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.