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VK7AX > NEWS 25.05.08 11:29l 542 Lines 18478 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
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VK7 REGIONAL NEWS BROADCAST
FOR SUNDAY 25TH MAY 2008
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SILENT KEY - LLOYD CHERRY, VK7BF
Bill VK7WR and Mike VK7FB pass on the sad news of the passing of
Lloyd Cherry, VK7BF.
Lloyd used to work for Telstra and rolled out in 1989 about the same
time Mike, VK7FB did.
Since then he has been involved in Security, both as a guard and in
installing and maintaining alarms, etc.
He lived on the side of the Huon Highway at Lesley Vale (some of you
may have seen the tower and antennas there) but, has not been a very
active amateur for some time.
He was also very involved in breeding and showing cats among other
interests.
Mike comments that "We called each other "book end mates" - BF/FB"
Vale Lloyd.
(Mike VK7FB & Bill VK7WR)
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VK7 CALLBACKS – WIA NATIONAL NEWS YEAR
As heard on the WIA News – this weekend is the first in the new WIA
National News Broadcast year and over 98 thousand check ins were
recorded last broadcast year across VK. I can see Graham 4BB eyeing
off that one hundred thousand barrier…HIHI.
VK7 contributed 6160 check ins to that total with the following
breakdown:
Heading the list are the repeaters:
VK7RAD/RHT – 1817
VK7RAA – 1052
VK7RMD - 404
VK7RNW – 163
VK7RAD 6M – 122
On MF and HF there were:
80M – 525
20M – 477
160M – 350
10M – 272
40M – 248
On the CB frequencies in Hobart:
UHF CB - 388
HF CB – 245
And 97 callbacks on IRLP and Echolink services throughout the
broadcast year.
Congratulations to all amateurs who took the time and effort to call
in during the last year and a special thank you to all people
involved in the broadcast each week.
(73, Justin, VK7TW, VK7 Regional News and Broadcast Coordinator)
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VK7 REGULAR EVENTS AND BROADCASTS
And a quick reminder of the regular events and broadcasts:
REAST – June 4 – Antennae and the Art of Compromise – illustrated
talk by Mike Groth VK7MJ – Domain Clubrooms – 8pm
http://reast.asn.au/events.php#antennae
NTARC – June 18 – Allenvale TAFE College Block B 7:30pm – PLEASE NOTE
ONE WEEK LATER THAN USUAL
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ntarc/
REAST – July 2 – Telecommunications Installation in Kiribati – Domain
Clubrooms 8pm
http://reast.asn.au/events.php#telecominpacific
NTARC – July 9 – BBQ Mt Barrow Interpretation Centre.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ntarc/
Sewing Circle Net – Every day from 5pm on 3.59MHz
http://reast.asn.au/awards.php#sewingnet
CHARCT Quiz Net – Every Thursday night from 8:30pm on 3.585MHz.
http://www.qsl.net/charct/
NWTARIG broadcasts in the NW and Launceston during the week. Check
the website for details.
http://www2.vk7ax.id.au/spectrum/
REAST – Winter Project Saturday Afternoons – 2-4pm at Queen Domain
Clubrooms. Interested in amateur radio and getting your licence then
come along and see what it's all about and you may even be able to do
some of the activities toward getting your licence along with a great
information session presented by a range of REAST members.
http://reast.asn.au/events.php#winterproject
REAST – Every Wednesday evening from 7:30pm is the ATV Experimenter's
Night so, why not come up and see what we get up to. Check the
website for details.
http://reast.asn.au/events.php#ATVnights
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NORTH WEST NEWS
Nightly Broadcasts from the N/West
Due to the non availability of Digital Planet and Sceptical Sunday
Programs, the Nightly Broadcasts have been re scheduled as follows:
Monday - Q5 Education Hour – Part A
Tuesday - Solder Smoke OR Q5 Education Hour – Part B (alternating
each Tuesday )
Wednesday - This Week In Amateur Radio - Part A (News Highlights)
Thursday - This Week In Amateur Radio – Part B (Special Segments)
Friday - Tech Talk Radio
The broadcasts can again be heard in the south of the state courtesy
of Danny VK7HDM via his UHF repeater VK7RAK on the 70CM frequency of
438.700 MHz.
Check the website for further information and relay locations of the
broadcasts.
http://www2.vk7ax.id.au/spectrum/
73's until next time.
(Tony VK7AX, President, NWTARIG)
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NORTHERN NEWS
Northern Tasmanian Amateur Radio Club News
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ntarc/
The delayed meeting for NTARC at Alanvale TAFE saw many members enjoy
Greg VK7YAD presenting notes of interest on amateur TV and a
professionally put together DVD.
Greg's recent experiments using Vestigial Side Band (VSB) AM TV at
70cm prove that you can get into ATV quite cheaply and easily. If
you want to stretch your legs into the higher bands, these are
accessible with old analogue satellite TV receivers or old Austar
microwave "MDS" pay TV downconverting antennae. If you missed the
evening, I'm sure that Al, VK7AN would lend you a copy of the DVD if
you ask nicely.
Future meetings look to have equally interesting guests too, with
guest presenters such as Nigel Forteath and the ever popular Tony
from Australian Customs set to make appearances in the coming months.
Like the meeting just gone, the next meeting will be delayed by one
week from its usual date and will be held on the 18th of June, so
make a note of that. Julys meeting will be a BBQ event at the Mt
Barrow interpretation centre – pack the winter woolies for that one.
Thanks from
(Jason VK7ZJA, NTARC Secretary)
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SOUTHERN NEWS
Radio and Electronics Association of Southern Tasmania
June Presentation
The presentation is entitled - Antennae and the art of compromise or
transmitting a signal using a pair of free steak knives!!
Our resident Physicist Mike Groth VK7MJ will be giving us an
illustrated grass roots look at antennae. Ever wondered how RF energy
gets into the air in the direction you want it?
Mike will cover the basics of the whys and hows of antennae work in
layman's language and cover the relative advantages and disadvantages
of a wide variety of antenna types.
This talk is aimed at all levels of radio enthusiast from those that
have a passing interest in antennae through to the experienced radio
amateur.
Mike will be presenting on the big screen an illustrated practical
talk of antenna basics in simple easy to understand language and all
radio enthusiast especially Foundation Licensees and potential
Foundation Licensees are encourage to come along and find out all
about antennas from an radio amateur who has years of experimentation
under his belt and I'm sure there might even be some free steak
knives in there as well...HIHI.
http://reast.asn.au/events.php#antennae
Prior to Mike's presentation, there will be a presentation of a
different variety, with the presentation of the Athol Johnson Trophy
and John Grace Perpetual Trophy to the contest winners from earlier
this year. It is hoped that we will have a special guest presenting
the John Grace Trophy. Following Mike's presentation there will be
the raffle of a lucky door prize - a fantastic RSGB Radio Handbook
thanks to Martin VK7GN. You have to be there on the night to claim
this prize!
http://reast.asn.au/awards.php#johngrace
http://reast.asn.au/awards.php#ajcontest
See you there, Domain Clubrooms, 8pm.
(REAST Committee)
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RD Contest
The RD Contest is not all that far away, and this year it is planned
to activate the VK7OTC Station again, this time from the domain
itself. VK7BEN is keen to hear from anyone who is interested in
assisting with this, even if you can only man the station for a
couple of hours. The Club will run both HF and VHF Sections of the
contest, with BBQs and other Activities during the weekend. If you
are interested, please contact Ben Via R2, or leave your name on the
whiteboard at the club.
Cheers,
(Ben VK7BEN for REAST Committee)
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REAST Education & Training
http://reast.asn.au/events.php#TrainingCourses
We've established an alternative methods of training for the
Foundation Amateur Radio Licence. At the moment a single candidate
may be forced to wait some time until sufficient candidates are
available for a training class.
Rather than hold a whole Saturday training exercise we aim to
incorporate it into our existing Saturday afternoon Winter Project
Group programme.
Candidates will be given a check sheet to guide them into completing
experiences that will assist in understanding areas in which they
will be later examined. It may be that other participants are willing
to help them with some of the activities.
In addition they will be encouraged to attend information sessions
held as part of this afternoon programme. While these are pitched at
a higher level than that required for a Foundation candidate it is
felt they would help.
And remember, Foundation Licence Manuals and CD's are available for
purchase at McCann's Model World in Elizabeth St. Hobart at $20.
(Only the first edition is available at this stage)
http://reast.asn.au/events.php#FoundationLicenceCourse
(Reg, VK7KK, REAST Education Officer and Assessor)
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Winter Project
http://reast.asn.au/events.php#winterproject
Last Saturday afternoon was well attended along with 2 visitors. Fox
hunting was demonstrated using the club fox and fox hunting
directional antennas.
The Fox soon showed he was quite elusive and was not always easy to
track, sometimes changing direction without warning and also using
horizontal and vertical polarisation which made the hunters scratch
their heads a bit. The fox even climbed a tree as a last resort. But,
he was finally flushed out, his battery removed and was then taken
back to the clubrooms for a good dressing down and roasting…HiHi.
Thanks to all the dedicated fox hunters.
Rex VK7MO gave the afternoon class a very good talk on Electro-
Magnetic Radiation (EMR) and its effects to a class of 12 interested
students.
Bill VK7WR gave an interesting talk about his radio contacts and time
in amateur radio over the last 30 years. This was well received by
the new F-Call operators. Bill went on to speak about his QSO with
the MIR Space Station that come across calling CQ, he worked the
Russian cosmonauts with his handheld and has the QSL cards to prove
it.
Later we had some electronics theory, questions and answers for those
looking to upgrade to the Standard Licence.
So if you would like to come along you will need to be there by 2pm
Saturday in the Domain Clubrooms for our next session.
(Regards from Ken VK7XDY)
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ATV Experimenters Night
We had standing room only in the ATV studio last Wednesday night with
a fantastic roll-up to the ATV Experimenter's night.
Starting the night with those professional ATV lead-ins and
promotions we headed into a short talk on a few highlights in the
science world over the last week and Justin VK7TW is hoping to make
this a bit of a regular segment to let people know some of the
interesting things that are happening around the scientific world.
Justin VK7TW then gave an illustrated short talk on some interesting
visual phenomenon which occur then the sun sets below the horizon and
in rare circumstances there is a green flash experienced just before
the sun disappears below the horizon.
Refraction bends the suns rays more in one direction than the other
and this acts as a weak prism that favours the green end of the
spectrum and in even rarer circumstances there is a blue flash.
Tom VK7TL called in and commented that he has seen the phenomenon at
see when he was sailing and Justin commented that he has also
corresponded the Mike VK7ACQ who has also seen the phenomenon at sea
whilst sailing.
Another effect that Justin ran through was Pollen Coronae which are
coronal rings around the sun or a bright light caused by pollen
particles. These particles are unique as they are very uniform in
size and often have characteristics like air sacks that orient the
particles all in the same way and this causes matrices of diffraction
patterns that give the oval coronal effects when light is shone
through the cloud of pollen.
www.atoptics.co.uk
Tony VK7FTCL, Frank VK7FINF and Sam VK7FSTL then played the recent
interview that produced with Richard VK7RO on ATV.
Rex VK7MO and Justin then ran through on the big screen their very
draft presentation on NLOS optical communications that they are
presenting at GippsTech. That to all who put in some constructive
comments.
And a reminder that the ATV nights start around 7:30pm and ATV goes
out on 444.25MHz – just below SBS on the UHF TV Band.
If you have an antenna pointed somewhere toward the Domain why not
try tuning down the low end of the UHF TV band on a Wednesday night
and give us a call on what you are seeing and hearing.
http://reast.asn.au/events.php#ATVnights
(Justin, VK7TW)
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SPACE NEWS
Lunar GRAIL
Dauna Coulter writing on the NASA Science website on May 22, 2008
lets us know about a very interesting and high flying research being
carried out around the moon.
Maria Zuber is the principal investigator of the Gravity Recovery and
Interior Laboratory or "GRAIL" for short. It's a new NASA mission
slated for launch in 2011 that will probe the moon's quirky gravity
field.
"We're going to study the moon's interior from crust to core," says
Zuber.
Here's how it works: GRAIL will fly twin spacecraft, one behind the
other, around the moon for several months. All the while, a microwave
ranging system will precisely measure the distance between the two
satellites. By watching that distance expand and contract as the two
satellites fly over the lunar surface, researchers can map the moon's
underlying gravity field.
Scientists have long known that the moon's gravity field is strangely
uneven and tugs on satellites in complex ways. Without course
corrections, orbiters end their missions nose down in the moondust!
In fact, all five of NASA's Lunar Orbiters (1966-1972), four Soviet
Luna probes (1959-1965), two Apollo sub-satellites (1970-1971) and
Japan's Hiten spacecraft (1993) suffered this fate.
The source of the gravitational quirkiness is a number of huge
mascons (short for "mass concentrations") buried under the surfaces
of lunar maria or "seas." Formed by colossal asteroid impacts
billions of years ago, mascons make the moon the most gravitationally
lumpy major body in the solar system. The anomaly is so great—half a
percent—that it actually would be measurable to astronauts on the
lunar surface. A plumb bob held at the edge of a mascon would hang
about a third of a degree off vertical, pointing toward the central
mass. Moreover, an astronaut in full spacesuit and life-support gear
whose lunar weight was exactly 50 pounds at the edge of the mascon
would weigh 50 pounds and 4 ounces when standing in the mascon's
center.
The GRAIL team aims to map the moon's gravity field so completely
that "after GRAIL, we'll be able to navigate anything you want
anywhere on the moon you want," says Zuber. "This mission will give
us the most accurate global gravity field to date for any planet,
including Earth."
GRAIL will also help students learn about gravity, the moon, and
space. Each satellite will carry up to five cameras dedicated to
public outreach and education. Undergraduate students supervised by
trained adults will remotely operate the cameras from a facility at
the University of California, San Diego, that currently operates
similar cameras on the International Space Station.
Clearly, this is no ordinary Grail quest.
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2008/22may_grail.htm?list1098418
(Dauna Coulter via the Science@NASA Mailing List)
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WEB & EMAIL EDITION EXTRA BITS!!
Neighbourhood Dispute Over a Ham Radio Long Wire (7ARN)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kxwz-BUWZBs
Twilight Zone: Why Amateur Radio is Bad…HIHI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKd5hupXJVo
The Red Porcupine @ Dayton 2008 (7BEN)
http://www.kr7rk.com/IMG_1185.JPG
ISS Through Telescope
http://spaceweather.com/swpod2008/18may08/ewers_uncompressed.AVI?
PHPSESSID=hq9g1psve79vipp267ufbaq8l4
Freak out your Sunnies
http://abcmail.net.au/t/159577/957242/3373/0/
Do you have some interesting amateur related sites you have some
across in the last week – send them in to justingc@ozemail.com.au
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: VK7IR
160m: VK7DM
80m: VK7TW
40m: 40M GROUP
20m: 20M GROUP
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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