participated
in was referred to as the
" Marqate Safari Net " .
There were 40-50 active
members of this net, and
over 100 counting occasional
checkins.
lvlargate, a noted tourist site in
Natal, South Africa, is located on the lndian
Ocean about 375 miles Northeast of Port
Elizabeth. The net control station for the Margate
Safari Net was the late Manny Laxton, ZS5WX, a
Margate resident, a World War ll hero of the war
in the desert against Rommel; and a famous big
game hunter, safari guide, and movie actor.
Manny changed from a big game killer, trophy collector
and safari leader to become an avid game conservationist.
ln fact, in addition to several qame farms he
owns, he purchased a 3,000 acre spread, north of Margate and when last heard from,
had fenced the farm and was stocking it with natrve animals. His plan was to provide
an area like our Pacific Northwest Trek, where children could view the wild animals of
Africa in a wild native environment.
ln the late 1980s and early 1990s, lwas an active participant in the Margate Safari Net.
Several mornings each week, I would tune my radio to the proper frequency at the correct
time and would check in to the net. For about an hour, hams from the world over
but mostly from our state of California, would discuss numerous topics of mutual interest
We would tell about ourselves, our other hobbies, work experience and you name
it. Many lasting friendships were achieved via The Margate Safari Net.
The late Bill Rea, WGVZZ, from Pasadena, California was the alternate net control station.
When Manny couldn't make it orwe did not have propagation to Africa, Bill
would take over the net control.
Several of the group have visited Manny and his loving wife Stella, now deceased, at
lVargate and on at least one occasion, Manny visited the USA at one of the Visalia DX
conventions. which are held each year at Visalia, California. Hams from all over the
world get together for eyeball QSOs, and camaraderie. I have participated in several of
the Visalia DX conventions but have never had the opportunity for an eyeball to eyeball
conversation with Manny, however, did correspond with him and wife Stella.
ln 1994, the low in the eleven year sunspot cycle cut off much of our world wide communicatrons
and contact with Africa became very difficult to achieve. Our Margate
Safari Net ceased ro exist.
ln 1995, Gus Gilkas, W5HRF, from San Antonio, Texas, one of my active net friends,
sent me a copy of a letter he had received from Mannys wife Stella. lquote from
Stella's letter as follows:
(continued on page 43)
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