WESTLAKES NEWS FOR THE 30th MARCH 2014.

In the library yesterday there were many hands BUT, the hand that everyone was most interested in was Barry VK2VBF. He was in fact last weeks winner.The ticket tumbler went spinning and in went Barry's hand. The winning ticket belonged to Les VK2RJ. Enjoy the meat tray Les and see you next week. With less than 1 week to go to the clubs 50th Anniversary luncheon final names were taken yesterday closing at midday. The cost of the luncheon is $27.50 BUT Westlakes will pay $2.50 so you will only have to pay $25 per person. Also there is a 1 off special lucky door prize for members who attend.1 lucky person will win a $50 open order voucher from JAYCAR. CLUB CAR BOOT SALE: The clubs 1st boot sale for 2014 will be held on the 10th MAY commencing at 09:00. Please get in contact with the club secretary for more details and to book your spot.There will be a BBQ and drinks on the day for sale. Once again whatever you bring and don't sell you must take home with you. Remember to bring your own table and chairs as the club has not got enough to supply everyone. NOMINATION FORMS ARE NOW AVAILABLE: Members are advised that nomination forms for the club's executive and committee for the 2014/2015 year are now available. If you would like a form, contact the Secretary, Barrie VK2QG at the club or email: secretary@westlakesarc.org.au and a form will be sent to you. Please note nomination forms must be back to the Secretary no later than 1 pm Saturday 19 April 2014. FOUNDATION LICENCE UPDATE: The next Foundation Course and round of Assessments will commence on Saturday 26 April at 1.30 pm in the Westlakes Classroom. The tutor will be Geoff VK2GL who, with Steve VK2LW, will carry out the Assessment.There are already five candidates who have nominated and that is the maximum that can be handled in this group, however there are always cancellations or ferments. If you wish to be added to a reserve list please advise Geoff VK2GL at the club any Saturday. The first step of course is to purchase a Foundation Manual for $25. They are in stock at the Westlakes Store. Are you a shortwave listener or someone who listens to a scanner, well now is the time to get your licence, purchase your 1st transceiver and then get on air. It is truly a great experience. CLUB NETS: THE EZYBEE NET, 146.775 MHz SATURDAYS 8:00AM. THE 40 METRE NET 7.150 MHz Monday, Wednesday, Friday 09:30 LOCAL TIME. STONE THE CROWS 3.588 MHz SATURDAYS 6:00AM ARNSW Field day will be held at its Dural property which is located at 63 Quarry Road Dural NSW. The date is today, 30th March commencing at 9:00 am. There maybe some of our members already there as we read this broadcast. Generally there will be a few commercial sellers and boot sales to provide a good selection of interesting equipment and tools for sale. The event usually attracts between 40 to 70 buyers, sometime more. ALL WELCOME. New microwave world EME record. The new world distance record for 24 GHz on the Earth-Moon-Earth path has been set with a contact between Tasmania and Britain. Rex Moncur VK7MO and Charlie Suckling G3WDG bounced signals in the two-way QSO that has an official distance of 17,405.6 kms, put the pair in the record book. It was quite an achievement on March 5. Rex VK7MO was located to the height Mt Wellington near Hobart to minimise water vapour that attenuates signals at 24 GHz. The Moon was close to Earth, but being also visible at both ends had to be at a low elevation, which meant the signals passed through a lot of atmosphere. EME work at 24 GHz can be highly technical involving the right conditions, power and synchronisation. Well done to VK7MO and G3WDG. COULD THIS HAPPEN TO VK2RTZ AND OTHER REPEATERS IN OUR AREA. A sign of the times - will it spread? Jim VK3PC tells us that 3 Amateur Radio repeaters in Britain are being turned off overnight, presumably to save expenditure on their power bills. Many repeater groups elsewhere are faced with dramatically increasing costs including site fees, licences, insurance, maintenance and power. The Leicestershire Repeater Group has taken the bold step to limit the hours of its repeaters - on 2-metres GB3CF, 70-centimetres GB3LE, 6-metres GB3UM, and the ATV repeater GB3GV - to conserve club funds. These are now switched off between 10pm and 5am local time, but the club beacons will continue to operate 24 hours a day. Is this an option open to others who have repeaters? In the case of the Leicestershire Repeater Group, a dwindling membership which supports the repeaters is blamed. The same could be experienced by others, who may now consider rationalisation or time-limiting repeaters to reduce the growing drain on their finances. Looking for a home brew dualband antenna for your home station? Why not try building the FLOWER-POT antenna designed by John Bishop (VK2ZOI ). John belongs to the Hornsby and Districts A.R.C. The link to his site is http://vk2zoi.com/articles/dual-band-half-wave-flower-pot/ This antenna works extremely well. REMINDER VI2ATZ50 STARTS THIS WEEK: VI2ATZ50 will be first aired on our Wednesday net on 7.150 Mhz at 0:930 this week. During April at various times from the club shack and also in a portable capacity by allocated club members, VI2ATZ will be used as the club call sign throughout the month to give the most exposure to the Amateur population. Requirements to qualify for the Award will be... 1) 5 contacts with VI2ATZ50 2) 3 contacts with VI2ATZ50 and 3 club members 3) 10 contacts with WARC members A station could easily qualify on one of our morning club nets... eg: 10 members on air or VI2ATZ50 controlling a net and required members etc... VI2ATZ50 could visit another club’s net and allow points toward the award. The cost of the award is $5.00 to cover printing and postage cost’s. The award is printed on quality heavy duty paper stock and will be mailed flat in an A4 size envelope. Just an extract of your log, showing stations and times worked are all that is needed to apply. Also a special QSL Card will forwarded to all stations who make a contact with VI2ATZ50. Now, Dave VK2RD is putting together a roster of radio operators either to work the clubs special callsign either from home or from your QTH. It is very important that this callsign gets out on the airways for as many hours as we can per day as this will be a callsign every one will be chasing. Once again the club needs radio operators for this event. WIA VK Harry Angel Memorial Sprint May 3 Saturday May 2014 - 10:00 -11:46 UTC The Harry Angel Sprint is an annual 80m contest event, first established in 1999, to commemorate the life of Harry Angel VK4HA who at the time of his becoming a Silent Key was the oldest licensed amateur in Australia. The duration of the contest is 106 minutes, one minute for each year of Harry's life. The "HA" is open to all grades of licence holder and is particularly suited to operators new to contesting. Operating frequencies - CW 3500 - 3535 kHz. Phone 3535 - 3665 kHz . Icom IC-7000 To Be Discontinued. As many of you may already know, the Iconic IC-7000 is about to be discontinued, as such, Strictly Ham Pty Ltd has managed to secure Icom Australia's remaining stock. As Australia's premium Icom amateur dealer I have managed to secure a total of 31 units, these are available and in stock, don't leave it too long, you may miss out all together. *** IC-7000 Package deal, only 7 units left. Give Ross at Strictly Ham a call. Also... Ross is handling the sale of the remaining stock from Les at ARTC. There is a vast array of goods, Antennas, Tuners, Various other gear. For a full listing, go to the Strictly Ham Website for details.

WESTLAKES BROADCAST NEWS FOR THE 16th MARCH 2014.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The first session of the map reading and how to read a compass course took place at the club yesterday. The classroom was packed with would-be orienteers and there were maps and compasses galore. Congratulations to Geoff VK2GL whose idea it was to conduct this course. It looks like he has a real hit on his hands. Week two is on next Saturday. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The meat tray. In the the library the ticket tumbler went spinning and last week's winner Lloyd VK2XAA reached in and pulled out the ticket of Nigel VK2FNT, Who by the way, was seen wearing a brand new Westlakes badge. Congratulations Nigel. Enjoy the meat tray. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Visitors to the club yesterday would have noticed the freshly mowed grounds. After the rain two weeks ago, the grass got a late-summer spurt-on and our junior lawn mowing contractor got a spurt-on too. He is just back, recovering from a broken leg, much to the relief of our in-house geriatric lawn mowing team. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- There is only two weeks left to register your intention to attend The clubs 50th Anniversary Luncheon which will be held at the Cardiff RSL club. The date of this luncheon is Sunday April 6th. It will be held at the Cardiff RSL at 1100 for an all you can eat smorgasbord, including seafood. The cost should be $27.50 person, but Westlakes is subsidising the cost. That means it only costs $25 pay-on-the-day. Bookings are essential so you must have lodged your name with Greg VK2CW or Diane VK2FDNE by Saturday 29th March. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Here is another reminder. VI2ATZ50 will be aired during April at various times from the club shack and also in a portable capacity by allocated club members to give the most exposure to the Amateur population. There is free Award and to qualify, the requirements are: 1) 5 contacts with VI2ATZ50 2) 3 contacts with VI2ATZ50 and 3 club members 3) 10 contacts with WARC members A station could easily qualify on one of our morning club nets... eg: 10 members on air or VI2ATZ50 controlling a net and required members etc... VI2ATZ50 could visit another club’s net and allow points toward the award. As well as the Award, a Special Event QSL Card will forwarded to all stations who make a contact with VI2ATZ50. All operators using the special call MUST keep an accurate log of all contacts so they can be entered in a Master log for award scoring. Dave VK2RD is putting together a roster of club members either to work the clubs special callsign either from home or from their QTH. It is very important that this callsign gets out on the airways for as many hours as we can per day as this will be a callsigh EVERYONE will be chasing. Once again the club needs radio operators for this event. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The next Foundation Course and round of Assessments will commence on Saturday 26 April at 1.30 pm in the Westlakes Classroom. The tutor will be Geoff VK2GL who with Steve VK2LW, will carry out the Assessment.There are already five candidates who have nominated and that is the maximum that can be handled in this group, however there are always cancellations or deferments. If you wish to be added to a reserve list please advise Geoff VK2GL at the club any Saturday. The first step of course is to purchase a Foundation Manual for $25. They are in stock at the Westlakes Store. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Are you wondering why there is extra activity on the bands this weekend? Yes it's the Annual John Moyle Field Day Contest which commenced at 0100 UTC yesterday and finishes at 0059 UTC today. There is still a few hours to go, so take pity on those hardy souls who have been up all night calling CQ and give out a point or two. Richard VK2FRKO has been leading a small team from the Port Stephens Club and they are located at Old Sydney Town using the call sign VK2AOJ. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Well that's all the news I have this week. Do you have a news item 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 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, but diminishing, selection of biscuits.

WESTLAKES NEWS FOR THE 9th MARCH 2014.

Yesterday at the club there were 3 meetings, the 1st being a Committee meeting followed by a Newcastle show debrief and then our monthly meeting. Barry VK2VBF chaired the debrief and took notes and wrote them on a white board and in time will write up a summary of the pertinant details. In the absence of our President, Vice President Geoff VK2GL chaired the meeting and some of the discussion points were – grass cutting of the grounds of the club by our mower boy. Next the roof will be looked at and repaired so that no more water enters the building near where the attendance book is situated. This will require a complete new Box gutter and a covering mesh to prevent leaves from blocking the gutter. Richard and John, (one of our new members who is a Builder) are looking after this project. An offer of some new security camera’s was made and will be looked into where they will be installed. After the meeting the meat tray draw took place by Ally VK2AFZ and on the winning tickets was the callsign of Lloyd VK2XAA . Congratulations Lloyd and enjoy the meat tray. In the common room Penny had prepared a feast and with a new rattler of the can, (VK2FDNE) for donations for the feast everyone was seen enjoying an excellent selection for afternoon tea. A BIG thank you Penny from everyone yesterday. There will be no involvement in the John Moyle field day by Westlakes as nobody has come forward to offer their assistance. VI2ATZ50 will be aired during April at various times from the club shack and also in a portable capacity by allocated club members to give the most exposure to the Amateur population. Requirements to qualify for the Award will be... 1) 5 contacts with VI2ATZ50 2) 3 contacts with VI2ATZ50 and 3 club members 3) 10 contacts with WARC members A station could easily qualify on one of our morning club nets... eg: 10 members on air or VI2ATZ50 controlling a net and required members etc... VI2ATZ50 could visit another club’s net and allow points toward the award. A special QSL Card will forwarded to all stations who make a contact with VI2ATZ50. All operations of the special call MUST keep an accurate log of all contacts so that contacts can be entered in a Master log for award scoring. Station ID: VK2ATZ/P Along with the special event callsign comes our Luncheon at the Cardiff RSL club. The date of this luncheon is April 6th and meeting at the Cardiff RSL at 1100 for all you can eat. The cost is $27.50 per person BUT... Westlakes will subsidise the rest of the cost. That means you ONLY pay $25. The club has a bulk seating arrangement with the club so you must have lodged your name with Greg VK2CW or Diane VK2FDNE by the end of this month. JOHN MOYLE FIELD DAY 2014 This year the contest will occur over the weekend of Saturday the 15th to Sunday the 16th March, the duration of the contest will be from UTC 0100 on the Saturday to 0059 UTC on Sunday. That’s next weekend so listen out on all bands - you just might hear some familiar callsigns. The Port Stephens A.R.C will be operating out of Pioneer Park, Somersby. Today ARNSW are holding a HF ANTENNA DAY and Richard VK2FRKO and Leigh VK2KAL will be there. I am sure they will come back with a heap of knowledge. Either that or Richard will show them how it's done. WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- ILLW Set for International Lighthouse & Lightship Weekend. Australia on course for another very successful weekend in August with 35 registrations so far, including a lightship moored at Brisbane. Around the coast VK3 is in the lead with 11 registrations, VK4 has eight, VK7 on five, VK2 and VK6 tied on three, and in VK5 there's two registered. Cape Todd Lighthouse, popular last year as VK8GM at Alice Springs, is also ready for the Todd River Regatta. In Queensland, the Bunya Mountains and District Amateur Club has registered the Carpentaria Number 2 light-vessel at the Queensland Maritime Museum. The club will issue a special QSL card. Identical riveted steel acetylene powered barge-mounted lights were built in Sydney in 1917. They served as ship navigation in the Gulf of Carpentaria. The label of 'Carpentaria' stuck, even when later stationed in Victoria's Bass Strait oilfields. The sister Carpentaria Number 4 lightship at Sydney's Darling Harbour was in last year's event. Plan now to join in and register a marine beacon on-line for August the 16th and 17th weekend, by visiting the dedicated website www.illw.net ARE YOU A CW SPECIALIST? Then this contest is for you. Maritime Radio Day 2014 April 14th to April 15th. The Maritime Radio Day is held annually to remember the nearly 90 years of wireless service for seafarers. Since its beginning in 1900, Maritime Radio was in use mainly until the end of 1998. The MRD is open to all Amateur Radio Stations. Special stations (like Coastal radios and ship callsigns) can participate to the MRD only if operated by former Commercial or Navy operators, or by radio technicians who worked in the installation and/or maintenance of naval equipment. If you are a former merchant marine Wireless Operator (or former technician) please register to this event by communicating your certificate type/year and the details about your MRD activation to R/O Rolf Marschner at: dl9cm@t-online.de Rules: 1 Bands: 160m, 80m, 40m, 20m, 15m & 10m & WARC 2 Mode: CW only 3 Power: not limited Full Rules are available at www.trafficlist.net/mrd/‎ SWLs have to send a complete log entry. Licensed operators can send their contact list with naval, coastal, special stations to dl9cm@t-online.de IC-7700 Firmware upgrade. ICOM has announced a firmware upgrade for the IC-7700 HF/50MHz base station transceiver. The upgrade will provide the same additional features as made available to its big brother transceiver, the IC-7800. The new firmware will be available for download from the ICOM website during March.

WESTLAKES NEWS FOR THE 2ND MARCH 2014.

Well today's broadcast was going to be LIVE from the Newcastle Show where we have been since Thursday afternoon but the location we have turns out to be a RF hole where we could not trigger VK2RTZ. The rain was again with us and became very heavy during Thursday night and completely swamped our gazebos and turned them inside out. Greg VK2CW was left in charge of the night watch and in the early hours of Friday morning made frantic phone call to Dave VK2RD to advise of the destruction. An early morning inspection found 2 of our 3 Gazebos were destroyed. A clean up found no other damage to equipment or display items so a quick executive decision saw Barry VK2VBF and Geoff VK2GL sent out to source another heavier duty unit. This was duly erected on their return with the help of our new found friends at the Police display just near us, Many thanks guy’s. What we have on display is an old VHF transmitter that set a record as the first 2 metre contact in 1947 to New Zealand. An original spark gap transmitter, broadcast receiver,a computer with the Morse code song playing plus various other forms of communications equipment. There were multimeters for sale at a bargain price, Michael VK2CCW had his man pack operating and using various types of antennas managed to make a few contacts. Maurie VK2CD had his magnetic loop operating and was pulling in the Russians on a 5x7 signal. Steve VK2LW was walking around with his ATV transmitter and while close by the picture on the TV screen was great BUT once Steve started walking away only some 100 feet the signal degraded and disappeared. It was agreed that a better receive Antenna was required. He was after all only running less than 100 Milliwatts. A special thanks to Dianne and her sister for Security patrol on Friday night and to Max VK2TTI for the Saturday night shift. The 50 year club shirts looked real smart on everyone who wore them. Only time will tell if the club gained any members out of this venture. If you are going to the Show today, please call into our stand near the Exhibition Hall and say G’Day. From the Committee to everyone who assisted at the Newcastle show A BIG THANK YOU. Last Sunday was the Central Coast ARC Field day. The big event went well according to all reports and the rain mostly held off. I am sure that if anyone has any suggestions on making this a bigger and more interesting day I'm sure that the CCARC would be happy to hear from you. Well in the interest of Amateur radio in Australia, the W.I.A. has increased it membership fees from $80 to $95 for full membership. Concessional membership will be $80 per year. All other membership categories will rise in the same proportion, except for student membership, which – at $35 a year – will not change. To ease the burden of paying your full membership fee up-front – for those of you who may wish to do so, the WIA is introducing the OPTION of quarterly membership payments by direct debit from your bank account. The WIA Board made these decisions at its February teleconference after many months’ research and lengthy, detailed discussions at previous monthly teleconferences. Our next major upcoming event will be our 50th Anniversary Luncheon at Cardiff RSL on Sunday 6th of April for an all you can eat Smorgasbord at a cost of $25.00 per head. The club will subsidise the remainder. If you wish to attend then please make a booking with Greg VK2CW or Dianne VK2FDNE by Saturday 29th March to register. Also during the month of April the club will use the special call of VI2ATZ50 to celebrate the formation of the club by Keith Howard VK2AKX (SK) in April 1964. A club award will be available for qualifying for certain amount of contacts and each contact will receive a QSL card in acknowledgement. Well that's all the news we have this week. Do you have a news item 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. 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 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.