Good Morning and wecome to this week's local news broadcast . This is VK2ATZ, The official callsign of
Westlakes Amateur Radio Club located at Teralba, Lake Macquarie. There
may be a simulcast being transmitted today on 3.565 MHz and if you can hear it, the relay by courtesy of Warren VK2UWP.
Callbacks follow at the conclusion of this news and it's all repeated again at 7 pm this evening. Westlakes local news
can be heard each Sunday on this repeater, VK2RTZ, at 9am local. Following at 9.30am is a relay of the Australia-wide
amateur radio news from VK1WIA.
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A reduced crowd attended WEstlakes yesterday. Numbers were down probably because of the John Moyle Field Day taking place this
this weekend. The meat tray draw was was won by Herb VK2ZVF - a first time time winner. There were second and third prizes, two
bags of buns which were won by Brian VK2FG and Geoff VK2GW.
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Next Tuesday at 9am the club grounds are going to be mowed - weather permitting. All help would be appreciated. So if are looking
for a couple of hours of fun, turn up and lend a hand. Mowers, snippers and petrol are all provided. If the weather is doubtful,
There will be a mower meeting on Westlakes repeater 6775 at 8am. So that's 8am next Tuesday on this repeater for a "go or no go" and a
9am start for the lawn mowing.
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It was announced this week that Microsoft's IE9 browser is now live and ready for use. The release comes as Microsoft's browser
market share is being whittled down by a growing roster of rivals.Competition is also coming from non-browser traffic generated
by mobile phones and tablets. Microsoft said one key feature in IE9 was tools to stop people being tracked as they move from site
to site. Estimates from web analysis firm Net Applications suggest that Internet explorer has about a 56% share of the global market.
The same study suggests Firefox has about 22%, Chrome 11% and Safari 6%. IE9 does not run on Windows XP and can only be used with
Windows 7 and Vista.
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Next Saturday afternoon in the club library, that's 26th March, will be the assembly and enveloping of the April magazine. All help
would be appreciated. It all starts around midday.
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The club shack had a brief activation yesterday in the form of Derek VK2MLA who was heard rattling along in CW to a VK3 station who
was calling CQ in the John Moyle Field Day. Well done Derek. And speaking of the John Moyle, The Hunter Radio Group contest team are
operating VK2AWX portable at Booral for this weekend's Contest. They should be on air this morning. And speaking of Booral, several
members of Westlakes current radio theory class are attending Booral for examinations this weekend. We wish them well.
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Radio Amateurs assist in earthquake relief. The JARL (Japan Amateur Radio League) website reports that the Ministry of Internal Affairs
and Communications Director Infrastructure, Emergency traffic center has asked for assistance from JARL members in the affected area.
It is understood that communications in the disaster area are being hampered by a lack of electricity. Ham radio operator JA1DOT in Japan
was able to make contact with a US operator WB2REM hours after horrible 8.9m quake. HAM radio always works!JARL has requested to keep
clear the frequency 7.030 MHz as it is used for emergency traffic related to the Japan earthquake and tsunami.
ICOM, Kenwood, and Yaesu, have issued statements how the natural disaster has affected their operations. Yaesu had reported that one of
their factories in Fukushima was damaged and will be closed for one to two weeks.No one from ICOM is known to be injured. No damage has
been reported at ICOM’s headquarters in Osaka, or at either of their two main factories in Wakayama.
Most of ICOM’s facilities and systems are ready to get back to normal business.
Kenwood says that Power outages and interruptions to transport have kept most staff at home since the earthquake and operations will
will fully resume in a week. Since Kenwood’s primary manufacturing facilities are in Malaysia, electronics production is unaffected.
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The 14th annual Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend will be held as a fun event in the weekend of 20-21 August. Westlakes will once again
activate VK2ATZ at the lighthouse at Norah Head. Already 135 registrations have been received and it is on track to nudge last year's
total of 447. For some obscure reason, Germany and Australia traditionally account for most entries.
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And finally, there are two items for sale. First Up for auction is one space shuttle, designated "Discovery". Shuttle is used, but
only travelled 148 million miles. Fresh paint with minor scuffs and dings. Fully restored interior featuring six 80 watt stereo amplifiers
and more than 61 speakers total.Height 184.2 ft, Diameter 28.5 ft, weight 2,000 tons. Winning Bidder must meet certain requirements including
the ability to pay $40 million in shipping and handling charges. Apply to NASA with your offer.
The second item is more practical. Is there anyone listening who would like a 2-section triangular tower? It extends to 10 metres and
the best thing is the price....free. It is also delivered to your QTH free. There is only one condition, you have to use it - in other words,
no on-selling. Telephone Kingsley on 6558 1979. Again, telephone Kingsley on 6558 1979.
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Well that's all the news I have this week. This is VK2ATZ.
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