15th Anniversary of FAIRS

Morning haze in view from cabin on Magura Mountain

A BIT OF HISTORY:  David (KK4WW) & Gaynell (KK4WWW) Larsen first made a trip to Ukraine in 1990 when it was still part of the Soviet Union. During their trip, the idea for founding a non-profit organization for amateur radio operators originated. This organization was given the name FAIRS (Foundation for Amateur International Radio Service) and was formed with 12 charter members, 6 of which were from Ukraine. After the break up of the Soviet Union in 1991, FAIRS received one of the first USAID grants for amateur radio operators to fund various radio equipment to be used in Ukraine. This equipment was used to network a full digital radio relay link to Western Europe and beyond. This all took place prior to the internet.

FIFTEEN YEARS LATER:  On August 3, 2005, David (KK4WW) & Gaynell (KK4WWW) made their 14th trip to Ukraine, which also marked the 15th anniversary of FAIRS work there. They visited with the many friends they have made over the years and FAIRS members, including 5 of the original 6 charter members from Ukraine. Most of the equipment that was taken to Ukraine 15 years ago is still operating and being used to the fullest! Victor Goncharsky (US5WE), a FAIRS member and good friend, has been responsible for designing, installing, maintaining and repairing the equipment. Victor (US5WE) and his wife Helen (UR5WA), daughter Julia (UR5WDX), and father Ham Dad Vlad (U5WF) hosted the Larsens in their home in Lviv. They visited Chernovtsky and spent an interesting night in (US0YW) Valary’s ham shack on top of Magura Mountain.  FAIRS members were able to get together at the Goncharsky’s, allowing David & Gaynell to renew their bond with them and meet the new members.

The FAIRS motto is “Building Global Friendship Through Amateur Radio“. Even though today we have advanced to internet  and other forms of communication, we still use amateur radio for personal interaction. Radio communication becomes even more important when natural and other disasters strike. As all other lines of communication fail, amateur radio is still fully operational.
 

Photos of Trip

Photo 1	Radio site and cabin of Valary US0YW and Nataly UR4YYW Chalyy. We visited with them on Mt Magura Ukraine - near the Romanian border
Photo 2	L-R Valary Jr; Nataly UR4YYW; Helen UR5WA and Gaynell KK4WWW at mountain radio site
Photo 3	Wind charger tower and cross on Mt. Magura
Photo 4	David KK4WW and Gaynell KK4WWW on top of Mt. Magura
Photo 5	Dinner in cabin on Mt Magura. L-R David KK4WW; Gaynell KK4WWW; Valary US0YW; friend Ruslan; Valery Jr; Nataly UR4YYW and Victor US5WE
Photo 6	Presentation of painting to Gaynell and David by Victor US5WE and Helen UR5WA. We stayed in the "Fairs Headquarters" home of Ham Dad Vlad U5WF in Lviv Ukraine. L-R Vlad U5WF; Victor US5WE; Gaynell KK4WWW; David KK4WW and Helen UR5WA
Photo 7	Ham friends and FAIRS members from Lviv Ukraine at party given by the Goncharskys for Dave and Gaynell celebrating 15 years of FAIRS activities in Ukraine. L-R Back Row: Slava UR5WG, Yuri US5WCU, Vic UR5WH (partly), Roman UT7WV, Yuri UT7WW, Dave US5WUS/KK4WW, Andrew UT3WX, Veronica SWL, Igor US2WU, Eugene UX5CY, Vlad UT1WA, Vic UT1WPR, Helen UR5WA  ; L-R Front Row: - Victor UR5WBK, Vlad U5WF, Gaynell US5WMV/KK4WWW, Julia UR5WDX, Vic US5WE, George UY5XE, Leo UT1WL
Photo 8	Our hosts Leo UT0YW and Luida of Chernovtsky, Ukraine.
Photo 9	Our hosts in Otwok Poland - we have visited with them many times on our travels to Ukraine. Left to right - Marta Osuch, Dave KK4WW, Victor VS5WE, Vlad and his wife Hannah SP51UL and Helen UR5WA