Good Morning this is VK2ATZ, The official callsign of Westlakes Amateur Radio Club,located at Teralba,
Lake Macquarie.
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Did you order a 2011 WIA Callbook through the club? Three are being held and they are for: Mark VK2CMS, Ken VK2UCF,
and Michael VK2FCMD. If you gentlemen could visit Westlakes over one of the next three Saturdays to pick up your book
and deliver to the treasurer $22, it would be appreciated.
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The last monthly meeting of the year takes place next Saturday, 4th December, in the club library commencing at 1.30pm.
It will be a busy afternoon as The December Magazines are to be stapled and enveloped before the meeting and that work
will commence around 11.30. Included with the December edition will be membership renewal forms for 2011. Fees for the
coming year remain the same, $20. All fees fall due on 1st February. There is no magazine published in January and that's
why renewals are sent with the December edition.
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Here is some good news for those who gather in the common room on a Saturday afternoon - particularly in summer. Next
Tuesday the club's air conditioning installation team will attempt to remove the defunct in-wall unit and replace it
with a brand new one. Particular care will be taken by the team not to fall off ladders.
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Yesterday's meat tray raffle was drawn by Frank VK2WH. The winning ticket belonged to VK2FRKO who admitted that it was
his second win this year.
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The WIA reports today that A French company Watteco has developed a new powerline modem based on Watt Pulse Communication
(whatever that is). This device transmits across the 2 - 4 MHz segment of the precious HF spectrum. The small, low cost,
low power consumption modem can be used for any type of data communication applications such as Smart Meters, Home Control
and Street Lighting it transmits a wideband signal across 2-4 MHz completely covering the Amateur Radio 80m band. We can
look forward to hearing more about about Watteco in 2011.
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It's coming - the turn-off of analogue Television. Households in the Mansfield Shire, South West Victoria, will get digital
only television transmissions at the end of the November. The Bonnie Doon and Howqua analogue transmitters will be switched
off on November 29. It is the second area in the country to go to digital only, after Mildura was switched over on June 30th
this year. The rest of regional Victoria will be switched to digital only on 5th May 2011 and New South Wales will follow
shortly after. Have you noticed the number of analogue TV's sitting of footpaths lately awaiting council pickups?
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You can tell the year is drawing to a close when advertising starts for the Wyong Field Day. There is only 91 days to go
before the 2011 event. Don't bother trying to work it out on two calendars, the 2011 Wyong Field Day will be held on
Sunday 27th February.
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Overseas news. A U.K. resident was sentenced at Hull Crown Court on 22 November for causing deliberate interference to amateur
radio users in the Hull region of Humberside between June and November 2009. The man aged 63, rigged his van with radio equipment
and parked outside the homes of other amateurs, jamming their transmissions.The defendant was also convicted of unlawfully
using radio equipment without a licence which was installed in his van and driven around the region to interfere with
legitimate users of the local amateur frequencies. He was sentenced to four months imprisonment suspended for 18 months,
a curfew between 7pm and 7am for 3 months via a means of electronic tagging and forfeiture of his van and radio transmitters.
There are around 900 amateur radio users in and around the Hull area, who have been deliberately disrupted for more than four
years. Ofcom is very pleased with this result, which will hopefully give these users some welcome relief, as well as sending a
strong signal to those that abuse the airwaves. This followed a dedicated investigation by Ofcom involving six enforcement
officers working day and night to bring the culprit to court. "Day and night" for four years? Imagine the overtime bill.
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And finally, have you seen Westlakes Christmas hamper? It's in the common room and getting bigger by the day. Donations to
the hamper, such as biscuits, nuts, festive drinks etc. are welcome. Gloria (of canteen fame) is selling tickets at $1 and
the winner of the hamper will be drawn at our Christmas Function on Saturday 11th December.
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Now at last, a reminder of comming events:
Saturday 4th December - Monthly General Meeting starting at 1.30pm.
Saturday 11th December - Westlakes Christmas Function and Krazy Golf starting around 1pm.
Please note that the club will be open on Saturday 18th December. However, as the following
two Saturdays fall on Christmas Day and New Year's Day, we will have a shut-down over those
two weeks and will re-open for business on Saturday 8th January 2011.
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Well that's all the news we have this week. This is VK2ATZ. Is there anyone with late news items?
Now to wind up. Westlakes Amateur Radio Club Inc. is located in York Street an is open on
Saturday Afternoons from around 12 noon until everyone goes home. Also on a Tuesday evening
from around 6pm. Although a Radio Club, we are on the telephone.Try dialling (02) 49 581588.
An answering service operates after hours. Visitors are alway welcomeat the club. We have
plenty of tea, coffee, and long-life milk. Plus, there are biscuits too.
