A new load of 12 volt batteries have arrived at the club and are now available from the store. There are about 30 in total. The cost is $15 each.
These are quality batteries ranging up to 55 amp/hour capacity. They will be on sale at the field day next Sunday and will not last long.
Check them out next Saturday and take your pick.
While on batteries, the club still welcomes old car and motorcycle batteries. Last Tuesday, a trailer load was taken to the scrap metal dealers at Teralba.
The sale resulted in $270 for the club. So please keep those old batteries coming.
All the action was outside yesterday including selling of the meat tray tickets. Greg VK2CW left all the tickets and and ticket tumbler in the hands of Mal VK2VON. Mal sold a few extra tickets. The clock went ding and it was time to for last weeks winner Greg to reach in the ticket tumbler and grab a ticket. On the ticket read Sorry Greg,Michael and Steve the winner is DIANE VK2FDNE. Yippee Diane said About time.
Next Sunday will be the our field day, Rain, hail or shine. Should it rain Lee Andrews will be in the Common room inside the club and the auction table will at the bottom end of the awning.
We will need all hands available to assist with the setting up so can you be at the club by 7 am please. We will also need your help at the end of the day to help pack up.
Don't forget about the second offer to Westlakes club members. It is a FT7900 2m/70cm dual band transceiver and comes with full warranty.
When you get your club magazine and some of you will get them separately in the mail. The book of 10 tickets at $2 a ticket.You can buy 10 or one or none - the choice is yours.
The entire proceeds of this raffle help fund the operations of your club. The draw will take place at the Westlakes Field day on Sunday 18th September 2011 at 12 noon.
News from Southgate Amateur Radio.
Special Rugby World Cup ham radio callsigns
Look for some New Zealand amateur radio operators to replace their ZL prefix with a ZM prefix throughout September and October, in celebration of the Rugby World Cup
(September 9th-October 23rd). Additional special event stations will be and are already on air.
Look for ZL4RUGBY (QSL Manager/Operator Paul/ZL4PW) to be on the air through October 31st.
Also, look for ZL6RWC, which is operated by various members and friends of the Papakura Radio Club, to be on the through October 31st.
QSL ZL6RWC via ZL1VK, direct, by the Bureau or LoTW. Check QRZ.com for more details about both stations.
STRONG SOLAR ACTIVITY: On Sept. 6th, active sunspot 1283 produced two major eruptions including an impulsive X2-class solar flare.
The blasts hurled a pair of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) toward Earth, which could spark geomagnetic activity when they arrive on Sept. 8-10. High-latitude
sky watchers should be alert for auroras in the nights ahead. Check http://spaceweather.com/ for images and updates.
ARE YOU CHASING DX
Pacific DXpedition tour.
Bill, VK4FW, co-leader of the upcoming DXpedition to Fiji (3D2) and Nauru (C2), reports that Eric, VK4NEF, has now committed to join the DXpedition.
The operators now are Jay K4ZLE, Art NJ7N, Tim NL8F, Eddie VK4AN, Eric VK4NEF, Bill VK4FW and Julian/W5SL.
Bill states (edited), "All is on track for the operation to begin late on October 25th, from Fiji until November 8th, followed by Nauru from November 10th through to December 6th.
"The 'Online QSL Service' is set up at www.vk4fw.com/oqrs-php. However, it is important that people do not use it before we get back so as not to overload the system causing mailbox failure.
"We would like to thank those who have already supported us and remind all that donations no matter how big or small can be sent via paypal to dxpedition@westnet.com.au"
4W6A Timor-Leste DXpedition
This is the sixth and final press release before the 4W6A DXpedition.
The bulk of the equipment, including the linear amplifiers, the Titanex V160E vertical, Hexbeam and other antennas, left Darwin, Australia, on 6 September.
It has all arrived safely in Dili, Timor-Leste, and is now awaiting the arrival of the team next week.
9M6DXX and 9M6XRO leave Malaysia on 12 September for a transit stop in Bali, from where they plan to be active 'holiday style' as YB9/G4JVG and YB9/GM3OOK respectively.
Unfortunately, due to a late change of airline timetable, they will not now arrive in Dili before the afternoon of Friday 16 September. The chartered boat taking the team and the equipment to Atauro Island has therefore been rescheduled to later that afternoon. It is likely that only one or two stations will be on the air that day as the team will run out of daylight before all the antennas can be erected. The remainder of the antenna work will commence at first light the following morning (approximately 2115UTC on 16 September) and 4W6A should be fully operational by the morning (UTC) of 17 September. 4W6A will be QRV on all bands 10 to 160 metres, using CW, SSB and RTTY with up to four stations simultaneously. It is hoped that log search will be available, thanks to the Clublog facility (go to www.4w6a.com/qsl-information/log-search), but this is dependent on a reliable Internet connection being available on the island.
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.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THERE WILL BE NO BROADCAST NEXT WEEK DUE TO FIELD DAY ACTIVITIES.
Now to wind up. Westlakes Amateur Radio Club Inc. is located in York Street, TERALBA - and is open on Saturday Afternoons from around 12 noon. 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, and an interesting selection of biscuits.
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Sunday, August 21, 2011
WESTLAKES BROADCAST FOR 21st AUGUST 2011.
Good Morning and welcome to this week's local news broadcast. This is VK2ATZ, The callsign of Westlakes Amateur Radio Club
located at Teralba, Lake Macquarie. Your reader this morning is Greg. There may be a simulcast being transmitted this
morning on 3.565 MHz courtesy of Warren VK2UWP Callbacks follow at the conclusion of this news.Then at 9.30am is a relay
of the Australia-wide amateur radio news from VK1WIA.
This week the broadcast comes LIVE from Norah Head Lighthouse. Lighthouse number AUS 0024.
Special Offer to Club Members.
This week some members received mail from the secretary/Treasurer of a special offer to club members only. The offer is a
Yaesu HF station. FT757GX Transceiver, FC757 Auto Tuner, FP700 Power supply and a MD100 Microphone. The equipment comes
with all manuals and in oringinal boxes. All are in perfect working condition except for the dial light on the FT 757GX is
not working. The reserve price for all of the above items is $550.00. Offers in writting at this amount or higher are invited from interested club members. The envelope should be clearly marked "RADIO OFFER" and addressed to The Secretary, WARC.P O BOX 3001, TERALBA,2284. Offers must be received by 2 pm Saturday 27th August 2011. Highest tender wins.
PLEASE NOTE The items are to be sold as one lot and will not be split.
The second offer to all Westlakes members for our Fund raiser is a FT7900 2m/70cm dual band transceiver and comes with full warranty.
When you get your club magazine and some of you will get them separately in the mail. The book of 10 tickets at $2 a ticket.You can buy 10 or one or none - the choice is yours. The entire proceeds of this raffle help fund the operations of your club. The draw will take place at the Westlakes Field day on Sunday 18th September 2011 at 12 noon.
On the Lighthouse and lightships weekend Paul (VK2HV ) will be opeating from Montague Island with Tommy ( VK2IR )and his club members. Listen out for them.
Wafflers net is progressing well on Wednesday nights. Operating frequency is 146.525 MHz simplex and commences at 1900 hrs. All welcome.
Our club Field Day will be held on the 18th September this year so clean out your bedrooms, radio shack and garages for anything that
might be of some value that you might like to donate to the club for it auction table. If you have any items please bring them down and
give them to a Committee member.
Have you forgotten to visit the club store lately? There are always lots of bargains to be purchased. See Aly for the best buys and support your club.
World News From Southgate Amateur Radio.
Amateur radio set to light-up Sandy Cape Lighthouse
Sandy Cape Lighthouse will be home to four amateur radio operators from Queensland's Ipswich and District Radio Club for the International Lighthouse and Lightship weekend, this weekend, August 20 and 21.
The 4WD permit for travel on Fraser Island has now been obtained, and also the special callsign VI4FI.
A TH3 Junior Tribander will be used for 10, 15 and 20 on a 10m Clark Mast and the Butternut HF6V for the lower bands in addition to a Multi-band dipole in an Inverted V configuration.
The main radio will be a Yaesu FTDX-5000 with back up rigs consisting of an Icom IC-7600 and a Kenwood TS-480HX.
Power will be supplied 24 hours a day via a RAPS Solar System so on air time will be around the clock as much as possible.
A special QSL Card to celebrate this activation will be designed by UX5UO QSL Print Services.
The DXpedition to Fraser Island is supported by club sponsors Ipswich City Council and VK4ICE Communications.
All updates via the website at www.sandycape2011.com and LIVE status updates via Twitter @VI4FI which links directly with the VK4WIP Facebook page at www.facebook.com/vk4wip as the Twitter updates are posted
The Ipswich Sandy Cape team of Paul VK4FPDW, Derek VK4MIA, Mike VK4QS and Graham VK4FGCC are looking forward to working you on the bands.
Allan VK4FABR
Punta del Este Lighthouse on the air for ILLW
Ham radio operators from the Radio Club Uruguayo will be active as CW1R, the special event callsign for the Punta del Este Lighthouse (ARLHS URU-008, ILLW UY0005, Grid Loc. GF25ma), during the International Lighthouse/Lightship Weekend (August 19-21st).
Activity will be on 80-10 meters using CW, SSB and the Digital modes with at least two stations on the air.
QSLs for this activity is via Bureau or direct to:
Radio Club Uruguayo, P.O.Box 37, 11000, Montevideo,
URUGUAY, SOUTH AMERICA,
with a SAE and 1 new IRC or 2 green stamps.
ILLW heads in the right direction
So far more than 430 have made online entries and already counted towards this year’s grand tally for the International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend.
There’s been improvements this year have been in Australia, Chile, Portugal, South Africa and the USA, while generally Europe has been lower than previous.
Notable by their absence so far are those from Alaska, China, Cuba, Hawaii, Japan, Taiwan and Uruguay.
The event came into being from the Scottish Northern Lighthouses Award Weekend first held in 1994 and has grown in statue ever since.
The basic objective of the fun event is to promote awareness of lighthouses and lightships and their need for preservation, and to promote amateur radio and to foster International goodwill.
It’s not too late to enter and activate one this weekend.
Check out the latest on the website illw.net which has access to an online registration form for August the 20th and 21st, and there’s Facebook too.
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 Afternoons from around 12 noon. 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, and an interesting selection of biscuits.
Saturday, August 6, 2011
BROADCAST NEWS FOR 7TH AUGUST 2011
Special Offer to Club Members.
This week some members received mail from the secretary/Treasurer of a special offer to club members only. The offer is a
Yaesu HF station. FT757GX Transceiver, FC757 Auto Tuner, FP700 Power supply and a MD100 Microphone. The equipment comes
with all manuals and in oringinal boxes. All are in perfect working condition except for the dial light on the FT 757GX is
not working. The reserve price for all of the above items is $550.00. Offers in writting at this amount or higher are invited from interested club members. The envelope should be clearly marked "RADIO OFFER" and addressed to The Secretary, WARC.P O BOX 3001, TERALBA,2284. Offers must be received by 2 pm Saturday 27th August 2011. Highest tender wins.
PLEASE NOTE The items are to be sold as one lot and will not be split.
The second offer to all Westlakes members for our Fund raiser is a FT7900 2m/70cm dual band transceiver and comes with full warranty.
When you get your club magazine and some of you will get them separately in the mail. The book of 10 tickets at $2 a ticket.You can buy 10 or one or none - the choice is yours. The entire proceeds of this raffle help fund the operations of your club. The draw will take place at the Westlakes Field day on Sunday 18th September 2011 at 12 noon.
Meat tray winner. Last weeks happy meat tray winner Steve was at the club with a big grin. After the meeting Steve reached into the barrel and picked a winning ticket. The callsign on the ticket read -VK2EO - Mr Casual. How much did you pay Steve Geoff??? Congratulations.
VK2LW Steve was showing Ted VK2UI the merits of his quadbander IC-T81A when Greg VK2CW made a bet of $2.00 ( last of the big betters ) that no one would come back to a call put out on 23cm. Within seconds of calling on the repeater, Peter VK2ZTV answered his call much to Greg's disgust. Peter was running 1 watt on his 23 cm mobile rig and wanted a audio check. All had good signals. Has Greg paid his debt off Ted.
Rickerty Kate Raffle. 1st prize of $50.00 went to VK2XBF. 2nd Prize $20.00 VK2LW and 3rd Prize $10.00 Alex VK2ZM Good on you for supporting your club in this fund raiser.
The Lighthouse and Lightships weekend is 2 weeks away and once again Westlakes ARC will be at Norah Head Lighthouse. The lighthouse weekend officially commences at 1000 Saturday morning and will continue until Sunday arvo. Visitors are most welcome but you will have to bring your tucker. Tea and coffee will be provided.
Next weekend is the RD contest BUT because of the lack of interest Westlakes will not be taking part in it.
Wafflers net is progressing well on Wednesday nights. Operating frequency is 146.525 MHz simplex and commences at 1900 hrs. All welcome.
Our club Field Day will be held on the 18th September this year so clean out your bedrooms, radio shack and garages for anything that
might be of some value that you might like to donate to the club for it auction table. If you have any items please bring them down and
give them to a Committee member.
News from the W I A
Applications for Club Grants for 2011 closed on 25 July. In the WIA’s release of 27 July, we reported that only a disappointing three applications had been received. Since then one club has asked that a late entry be accepted, and offered very legitimate reasons for the lateness of the lodgement of the application. The WIA Board has decided to accept that application. It is also conscious of the fact that other clubs may be in a similar position and so it has decided to also accept any other late application that is lodged at the WIA office by not later than 4 pm Victorian time, next Tuesday, 9th August 2011. Reasons for the lateness of the lodgement are not required.
Clubs are reminded that this year Grants will be given for projects falling in to either of two categories:
1) Projects and activities to be conducted before 1 June 2012 to attract new amateurs, but focussed on people under 25; and
2) Amateur radio projects that are useful and innovative and that utilise both information technologies and radio communications.
Michael Owen
President WIA
News from Southgate Amateur Radio.
Have you ever wanted to be BAD?
Well, a large group of VK and ZL radio amateurs are going to be BAD for thee days, in fact they are going to be VERY BAD, VK3BAD that is.
VK3BAD will we active from Cape Liptrap from Friday 19th August through Monday 22nd August, from Bear Gully cottages just down the road from the Cape Liptrap Lighthouse.
Our team of eighteen amateurs will be active on most HF bands so please listen out for us, when we are not cooking steaks , drinking red wine and generally having a BAD time, we will be on the air and eager to take your call.
This is John VK3DQ
Earth bound solar flare
The Space Weather site reports that an Earth-directed M1 class solar flare occured August 2 at 0619 UT.
They say: Magnetic fields above sunspot 1261 erupted this morning [Tuesday] at 0619 UT, producing a long-duration M1-class solar flare.
At the peak of the action, NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory recorded a surge of extreme ultraviolet radiation around the sunspot.
The blast also hurled a coronal mass ejection (CME) almost directly toward Earth. Space-based coronagraph images from SOHO and from STEREO-A show the cloud racing away from the sun at almost 900 km/s.
Minor to moderate geomagnetic storms are possible when the CME arrives on or about August 5.
Space Weather
http://spaceweather.com/
Spy Vs. Spy - 20th century style
How many of you remember the old 'Spy Vs. Spy' comic in Mad Magazine. Well here’s something that reads like its right out of that genre. Its a story about the Internet foreign intrigue that will leave you smiling and maybe wanting something sweet to eat.
Amateur Radio Newsline’s Bruce Tennant, has the story of the spies that got hacked by food:
According to published news reports, British spies successfully hacked into an al-Qaida website to replace instructions on how to build a bomb with – ready for this? Recipes for making cupcakes.
Nope, we are not kidding. The cyber offensive reportedly took place last year when the English language magazine aimed at Muslims in the West called Inspire was launched by supporters of al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula.
British intelligence officers based at the Government Communications Headquarters, which is the state eavesdropping service, attacked the 67-page magazine, leaving most of it garbled. Instead of being able to read how to "Make a Bomb in the Kitchen of Your Mom," readers were greeted with computer code which actually contained recipes from The Best Cupcakes in America, published by U.S. talk show hostess Ellen DeGeneres.
The Washington Post reported that the British action followed a dispute between the CIA and the newly formed U.S. Cyber Command. The cyber unit had wanted to block the al Qaeda magazine but the CIA, which had countered such an attack, would expose sources and intelligence methods, won the debate and declined to allow an attack on Inspire.
So the U-K did it for them and reports say that it took almost two weeks for magazine to post a corrected version after it had been sabotaged.
For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I’m Bruce Tennant, trying not to laugh too hard as I read this from Los Angeles.
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 Afternoons from around 12 noon. 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, and an interesting selection of biscuits.
This week some members received mail from the secretary/Treasurer of a special offer to club members only. The offer is a
Yaesu HF station. FT757GX Transceiver, FC757 Auto Tuner, FP700 Power supply and a MD100 Microphone. The equipment comes
with all manuals and in oringinal boxes. All are in perfect working condition except for the dial light on the FT 757GX is
not working. The reserve price for all of the above items is $550.00. Offers in writting at this amount or higher are invited from interested club members. The envelope should be clearly marked "RADIO OFFER" and addressed to The Secretary, WARC.P O BOX 3001, TERALBA,2284. Offers must be received by 2 pm Saturday 27th August 2011. Highest tender wins.
PLEASE NOTE The items are to be sold as one lot and will not be split.
The second offer to all Westlakes members for our Fund raiser is a FT7900 2m/70cm dual band transceiver and comes with full warranty.
When you get your club magazine and some of you will get them separately in the mail. The book of 10 tickets at $2 a ticket.You can buy 10 or one or none - the choice is yours. The entire proceeds of this raffle help fund the operations of your club. The draw will take place at the Westlakes Field day on Sunday 18th September 2011 at 12 noon.
Meat tray winner. Last weeks happy meat tray winner Steve was at the club with a big grin. After the meeting Steve reached into the barrel and picked a winning ticket. The callsign on the ticket read -VK2EO - Mr Casual. How much did you pay Steve Geoff??? Congratulations.
VK2LW Steve was showing Ted VK2UI the merits of his quadbander IC-T81A when Greg VK2CW made a bet of $2.00 ( last of the big betters ) that no one would come back to a call put out on 23cm. Within seconds of calling on the repeater, Peter VK2ZTV answered his call much to Greg's disgust. Peter was running 1 watt on his 23 cm mobile rig and wanted a audio check. All had good signals. Has Greg paid his debt off Ted.
Rickerty Kate Raffle. 1st prize of $50.00 went to VK2XBF. 2nd Prize $20.00 VK2LW and 3rd Prize $10.00 Alex VK2ZM Good on you for supporting your club in this fund raiser.
The Lighthouse and Lightships weekend is 2 weeks away and once again Westlakes ARC will be at Norah Head Lighthouse. The lighthouse weekend officially commences at 1000 Saturday morning and will continue until Sunday arvo. Visitors are most welcome but you will have to bring your tucker. Tea and coffee will be provided.
Next weekend is the RD contest BUT because of the lack of interest Westlakes will not be taking part in it.
Wafflers net is progressing well on Wednesday nights. Operating frequency is 146.525 MHz simplex and commences at 1900 hrs. All welcome.
Our club Field Day will be held on the 18th September this year so clean out your bedrooms, radio shack and garages for anything that
might be of some value that you might like to donate to the club for it auction table. If you have any items please bring them down and
give them to a Committee member.
News from the W I A
Applications for Club Grants for 2011 closed on 25 July. In the WIA’s release of 27 July, we reported that only a disappointing three applications had been received. Since then one club has asked that a late entry be accepted, and offered very legitimate reasons for the lateness of the lodgement of the application. The WIA Board has decided to accept that application. It is also conscious of the fact that other clubs may be in a similar position and so it has decided to also accept any other late application that is lodged at the WIA office by not later than 4 pm Victorian time, next Tuesday, 9th August 2011. Reasons for the lateness of the lodgement are not required.
Clubs are reminded that this year Grants will be given for projects falling in to either of two categories:
1) Projects and activities to be conducted before 1 June 2012 to attract new amateurs, but focussed on people under 25; and
2) Amateur radio projects that are useful and innovative and that utilise both information technologies and radio communications.
Michael Owen
President WIA
News from Southgate Amateur Radio.
Have you ever wanted to be BAD?
Well, a large group of VK and ZL radio amateurs are going to be BAD for thee days, in fact they are going to be VERY BAD, VK3BAD that is.
VK3BAD will we active from Cape Liptrap from Friday 19th August through Monday 22nd August, from Bear Gully cottages just down the road from the Cape Liptrap Lighthouse.
Our team of eighteen amateurs will be active on most HF bands so please listen out for us, when we are not cooking steaks , drinking red wine and generally having a BAD time, we will be on the air and eager to take your call.
This is John VK3DQ
Earth bound solar flare
The Space Weather site reports that an Earth-directed M1 class solar flare occured August 2 at 0619 UT.
They say: Magnetic fields above sunspot 1261 erupted this morning [Tuesday] at 0619 UT, producing a long-duration M1-class solar flare.
At the peak of the action, NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory recorded a surge of extreme ultraviolet radiation around the sunspot.
The blast also hurled a coronal mass ejection (CME) almost directly toward Earth. Space-based coronagraph images from SOHO and from STEREO-A show the cloud racing away from the sun at almost 900 km/s.
Minor to moderate geomagnetic storms are possible when the CME arrives on or about August 5.
Space Weather
http://spaceweather.com/
Spy Vs. Spy - 20th century style
How many of you remember the old 'Spy Vs. Spy' comic in Mad Magazine. Well here’s something that reads like its right out of that genre. Its a story about the Internet foreign intrigue that will leave you smiling and maybe wanting something sweet to eat.
Amateur Radio Newsline’s Bruce Tennant, has the story of the spies that got hacked by food:
According to published news reports, British spies successfully hacked into an al-Qaida website to replace instructions on how to build a bomb with – ready for this? Recipes for making cupcakes.
Nope, we are not kidding. The cyber offensive reportedly took place last year when the English language magazine aimed at Muslims in the West called Inspire was launched by supporters of al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula.
British intelligence officers based at the Government Communications Headquarters, which is the state eavesdropping service, attacked the 67-page magazine, leaving most of it garbled. Instead of being able to read how to "Make a Bomb in the Kitchen of Your Mom," readers were greeted with computer code which actually contained recipes from The Best Cupcakes in America, published by U.S. talk show hostess Ellen DeGeneres.
The Washington Post reported that the British action followed a dispute between the CIA and the newly formed U.S. Cyber Command. The cyber unit had wanted to block the al Qaeda magazine but the CIA, which had countered such an attack, would expose sources and intelligence methods, won the debate and declined to allow an attack on Inspire.
So the U-K did it for them and reports say that it took almost two weeks for magazine to post a corrected version after it had been sabotaged.
For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I’m Bruce Tennant, trying not to laugh too hard as I read this from Los Angeles.
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 Afternoons from around 12 noon. 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, and an interesting selection of biscuits.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
WESTLAKES NEWS FOR SUNDAY 24th JULY 2011.
The grounds at the club are very soggy so take care when driving over the grassy areas. Might be a good idea to park on the road outside until the weather fines up and the grounds dry out.
As reported in an earlier broadcast please welcome Bruce VK2FKNN, Jarrod VK2FZRO, Stuart VK2FOOO and Tony VK2FACK to the ranks of Amateur
Radio. Bruce and Tony were at the club yesterday. Please make these chaps welcome to the wonderful and exciting world of Amateur Radio if you hear them on air. Bruce said that he has already worked a stateside station on 10 meters.
Well the canteen was manned by Barry VK2BZ ( not sure if Freds wife helped) and it was pies and sausage rolls all around.
Proposed Jesmond Electronic Club Inc. This new club will be holding its Foundation meeting at the Jesmond Park Uniting church hall on the 4th August commencing at 2 pm. Cost for the afternoon is $20. Anyone interested - please come along. This message was posted by John Murphy VK2PJM. Thanks Barry VK2FBAZ for sending the item to me.
The meat tray raffle was drawn by Brian VK2FG and after much tumbling of the barrel a ticket was choosen from pile. A voice from the back ground said Did I win. Brian said no but VK2LW did. Well done Steve.
Yes, the roof does leak so we found out. Barry and Fred to the rescue. Not sure what they did but they took down the old vertical antenna and bought it inside.
WORLD NEWS FROM SOUTHGATE AMATEUR RADIO.
June 19, 2011 - afternoon chopper lift for Ipswich & District Amateur Radio Club. Mission accomplished with much help and cooperation from friends, supporters and Ipswich City Council. Ipswich & District Radio Club Inc
http://ipswichdistrictradioclub.webnode.com/
VK construction competition
The Illawarra Amateur Radio Society currently has a construction competition running that is open to amateur radio operators within VK.
There are prizes to be allocated in two categories. Entry is easy, just build a crystal set.
Judging will be based on some simple rules:-
The crystal set must work i.e. receive a transmitted signal.
The crystal set can receive either commercial, broadcast or amateur signals.
No external power other than the received signal can be used.
Additional points will be gained by utilizing recycled parts, or home made components.
Additional points will be gained for Innovative design, and unique concepts. The finished article does not need to be aesthetically pleasing.
Testing will be carried out at Industry World Centre, Wollongong 8/11/2011 (Between 19:30 – 22:00 Hrs).
The judge’s decision will be final.
The judging of the contest will be at the IARS November meeting.
The Crystal set will need to be bought to the meeting on this evening, alternatively they can be posted to the Secretary Illawarra amateur radio society, by the meeting date which is 8th November 2011. Correct postage and packaging cost must be included if you require the project to be returned after
the competition. Note that this project is a receive only construction, so it is therefore open to all license classes in VK.
Why not put together a club entry?
Old hands, why not take a newer member of the hobby under your wing and show them how construction was done when you first discovered radio.
Results and awards will be presented at the December 2011 meeting.
The two entry categories are:-
Category 1:- Financial members of the IARS
First Prize :- 2 metre Handheld radio
Second Prize:- Quality Screwdriver Set
Third Prize:- Lightweight Headphone Set
Numerous consolation prizes such as mouse mats, baseball caps
Category 2:- All other VK Hams
First Prize:- 2 metre Handheld Radio
Second Prize:- Quality Screwdriver Set
Third Prize:- Lightweight Headphone Set
IOTA DXpedition
PA6NH, the contest team of North Holland, will be active during the RSGB IOTA contest held on 30/31 JULY 2011.
This will be a DXpedition to Texel Island IOTA ref. EU-038
Station set-up will be simple with antennas consisting of one element (dipole, vertical) and low power (100 W
CLUB REMINDER LIST
Wafflers net is progressing well on Wednesday nights. Operating frequency is 146.525 MHz simplex and commences at 1900 hrs. All welcome.
Our club Field Day will be held on the 18th September this year so clean out your bedrooms, radio shack and garages for anything that
might be of some value that you might like to donate to the club for it auction table. If you have any items please bring them down and
give them to a Committee member.
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 Afternoons from around 12 noon. 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, and an interesting selection of biscuits.
As reported in an earlier broadcast please welcome Bruce VK2FKNN, Jarrod VK2FZRO, Stuart VK2FOOO and Tony VK2FACK to the ranks of Amateur
Radio. Bruce and Tony were at the club yesterday. Please make these chaps welcome to the wonderful and exciting world of Amateur Radio if you hear them on air. Bruce said that he has already worked a stateside station on 10 meters.
Well the canteen was manned by Barry VK2BZ ( not sure if Freds wife helped) and it was pies and sausage rolls all around.
Proposed Jesmond Electronic Club Inc. This new club will be holding its Foundation meeting at the Jesmond Park Uniting church hall on the 4th August commencing at 2 pm. Cost for the afternoon is $20. Anyone interested - please come along. This message was posted by John Murphy VK2PJM. Thanks Barry VK2FBAZ for sending the item to me.
The meat tray raffle was drawn by Brian VK2FG and after much tumbling of the barrel a ticket was choosen from pile. A voice from the back ground said Did I win. Brian said no but VK2LW did. Well done Steve.
Yes, the roof does leak so we found out. Barry and Fred to the rescue. Not sure what they did but they took down the old vertical antenna and bought it inside.
WORLD NEWS FROM SOUTHGATE AMATEUR RADIO.
June 19, 2011 - afternoon chopper lift for Ipswich & District Amateur Radio Club. Mission accomplished with much help and cooperation from friends, supporters and Ipswich City Council. Ipswich & District Radio Club Inc
http://ipswichdistrictradioclub.webnode.com/
VK construction competition
The Illawarra Amateur Radio Society currently has a construction competition running that is open to amateur radio operators within VK.
There are prizes to be allocated in two categories. Entry is easy, just build a crystal set.
Judging will be based on some simple rules:-
The crystal set must work i.e. receive a transmitted signal.
The crystal set can receive either commercial, broadcast or amateur signals.
No external power other than the received signal can be used.
Additional points will be gained by utilizing recycled parts, or home made components.
Additional points will be gained for Innovative design, and unique concepts. The finished article does not need to be aesthetically pleasing.
Testing will be carried out at Industry World Centre, Wollongong 8/11/2011 (Between 19:30 – 22:00 Hrs).
The judge’s decision will be final.
The judging of the contest will be at the IARS November meeting.
The Crystal set will need to be bought to the meeting on this evening, alternatively they can be posted to the Secretary Illawarra amateur radio society, by the meeting date which is 8th November 2011. Correct postage and packaging cost must be included if you require the project to be returned after
the competition. Note that this project is a receive only construction, so it is therefore open to all license classes in VK.
Why not put together a club entry?
Old hands, why not take a newer member of the hobby under your wing and show them how construction was done when you first discovered radio.
Results and awards will be presented at the December 2011 meeting.
The two entry categories are:-
Category 1:- Financial members of the IARS
First Prize :- 2 metre Handheld radio
Second Prize:- Quality Screwdriver Set
Third Prize:- Lightweight Headphone Set
Numerous consolation prizes such as mouse mats, baseball caps
Category 2:- All other VK Hams
First Prize:- 2 metre Handheld Radio
Second Prize:- Quality Screwdriver Set
Third Prize:- Lightweight Headphone Set
IOTA DXpedition
PA6NH, the contest team of North Holland, will be active during the RSGB IOTA contest held on 30/31 JULY 2011.
This will be a DXpedition to Texel Island IOTA ref. EU-038
Station set-up will be simple with antennas consisting of one element (dipole, vertical) and low power (100 W
CLUB REMINDER LIST
Wafflers net is progressing well on Wednesday nights. Operating frequency is 146.525 MHz simplex and commences at 1900 hrs. All welcome.
Our club Field Day will be held on the 18th September this year so clean out your bedrooms, radio shack and garages for anything that
might be of some value that you might like to donate to the club for it auction table. If you have any items please bring them down and
give them to a Committee member.
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 Afternoons from around 12 noon. 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, and an interesting selection of biscuits.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
WESTLAKES BROADCAST FOR SUNDAY 17th July 2011
Well, it only happens at Westlakes. Yesterday, a large bag of onions was placed on the table by Gloria for the canteen. Greg (VK2CW ) challenged anyone to eat a whole raw onion for $2. Well, guess who stepped up? Ted (VK2UI ) just out of hospital. Knife in hand and with the large salt shaker from the canteen Ted pealed and ate the whole onion. Well Greg had to pay the $2 to Ted. Well done Ted - what will you do next week for a free ticket in the meat tray raffle.
While on the meat tray raffle, Frank was unavailable to draw this weeks ticket out of the tumbler so the Secretary was called upon to draw a ticket. Barrie (VK2BXD ) then gave the ticket to the Steve VK2LW our Vice President who read read out the name. On the ticket read VK2CW. Is there a conspiricy going on here? Congratulations Greg.
After lunch the members going to the Norah Head Light house met in the libarary to discuss meals and equipment required for the weekend.
They will be eating very well I must say. Roast lamb and vegies and desert on Saturday night. I wonder what the rest of the other lighthouse crews are eating.
Over heard in the Common room was Richard VK2FRKO advising that he had been elected as Deputy Unit Commander for Marine Rescue Lemon Tree Passage. Good on you Richard - more work for you to do. Richard also advised that no arrests so far for the damage done to the rescue vessel.
Listen for the big signals to come out Glendale. Leonie ( VK2FHRK )advised that she has put up a loop antenna. The loopy idea is catching on.
Australian amateur radio licence renewals
Recently, an amateur forgot to renew his amateur radio licence because he failed to advise the ACMA of his new address, and was upset when his two letter callsign was allocated to someone else.
The "Comment" in the June 2009 issue of Amateur Radio addressed this problem in some detail, and further information can be found on the WIA website www.wia.org.au under the tab "Australian amateur licensing and callsigns" under the button "Get your Amateur Radio Licence".
The Radiocommunications Act does not impose on ACMA an obligation to issue a renewal notice. ACMA does so, but failure to receive a renewal notice is no excuse for not renewing a licence.
Obviously, failing to notify the ACMA of a change of address will mean that even if the ACMA does send a renewal notice, it will go the wrong address.
But the Act does provide that a licence can be renewed from 6 months before and 60 days after its expiry date. It is the licensee’s responsibility to ensure that the licence is renewed in that time.
A callsign is only a condition of a licence, and if the licence is not renewed, after 60 days from the expiry date the callsign will be placed on the Public List, (the list of available callsigns on the WIA website) and after 7 days the WIA will issue a Callsign Recommendation to whoever wants that callsign.
WORLD NEWS FROM SOUTHGATE AMATEUR RADIO
Codar radar on 24 MHz
Wolf DK2OM reports on the IARU-R1 site that a Codar ocean wave radar is disturbing 24920 - 24990 kHz daily and all day.
The location is believed to be Venice, Italy.
Medical use of Wireless Power
ScienceDaily reports on the use of Wireless power for heart pumps.
The report says:
Mechanical pumps to give failing hearts a boost were originally developed as temporary measures for patients awaiting a heart transplant. But as the technology has improved, these ventricular assist devices commonly operate in patients for years.
Prolonged use, however, has its own problems. The power cord that protrudes through the patient's belly is cumbersome and prone to infection over time.
Researchers at the University of Washington and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center have tested a wireless power system for ventricular assist devices.
Using the wireless system means no power cord poking through the skin, dramatically reducing the risk of infection and improving the patient's quality of life. Researchers envision a vest that could hold an external transmitter coil connected to a power cord or battery. A small receiver coil implanted under the patient's skin would connect to a battery that holds enough power for about two hours, meaning the patient could be completely free for short periods of time to take a bath or go for a swim (current users of heart pumps cannot do either).
Entries arrive for the ILLW
With four weeks to go to the International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend, a total of 290 entries have been received and many more expected in coming weeks.
This year so far 13 Lightships are entered mainly from Belgium, England, Germany and the USA. There’s one each in the Netherlands, Sweden and Wales.
Lightships are a rarer breed of the long-gone era of magnified flashes a light used by ships as they navigated along the coast and around the world.
With entries rapidly nearing 300, the latest has Australia in the lead on 51, followed by the USA on 48, Germany 39 followed by England on 23.
Since 1998 the 48-hour fun filled third weekend in August attracts more than 440 entrants, from around 50 countries.
Be part of the action, or just check the newly refurbished website at ILLW.NET where you will find more information about the International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend, on August the 20th and 21st.
CLUB REMINDER LIST
Wafflers net is progressing well on Wednesday nights. Operating frequency is 146.525 MHz simplex and commences at 1900 hrs. All welcome.
Our club Field Day will be held on the 18th September this year so clean out your bedrooms, radio shack and garages for anything that
might be of some value that you might like to donate to the club for it auction table. If you have any items please bring them down and
give them to a Committee member.
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.
While on the meat tray raffle, Frank was unavailable to draw this weeks ticket out of the tumbler so the Secretary was called upon to draw a ticket. Barrie (VK2BXD ) then gave the ticket to the Steve VK2LW our Vice President who read read out the name. On the ticket read VK2CW. Is there a conspiricy going on here? Congratulations Greg.
After lunch the members going to the Norah Head Light house met in the libarary to discuss meals and equipment required for the weekend.
They will be eating very well I must say. Roast lamb and vegies and desert on Saturday night. I wonder what the rest of the other lighthouse crews are eating.
Over heard in the Common room was Richard VK2FRKO advising that he had been elected as Deputy Unit Commander for Marine Rescue Lemon Tree Passage. Good on you Richard - more work for you to do. Richard also advised that no arrests so far for the damage done to the rescue vessel.
Listen for the big signals to come out Glendale. Leonie ( VK2FHRK )advised that she has put up a loop antenna. The loopy idea is catching on.
Australian amateur radio licence renewals
Recently, an amateur forgot to renew his amateur radio licence because he failed to advise the ACMA of his new address, and was upset when his two letter callsign was allocated to someone else.
The "Comment" in the June 2009 issue of Amateur Radio addressed this problem in some detail, and further information can be found on the WIA website www.wia.org.au under the tab "Australian amateur licensing and callsigns" under the button "Get your Amateur Radio Licence".
The Radiocommunications Act does not impose on ACMA an obligation to issue a renewal notice. ACMA does so, but failure to receive a renewal notice is no excuse for not renewing a licence.
Obviously, failing to notify the ACMA of a change of address will mean that even if the ACMA does send a renewal notice, it will go the wrong address.
But the Act does provide that a licence can be renewed from 6 months before and 60 days after its expiry date. It is the licensee’s responsibility to ensure that the licence is renewed in that time.
A callsign is only a condition of a licence, and if the licence is not renewed, after 60 days from the expiry date the callsign will be placed on the Public List, (the list of available callsigns on the WIA website) and after 7 days the WIA will issue a Callsign Recommendation to whoever wants that callsign.
WORLD NEWS FROM SOUTHGATE AMATEUR RADIO
Codar radar on 24 MHz
Wolf DK2OM reports on the IARU-R1 site that a Codar ocean wave radar is disturbing 24920 - 24990 kHz daily and all day.
The location is believed to be Venice, Italy.
Medical use of Wireless Power
ScienceDaily reports on the use of Wireless power for heart pumps.
The report says:
Mechanical pumps to give failing hearts a boost were originally developed as temporary measures for patients awaiting a heart transplant. But as the technology has improved, these ventricular assist devices commonly operate in patients for years.
Prolonged use, however, has its own problems. The power cord that protrudes through the patient's belly is cumbersome and prone to infection over time.
Researchers at the University of Washington and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center have tested a wireless power system for ventricular assist devices.
Using the wireless system means no power cord poking through the skin, dramatically reducing the risk of infection and improving the patient's quality of life. Researchers envision a vest that could hold an external transmitter coil connected to a power cord or battery. A small receiver coil implanted under the patient's skin would connect to a battery that holds enough power for about two hours, meaning the patient could be completely free for short periods of time to take a bath or go for a swim (current users of heart pumps cannot do either).
Entries arrive for the ILLW
With four weeks to go to the International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend, a total of 290 entries have been received and many more expected in coming weeks.
This year so far 13 Lightships are entered mainly from Belgium, England, Germany and the USA. There’s one each in the Netherlands, Sweden and Wales.
Lightships are a rarer breed of the long-gone era of magnified flashes a light used by ships as they navigated along the coast and around the world.
With entries rapidly nearing 300, the latest has Australia in the lead on 51, followed by the USA on 48, Germany 39 followed by England on 23.
Since 1998 the 48-hour fun filled third weekend in August attracts more than 440 entrants, from around 50 countries.
Be part of the action, or just check the newly refurbished website at ILLW.NET where you will find more information about the International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend, on August the 20th and 21st.
CLUB REMINDER LIST
Wafflers net is progressing well on Wednesday nights. Operating frequency is 146.525 MHz simplex and commences at 1900 hrs. All welcome.
Our club Field Day will be held on the 18th September this year so clean out your bedrooms, radio shack and garages for anything that
might be of some value that you might like to donate to the club for it auction table. If you have any items please bring them down and
give them to a Committee member.
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.
Saturday, July 9, 2011
WESTLAKES BROADCAST FOR SUNDAY 10th july 2011
Well it was action at the club yesterday with Colin and Brian, Norm and a few others playing again with squid poles. Not sure what they were doing but I guess they had a happy ending.
Well the big blue Falcon drove into the Westlakes ground and guess who got out of the car? It was VK2FDNE ( Diane ) who had just spent 14 days in the Mater Hospital. Diane would like to thank all those Members who wished her a speedy recovery.
Diane was busy again ( blind as bat in 1 eye with patch ) Di was asked to pick this weeks lucky meat tray winner. The hand went into the barrel and came the winners ticket which read VK2FJW Frank. Frank is also on the sick list. Get well Frank.
The Contest Manager was once again at the club. Leonie has advised that she has page with no names on for the up and coming RD contest. Go on ladies and gents lets put Westlakes back on the contesting map again. Please contact Leonie if you can help.
From the Education Officer - WESTLAKES.
Licence upgrades are now once again available from the Westlakes A.R.C. at Teralba. Those budding amateurs wishing to obtain their
Foundation licence or those current Foundation licence holders wishing to upgrade to Standard or Advanced Licence please contact
Michael via email vk2oi@wia.org.au
Its a great hobby to get involved in. You meet and talk to so many people locally and worldwide.
Did anyone manage to see NBN news on Wednesday night? On it was the marine rescue vessel from Lemon Tree Passage of which Richard VK2FRKO is a member. Richard told us that around $25 thousand worth of damage was done. The rescue vessel should be back in action in around 3 weeks.
Did you see the specials in the store yesterday? Ally was busy showing some members the list. Specials are on each Saturday.
Don't the grounds look good. Thanks to the hard workers who did the work. Please see Barry VK2BZ if you can assist in further mowing days.
President Geoff VK2EO did a flying trip to club yesterday. Perhaps Geoff called in to settle his nerves before his big game. ( AFL.)
NEWS FROM SOUTHGATE AMATEUR
Resurgence for amateur radio in Australia
A lengthy well-researched article by Katie Cincotta in The Age newspaper today, distributed mainly in VK3 but also interstate, features many aspects of amateur radio that we all enjoy.
It begins with a picture of Justin Stewart VK3FLIP and Monique Golub VK3FWPZ as the youngsters take to the airwaves at Sherbrooke Community School and is peppered with personal accounts of activity.
Maths teacher Edward Seeto VK3LIP of the Sherbrooke Community School, which has its own radio club VK3KID, demonstrates on a hand-held radio, typing in a code on a keypad and accessing a web-enabled local repeater to connect to a user in Dallas, Texas. His experience at the school includes the use of a gazebo with students learning the ropes from volunteers Randall McDonald VK3RM and Jim McNabb VK3AMN.
The students have learnt to be resourceful through building their own equipment. Amateur radio is encouraging them to pursue maths and sciences, and providing social interaction. Grade 8 student Monique Golub VK3FWPZ achieved her Foundation Licence in grade 6 and now competes in amateur radio challenges such as the 160-metre Trans-Tasman contest.
The 13-year-old was the first female in the club and has since enabled others to join the fun. Another relative newcomer with five years experience is Richard Holmes VK3TXD, keen to dispel the amateur radio stereotype of old blokes tinkering in beeping sheds.
He hopes a new generation will find clever ways to evolve the hobby and embrace its global connections. One of the main things that got him into the hobby was the lure of long-distance or DX contacts.
The article touches on the serious side of things. Amateur radio proved itself to be relevant and invaluable during recent natural disasters in Australia, Japan, China, Pakistan and Haiti. It quotes veteran Doug McArthur VK3UM on his Black Saturday bushfires experiences, and even before that, the aftermath of Tropical Cyclone Tracy in 1974. Of course his moon-bounce and beyond exploits from the giant dish on his country property is featured.
Eastern and Mountain District Radio Club president Jack Bramham VK3WWW regards amateur radio as the original social network and likes digital technology. He’s preparing for the IARU Region 3 Championships that are being hosted late this year by the WIA.
Jack VK3WWW can be seen and heard televising broadcasts on Wednesday nights on frequency 446.500 MHz via the Melbourne Amateur Radio Repeater on Mount Dandenong.
Wireless Institute of Australia spokesman Jim Linton VK3PC says one of the biggest things to happen to amateur radio is the removal of Morse code as a minimum requirement for an operator to obtain an HF licence. The Foundation Licence is now simple enough for young children to acquire, although many progress to the higher grades as Standard and Advanced which give them more.
The two-page article featured in the newspaper’s well-read Green Guide and promoted on page 2 in the main editorial section, notes 20,000 Australians have amateur radio licences, with increasing interest being shown by younger people and women.
There was virtually no one interested before the arrival of the newest entry level. Now we have more activity on air, increased numbers being assessed and a higher level of club membership. The article which involves wide research giving a coverage to amateur radio, concludes with some useful links to get more information.
he pioneering electronic social network is experiencing a resurgence.
WHEN you think of the instant communication at our fingertips thanks to web-enabled mobile devices and the social media explosion of Twitter and Facebook, it's easy to dismiss amateur radio as a dusty relic destined for oblivion.
But the bastions of ham radio believe the century-old form of radio communication is as relevant as ever - it proved invaluable during recent natural disasters in Australia, Japan, China, Pakistan and Haiti.
One amateur radio veteran of more than 50 years, Doug McArthur (whose call-sign is VK3UM), lived through the Black Saturday bushfires, relying on his UHF CB radio to warn neighbours of the approaching flames.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/ham-radio-far-from-over-or-out-20110706-1h135.html#ixzz1Rb4bCzXc
CLUB REMINDER LIST
Wafflers net is progressing well on Wednesday nights. Operating frequency is 146.525 MHz simplex and commences at 1900 hrs. All welcome.
Our club Field Day will be held on the 18th September this year so clean out your bedrooms, radio shack and garages for anything that
might be of some value that you might like to donate to the club for it auction table. If you have any items please bring them down and
give them to a Committee member.
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 an is open on Saturday Afternoons from around 12 noon
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, and an interesting selection of
biscuits.
Well the big blue Falcon drove into the Westlakes ground and guess who got out of the car? It was VK2FDNE ( Diane ) who had just spent 14 days in the Mater Hospital. Diane would like to thank all those Members who wished her a speedy recovery.
Diane was busy again ( blind as bat in 1 eye with patch ) Di was asked to pick this weeks lucky meat tray winner. The hand went into the barrel and came the winners ticket which read VK2FJW Frank. Frank is also on the sick list. Get well Frank.
The Contest Manager was once again at the club. Leonie has advised that she has page with no names on for the up and coming RD contest. Go on ladies and gents lets put Westlakes back on the contesting map again. Please contact Leonie if you can help.
From the Education Officer - WESTLAKES.
Licence upgrades are now once again available from the Westlakes A.R.C. at Teralba. Those budding amateurs wishing to obtain their
Foundation licence or those current Foundation licence holders wishing to upgrade to Standard or Advanced Licence please contact
Michael via email vk2oi@wia.org.au
Its a great hobby to get involved in. You meet and talk to so many people locally and worldwide.
Did anyone manage to see NBN news on Wednesday night? On it was the marine rescue vessel from Lemon Tree Passage of which Richard VK2FRKO is a member. Richard told us that around $25 thousand worth of damage was done. The rescue vessel should be back in action in around 3 weeks.
Did you see the specials in the store yesterday? Ally was busy showing some members the list. Specials are on each Saturday.
Don't the grounds look good. Thanks to the hard workers who did the work. Please see Barry VK2BZ if you can assist in further mowing days.
President Geoff VK2EO did a flying trip to club yesterday. Perhaps Geoff called in to settle his nerves before his big game. ( AFL.)
NEWS FROM SOUTHGATE AMATEUR
Resurgence for amateur radio in Australia
A lengthy well-researched article by Katie Cincotta in The Age newspaper today, distributed mainly in VK3 but also interstate, features many aspects of amateur radio that we all enjoy.
It begins with a picture of Justin Stewart VK3FLIP and Monique Golub VK3FWPZ as the youngsters take to the airwaves at Sherbrooke Community School and is peppered with personal accounts of activity.
Maths teacher Edward Seeto VK3LIP of the Sherbrooke Community School, which has its own radio club VK3KID, demonstrates on a hand-held radio, typing in a code on a keypad and accessing a web-enabled local repeater to connect to a user in Dallas, Texas. His experience at the school includes the use of a gazebo with students learning the ropes from volunteers Randall McDonald VK3RM and Jim McNabb VK3AMN.
The students have learnt to be resourceful through building their own equipment. Amateur radio is encouraging them to pursue maths and sciences, and providing social interaction. Grade 8 student Monique Golub VK3FWPZ achieved her Foundation Licence in grade 6 and now competes in amateur radio challenges such as the 160-metre Trans-Tasman contest.
The 13-year-old was the first female in the club and has since enabled others to join the fun. Another relative newcomer with five years experience is Richard Holmes VK3TXD, keen to dispel the amateur radio stereotype of old blokes tinkering in beeping sheds.
He hopes a new generation will find clever ways to evolve the hobby and embrace its global connections. One of the main things that got him into the hobby was the lure of long-distance or DX contacts.
The article touches on the serious side of things. Amateur radio proved itself to be relevant and invaluable during recent natural disasters in Australia, Japan, China, Pakistan and Haiti. It quotes veteran Doug McArthur VK3UM on his Black Saturday bushfires experiences, and even before that, the aftermath of Tropical Cyclone Tracy in 1974. Of course his moon-bounce and beyond exploits from the giant dish on his country property is featured.
Eastern and Mountain District Radio Club president Jack Bramham VK3WWW regards amateur radio as the original social network and likes digital technology. He’s preparing for the IARU Region 3 Championships that are being hosted late this year by the WIA.
Jack VK3WWW can be seen and heard televising broadcasts on Wednesday nights on frequency 446.500 MHz via the Melbourne Amateur Radio Repeater on Mount Dandenong.
Wireless Institute of Australia spokesman Jim Linton VK3PC says one of the biggest things to happen to amateur radio is the removal of Morse code as a minimum requirement for an operator to obtain an HF licence. The Foundation Licence is now simple enough for young children to acquire, although many progress to the higher grades as Standard and Advanced which give them more.
The two-page article featured in the newspaper’s well-read Green Guide and promoted on page 2 in the main editorial section, notes 20,000 Australians have amateur radio licences, with increasing interest being shown by younger people and women.
There was virtually no one interested before the arrival of the newest entry level. Now we have more activity on air, increased numbers being assessed and a higher level of club membership. The article which involves wide research giving a coverage to amateur radio, concludes with some useful links to get more information.
he pioneering electronic social network is experiencing a resurgence.
WHEN you think of the instant communication at our fingertips thanks to web-enabled mobile devices and the social media explosion of Twitter and Facebook, it's easy to dismiss amateur radio as a dusty relic destined for oblivion.
But the bastions of ham radio believe the century-old form of radio communication is as relevant as ever - it proved invaluable during recent natural disasters in Australia, Japan, China, Pakistan and Haiti.
One amateur radio veteran of more than 50 years, Doug McArthur (whose call-sign is VK3UM), lived through the Black Saturday bushfires, relying on his UHF CB radio to warn neighbours of the approaching flames.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/ham-radio-far-from-over-or-out-20110706-1h135.html#ixzz1Rb4bCzXc
CLUB REMINDER LIST
Wafflers net is progressing well on Wednesday nights. Operating frequency is 146.525 MHz simplex and commences at 1900 hrs. All welcome.
Our club Field Day will be held on the 18th September this year so clean out your bedrooms, radio shack and garages for anything that
might be of some value that you might like to donate to the club for it auction table. If you have any items please bring them down and
give them to a Committee member.
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 an is open on Saturday Afternoons from around 12 noon
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, and an interesting selection of
biscuits.
Saturday, July 2, 2011
WESTLAKES BROADCAST FOR SUNDAY 3RD JULY 2011
Last weeks winner Michael VK2CCW ( 4 trays in 6 weeks ) reached into the into the barrell and choose a lucky winner. The winner was - wait for it Ted VK2UI. Congratulations Ted.
Yesterday, the July meeting was held in the libary followed by a small feast in the common room put together by Gloria. Thanks Gloria well done. Also put together in the libary was this month edition of the magazine. Look in your mail box in the next couple of days for this edition. Its a good read.
AS reported last week in the news the 4 candidates who were sitting their Foundation Licence up at Lemon Tree Passage all passed with flying colours. Please make them all welcome when you hear them on air and offer them any assistance they want.
From the Education Officer - WESTLAKES.
Licence upgrades are now once again available from the Westlakes A.R.C. at Teralba. Those budding amateurs wishing to obtain their Foundation licence or those current Foundation licence holders wishing to upgrade to Standard or Advanced Licence please contact Michael via email vk2oi@wia.org.au Are you a shortwave listener or scanner hobbyist? Why not do the Foundation Licence and get involved in a great hobby. You meet and talk to so many people locally and world wide.
From Leonie - Contest manager
The next contest that will involve the club will be the RD contest. Leonie is seeking interested personnel to man the club station on the weekend closest to the 15th August 2011. Contact Leonie if you are interested in helping out. This is a 24 hr contest. If you haven't been involved in contesting but would like to, I am sure Leonie will show you how its done or will put you in touch with someone who has done many hours of contesting. Maybe the club can hold an afternoon session for those members or visitors wishing to upgrade their skills.
Product Review. Just released from China is the new dualband handheld TYT TH-F5. This handheld does 144-148 mhz as well as 420 to 450 mhz Amatuer bands. Its a little beauty they say. The cost in the US is $89.95.
NEWS FROM SOUTHGATE AMATEUR RADIO
Texas Hams Injured at Field Day Site
On the morning of June 26, two Texas radio amateurs -- Danny Caldwell, AD5IP, of Kamay, and Mike Byrne, AE5CO, of Iowa Park -- received electric shocks as they took down an inverted V antenna. According to Wichita County Emergency Coordinator Larry Ballard, KE5KNV, the two were taking part in Field Day as part of the Wichita Amateur Radio Society (WARS).
"The Wichita Amateur Radio Society decided to terminate the participation in the exercise at 10 AM on Sunday, due to extreme heat and gusty wind conditions," Ballard told the ARRL. "Danny and Mike were injured while lowering the center pole of the inverted V dipole antenna to the ground. They were knocked to the ground when a guy wire, or the antenna lead-in, was hit with very high wind gust that blew it into a high [power] line wire." According to reports from witnesses, winds were gusting up to 40 miles per hour.
Ballard said 911 was called immediately and a rescue van arrived in a matter of minutes. The Fire Rescue Team determined that the two men were stable and they were transported to United Regional Hospital in Wichita Falls. Caldwell received CPR at the scene and was air lifted to Parkland Hospital in Dallas. Byrne was transported to Parkland later by ambulance.
"This was the second year that the Wichita Amateur Radio Society had set up at Oscar Park in the City of Iowa Park for Field Day event," Ballard explained. "The antennas were located in the same location as the prior year, using the same safety practice of locating the antennas a safe distance from power lines and structures. The inverted V dipole antenna had yellow caution tape, marking guy wires and antenna end locations."
Ballard said that Byrne was released from the hospital on Monday, June 27 and was resting at home. Caldwell, who suffered more serious injuries, was released a day later. Becarefull everyone when you go portable or to field days - care must be taken all the time.
Amateur Radio in Space: ISS Survives Near Miss of Space Junk
On Monday, June 27, the ISS narrowly missed getting slammed by space junk.
Just after 8 AM (EDT) on Tuesday, June 29, the six residents of the International Space Station (ISS) climbed into two Soyuz space capsules as an unidentified object hurtled past them at a speed of 29,000 miles per hour, missing the space station by only 1100 feet. This was only the second time in the 10 year history of people living on the space station that the crew needed to take such precautions. If the station had been hit, the crew could have quickly undocked from the ISS and returned to Earth via the space capsules. Currently, there are four hams on board the ISS: Ron Garan, KF5GPO (NASA), Mike Fossum, KF5AQG (NASA), Sergei Volkov, RU3DIS (RKA), and Satoshi Furukawa, KE5DAW (JAXA). The other two cosmonauts -- Andrey Borisenko and Alexander Samokutyaev -- are not licensed.
CLUB REMINDER LIST
Wafflers net is progressing well on Wednesday nights. Operating frequency is 146.525 MHz simplex and commences at 1900 hrs. All welcome.
Our club Field Day will be held on the 18th September this year so clean out your bedrooms, radio shack and garages for anything that
might be of some value that you might like to donate to the club for it auction table. If you have any items please bring them down and
give them to a Committee member.
Grounds of around the club need mowing so contact Barry VK2BZ if you can assist.
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.
Well that's all the news I have this week.
Westlakes Amateur Radio Club Inc. is located in York Street, TERALBA - and is open on Saturday Afternoons from around 12 noon
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, and an interesting selection of biscuits.
Yesterday, the July meeting was held in the libary followed by a small feast in the common room put together by Gloria. Thanks Gloria well done. Also put together in the libary was this month edition of the magazine. Look in your mail box in the next couple of days for this edition. Its a good read.
AS reported last week in the news the 4 candidates who were sitting their Foundation Licence up at Lemon Tree Passage all passed with flying colours. Please make them all welcome when you hear them on air and offer them any assistance they want.
From the Education Officer - WESTLAKES.
Licence upgrades are now once again available from the Westlakes A.R.C. at Teralba. Those budding amateurs wishing to obtain their Foundation licence or those current Foundation licence holders wishing to upgrade to Standard or Advanced Licence please contact Michael via email vk2oi@wia.org.au Are you a shortwave listener or scanner hobbyist? Why not do the Foundation Licence and get involved in a great hobby. You meet and talk to so many people locally and world wide.
From Leonie - Contest manager
The next contest that will involve the club will be the RD contest. Leonie is seeking interested personnel to man the club station on the weekend closest to the 15th August 2011. Contact Leonie if you are interested in helping out. This is a 24 hr contest. If you haven't been involved in contesting but would like to, I am sure Leonie will show you how its done or will put you in touch with someone who has done many hours of contesting. Maybe the club can hold an afternoon session for those members or visitors wishing to upgrade their skills.
Product Review. Just released from China is the new dualband handheld TYT TH-F5. This handheld does 144-148 mhz as well as 420 to 450 mhz Amatuer bands. Its a little beauty they say. The cost in the US is $89.95.
NEWS FROM SOUTHGATE AMATEUR RADIO
Texas Hams Injured at Field Day Site
On the morning of June 26, two Texas radio amateurs -- Danny Caldwell, AD5IP, of Kamay, and Mike Byrne, AE5CO, of Iowa Park -- received electric shocks as they took down an inverted V antenna. According to Wichita County Emergency Coordinator Larry Ballard, KE5KNV, the two were taking part in Field Day as part of the Wichita Amateur Radio Society (WARS).
"The Wichita Amateur Radio Society decided to terminate the participation in the exercise at 10 AM on Sunday, due to extreme heat and gusty wind conditions," Ballard told the ARRL. "Danny and Mike were injured while lowering the center pole of the inverted V dipole antenna to the ground. They were knocked to the ground when a guy wire, or the antenna lead-in, was hit with very high wind gust that blew it into a high [power] line wire." According to reports from witnesses, winds were gusting up to 40 miles per hour.
Ballard said 911 was called immediately and a rescue van arrived in a matter of minutes. The Fire Rescue Team determined that the two men were stable and they were transported to United Regional Hospital in Wichita Falls. Caldwell received CPR at the scene and was air lifted to Parkland Hospital in Dallas. Byrne was transported to Parkland later by ambulance.
"This was the second year that the Wichita Amateur Radio Society had set up at Oscar Park in the City of Iowa Park for Field Day event," Ballard explained. "The antennas were located in the same location as the prior year, using the same safety practice of locating the antennas a safe distance from power lines and structures. The inverted V dipole antenna had yellow caution tape, marking guy wires and antenna end locations."
Ballard said that Byrne was released from the hospital on Monday, June 27 and was resting at home. Caldwell, who suffered more serious injuries, was released a day later. Becarefull everyone when you go portable or to field days - care must be taken all the time.
Amateur Radio in Space: ISS Survives Near Miss of Space Junk
On Monday, June 27, the ISS narrowly missed getting slammed by space junk.
Just after 8 AM (EDT) on Tuesday, June 29, the six residents of the International Space Station (ISS) climbed into two Soyuz space capsules as an unidentified object hurtled past them at a speed of 29,000 miles per hour, missing the space station by only 1100 feet. This was only the second time in the 10 year history of people living on the space station that the crew needed to take such precautions. If the station had been hit, the crew could have quickly undocked from the ISS and returned to Earth via the space capsules. Currently, there are four hams on board the ISS: Ron Garan, KF5GPO (NASA), Mike Fossum, KF5AQG (NASA), Sergei Volkov, RU3DIS (RKA), and Satoshi Furukawa, KE5DAW (JAXA). The other two cosmonauts -- Andrey Borisenko and Alexander Samokutyaev -- are not licensed.
CLUB REMINDER LIST
Wafflers net is progressing well on Wednesday nights. Operating frequency is 146.525 MHz simplex and commences at 1900 hrs. All welcome.
Our club Field Day will be held on the 18th September this year so clean out your bedrooms, radio shack and garages for anything that
might be of some value that you might like to donate to the club for it auction table. If you have any items please bring them down and
give them to a Committee member.
Grounds of around the club need mowing so contact Barry VK2BZ if you can assist.
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.
Well that's all the news I have this week.
Westlakes Amateur Radio Club Inc. is located in York Street, TERALBA - and is open on Saturday Afternoons from around 12 noon
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, and an interesting selection of biscuits.
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