Broadcast - 26 Jan 2025
The Club Technical night had its first get together for 2025 last Wednesday night. It was very well attended with eager members swelling the numbers even before the normal start time of 6:30. There was certainly a lot to catch up on amongst the members after the Christmas break. I will pass it over to Idris, VK7ZIR for a bit of a rundown on the evenings “technical” side of the proceedings.
Cast your mind back to the first Statewide SSTV night for this year on the 4th January. One of the stand out images was of a 3D printed forty position holder case designed for SMA sized adaptors. Well true to his word Colin VK7ZCF brought the actual holder into the club for inspection. Also the 3D printed box to hold some of his 10W dummy load attenuators. Yet another very useful piece of 3D printed workshop accessory!
Colin also brought in two other projects that he has now finished. These required metal machining of mainly scrap materials to integrate with the main purchase parts. We have been following the progress of these individual projects over the last few months on Clubroom Tech Nights. The two projects were:
• A portable 2 metre antenna on a photographic tripod with detachable radials
• An HF antenna with 5.2 metre telescopic antenna, heavy duty antenna base, an aluminium disc for attaching counterpoise wires and a clamp from a truck mirror mount to attach a ground stack. Well done Colin, these generated much interest.
Ian VK7IG brought along a USB cable tester and a USB power meter that he had purchase from AliExpress.
The USB Cable Tester from Tree-Dix was a palm size unit with the full array of all types of USB and Lightning connectors duplicated on two of the sides. To use it was easy, just plug a cable into which ever socket was appropriate for each end of the cable. The board had a LED for each of the pins of each connector. For easy interpretation the pins did not use numbers but the signal functions description - like earth, data receive plus and minus etc. The LED lights to show continuity is OK and the unit could be powered externally or from the internal button battery.
The other device was a USB Digital Tester model J7-c. This was an inline power meter with both USB 3 and C inputs and outputs. It had a small but easy to read colour OLED display. The display was multi-page so the voltage, current and power could be shown numerically or as a graph over time. Being designed for the latest USB C standard it could measure up to 32 Volts and 8 amps.
Also, Lionel VK7ZLB brought along an RF power splitter he had made for use on the recent “Summer VHF and above Field Day”. It was a “T” type arrangement of 3 panel mount “N” sockets with an accurately cut length of coax. The splitter was required as he had built a 2nd UHF Yagi and needed to connect them as a phased pair. Lionel then gave everyone a slide show presentation of his latest setup for the Summer Field day. All antennas were Yagis on a single mast, covering the 6 and 2 metre plus 70 and 23 cm bands. The mast was strapped to the hand rail of a deck and used an “arm-strong” manual rotator. The mast and some of the Yagis were made multi section so they could be disassembled and carried in the rear of his compact hatch. Thanks Lionel, it appears he had a busy weekend with lots of contacts.
Thank you Idris, no doubt the night was a start of another interesting year.
Pictures will be available on the NTARC Web site under “Blogs” for this broadcast. Blog 3 — NTARC Inc.
Now back to the house keeping.
The Annual General Meeting of NTARC is getting closer so please give some serious consideration to any nominations you would like to make for the new 2025 committee.
Please note for your convenience there is a nomination form available on the NTARC website, www.ntarc.net and printed forms are also available at the club rooms.
Once completed drop them off at a technical night or a Friday morning tea, even scan the completed form and e-mail it to the secretary@ntarc.net and send the original to PO Box 275 Launceston 7250.
They must be received by close of business Friday the 7th February.
Club Members are reminded that they will need to be 2025 financially current to be able to nominate, be nominated, or vote at the Annual General Meeting.
UPCOMING EVENTS
TestNet and TechNet session - Every Wednesday, TestNet/CW course on 3.580MHz from 7 pm, then a TechNet on 3.567MHz from 7.30 pm till 8.30 pm. Your host for the evening is Nic VK7WW.
Club Room Technical night session - The next session will be on Wednesday the 5th February, at the usual time of 6.30 pm at the Club Room Archer Street, Rocherlea.
Coffee Morning - held every Friday in the NTARC Club rooms. Time is from 10 am to noon and we look forward to seeing you all there. So why not pop in check the QSL cards and join us for a cuppa, there is endless tea and coffee along with biscuits available for a donation.
Annual General Meeting & General Meeting - Wednesday the 12th February 2025 at the NTARC Club Rooms, Rocherlea Scout Hall, Archer Street Rocherlea commencing at 19:30 hours (7.30 pm). Information has been e-mailed to club members.
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 5 pm on the Friday prior to the Broadcast.
That’s all folks,
73, Stefan VK7ZSB, Secretary NTARC Inc.
