1988 Tamanian AR Magazine news articles

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from AR Magazine 1988 Jan page 61  
The WICEN groups in several areas of the State
seem to be having quite regular commitments to
provide communications support for such activities
as car rallies, orienteering expeditions and ocean
yacht racing (like the West coaster). The experience
gained from these activities, according to
their various co-ordinators, will stand them in good
stead if they are called upon to act in the case of an
actual disaster.
Due to a long lead time, this has had to be
written before the West coaster (the Melbourne to
Hobart Yacht Race) takes place, and a more
complete report on the outcome of the efforts of
amateur operators will be given in the February AR.
WIA Broadcasts are becoming slightly more complex
in the State as, further relay frequencies come
into play, and the broadcast roster now includes a
total of 28 participants. This means that each
involved amateur is concerned with originating,
relaying on 80 or 40 metres only two or three times
in the three-monthly period.
The 80-metre antenna at the Southern Activity
Centre is now "up and running" and this means
that the Centre can accept its share of 80 metre
relays as well as originating two metres. The
broadcast is being recorded and repeated now on
Tuesday evenings, 1930 hours local, on 80 metres
only (3.590 MHz) taking up the half hour before the
Devil Net. We hope that those who listen to this
report will stay on air and join in the Devil Net
under the benevolent guidance of Bob Jackson VK7NBF
who is in his fifth year as Devil Net Coordinator.
The two-metre repeater on Mount Wellington,
which has been the object of a great deal of "repair
and maintenance" work during the past two
months, is now working very well. Reports of
access to the repeater have been received from
many areas of the State which would earlier have
seemed impossible, or at least very difficult and
spasmodic. The linking of repeaters for broadcast
purposes have been faultless and has made rebroadcasting
and relaying very reliable. The
meteorological conditions at the 4000 feet-plus
level play havoc with all external fittings, especially
cables, and the group who spend time working
under such conditions to keep the repeater working
deserve the thanks of all repeater users.

WIA MEETINGS
WIA meetings are held at:
Penguin High School on the second Tuesday in the
month at 8 pm.
Launceston Maritime College on the second
Friday, at 7.30 pm.
Hobart Activities Centre, Newtown Road on the
first Wednesday at 8.15 pm.
The ATV Group is continuing to meet regularly in
the north-west of the island under the guidance of
Peter VK7AX, and to give encouragement to other
prospective ATVers. there is a transmitter kit
available from Peter.
A definite move to support would be novice
amateur operators have been set in train by 
VK7EG Noel Davies, and the branches are distributing information
packages to colleges and schools to
attempt to increase the number of candidates for
the courses and to provide personal help when
required.
The Tasmania Day Award proved to be a going
concern and, already discussions are taking place
about the possibility of a repeat in 1988.
Talking of awards, the 400th Tasmanian Devil
Award was reached a short time ago. VK3CWJ was
the lucky recipient, not only of the award certificate
itself, but also a signed photograph of the
Tasmanian Devil Net Organiser himself!

QRM from VK7! 
John Rogers VK7JK
VK7 BROADCAST OFFICER

from AR Magazine 1988 April page 57  
QRM from VK7
This is the first opportunity to bring news of the
changes in Branch Officials which has been
brought about by the various Annual General Meetings
NORTH WESTERN BRANCH
President — Greg VK7ZBT
Vice-Presidents — John Duncombe VK7ZPT SK and Noel Davies VK7EG
Secretary—Tony Clayton VK7AH
Treasurer — Bruce Marshal VK7MB
Repeater and Beacons Coordinator — Andrew Perkins VK7ZAP became VK7KAP

Assistant Repeater and Beacons Co-ordinator —
Andrew Hay VK7ZHA now XR
QSL Organiser — Steve Bush VK7EQ
Stores — Rob Gore VK7KAB
Publications — Terry McMullenVK7BV
WICEN Director — John Duncombe VK7ZPT SK
News Scribe — John Webster VK7KDR
Branch Publicity Officer — Ron Churcher VK7RN SK
Volunteers from the NW Branch are looking
forward to a great day helping with the exercise at
Wynyard this month. The ANZAC weekend always
seems to be a times for enjoyable activities and
this year should be no exception.

In the south, the new officers are:
President — Stuart Bean VK7NXA
Vice-President — Russ Pitman VK7ZRP
Secretary — VK7VV Rai Taylor,
Assistant-Secretary — Mike Hennessy VK7MC
Treasurer — David Obrien VK7NDO now VK7OB
Assistant-Treasurer — Peter Skeggs VK7GT
Equipment Officer — Mike Hennessy VK7MC
Southern Broadcast Co-ordinator — Mike Haney VK7ZMH now MH
WICEN Coordinator — Alan Widdowson VK7CI
Repeater Coordinator — Antony Tulk   VK7ZTA
Membership Officer — VK7VK Victor J Kitney, Cambridge, (1986 / 1987 WIA Callbook) Swansea, (2000 WIA Callbook), (missing 2001 WIA Callbook) was VK6VK, then VK0VK, then VK7VK I think.

QSL Officer — Peter Skeggs VK7GT
Publicity Officer — Lew ???? VK7U
Honorary Auditor — Brian Sampson VK7BS
Activity Centre — Russ Pitman VK7ZRP
State Council Delegates — Peter King VK7ZPK SK 
Mike Wilson VK7ZWW


The WICEN (South) group has established a
close working relationship with the State Emergency
Services, and so has formalised their call-out
procedure to enable quicker deployment of their
resources in the event of an emergency. There are
four sections — Base, Satellites, VHF Mobiles and
VHF Special Services. Details of how contacts are
made "down the line" have been circulated to
registered members, but are also available to
others who may be interested in becoming part of
the network. Contact Alan Widdowson VK7CI, QTHR.
For the first time in many-a-year there is a news coordinator
for the VK7WI broadcast in the north
Bill Bower VK7AV, who is happy to make tapes of his
contribution), in the north-west John Webster VK7KDR,
temporarily anyway!), and in the south Mike Haney VK7ZMH now MH,
who has acquired a rig for HF so that he
can collect news on the Saturday morning net).
Now, there should be very close to a commercial/
professional level of news-gathering In VK7 from
now on.
As this column was being prepared, both the
north and south of the island were making a
common approach to improving their two metre
repeaters. Both branches were in the process of
acquiring new control units and, by the time this is
published, all should be reaping the benefit. There
is no doubt about it — the VHF repeater groups
may not be large in number but they are great in
their efforts)
QRM from VK7
73, John Rogers VK7JK


from AR Magazine October 1988 page 51  
The 1988 Ham fest will be held as near to Tasmania
Day as possible, that is on Saturday, 29 and
Sunday 30, October.
The Ham fest activities will run all day on
Saturday from 9 am and on Sunday morning from 9 am.
The main venue will be the Southern Activity
Centre at 105 Newtown Road, Hobart. At the
centre there will be a series of displays depicting
various aspects of amateur radio operations —
satellites, packet radio, RTTY, standard HE VHF
and UHF communication practices, a Branch store
and sale table, mobile clinic (bring in your equipment
for testing!), and a complete range of social
activities, with food and liquid refreshment, and
plenty of chat.
There will also be some demonstrations and
constructional activities, antenna building, adjusting and testing and a display of vintage equipment
from the VK7ML SK Max Loveless collection.
The broadcast of October 30, from VK7WI, will
take place from the Ham fest, and you will have the
opportunity to see the system in use, what is
involved in getting the broadcast to air and you can
give your ideas of how the broadcast could further
be improved.
The whole Ham fest is to be a get-together for all
Tasmanian amateurs and visitors to swap ideas,
find out about other facets of out hobby, and join in
the technical, as well as social side of the
weekend's program.
A BYO barbeque will be set up and refreshments
will be available throughout the day. Members of
the public are most welcome to visit the displays,
so please spread the news, bring the family and
friends and enjoy the day.
The ever-popular Sewing Circle Barbeque will
be held on the Sunday afternoon to augment the
festivities. Visitors from across the State will be
able to take part in the Ham fest and enjoy the
Sewing Circle without having to make two round
trips and they will be made very welcome.
All VK7s are asked to listen to the VK7WI
Sunday Morning Broadcasts during the month for
further details on the Ham fest, so that there is
plenty of support to make it an occasion to
remember. There may be a special function on the
Saturday evening, so keep the date free — we'd
hate you to miss out!
Come to what we expect to be a real Old-
Fashioned Field Day!
BRANCH MEETINGS
Northern — October 14,7.30 pm.
North-western — October 11,7.45 pm.
Southern — October 5,8.15 pm.

John Rogers VK7JK
VK7 BROADCAST OFFICER