BROADCAST NEWS FOR 28TH JULY 2013.

This weeks lucky meat tray winner was carefully selected from the ticket tumbler by Barry VK2BZ. This weeks meat tray winner is, you Guessed it, Barry VK2BZ. Congratulations Barry and enjoy the meat tray. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- What happened at your club yesterday. It was all go on a few fronts. In the classroom, Geoff VK2GL took a couple of prospective "F"calls through the Foundation Licence Manual in preparation for their assessment which should be in a week or two. Andrew VK2UAI demonstrated that his eyesight is spot on when he replaced the finals board in his FT817 in the activities room. And the August club magazine was assembled and posted. Keep an eye on your letter box tomorrow for the Australia Post black and white version or you email inbox for the version in colour. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Things coming up. Next Saturday, 3rd August is Westlakes Monthly Meeting commencing at 1.30 pm in the club library. And Look for a lecture by Maurice VK2CD on how he makes his popular "screw driver" antenna. The date will be set at this meeting and will be advertised in the September Magazine. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ILLW is only a month away. The online registrations for the International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend on August 17-18 this year stands at 350 - with more to come setting the scene for another record year. In the lead is Germany on 53, just ahead of Australia with 52. Those arch rivals are followed by the USA (40), England (31), Argentina (21), with Sweden and a lot of late interest from Malaysia (both 15). So far portable amateur radio stations are lined-up in 34 countries. The aims of the fun event include raising the public awareness of the old structures, their need for preservation, and engender goodwill. A small but important representation comes from Belgium (2), Chile (2), Curacao (1), Gibraltar (1), Honduras (1), Panama (1), Sri Lanka (2), Taiwan (1), Turkey (1) and Ukraine (2). Westlakes A.R.C. will once again be operating out of Norah Head Lighthouse from Friday night till about 10am on the Sunday on the weekend of 16th -18th August and yes that is less than 1 month away. Everyone is welcome to come down and assist operate the radios or just come down and enjoy the scenery. You never know you might just see a whale or two swimming out there. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Not forgetting our club Field Day which will be held on the 15th September ( this is a Sunday ) and the club is looking for donations of equipment for the auction table. Remember no TVs, computer monitors, VCRs. Why not come and have your stall. If you are interested please contact Barrie VK2ABD to book your spot and remember to bring your own table for your goods. The famous Westlakes BBQ will be cooking steak and sausages and serving fresh salad for sandwiches. The guessing competition for the number of jelly beans in the jar will once again be there as a fund raising venture. Andrews Communications WILL NOT BE HERE THIS YEAR AND THIS IS DUE TO OTHER COMMITTMENTS. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WIA NEWS High Power Trial - Compliance Level Re-assessment.As part of the evaluation of the High Power Trial over 2012-13, the ACMA has been auditing the applications of amateur licensees holding temporary high power licence variations. As a result, the EMR Calculator, developed by Doug McArthur VK3UM and available via the WIA website, has been updated to provide improved guidance to all amateurs undertaking assessment of their stations’ compliance with electromagnetic radiation (EMR) requirements, whether or not they hold or wish to seek a high power licence variation. The ACMA’s intention from the audit is to gauge Amateurs’ level of understanding of, and compliance with, the EMR exposure requirements as part of its decision in considering a permanent power increase for Advanced amateur licensees. The requirements of EMR compliance are complex, and the audit found that a number of stations that believed they were operating under a Level 1 (low risk) Compliance should have, in fact, been classed as Level 2 (medium risk) Compliance. Many of these licensees used the EMR Calculator on the WIA website, developed by Doug McArthur VK3UM. Upon investigation, it was found there was a discrepancy between the requirements of the Amateur Licence Conditions Determination (the LCD) and the output of the EMR Calculator, with respect to antenna accessibility. This discrepancy appears to have arisen from the exposure levels specified in the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) Standard, on which the EMR Calculator’s results are based, and the exposure compliance requirements in the Amateur LCD. The EMR Calculator provided an accurate calculation of exposure levels for various station scenarios and drew a conclusion about the ACMA compliance, based on the actual calculated exposure levels. However, in the LCD, the exposure compliance level is determined by a set of simplified station conditions, rather than actual exposure levels, and this is the requirement that the ACMA determined should apply. For more information on the Power Trial please check out the WIA website. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ACMA looks for a rogue signal. The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has found that mostly the source of rogue signals that make some car remote locks useless are traced to a faulty continually transmitting electronic device. For about a month now motorists have had trouble locking or unlocking their cars, which also involves the vehicle immobiliser, when in part of Sydney. Strangely this happens only during business hours. While the ACMA, Southern Downs Regional Council and the Warwick Police are unable to immediately stop to the signal, the hunt continues. Maybe the interference time is a clue, with checks on shop entry sensors, and anything operated by wireless including doorbells, fans and possibly a weather station. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Are You at Risk by Using your Smartphone. People have suffered an electrical shock while they claimed to be using their Smartphones. The latest is a 28-year old Sydney woman who was hospitalised. It was not known whether her shock occurred while charging the mobile phone or just using it. The first two victims in China were charging allegedly using fake chargers, with the death of an airline cabin crew member, and a 30-year old last reported in a coma. Always remember to make sure that you have dry hands when plugging in your phone charger into 240 volts. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Emergency services bid for more spectrum. A Senate Committee has called for a 30 MHz slice of the 700 MHz band to be given for public safety and emergency use with money raised by the digital dividend auction. The Committee was asked to look at how much spectrum would accommodate the mobile data needs of the police, fire and ambulance services. During the inquiry the emergency services claimed that the ACMA, in opposing their bid for a bigger share of the spectrum, was influenced by the views of commercial mobile operators. The Committee recommendation is to ‘allocate 20 MHz of contiguous spectrum in the 700 MHz band’ for the public safety network, and emergency services be given ‘priority access to an additional 10 MHz’ in the same band. The emergency service groups wanted 2x10MHz spectrum in either the 700 MHz or 800 MHz bands. The Committee’s primary recommendation was similar to the approach taken in the United States in allowing emergency services on the former analogue television spectrum. If the recommendation was rejected by the Australian Government, the Committee identified an expansion of spectrum for the emergency services at 800 MHz. The ACMA is understood to be reviewing the spectrum allocation recommendations before a final decision is made by the Minister. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 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 from around 11:00 am. 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, a good Canteen and an interesting selection of biscuits. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

IRLP News

I took the oppotunity to visit the club yesterday with a view to reinstalling the IRLP node at the club. I finally got the chance last week to retrieve the crook unit from the ISP who had been very generously, letting us use his facilities. This caused its own problems in not being able to access the building over a weekend to carry out any repairs needed. John VK2JJW volunteered to have a look at the node radio and computer and give it a spruce up. My thanks to him for his efforts. Given there are a couple of other issues with the internet at the club the IRLP won't be installed there just yet. John has kindly let us set it up at his place obstensibly for testing purposes. When we sort the issues out at the club.

NEWS FOR JULY 21ST 2013

The first item today is news of a Silent Key. I regret to advise of the passing of Frank Lusa VK2FJL. Frank was a true friend to Westlakes Amateur Radio Club being its past President, magazine editor, news reader, and Life Member. He passed away in Lithgow Hospital on 15 July. The funeral service will be held at 11 am next Wednesday 24 July at Hoskins Memorial Church on the corner of Mort and Bridge Streets Lithgow. A moment's pause please in memory of Frank VK2FJL Thank you. Vale Frank Lusa VK2FJL. Also we have received news that Don Berry VK2DJB has passed away and the funeral was held during the week. Don was as an active member with WICEN and a member of Marine Rescue NEWCASTLE. VALE DON BERRY VK2DJB ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Last weeks meat tray winner Leonie VK2FHRK was not at the club to select this weeks meat tray winner so the draw was made by Allan VK2JED. The winner this week was Barry VK2BZ. Enjoy the meat tray Barry. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Westlakes August Magazine has been completed and will be dispatched to members next weekend via email (in colour) or via Austrlia Post (in black and white). The next Monthly club meeting will be held on Saturday 3 August. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Australian Remembrance Day Contest August 17th and 18th. Again this year, Remembrance Day falls on the same weekend as the International Lighthouse weekend. Alan VK4SN says "Unfortunately the RD cannot be moved. Lighthouse stations are welcome and encouraged to submit logs for the RD while having enjoyed both activities. " Remember that the new start and finish times are 0300z or 1PM eastern states. This time will let you have half a day free on both days of the weekend. Teams were very successful last year, so please notify vk4snwia.org.au of your team members prior to the start of the contest. 73 de Alan VK4SN ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ILLW is only a month away. The online registrations for the International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend on August 17-18 this year stands at 350 - with more to come setting the scene for another record year. In the lead is Germany on 53, just ahead of Australia with 52. Those arch rivals are followed by the USA (40), England (31), Argentina (21), with Sweden and a lot of late interest from Malaysia (both 15). So far portable amateur radio stations are lined-up in 34 countries. The aims of the fun event include raising the public awareness of the old structures, their need for preservation, and engender goodwill. A small but important representation comes from Belgium (2), Chile (2), Curacao (1), Gibraltar (1), Honduras (1), Panama (1), Sri Lanka (2), Taiwan (1), Turkey (1) and Ukraine (2). For the online registration of lighthouses, lightships and maritime beacons check out the website www.illw.net Jim Linton VK3PC And while looking at the lighthouse website, view the registered entrants for the 2014 event. There is only one so far and it's VK2ATZ booked in at Norah Head Lighthouse. Talk about quick off the mark! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Australia’s large concentrated solar power plant. In what is the largest concentrated photovoltaic solar power plant in Australia has been officially opened near Mildura and far north-west of Victoria. The plant in its first stage of a multi-million dollar facility uses new technology to efficiently produce energy, with its operators to build an ultimate 2000-dish station that could power about 40,000 homes.The array now has 40 dishes, collecting sunlight in more than 100 curved mirrors focused on ultra-high efficient photovoltaic cells, has fed the national grid for a month.The opening is a step toward progress on commercially viable large-scale solar energy generation.The technology was originally developed by Boeing to power satellites. The project has already received a $15 million from the State Government, and financial support of the Federal Government. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pirate radio station 3DR. For three days in September 1971 university students and draft resisters, protesting Australia’s involvement in the Vietnamese War, set up a pirate radio station on the AM band called 3DR – draft resist. The equipment also was used is Sydney via weather balloon antennas. At the Melbourne University the pirate broadcasts coincided with blockades and an infamous police raid that left most empty handed. The blockade came to an end, the transmitter and the four draft resisters escaped capture. Now we learn that the transmitter, built with help by radio amateurs, has been in storage and is looking for a home. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PRODUCT REVIEWS: TS-990 Accessibility Review: Just posted onto the Active Elements web site is a new accessibility review of Kenwood's new flagship radio, the TS-990. Kelvin, M0AID has put the new radio through its paces over the past couple of weeks. He has put together a full and informative accessibility review of the radio. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Preview days for the eagerly awaited IC-7100 touch screen HF-70cm (including 4 metres!) transceiver. Icom UK will be providing customers with full “hands on” experience of the IC-7100 touch screen at three of their leading Amateur radio dealers this month. Both these radios are can be looked up on the web for further information. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- For the DX chasers: Belgium Special callsigns from 21 July. In commemoration of 20 years since the ascension to the throne and the upcoming coronation of King Filip, Belgian Amateur Radio operators may use the OO prefix instead of the ON prefix starting July 21st through September 20th. “A commemorative award will be available for working a number of these OO stations” says Egbert Hertsen, ON4CAS, UBA Treasurer and Award manager. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WORLD NEWS: Airport black box developed by radio ham. The Kennebec Journal reports radio amateur Ron Cote N1SVC and John Guimond have developed a unit that could help prevent airplane crashes at small regional airports. The newspaper says that G.A.R.D, or General Audio Recording Device, was created and developed by John Guimond’s business partner, Ron Cote, of West Gardiner, through their new commercial venture, Invisible Intelligence LLC. The device aims to assist in the investigation of crashes by providing a recording of all radio traffic at smaller general aviation airports, without control towers, where currently no mechanism for recording exists. Ron Cote got his amateur radio licence at the age of 12. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Well that's all the news I have this week. 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 from around 11:00 am. 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 alway welcome at the club. We have plenty of tea, coffee, long-life milk, a good Canteen and an interesting selection of biscuits.