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1970sDocument1976QRM Vol 6

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Bulletin issued by the Northern : r.0. Box 1010
Branches of the Wireless Instituce 3 Launceston
of Australia, Tasmanian Division. ) Tasg. 7250

July 1976
Vol.é No.4

flegistered at GPO Hobart
for transmission by post
as 1 pgriodical. Category B.

MEETINGS
July 9th Northern Branch, S.E.S. icoms, Charles St. 8 p.m.

July 13th North West Branch, lakins Hall, Ulverstone. 8 p.m.

Y.R.C.S. MEETINC
July 10 & 24th Kings Meadows High Schooi. 10 a.m.

_A.0.C.P, Classes
July 5th
12th Kings Meadows High School
19th block B, room 35
26th CW; 1730 p.m.
Aug. 2nd Radio Theory 8 p.m.
9th d

_Contests
July 3/4 W - VK7 contest (see page 10 this issue)
" " Venezuelan phone contest
July 17/19 County Hunters CW contest
July 24/25 ARRI, Bi-centennial
July 31/ Aug 1 Venezuelan CW contest
August 14/15 REMEMBRANCE DAY CONTEST
Page 2 Q.R.M. July 1976

Notes from the Northern Branch by Norman VK7NR.

Thirty one members and two visitors attended the June
meeting of the Branch and 6 apologies were received. The Chair-
man Brian VK7ZBY started the meeting by introducing the two
visitors, Messrs. Beswick, senior and junior, Father and son.
It would appear that the son could be an associate member and
and from the questions the OM was asking, we might even get two
new members.
Harvey Skegg VK7HK attended with his brand new call sign,
a result of the February exam, congratulations Harvey and we
believe you have already made it known, dear me, more QRM on the
West Tamar.
The meeting was very dquiet and despite the recent
questionaire in QORM regarding clubrooms, nothing firm came up.
From written notes submitted it would appear that 60% were in
favour of the Branch building and or owning it's own clubrooms,
40% were of the opinion that we should just continue to rent a
room as and when needed. So it looks as if it's back to the
executive for more head scratching on the subject.
The sad story of Mark Addison was brought to the notice
of the meeting and several members offered to visit him at the
Cosgrove Park Hospital and if possible take some portable gear
with thém to help him maintain his interest in Amateur Radio.
The meeting also put the matter back to the executive in the
hope that we can enlist the help of the Radio Branch in perhaps
getting Mark a special restricted license, to at least operate
on the repeater channels.
Once again suggestions were called for social evenings.
Ed VK7ED suggested another film night at the Postal Institute
and the executive suggested such things as, progressive dinners,
dinner dances, wine and cheese evenings or just a straight out
social nite. But what's your suggestion?
One thing was finalised and that was the Hamfest, this
will be held on the weekend of the 13th and 14th of November at
the Evandale Hall and grounds. Lindsay VK7ZLD the chairman of
the Hamfest Committee said he had promises of help from some
6 persons, but said that the main topic at this time was ideas
on what was wanted, especially if we wanted to get away from
the normal stereo type of gathering. As the Hamfest is a Divis-
ional function, he would welcome ideas from any member of the
Division.
A volunteer is required to rebroadcast the VK7WI Sunday
news broadcast on 27.125 MHz, can anybody help? perhaps later we
can get one of the Novice licensees to do it, but we need some-
body now to start it going.
It is hoped to hold a W.I.C.E.N. exercise in the near
future, primarily to see if we are good enough to back up S.E.S.
so be ready to turn out when you are called for.
Joe VK7ZGJ finished the evening off with a very enlight-
ening talk on Meteor Scatter.
Don't forget the next meeting on July 9th at the S.E.S.
rooms in Charles St.
73 de Norman VK7NR
July 1976 Q.R.M. Pags 3

Notes from the North West Branch by Lindsay Johnson.

The June meeting was held in Lakins Hall with a very good
turn up of twenty one members, 12 full and 9 associates. Ian VK7ZIE
and Max VK7MX were in their respective chairs.
It was reported that two more members had passed their
exams and will soon be heard on air, they are, Lionel Stott and
Neil Bird. During the meeting Neil Findlay was welcomed and later
filled in a application form for membership to the W.I.A.
Apologies were received from Brian VK7ZBL who with his
family is holidaying somewhere in Tasmania, also from Graeme
VK7ZAQ and Harold VK7MZ,
It was good to see more members turning up for this
meeting than our last one. There was, as usual, some spirited
debates, with Bob VK7ZJS holding his own. The meeting closed at
8.45p.m. after which supper was served by the Ulverstone and
Devonport members. Following supper Winston VK7EM gave a very
good and interesting talk on a 2.5 KW, MF transmitter, armed
with circuit diagrams and some parts of a MF transmitter
Winston was able to answer the many questions asked of him
by various members. Not that he needed the diagrams to enable
him to answer the questions, they were for the benefit of the
members. Winston's talk was a fairly lengthy one but time went
by very quickly. Following this there was the usual after
meeting talk and the evening closed at 10.30 p.m..
The next after meeting programme will be a showing of
slides by Brian VK7ZBL, who has a very good collection of
aerial shots which should prove very interesting and we are
all looking forward to seeing them.
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Ellis VK7WA has recently purchased a new 2 metre rig
and has been heard on air quite a lot of late testing the
little beauty. We hear it is quite small in size, but not
in capabilities and will soon be installed in his car, so
he will shortly be heard mobile as well as from his QTH, where
he's worked a YL off the back of his microphone.
Terry VK7TT has recently moved his QTH to Lonah, directly
beneath the new 2 metre repeater site. Terry reports, from his
backdoor he looks straight up at it. With the shifting and
settling in, not much has been heard of him on air recently,
but we are expecting some strong sidnals from over that way
shortly.
Adrian VK7ZAT is also very active on 2 metres and is
in the process of remodelling and erecting a tower at his QTH
in Devonport, he will also be putting in some stronger signals
when he gets up higher in the air. .
Tony VK7AX is still laying tiles. Bob VK7ZJS is still
boat building and Ian VK7ZIE and XYL Lyn are still waiting for
the stork to arrive.
73 Lindsay Johnson
Page 4 Q.R.M. July 1976

To the Editor ORM,
It has long been my opinion that WICEN is a lost cause.
The only body that has ever shown any genuine interest in at is
the W.I.A.
Officialdom has never been very enthusiastic¢ about us,
and we are led to believe that they have adequate communication
to cope with any emergency. I for one hope that this never has
to be proved. Nobody forecast the Hobart bush fires, but it
happened.
The position today is vastly different and mainly because
of the widespread popularity of 2 metres, the advent of repeaters,
the introduction of hand-held units, the swing to mobile operat-
ion and solid state equipment with low current drain. We could
now be considered to be a very efficient mobile group. At the
drop of the hat we could mobilise a formidable array of mobile
two way units. We are impressed anyway.
Following the preamble I now make a suggestion. Would
it be a worthwhile idea for mobile operators to log ideal
operating locations? This information could be channeled to
a central point, where it could be collated and published for
the benefit of all operators. The information could be very
useful even in a small or personal emergency.
7 To illustrate the point, I recently worked VK7ZDA on
channel B when he was parked at his place of work at Kelso.
Very useful. Again there is a length of road a few miles from
Hellyer Gorge where channel B is full strength at this QTH.
Concerning repeater 4, VK7ZGG could pinpoint a few spots
around St Helens where full communication is normal.
Periodically, this information could be published in
QRM in such a way that it could be removed and filed for use
in the car. At this point I can hear rumblings. Who the heck
is going to take on a job like that? Well I thought of it,
so I am prepared to do the job.
So what do you think? Perhaps it could be discussed
at Branch meetings.

73, Max Ives VK7MX

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