Author Archives: AREGNews

AREG develops kit which allows real time display of Antenna radiation pattern

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The Amateur Radio Experimenters Group, one of  Adelaide’s leading Amateur Radio groups is pleased to advise that after months of research and experiments at a secret location, it has developed and perfected a process whereby the radiation pattern of any HF antenna can be displayed visually, full size in real time.RfPatternSmoke-AprilFools

The kit includes a canister of particles which are sensitive to E and H field radiation. The particles are suspended in harmless nitrogen gas which, once released near an antenna will align to show you the radiation pattern of that antenna whilst it is transmitting. When the particles are charged by the E and H field radiation they become opaque, arranging themselves along the lines of maximum intensity of the emitted electromagnetic field. The end result is a real time ‘Smith Chart’ like representation of the Antenna radiation pattern.

The deluxe version of the kit uses a laser, guided by a PC controlled mirror arrangement, to display a grid pattern for calibration purposes, which will allow you to take a photograph for storage and future analysis.

A patent application has been prepared for lodgement, after which time the proposal will be presented at the April Monthly meeting. Kits will be funded through the “StartKicking” process in due course.

Dateline: April 1st 2016
Contributors: VK5CP, VK5ZM, VK5FGRY, VK5GR

January General Meeting

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Happy New Year to everyone from the Amateur Radio Experimenters Group, we hope that your projects and DX activities are fruitful for the new year.VK5GR portable VHF Field Day Jan 2016_4

AREG has started the New Year with the club station VK5ARG actively participating in the Summer VHF Field day contest this week, as well as Matt VK5ZM and Grant VK5GR going roving in the contest (VK5GR mobile 6m, 2m & 70cm, multiple grids on York Peninsula).

15th January General Meeting

AREG’s first general meeting for the new year is this coming Friday 15th January 2016 at the Reedbeds Hall, Fulham, doors open at 7:30 pm.

This meeting will be a business meeting followed by open general discussions, where you can enlighten the group on your latest ham radio related endeavour or project.

The invitation is open to everyone interested in ham radio activities, so come along and meet the AREG members, put a face to those you may have had QSO’s with over the last year and enjoy the evening with an active outgoing group of technically minded people.

Coffee, tea and cake will be on for a light supper to round off the evening.

 

VK5VF beacons off air! – Restored

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UPDATE 17th January 2016: The beacons have been returned to service after access to the site became possible following the Christmas break and a wayward circuit breaker was reset.

 

It is most unfortunate that during this period of VHF and up DX that the VK5VF beacons on 6m, 2m & 70cm have gone off air?

Yagi v Santa

There is a thought that the beacons may have been elf-otaged so as not to cause interference with the navigation system on Santa’s sleigh during high speed maneuvers required over the Christmas delivery period??

Alternatively, it is possible that there has been a total failure on the power feeder to the beacons cabinet. (pesky elfs have been busy!) Unfortunately due to the timing, it will not be possible to visit the site to investigate until somewhere around the 28th or 29th December 2015.

The beacon managers apologise for any inconvenience that this may cause.

Members of AREG wish everyone a happy and safe Christmas and New Year.

 

AREG’s General Meeting for December

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Well it’s that time of the year again, when the active Ham starts to think about what he would like to find under the Christmas Tree?K3 under Xmas Tree

A K3, or KX3, maybe even the KPA500? Well one is allowed to dream is one not?

AREG’s next General Meeting is this coming Friday night, 18th December.

This will not be a business meeting but a get together of interested amateur radio operators in a social evening where they can recount and discuss experiences and events of the last 12 months.

Everyone is most welcome to come along and visit the AREG meeting, meeting members, many of whom you have probably spoken with over the last 12 months so now is the time to come along and meet those from the other end of those QSOs.

The meeting will be at the Reedbeds Hall, Fitch Road Fulham, doors opening at 7:45 pm.

Coffee, tea, cake and other nibbles will be on for a light supper.

This coming Friday the 18th December, 7:45 pm, so come along, everyone most welcome.

VK5RSB 23cm repeater service

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Tuesday 8 December, the VK5RSB 23 cm repeater was given a little TLC by Colin VK5ACE, with support by Ben VK5BB. 23cm Rptr VK5RSB

There had been a number of reports that after a little time into a QSO via the repeater, that a noise was heard to be imposed on top of the QSO repeater audio. The noise and its source were not identified at the time and Colin could not account for it?

It was during a QSO between Ben and Colin that the noise was heard to come on and the comment was, “It sounds like a fan spinning up!”
Colin had a “Eureka” moment an said that it was most probably just that! After the transmitter has been on awhile and warms up, the fan cuts in and is most possibly modulating an internal 12 volt supply rail. This required a site visit to see what could be done.

Colin made all the necessary arrangements and scheduled a visit to the VK5RSB site.
Once at the site, the repeater was pulled out and put on a dummy load, the repeater was keyed up and sure thing, when the PA warmed up, the fan cut in and the noise was heard on the transmit signal.

Colin tried a number of electrolytic capacitors across possible points around the 12 volt fan supply and one point was identified where it appeared the noise was suppressed to the point it could not be heard. The capacitor was duly permanently soldered in, the transmitter tested, good no noise, covers put back on and re-tested and all appeared to be good, still no noise!

The repeater was re-fitted in the rack, cavities and antenna reconnected and the system tested to ensure that the fan switched on when the PA got warm and that there was no noise on the transmit output of the repeater. All was good, the site closed up and Colin and Ben departed.

So folks, there it is, all fixed, we hope?

Reports on the operation and observations of the 23cm repeater will be much appreciated.

Next Meeting FRIDAY 18th Sept – Starting out with Arduino Micros

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Arduino, Teensy 2, the TI MSP430, Arduino_Uno_-_R3
the Picaxe, Raspberry Pi’s, Banana Pi’s, Beagle Bone Black, Cubie Boards, PC Arduino’s, these are some of the myriad of micro controller or micro computer boards.

Confusing? Are you interested in learning to use or play with micro controllers and don’t know where to start?

Well, come along to the next AREG general meeting this coming Friday evening, the 18th of September and Matt, VK5ZM, will give an introductory talk on micro controllers with an emphasis on,  “Getting started in Arduino”!

The evening starts at 7:45 pm at the Reed Beds hall, Fitch Road Fulham.

The invitation is open to all persons with an interest in amateur radio and for this evening, Arduino! So come along all,  join in with AREG members and learn a bit about the Arduino, meet members of AREG and enjoy the evening with a dynamic group of like minded amateur radio enthusiasts.

Coffee, tea and cake will be on for a light supper whilst everyone has the opportunity to mix, mingle and discuss your interests of the evening.

IRLP Node 6214 now locked with a PIN!

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Due to inappropriate activity where the IRLP node 6214 sadfacehas been maliciously interfered with and manipulated to the point of triggering lockout responses from other IRLP network nodes, AREG has been forced to require operators to register for access to the node, and for registered operators to use a PIN code for access.

 A most unfortunate side effect of this is that we have now locked out incidental travelers from the system and this is not in the spirit of Amateur Radio Operations. ( I am very sorry that this has had to occur, I held out as long as I could!)

Amateur radio operators who wish to use the IRLP node 6214, are requested to apply via email, with a valid email address and call sign, so as to be issued with the PIN. All applications will be recorded for administration purposes.

Applications may be made to either,

vk5bb@wia.org.au  or vk5qi@wia.org.au

Security of the issued PIN is paramount and it shall not be passed on verbally to any other interested parties.

All inquiries for the PIN shall be referred to the AREG web pages.

73, Ben, VK5BB

IRLP Node 6214 Administrator

VK5RWN, D-STAR in Adelaide, update-2

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d-star-logo-350As was previously forecast in earlier posts, AREG has now installed and tested the secure Wireless link to the VK5RWN site. This means internet connectivity to the VK5RWN computer server is now independent of the Telstra phone line to the site.

As a consequence of these changes,  IP addresses have changed which have affected a number of links on various D-STAR web pages. These are in the process of being updated.

One of these links is the VK5RWN Registration page link at the bottom of the http://www.dstar.org.au/registration.htm page, which currently does not work!

However, access is available for anyone wishing to register on VK5RWN or for existing registered users to access their registration details.

Access to the VK5RWN Registration page is via, https://dstar.areg.org.au/Dstar.do

The rest of the operation of VK5RWN has been tested and is believed to be operating correctly with all connectivity to the D-STAR world in place.

If anyone experiences any problems with access to VK5RWN system, or have any questions regarding the operation of VK5RWN, you may contact the VK5RWN D-STAR Administrator, Ben VK5BB at, vk5bb@wia.org.au

As further changes to VK5RWN occur, more information will be provided by both the Local VK5 Broadcast medium and the AREG website.

73, Ben VK5BB