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VK7AX > NEWS 29.12.09 13:06l 500 Lines 23574 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
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VK7 REGIONAL NEWS BROADCAST
FOR SUNDAY 27TH DECEMBER 2009
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SEASONS GREETINGS
An Aussie Christmas at Casey Station
There aren't very many people in the southern hemisphere who'll get a white Christmas this year, but for the expeditioners stationed in Antarctica, there'll be plenty of the white stuff going around.
Steven Leslie is the chef at the Australian Casey Station, and he says despite the very different view outdoors, they'll be making their Christmas as Australian as they can.
"We've had the decorations up for a couple of weeks now, everyone's in high spirits," says Steven.
"There's tinsel flying everywhere.
"We're busy in the kitchen preparing Christmas dinner, we're having Christmas lunch followed by Christmas dinner, we'll make a whole day of it, everyone's in the festival season.
"We certainly know it's Christmas time here at the station.
Christmas in Antarctica is a bountiful time for the stations, because it's at this time of year the ships can get through to restock the cupboards, bringing fresh food and maybe some special extras.
"We're actually in the middle of resupply at the moment, so we've got the Aurora Australis sitting in the harbour and we've been very busy this week pulling off shipping containers.
"I'm quite sure Santa's snuck some Christmas presents on board, there's might be a couple of pallets there."
Spending Christmas far away from family and loved ones can be tough, but Steven says they all look after each other at the station and everyone will get a chance to phone home.
"Everyone will have an opportunity tomorrow to grab a phone and call home talk to family and friend and loved ones and also the email will run hot tomorrow.
"I guess it's about friendship down here, talking to each other, relating stories about Christmas gone by and also that contact with the family on the day helps.
"We all thinking of our families and loved ones down here in Antarctica and sending our best wishes for Christmas."
There's still work that will need to be done on Christmas Day, but that just means the expeditioners will spread their Christmas celebrations over two days so that everyone will get a chance to relax.
"There's regular work that will happen on Christmas Day, obviously met observations, it looks like we'll probably have our Christmas celebrations on the Saturday of this week, so the guys can finish off resupply tomorrow and kick back and relax from about midday tomorrow and have two well earned days off in a row."
And although Casey Station is far away from suburban backyards and the MCG, that doesn't stop another Australian Christmas tradition from happening.
"We even have the traditional Boxing Day test out the front of the station," says Steven.
"We have to groom the pitch with one of the graders, but it works quite well. The whites are a bit more padded than usual."
Seems it doesn't matter where you end up spending Christmas, some traditions will always be honoured.
http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2009/12/24/2780300.htm?site=hobart
(Written by Carol Raabus and Tim Cox and sourced from the ABC Hobart Website)
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VK7 EVENTS CALENDAR
A summary of the events across VK7 over the coming month:
REAST – January 6, 13, 20 & 27, 2010– ATV experimenter's nights – Queen's Domain Clubrooms – around 7:30pm.
http://reast.asn.au/events.php#ATVnights
CCARC – January 30, 2010 - Next general meeting.
http://www.my-x15.net/ccarc
NWTATVG - February 6, 2010 – Annual General Meeting
http://www2.vk7ax.id.au/atvgroup/
REAST – February 13, 2010 – Annual General Meeting
http://reast.asn.au/events.php#AGM
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VK7 Regional News Broadcast Update
Broadcast Roster Released
The 2010 broadcast roster is available on the VK7 Regional News web page.
http://reast.asn.au/news.php#roster
If your New Year's resolutions include helping us out in 2010 with some re-broadcasting on any band and, this means not only where there are blanks appear on the roster then, please contact the VK7 Regional News Coordinator or the rebroadcaster you are listening to this morning.
(Justin, VK7TW, VK7 Regional News Coordinator)
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Visiting VK7
Keith VK6RK/VK6XH and XYL are visiting Tasmania from today through to January 17th and wondered if there were any activities planned for that period.
Keith plans to use the 2m and 70cm repeaters around VK7 so, keep an ear out and give Keith a call if you hear him.
They plan to be in the South from today through till the 31st, then East coast and Lonnie from 4-7th Jan and then the North West and back to Hobart from the 15th till the 17th of January.
Keith comments that they have not been to VK7 before and so are looking forward to having a look around.
Keith writes the VK6 Notes in AR Magazine and has recently resigned as the WIA VK6 Advisory Committee chairman so I'm interested to see how other states operate.
(Thanks in advance and 73 from Keith VK6RK / VK6XH via Gavin VK7HGO)
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BREAKING NEWS
VK7REC Snow Hill is OFF AIR indefinitely.
Joe VK7JG lets us know that the top section of the VK7REC tower has collapsed. This in part due to lack of maintenance, old age and several lightening strikes.
One aerial was on this section and the second aerial was damaged by the falling tower.
(73, Joe, VK7JG)
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Northern News
Northern Tasmanian Amateur Radio Club
Congratulations… if you are hearing this broadcast, it means you've survived another Christmas silly season. We hope you've enjoyed all that Christmas has given to you this year and that you are relaxing at this holiday time with family & friends.
Speaking of Christmas, some of the memorable moments of NTARC's Christmas BBQ from a few weeks ago are worthy of mention:
VK7KY Max and VK7HSC Shirley, along with VK7EM Winston and XYL Elizabeth and VK7ZBE Brian all made journeys from the North-West coast to sizzle a sausage on the evening with us.
This year, Peter VK7ZPC has usurped Joe VK7JG for the Slippery Trout award, catching the first fish of the evening. Peter's XYL Kay also upheld a growing tradition of making delicious rum balls, jelly cakes and fruit mince pies for after-BBQ deserts. Thank you Kay!
BBQ'ing in style certainly has caught on with many members of NTARC, there being no fewer than 9 motor homes, a caravan and even a brave soul in a tent at Myrtle Park for the evening. Not to be forgotten, mans best friend was there in strength with 6 dogs all vying for the BBQ left overs… we suspect that all canines left the venue just as well fed as their human owners.
A wonderful evening by all accounts and we hope to see you for next years event.
Don't forget that the WIA centenary 2010 call books are now available, and they're still a bargain at last years price of $25. See the club Treasurer, Ann VK7FYBG to get your copy.
Members may be aware that an informal approach has been made to NTARC to establish and operate an amateur radio station in the Tramways Museum on Invermay Road in Launceston. To date this suggestion has yet to be explored in any detail, although Al VK7AN tells us that he has custody of a donated but suitably aged HF rig that could be applied to the task should it proceed. The Committee would welcome members' thoughts on the suggestion before undertaking any discussion with the museum. Needless to say, this would be presenting a very public face for NTARC and whatever guise it takes, would need to be done well, so its significance should not be underestimated.
While a static display would probably be readily achievable, and operating station would undoubtedly require greater effort, including a roster of licenced volunteer members to man it. Please have a thought about this suggestion, and the extent to which you might be able to personally participate and let us have your thoughts in time for a discussion at a club meeting early in the New Year.
Lastly, WICEN will be assisting with a horse endurance ride at St Helens on the 22nd of May, and would like to hear from any members in Northern Tassie if they'd like to help with tracking of the riders and reporting movements via amateur radio. If you're interested, have a chat with Roger VK7ARN, but we'll also be discussing this at NTARC's February meeting as well.
Thanks from
(Jason VK7ZJA NTARC Secretary)
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NORTH WEST News
North West Tasmania Amateur Television Group
http://www2.vk7ax.id.au/atvgroup/
Club Meetings Coming up
The next two Meetings of the NWT-ATV Group are scheduled for Saturday 6th. February 2010.
The first of these will be the Annual General Meeting of the Club and as per the rules all 5 executive positions of the Club will be declared vacant at this meeting. Any financial members of the Club are entitled to nominate for any of the positions. Nomination forms & notice of same will be communicated to all members shortly. If any member feels he/she would like to have a go at holding an executive position within the Club, here is your chance. So please give it some thought.
The second meeting will be the General Meeting of the Club and will take place immediately at the conclusion of the AGM. Meeting venue will be advised closer to the scheduled dates.
73's until next time
(Tony VK7AX, News Officer NWT-ATV Group)
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Cradle Coast Amateur Radio Club (CCARC)
CCARC News
http://www.my-x15.net/ccarc
Cradle Coast Amateur Radio Club members are notified that the next general club meeting will be on the 30th of January 2010.
If you are a non amateur or a short wave listener living in the North West, or West coast of Tasmania, and would like to become a licenced amateur radio operator, then come along to a meeting and find out about this interesting hobby. If you cannot make the meeting but would like to find out more about the hobby then contact the learning facilitator, Keith Winkler VK7KW, or any of the committee members.
Full contact details are available on our website which can be easily found by a "Yahoo" or "Google" search of CCARC TASMANIA
So don't forget, no meeting until January 30th.
(David, VK7DC, Secretary, CCARC)
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Southern News
The Sorell Men's Shed Radio station donation.
Thanks go to Brian VK7BW and Ashley Cooper for the donation of a new VHF 2m Radio for the Sorell Men's Shed Shack.
VK7SMS is the only Amateur Radio station in Australia that actively provide education, training and mentoring for many people who dare to ask how does it work!
With this new radio we can now access more repeaters and links that will open the eyes of many a new operators and provide us with equipment that will enhance the radio shack.
Over this last year we have had many visitors to the shed as well as the winter radio fest and the Tasmania Day Science day. The shed is now a well established community project helping men feel useful and contributing again to their communities as well as learning and/or sharing their skills and making friends.
Woodwork, metalwork, restoration of an old tow truck, machinery and relics from the past , electronics, & gardening to name a few are now on-going activities at the shed.
The shed would like to wish you all a very prosperous New Year and may your journey though life be exciting and life changing.
(73, Ken, VK7DY, Men's Shed Coordinator)
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Radio and Electronics Association of Southern Tasmania
Great Christmas News
This story started with a phone message left by Janet who is Ian 7IR's XYL. The message was a little concerning as it said Ian will not be able to do the broadcast reading as he was in hospital.
This left the broadcast coordinator and a number of other people a little concerned about Ian's welfare!
After a few days a wonderful email arrived from Ian with the following humours message….
"Sorry about last week...things happened rather quickly!
My Master Oscillator was suffering some frequency instability, with consequent drop-outs at rare intervals, which would have been nasty under several circumstances.......
This has now been fixed by locking the MO to an implanted frequency standard, which is working well, and I shall be available as required from now on.
Cheers, 73, Ian"
I think we all wish Ian and Janet a very merry Christmas and New Year and look forward to hearing his voice for many years to come.
(73, Justin, VK7TW, VK7 Broadcast and News Coordinator)
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REAST Memberships Due
REAST membership renewals for 2010 are due from the 1st. January. Please include a renewal form with your payment to ensure our database is up to date.
Renewal forms are available from the club rooms or can be downloaded from the REAST website.
If paying by direct deposit please email a copy of your renewal form to bob.vk7zl(AT)gmail.com or phone me on 62 611 297 with your details.
http://reast.asn.au/events.php#membershiprenewal
(73's Bob VK7ZL, REAST Membership Officer)
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VK7RAD Upgrade - Success
A quick reminder that VK7RAD repeater now requires a CTCSS tone of 141.3Hz to raise the mute and operate the repeater.
All stations which have activated their tone encode to now operate repeater 2.
The IRLP node is also now back operating following the installation of a tone board and re-programming.
(73, Dave, VK7DM, REAST Repeater Officer)
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2010 Centenary Callbooks
REAST has received it's order of 2010 W.I.A. Centenary Call Books.
If you would like a copy then please put your name on the white board at the club rooms and are also available from the Caltex Service Station on Main Rd Moonah from Clayton VK7ZCR.
The station address is 136-138 Main Road on the corner of Amy St.
(73, Gavin, VK7HGO, REAST President)
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Education and Training
If you would like to participate in a future training and/or assessment and it could be for any assessment (foundation, standard, advanced or practical) then let Reg VK7KK know on mobile: 0417 391 607 or email: regemm(AT)ozemail.com.au
http://reast.asn.au/events.php#FoundationLicenceCourse
(Reg, VK7KK, REAST Education Officer and Assessor)
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ATV Experimenters Night
Thanks to Gavin VK7HGO, Richard VK7RO, Rod VK7TRF who came along last Wednesday night for some Christmas cheer and help to continue putting the new improved ATV studio back together.
The Video Distribution Amplifiers and Video matrices are being installed to feed the video mixer along with the accompanying audio chain. A big thanks you to Graham VK7ZGK for his donations of recycled Hard Disk Recorders which will enable us to put most of the material onto easily accessible and quick access media.
We will get back underway on DVB-T and Analogue ATV in the New Year.
See you next on Wednesday 6th January starting around 7:30pm.
Hope to see you along.
http://reast.asn.au/events.php#ATVnights
(73, Justin, VK7TW)
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SPACE NEWS
White Christmas: The Coldest Places in the Solar System
The following is a summary of an article written by Andrea Thompson on the space.com web site on December 23rd 2009.
The shrinking ice cap around Earth's North Pole may be hedging in on Santa's territory, but there are plenty of other frigid territories in the solar system where he could set up shop. Here's a quick tour of some of the most shiver-inducing spots in the solar system, where you might be assured a white Christmas.
Mars
If Santa is looking for another snowy spot for his workshop, the northern polar regions of Mars offers an out-of-this-world option. Last year, NASA's Phoenix Mars lander observed snow falling in Mars' northern Vastitas Borealis region, where it landed on May 25, 2008.
Titan
Lakes of liquid methane and ethane are thought to dot the landscape of this Saturnian moon, in an environment more frigid than Antarctica. Temperatures of minus 180 Celsius keeps water frozen solid, liquid methane and ethane exist and could provide a haven for life.
Europa
Jupiter's moon Europa is also an icy world, thought to feature a surface veneer of water ice (at a temperature of almost minus 184 Celsius) with a possible liquid water ocean underneath.
Comets
If the sleigh won't cut it, Santa could always hitch a ride to a comet. These solar system bodies may not seem cold as they periodically blaze across the night sky, but they are actually collections of dust, water ice, and bits of rock. These "dirty snowballs," as they are sometimes called, come from the outermost reaches of the solar system – the Kuiper Belt and the Oort Cloud.
Uranus
The seventh planet from the sun and one of the solar system's four gas giants, Uranus is sometimes put into a category called the "ice giants," along with neighboring Neptune. Uranus' atmosphere – sits at minus 224 degrees Celsius.
Pluto
Earlier this year, scientists determined that Pluto's atmosphere is warmer than previously thought, warm being a relative term. It's face is -220 degrees Celsius.
Space itself
While all the worlds above are much chillier than any place on Earth, one of the coldest spots in space is space itself. The cosmic microwave background radiation that permeates the universe (and is the remnant energy of the theoretical Big Bang) has a temperature of minus 270 degrees Celsius. Might want to install a heater on that sleigh…
Planck spacecraft
The chilliest known spot in space isn't an icy comet, or even space itself, but is something man-made: the European Space Agency's Planck spacecraft. On its way to its final orbiting point – where it will observe the remnant radiation of the theoretical Big Bang – the telescope cooled down to its operating temperature of minus 273.05 Celsius. This temperature is just 0.1 Celsius above absolute zero, the coldest temperature theoretically possible in our universe.
Moon's polar craters
Paradoxically, the coldest (natural) place known in the solar system isn't some distant object, but instead lies much closer to the sun. In September, NASA's new Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter took the temperature of the permanently shadowed craters at the moon's south pole. LRO's instruments found that the craters plunged the mercury to less than minus 238 Celsius – colder even than the surface of far away Pluto. Better pack some extra sweaters, Santa!
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/091223-christmas-coldest-space-places.html
(Written by Andrea Thompson from the space.com web site)
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Web & Email Edition Extra Bits!!
FISTS Christmas Greetings
http://www.jacquielawson.com/viewcard.asp?code=2104422781511&source=jl999
Fishing this Year?
http://www.tasfish.com
VK7ZL's Home Page
http://bobw.customer.netspace.net.au/homepage/
The Evolution of the Digital Camera
http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2009/12/17/2775005.htm
CTCSS:
http://users.picknowl.com.au/~wavetel/pic.htm
http://www.radiowrench.com/sonic/so02148.html
http://www.freelists.org/post/seqpg/CTCSS-circuit,2
CTCSS Chips
http://jp.ic-on-line.cn/iol_CTCSS/classified/CTCSS.htm
Sydney Hobart Yacht Race Details – Google Earth Feed Details
http://rolexsydneyhobart.com/editorial.asp?key=2212
Syd2Hobart Yacht Tracker
http://rolexsydneyhobart.com/yacht_tracker_how.asp?key=563
Syd2Hobart Radio Documents
http://www.cyca.com.au/sysfile/downloads/RSHYR09_SI.pdf
http://rolexsydneyhobart.com/editorial.asp?key=1711
http://www.cyca.com.au/sysfile/downloads/RSHYR09.NTC02.pdf
Space Pictures of the Year 2009-12-25 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/picture-galleries/6867366/Pictures-of-the-year-2009-space.html
Maine to consider cancer warnings on cell phones
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13506_3-10419518-17.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20
Redlight Cameras = More Accidents???
http://techdirt.com/articles/20091218/1100537428.shtml
God's Subwoofer!
http://gizmodo.com/5433695/this-is-gods-thundering-subwoofer?skyline=true&s=i
Soyez Crew now at the ISS
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html
ISS Space Walk Game
http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/3d_resources/station_spacewalk_game.html
Santa Sets Poor Health Model!
http://www.sciencealert.com.au/news/20091812-20438.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sciencealert-latestnews+%28ScienceAlert-Latest+Stories%29
XRay Scans now have Colour
http://www.sciencealert.com.au/news/20091712-20429.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sciencealert-latestnews+%28ScienceAlert-Latest+Stories%29
Do you have some interesting internet 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
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: VK7TW
160m: VK7DM
80m: VK7EM
40m: VK7RO
20m: VK7IL
10m: VK7ZGK
UHF CB: VK7HGO
HF CB: VK7TED
Thanks to all people and organisations who assisted with this broadcast and Seasons Greetings.
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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
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- NEWS POSTING TO PACKET -
Courtesy Tony VK7AX VK7AX(AT)VK7AX.#ULV.TAS.AUS.OC
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