Broadcast - 2 May
We had another great attendance at coffee last Friday, lots of banter, plenty of food to tuck into and endless tea and coffee. A visit to the garage and big hall found many shoppers out in both locations buying up treasures. I wonder how many had to sneak their purchases inside their QTH quietly. I was thankful that the OM wasn’t in attendance.
We are now in May and the last month of autumn, how the year is flying by. Hopefully you all remembered to vote yesterday.
Otherwise, news is very limited this week so it will basically be a reminder of coming events but we do have a couple of items of interest.
We noted back in the news of Sunday 28th March that member Lewis was travelling to Hobart to take his full call exams. We can now advise that Lewis advised us last Friday that he passed his advanced licence exam and is now waiting on his call sign to come through from ACMA. Here’s hoping he manages to get his preferred call sign. Congratulations Lewis from all your fellow members of NTARC.
Last Saturday 24th, Peter, VK7KPC ventured from Evandale across the rail tracks and the mighty South Esk River, to set up a portable station in Honeysuckle Banks for the AMRO weekend. Using a Clansman 5.4 metre portable fibreglass mast, an inverted V antenna was erected using Clansman wire elements. These have convenient metre markings which makes it easy to unroll the elements to the lengths as notated on the PRC-320 hf transceiver case. They are shorter than expected if using the normal calculations, due to the excess wire length still on the wire reels. After coax was connected and antenna raised, the analyser showed that it was a little short. Ends were close enough to the ground to be reached and length adjusted to give a good match.
Transceiver connected and set to 7.125 MHz AM and high power (30W).
Contacts were made with VK3DRT and VK2WD who was using a BC348 receiver and a Collins ART-13 transmitter both of which are WW2 vintage.
An early start for ANZAC day services meant Peter packed up relatively early.
A couple of contacts were made as AX7KPC mid-afternoon from home, again using the PRC-320 on AM but with station antenna which worked better than the previous days attempt.
He plans to try again next year possibly with different antenna configuration.
UPCOMING EVENTS
TECH NIGHT – Wednesday 5th May at the NTARC Club rooms 19:30 hours until whenever. Continuous tea and coffee will be available, although a gold coin donation for the evening would be appreciated
SLOW MORSE COURSE – Wednesday 5th May, second session. Your host and teacher is Nic VK7WW. Frequencies and times are the same as were used by Nic for the previous TestNet and TechNet. And if you have forgotten what they were, here they are, 1900 hrs to 1930 hrs on 3.580 MHz and then at 1930hours through to about 2030 on 3.567MHz.
So why not tune in and give it a try. By the end of each week, between Morse Course Sessions, participants may have learned 12 characters. Then it’s time to practice them on air.
Nic will be explaining “how to have a contact” and the procedures and protocols. For those who may want some extra help, this website is reported as being very good. https://www.morsecodeclassnet.com/
TECH NIGHT – Wednesday 19th May at the NTARC Club rooms 19:30 hours until whenever. Continuous tea and coffee will be available, although a gold coin donation for the evening would be appreciated.
JUNE GENERAL MEETING - Saturday 12th June commencing at 14:00 (2:00 pm). Further information on this meeting will be advised in forthcoming weekly broadcast news.
COFFEE MORNINGS – currently held 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.
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.
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, all items to be received no later than 17:00 on the Friday prior to the Broadcast.
Your continued cooperation in this regard will be greatly appreciated.
We will bring you all such contributions next Sunday morning.
73, Yvonne VK7FYMX, Secretary NTARC Inc
