While we know that AMPS has been pretty quiet for a lot of the last year, there have been several projects going on in the background that members may not have been aware of and a lot of them seem to be bearing fruit at the same time.

You've seen that Boresight is getting back on schedule, that we are starting special issues on single topics and that we have an exciting new vendor discount program for members. Next on the list was an updated web site and Phase 1 that project is now live online. In the words of our webmaster, Chuck Rothman:

The website has undergone a major update. From the user's perspective, the following features have been added:

1. You can edit discussion group entries that you have posted
2. Discussion group entries can include formatting, such as bold, different colours, and different font sizes.
3. The Kit Listing section has been expanded. AMPS paid members can now enter kit listing records, and anyone can comment on existing records
4. A Model Photo Gallery has been added, where you can upload pictures of your models
5. The Real Vehicle Gallery has been expanded so that AMPS paid members can upload photo collections of real vehicles.
6. The Boresight article index has been expanded, and AMPS members can now download selected Boresight articles from past issues (note- the article database is being overhauled right now, so there isn't very much in there yet - this will be completed over the next month).

There are new features still to come, such as the Tank-o-pedia - a one stop compendium of everything to do with armoured vehicles, sorted by vehicle and variant. If you ever need a reference about where a particular bolt was located on a Tiger, or want to know what after-market kits are available for an M13-40, make the AMPS Tank-o-pedia your first stop. The Tank-o-pedia should be online prior to the AMPS 2007 International Show in April.

I hope you enjoy this new site. If you have any questions, drop me an email (go to "Contact Us" and select Webmaster).

Chuck Rothman
AMPS Webmaster


I'd like to thank Chuck for the huge amount of work that this has entailed over the last couple of months at a time when I know he has been very busy at home and at work.

I hope all of you enjoy the new site as a lot of the AMPS site is open to everyone, but members will find extra benefits for them that will continue to increase as we add more members-only content in addition to the open conent.

If you have any questions or comments, you can email me at:
tankmodeler@rogersdotcom replace the "dot" with "."

Paul

For those like me that didn't know the URL for AMPS here it is.

http://www.amps-armor.org/ampssite/default.aspx OOOPS

From what little I've checked it out so far it looks great. This alone might convince me to join AMPS.

Thanks for the heads up.

Hotlinked:

http://www.amps-armor.org/ampssite/default.aspx

Come on in, the water's fine! :-)

And thanks for posting the adderss, I thought I had it in my sig file, but apparently not! Gotta fix that....

Paul,
Nice new web site. Good luck with a Windows .NET environment. Unfortunately hackers really love going after those.

Cheers,
Jim

Is the AMPS International show a pretty big deal? Is it worth an 8 hour drive??

Gary

Well, given that, as President of AMPS, I am completely biased, I must say that if you are an AFV model builder, then it certainly is worth the drive. I usually drive 9-10 hours from Toronto, Canada and always find it a great show.

There simply isn't another show in North America with the same concentration of AFV models and vendors.

The judging method is unique; a standards-driven points-governed open-type system where every model is judged, on its own, prior to be ing put on the table for general viewing.

The seminars we have are usually by well known names in the field and they are usually heavly attended.

The members of the society are all first rate and I always have a blast during the show and during the partying afterwards in the evenings.

Being a 10 minute drive from the APG is a no small inducement, either.

If you're a treadhead/tank geek/panzer nerd or whatever, then I think you'll have a blast at the show.

Paul

Hi Paul,

Thank you very much for the info. I'm leaning towards going. I suppose I should become a member to attend?

Thanks again,

Gary

This will be my first show attended and since I only live 30 minutes away, that makes it even better! And for you guys that are debating whether to go or not, like Paul says, APG is right around the corner. Now where else are you going to see Atomic Annie and Leopold within 100 feet of each other?

Please look me up at the show so I can put a face tot he name!


Well, I'd love to say that you _have_ to be a member, but you don't. Members get a discount on entry, but non-members are welcome to every aspect of the show, including judging.

There are some good benefits to membership, though: the show discount, the spiffy-keen magazine, Boresight, that I just happen to be editor of, and our new and expanding range of members-only discounts (some as large as 20%!) from a wide range of makers and sellers of AFV model goods.

Oh, and don't forget our website. We are expanding the content and making it easier for members to access electronic issues of Boresight, a growing selection of reference photos and we are developing an AFV "Wiki" to allow everyone to exchange information and references on all kinds of AFVs. It will be user-driven so as people use it more, it will become more relevant and more complete. We'll say more when it's ready to go online.

Hopefully, that's convinced you. :-)

All the best,

Paul

Well Paul, I appreciate the information and I will consider joining. Actually, your French M47 was the inspiriation for my M47 I built last year and another reason I have found helpful information and photographs on Aurmorama.

Thanks,

Gary