WESTLAKES NEWS FOR 8TH December 2013

IN the library yesterday was the clubs December meeting and some of the items included discussion of planned activities for our 50th anniversary next year. The main discussion centred around the club participation at Newcastle Show involving quite a few club members at various levels. If you would like to be involved in this and other planned activities then contact Geoff VK2GL or a Committee member. After the meeting was the drawing of this weeks meat tray. Penny Smith reached into the ticket tumbler and and wrestled with the gremlins inside the barrel to get a winning ticket out. Congratulations to Kate Warner VK2FKAT, a new licence holder and also a new club member. Enjoy the meat tray Kate. Don’t forget... Only 1 week to the Westlakes Christmas Party to be held next Saturday 14th December commencing around 11:00 am. All supplied, Just bring your own drinks, table and chairs and nibbles and of course your XYL too. See you there. IMPORTANT INFORMATION FROM THE WIA: AUSTRALIANS are risking identity theft by offloading old memory cards on eBay and the like without properly deleting their personal data, experts warn. Brisbane's Courier Mail newspaper says of 140 second-hand memory cards on the online auction site over an 11-month period, a study group managed to recover photos, videos, text messages, sensitive documents and home-made pornography. Twenty cards showed no attempt to delete data, and some senders merely requested the buyer ignore or delete the contents. In a further 82 cases, researchers managed to retrieve poorly-deleted files using forensic software. Two of the memory cards were suspected to contain illegal content and were handed to police, while another held governmental information plus a handful of SMS messages. HAPPY BIRTHDAY AO-7: Did you Know: The AO-7 Amateur Radio satellite turned 39 years old on November 15. Launched in 1974 from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California as the second AMSAT Phase 2 ham satellite, AO-7 continues to amaze. After its batteries succumbed to old age, AO-7 went silent in 1981, only to spring back to life in 2002, although some believe it may have resurrected itself as much as a year earlier. AMSAT describes the Mode A/B bird as “semi-operational” and “almost certainly” running solely from its solar panels. The ham satellite organization theorizes that AO- 7’s batteries shorted when they failed, but the short circuit subsequently opened, allowing the satellite to return to life. This means AO-7 only works when it receives direct sunlight, and it shuts down when in eclipse. Since the satellite became undead, terrestrial users have enjoyed numerous contacts via AO-7. AMSAT-NA this week offered its congratulations to all involved in the designing, building, launching, and operating the satellite, adding, “It's an amazing achievement that, other than the batteries, most of the circuitry continues to function normally 39 years after launch.” News From ZL: Radio microphones changes in NZ. New Zealand's Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE) has recently concluded its work on the changes to the frequency ranges available for radio microphone use. The outcomes of the recent UHF Radio microphones: Opportunities for future use consultation have been implemented permitting new frequency ranges and digitally modulated radio microphones. From 11 March 2015, radio microphones (and other wireless audio devices, such as in-earpieces) will no longer be permitted to operate in the 698-806 MHz frequency range. This aligns with the deadline that was set in 2010. A deadline of 1 January 2014 has also been set where the sale and supply of radio microphones in the 698 – 806 MHz frequency range will no longer permitted. The MBIE has begun a communications campaign to ensure radio microphone users and suppliers are aware of, and prepared for, the changes and their deadlines. A brochure and fact sheets on the changes are being distributed to users and suppliers of radio microphones with further information available on www.retune.co.nz NEW PRODUCT UPDATE AND FIRMWARE: Icom America releases firmware upgrade for IC-7800 HF/50MHz transceiver. Icom America announces a new firmware upgrade to its celebrated IC-7800 HF/6M transceiver. This update provides an enhanced user interface, refined operational controls, improved audio and voice functionality and more. The firmware and user manual are free to download online. Icom’s latest IC-7800 upgrade reflects forward-thinking technology and provides a greater user experience for the serious amateur radio operator. New and improved features include: Spectrum Waterfall Display: Review RF and AF characteristics on the IC-7800’s impressive 7-inch color LCD. Includes a wide screen setting. PC Mouse Operation: Connect a mouse via USB to select operating frequency and control the spectrum scope. Audio Scope Function: Review the FFT scope with waterfall and oscilloscope. In CW mode, observe microphone compressor level and other attributes. Direct Remote Control Operation: Connect directly to an IP network using Icom’s optional RS-BA1 software and the IC-7800’s internal base station function. (A user operation PC is still required; a base station PC is not.) Digital Voice Recorder: Automatically capture incoming/outgoing calls onto an external memory card or flash drive. Other updates include an APF function to increase volume up to 6dB (adjustable by 1dB step), transmit delay function to control a connected external linear amplifier, USB flash drive compatibility, and added RIT and Delta TX commands for CI-V remote control. The firmware upgrade is available now. For more information, visit the IC-7800 product page on Icom America’s website. The Radio Store closes down: The Radio Store, one of the landmarks that gave Akihabara its 'Electric Town' nickname, closed its doors for the last time on Saturday evening after 64 years in business Computer World report Tokyo's world-famous Akihabara district lost one of its signature stores on Saturday, November 30, 2013, and with it a piece of the area's rich electronics history faded away. On hearing about the closure, Mr. Mae, a 76 year old retired engineer and amateur radio operator traveled 500 kilometers from Fukui Prefecture in western Japan to reminisce. When he was 16, he used what savings he had to go to Tokyo he built his first radio receiver from components he bought at the Radio Store. He has been an enthusiast ever since. "When I came to Tokyo for university I was here every day," he said. "We could talk to the clerks and other radio fans about the latest technology developments and we would all always be saving for next new component. I moved on from receivers to amateur radio operation, so naturally I built my own transmitter. It opened me up to the world." He remembered how the Radio Store's success led to the building of the nearby "Radio Centre" and from there, more buildings started to pop up housing similar component vendors. "It was always busy," he said. "It would take a few hours to move around and wait in line to shop at the popular vendors. Often the best components would get sold out very quickly." Read the full Computer World story with 15 photos at http://www.computerworld.co.nz/ Well that's all the news we have this week. do we have any late news items? Do you have a news items that you would like read out on a future broadcast? Then Contact Richard VK2FRKO on email address vk2frko@tpg.com.au or give the item to Richard at the club. 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 6:00 pm. 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.