QRM
Recognised text
Text below was produced by optical character recognition and may contain errors. Check it against the original.
MH W\R]\M .
v
¢
i Bulletin issued by the Northern P.O. Box 1010
4 Branches of the Wireless Institute Launceston
of Australia, Tasmanian Division. Tas. 7250
December 1977
Vol.7 No.8
Registered for posting
as a Publication Price 40¢
category B.
As in the past there will not be a January issue of QRM.
Note that the deadline for the February issue is 20th January,
please submit your articles and notes before then.
At this time I would like to take the opportunity to thank all
who have supplied material and assistance in the production of
ORM this year. On behalf of these people and myself, I wish
our readers a MERRY CHRISTMAS and a PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR.
John VK7JV
Editor
. MEETINGS
f
§ Dec. 10 Northern Branch, BBQ instead of the usual meeting.
* Dec. 13 North West Branch, Lakins Hall Ulverstone 8 p.m.
Dec. 12/19 Kings Meadows High School, Block B, room 35.
CONTESTS
Dec. 10/11 Spanish C.W. contest
Dec. 10/11 ARRL 10 metre contest
Dec. 10/11 Hungarian C.W. contest
"
Y Dec. 10/11 WESTLAKES NOVICE CONTEST
Dec. 10 - Jan. 8 ROSS HULL VHF/UHF MEMORIAL CONTEST
Page 2 QO R M December 1977
NORTHERN NOTES by Mac VK7CCC
Pressure of work last month forced me to omit the
notes for ORM, I hope these notes will bring us up to date.
Work on the clubrcoms is continueing, to date the
shelves for Life Link have bezn completed and all that
organisations belongings moved from the small room. The new
- -
chairs we purchased have been voted most comfortable by all
members.
--
The stores have been sorted out and an executive
member is available at the clubrooms every Tuesday and Thursday
to sell same. Additionally a redquest for stores at other times
will probably be complied with. Dont forget the Northern Branch
store can supply major items of equipment at cheaper prices
than can be obtained from the usual suppliers , this way both
the branch and the members gain.
The last meeting on the 11th November was most
enjoyable, the usual business was over in quick time and we then
enjoyed a film, courtesy of Shell LTD. Insurance cover has been
taken out to cover items owned by the Branch as well as any
current stores in stock.
Two and six metre operation will be activated soon
from the new clubrooms, Ed VK7ED has donated a six metre rig
for which we thank him and the two metre rig owned by the
club is ready to go, only antennas are redquired.
Merv Pittman, who recently passed his Novice exam,
has applied for membership, welcome to the gang Merv.
December the 10th, polling day, as well as PIG ROAST
and BARBECUE at the paddock of VK7CCC. There will be music,
soft lights (when its dark) bonfire (if no bon) We look
forward to seeing you all along. There will be a barrel and
soft drinks, bring more along if you think it necessary, Mike
VK7ZWW is looking after the spit, Ladies please bring a salad
we will supply the pig, plus some bread, butter, sauce etc. if ’
you want to barbecue bring your own steak. Robin VK7RH will be
your compere on '"talk in' via repeater 8. Some volunteers are
still required to collect firewood for the bonfire Sunday '
afternoon 27th November, see map in this issue for directions. }
To Ed VK7HE and Brian VK7ZBY, who have not been
keeping to well, take care.
WANTED WANTED WANTED WANTED WANTED
A triangular wind up tower. price and details to: Merv Pittman
VK7NMP, 2 Home Str. or phone 261649
Wanted to buy, valves type 810, state price and quantity.
-
Joe Gelston VK7JG, 40 Lavender Gr. or phone 443882
[
December 1977 QR M Page 3
DX notes by Col Wright VK7LZ.
Quite an eventful month for some DXers, first of all
the Kermadec Islands were activated and although some amateurs
were disappointed due to the lack of CW activity most managed
to work the DXpedition cn 3.5, 7 or 14MHz and that also goes
for Max VK7MX who gave a command performance after being
specially summoned to his rig by a member of the expedition.
Another event was the ever popular CQ WW DX phone
contest, this started off quite well on the Saturday however
by Sunday conditions had deteriorated, nevertheless quite a
few interesting call-signs were recorded, such as HH5HR,
VE3HYU/SU, JY3ZH, BV2B, VP8PT and AP5HQ, possibly the most
consistent signals came out of South America, ZP, PY and LU
call-signs predominating. African signals were noted more by
their absence however EA8's were logged both on 7 and 14 MHz
using both SSB and CW. EA9EO operating from Ceuta made VK7HL
and VK7BC quite happy whilst ZB2BL on Gibraltar made their
grins even wider.
Bill VK7AK suggests that those interested in 28 MHz
should tune the band around sunset for an hour beaming short
path to Europe, both Bill and VK7NOW have worked several
Europeans using this method.
A note from VK7CH advises that very few QSL cards
have been received this month so dont expect too much, you
may be disappointed.
Although several unusual locations are expected to
be activated most are due before this is being read, so I
hope you perused last months notes and profited accordingly.
VR6TC Pitcairn Island has been heard during the
month on 21 MHz SSB around 0100Z on various frequecies.
Most DXers tend to believe that when the sunspot
activity increases we will be able to work the world without
too much trouble, it may not work out quite that way, a much
larger amateur population is certainly going to make the
competition tougher than it was before. recently a 3A2BF
came on 14 MHz calling a VS6 on sked, immediately he finished
his call the band became a seething mass of Italian signals
calling him, the 3A2 got so much spaghetti thrown at him that
as far as I can ascertain he hasn't been game enough to put
his signal on the air since.
Only a few QTH's this month:;
WD9FC/VQ9, Jake Henschel, S-3 Dept., C/o Mars Station
FPO San Francisco 96601 U.S.A.
ZB2BL P.0O. Box 292 Gibraltar
VE3HYU/SU via VEIRU
VS5DX via ZL3 bureau
HSIWR Box 155, Bankok, Thailand.
Page 4 QF M December 1977
VHF notes by Joe Gelston VI.7JG.
Last month I ment:oned that 6 metre DX openings were
just around the corner and to prepare your equipment for the
DX season, well by the time: ORM was printed we already had
several good openings to VK2 and VK4.
For most operators 6 metres is open from the 10th
of December to the 8th of .‘@anuary, these are the dates for
the start and finish of th¢ Ross Hull VHF/UHF memorial contest.
The rules for this contest appear on page 23 of the November
issue of A.R.. So get your equipment out and operational NOW
there should be some very good DX worked if everyone is active.
The 6 metre band has already produced some very good
DX over the last 17 days of November and the band has been
very active. So far all States (except VK6) have been worked
as well as P29, JA and ZL. The only active amateurs taking
part in most of the DX are VK7's JV, DA, Lz, JG, ZAH and ZIF.
So for the rest of you, if you have not been on, here is the
bad news.
Apart from all VK call areas worked on Sunday the
13th of November the following JA call areas were worked from
Launceston for about 20 minutes, JA's 1,2,9 and @, active
stations were John VK7JV, Daniel VK7DA and Kevin VK7ZAH, I
was out at the time and missed the fun. Anyway,next day
Monday, not having to work the 6 metre receiver was left
running on 52.050 and at 23.457 it opened to VK4 and VK4UX
and VK4PF were worked. Then at 03.41Z JATNAM was worked with
5/9 reports both ways but this was only the beginning, the
band remained open to JA for 3 hours with myself and Daniel
VK7DA working through the "Dog Piles" everytime we finished
a QSO0. John VK7JV came home from work to catch the tail end
just as the band was folding but managed to work 5 stations.
In all, all call areas were worked except JA6 and 8, Daniel
made 37 contacts and myself 25, Ian VK7ZIF was also active
and had 24 contaxts.
On the 20th of November while most people were at
the Tasmanian Amateur Radio Convention 6 mertres opened
again to JA and Col VK7LZ and John VK7JV managed to work
into JAl, 7 and 9, the opening lasted for only 20 minutes.
A QOSL card received by VK7JV from JA7TNAM mentions
that the following stations were heard by him during the two
openings on the 13th and 14th of November, VK2ZAY, VK3AKK,
VK4ZRQ, VK4ZHW and VK7's ZAH, JV, JG, DA and PS, who said
there is no activity from VK7 ?
After hearing many rumours that a VK7 worked KH6
I decided to do some investigating and after a few phone calls
tracked it down to Greg Johnston VK7KJ, he said the station
he worked was KH6NS and reports were 5/7 sent 5/4 received,
congratulations Greg.
Ian VK7ZIF mentioned that he had heard from a VK5
that YJ8KM Ken, will again be active with operating conditions
the same as last year.
Lets hope that the foregoing is an indication of the
activity we can expect this season.
December 1977 QR M Page 5
2 metres has been rather quiet but while I was
holidaying in VK4 the VK5 2 metre beacon was heard in
Brisbane for about 30 minutes during a good 6 metre opening
and last night (17th of November) while © metres was wide
open between VK2 and VK5 I heard two amateurs trying to hear
each other on 432 Miz.
73 Joe de VK7JG
Novice notes by John VK7NJD.
Congratulations go to Bill Warmisham VK7NAW, Lyn
Williams VK7NLW , David Crompton VK7NDC and Merv Pittman
VK7NMP who were succesful in passing the last Novice exam.
Congratulations must also go to Reg VK7KK and John VK7JV
who helped the succesful candidates with theory and CWw.
Lyn, Bill and David are on air with 11 metre A.M. units
converted to 10 metres. Lyn can also be heard on 80 metres
CW using a little home brew transmitter and Bill shouldn't
be far behind with a similar unit.
From all reports of the last Novice exam it would
appear that the technical content of the questions was too
high, lets hope this is rectified very soon. (it seems the
candidates that passed the exam disagree with this and in
fact say it was a fair exam. editor)
Richard, VK2NCL who runs the Question Box Net on
Wednesday nights on 3570 KHz, has now obtained his full call
VK2BBQ, congratulations Richard.
Activity on 80 metres has been very poor lately
as most Novices have moved up to 15 and 10 metres. Band
conditions on 10 metres have been very good this month
with openings within VK land nearly every day and good
openings to ZL, USA and Europe.
The Northern Branch Net run every Wednesday night
at 8 O'clock on 28.550 MHz is still going very well but we
would still like to see more stations participate in the net.
It has been proposed to change frequency to 28.505 MHZ to
accomodate those amateurs with converted A.M. units, so
keep an eye on both frequencies in the next few weeks.
Westlakes Radio Club announces a new contest for
all Novices and Full call amateurs. The contest will take
place on the 10th and 11th of December 1977 from 08002
on the 10th to 0759Z on 11lth December. Full details may be
found in November A.R.
FOR SALE FOR SALE FOR SALE FOR SALE
EICO three band (80, 40, 20) transceiver, modified as per A.R.
in very good condition and going order, 5 new spare valves
included $135.00 Tony Polowy VK7TP
Yeasy multimode FM/SSB 2 metre 10 Watt transceiver, FT220
with repeater facility. This unit is also fitted with a IRC
pre-amp, hear it on the air $400.00
Joe Gelston VK7JG Phone 443882
Page © R M December 1977
O
A note received from Col Perger reads:
I will be leaving Melbourne for Antactic on the
2nd of December aboard the M.V. Nella Dan to spend 1978 at
Davis station located 68° - 35 South 77° East.
First stop is off the coast at the Russian station
of Mirny 15th - 17th Decenber then West to Mawson 24th - 27th
then again West to Enderby Land 230th December to lst January.
Finally East to Davis arriving approximately 5th January 1978.
I hope to be on tie air on 20 metres late January,
the equipment is a KWM2 traisceiver 30Ll1 linear, the callsign
has been allotted as VK@JIV igain.
I wish all a Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year.
73 Col VK@JIV (VK7KW)
FOR SALE FOR SALE FOR SALE
Bar low Wadly XCR30-MK2 receiver $199.00
Adcola constant temperature soldering iron $ 10.00
Golf buggy, ball bearing wheels $ 20.00
Golf bag | $ 20.00
Jim Oliver VK7J0O, 2 Luxmore Cr. Phone 443314
Kyokuto 2 metre, 15 Watt FM transceivers. Digital readout
800 transmit and 1000 receive channels $305.00
G.T. ELECTRONICS 131 Westbury Rd, phone 444773
BITS AND PIECES
Last months note about tensioning copper wire brought a
comment from Max Fraser that if the wire is heavy gauge it may
be easier to use his method which works on any wire , even
fencing wire. Clamp one end in a vice and the other in a
hand drill ( an electric drill can be used if its a slow
speed drill) pull tight and twist the wire with the drill,
and it will straighten itself very nicely. Max demonstrated
it using some very heavy gauge galvanised fencing wire and
it works beautifully.
The September issue of 73 Magazine is one any RTTY enthusiast
should get hold of, if you dont know anything about RTTY but
would like to know something about it, get one anyway, there
is a 9 page article to introduce you to this interesting
mode of Amateur communication. If you are already into it
you'll find (in the back pages) adverts for books on almost
everything to do with Amateur radio, one is'the new RTTY
handbook" 1977 edition.
Its encouraging to see "Ham Radio" a commercial magazine
refusing to advertise linear amplifiers that are capable of
operation in the 11 metre citizen band, whereas the Wireless
Institutes magazine "Amateur Radio" not only allows this sort
of advertising but one add even said '"get one before the
pirates grab 'em !"
December 1977 QR M Page 7
(IJIG. ROA;T + Bar-B-Cue
10 Eh DecemperR 1977
BRRcCLAY ST
)
.
>
2
>
%
. <
- F
- o
§
f R
. 8 (.23
| TaLK IN : RepeaTER
3
o
any (CHANNEL 40
e/
s b
- 30c DonATion 7o (lup Funbs /éf
?lq on A SPIiT — BARREL + SoFr BRINKS
Music - BoNFIRE - BRING YouR
TENT or (ARAVAN 5 STEAk, ExTRa
DRinks, Labies BRING n Salap [TLense .
STARTS 4 P.M
JeI. GUNN PTY LTD
50 BRISBANE St. LAUNCESTON
Telephone 319333
DOMESTIC & BUILDERS HARDWARE ‘;,
MARINE & PLUMBING SUPPLIES peo e
PAINT & TOOLS
SEDDON PRESS
35a GRANVILLE St. LAUNCESTON 7250
Telephone 316191
FOR ALL YOUR PRINTING
BUSINESS AND PERSONAL
QSL CARDS
DHe& LS Chillcotft & Sons
ALL CLASSES ELECTRICAL INSTALLATIONS AND REPAIRS
INDUSTRIAL AND DOMESTIC MAINTENANCE .
SALES AND SERVICE OF ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES ‘.
89 OLIVE St., NEWSTEAD, PHONE 311677 '
AFTER HOURS 444434 or 318659
Athol Lawes Electrics
135 HOBART Rd., KINGS MEADOWS, PHONE 444710
FOR ALL ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES, SPECIALISTS IN,
HI-FI SOUND SYSTEMS
-
CAR RADIO AND STEREO ’
SEE US FOR A BETTER DEAL, WE SERVICE ALL WE SELL.