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VK7 Amateur Radio News 18Oct20
Text edition: VK7 AMATEUR RADIO NEWS BROADCAST
FOR OCTOBER 18 2020
(Note.. please remove spaces in email addresses before using)
VK7 AMATEUR RADIO NEWS BROADCAST
FOR SUNDAY 18TH OCTOBER 2020
--------------------------------
Welcome to the VK7 Amateur Radio News for the 18th October 2020. This broadcast
is brought to you by VK7WI, and read today by Justin, VK7TW.
This broadcast utilises repeaters around VK7 and the following HF rebroadcast
stations:
On 3.670 MHz by Garry, VK7JGD
On 7.140 MHz by Mike, VK7FB
On 14.130 MHz by Ross, VK7ALH
On 28.525 MHz by Peter, VK7TPE
On DMR Talk Group 5 and D-Star Reflector 91C by Clayton, VK7ZCR
This broadcast is repeated on Tuesday night at 8:00pm on
repeaters VK7RAA in the North and VK7RTC in the South.
--------------------------------
Events NEWS
Miena QSO Muster.
Next Saturday October 24th is the Miena QSO Muster. This one-time event will be
held at the Great Lake Community Hall, (same venue as the Ham Fest). As we have
all been grounded and not been able to have any meetups, let's all have a great
day out at the Great Lake.
This will be an informal day, so, bring along the XYLs, YLs, or partners. In
fact, anyone who would enjoy a day out. There will be tea and coffee, scones,
and a sausage sizzle provided as part of the "welcome back to Miena day".
Also, if you want to have a car-boot, pre-loved swap-and-go, then please bring
along your pre-loved and swap gear.
Doors will be open from 10am till 3 pm. We recommend you go mobile with your
radios and we will be monitoring the local UHF repeater, VK7RIN (438.5) for
your check-ins along the way. Also, 40 metres will be running.
A gold coin or some plastic stuff donation will help with the heating and
scones.
Registration at the door for name tags and hand sanitation and we can take well
over 100 people with the restrictions now lifted at this venue. There is plenty
of room for distancing.
For further details or any other ideas, please email Ken VK7DY at vk7dyken @
gmail.com
Hope to see you there.
Ken Sulman VK7DY (Great Lake Community Committee Member)
--------------------------
callsign changes
If you have changed your callsign recently – please let VK7ARNews know and we
can let the VK7 community know about the new call?
So far we have:-
Anthony ex VK7FBOC now upgraded to VK7LAG
Chris ex VK7FCDW is now VK7CDW
Anyone else?
73, VK7ARNews Team
--------------------------------
DMR
News from the world of DMR
The latest news for DMR is software that lets you know when someone keys up on
DMR with voice so that you can then call them. It is for Windows only.
If you wish to give it a try, the link for the software is in the email edition
of this broadcast.
http://www.vk2byi.com.au/dmralert/
Also, the server for the DME Dashboard has changed.
The new link is can be found on the email edition.
http://43.245.72.66/ipsc/index.html#
73, Clayton VK7ZCR
--------------------------------
Free Radio Training
Whilst talking about DMR and other modes – Sean VK7FAZE lets us know about the
Tait Radio Academy who provide online courses in DMR and many other modes and
radios and many of the courses are free.
You just need to register and then the course become available to undertake at
your pace.
Take a look at the web address on the email edition of this broadcast.
https://www.taitradioacademy.com/
73, Sean, VK7FAZE
--------------------------------
News from the northwest
Chat and Show to Regroup and we have Moved
If we do not have any further issues with COVID before this date, and
regulations stay as they are we will be having a gathering for the group on
November 7th at 2pm.
Please note the new location is Ulverstone.
Our new location is in the Recreation Centre in West Ulverstone. It is in Flora
Street alongside the river. Drive into the car park closes to the river and
find the veranda with Ulverstone Show Society Office on it, enter that door and
go to the end of the hall through the next door and you are there.
Please expect to follow all directions for COVID control such as sanitizing,
distancing, and sneeze and cough control. Please, if unwell stay at home!
Hope to see you all there,
Shirl VK7HSC, Group Organizer
--------------------------------
NWTR&TV Group
The NWTR&TVG Executive held a committee meeting on Saturday 3rd October, and
have decided to recommence club meetings, with the first meeting on Saturday
5th December 2020 at 2pm at the Leven District Scout Headquarters,
73 Alexander Road, Ulverstone.
This is dependent on there being no increase in restrictions due to COVID19,
and social distancing and other COVID 19 restrictions and procedures will
apply. Anyone unwell is requested not to attend. Members are under no
obligation to attend, as minutes will be sent out.
Eric VK7EV News Officer
--------------------------------
News from the North
SOTA/WWFF PARKS GROUP
The Summits On The Air/World Wide Flora and Fauna parks group is now meeting
twice weekly – Mondays and Fridays 10.30AM till 12.00 at the Glebe Gardens
Cafe, Henry Street, Launceston.
For more information contact Al on 0417 354 410.
73, Al, VK7AN
---------------------------------
Northern Tasmanian Amateur Radio Club Incorporated
www.ntarc.net
As this news goes to air many NTARC members will still be beavering away at
JOTA/JOTI at the club rooms for the final day. Hopefully all has gone to plan
and the roll up of Scouts over the weekend kept all busy. We should be able to
bring you an update of the weekend’s event in next Sunday’s news. A slight
subtle hint there, Peter VK7KPC.
Once again we have no new items of a general nature for this week but
thankfully last Wednesday 17th October was TechNet and Discord night so without
further ado, we will hand over to Nic VK7WW to let us know how things went,
“The TestNet at 7 pm (local time) on 3.580 MHz
VK7AT Alan called in with 10w.
VK2CAB Robyn, a YL from Parramatta, is using a stainless steel dipole and 100w
from an ALINCO rig. Welcome Robyn!
VK3ZYZ Denys from Shepparton with an old $30 “flying doctorö radio and an
Arduino based “VFO Design with Adaptive Step Rate and Vernier Displayö - see
the Shepparton and District Amateur Radio Club website for this great design!
BAND CONDITIONS - Excellent! Getting “even more bettererö as the evening
progressed!
The TechNet at 7:30 pm (local time) on 3.567 MHz
A total of 9 stations joined the TechNet, hosted by Nic VK7WW under the Club
callsign VK7TAZ.
VK7ALH Ross is rebuilding a Swan 350 PSU.
VK7ZPD Phil was asking for the best weatherproofing for connectors on his 23cm
Yagi. Several suggested “Densoö tape.
VK7DW Andrew is aluminium welding his Hermes loop. Listen out on JOTA DMR
talk-group 30-37 this weekend for Andrew.
VK7PD Peter is building an 80m coax receive loop.
VK7KPA Paul needs new bearings for his off-grid hydroelectric plant. Ross
reminded him about bearings for use in high-moisture areas.
VK7ZPE Peter and VK7KT Graham called in with excellent signals and, surprise,
surprise!
VK7Bunny Rabbits, Bernie called in. Have never heard him on HF before and he
wanted to test his new HF antenna! Good effort Bernie!
Discord hosted by and thanks to Paul VK7KPA had several members logged-in with
a range of comments, signal reports and photos. Paul also provided audio
streaming of both nets, which could be heard through Discord.
To give you some idea of the range of technical topics discussed on Discord and
on the HF net, photos on Discord included:
• Ross’s rebuild of the Swan350 PSU.
• The VK5TM noise cancelling kit built by VK7KPC and VK7PD.
• “Radio Girlö and “Radio Warö book covers.
• A Russian antenna mast FROM Graham VK7KT.
• The SWR-200 Oscar Block SWR and Power meter, one recently acquired by VK7ZPD
and soon matched by a photo of his from Mark VK7KMA. Thanks for revealing its
innards Mark!
• A map of Australia demonstrating its size and how many other countries can
fit into it!
• Nostalgic photos of an S-100 based “Ohioö Computer.
• VK7KPC Peter’s PRC-64 set which is a HF transceiver from the 60’s and 70’s
used by the SAS, with accessories....
• ..and um....other “Little Creaturesö!
73 for now from Nic “Double Scotchö VK7 Whisky Whisky and see you next
fortnight!
Thanks Nic.,
Future events
Fortnightly Tech Night – Wednesday 21st October at the NTARC Club rooms 19:30
hours until whenever. Continuous tea and coffee, although a gold coin donation
for the evening would be appreciated. The Discord on-line session that normally
accompanies the TechNet 80 meter event will also be alive, Murphy permitting,
to allow members who cannot be present in person to continue their
participation via that medium.
Fortnightly TechNet – Wednesday 28th October. Nic VK7WW will once again be in
the chair hosting a “TestNetö on 3.580 MHz at 19:00 local time, with the
TechNet for NTARC following on 3.567 MHz at 19:30 local time. Paul VK7KPA will
be hosting the accompanying Discord session on the net.
Equine Endurance event – North East Equine Endurance Club and Cradle Coast
Endurance Riders will be jointly conducting the State Championships at
Santarena Park, Scottsdale over the 20th and 21st November. Rides over the days
will be a 160km elevated, 95km elevated, 40km and a 15km events. The 160km ride
will be a 24 hour ride.
We will need additional crew members to handle this event. Please advise if you
are able to assist by emailing Norm VK7KTN at safetycomms.ntarc@gmail.com or
catch up with him at a coffee session.
Coffee mornings – currently every Friday in the NTARC Club rooms. Catch up time
is from 10.00 am to noon and we look forward to seeing you all.
Please remember that aside from the good company, freely offered philosophical
views, maybe less than expert political analysis, tall tales, funny stories and
genuinely good fare on offer, these coffee events in the past have been
normally a good opportunity to collect your QSL cards. Currently we have a few
cards awaiting collection from past deliveries.
As I remind all each week, please demonstrate your appreciation of all the
effort that goes into operating the club, its facilities and the other services
we provide, especially in these abnormal and very trying times, enjoying the
company, coffee, biscuits and cake and leaving a gold coin or two, or even a
small bank note, in the jar to assist in our on-going operations.
Once again though, this must be all from NTARC for this week. Please bear with
us as we attempt to bring club life back to normal, while balancing the need
for continuing caution and with all complying with the social distancing
requirements. Hopefully next Sunday we will be able to bring you news of a
general meeting being scheduled, perhaps combined with an end of year break-up
function.
Finally
A reminder to all members that if you have any items of news you would like
added to our weekly roundup, no matter how trivial then please email them to
either of the following addresses ntarc.emails @ gmail.com Please note that it
would be appreciated if any items for the weekly news could be sent in Times
New Roman, 12 pt Font format.
For some time to come, with the exception of the occasional club emailed
newsletter, the weekly broadcast news segment will continue as the medium for
informing all about happenings, or lack thereof, in the local amateur radio
world. It would be appreciated if any news, no matter how insignificant, could
be sent no later than 17:00 hours on the Friday prior to broadcast, to allow
its timely insertion into the NTARC segment.
That gives all a chance to get the NTARC segment together and off to Hobart in
time for collation into the VK7 Broadcast. Your continued cooperation in this
regard will be gratefully appreciated.
We will bring you all such contributions next Sunday morning.
73, Yvonne VK7FYMX, Secretary NTARC Inc
---------------------------------
NEWS FROM THE SOUTH
WICEN Tas (Sth)
Greetings everyone from Cedric VK7CL,
I wish to pass on my congratulations to everyone who took part in putting this
event together. Despite a few hiccups I think it was the best event that WICEN
(Sth) has helped out with communications in.
Of particular note were the contributions of Roger VK7ARN, for his meticulous
planning and attention to detail (as it always is) and ably assisted by Rod
VK7TRF who made sure we packed enough gear to get the job done.
The Wicen members on checkpoints did a wonderful job, they being Dale, Jackson,
Lakia and Christian on Checkpoint 1 and 7 (Lakia, you have a wonderful voice
for this hobby of amateur radio, stick with it).
Michael and Roger on Checkpoint 2 and M. Thanks Michael for stepping up to the
plate and going to 7 to get Ch4 operating with the Base handheld so the
repeater could be dismantled, and of course Roger for manning Checkpoint M on
his own for this brief time.
The NTARC Crew, Idris, Andre and Stefan, Thanks gentlemen a great job at
Checkpoints 3 and 6.
Geoff and Rod at Checkpoints G and R. Well done both of you, Thanks for the
microphone tip Rod, such a simple solution to the problem. (And I have found FM
mic gain)
Garry, Justin and Anthony at checkpoints 4 and 5 and the repeater. Well done
men and Anthony I would like to compliment you on your microphone voice.
Diction and procedures are outstanding. One must also compliment Garry and
Justin for the repeater setup.
This is where a bit of introspection is required. It is the Hiccup part of the
email.
I must say that things got held up by the Greenbottle factor (for a bit of a
laugh Google Yes What and listen to an episode or two and you will get the
drift, I hope)
For those who not do Google Yes What concerns a fictitious school with 4
students, one of whom is called Cuthbert Horace Greenbottle Jr. who always
comes in late.
This link can get you started. It has been on air somewhere in the world every
day since 1936. Proper old radio comedy.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yes,_What%3F#Main_characters
What I really mean is that some of the Southern push did not allow sufficient
time for setup on Friday arriving at 1400 something instead of 1300 something.
This little black duck will not be late next time, if there is a next time that
is.
This same little black duck forgot how to get his 706 MkIIg out of Channel C.
It could not have been difficult because I only bumped it. Roger eventually
found the solution by pressing the Tuner/Call button again.
By this time the FT-897 had been pressed into duty and remained so until the
end of the event. I also had an IC-2720 in the vehicle if plan C failed.
As it happened I had manuals for each of these and eventually Norm found the
proper answer to the clipping. Item no 51 in the menu so the FM mic gain has
now been adjusted down.
Having now got all these things right I am suggesting that we all have a look
at the manuals for our radios and take part in some self education. I know I
learnt heaps of stuff and the more we know and listen to others the better will
be our performance.
I was going to suggest a training session but I think self education is
probably a better idea and encourage everyone to have a read and a fiddling
session with your radio gear.
As to the base I can report that when you up to your arse in alligators you
must never forget that your first aim is to drain the swamp. And thanks Chris
for picking up the microphone when a break was needed. Also thanks to my good
mate Allan for meticulous listening and scribing.
The Vodaphone came into play several times and helped out Tara who was able to
speak to her Reuben and check he was OK after a car accident Friday night. We
also helped out a gent who had to conduct some urgent business in NSW and used
the Vodaphone to communicate with Darcy when floating out was needed. A very
good addition to the kit.
All up up we had a little over 600 conversations during the event so it was a
fairly hectic pace, particularly just after the start and when the 80k were
going one way and 40k the other
Well folks, we at base had a few snaps at us (ie interruptions, minor outages
etc) but hey everyone we eventually got the swamp drained and not a drop of
water was lost. (or horse and rider)
73 and Cheers
Cedric, VK7CL, Chair WICEN TAS Sth
---------------------------------
Radio and Electronics Association of Southern Tasmania
https://www.reast.asn.au/
https://www.facebook.com/reasttas/
https://www.youtube.com/reasthobart/
DATV Experimenter's Night
Work from the Shack Series - VK7ZMS
Last Wednesday night saw our once a month working from the shack series for the
month of October 2020 and it was an interview with Murray VK7ZMS who was in
quarantine at home after a trip to the big island.
However, just before the interview - Rex VK7MO and Warren VK7WN took us through
what DUBUS stands for along with a "please explain" about the front cover of
the latest AR Magazine.
Unfortunately due to a streaming issue on the night we started the interview
with Murray a couple of minutes into interview. The recorded interview starts
with Murray describing the aircraft his father flew and Murray's experience
accompanying his Father all over Tasmania and to the mainland in these aircraft.
All things technical started on the farm in the Huon and electro-mechnical
experimenting. The Dick Smith Fun Way into Electronics was next and a CW
Transmitter and experimenting with antenna size. School saw a foray into
computers and a Z80 computer and programming in Hex.
Camping, fishing, 4WD and 27MHz and UHF CB took over and he met Robert
MacKenzie an amateur and sparked his interest in amateur radio and studied with
Richard VK7RO and got his Z-Call.
Ken VK7DY introduced Murray to many other amateurs and this was the start of
Murray's professional RF life. This became STAR-Net which was a amateur radio
network around Southern Tasmania.
Murray went into SOTA and his introduction by Justin VK7TW.
Murray took the audience through his recent win in the Single Operator Phone
section of the RD Contest 2020.
This was followed by a shack tour which included the projects that on his shack
bench including a 23cm PA and Arduino projects.
Murray finished with his sage advice for new amateurs.
Thanks to Murray for his time.
Our video for the night was a reprize of the October Presentation night on
SSTV, SSTVCams and Magnetic Loops from Steve VK7OO.
This Wednesday night will see more on the EFHW antenna from the VK7BEN kit from
both Justin VK7TW and Hayden VK7HH who has extended it's range to cover 80m.
There will be an update on the 18650 recycling project with a 12.6V battery
pack. There will also be a review of the recently released AR Magazine with the
"interesting' cover. I am sure there will be some other interesting projects as
well.
We will certainly have the streaming back on line so, people can join us via
the REAST YouTube channel.
So, why not come up to the Queens Domain COVID-safe clubrooms and see what we
get up to. If it is too cold to make it up to the Domain why not take a look on
RF or the YouTube Streaming channel and we will be taking questions via
Repeater Two (146.700), DMR Talk Group 3807 and the YouTube Chat channel.
And a reminder that we go out on RF on 445.5MHz DVB-T 7MHz Standard Definition.
So, if you have a TV, Set-top box or USB DTV Dongle that you can tune and scan
445.5MHz and you can see the Queens Domain, then you have a good chance of
receiving the DATV Experimenter's Night Signal.
Look out for VK7OTC. We also stream the nights on the REAST YouTube channel.
https://www.reast.asn.au/news-events/live-stream/
https://www.reast.asn.au/special-interest-groups/amateur-tv/
73, Justin, VK7TW
---------------------------------
TECHNICAL ARTICLE
New space communications station to be built in WA for optical data transfer.
The University of Western Australia (UWA) is set to install an optical
communications station capable of receiving high-speed data transmissions from
space.
The communications station will be able to receive data from spacecraft from
anywhere between low-Earth orbit (between 160km and 1000km above the Earth’s
surface) to as far away as the surface of the moon - about 384,000km away.
Dr Sascha Schediwy, Astrophotonics Group leader at UWA and the International
Centre for Radio Astronomy (ICRAR), said optical communications are an emerging
alternative to radio waves and are expected to drastically improve data
transfer capabilities from space.
“Most current space communications rely on radio waves - it’s the same
technology that brought us the voice of Neil Armstrong when the Apollo 11
mission landed on the Moon in 1969,ö Schediwy said in a statement.
“Free-space optical laser communications has several advantages over radio,
including significantly faster data rates and hack-proof data transfer.
“It’s the next-generation of space communications, and it’s likely to be how
we’ll see high definition footage of the first woman to walk on the Moon.ö
The $535,000 ground station will use a 0.7m observatory-grade optical telescope
donated to ICRAR by Perth local Colin Eldridge, that will be fitted with
atmospheric noise suppression technology developed at the university.
The Western Australian ground station will be a joint venture between the UWA
Astrophotonics Group, the ARC Centre of Excellence for Engineered Quantum
Systems (EQUS) and UK industry partner Goonhilly Earth Station, which handles
data traffic and supports secure communications links for major satellite
operators including Intelsat, Eutelsat, and SES Satellites.
Data from the station will be fed to Goonhilly’s supercomputer data centre in
Cornwall, England by high-speed fibre.
It will form part of a larger Australasian network of optical stations, led by
the Australian National University and supported by partners in South Australia
and New Zealand.
EQUS director, Professor Andrew White, said the Western Australian ground
station could be the first of its kind in the southern hemisphere and have
additional applications in research in different fields.
Goonhilly chief executive Ian Jones said the initiative is driving satellite
communications into the next generations of systems and technologies needed to
support the “enormousö data volumes produced by space missions.
“This data arises from science and other missions and, in the future, will come
from Lunar and Mars missions that involve remote operations, robotics and AI,"
Jones said.
“We’re proud to be joint trailblazers in the practical implementation of
coherent optical communications.ö
The ground station is expected to be operational from early 2021 and open for
business later that year.
https://www.itnews.com.au/news/new-space-communications-station-to-be-built-in--
wa554620
Article written by Matt Johnson for ITNews Web E-zine
-------------------------------------
Regular VK7 gatherings and events over the coming months:
Regular gatherings:
SOTA/WWFF Group – Meeting Mondays and Fridays 10.30-12.00 midday at Glebe
Gardens Cafe, Henry St, Launceston.
NWTR&TVG - Next meeting Saturday 5th December 1400 Leven District Scout
headquarters.
NTARC - Coffee mornings - Fridays 1000 to 1200 NTARC Club Rooms.
NTARC – Technical Sessions and Tech Net on alternate Wednesdays. Next Tech Net
on will be 28th October and next Technical session at the Clubrooms on 21st
October.
REAST – MICROWAVE QSO Party – following after the Sunday broadcast on 1296.15
MHz FM.
REAST – WAGS – Wednesday Afternoon Group meet in the Queens Domain Clubrooms
from 12 noon.
REAST – DATV Experimenter’s Nights from 7:30pm live in the club rooms on DVBT
RF and YouTube Streaming
Sewing Circle Net – Daily commences at 17:00 on 3.640 MHz.
Events:
VK7 – 17/18 October – JOTA/JOTI
VK7 – 24 October – Miena QSO Muster – 10am to 3pm – Miena Community Hall
NW VK7 – 7 November - Chat and Show group from 2pm at Ulverstone Recreation
Centre, Flora St, West Ulverstone
NTARC – 20-21 November - Equine Endurance event - State Championships Santarena
Park, Scottsdale
NWTR&TVG – 5 December - First meeting since COVID - on from 2pm at the Leven
District Scout Headquarters, 73 Alexander Road, Ulverstone.
---------------------------------
A reminder to those people rostered for next week’s broadcast:
Newsreader: VK7ZIR
Repeaters: REAST, NTARC and Spectrum Tasmania
80m: VK7ALH
40m: Any Takers
20m: Any Takers
10m: VK7VKT
DMR: Talk Group 5 and
D-Star: Reflector 91C VK7ZCR
---------------------------------
This broadcast is repeated on Tuesday night at 8:00pm on repeaters VK7RAA in
the North and VK7RTC in the South.
Thanks to all people and organisations that assisted with this broadcast.
---------------------------------
That concludes our VK7 Amateur Radio News Broadcast for this week.
You have been listening to or have just missed VK7WI. Next week the National
WIA news can be heard at 0900 followed by the VK7 Amateur Radio News around
0930 hours.
Items for the broadcast can be emailed to vk7arnews @ gmail.com
Further information about the broadcast can be found at the VK7 Amateur Radio
News Groups.IO Group.
https://groups.io/g/vk7arnews
The deadline for items is 21:00 on Friday prior to the Sunday of the broadcast.
VK7WI is now closing but will reopen shortly for callbacks and relay reports.
Callbacks will be taken on the frequency to which you are listening. Relay
stations will use their own callsigns during the callback.
From the VK7 Amateur Radio News, it is 73 from Justin, VK7TW
--------------------------------------------------------------
(Posted to the packet network courtesy Tony VK7AX)
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