This is VK2ATZ, The official callsign of
Westlakes Amateur Radio Club located at Teralba, Lake Macquarie. Your reader this morning is Barrie VK2BXD. There
wil not be a simulcast being transmitted this morning on 3.565 MHz but the HF relay by courtesy of Warren VK2UWP
should go to air this evening. Callbacks follow at the conclusion of this news and it's all repeated again at 7 pm tonight.
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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The first item today is about "Anderrson House".WIA members and friends are invited to attend the formal opening of the WIA
premises at Unit 20, 11-13 Havelock Road, Bayswater, Victoria at 4:00pm Saturday, April 2nd. The premises will be named "Andersson House"
in honour of Henry Andersson VK8HA. Henry was an Honorary Life Member of the WIA, who passed away in October 2004. He left his property
at Humpty Doo, near Darwin, to the WIA. That generous bequest provided much of the funds needed to enable the purchase. Light refreshments
will be served between 4:00pm and 6:00pm, and a memorial plaque will be unveiled at a ceremony commencing at 4:30pm.
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And while on matters about the WIA, Westlakes has ordered a copy of the double-disc Centenary DVD. The boxed set includes footage
from the Centenary Dinner, historic presentations, and the trip to Dick Smith's property. There will be a showing od the DVD's in the
Westlakes Library on a Saturday afternoon to be named. It will give the club's new DVD projector another run. After the viewing the
DVD set will be placed in the library for members to borrow.
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Did you see "The pink dot tree" in the club grounds yesterday? This follows a request to Lake Macquarie City Council to lop
the giant gum because of concerns that a branch may fall and injure someone - or even worse, damage an antenna. Coucil has advised
that the tree has been marked with a pink dot and has been scheduled for for a trim. We must thank Geoff VK2GL for bringing the matter
to the council's attention.
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Was it lights out for Earth Hour at at your place last night? From its debut in Sydney in 2007, Earth Hour has become a global movement,
embracing 128 countries and territories in 2010. It all happened (or didn't happen) at 8.30 pm last night.
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Several members of the Westlakes theory class tried their arm at amateur examinations at Booral last weekend. Some results are trickling
in. Passing were Joe VK2FJOE, Bill VK2FWGJ, and Shaun who already has a Foundation call but we can't remember it. Perhaps someone can
tell of Shaun's call on callbacks and it will be included in tonight's news.
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The ACMA has announced that an increasing numbers of Australians are choosing to do away with their fixed-line phone altogether,
with an estimated 14 per cent of Australians without a fixed-line phone at home at June 2010, an increase of 40 per cent since June 2009.
Increasing functionality of mobile phones and continued handset innovations, including the emergence of the smartphone, tablets
and internet-enabled mobile devices, is underpinning the importance of mobile technology to the lifestyles of many Australians,’
say the ACMA. Young adults (aged 18–24) are leading the trend away from the fixed-line phone, with one in three now choosing not to
connect a fixed-line phone when they move out of the parental home. This figure has risen by 33 per cent in the past 12 months, with
the highest incidence occurring among young adults living alone or in share households
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And while on phones, Optus will add a new satellite, Optus 10, to it's fleet making it the largest in the company's and Australia's
history. Optus 10 will be delivered in 2013 and built in Palo Alto, California. Optus provides satellite services to Australia and
NZ government departments. It launched the first of Australia's satellite fleet 25 years ago. So now you know why the number of
fixed line phones is diminishing.
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The April edition of Westlakes Monthly Magazine is in the mail following a stapling and enveloping session in the club library
yesterday. The should arrive Monday. The electric version in full colour should be sent to those who choose email on Monday as well.
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And some stunning statistics about the awesome power of this earthquake. According to the BBC, experts they interviewed say that the
massive shaker may have shifted Japan's main coastline by up to 13 feet to the east. This is based on the country's network of 1,200
GPS monitoring stations. Also, the quake may have knocked the planet off its axis by about 6.5 inches. This will cause the Earth to
rotate a tiny bit faster and thereby shortening the day by about 1.8 millionths of a second.
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And finally, the meat tray result for yesterday. A total of 64 tickets were in the barrel and the winning ticket was drawn by Herb VK2ZVF.
When the ticket was unscrunched, it Said VK2VON. Lucky Mal.
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Well that's all the news I have this week. And a word of warning, our repeater is not well, so up the power for callbacks - it is not
the morning for QRP. This is VK2ATZ. Is there anyone with late news items?
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