Broadcast - 25 Dec 2022
“NTARC would like to commence this week’s segment by wishing all listeners a very Merry Christmas and all the best for the festive season.
Hold on a moment though, today is Christmas Day, so while our season’s greeting is heartfelt, our listeners possibly only number one or two, so we should probably quickly widen our audience by extending the greeting to all those who read the text edition of today’s broadcast, or listen to any of the scheduled rebroadcasts in the coming week. While we are at it and for good measure, we wish all a very Merry Christmas even if they don’t listen in or read the text editions, even if they are oblivious to our greetings. We feel good for having extended them and that surely is the Christmas spirit.”
Well did that sound familiar? It sort of should if you have been paying attention over the years, it is what NTARC put to air the last time the Sunday broadcast fell on Christmas Day way back in 2016! There certainly has been a lot of water under the bridge since then…. There is no way I could have extended the seasons greeting to more people, so why re-invent the wheel. Thank you Yvonne, VK7FYMX for your wonderful greeting, which is just as relevant now as it was in 2016.
The only happening for this week was the final TestNet and TechNet session for this year. This was held on Wednesday night with Nic VK7WW, at the helm. Nic has been conducting these Net sessions since the club room temporary closure due to Covid back in April 2020. In fact Nic’s Nets first went to air on the 8th April 2020! That is a long stint and a lot of Nets, Nic. Enough of the tongue twisters, sorry Justin. On the rare occasion that Nic’s dates clashed we have been lucky enough for Phil VK7ZPD, to stand in and when Phil was unavailable, for Rick VK7HBR, to fill the rather large boots of Nic as Net controller. Thank you to Paul VK7KPA and Phil for supporting the Discord side of things to compliment the on air Nets. Phil also provides an audio feed on Discord of the on air proceedings. This is particularly useful as you can have discord running on your phone and listen to the audio feed through your car stereo while you are driving. This comes in handy if your Wednesday nights are all over the place and not always in front of a radio or computer screen. I appreciate this feature Phil. Hope you can all keep up the good work in the New Year.
Last week I mentioned that Peter VK7KPC, received a certificate in recognition of his participation in the Don Edwards Memorial Slow Morse Contest for 2022. I can imagine Nic as Mr. Miyagi from Karaty Kid, saying ‘Well done Grasshopper’, ‘No such thing as bad student, only bad teacher.’ Well Nic must be a good teacher as his CW protégé is doing well. Soon after Peter’s certificate, Nic received a ‘runner up’ certificate in the same event.
All we are waiting on now is to see how Nic and Peter went with the VKCWops contest (QRP) – hopefully the results will be in the next LoKey journal. As they both have been amassing certificates this year it will be interesting to see how the ‘Certificate Envy’ between them is going? HiHi
It’s that time of the year again - All club members should have received an e-mail with instructions on renewing their membership for 2023 by now. Just a reminder that your 2022 membership expires on 31 December and if you haven’t renewed by that date you will then be listed as an un-financial member on the register.
In case you have forgotten NTARC’s 2023 membership fees are $40.00 for a Full voting member and $5 additional for each Family member that the voting member wishes to add to his or her primary membership.
As all listeners must be aware, the replacement of aging legacy equipment along with other ongoing care and maintenance of our repeater systems does not come cheap. For you to be able to continue to enjoy this aspect of your hobby and for NTARC to continue to provide this great network, we need your support now.
If you are not a member of NTARC please consider joining. If you have been a member in the past but have let that membership lapse for any reason, please consider re-joining. In either case, an application form can be found on our website www.ntarc.net or why not pop into the clubroom on a Friday morning coffee session once we re-open again on the 13th of January. You will be made most welcome.
If club membership is not your cup of tea, we fully understand. In those circumstances, perhaps you might care to make a direct donation to our repeater fund, rather than pay a yearly subscription. If so, we would be happy to receive your contribution, either in person at a club meeting or coffee morning, or by post to PO BOX 275 Launceston 7250. Any donation will gladly be accepted. All donations will be officially receipted and noted accordingly against the repeater project.
UPCOMING EVENTS
The TestNet and TechNet session - will be resuming on Wednesday the 11th of January. 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 be Nic VK7WW. The last “formal” night for this year has passed us by. But who knows it might be worth a check on the frequencies over the Christmas New Year break as amateurs have been known to just talk for the fun of it.
The Friday Coffee Morning - will be resuming on Friday the 13th of January at the NTARC Club rooms.
The Club Technical night - will be resuming on Wednesday the 18th of January at the NTARC Club rooms.
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.
