| |
VK7AX > NEWS 22.02.09 03:06l 615 Lines 19664 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : VK7AX-2202VK
Read: GUEST
Subj: VK7 Regional News Broadcast for 22 February 2009
Path: IZ3LSV<IK2XDE<DB0RES<ON0AR<HS1LMV<CX2SA<VK4TRS<VK7AX
Sent: 090222/0149Z @:VK7AX.#ULV.TAS.AUS.OC #:62197 [Ulverstone] FBB7.00g $:VK7A
From: VK7AX@VK7AX.#ULV.TAS.AUS.OC
To : NEWS@WW
From: "VK7 Regional News Coordinator" <vk7tw(AT)wia.org.au>
Date: Fri, 20 Feb 2009 14:00:45 -0000
To: vk7regionalnews(AT)yahoogroups.com
VK7 REGIONAL NEWS BROADCAST
FOR SUNDAY 22ND February 2009
--------------------------------------------------------------
"MEET THE VOICE BBQ"
Bargain Boot Bonanza
On March 22nd at the Meet the Voice/Sewing Circle BBQ there will
be a bargain boot bonanza.
No, it is not a garage sale full of car boots looking for a home
..
HIHI but a great opportunity for you to sell your pre-loved
amateur radio related equipment that is surplus to requirements?
Ray VK7VKV is the coordinator and if you are interested in coming
along to the BBQ and selling your pre-loved gear then get in touch
with Ray via the Sewing Circle net on the weekend at 5pm on 3.59MHz.
Participation is covered in your registration fee, the only
condition is that you provide your own car boot or table on which
to display the treasures, and that you don't begin offering the
bargains for sale until 12.00 midday so as not to detract from the
other organised events on the day.
Hams are always looking for a bargain so this is a great opportunity
to do a deal.
Look forward to seeing you there.
http://reast.asn.au/events.php#meetthevoice
(Ray VK7VKV)
-----------------------------
Meet the Voice and Sewing Circle BBQ
Ross March 22 starting around 10am will see the first VK7 state-wide
activity for 2009.
Don VK7AY has ordered a perfect day of sun and no wind so, SLIP SLOP SLAP
is the order of the day therefore, bring your sun cream, hats,
umbrellas, or any other shade producing device, etc.
Ross now has a reasonable drinking water supply available once again
so we will be in luxurious surroundings.
Registration from 10am, $5.00 cover charge per amateur or amateur
family, any surplus will be towards some amateur Radio activity,
no funds held over.
2007 we donated to the upkeep of repeaters, and last year you donated
over $200 dollars which was used to assist the payment of licence fees
for those repeaters state wide.
A decision on the day will be made as to where all surplus registration
monies will go.
How about inviting an amateur senior or otherwise who you think would
enjoy the outing and meeting with old and new friends to join you on
the day I am sure many would have a spare seat.
This is a great opportunity for you to make contact with the voice
you have spoken to but have never met in person.
The day is designed around that premise.
See you there.
http://reast.asn.au/events.php#meetthevoice
(Don, VK7AY)
---------------------------------------------------------------------
VK7 EVENTS CALENDAR
And a summary of the events across VK7 in the next few months:
REAST February 23rd Amateur Licence Assessment night
Queens Domain Clubrooms 7:30pm.
http://reast.asn.au/amateurradio.php#exams
REAST February 25th ATV Experimenter's Night
Queens Domain Clubrooms 7:30pm.
http://reast.asn.au/events.php#ATVnights
NWTARIG - February 28th - Radio Experimenters and Social Group
coffee morning - Two Oaks Cafe 15235 Bass Highway Somerset 10:30am.
WICEN South - 14 and 15 March John Moyle Memorial Field Day
Conningham
http://tas.wicen.org.au/
REAST March 15th REAST AGM and BYO BBQ from 10:30am.
http://reast.asn.au/events.php#AGM
WICEN South March 21st Meeting Kingston Library Meeting
Room 9:30am
http://tas.wicen.org.au/
Meet the Voice and Sewing Circle BBQ March 22nd Ross Caravan Park
- Starts 10:00am
http://reast.asn.au/events.php#meetthevoice
WICEN South March 28 and 29th Endurance Ride - Woodstock
http://tas.wicen.org.au/
------------------------------------------------------------------
Non-Commercial For Sale & Wanted
Aluminium Ladder Wanted
REAST is still looking for a 12 to 14 foot aluminium ladder.
We have no offers so far.
If you have something suitable but are not sure if you will need
it again in the future remember you could always "borrow" it back.
Please let Dave VK7DM know.
vk7deltamike(AT)hotmail.com
(73, Dave, VK7DM)
--------------------------------------------------------------
NORTH WEST News
North West Tasmanian Amateur Radio Interest Group
Our regular Tuesday "natternet" at 2000 on VK7RMD, Mt. Duncan,
is followed at 2100 by a replay of the WIA National News broadcast
courtesy of VK7EM. This is proving popular with many of the locals.
NWTARIG is preparing for a practical session involving soldering and
kit building. The date for this will be announced shortly.
This session will be conducted at St. Mary's church hall Penguin.
Those wishing to take part are advised to buy a small kit or bring
along that half built project you put aside.
Assistance will be given in the art of soldering.
BYO soldering iron and project.
(73 Anne VK7BYL President NWTARIG)
The NWTARIG Radio Experimenters and Social Group will be having their
Coffee morning at the Two Oaks Cafe 15235 Bass Highway Somerset,
where the old Somerset Drive-In once stood.
The meeting date is for Saturday the 28th February for a 10.30 start.
All locals in the area are welcome to come along and meet up with
old pals and the newer members of Amateur Radio
Hope to see you all on the 28th."
Regards,
(Vernon French, VK7VF, Social Group Coordinator)
---------------------------------------------------------------------
NORTHERN NEWS
Northern Tasmanian Amateur Radio Club
The club purchase of squid poles has been incredibly popular,
so much so that the first lot of 20 sold out in days, and we had to
order another 10 to keep up with demand!
If you still want a squid pole, we have one left, and you'd better
move fast to get your name on one.
At $40 each and 9 metres long, that's less than $4.50 a metre
that has got to be good value.
Now, once you receive your squid pole, I recommend that you read
Phil VK7JJ's excellent construction article on the squid pole antenna.
Phil says that it works well on 80, 40 & 20 metres, and is no slouch
on 30 and 15 metres with a little help from an ATU, is fast to erect
and easy to build.
Phil also details the theory of operation of the antenna on each of
the resonant bands, and is a fantastic read.
If you visit www.perite.com and then follow the links to `fun' then
`ham radio' you will find the link to the VK7JJ squid pole multiband
vertical. Thank you Phil,
with the level of interest shown,
I'm sure we'll be hearing many more portable HF operators on the bands
across Tassie and across Australia.
If you've collected your call book but not yet paid for it,
please see Ann VK7FYBG to complete the transaction as soon as you can.
www.perite.com
http://www.wia.org.au/clubs/vk7/NorthernTasmaniaAmateurRadioClub/
Thanks from
(Jason, VK7ZJA, NTARC Secretary)
---------------------------------------------------------------
Southern News
Radio and Electronics Association of Southern Tasmania
Wednesday Afternoon Group
The Wednesday Lunch Time Group are conducting a display and
discussion of old mathematical calculators this coming Wednesday.
Bring along you old Casio, HP, Texas Instruments or even a hand
operated "whatever".
A discussion on the advantages or otherwise of RPN will sure to
promote some heated discussion.
If you don't know what RPN is the acronym for; come along and
find out.
Our resident maths teacher, Cedric VK7CSL, will be in attendance
to provide the answers and sort out the misnomers.
(Dave, VK7DM)
---------------------------------------------------------------
REAST AGM & Membership Reminder
The REAST committee wishes to advise that the Association's
annual general meeting will be held on Sunday 15th March at
10:30am at the REAST clubrooms following the broadcast.
The current occupants of the positions of treasurer,
secretary and both general committee members will be not be
re-nominating so please think about whom you would like to
nominate for any positions on the committee, or if you would
like to be nominated. Nomination forms are available on the
REAST website.
After the AGM there will be a BYO barbecue lunch.
It's a new year so the 2009 subscriptions are due.
This year if you are paying your subscription by direct deposit
your receipt number and transfer description must be written on
your renewal form so that payments can be easily identified.
A new renewal form is available on the REAST website and at the
clubrooms that includes all the information required.
Furthermore, many members have changed their call signs in the
last year with the two letter call sign ballot and for other
reasons so if your call sign has changed in the last year
please make sure this is clearly marked on your renewal form.
Nomination Forms: http://reast.asn.au/2009/Nomination_REAST_Committee_2009.pdf
Renewal Forms: http://reast.asn.au/renewalform.pdf
(REAST Committee)
-------------------------------------------------------------
Education and Training
Reg VK7KK lets us know that yesterday there was a Foundation
Licence training sessions and we hope to hear some new
foundation licensee on the air soon.
PLEASE NOTE the assessment night has been moved from Tuesday
the 24th back to Monday the 23rd
.THAT'S TOMORROW NIGHT
starting at 7:30pm.
If you are wanting to participate in the training and/or
assessment and the assessment could be for any licence
(foundation, standard, advanced or practical) then let Reg VK7KK
know ASAP on mobile: 0417 391 607 or email: regemm(AT)ozemail.com.au
Reg also reminds those wanting to take the Foundation licence
course that Foundation Training Manuals are available at Caltex
Service Station corner Amy St and Main Rd Moonah (no. 138).
(Reg, VK7KK, REAST Education Officer and Assessor)
-------------------------------------------------------------
ATV Experimenters Night
Last Wednesday night was another great roll-up of amateurs
interested in hands on amateur radio.
We started the night with a presentation by Justin VK7TW on
different types of high intensity discharge lighting globes
with a number examples demonstrated using our newly installed
close-up camera.
These globes included mercury vapour, high pressure sodium and
metal halide and just described their operation.
Then an optical slit modulator was shown using a speaker
actuating a vane and the amplified frequencies moving the
voice coil and opening and closing the slit at that frequency.
An LM3915 VU meter IC and circuit was then demonstrated as a
simple homebrew replacement for an analog VU meter.
We then played the last episode of amateurlogic.TV which was
Peter Berrett VK3PB's tour of the Australia Signals Museum.
We finished off with a tea and coffee whilst planning the
Digital ATV field tests.
If you would like to be involved with field testing the digital
(DVB-S) ATV transmitter over the next few weeks then please
let me know as we have tuned satellite receivers that have been
tested.
All in all another great night of experimentation.
So another exciting ATV Experimenter's nights happens this
Wednesday night the 25th of Feb around 7:30pm.
How do you receive ATV on an ATV night well, ATV goes out on
444.25MHz (Channel 16) just below SBS on the UHF TV Band.
You will need an antenna with some gain pointed toward the
Domain to receive our signal so, why not try tuning down the
low end of the UHF TV band and give us a call on what you are
seeing and hearing.
See you there.
http://reast.asn.au/events.php#ATVnights
(73, Justin, VK7TW)
--------------------------------------------------------------
ACMA NEWS
ACMA to host second Spectrum Tune-Up
The Australian Communications and Media Authority's second
Spectrum Tune-Up is to be held on 24 February 2009 and will
inform attendees of the latest updates to some of ACMA's major
spectrum projects.
The Spectrum Tune-Up's morning session will discuss spectrum
licensing issues including 2.3 GHz residual lots, spectrum
suitable for wireless access services and an overview of
spectrum trading.
The afternoon session will focus on microwave service issues
including emergency service wireless spectrum at 4.9 GHz and
exciting developments in the high microwave bands.
`These tune-ups are our way of ensuring that our client base
has the most up to date information on key spectrum happenings
in Australia under ACMA's auspices,'
Chris Chapman, ACMA Chairman said.
RadComms09, ACMA's major spectrum conference will be held in
Sydney this year on 29 and 30 April.
Further details will be available on the ACMA website in coming
weeks.
http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc=PC_311631
(ACMA Media Release)
--------------------------------------------------------------
SPACE News
Space Station Tricorder
The Science(AT)NASA website reports on and interesting device that
used to be only found in a popular scifi series.
Any Trekkies out there remember the tricorder? Dr. McCoy and
Mr. Spock both carried them, and they came in mighty handy
exploring "strange new worlds ...where no one has gone before."
On the International Space Station, astronauts are carrying an
experimental device that looks strikingly similar the LOCAD-PTS,
short for Lab-On-a-Chip Application Development Portable Test System.
This handheld biological lab is the first step along the path to
developing something akin to Dr. McCoy's medical tricorder.
"LOCAD is like that tricorder in that it is portable, rapid,
and detects a biochemical molecule," says Heather Morris,
LOCAD scientist from NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center.
LOCAD is specifically designed to detect and identify microbes
on space station surfaces. An ISS crewmember uses a dry swab to
take samples of surfaces where microbes might be lurking.
Flushing sterile water through the swab converts the sample to
liquid form, and the astronaut puts a few drops into the LOCAD.
What's in the sample? The system gives its answer less than
15 minutes later. The whole easy procedure is done on location.
"LOCAD can't yet distinguish between live and dead bacteria.
" So no one can cry out, it's dead, Jim! "We're working to add
this capability in the future says Morris.
Dr. McCoy, here we come.
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2008/09may_tricorder.htm
(Written by Dauna Coulter via the Science(AT)NASA Website)
--------------------------------------------------------------
BPL News
Rural BPL Rollout Targets 200k Customers
Unfortunately the global financial crisis has an unfortunate
effect as low interest loans are funding the launch this month
(February 2009) of new broadband over powerline (BPL) networks
in the USA, across four states and reaching nearly 200,000
rural customers.
Computer giant IBM and internet service provider International
Broadband Electric Communications (IBEC) have partnered in the
project, which stretches across Alabama, Indiana, Michigan and
Virginia. Seven electricity cooperatives are involved.
Since beginning in the first week of February, IBM and IBEC have
"already deployed 400 live miles with broadband access, or
nearly 4,000 homes" in Michigan, according to the media release
on the IBM website.
In Alabama, Cullman Electric Cooperative has 1600 homes hooked
up to BPL and expects to pass 7000 homes by the end of this month.
BPL's share of the internet delivery market is historically low.
A 2006 report from the US regulator, the Federal Communications
Commission (FCC), revealed that fewer than 5000 homes had
internet delivered by BPL at that time.
Since then, a number of BPL networks have closed down, notably
in Dallas, Texas.
The American Radio Relay League, representing the amateur radio
community, warns that the BPL industry has a long way to go in
addressing electromagnetic compatibility issues which adversely
impact users of the radiofrequency spectrum.
See the link on the email and internet editions for the ARRL
story on this roll-out.
http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2008/11/12/10449/?nc=1
http://www.amateurradio.com.au/node/421
http://www-03.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/26728.wss
https://mail.une.edu.au/lists/archives/spectrum/attachments/20090219/ed532e35/attachment-0001.html
(Via Roger Harrison, VK2ZRH and the Spectrum Issues Mailing List)
-------------------------------------------------------------
Web & Email Edition Extra Bits!!
International Year of Astronomy 2009: astronomy2009.org
Australian version: astronomy2009.org.au.
70cm Batwing Antenna: http://www.qsl.net/kd2bd/batwing.html
Interesting AR site:
http://www.hamsexy.com http://forums.hamsexy.com
Museum of Electric Lamp Technology: http://www.lamptech.co.uk/
VK-VHF DX Site: http://www.vhfdx.radiocorner.net/
Conifer Gridpack Antennas Mods for WLAN:
http://martybugs.net/wireless/conifermods.cgi
Horn Antennas:
http://users.skynet.be/chricat/horn/horn-javascript.html
UHF Antennas:
http://www.seattlewireless.net/CardboardHorn
http://www.saunalahti.fi/~elepal/antennit.html
http://6mt.com/2304tech.htm
http://www.wireless.org.au/~jhecker/
Rocket Cam V.Cool!
http://holden.customer.netspace.net.au/rocketcam.html
The Microwave Antenna Bible:
http://www.qsl.net/n1bwt/contents.htm
Emona Test Equipment:
www.emona.com.au
Tagging and Testing Online Shop:
www.protag.com.au
Great Resource Site:
http://www.vk1od.net/
From the ABC website Quiz your brain
get those neurons moving:
http://abcmail.net.au/t/398630/957242/7622/0/
Do you have some interesting amateur related sites you have come
across in the last week send them in to justingc(AT)ozemail.com.au
-------------------------------------------------------
VK7 Regional News Group Email Addresses
Post message: vk7regionalnews(AT)yahoogroups.com
Subscribe: vk7regionalnews-subscribe(AT)yahoogroups.com
Unsubscribe: vk7regionalnews-unsubscribe(AT)yahoogroups.com
List owner: vk7regionalnews-owner(AT)yahoogroups.com
VK7 Virtual BPL Tours Update
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdcY0Eetvsw - Mt Nelson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gsxpya3CnQ - North Hobart
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7DfdxjRkpU - RU ready for BPL?
--------------------------------------------------------------
If you are interested in becoming an amateur radio operator
or upgrading your licence then we suggest you contact your
local club for details and/or take a look at what the Radio and
Electronics School has to offer.
They have a range of courses that can be delivered through
a variety of methods.
They can be found at: www.radioelectronicschool.com
--------------------------------------------------------------
Finally today, a reminder to those people rostered for next
week's broadcasts:
Newsreader: VK7TW
160m: VK7DM
80m: VK7ZK
40m: VK7RO
20m: VK7IL
10m: VK7ZGK
UHF CB: VK7ZCR
HF CB: VK7TED
Thanks to all people and organisations who assisted with this
broadcast.
--------------------------------------------------------------
THAT CONCLUDES OUR VK7 REGIONAL NEWS BROADCAST FOR THIS WEEK.
YOU HAVE BEEN LISTENING TO OR JUST MISSED VK7WI.
NEXT WEEK THE NATIONAL WIA NEWS CAN BE HEARD AT 0900 FOLLOWED
BY THE VK7 REGIONAL NEWS AT 0930 HOURS.
DETAILS TO SEND NEWS FOR THIS BROADCAST CAN BE FOUND AT
REAST.ASN.AU AND THE DEADLINE FOR ITEMS IS 21:00 ON FRIDAY
PRIOR TO THE SUNDAY OF THE BROADCAST.
VK7 Regional Broadcast & News Coordinator
Justin Giles-Clark, VK7TW
*************************************************
- NEWS POSTING TO PACKET -
Courtesy Tony VK7AX VK7AX(AT)VK7AX.#ULV.TAS.AUS.OC
*************************************************
Read previous mail | Read next mail
| |
