Broadcast - 20 March 2022
Friday coffee morning once again started with Ros arriving early, turning on the urn and making everything “ship shape” and bringing her extra special treat of magnificent lemon slice. Our members were also treated to the Fire Service conducting a training session behind the football club. It involved a helicopter repeatedly coming in and hovering about a metre above ground. One group of fire fighter would disembark and the next group would board. The helicopter would then fly off on a fifteen minute return trip and repeat the same procedure again. This continued for a couple of hours and provided visual entertainment for many. As to be expected of amateurs, out came the smart phones as they fired up their flight tracking software. This in turn prompted a discussion of amateur oriented phone apps, with Peter VK7KPC going through some of his collection, covering the usual Slow Scan TV, Morse code, and RTTY with their various water fall displays. One that will certainly need re-visiting was “Loud Bang”. According to the manufacturer “F-Droid” it is the “First WSPR client for Android that can not only transmit beacon signals using the phone’s audio output, but also receive and decode beacons using the phone’s audio input” with many other features. All in all a great morning.
Last Wednesday was TechNet night, but Nic VK7WW had a prior commitment and was unable to be our host for the night. However, once again he left yet another incarnation of the ‘QRP Nic beacon’, this time in the 160 Metre band on 1.843 MHz. This version also came with a massive power increase from 100 to 200 mW, but still based on a single transistor design. Apart from local reception it was copied in the Northern Suburbs of Melbourne by Greg VK3CN on an indoor frame antenna. The recording showed that the Morse code was indeed very readable above the abundant local noise. The next night Nic received a reception reports from Central Victoria, coming in at a very respectable 599, from Luke VK3HJ. Thanks once again Nic.
When you hear this, the NTARC Safety Communications crew will be recovering after helping Dave VK7DC and his crew at the Kentish Equine Endurance event held on Saturday. Hopefully all went well and some may even make it to Ross today.
Have you looked at the NTARC web site lately? It has been evolving steadily over the previous year under the guidance of our esteemed Web Master Roger VK7ARN.
Apart from general amateur information there is a Notice Board with past and present activities such as contests etc. There is also a calendar for upcoming events.
If you have difficulty logging into the members area or possibly misplaced your password please e-mail secretary@ntarc.net.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Club Tech night – Wednesday 23rd March. Held at the NTARC Club rooms, 7.30pm until whenever.
TestNet and TechNet – Wednesday 30th March. TestNet/CW course on 3.580MHz from 7pm till 7.30pm….and a TechNet on 3.567MHz from 7.30pm till about 8.30pm. Your host for the evening will again be Nic VK7WW.
Coffee Morning – held every Friday in the NTARC Club rooms. Catch up time is from 10am to noon and we look forward to seeing you all there.
These coffee events represent a good opportunity to collect your QSL cards. We currently have cards awaiting collection, so why not pop in and check the QSL box and join us for a cuppa and chat.
Again a reminder that masks are encouraged but optional to be worn at these sessions.
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 from,
Stefan, VK7ZSB, Secretary NTARC inc.
