WESTLAKES BROADCAST FOR OCTOBER 14TH 2012

Yesterday, was the clubs general meeting and with a small number of members in attendance some of the items that were discussed were - Possible grant to get installed EMERGENCY exits at two other parts of the club building.( have to install safety ramps ). A very important matter is in regards to the signing of the ATTENDANCE book. This is very important as it covers the event of a fire as record of the number of people that are at the club at the time as well for any insurance matters. I know its pain BUT please do it for the clubs sake. The club is also looking at erecting an EVACUATION ASSEMBLY POINT sign to be put up near the container. The Westlakes Cup contest was talked about as the number of people taking part in the contest is less and less each year. The cups and engraving cost the club $100 and there were only 11 people this year. Only 2 logs have been submitted so far. Something the club is going to trial on the 10th NOVEMBER is a CAR BOOT SALE. This will be FREE so please tell all your friends and spread the word around. Anything that you wish to get rid of bring it along. Your unused items may be someone else’s treasure. The starting time will be 1200 so people who work in the morning will have time to get to the club. There will be a BBQ for anyone who maybe hungry. Remember any items that you bring and don't sell MUST be taken home with you. After the meeting there was a feast put on and prepared by Diane VK2FDNE, Penny and Leigh VK2KAL. It was superb. Thanks from everyone who was there. The next club general meeting will be held on the 3rd November commencing at 1300 hrs in the library. Please come along and support the club. Now a good news story for someone. The ticket tumbler was spun by Norm VK2KNC and a winner selected. There can only be one winner and that was Herb VK2ZVF. Congratulations Herb enjoy your winnings. The project officer Norm VK2KNC has advised the the current project now has 11 members making up the broadcast receiver. Just a reminder that judging day will be at our xmas party and yes there is a 1st prize donated by Geoff VK2GL. Norm also announced that the next club project will be QRP 40/80 meter transceiver. Richard VK2FRKO and Norm VK2KNC have just received their kits and with the purchase of some extra componets we hope to have the kit finished before Christmas. The kit is Australian made. You would be looking at about $140.00 -150.00 for everything. It is a very compact transceiver. Listen and watch out for further reports on this next project. Maurie VK2CD was at the club yesterday to show us his homebrew variable tuning capacitors for his magnetic loop which he is constructing. It just goes to show that yes homebrewing is still around. Congratulations Maurie and well done. Yesterday,Alan ex VK2PNC and now VK2ALL was at the club. Did you manage to congratulate Alan on his upgrade? I am sure he will be at the club again in the near future for you to congratulate him. JOTA around the corner. Scouts throughout the world are getting ready for the 55th Jamboree On The Air which occurs on the weekend of October 20 to 21. This year's JOTA theme is -- How Big Is Your World? -- is an invitation to scouts to reflect on how they can enlarge their own world by interacting with others, while using modern methods of communication. Stations will call 'CQ Jamboree' on preferred calling frequencies but may also pop up anywhere in the band. Most of the contacts will be via voice with scouts talking to others in the movement. Specialised communication can also be used such as video, digital, satellite, IRLP or repeater. Some individual members of scouts already have their own Foundation Licence or a higher grade, while most of those being supervised on air are mostly microphone- shy newbies. The World Scout Bureau had more than 700,000 scouts involved last year from about 6,000 amateur radio stations. New qualification for recreational boaters. A mandatory qualification for recreational boaters using VHF marine radio channels within Australian territorial waters is to be introduced and expected to start in 2013-14. The Australian Communications and Media Authority which reviewed the VHF marine radio operator qualification arrangements has found a new qualification is needed, based on submissions it has received and its own spectrum responsibilities. The ACMA will coordinate the development of the Australian Waters Qualification which will become the new mandatory qualification for recreational boaters using VHF marine radio channels. If you hold the Restricted Radiotelephony Operators Certificate of Proficiency and the Third Class Commercial Operators Certificate of Proficiency, you are still legally qualified to operate a marine radio. You may need to obtain a Satcom if operating certain types of marine satellite equipment. A person operating a VHF marine radio without an appropriate certificate of proficiency or being under the supervision of a qualified person, may be in breach of the Radio Communications Act. Penalties include significant fines and imprisonment. WORLD NEWS: Sprite satellites to be launched. A project called to KickSat plans to send into space 200 satellites in one hit to show off ChipSats called Sprites and developed at the Cornell University in the USA. A CubeSat is being built to carry and deploy the Sprites, spacecraft that include power, sensor, and communication systems. Sprites are the size of a couple of postage stamps but have solar cells, a radio transceiver, and a microcontroller with memory and sensors. After their deployment, telemetry and sensor measurements from the individual Sprites are to be received through Cornell's ground station in New York, as well as several other amateur radio ground stations. The launch date from Cape Canaveral is planned for next July. They are expected to re-enter the atmosphere and burn up within weeks. Intrusions on our bands. The Russian military using the F1B and PSK modes seemed to have increased presence on the 7, 10, 14 and 21 MHz bands with complaints being filed by the German administration BNetzA. The IARU Region 1 reports that between 7000 and 7200 kHz alone, the Russian military occupied 26 frequencies in September. To re-emerge on 40m is the Chinese over-the-horizon radar even stronger than before with 10 Hertz-wide very strong burst signals. They have also been heard with OTH radar signals on 20m and 15m. OTH radar signals have been heard from Australia, Cyprus and Turkey as well. The 10m band is being used by CB operators, taxi service, fish boats and sea pirates in many countries. Raytheon Company has received a $349 million five-year, multi-year contract to provide heavy anti-tank, wireless precision-assault missiles for the U.S. government. Under this contract, Raytheon will deliver 6,676 of the new wireless TOW (tube-launched, optically tracked, wireless-guided) missiles that receive commands from the gunner through a wireless guidance link, eliminating the wire connection in early generations of the missile. With the wireless system built into the missile and the missile case, the next-generation TOW works with existing launch platforms, including the Improved Target Acquisition System, Improved Bradley Acquisition System, TOW2 Subsystem and M220 Ground TOW. The system performs exactly like the wire-guided version, enabling soldiers and Marines to continue using the proven weapon without changing tactics or incurring additional training. The tube-launched, optically-tracked, wireless-guided (TOW) weapon system, with the multimission TOW 2A, TOW 2B, TOW 2B Aero and TOW Bunker Buster missiles, is the premier long-range, precision anti-armor, anti-fortification and anti-amphibious landing weapon system used throughout the world today. TOW is in service in more than 40 international armed forces and integrated on more than 15,000 ground, vehicle and helicopter platforms worldwide. The TOW weapon system is expected to be in service with the U.S. military beyond 2025 Well that's all the news I have this week. This is VK2ATZ. Is there anyone with any late news items? Do you have a news items that you would like read out on a broadcast? Contact Richard VK2FRKO on email address vk2frko@tpg.com.au or give the item to Richard at the club. Now to wind up. Westlakes Amateur Radio Club Inc. is located in York Street, TERALBA - and is open on Saturday Afternoons from around 12 noon. Also on a Tuesday evening from around 6pm. To make contact at other times, try dialling (02) 49 581588 where an answering service operates. Visitors are always welcome at the club. We have plenty of tea, coffee, long-life milk, and an interesting selection of biscuits.