Author Archives: VK5GR

AREG Sept. General Meeting: Single Operator 2 Radios Contesting (SO2R) – Back at the Hall!

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The AREG committe is pleased to announce that the first face to face AREG meeting since the COVID-19 outbreak started in March will be  held this coming Friday, September 18th 2020! We will be returning to the hall, at the Fulham Community Centre, Phelps Court, Fulham at 7.30pm.
We will be following all of the government COVIDsafe guidelines including sign in sheets, COVID marshalls, special handling for food and beverages and will be observing social distancing. Members and visitors are most welcome to join us. You are required to bring your own cup if you wish a coffee or tea and will be responsible for taking it home and cleaning it yourself afterwards.
For those members still not willing to go out in public, we will also continue to Zoomcast our meetings online for members. This is intended to be a permanent fixture of our club into the future, especially given we currently have members in 4 states.

Single Operator 2 Radio (SO2R) Contesting

I’m sure that many AREG members will be familiar with contests and operating a single transceiver QRO station a in a pile up. But what happens if you introduce a second QRO station on the same desk, where your attention is now split across two transceivers and two bands are open at once ?
Welcome to the world of single operator two radio stations or SO2R for short.
Over the past two years some AREG members have been experimenting with SO2R at contests with mixed results.   Come along Friday to hear about what is an SO2R station, why they are fraught with danger for new operators and what steps have AREG members taken to reduce the chances of damaging equipment in the heat of battle, especially our prized AREG contesting filters.

QSL Bureau News

AREG Members are also advised that QSL cards will be available for collection on this evening. If there are non WIA members who would like to collect cards, please email vk5qslbureau@areg.org.au with your request and we will see if you have cards waiting that you can also collect in person.

Conclusion

We look forward to finally being able to meet in person again. It is not going to quite be as it was before, but it is a long way from where we have come! See you all on Friday Night!

WIA VK5 QSL Bureau Sort underway for 2020

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The yearly WIA VK5 QSL Bureau sort for 2020 is now underway. Considering the reduced opportunities to meet in person, this sort will be followed by the once a year mail-out to WIA members of their cards (as included in your WIA membership). It is hoped to send all current VK5 WIA members your QSL cards in the next 4 weeks.

Non-members who are members of a WIA affiliated club should make sure their details have been passed to the VK5 QSL Bureau Manager, Grant VK5GR, via your club secretary so that your cards can be included in the mailing to your club.

If you are not a member of the WIA or an affiliated club, but still want to receive your cards, please email vk5qslbureau@areg.org.au to make suitable arrangements. Cards can be collected in person by arrangement, or can be mailed if a self addressed pre-paid satchel is provided. If you wish to inquire as to whether you have cards waiting you can also contact us at the above address.

Operation of the VK5 WIA Inwards QSL Bureau is carried out on behalf of the WIA by the Amateur Radio Experimenters Group Inc!

If you wish to send outbound cards via the WIA bureau and are a member of the WIA please use the national Outwards bureau address:

WIA Outwards QSL Bureau
PO Box 66
Boolaroo NSW 2284

AREG goes Loopy! HF direction finding loop construction day!

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On the 22nd of August 2020, members of the Amateur Radio Experimenters Group met at the QTH of Chris VK5CP for a small hand held magnetic loop construction day. 

The antenna uses the rugged Mini-Kits EME234 Magnetic Loop Antenna module to balance the loop and provide impedance transformation to 50Ω to allow the antenna to feed receivers directly.

Being balanced, these unshielded magnetic loops provide very deep nulls which allow the user to pinpoint sources of interference very accurately.

LDF-450 coaxial cable was used for the loop conductor for improved efficiency and standard plastic plumbing fittings made up the mounting hardware.

Everyone enjoyed success in construction efforts and went home with their own hand held magnetic loop antenna.  A great afternoon was had by all!

Thanks to Chris VK5CP for his hospitality and Jeff VK5AC for BBQ duties..

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AREG AGM 2020 – New Committee

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Friday the 21st of August saw members gather for our first virtual Annual General Meeting . Over 35 members attended online via the Zoom platform. After all of the reports were presented and accepted, all positions were declared vacant and nominations were called.

The results are as follows:

  • President – Matthew VK5ZM
  • Secretary – Mark VK5QI
  • Treasurer – Grant VK5GR
  • Committee
    • Kim VK5FJ
    • Theo VK5IR
    • Steve VK5SFA
    • Jeff VK5AC
    • Darin VK5IX
VK5ZM
VK5ZM
VK5QI
VK5QI
VK5GR
VK5GR

We would like to welcome back our committee for 2020/21! Thanks team for agreeing to continue to lead our radio club.

AREG AGM 2020 – Tomorrow night August 21st 2020

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Folks, as a final reminder for members, the AREG Annual General Meeting, as notified on the members mailing list in June, will be held tomorrow night, Friday August 21st starting at 7.30pm.

While we had hoped to be ready to meet in person, given current conditions the committee has recommended we delay a little longer before re-opening the club rooms. As a result, the AGM will be held on-line via Zoom.

Members are also reminded that it is a members lightning talk night – so if you have a lockdown project you wish to share, put your hand up and give us a 5 minute run down on what you have been up to these past few months.

See all our members online tomorrow night!

July AREG Meeting: HF Pedestrian Mobile with Peter VK3YE

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AREG is pleased to announce that our next guest speaker will be Peter VK3YE who will talk about operating on HF Pedestrian Mobile!

The date: Friday July 17th – 7.30pm ACST

For members, the meeting will again be held via Zoom streaming on the internet. We will again bring a visitors live stream  via YouTube as well. (YouTube Link Here).