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VK7AX > NEWS 15.03.09 04:28l 660 Lines 20941 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
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Subj: VK7 Regional News Broadcast for 15 March 2009
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From: VK7AX@VK7AX.#ULV.TAS.AUS.OC
To : NEWS@WW
From: "VK7 Regional News Coordinator" <vk7tw(AT)wia.org.au>
Date: Fri, 13 Mar 2009 13:22:00 -0000
To: vk7regionalnews(AT)yahoogroups.com
VK7 REGIONAL NEWS BROADCAST
FOR SUNDAY 15TH MARCH 2009
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TARGA TASMANIA 2009
28 April to 3 May
Gavin VK7HGO lets us know that he is looking for people to help out in
the field of Communications with this event.
You could be manning a repeater, running a "Safety on Stage" (S.O.S.)
or "Radio Point" (RP).
This year if we may use you for other things too like Road Close Radio Point.
A special call does go out to our Northern Amateur friends for the following:
I do need two teams of two people on Wednesday 29 April to man two repeaters,
the repeaters are on stages where you can see the cars go by.
Please note: This is not a WICEN event and is open to any one hearing
the broadcast.
If you would like more details please call Gavin VK7HGO on the North / South
link or Ph. 62724437 or Mobile: 0407724431 or Email: vk7hgo(AT)wia.org.au
http://targatasmania.com.au/
Many Thanks
(Gavin O'Shea, VK7HGO)
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Meet the Voice and Sewing Circle BBQ
Next weekend is the time when you will be able to join your radio friends
at a friendly get together and also put a face to those with whom you
have spoken to or may be had a CW contact with, but have never met them
face to face.
Don VK7AY says he is looking forward to meeting numbers of you again and
making base with some whom are know only by voice.
Our own gas BBQ will be there for you , with a small part set aside for
the onion brigade, a privilege not extended to many on my BBQs.
(many will know what I am referring to. HIHI !!)
For those wanting hot water you will also be catered for.
Ross of course has some excellent take away food shops within close
proximity of the caravan park and there is fresh clear drinking water
that flows from the taps now.
Ross Caravan Park, Sunday March 22, Come one, come all.
Any inquiries call in on the "Sewing Circle Net" 3.590MHz - 5PM every day.
See you there.
http://reast.asn.au/events.php#meetthevoice
(Don, VK7AY)
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Bargain Boot Bonanza
At the Meet the Voice event there will also be a Bargain Boot Bonanza
where you are almost certain to pick up that piece of equipment or part
that you have been looking for.
I have received notice that there will be a wide variety of pre-loved
radio, electronics and computer equipment for sale on the day.
Amongst these treasures will be such things as: antennas, commercial
hand held radios, computer network routers, extension speakers,
transceivers and receivers of all descriptions including HF and VHF.
FM and all mode, commercial test gear, digital cameras, SWR meters,
and much much more.
As in every sale of this kind there will be bargains that you are sure
to hear about afterwards and spent the rest of the week kicking yourself
that you missed out on. Don't miss out...See you at the MTV/SS BBQ and
Bargain Boot Bonanza."
Look forward to seeing you there.
http://reast.asn.au/events.php#meetthevoice
(Ray VK7VKV)
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VK7 EVENTS CALENDAR
A summary of the events across VK7 in the next month:
WICEN South - March 14 & 15 John Moyle Memorial Field Day Conningham
http://tas.wicen.org.au/
REAST March 15th REAST AGM and BYO BBQ from 10:30am after this broadcast.
http://reast.asn.au/events.php#AGM
WICEN South March 21st Meeting Kingston Library Meeting Room 9:30am
http://tas.wicen.org.au/
SEWING CIRCLE NET - March 22nd Meet the Voice and Sewing Circle BBQ
Ross Caravan Park - Starts 10:00am
http://reast.asn.au/events.php#meetthevoice
NWTARIG March 25th General Meeting at the Lions Meeting Rooms
- corner of Ironcliffe Rd and King Edward St Penguin - Starts 2pm.
WICEN South March 28 and 29th Endurance Ride - Woodstock
http://tas.wicen.org.au/
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NORTH WEST News
North West Tasmanian Amateur Radio Interest Group
The next general meeting is on March 28th, at 2pm. the week after the
Meet the Voice weekend at Ross. We will be at our new venue, Lions
Meeting rooms corner of Ironcliffe Rd and King Edward St Penguin.
For those who know the place this is the old council chambers.
Ample off street parking is available and a cuppa before, during or
after will be available.
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NORTHERN NEWS
Northern Tasmanian Amateur Radio Club
NTARC still has some Squid poles left over for $40 each.
These poles were made famous by Phil VK7JJ who has created a very successful
HF multi-band vertical.
For those who don't know, they're 9 metres long, lightweight telescopic
fibreglass poles that compact down to a tube about a metre long,
and they're perfect as a starting point for a great HF multiband antenna.
Interested? Get in touch with Ann VK7FYBG or Jason VK7ZJA.
Just ask Phil at the Meet the Voice BBQ for construction details.
http://www.wia.org.au/clubs/vk7/NorthernTasmaniaAmateurRadioClub/
Thanks from
(Jason, VK7ZJA, NTARC Secretary)
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Southern News
WICEN Tasmania (South)
Certificates Awarded for Tasmanian Fire Service Training
Last week, certificates were distributed to those who, in December last
year, successfully completed the Tasmanian Fire Service training for
Incident Management Centre radio operators.
The certificates are nationally recognised statements of attainment to
Operate Communications Systems and Equipment.
Those who completed the training are VK7s ARN, BDW, CSL, FCDW, FEET, HSB,
HSE, IR, JGD, MAX, NXX, TPE, TRF and Sarah Welch, harmonic of VK7BW.
(Roger, VK7ARN)
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Great Southern Winter Hamfest
A Sorell Mens Shed Event
A Great Southern winter Ham fest will be held at the Sorell Men's Shed,
Station lane, Sorell.
It will be on the first weekend in June which will be June 6th and 7th
and will be a 2 day event.
One the Saturday there will be workshops on antenna construction, tower
and pole erecting, wire antenna construction, ATV field testing,
Antenna testing and measuring RF patterns.
Make a 3 element 10 metre Yagi and learn how to tune it.
Kits and practical instruction will be available.
Book in for the practical work shops as we may have to split into different
groups to cover all the different projects.
RF testing, IFR and signal generators will be available, so bring along
your gear for testing.
Saturday night the Men's Shed station - VK7SMS will be conducting an on
air award from 6pm till 12pm on HF,VHF and UHF.
One contact will be all that is needed to qualify for the worked VK7SMS
Men's Shed Award.
Sunday will be a show and tell day with trade and pre-loved tables,
home brew competition and awards for first, second and third.
There will be a BBQ lunch and raffle.
All proceeds to going to the Men's Shed.
There will be camping and toilet facilities on site for those who want to
bring there campers and trucks down for the weekend.
More info as time draws near so, start making your plans to be in the South
for this great event.
Please email or contact Ken VK7DY for more details or express your interest
in being involved and/or helping out.
http://www.sorellmensshed.org/page2.htm
(Ken, VK7DY, SMS Coordinator)
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Radio and Electronics Association of Southern Tasmania
REAST AGM & Membership Reminder
Today is the Association's annual general meeting which will be held
after this broadcast at 10:30am at the REAST clubrooms.
Please note all positions are up for nomination so, please think about
whom you would like to nominate for any positions on the committee and
check with them prior to nominating them at the AGM or if you would
like to be nominated then let one of the existing committee members know.
After the AGM there will be a BYO barbecue lunch.
Subscriptions are due and will be accepted prior to the AGM.
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.
Renewal Forms: http://reast.asn.au/renewalform.pdf
(REAST Committee)
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ATV Experimenters Night
Last week we had another great ATV Experimenter's night with both analog
70cm and digital 23cm ATV going out from the domain.
We played the lastest AmateurLogic.TV episode 23 from the guys in the
deep South of the US and this was well received both on analog TV and
digital satellite ATV.
We had great reports from VK7TL & VK7OO on digital and VK7FPAH on analogue.
We are slowly getting the transmitting antenna higher up the ATV tower
thanks to Harvey VK7HK's ladder.
We should have it 4-5m off the ground in a semi permanent arrangement for
some serious field tests over the next few weeks.
Scott VK7FRRT and Warren VK7FEET played with the Club station VK7OTC using
the HF rig and anyone if welcome to come up on a Wednesday night and use
the club station.
There is always someone around to assist with the running of the station.
It is a good chance to get some HF DX experience and what a standard/full
call can do.
See you there this Wednesday night around 7:30pm at the Queens Domain
clubrooms.
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)
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Contest News
QRP Rock Concert QSO Party
Gerard on the VKZLQRP Yahoo group is proposing a QRP Rock Concert QSO Party
The aim is to maximise contacts/signal reports for rock bound stations
by getting as many such stations on air at the same time as is possible.
By rock bound he is meaning crystal locked QRP rigs.
Proposal is to run it in the evening when the (now cancelled) 80m CW
trans-tasman contest would have been on. Sat 23/5/09 with a duration of
one or two hours?
Start time would be a set UTC start time, or 8pm local time?
(Local time is convenient for operating + permits targeting of DX zones
but decreases number of stations on simultaneously).
Or maybe only call during your time zones hour, but listen at other times?
Frequencies, focus on normal rock bound frequencies eg 7.030, 7.040,
3.5 something, 14.060, 10.106?
It would consist of exchanging a real RST + lots of idle chat.
The following is a list of operational ideas in no particular order:
- Xtal or VCXO stations only to call CQ.
- Suggest VCXO stations tune slightly off the rock bound frequency to leave
it free of those who can't move.
- Do call CQ. Preferably in batches of 5 with short gaps. Then listen for
a while. Leaving a break for others to call.
- No special call. Just in case the DX is in.
- If you have a QSO leave a good break between overs for others for call in.
- If you hear a QSO, feel obliged to call in.
- Leave lots of breaks and listen hard for weak signals
- Leave filters wide if possible so as to hear stations who aren't quite on
frequency.
- Non-rock bound stations, give priority for air time to rock bound stations.
- QRO stations, by all means join in but please make a special effort to
avoid stomping on anyone.
And if this sounds like a recipe for chaos, well that's what I'm aiming
for
HIHI
If we get the balance right, the rock bound stations will get a few good
contacts each, and no one will get stomped on or discouraged
Gerard encourages discussion on the mailing group.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vkzlqrp/
(GerardVK4 via the VKZLQRP mailing list)
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SILENT Key NewS
OT Voice of WWV Silenced.
Bill K2WH and Jim WA6DIJ on the Ham Radio History list lets us know the
sad news that the voice of WWV is now silent key.
"...At the tone, Zero Hours, Zero Minutes, Coordinated Universal Time...'BEEP'
...This is Radio Station WWV, Fort Collins Colorado..."
WWV voice Silent key
The person behind the recorded voice of Time and Frequency Station WWV has
passed away.
Announcer Don Elliot Heald, of Atlanta, Georgia, who gave WWV its human
touch, passed away on Thursday, February 19th 2009.
May he RIP.
http://www.freewebs.com/wa6dij
www.californiahistoricalradio.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Ham-Radio-History/
(Bill, K2WH and Jim, WA6DIJ via the Ham Radio History List)
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Contest/Event News
International Lighthouse/Lightship Weekend
Just a reminder that the ILLW is on again this year on the 3rd full weekend
in August, as usual, the 15th-16th August.
We already have nearly 100 entrants listed at our website that can be
found on the email and internet editions of this broadcast so if you
haven't done so already, now is the time to start organising a lighthouse
to activate and a group to help you do it.
http://illw.net
The Ayr Amateur Radio Group, Scotland is the sole organizer and sponsor
for the event which is now in its eleventh year.
The popularity of the event is that it is NOT a contest, just a fun
weekend to give lighthouses and amateur radio some well deserved publicity.
So come and join us. The event guidelines and online entry form as well
as a list of entrants are on the web site. See you there.
Remember, there is only one ILLW. Don't be duped by copycat web sites
or soliciting emails from other sources.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aarnie/
(Kevin, vk2ce via the AARNIE mailing list).
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Satellite News
AO-27 Satellite Comes Back
In December, 2008 AO-27 went off the air.
The control team members pursued a strategy to drain the batteries in
the hopes of resetting the locked up modem. As of a week ago, the bird
has rebooted into the primary bootloader.
During February, 2009 the control team has managed to upload the high
level software (EOS) to AO-27 after several attempts.
They took a week to collect data to check on the battery status and
conduct an on-orbit checkout before returning to analogue mode.
As of March 1, 2009 the AO-27 control team reports that telemetry is
looking good.
During several passes over the US they turned on the Analogue Repeater.
This week the control team will continue the data download schedule to
collect as much whole orbit data to check on the health of the batteries.
So far, it is looking like AO-27 will return to normal operations on or
around March 7th.
AO-27 Frequencies are:
Uplink: 145.850 MHz FM
Downlink: 436.795 MHZ FM
http://www.ao27.org
http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/index.php
http://au.groups.yahoo.com/group/amsatvk/
(AO-27 Control Team via the AMSAT News Service)
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Satellite News
AO-7 UHF Beacon Activates RTTY Telemetry
The AO-7 UHF Beacon at 435.100 MHz has been reported as becoming operational.
Satellite telemetry in RTTY format is being copied.
The AO-7 70-cm beacon was monitored with very strong signals during
February 28 passes and also since then.
Some reported the beacon initially sounded as if it was in a two-state
mode that sounded a bit like RTTY in idle.
Successful RTTY decodes have been accomplished using "reverse, 45,
85" parameters.
AO-7 Command Operator, Mike, N1JEZ says, "This is a pretty significant
development.
Every time I've tried to activate the RTTY system, all I would get is a
solid carrier then the bird has reset indicating a lack of power."
http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/index.php
(Mike, N1JEZ via the AMSAT News Service)
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Web & Email Edition Extra Bits!!
Yagi Quiz:
http://www.arrl.org/news/features/2009/03/02/10680/?nc=1
It's amazing what the net turns up!
http://www.acronymfinder.com/Radio-and-Electronics-Association-of-Southern
-Tasmania-(REAST).html
Country Energy have been trialling BPL technology for smart metering
however have ditched it recently (thanks to Phil VK2DKN for the link):
http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/software/soa/Country-Energy-s-metering-to-stay-dumb
/0,130061733,339295399,00.htm
NASA Delays Discovery's Trip to ISS
http://www.arrl.org/?artid=8825
W1AW 2009 Spring/Summer Operating Schedule
http://www.arrl.org/w1aw.html
Elektor I-Trixx - create your own handwriting font for your PC!
http://www.i-trixx.com/uk/
Daylight Saving Started in US on March 8th
http://aa.usno.navy.mil/faq/docs/daylight_time.php
(The following links are courtesy of the ABC Science Mailing List):
Indepth: Exploring Antarctica
http://abcmail.net.au/t/416261/957242/8121/0/
Photo Gallery: Journey To The Final Frontier
http://abcmail.net.au/t/416261/957242/8122/0/
From The Vault: Ingrid On Ice
http://abcmail.net.au/t/416261/957242/8123/0/
(The following links are courtesy of the CG Communicator):
The longest burning light bulb in history resides in a fire station in
Livermore, CA.
Now in its 108th year of illumination, the bulb has an incredible fan
club and is monitored 24 hours/day by a Web Cam (aka the "Bulb Cam"):
http://www.centennialbulb.org/
The Fordson Snow Machine:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBjlSJf4274
Here is a "non-inverting" mirror, making it possible to read reflected
text normally.
In this case shown, the newly designed mirror is reflecting the word
GRAVITATION printed on the side of the book in the foreground:
http://www.newscientist.com/gallery/dn16585-amazing-mirrors
Finally we have the US Navy Presidential Drill Team in a performance
you might never forget:
http://www.whc.net/rjones/USN/USN_team.html
Do you have some interesting amateur related sites you have some across
in the last week send them in to justingc(AT)ozemail.com.au
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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?
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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
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Finally today, a reminder to those people rostered for next week's broadcasts:
Newsreader: VK7FB
160m: VK7DM
80m: VK7ZK
40m: No Broadcast
20m: VK7IL
10m: VK7ZGK
UHF CB: VK7FTAZ
HF CB: VK7TED
Thanks to all people and organisations who assisted with this broadcast.
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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
*************************************************
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