| |
VK7AX > NEWS 22.08.10 05:24l 438 Lines 20636 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : VK7AX2208VK
Read: GUEST
Subj: VK7 Regional News Broadcast for 22 August 2010
Path: IZ3LSV<IK2XDE<DB0RES<DK0WUE<7M3TJZ<F6CDD<VE2RXY<VK7AX
Sent: 100822/0314Z @:VK7AX.#ULV.TAS.AUS.OC #:10675 [Ulverstone] FBB7.00g $:VK7A
From: VK7AX@VK7AX.#ULV.TAS.AUS.OC
To : NEWS@WW
VK7 REGIONAL NEWS BROADCAST
FOR SUNDAY 22 August 2010
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Centenary Awards Continue Flowing into VK7
According to the list that is now available on the WIA Website there are now six VK7 amateurs who have been issued their WIA Centenary Award Certificates and these are:
Vince VK7VH, Warren VK7FEET, Winston VK7WH, Justin VK7TW, Winston VK7EM and Steve VK7OO.
Congratulations to all amateur who have received this prestigious award certificate.
According to the log there are many VK7s out there who have enough contacts and points to claim the award!
And congratulations to Warren VK7FEET who was the 500th contact with the Illawarra AR Society back on August 17th.
http://www.wia.org.au/newsevents/centenary/award/
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Central Highlands Hamfest
4 December 2010 at Miena
Sponsored by the Central Highlands Amateur Radio Club of Tasmania this biannual event is centered literally in the middle of Tasmania in the thriving Central Highlands town of Miena.
Held in the great facilities of the Miena Community Hall, this is an event not to be missed.
Dave VK7OB has got in early and raised the idea of hiring a bus to take people from Hobart to Miena. This is a great way to sit back and see the scenery, let someone else drive and be able to chat with people on the way up and back from this great event. The Northern and North West clubs might like to consider a similar arrangement.
Last hamfest the arrangements were left a little late and as such there was not enough interest to make it viable.
We are again considering this option and would like to hear from anyone interested in a seat on the bus from Hobart to Miena and back.
If you are interested and you would like to book a seat on the bus then please contact Tony VK7FTCL on 6249 1949.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend
This weekend is the International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend and according to the ILLW website log there are five VK7 lighthouses being covered.
These include: VK7WCN operating at the Point Home lookout at Triabunna and this is the first time for this light, VK7KW at the Mersey Bluff lighthouse, VK7VTX at Pot Boil Channel on Flinders Island, VK7FWAY and VK7FEJE at the Table Cape lighthouse and VK7ZM at the Rocky Cape lighthouse.
Listen out and make contact with these stations over this weekend.
http://www.illw.net/
---------------------------------------------------------------------
VK7 EVENTS CALENDAR
A summary of the events across VK7 over the coming months:
ILLW August 21 & 22 International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend.
http://www.illw.net/
REAST August 25 - ATV Experimenter's Night - starts around 7:30pm in the Queen's Domain Clubrooms.
http://reast.asn.au/atv/index.php
WICEN South September 4 - Muster at VK7TPE's QTH Snug
http://tas.wicen.org.au/
REAST September 1, 8, 15 & 22 - ATV Experimenter's Night - starts around 7:30pm in the Queen's Domain Clubrooms. PLEASE NOTE THE CHANGE IN DATES.
http://reast.asn.au/atv/index.php
WICEN South September 9 - St Helens Communications survey for the 2012 Tom Quilty National Endurance Riding Championship 160 kms
http://tas.wicen.org.au/
WICEN South September 10-12 - Pyengana for the Portland Endurance Riders - 80 and 40kms rides.
http://tas.wicen.org.au/
REAST September 29 A Round Trip to Macca (Macquarie Island) with Warren VK7FEET 8pm in the Queen's Domain Clubrooms. PLEASE NOTE THE CHANGE IN DATE FOR THE PRESENTATION NIGHT.
http://reast.asn.au/atv/index.php
---------------------------------------------------------------------
2011 CallBook
VK7 Repeater, Beacon and Packet Radio Listing
Rex VK7MO is seeking additions or corrections to the Callbook in relation Repeaters, Beacons and Packet radio lists for VK7.
If you are responsible for one of these items please check the entry in the 2010 call book and email any corrections, deletions or additions to Rex at his email address in the email and internet editions of this broadcast.
rmoncur@bigpond.net.au
(73, Rex, VK7MO)
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Northern News
Northern Tasmanian Amateur Radio Club
www.ntarc.net
Twenty-five hungry NTARC members turned up to the dinner get together on Wednesday night of last week, and bought along many and varied topics of conversation to entertain each other. Joe VK7JG had a funny anecdote to share about a French national serving a `ooge' breakfast on his recent holiday there, which became a running joke for the remainder of the journey; Peter VK7PD spoke of his recent across Australia holiday too, and Peter VK7PL even bought his restored & pristine condition Mini out for a run. Perhaps it was a good thing that there was ample conversation flowing on the night, as it seemed that the establishment had lost many of our dinner orders! Eventually the food did arrive and was quite tasty by most accounts. And yes, Jason VK7ZJA did enjoy the fish. Again.
A Government funding grant that NTARC had recently applied for hasn't been successful this time round, but other grants are coming up on offer soon, and we'll have another crack at those when the time comes.
Bill VK7AK has now made two very generous donations to the NTARC repeater fund which will go directly to keeping our excellent repeater network on air and running in tip top condition. Thanks Bill, that's very much appreciated. While this makes a sizable dent in what will be needed to keep the repeaters going, more will eventually be needed
do you think you could help?
The International Lighthouse Weekend plans for Low Head have, pardon the pun, come adrift a little. The Low Head lighthouse accommodation has, unfortunately, been double booked, and Bill VK7MX and Yvonne VK7FYMX have decided to concentrate their efforts on next year.
In this age of commercially available radio equipment for the ham radio operator, you don't often hear of a completely home-brewed rig. Dave VK7LG is one of at least five NTARC members who have gone against this trend by being the first to complete an all HF band SSB & CW SDR that's software defined radio, the very cutting edge of radio technology of today. Dave put his project to immediate use in last weeks Remembrance Day contest, with 140 watts of output from the PicaSTAR radio picking up 200 contacts during the contest. Bill VK7MX also has an SDR or two under construction, but over time has become side-tracked with several design enhancements. As a result, Dave's SDR was first to put signal to air, and now gives him the honour of being first to present his project at a future NTARC meeting! HIHI.
Thanks from
(Jason VK7ZJA, NTARC Secretary)
---------------------------------------------------------------------
NORTH WEST News
Cradle Coast Amateur Radio Club (CCARC)
CCARC News
http://www.my-x15.net/ccarc
International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend
In the North-West we have Keith VK7KW activating Mersey Bluff Lighthouse, and Eric VK7FEJE and Wayne VK7FWAY activating Table Cape lighthouse. If anyone has a few moments to spare on Sunday morning, then call in and see them in action. I am sure they will appreciate the company and moral support as they go about their business. For anybody wanting to become a new amateur, this is the ideal opportunity to see what it is all about.
VK100WIA Activation in NW VK7
Just after that, early in September we have the use of the VK100WIA callsign for three days and will be operating from the Devonport Maritime Museum. More details about this will be provided closer to the time
Amateur Radio Assessments
Prospective amateurs and amateurs wishing to upgrade can contact the learning facilitator Keith Winkler VK7KW who can help you along the path to a new licence. Contact details are available on the Cradle Coast Amateur Radio Club website, which is easily found by a Google search for CCARC Tasmania
Regards from
(David, VK7DC, Secretary, CCARC)
---------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
Potential candidates and interested persons in the North West and Central Coast Areas should note that it is NOT necessary to have to travel relatively long distances (such as Launceston) to attend assessments or training, as all these facilities can and are handled at a central location within the North West.
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 NWTATVG)
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Southern News
WICEN Tasmania (South) Inc
Annual General Meeting
http://tas.wicen.org.au/
WICEN South held their AGM on 31st July at VK7TPE's QTH in Snug. All office holders indicated they were prepared to continue and this was adopted.
Chair - Chris Webb - VK7FCDW, Deputy Chair - Michael Sweeney - VK7FMRS, Secretary/Treasurer - Roger Nichols - VK7ARN, Operations - Stu Braunholz - VK7NXX, Equipment Officer - Garry Duence - VK7JGD and Other Committee - Brian Welch - VK7BW and Rod Finlayson - VK7TRF
Reports included:
- Full day or multi-day portable activities averaged one a month throughout the year.
- Provision of equine endurance ride safety checkpoints and communications was the mainstay.
- Other engagements included Targa Tasmania, Targa Wrest Point and the inaugural Hobart Run the Bridge fun run.
- A conflicting community service engagement precluded, for the first time, participation in the International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend.
- The biggest technical challenge was the rapid transfer of results for the Targa Wrest Point car rally, from the Tahune Airwalk to Wrest Point Casino, which was completed successfully.
- General meetings were held on a six weekly cycle adjusted, when necessary, to fit around community service engagements.
- Successful fundraising through the year enabled a significant increase in group owned equipment.
- Core, regularly active membership was maintained, although attracting more field active members is a priority.
After concluding the AGM and the immediately following ordinary general meeting, most of those attending, together with several XYLs, retired to Rosie's restaurant for a very enjoyable lunch.
(73, Roger, VK7ARN)
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Radio and Electronics Association of Southern Tasmania
http://reast.asn.au/
ISS Contact with South Hobart Primary School
On this coming Friday afternoon (27 August) at about 4:43pm local there will be a contact made with the International Space Station.
Ten students from South Hobart Primary School will be asking questions of Colonel Doug Wheelock KF5BOC on the ISS for the 9.5 minutes of the pass.
This will be a telebridge contact made with the amateur radio tracking station at the Goddard Space Flight Centre in Maryland USA by Dave Taylor who is K6DUE.
We are working on it going out through the local 2m IRLP/EchoIRLP node for all to hear the contact. Keep an eye on the REAST website for more details as they come to hand.
(73, Justin, VK7TW)
---------------------------------------------------------------------
RD Contest Club Station
VK7OTC operated for the 24 hours of the RD and a big thank you to all amateurs who helped out especially Thomas VK7NML who operated with Justin VK7TW for the full 24 hours plus setup and tear-down and Warren VK7FEET who operated for the best part of the 24 hours fitting in family duties throughout the time....on ya Warren. Thanks also to the many amateurs who dropped in throughout the night and day and operated.
And a great big thank you to all those amateurs we contacted especially Danny VK7HDM who operated for the 24 hours and gave VK7OTC many of the over 250 VHF/UHF contacts.
We made a good number of contacts on HF and VHF and above and had much fun doing it.
We even used a VK7BW portable 12m mast that supported the 6m/2m/70cm/23cm antennas and this proved very handy with good contacts being made from Bothwell to Woodbridge and everywhere in between.
VK7OTC has not been on the air as a club contest station from the Domain so, we have blown out the cobwebs ready for the National Field Day on 23rd October...HIHI.
http://reast.asn.au/events.php#RDContest
---------------------------------------------------------------------
September Presentation
A Trip to Macca (Macquarie Island)
Warren VK7FEET has agreed to give a presentation with pictures on the big screen about his recent trip to Macquarie Island and back as part of the Pest Eradication program.
This should be a fascinating insight in to Tasmania's most Southern island.
29 September - 8pm in the Queens Domain Clubrooms.
See you there.
PLEASE NOTE: The first Wednesday night of September will be an ATV night and this presentation will be given on the fifth Wednesday night.
http://reast.asn.au/events.php#Macca
---------------------------------------------------------------------
October Expressions of Interest
Grote Reber Museum and 3D Virtual Reality Cinema
For the October REAST presentation we are looking at going on a visit to the Grote Reber Museum at the Mt Pleasant Radio Observatory at Cambridge.
The museum has many wonderful artefacts and information about Grote Reber and his experiments mapping the Milky Way using HF from his square kilometre array at Bothwell.
As we wanting to visit the museum out of normal business hours there will be a charge to cover the Universities costs and this will be $150.
Therefore, we are looking to find out how many people would be willing to pay between $5 and $10 to visit the museum and 3D virtual reality cinema and the charge would be dependent on how many come along.
I have put out a call to all AR club committees in VK7 to see if they have members who would be interested in attending. If there is enough interest then we could move it to a Saturday afternoon to give people time to travel down to Cambridge.
We can also organise vehicle pick-ups for those amateurs who cannot drive.
Please let me know if you are interested in attending the visit over the next couple of weeks and if we get enough interest then I'll let the University know.
I can be contacted on email: VK7TW@wia.org.au or phone: 0439 016 622.
http://www.groterebermuseum.com.au/
(73, Justin, VK7TW)
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Licence Examinations - Congratulations
Congratulations to Noel Gadd VK7FLCN who recently qualified at REAST for a Foundation Licence. Noel is active in JOTA through being a Cub Leader and is interested in exploring the opportunities that amateur radio has for scouts, cubs and guides.
If there is anyone interested in undertaking an amateur radio exam and this could be for foundation, standard, advanced, regulations or practical. Then please contact Reg VK7KK on 0417 391 607, or email on regemm@ozemail.com.au.
(73, Reg VK7KK, REAST Education Officer and Assessor)
---------------------------------------------------------------------
ATV Experimenters Night
Another great roll-up last Wednesday night and a big thank you to Tom VK7TL who was our vision and audio switcher for the night.
There was a focus on APRS that started with Justin VK7TW taking a call from a US amateur who called in on IRLP from Volcano California to say he was watching Justin drive up to the clubrooms using the APRS tracking tool.
This lead to the show and tell from Paul VK7PAH who took the audience through his recently installed iAPRS and OpenAPRS applications in his iPhone 3GS. Giggles our presentation projector did a fantastic job of showing the iPhone capability "up close and personal" in glorious techno-colour. There was much discussion and questioning on both video and R2/5 audio about the capabilities of APRS with help from Steve VK7OO.
Justin then did a wrap-up of the VK7OTC RD activation and then we went into the main video feature which was the NASA International Space Station presentation.
Thanks you to Ben VK7BEN who proved that if you leave similar technology together they tend to breed...HIHI. Two more ELMO presentation projectors have been donated to the ATV group that need some work but we should have some backups and spares for our "Giggles" unit.
We get underway again next Wednesday night around 7:30pm and we broadcast on 444.25MHz analog ATV which is just below SBS on the UHF TV band.
http://reast.asn.au/events.php#ATVnights
Hope to see you along.
(73, Justin, VK7TW)
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Web & Email Edition Extra Bits! !
Wave Energy King Island
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/08/18/2986111.htm
End to Apple Only Chargers Resistance on the USB datalines sets the current drawn by the device
http://www.ladyada.net/make/mintyboost/icharge.html
Worlds Darkest Material Discovered
http://www.elektor.com/news/world-s-darkest-material-discovered-and-applied.1490691.lynkx?utm_source=UK&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=news
Green Laser Pointer Possible Infrared hazard
http://www.elektor.com/news/caution-high-infrared-power-levels-from-green.1484315.lynkx?utm_source=UK&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=news
Reneck Make and Mend (Thanks Richard VK7RO)
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2010/08/redneck_make_and_mend.html
Interesting Sites:
http://www.youtube.com/user/grandtippler#
kits here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/rarebeasts
Az/El Dish Controller
http://www.qsl.net/oe5jfl/ant_cont.htm
EME References
http://www.qsl.net/oe5jfl/technics.htm
NEC2
http://home.ict.nl/~arivoors/Home.htm
Many RF Resources
http://www.rfcafe.com/
ISS Sightings
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/cities/view.cgi?country=Australia®ion=Tasmania&city=Hobart
Do you have some interesting internet sites you have some across in the last week send them in to justingc@ozemail.com.au
---------------------------------------------------------------------
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?
---------------------------------------------------------------------
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: VK7IR
80m: VK7TW
40m: VK7RO
20m: VK7IL
10m: VK7ZGK
UHF CB: VK7HGO
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@VK7AX.#ULV.TAS.AUS.OC
*************************************************
Read previous mail | Read next mail
| |
