WESTLAKES NEWS FOR 13 APRIL 2014

This is VI2ATZ50 Portable, the Special Event callsign for Westlakes Amateur Radio Club. This call is being used for the month of APRIL, celebrating the 50th Anniversary since the founding of Westlakes . We start this broadcast with the news of two silent keys. The 1st is Paul Hammond VK2HMV who passed away in Gosford Hospital yesterday. Paul was a long time member of our club and served in various positions in his early association with Westlakes. Paul helped organise and run the daily Maritime net on 14.300 Mhz and was well regarded throughout the pacific area. The second SK is Frank Kentish VK2WH. Frank was also a long time member of the club and was involved in our club nets and was also a regular attendee on Saturdays. With his cheery smile he greeted everyone. Both will be missed. VALE Paul and Frank. The library was a hive of activity with Greg VK2CW selling tickets in the meat tray raffle. Last weeks winner Greg, VK2FGJS was waiting for the call so that he could pull this weeks lucky winner out of the ticket tumbler. When the time came, Greg reached in, selected a ticket and the callsign on the ticket was.... VK2QG. Congratulations Barrie and enjoy the meat tray. Lloyd VK2XAA and Dave VK2RD were busy conducting an Audit of the clubs books to ensure all is in order for the upcoming AGM next month, on Saturday the 3rd May. Keep this date handy and come along to cast your vote for the Committee to see the club through for the next 12 months. Saturday 3rd May is the day 13:30 (1:30 pm) in the Library. Norm VK2KNC was busy repairing a Yaesu SWR/Power meter that had stopped working and ended up on his bench. Some diligent work, and replacement of a couple of components and all was well again. A good bloke to have around is our Norm... Last Sunday, 50 Westlakes club members and visitors gathered at the Cardiff RSL for the clubs 50th birthday luncheon. The food was great and it was good catching up and talking to everyone again. Half way through the luncheon Dave VK2RD ( MC for the dinner ) called for a bit of shush as he had a few presentations to hand out. The following members received a certificate of appreciation for the work that they do in the background to make the club work. The members were... VK2LW, VK2FRKO,VK2CW and Penny, VK2QG,VK2VBF, VK2GL, VK2ZM and VK2KNC ( NOT PRESENT ). Norm was presented with his certificate yesterday. There will be some good photos in the next issue of the clubs magazine. NOTE: Next Sunday being Easter Sunday, there will NOT be a broadcast as the readers and News Team will be away. Our News Editor is heading to Urunga to cover the annual convention and no doubt be on the lookout for any bargains as well. The club will be open as usual for those who cannot stay away. Antenna Discussion: This weeks antenna is the dipole antenna.This is the easiest antenna that an amateur radio operator can build. One of the formulas on the web that is used to calculate the total length of the dipole antenna is 468 divided by the frequency (in MHZ) = length in feet. There are a number measurement converters also available on the web to change feet to meters. The lengths given are only a rough measurement, so by using your VSWR meter or analyzer and usually by shortening each end by the same amount each time you can usually get the VSWR down to 1:5 to 1 or less. The dipole antenna has a 70 Ohm feed point impedence so if you used TV coax you will get a perfect match. If there is enough interest perhaps we could have a dipole building day at the club. There are a few more tricks you can do with a dipole also. Let us know if you are interested. Contact Richard VK2FRKO at the club on Saturdays... VI2ATZ Award: Have you managed to contact VI2ATZ50 yet? VI2ATZ50 is being 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 special QSL Card will be forwarded to all stations who make a contact with VI2ATZ50. We have already had half a dozen applications for the award. Please note... The award certificates will not be posted until the end of May as we will not be doing a print run till all applications are in. A cost of $5:00 should accompany the application to offset the cost of printing and postage. As a club member please promote this award in your general QSO’s. They only need to work 10 members to qualify as well. We would like to acknowledge the effort of Paul VK2HV for his promotion and activation of the special call. Paul has been active for an average of 10 hours a day on 10 and 15 metres on SSB & CW. He now has a helper in the form of Paul VK2BPL doing CW on most available bands. Thanks guy’s... Much appreciated. REMINDERS: 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 . HARAOA Anzac Day - Bare Island – AX2CL: The Hellenic Amateur Radio Association of Australia is manning a special event station using the callsign AX2CL at Bare Island NSW over the Anzac Day weekend 25th-26th April 2014. Keep an ear out or check the clusters for activity. Upcoming event: This is an upcoming day out in June submitted by Norm VK2KNC... ABC TOUR. Tour inside the Sydney home of the ABC. Your tour will include a visit to one of 2 digital television production studios, an on air radio station, a new studio and a control room. Rub shoulders with some of the countries most respected journalists, radio and television personalities. This is a fantastic trip for all ages. FRIDAY 13TH JUNE DEPARTS 06:30 AM COST $48.00 PER PERSON. More details in upcoming weeks. or see Norm at the club. 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. 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. Please note... we only check the answering service on Saturdays, so, be patient if you want a return call. 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.