CCARC NEWS 14-27
THE PERIODIC NEWSLETTER OF THE CENTRAL COAST AMATEUR RADIO CLUB
ISSUE No 14-27 15th August 2014
In this Issue:
- Upcoming Meetings
- Remembrance Day Contest
- SOTABeams release the Adventure Tuner
- Ham radio goes around the Moon
- “Most Unusual Expedition” Ever to Rely on Amateur Radio Ended 67 Years Ago
- History This Week
- Broke & fixed
- Reminders
1. Upcoming Meetings
The Annual General Meeting will be on this Saturday the 16th August starting at 1330 hrs. The cut-off for AGM nominations is Tuesday the 12th August.
2. Remembrance Day Contest
The CCARC will take part in this years RD contest from the club rooms on the 16th-17th. August . Doug VK2MDC would like to operate for the full 24 hours through to the 17th. of August however he will need support from a class A operator if he is to be able to run the full power using the club linear. Please contact Doug if you are interested in taking part in this club event.
N.B. The RD contest this year again coincides with the International Lighthouse & Lightship Weekend.
Ed DD5LP (VK2JI) might, just might, have his home station set up by then to give the club station a call. He will try to get on around 0630 – 0830 UTC on Saturday and see if he can work the club station on 20m SSB.
3. SOTABeams release the Adventure Tuner
Portable specialist SOTABeams has developed an antenna tuner kit.
The Adventure Tuner is designed to be an easy-to-make construction project that will appeal to the amateur who enjoys the challenge and satisfaction of making
their own equipment.
The design is a bi-directional L network giving a wide range of matching options. The kit includes a laser cut and engraved front panel which reduces weight and makes construction very easy.
Full instructions are provided to download along with numerous photographs showing the construction process.
http://www.sotabeams.co.uk/adventure-tuner-kit/
4. Ham radio goes around the Moon
Towards the end of the year, radio amateurs will have the opportunity to receive what must be the ultimate DX from a ham radio payload transmitting the data mode JT65B as it flies around the Moon
http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2014/august/ham_radio_goes_around_the_moon.htm#.U-q6VqOTIY4
5. “Most Unusual Expedition” Ever to Rely on Amateur Radio Ended 67 Years Ago
Sixty-seven years ago, on August 7, 1947, the maritime mobile station LI2B concluded its journey from South America by washing ashore on an island in French Polynesia. It was better known as the Kon-Tiki, a raft constructed largely from balsa logs. Norwegian explorer and ethnologist Thor Heyerdahl wanted to prove that people from South America may have migrated to Polynesia, and he took Amateur Radio along on his ocean journey.
http://www.arrl.org/news/most-unusual-expedition-ever-to-rely-on-amateur-radio-ended-67-years-ago
6. History This Week
A look back at events that made history this week – compiled by the Summerland Amateur Radio Club of Lismore, NSW
Monday, 11 August, 2014
1248 Construction of Cologne Cathedral begun
1743 Earliest boxing code of rules formulated in England (Jack Broughton)
1807 Robert Fulton’s steamboat Clermont begins first trip up Hudson River
1851 Isaac Singer granted patent for his sewing machine
1868 Pierre Janssan discovered helium in the solar spectrum during eclipse.
1870 The U S Transcontinental Railway actually completed
1880 Construction of Cologne Cathedral completed
1893 France issues first driving licenses, included required test
1894 The first wireless transmission in Morse code was demonstrated by Oliver Lodge at Oxford, about 150 yards
1909 SOS First used by an American ship, Arapahoe, off Cape Hatteras, NC
BROKE & FIXED
No items for Broke & Fixed this week – all CCARC infrastructure is operational.
REMINDERS
This section lists important announcements and possibly items from previous CCARC NEWS editions that are still current and may need your input:
A reminder that ‘Member’ Annual Fees are due and payable in July each year. If you have not yet paid, please do so as soon as possible.
Our Smoke Signals Editor, Leonie VK2LCP is busily preparing for the next issue (August) and is asking nicely for articles, photos, etc. New items are to be sent to: smokesignalseditor at fsparker.com.au please.
If you experience any problems with any of the repeaters not working, please report to Repeater Chairman, Don VK2ZCZ. Do not assume that he already knows about it. As soon as problems are brought to Don’s attention, they will be fixed ASAP.
There will be a working bee at the Somersby Repeater site on Saturday 13th September to carry out much needed maintenance.
Jaycar Tuggerah & Erina will give CCARC members a trade discount – approx 10% on purchases over $25. Make sure you ask for it. Thanks Rod VK2LAX and Col VK2ZCO.
Anyone reading this on the website who is not yet a member of the CCARC, please consider joining by emailing ccarc at ccarc dot org dot au for full details.
For submissions to this newsletter from CCARC club members please email the editor news-editor at ccarc dot org dot au
For what’s coming up in the next few months at the CCARC, please check the club calendar, accessible from the header on any page on the website.
Dave VK2DLS … News & Publicity Officer …
