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VK7AX > BCAST 25.10.20 04:10z 366 Lines 22193 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
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VK7 Amateur Radio News 25Oct20
Text edition: VK7 AMATEUR RADIO NEWS BROADCAST
FOR OCTOBER 25 2020
(Note.. please remove spaces in email addresses before using)
VK7 AMATEUR RADIO NEWS BROADCAST
FOR SUNDAY 25th October 2020
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Welcome to the VK7 Amateur Radio News for the 25th October 2020. This broadcast is brought to you by VK7WI, and read today by Idris, VK7ZIR.
This broadcast utilises repeaters around VK7 and the following HF rebroadcast stations:
On 3.670 MHz by Ross, VK7ALH
On 7.140 MHz by Garry, VK7JGD
On 14.130 MHz by Any Takers
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.
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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?
Just email vk7arnews @ gmail.com
73, VK7ARNews Team
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News from the North West
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
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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
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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
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Northern Tasmanian Amateur Radio Club Incorporated
www.ntarc.net
Last weekend, the main event held not only in the State but also across mainland Australia and indeed worldwide, was JOTA/JOTI 2020.
So we will hand over to Peter VK7KPC to give you a rundown of events held at the NTARC Club rooms, Rocherlea;
“Well, it looks like last week’s crystal ball report on our JOTA preparations drowned crossing the moat to our secretary stuck in Victoria or was lost in the translation between Gmail and Bigpond.
Be that as it may, Idris VK7ZIR, André VK7ZAB, Stefan VK7ZSB and yours truly spent several afternoons at the club room shuffling furniture and other items in order to prepare the larger hall for the JOTI and Skype operations. External antenna for the Echolink transceiver was fitted and 2 meter foxes checked in preparation for their excursions into the surrounding scrub.
Following Friday’s coffee morning, the main room was reconfigured for operating positions. HF radio moved from in the shack to just outside of it to comply with scout requirements. DMR radio connected to the main VHF/UHF antenna and another transceiver connected to the same antenna for repeater access.
An FT290 was connected to a dummy load to access the local Echolink node, and Morse code demo equipment set up on another table. Adam, from the Rovers also came to set up their gear.
Saturday morning arrived along with very wet weather, which meant a change in operating plans.
Also on deck during the day were Norm VK7KTN, Kevin VK7KJL, Ian VK7IH, Brendan VK7VIP, Lewis VK7FLPL and Stuart VK7FEAT. Most returned on Sunday.
No fox hunting or billy carts at least for the first couple of hours. Fortunately we were able to shuffle the planned program and were able to accommodate the visiting groups doing activities inside the building. The weather dried enough later in the afternoon to enable some short excursions by the foxes, who really do not like being wet.
The last group finished at 5pm and we were able to stand down for a well-earned coffee and cake.
This was followed by an excellent Tuna Mornay supplied by my better half, Kay, who we have to thank for homemade sausage rolls for lunch both days.
Sunday’s weather was much better and we were kept fairly busy from 10am to 3pm.
The foxes were out and about all day and there were many hunters in the field with André and Stefan being hunt masters.
Not much activity on HF, DMR was fairly busy as well as VK7RAA.
Some Echolink contacts to the Netherlands and the UK but only after all the scouts had gone.
Skype was well received and a highlight was a contact with my granddaughter, who is a Joey scout in Adelaide. The JOTI computers were kept running hot both days, and well into Saturday night by the Rovers and Venturers, though they did not seem to be on communication programs.
We had 92 scouting members attending plus 11 parents according to attendance records. This was 9 down from last year but pretty good considering COVID and Saturday’s weather.
Many thanks to the Northern Area Rover Crew for running JOTI, and the Riverside Venturers who were assisting as well as being the equipment cleaning crew.
Also thanks to Andrew VK7DW who ran a small JOTA station at Spreyton Scout hall for their Joey mob with 13 attending. Special thanks must also go to Shirley VK7HSC, Rick VK7HBR and Joseph VK7JS who came on air to chat with scouts when other groups could not be contacted.
Thanks again to all who attended or helped remotely.
Peter Dodd, VK7KPC On behalf of Scouts Tasmaniaö
Thanks Peter, it sounds like all went well considering the weather. We now hand over to member Michael VK7MRS who forwarded the following in regards to events held by the Huon Scout District station, VK7HSD.
“What a JOTA 2020 proved to be! This year saw very few stations active on all modes and bands to make contact with.
Here in VK7, Huon Scout District were able to still participate as a JOTA station which included an overnight stay indoors for the Scout & Venturer sections.
63 Joey, Cub, Scout, Venturer and Rovers operated VK7HSD over the 24 hr period assisted by Rover, Jackson VK7FJAX, Group Leader Dale VK7FNED, Cub Leader Nicole VK7FNJS and Brian VK7BM.
Contacts were made with VK2, VK6, Pennsylvania, Philippines and Norway. Modes used included DMR, Echolink and 40 meters.
We would like to acknowledge and thank the following stations with which contact was made, VK2SBP, K3MJM, PU2WLG, DX1CW, LA2JAM, DX8WMG, 9M4S, VK6FRDM and VK6AKR.
A special thanks goes out to our resident electronics guru, Brian VK7 BRAVO MIKE for his knowledge and instructions on how to construct the JOTA bugs along with the DMR operations, scouts Lakia and Chris, both who are awaiting their Foundation call exam results, for their instructor roles and radio operator’s duties over a 24hr period of operation.
A very well organised team effort!
Sunday morning also saw ALARA’s President, Linda VK7QP and OM Martin VK7GN. They popped in to see all the action happening along with catching up with the five scouts Linda spoke with whilst they work working through their Foundation training.
VK7HSD were thrilled to both meet and show Linda and Martin through the shack and activities. We wish to thank them for taking the time to visit and share their knowledge and enthusiasm of amateur radio.
Wonder what JOTA 2021 will bring?
73 from the Huonville Electronics and Radio Team (H.E.A.R.T.) VK7HSD.ö
Thank you Michael for that report. I’m sure all listeners will be pleased it went well for you and your team in the south. It was certainly a well-earned reward for your considerable organising effort.
After those two stories about that annual special event it is now time to move onto reports of regular club happenings. We hand over first to President Idris VK7ZIR to give us an account of the Tech Night held at the club room on Wednesday 21st;
“There was much to do at the Club rooms post JOTA/JOTI, involving replacing equipment back to the radio shack, removing patch cables and rearranging furniture back for normal operation. André VK7ZAB was preparing the foxes for next year by removing their batteries and packing them for storage.
Discord was operational on the small and big screen, and very busy. Peter VK7KPC signed in to Nic VK7WW’s informal 80m net.
A welcome visitor was Rick VK7HBR, a local amateur of many years standing.
Peter VK7KPC showed off his ALARA 40th Contest certificate for being the Top Score OM in VK7. Well done Peter.
Ross brought in two of his patients, an elderly Yaesu FT 901D and an SGC antenna matcher with a distinct brown smell. Many had a good look to try and trace the brown small, but there was nothing obvious on the top of the board. Looks like a bit of surgery needed Ross!
Kevin VK7KJL and Simon VK7FSRM were busy programming Kevin’s new radio.
With 21 attendees, we were well within out COVID-19 capacity of 25, and there were small groups in various parts of the room carrying on deep discussions of both a technical nature and other subjects.
Looking forward to the Tech Net next Wednesday.
73 Idris VK7ZIRö
Thanks Idris, it is really great to see the interest still continues. We now hand over to Nic VK7WW for the “No formal Net for NTARCö also held on Wednesday 21st
The TestNet started on 3580 at 7pm local time with FOUR stations.
Nic, VK7WW put a 1960s Marine Radio ON-AIR. Yes, it’s a general coverage AM ONLY receiver covering 2 to 7 MHz, with crystal controlled AM transmitter running about 3 watts output. It’s living history! The set was built by the HOBART RADIO CLINIC and labelled as the “HRC 4 - Serial No 370ö.
I guess the “fourö relates to the FOUR Valves! The dial is marked “ MHzö not Mc/s; and, because the term “MHzö started to be used in 1960, and looking at the components and methods of construction, one can only conclude it was built in 1960, or very soon after!
• Phil VK7ZPD heard Nic testing and came back on AM telling him how good the audio was.....
• Peter, VK7KPC from the NTARC Clubrooms also called-in using AM as VK7TAZ and gave reports.
• Graham, VK7KT from Burnie, had also joined us on AM.
Pictures and recordings were posted on Discord. It’s very interesting to hear AM with great quality audio!
Thanks to Phil VK7ZPD who streamed live-audio on Discord, on behalf of Paul VK7KPA who was unable to do so, allowing others to hear the AM signals.
No formal TechNet followed at 7:30pm local time on 3.567 with 6 stations on net:
? Nic VK7WW. as net controller, has completed a mains filter to stop noise escaping from a switch-mode PSU.
? Peter VK7KPC/p, as VK7TAZ let us know how the Technical night was progressing at the NTARC Clubrooms.
? Graham VK7KT, posted a pic of his antenna cluster on Discord.
? Phil VK7ZPD, discussed possible 2m ducting, loop antennas; and posted a map of the increasing lightning strikes in NSW. öSo that’s where those static crashes are coming from!ö
? Kerry VK7PAK, called to give signal reports.....and,
? Kevin VK7HKN/P, on the East Coast was kicking himself for having left his PA at home. He could hear everyone beautifully, just couldn’t get through with QRP 5 watts. However, later on as conditions improved, Nic was able to have a two-way QSO.....In-between the increasing noise of static crashes!
There were rich discussions on Discord with videos and photos - fantastic! 11 members signed-in. Thank you for such an interesting night!
PS. Phil VK7ZPD has a great suggestion. Is there anyone in NTARC who could transmit an ATV signal from the NTARC CLUBROOMS when they hold a technical night, so we can share the interest around?
Thank you to everyone who took part in the technical aspects of our wonderful hobby - that also includes Short Wave Listeners, those Radio Amateurs who also listen in, but can’t transmit, and those who listen to the net on SDRs via the Internet, wherever you may be!
This is Nic VK7 Whisky Whisky, now Signing Clear.ö
Future events
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.
Fortnightly Tech Night – Wednesday 4th November 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.
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. We are still awaiting news of a possible general meeting being scheduled, perhaps combined with an end of year break-up function. Hopefully next week?
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 me at the following address 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
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NEWS FROM THE SOUTH
Radio and Electronics Association of Southern Tasmania
https://www.reast.asn.au/
https://www.facebook.com/reasttas/
https://www.youtube.com/reasthobart/
November Presentation Night
Save the date - Wednesday night 4th November 2020 from 7:30pm will see an very interesting presentation from our new member Graham Wilson VK7RE.
Graham will be presenting on a range of interesting and fascinating topics.
See you in the Queen’s Domain Clubrooms from 7:30pm.
We will be streaming on the REAST Youtube Channel and going out on DVB-T RF.
(73, REAST Committee)
---------------------------------
DATV Experimenter's Night
We were live from the DATV Studio and Justin VK7TW started the night with a short presentation on End Fed Half Wave (EFHW) antennas with some great material from Steve Yates AA5TB. This covered voltage and current distribution and the issues this presents, the minimum counterpoise, impedances and turns ratios.
Hayden VK7HH then took the audience through a great presentation on his experiments with his EFHW. Hayden covered the modification based on the VK4YE design, the testing, and the additional 80m inductor, the coax counterpoise, and the common mode toroids.
Justin took the audience through an update on his 18650 recycling project with a 12.6V battery pack. Justin covered the battery differences with 3.7V versus 4.2V batteries, the difference in charger boards, the Battery Matrix and construction method and the schematic of the battery configuration
Justin finished with an interesting refillable fountain pen cartridge that he is about to start using. The Lamy fountain pen has a syringe like addition!
The videos we showed included recycling 18650 batteries, demonstration of magnetics and Eddie Woo with coaxial cable and his favourite mega number.
We get back underway with our DATV Experimenter’s Night this Wednesday night with more on the EFHW antenna experiments, RD Contest, Optical Comms Updates, and much more. Apologies to those who took a look at our streaming channel and unfortunately saw nothing! We certainly streamed the night however forgot to update the streaming link on the REAST website. This has been corrected and we will be streaming out via that link on the website.
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
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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.
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 4th November.
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 18:00 on 3.640 MHz.
Events:
REAST 4 November – Interesting Presentation by Graham Wilson VK7RE from 7:30pm in Queen’s Domain Clubrooms
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.
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A reminder to those people rostered for next week’s broadcast:
Newsreader: VK7FB
Repeaters: REAST, NTARC and NWTR&TVG
80m: VK7JGD
40m: VK7ALH
20m: VK7TPE
10m: VK7VKT
DMR: Talk Group 5 and
D-Star: Reflector 91C VK7ZCR
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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 Idris, VK7ZIR
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(Posted to the packet network courtesy Tony VK7AX)
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