The Norcal Project

In 1999, ham radio enthusiast and leader of the Norcal club of Northern California Doug Hendricks had the idea of designing a radio kit and selling it at a price that would fund a free kit which could then be sent to less well off ham operators where they were needed (anywhere in the world). He gathered a team of leading designers and test engineers and the result was the "Norcal 20".

The kit was a tremendous success and Doug then contacted his opposite number in the GQRP club of Great Britain - the Reverend George Dobbs. George agreed to become the distribution arm for this project and many kits have been sent to the far corners of the globe. 

Network Gloria Chairman and founder, Gloria Ackerley, is a radio ham (with the callsign G3VUN). She felt there were many projects in Romania that would benefit from the Norcal/ GQRP initiative.

Here is the story of Norcal 20's in Romania ....



Gloria already had links with officers of the GQRP club and was pleased to be offered a number of Norcal 20 kits to enable needy or disabled radio amateurs in Romania to pursue their hobby. They were collected from GQRP's Dick Pascoe (callsign G0BPS). Gloria also had links with the Amateur Radio Federation in Bucharest and knew that good homes could be found for the kits. The consignment comprised of 54 packets of components, 54 metal casings, 59 PC boards plus manuals. It was decided to just send 10 to see how things went and these were put on to the October 2000 truck. Dan Liviu (callsign YO3JX) received the kits in Bucharest and invited Gloria to an official hand-over next time she was in Romania. This visit took place in February 2001 when a team from Network Gloria flew to Bucharest to hold a course on "The Care and Behaviour Management of Children in Institutions". They visited Scoala Generala 175, a secondary school not far from the Gara Nord railway station. There Gloria was greeted by the school radio club YO3KWF and YO3KSB (the callsigns of Children's Palace Club).


The club was meeting during the morning with Vasile Capraru (callsign YO3AAJ) in charge. There were two rooms, and in the first Gloria's eye was caught by the young girl students sitting at a long desk either side of the room. They were all wearing headphones and were engrossed in receiving morse code. There were also some young men doing the same and reaching speeds of over 40 words per minute.The second room was primarily used for construction and repairs. The ten Norcal 20s were on display, already assembled by Dan Liviu. Gloria signed the documents drawn up for the hand-over. The Norcal 20s were to be distributed as books would from a library as follows:

2 to Camelia Turcan's after-school novice class in Zimnicea (on the River Danube).
2 to the instructor Romeo YO9CFR;
1 to Aurel YO9BGH,
4 to the young people in the school radio club, for practice at home and one to be kept on display at the FRR (Federation Romana de Radioamatorism).

All NorCal 20s were to be returned in the same condition when no longer required. Dan, as the Network Gloria / GQRP contact in this matter, agreed to sort out (free of charge) any problem concerning the kits and their use.

Gloria could not get over the importance placed on the hobby and on the use of Morse in particular. Although the hobby is treated as a sport, Secretaries of amateur radio clubs in Romania receive half an average month's wage as a salary.

The young girls in the room. Mr.Capraru is at the back and the young man is Mircea YO3GDA.	A young man receiving at speed.
Gloria was shown the special Eastern European Morse script - a form of shorthand which enables Morse to be copied at very high speeds. Amateurs exchange special acknowledgment of their contacts called "QSL cards" and these covered the walls.

Gloria & Dan with the assembled Norcal 20 Transceivers.	Trophies and photographs were on display in a glass cabinet in the corridor. Behind Gloria and next to Dan (YO3JX) is George (YO3FU) Camelia is to the left and Mr.Capraru (YO3AAJ) to the right.
This picture shows the Novice Amateur Radio Club at Zimnicea - an after school club encouraged by teacher Camelia Turcan.

So 73s (ham speak for best wishes) to the young people we met: Mircea YO3GDA, Octavian YO3GAF, Alex YO3HAE and George YO3FU ( who also helps to run the club) Cristina, Antonia, Alexandra, Corina, Tonina and Oana - some of 20 to 30 young people in the club.