It's Poitou-Charentes french region and particulary Chasseneuil du Poitou city that welcome us this year for the 30th CDXC convention.

Nearby Futuroscope, european themepark for image, that we organised our yearly meeting, in the Campanile hotel,  with the great advantage to have our meetings rooms at the same place.

As usual, convention participants arrived during the friday afternoon. some of them were also coming before, just to enjoy tourism and Futuroscope visit. On the casul friday night dinner, we were more than 100 peoples and this event is now integral part of the convention !

Anyway, as most of the peoples were coming from far away and were on the road most of the friday, the dinner end at a reasonable time.

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The following morning, all participants were on board at 9h00am, to meet newcomers and locals peoples. After one "silent minute" in respect to memory of thoses who passed SK during that year, followed by a welcoming speach from F8DYD, representing REF-86, our president F4AJQ started the "General Assembly" of the convention by presention his rapport moral

Then, audience looked at the financial report, presented by Laurent F8BBL (trésorier) who detailled the support given to expeditions during the previous year. Finally,  our secretary Jean-Paul F8BJI proceed to renewi the CDXC bureau.

After this more "formal" part of the meeting, some others speakers take lead, like Alain F5LMJ for a presentation of the future Bhutan activity in November 2008, F1JKJ for a quick look on the "futur" CDXC web site (no more futur as you are visiting it now) and finally Vincent, F5MJV, UFT president who confirmed the strong link existing between our associastion since years. There is actually a very good collaboration between both groups

As usual, seriously standing in a corner of the meeting room, Gérard F2VX had proceed with verification of QSL cards  given by OM that need to have them credited to their DXCC.

Time was running very fast and it was already lunch time ! The 111 participants were looking around the bar and CDXC shop, and, once the famous group photo taken,  enjoyed the lunch together.

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On the afternoon, the "Doctorat en DX" was organised, as always by Jean-Michel F6AJA, the questions of the Doctorat (on DX operation of the year, prefix history and general géography) were really great and the winner ("named" Doctor") this year was Franck F4AJQ !

The it was followed by some Expeditions presentations. From the most importants one to some minor activity, from french IOTA to the most wanted, it was great to see all theses stories and photos of the following activities:

• VP6DX by SV1JG
• TX5C (presentation by N6OX and N7CQQ, followed by a movie made by F6BFH)
• 9X0R (presentation by Toni EA5RM with help of F9IE),
• YK9SV by SV1JG
• J5C by F6KOP team
  
• TK7C (by most of the team)

The pile-up contest aims to decode a maximum of callsign during a time. There is 2 parts, one CW and one SSB. This year, the winners were F5LQ for the CW part (he was able to decode 16 callsigns) and EA5RM+EA3WL for the SSB.

At the end of the afternoon, the Clipperton DX Club has given out some awards:

 

First, the award of the "best expedition of the year with a french operator", given this year to 9X0R where F9IE was part of the team. This expedition in Rwanda was the result of a huge preparation work, with local authorities, but finally thanks to EA5RM and the team to allow most of us to put Rwanda into our log !

For next year, it has been decided that this award will begiven after online consultation of the CDXC members on this web site

Then, the award "Mérite du Clipperton DX Club" was given to some french and foreigners operators, for their intensive activity:

 

(photos F5CWU et F6AOJ)

Finally, to close this day, the "dîner de gala" with around 150 participants in a very nice spirit, thanks to F2VX et F4AJQ. Each participants was given a small present of this convention, thanks to our sponsors : le Conseil Général de la Vienne, et la société RF Ham.

 

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The following morning, most of the participants meet each others during breakfast, and then promise to meet again soon, on the air or ... in the next convention !