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VK7AX > NEWS 09.05.10 10:26l 472 Lines 24624 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
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From: VK7AX@VK7AX.#ULV.TAS.AUS.OC
To : NEWS@WW
VK7 REGIONAL NEWS BROADCAST
FOR SUNDAY 9 MAY 2010
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The Astronomy of Mother's Day
Astronomical Conjunction
Looking for a great Mother's Day gift? Your search is over.
Mom wants a wake up call.
At dawn this morning - Mother's Day - the crescent Moon and Jupiter got together for a lovely conjunction. Only 5 degrees of arc separated the two bright celestial delights as they hang together in the sunrise-coloured sky. Mom didn't even have to go outside. A glance out any east facing window would have shown it quite nicely.
If Mum missed this then just wait until sunset when two bright lights will pop out of the twilight: Venus and Sirius to the South West.
They're not as close together as Jupiter and the Moon, but what they lack in proximity, they make up for in luminosity. Venus is the brightest of all planets and Sirius is the brightest of all stars. Set in twilight like jewels on velvet, Venus and Sirius are an unforgettable sight.
Heavenly pearls and diamonds are a nice way to wrap up the day —especially if you misjudged that wake up call….HIHI.
Happy Mother's Day!
http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2010/06may_mothersday/
(Written by Dr. Tony Phillips from the Science@NASA Mailing List)
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VK7 EVENTS CALENDAR
A summary of the events across VK7 over the coming months:
NTARC - May 12 - "Digital Modes for Dinosaurs - and Dynamos" at Alanvale Campus of the Tasmanian Skills Institute, Block B starts 7:30pm.
www.ntarc.net
REAST – May 17/18 – Amateur Radio Examinations being held at the Domain Clubrooms, contact Reg VK7KK for further information.
http://reast.asn.au/events.php#FoundationLicenceCourse
WICEN – 21-22 May – Equine Endurance Riders 24 hour event at St Helens.
http://tas.wicen.org.au/
WIA – 28-30 May – WIA Centenary AGM – Canberra
http://www.wia.org.au/newsevents/centenary/about/index.php
REAST – June 5 – Amateur Radio and Telemedicine in Antarctica with VK7JN starts 8pm in the Queen's Domain Clubrooms.
http://reast.asn.au/events.php#ARAntarctica
NTARC – June 12- BBQ meeting at the Mt Barrow interpretation centre.
www.ntarc.net
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Event News
Targa Tasmania
Targa Tasmania has come and gone for another year and on the whole went off without any major hitches.
We will start with a big thank you to all involved and we apologise up front for anyone who has been missed….here we go…..Thanks to Aaron Sweeney, Damien Almond, Bob VK7MGW, Ursula VK7FROO, VK7s TPE, HGO, ZLM, ZRO, ARN, DG, JGD, ZCR, Andrew Cooper, Nathan Oddie, Keith Rhodes, Garry Rusden and Steve Barrett. Special thanks to Aaron Sweeney who stepped in a covered for 2 days at the last minute. Duties included stage Relays, SOS points, and course vehicles with VK7ZRO in car 004 and VK7s HGO & ZLM in car 006.
There were a few problems with getting enough people for stages and we will have to work on this for next year and we will also have to work on improving radio procedure when on air, but these are minor matters.
This year saw all gear fitted in Launceston and that proved to be a big job. As far as communications went there were only a few minor problems to fix on the run, i.e. change radios over, replace aerials etc.
This year the only non-Targa channels used was Forestry channels at Rosebery and Mt. Arrowsmith on the West Coast. The Cethana stage used a repeater on Mt. Claude to save the Forestry as that repeater was used for two stages on Friday and Saturday.
Again apologies for anyone I have missed and a big thank you to all involved.
http://tas.wicen.org.au/Photo_pages/targa_10.html
(73 from Gavin VK7HGO and Roger VK7ARN)
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Non-Commercial For Sale & Wanted
For Sale
One HF trapped vertical, covering 80 through 10 – including the WARC bands.
In reasonable condition for $100 ONO. If interested contact Mike, VK7FB on 0408121755
(73 Mike VK7FB)
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Professionally Made Aluminium Masts
About a month ago Brian VK7BW, advertised that he was making aluminium masts up to 12m in height in a variety of configurations and many amateurs have taken up the offer and are very happy with the result.
Brian started making portable aluminium masts for WICEN members and he would like to extend the offer to all other amateurs. Brian is doing this for the cost of the aluminium (which is pretty cheap at the moment) as a help to others.
One example is Justin VK7TW who recently purchased two masts from Brian to replace his existing 6 and 8m steel masts. Justin was having trouble raising and lowering his masts due to the weight.
The model Brian made consisted of 3mm aluminium tube for permanent installations in two 6.5m lengths with lathe turned aluminium sleeve fittings that neatly slot and lock the two sections together.
Brian has a range of options with portable masts using 2mm tubing making them even lighter. Sizes are usually in multiples of 3 metres, up to 12 metres, though shorter sections can be made to fit inside vehicles.
For members in the North of the State, Brian is happy to just make the joining sleeves and antenna mounting socket to suit whatever tube you already have, or could purchase readily.
Brian is working through May then he is taking a few months off so get in quick with your order!
You wont be disappointed!
Contact Brian Welch VK7BW via email at brianwelch@netspace.net.au or phone 0429 120 176 to discuss.
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Northern News
Northern Tasmanian Amateur Radio Club
www.ntarc.net
Coming up this Wednesday, Phil VK7JJ will be presenting an interactive session on all things relating to digital modes for hams. Titled "Digital for dinosaurs and dynamoes" there should be something to interest everyone, no matter what your experience level.
As the title suggests, the session will also aim to excite the interest of some of our more recent and younger members, particularly the F calls. The evening will show them yet another reason to pursue an upgrade of their licence so they too can join in this frontier activity.
We can also confirm that a number of our neighbours from the Cradle Coast Amateur Radio Club Inc are coming along for the night.
Greg VK7YAD will be our `remote end' of the digital demonstration evening, so you'll be able to see how these digital modes work in practice in a real world situation. To be a part of this presentation, come along to the NTARC monthly meeting at Alanvale Tasmanian Skills Institute, block B. We'll start off at 7.30 pm.
In June, the plan is to have a BBQ meeting at the Mt Barrow interpretation centre, so long as the weather isn't too harsh. No matter what the weather throws at us that evening, warm clothes will be a must! These mid winter BBQ gatherings have proven to be highly popular with NTARC members. Bring along some steak to sizzle, a thermos of hot coffee, and a warm blanket to keep the icy wind at bay, and the rest of the evening should take care of itself.
Top-gun HF DX'ers often concentrate their efforts on just one HF band. Taking a leaf out of their book, Karl VK7HDX, has made a decision to focus his attention on the 10 metre band, and what better way to begin this journey than with a brand new monoband yagi! Karl has been racing against time and weather to assemble his Werner Wulf 10 metre yagi this week. With sunspot numbers ever increasing, Karl has timed his arrival onto 10 metres to perfection… good DX'ing Karl!
To conclude this weeks broadcast, Jason VK7ZJA would like to offer my thanks to Bill VK7MX for penning the last few NTARC broadcasts while Jason was away in VK6 for the birth of his grand daughter. Jason took along a tiny Yaesu VX2r, and reports there was not a lot of 2 metre activity detected in the south-west corner of WA, though his time spent in populated areas was somewhat limited.
In comparison, I think that we VK7s can be proud of how much activity we generate, and what we achieve with our limited numbers in the amateur radio scene.
Tony VK7YBG, our repeater co-ordinator, reports that steps are now been taken to breath life back into VK7REC.
Regular listeners will remember this repeater developed sudden laryngitis, and accompanying abrupt deafness, a few months back when the top of the tower collapsed, sending heavy metal into the shack below.
You may also recall the additional story of woe, related on past broadcasts, about the folk from SES arriving on request from the site owner to clean up the mess. This they did with considerable gusto, applying an angle grinder to any and all materials found lying around, including NTARC's lovely antenna feed line etc.
Tony has been in contact with the WIA National Repeater Co-ordinator and will shortly apply for a licence variation that should soon see VK7REC back among us, although it will have "morphed" into a 70 CM repeater. This step is being taken to resolve a number of difficult site issues that confronted VK7REC in its previous incarnation.
NTARC has decided however to leave the 2 meter frequencies on the licence, to facilitate a reappearance of VK7REC on that band should a need arise in times to come.
More news on this lazurus-like rise from the dead as further progress is made.
Finally, I'm sure all members of NTARC will join with me in wishing Yvonne, VK7FYMX a very happy birthday for today. Hopefully this greeting will help partly compensate for having Mother's Day fall on your birthday, Yvonne.
Bill, your scribe also hopes that it will be some insurance against his forgetting the day again this year, although in his defence, he claims that he hadn't forgotten last year. He is adamant that he simply got the calendar out of whack by a day and really believed her birthday was the following day.
Closing on this theme, may we also wish a very happy Mother's Day to all mothers, from NTARC."
73,
(Bill, VK7MX, President & Jason, VK7ZJA, Secretary NTARC)
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NORTH WEST News
Cradle Coast Amateur Radio Club (CCARC)
CCARC News
http://www.my-x15.net/ccarc
The Cradle Coast Amateur Radio Club has been invited to join WICEN (South) to provide communications coverage for an equine endurance Riders for a 24 hour event coming up at St Helens, starting midnight Friday the 21st of May, so if you want to be involved contact David VK7DC.
Want to become an Amateur?
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
Regards from
(David, VK7DC, Secretary, CCARC)
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North West Tasmania Amateur Television Group
http://www2.vk7ax.id.au/atvgroup/
Amateur Radio Licence Assessments and Training
Persons in the N/West Area of VK7 interested in Training and Assessments for all classes of Amateur Radio are advised that the Club can provide all these requirements and in addition provision of Facilitators via the Radio and Electronics School if candidates so desire.
For more information regarding these facilities, please contact the Club's Learning Organizer Tony VK7AX, or the Club. Contact details can be found on the Club Web Site or the WIA site under VK7 Clubs.,
73's until next time
(Tony VK7AX, News Officer NWT-ATV Group)
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Southern News
Congratulations - Dean's Roll of Honour
Congratulations to Thomas Karpiniec VK7NML and Andrew Welch VK7AL for appearing on the University of Tasmania Dean's Roll of Honour for 2009.
Thomas for his Bachelor of Engineering studies and Andrew for his Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Engineering studies.
(Justin, VK7TW)
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New Repeater in Southern VK7
A quick reminder by Damien VK7HDS who lets us know that there is a new 70cm repeater which will live on North Bruny Island covering the Channel area. VK7RDS transmits on 439.750MHz and receives on 434.750MHz.
No tone is required, it has a 4 minute timeout with an identifier every 6mins.
(73, Damien, VK7HDS)
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Radio and Electronics Association of Southern Tasmania
http://reast.asn.au/
Licence Examinations
There will be an assessment session for Standard and Foundation Licence on Tuesday 18 May at 7 :30 pm.
Candidates for Foundation Licence may also need to be available on Monday 17 May for the practical examination.
If interested then contact Reg VK7KK on 0417 391 607, regemm@ozemail.com.au to book a place.
(73, Reg VK7KK, REAST Education Officer and Assessor)
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May Presentation
VK0IR Heard Island DXpedition Presentation
Last Wednesday saw two presentations of the professional video presentation created by James Brookes, 9V1YC of the 1997 DXpedition to Heard Island. The presentations were projected on to the big screen and we had a great roll-up. The video had many references and some great archival film of the original Antarctic Division expeditions to Heard Island in the 1940 and 50s.
Called "Outpost at the Edge" it covered the whole DXpedition starting in the Reunion Islands and transporting using the French Antarctic vessel, setting up the operating tents and keeping antennas in the air, the operating, with over 80,000 contacts logged in 3 weeks and then the tear-down.
It was interesting during the afternoon screening as Ian Fletcher VK7IF came along and brought the book of the DXpedition and added a postscript to the film about his involvement when he was in the Spectrum Management Agency at the time and undertook an investigation of a complaint about the DXpedition operating out of band on 80m which is captured in the book.
Harvey VK7HK added some great information about the earlier DXPeditions to Heard that both himself and Ron VK7RM were involved with and Harvey is digging out some archival film that may form the basis of a presentation at a future ATV night.
We also had Alan VK7KAJ along in the afternoon session and Alan told the group of his many trips to Heard Island and his impressions of the Island both positive and negative…HIHI.
It was great to see Tony VK7FGMH and Winston Henry VK7WH along to the evening session, it was great to see you along.
http://reast.asn.au/events.php#HeardIsland
(REAST Committee)
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June Presentation
Amateur Radio and Telemedicine in Antarctica
Dr Graham Denyer VK7JN who is currently working at the Australian Antarctic Division will be presenting his experiences of operating amateur radio and telemedicine in Antarctica.
Being isolated on an Australian base presents many challenges for both the amateur and medical doctor and Graham will be sharing his vast experience.
This should be a fascinating presentation.
See you there, starts 8pm in the Queen's Domain Clubrooms.
http://reast.asn.au/events.php#ARAntarctica
(REAST Committee)
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ATV Experimenters Night
We get back underway with our ATV nights this Wednesday night and we will have a show and tell of the new DVB-T digital ATV Transmitter which is currently under test. I am sure there will be more show and tell on the night so, tune in and take a look.
Our video presentation will be the VK0IR Heard Island DXPedition video for those who missed it last week.
We now have the ability to receive 1250MHz ATV from around Hobart and we are looking for anyone who has this capability to let us know and we will mix the signal into the studio and retransmit on 444.25MHz (just below SBS on the UHF TV band).
As a postscript it was great to see Ander VK7FAJM and Vicky last Wednesday night who pulled up in the ex-ABC Newslink van which Anders had recently bought at auction. The Az/El hoist is still installed in the back of the van. Our ATV studio now has an outside broadcast (OB) van…..HIHI On ya Anders.
Hope to see you along.
http://reast.asn.au/events.php#ATVnights
(73, Justin, VK7TW)
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SATELLITE News
Successful ARISS Contact With European School in European Parliament
On Tuesday, April 27 students of the European School II, Brussels enjoyed a successful Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact with Astronaut Tim Creamer, KC5WKI operating the Amateur Radio station NA1SS aboard the International Space Station. The ISS was over South America during the contact with Adrian Sinclair's ARISS Telebridge station LU1CGB in Buenos Aires providing a solid earth station link. Twelve students selected from the school completed the contact.
ARISS Chairman Gaston Bertels, ON4WF hosted the event at the European Parliament in Brussels as a feature of a cultural exhibition set up in collaboration with the International Amateur Radio Union, the European Space Agency and sponsored by MEP Birgit, Sippel, Germany. The IARU Exhibition's name is "European Amateur Radio Benefiting Society" withthe theme of Emergency, Education and Space.
Because of the high profile of the location of the event at the European Parliament Building in Brussels there was considerable opportunity to raise awareness through media coverage, especially with Brussels European School's 'model' schooling for Europe.
This chance to participate in an ARISS project was actively embraced by the Science faculty and it is here where the opportunities for curricular integration are gaining momentum. In the 1st Year Secondary (typically aged 11) students study forces, gravity, weight and basic ideas about 'fields'. In the 2nd Year, studies of the Solar System, and well beyond, link directly to the Shuttle missions and the International Space Station. In Year 7 (the final Baccalaureate year, when most students are aged 18) the Physics section on 'Gravitational Fields' is mainly about the mechanics of planetary and satellite motion. Topics (and questions) are often presented within the context of NASA and ESA missions.
Reporting from Brussels, Gaston wrote, "In the European School, located in a residential area of Brussels, a similar setup was provided and many students listened in to the event live. Later in the same afternoon, ISS crew members came to visit the exhibition. ISS Commander Frank De Winne, ON1DWN, Robert Thirsk, VA3CSA and Roman Romanenko, each one representing a different Space Agency participated in a live question and answer session with a group of students from the European School and from another school."
ARISS is an international educational outreach program partnering the participating space agencies, NASA, Russian Space Agency, ESA, CNES, JAXA, and CSA, with the AMSAT and IARU organizations from participating countries.
ARISS offers an opportunity for students to experience the excitement of Amateur Radio by talking directly with crew members onboard the International Space Station. Teachers, parents and communities see, first hand, how Amateur Radio and crew members on ISS can energize youngsters' interest in science, technology and learning.
Further information on the ARISS program is available on the website http://www.ariss.org/ (graciously hosted by the Radio Amateurs of Canada).
(Sourced from the AMSAT News Service via ARISS Chairman Gaston Bertels, ON4WF; David Jordan, AA4KN)
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Web & Email Edition Extra Bits!!
Microcontroller Project Examples
http://www.micro-examples.com/public/microex-navig/doc/200-pic-microcontroller-examples.html
45 Gigapixel Image
http://gizmodo.com/5529528/worlds-largest-panorama-shows-dubai-down-to-girl-in-bikini
Collapsible Fabric Yagi (Thanks to Ben VK7BEN)
http://www.boingboing.net/2010/05/03/collapsible-fabric-y.html
A video has been released that explains the design philosophy of the core power control unit of New Zealand's first Amateur Radio satellite KiwiSAT. In the video Hans Holtz ZL1HB and Andrew Cammell ZL1AVC explains the design and operation of the KiwiSAT central power control system know as the Battery Control Regulator or BCR. Watch at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMIfArzAEtM
Debunking some Crackpots
http://www.ka9q.net/crackpots/index.html
Plasma Rockets will shorten space journeys
http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2010/05/05/2890764.htm
10 Inventions for a climate changed future
http://www.abc.net.au/environment/articles/2010/05/04/2889681.htm
James Cameron to develop 3D camera for Mars rover
http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9176160/NASA_James_Cameron_to_develop_3D_camera_for_Mars_rover?source=CTWNLE_nlt_emgtech_2010-05-05
Shannon-Hartley Theorem
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shannon%E2%80%93Hartley_theorem
Bandwidth 101
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bandwidth_%28signal_processing%29
Homebrew Micro SIM
http://www.johnbenson.net/How_to_Convert_a_SIM_to_a_MicroSIM_with_a_Meat_Cleaver/How_to_Convert_a_SIM_to_a_MicroSIM_with_a_Meat_Cleaver.html
On-Chip Super Capacitor
http://spectrum.ieee.org/semiconductors/nanotechnology/better-baking-puts-the-super-in-chipscale-supercapacitor
Earthquake Teaching Tool
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eFD9aaG14s
The following Links are courtesy of CG Communicator:
Virtual Aircraft Museum
http://www.aviastar.org/index2.html
Tour of USS Nebraska Nuclear Submarine
http://www.slideshare.net/shiloh325/uss-nebraska-submarine-embark-november2008-presentation
Wonderful Shadow Show
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtOsVmRdK9w
Leibherr Demonstration – Very impressive – Engineering on Steroids!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=RobaJKGMMiE
Do you have some interesting internet sites you have some across in the last week – send them in to justingc@ozemail.com.au
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VK7 Regional News Group Email Addresses
Post message: vk7regionalnews@yahoogroups.com
Subscribe: vk7regionalnews-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Unsubscribe: vk7regionalnews-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
List owner: vk7regionalnews-owner@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: VK7RS
80m: VK7EM
40m: VK7JGD
20m: VK7AR
10m: VK7ZGK
UHF CB: VK7HGO
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
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- NEWS POSTING TO PACKET -
Courtesy Tony VK7AX VK7AX(AT)VK7AX.#ULV.TAS.AUS.OC
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