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CCARC NEWS 15-15

CCARC NEWS 15-15

THE PERIODIC NEWSLETTER OF THE CENTRAL COAST AMATEUR RADIO CLUB

ISSUE No 15-15 22nd May 2015

In this Issue:

 

  1. Lecture for May
  2. New Firmware Update for the IC-7600 HF Amateur radio Transceiver
  3. Digital Makers Group on the Central Coast
  4. The Foundation Licence and WIA assessors
  5. History This Week
  6. Broke & fixed
  7. Reminders

 

 

1. Lecture for May

 

LECTURE by Brian Clarke on ‘Intro to Oscillators’
This Sat, 23 May, 13:00 – 15:00

1. What are oscillators
2. How do oscillators work
3. Some well-known, and not so well-known applications
4. Basic requirements
5. Some well-known types of oscillators
6. Do-it-yourself issues
7. Bibliography

 

 

2. New Firmware Update for the IC-7600 HF Amateur radio Transceiver

 

Icom have announced a significant firmware update for the IC-7600 HF Transceiver at the Dayton Hamvention 2015. The update provides a new range of functions including waterfall screen for the band scope, amongst many!

Details of each update and download instructions are as follows. 
Please note that before you install the firmware, you should download the installation guide using the link on the firmware update page:

IC-7600 All versions: Firmware Update Version 2.00 – Download here!

Improvements

• Waterfall screens, mouse operation, and other additional functions have been added to the spectrum scope. 
• An APF AF Level setting has been added. 
• CI-V commands for antenna control, logging software and RIT/DELTA-TX have been added. 
• TX Delay (HF/50M) settings have been added to adjust the TX delay time. 
• A Standby setting has been added to remotely turn ON the IC-7600 transceiver by a command from the REMOTE jack. 
• “MOS-FET” is now the default value of “SEND Relay Type.”

Further Information

For more information, please refer to IC-7600 Information for Firmware version 2.00.

• Firmware can be updated using a USB flash drive. Thoroughly read Section 14 (UPDATING THE FIRMWARE) of the instruction manual to know what the update requires. 
• Backup your transceiver’s data onto a USB flash drive as it is possible that your data could get lost or corrupted during the update. Thoroughly read Section 10 (File saving) of the instruction manual for details. 
• Never turn OFF the transceiver power during the update.

 

Source: Southgate AR News

 

 

3. Digital Makers Group on the Central Coast

 

A Digital Makers group (non profit group) has been started on the Coast. They have  been putting a 3D printer together as their first project, which may be of interest to any members that want to make custom parts for their projects.

Here is the link http://www.sparkcc.org They also have a Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/sparkcentralcoast

There is definitely synergy between what CCARC is doing and this group.

Thanks to Bob VK2XRF

 

 

4. The Foundation Licence and WIA assessors

 

The 10th anniversary of the new entry level licence in Australia has seen a great turnaround with Amateur Radio being made more accessible to a greater number of people. When it was proposed as part of the Australian Communications Authority “Big Review”, the Foundation Licence was embraced by radio amateurs as the way forward for Amateur Radio. The Foundation Licence has transformed us from a worrying declining interest in Amateur Radio, to one of growth with new people entering the hobby and most upgrading to the Standard or Advance levels. 

Designed more than a decade ago, it gave entrants a taste of Amateur Radio, inspiring many to explore the multi-faceted hobby, and encouraged some to go further and upgrade their qualification. Since 2005 over 5,000 Foundation Licence assessments have held, but with a decline in the number of candidates, more needs to be done to promote the hobby and review the attractiveness of it as the entry point. 

The WIA annual general meeting in Canberra saw the 10th anniversary of the Foundation Licence as an opportunity to award a special certificate recognising the first batch of assessors, who have consistently provided licence assessments. Such recognition is planned to be given by the WIA annually as assessors reach their 10th year of voluntary service. Currently there are 200 assessors. The WIA thanks all involved education and training for their cooperation and assistance in encouraging new entrants into Amateur Radio. 

The WIA AGM heard that in the 2014 calendar year 75 Foundation Licensees became Standard Licence holders, while 32 qualified directly to the Advanced Licence. A continued general upward trend in licence level upgrades is occurring, but the number of Foundation Licences issued has somewhat stalled. While the Foundation Licence is now 10 years old and due for a review to better reflect new technology of the last decade, and provide a better taste of a modern Amateur Radio, it remains a popular entry point into the hobby. 

We have entered the digital age, and the Australian Communications Media Authority (ACMA) is about to digitise its processes, including the way it administers all radio licences. The ACMA has told the WIA that it will suspend for two weeks the issuing of licences, including payments for renewals, while it makes the conversion and switch-over to a new digital system. For example, the ACMA plans to email licences and make greater use of online registration in future. 
Later this year, licence applications will be a simplified and completed online or digitally. All WIA assessors are to be trained in the new way of doing things.

 

Author : Jim Linton – VK3PC

Source WIA

 

 

History This Week

 

A look back at events that made history this week – compiled by the Summerland Amateur Radio Club of Lismore, NSW

Monday, 18 May, 2015

1787 Glass was engraved for the first time in Toulouse, France.
1825 The electromagnet in a practical form was first exhibited by its inventor, William Sturgeon.
1844 Samuel F.B. Morse completes first telegraph line.
1844 Samual FB Morse taps out “What hath God wrought” (1st telegraph message)
1844 First telegraphed news dispatch is published in Baltimore Patriot
1857 The first U.S. patent for an “electromagnetic fire alarm telegraph for cities” was issued to W F Channing of Boston, Mass.
1862 A field telegraph was used for the first time in U.S. warfare.
1906 LH Perlman of New York City applied for a patent for his invention of the demountable tyre-carrying rim.
1906 The brothers Orville and Wilbur Wright received a patent for “new and useful improvements in Flying Machines”
1908 First passenger flight in an airplane
1916 Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity presented

 

 

BROKE & FIXED

The Phone and internet have been restored at Somersby.  The Kariong antennas and mast have been damaged and must be repaired.

REMINDERS

This section lists important announcements and possibly items from previous CCARC NEWS editions that are still current and may need your input:

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 …

 

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