Broadcast - 17 December 2023
To continue the ongoing theme of auction acquisition, here is one more. Peter VK7KPC acquired a Tiny Tim 3.5 MHz SSB transceiver kit. It was designed by Tim Walford G3PC and presented as a project article in the long running and still published English magazine Practical Wireless, back in July 1993.
It was no longer a kit when Peter bid for it at the auction but a made up main board and front panel minus a case. Peter has since successfully modified and re-calibrated the unit to display and function on the slightly different Australian 80 metre band.
As last Wednesday was the final official TestNet session for the year, Peter took the opportunity of trying the Tiny Tim transceiver out prior to the Clubs General Meeting. It was an atrocious night as far as weather, lightning and noise crashes were concerned but Peter successfully managed a couple of QSOs with the Net. The recovered audio was excellent regardless of the fact it was indeed a tiny transceiver. Peter was able to make contact with the Net host Nic VK7WW, who just happens to be the original builder of the kit, presumably sometime late last century. At least Nic now knows it is still fully functional and now has the wooden case it deserved to finally finish the project. Nice work Peter, good to see kits finally finished.
Nic VK7WW passed on to me a bit of information he receive from one of his friends in Western Australia, Steve VK6VZ and is a good indication that one of the bands have certainly started to open up.
Steve was involved in a multi-person QSO last week on the 10 metre band, 29.030MHz AM. It was between himself in Western Australia and John G3YPZ, Howarth GW3TMP, Andy G4OJY and Glenn G8NOF in the United Kingdom.
During the 35 minute QSO signals in both directions were received at readability 5 and S9+10dB levels. John and Howarth were both using old Heathkit DX-100s for transmitting and RCA AR-88s for receiving.
For information the Heathkit DX-100 Transmitter is Circa 1950s and the AR-88 Receiver is Circa 1940s.
I believe John is eagerly awaiting the arrival of a Panda Cub transmitter from Nic. If all goes well this will add another Circa 1950s rig to the next QSO, fingers crossed.
One observation from Steve was: “you can clearly hear the phase distortion on my signals and the rolling QSB so typical of AM signals on 10m – which totally takes me back to my teenage years and having loads of fun listening on my old HRO MX in the 1969/70 sunspot peak, using a dipole in the house loft.”
If you get a chance have a listen to the QSO and a look at the magnificent old RCA AR-88 that John was using and was adjusting during the QSO. The video will be available on the NTARC website under “Notices”, but only for the next few of weeks.
For the last few years Phil VK7ZPD, has been making the off air HF audio from the weekly TestNet and TechNet sessions available on the club Discord channel. This has proven very popular and I personally find it invaluable.
Phil suggested going one step further by trialling the same option for the weekly Sunday morning state wide broadcasts. He is currently making the audio from VK7RAA 2 Metre repeater available on the club’s Discord channel. So far the streaming of the broadcast is working very successfully, with some mainlanders as well as locals listening on the Discord channel. Phil will keep trialling this medium for the foreseeable future to gauge support. Thank you Phil, I have listened and it works well, this gives people one more option if a rig is not handy or in range.
Club membership renewal - It’s that time of the year again - All club members should have received an e-mail with instructions on renewing their membership for 2024. For those that have not received a renewal please e-mail the secretary@ntarc.net This will allow us to update your e-mail address as there has been a large number of changes this year due to some internet providers divesting themselves of the bother of hosting e-mail.
UPCOMING EVENTS
The TestNet and TechNet session – is officially in recess. However, have a listen as there may still be ongoing activities on a Wednesday night on 3.567MHz.
The Club Technical night session - is in recess until January.
The Friday Coffee Morning – is in recess until January.
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 the Secretary at the following address news@ntarc.net all items to be received no later than 5pm on the Friday prior to the Broadcast.
That’s all folks,
73 from Stefan, VK7ZSB, Secretary NTARC Inc.
