WELCOME TO THE HOME PAGE OF

THE BUNDABERG AMATEUR RADIO CLUB

Established in September 1961 and still going strong FIVE decade on

With the Australian Callsign of VK4BW and known as B.A.R.C.

We are located in Bundaberg, Queensland, Australia : Lat. 24° 53.11' S, Long. 152° 18.52' E QTH Locator QG65DC

Introduction to BARC Club Activities Training with BARC Repeaters Contact Us Calendar of Events References & Links APRS Links Remembering the Past Club News for Members W.I.C.E.N.Club Contests

What's NEW?

update Welcome to 2012 and a new club year... We held our first Quarterly General Meeting in February and organised our Calendar of events. Thanks to those members who offered dates and events. You can click here for the 2012 Calendar.

Important upcoming events are a couple of contest so go take a look and get your field gear ready!

WICEN NEWS
The Storm Season is winding down but the flash flooding around the place is being closely watched. Check the club calendar for all WICEN training dates while we watch the weather closely.

You can check out the WICEN NEWS webpage for all the latest news.

CLUB NEWS will keep you up to date on all the latest.

Click here for Club News pages and find upcoming training, workshops, fox hunts and club meetings as well as regular Radio Related science articles.

The club history through photos

Photographs received from current and past members are displayed in the following sections.

For photos 1961 to 1999 follow this link

For the decade 2000 to 2009 this is the link

For photos 2010 to current day this is the link

*Quick Link* Club Calendar 2012

25year WIA Membership Medal recipients

comp BARC in the Park

alone
Amateur Radio tends to be a solo activity

147800

manual

INTRODUCTION TO BARC

Who are we?
First and foremost we are a group of Ham Radio enthusiasts from Bundaberg and surrounding regions. The word ham isn't used much these days, it's called Amateur Radio but even that doesn't describe some of the digital and TV interests our members have. The hobby can be laid back and chatty if that's what you want or it can be technology driven as you search for inventive ways to use the mystery of Radio Waves to communicate. The only real requirement to join us is an interest in radio communications.
You can be any age, male or female and we particularly encourage younger members who have an interest in electronics to join and see what challenges amateur radio can provide.

Whilst it may have started with Morse Code and fellows like Marconi, modern radio comms can mean talking to astronauts on the ISS or even bouncing signals off aircraft in flight if you want it to!

The club received a great recognition in 2010 when our President John "Rusty" McGrath received an award from the Bundaberg Regional Council as part of the Australia Day Awards celebrations. Rusty was honoured as Senior Citizen of the year for his work within the club and the community over many years.

The Award was certainly well deserved and a humble Rusty received the award from Mayor Lorraine Pyefinch on 26th January 2010.

He was instrumental in forming this club in 1961, served as President in 1964 and 1965 and as Secretary from 1975 to 2008. Becoming President again in 2008 he remains in that position today.

During the intervening years he has trained many new amateurs, taught workshops on antenna and equipment construction and trained the WICEN Bundaberg team in it's preparedness for times of natural disasters.

To celebrate the 1961 - 2011 life of the club we celebrated with a 50th Anniversary weekend in October 2011. We hosted a reunion luncheon and also the WIA Queensland President's function and visitors came from far and wide. The WIA national board was represented by President Michael Owen and Board Member Ewan McLeod.

Now more about Amateur Radio...

Because we all build radio shacks at home we hold club activities to get us out and about, talking and swapping ideas. By becoming active in the club you'll never miss the tips & tricks to make your hobby more enjoyable.

There is a new Foundation licence category which has rejuvenated amateur radio and resulted in an influx of new hams and you'll be pleased to know that there is are good numbers in each age group from 15 years onward. And women and girls are well represented in each group as well. This really is an equal opportunity hobby .

If so many beginners felt confident about about taking their first step towards an Amateur Licence... What about you ?

CLUB ACTIVITIES

What do we do?

We participate in contests: That's where you score points for making as many radio contacts as you can. Some are individual events others are club events where we get together and set up gear for the weekend either indoors or out.
We hold workshops: Where you'll learn little tips and tricks on how to make stuff for your own radio shack.
We Fox Hunt now and again. Simple foxhunts on the 2M ARDF frequency of 145.300Mhz whenever the members rally and want to get out of doors.
We hold social events: - like BBQ's with other radio clubs to expand our friendships. We even held a car rally winding-up in a pub lunch, just to keep us on our toes and have fun.
We also go to Dinner: A couple of times during the year just because we want to.
We serve the Community: As trained radio operators and WICEN volunteers we provide support for Welfare Services and the State Emergency Services in times of natural disaster. We study map reading and radio protocols for emergency situations. Its good to know we are part of the Bundaberg Disaster Management Plan and can be of assistance if needed.
We train YOU: The Club has a certified trainer to provide training for all classes of Amateur Licences.
We hold formal meetings: but we know nobody likes meetings so we only have them quarterly and we get them over quickly so we can get on with show and tell. This entails all kinds of presentations on trips, radio meets, new ideas, all sorts of stuff.
We hold weekly radio nets: Club net currently operates on the town repeater on 147.800MHz Monday Evening 7.30pm local time . This is where people pop in to say hello, swap news or give assists to any members testing equipment or new antenna's.
We maintain repeaters: For the technical buffs, you can learn how repeaters on the mountain work in linking radio communications together in this region.

Here is a link to Google Maps which will show you the way to the SES HQ Kendalls Road, Bundaberg

TRAINING WITH BARC

Australian Government Regulations say you CANT operate an amateur radio until you learn what its all about (and Yes Amateur Radio is different from CB Radio)

Foundation Licence

The first step is to get a Foundation licence
It will take around 10 hours of training with the club instructor (and some home reading).
You will have to be assessed to be sure you're competent and then you'll receive a callsign such as VK4Fxxx.(you get to choose the last 3 letters of your callsign - see note below.
With this licence you can operate commercial amateur radio equipment on some frequencies at low power.

The club charges of $50 for Foundation Training which includes as much practical hands-on training with our radio equipment as each candidate requires. The cost of the Foundation Training manual is $25. Candidates are assessed when they feel they are ready. WIA exam fees and ACMA licence fees will apply at that time.
[Detailed information on Foundation licences can be obtained from the Wireless Institute of Australia Website]

Standard and Advanced Licences

If you choose to keep studying the next grades are called the Standard and Advanced licence and how you achieve those is up to you.

There is reference material which progress you through what you need to know and this may appeal to someone in electrical or engineering trades.

TrainSafe Australia publishes a range of technical publications, including Radio Theory Handbook for Amateur Operators 4th edition. See the publications section of their web site.

If you prefer a structured study plan with a tutor, there is an alternative.

The Radio and Electronics School provides study courses for both Standard and Advanced licences.
Consisting of a DVD for the Standard syllabus and readings and online assignments for the Advanced, the courses take you from the basics up to exam level.

Our club has two trainers who are certified with the RES so we can assist you with your continuing studies.
For full details of courses and requirements check out the Radio & Electronics School.

Australian Callsigns & finding other Amateurs

When you're first licenced you'll see callsigns which look like this... VK4F ? ? ?. The VK indicates Australia. The "4" indicates Queensland, the "F" means it's a Foundation Licence, now what about choosing those last three letters?

The WIA provides a live Public list of available callsigns so you can see which 'letters' are available for you to request. [you can accept the next available callsign that the WIA issues and there is no charge for that but if you want to be creative and select your own - then fees do apply]

Try your initials; VK4Fxxx in the search and you'll see if it's available, try other the Callsigns you like the sound of, it may already be taken or just sitting idle waiting for you.

Some people choose cheeky F calls like FULL or FUEL, FADE or FOXY, some choose their initials.
It's really up to you but just a word of caution, try saying it [your dream callsign] over and over and see if it rolls off the tongue or is it a tongue twister? Many a newbie regrets choosing letters with M's and L's close together or G's and L's... as a callsign sounds like this :

This is Victor Kilo Four Foxtrot Golf Mike Lima - say that a few times quickly and you'll wish you chose easier letters to repeat over the radio waves! smiley

ACMA Searchable Database

The ACMA provides an Australian Callsign checking facility at their Callsign Search webpage and this is where you would track down old friends or new people you've discovered.

To use the ACMA site; In the FIND box select 'Licences'; In the WHERE box select 'callsign' and in the Blank box type the callsign you're searching for & hit the GO button.
Try VK4BW and you'll see the Bundaberg Club licence details.

QRZ ! QRZ !

This QRZ Webpage has a great search facility where you can find many Australian and international Amateur Radio operators as well as great Amateur content. They are American and automatically download the ARRL list of Amateurs BUT... anyone can register with them so it's become this wonderful unofficial world register of Amateurs.

Open the QRZ page and see the search box in the Top Left Hand Corner. Just type in the callsign you're chasing and if that person or organisation has registered QRZ you'll be able to see the public information they wish to show.This is a helpful resource to find addresses for you on-air contacts so you can send them QSL Cards.... another reason this is such a great hobby.

We trust you've enjoyed this overview of the club and Amateur Radio in Australia. Please contact us if we can help you in any way. The contact email addresses are listed below.

REPEATERS

**The club operates three repeater sites**
Repeater	Frequency	Location	H.A.S.L. *	Linked to	Footprint
VK4RBU 2M	146.800	Mt Goonaneman	620m	Gladstone 2M	Gympie to Mirriam Vale
VK4RBU 70cm	438.775	Mt Goonaneman	620m
VK4RBU-3	145.175	Mt Goonaneman	620m		A.P.R.S. Digi Repeater
VK4RBG 2M	147.800	Sloping Hummock Bundaberg	100m		Bundaberg Regional Council area & coastal townships
VK4RBW 70cm	439.775	Double Sloping Hummock Mt Watalgan	400m		Bundaberg and south to Childers, Hervey Bay. West to Gin Gin & North to Mirriam Vale
VK4RBW-3	145.175	Mt Watalgan	400m		A.P.R.S. Digipeater installed and operational December 2010

*H.A.S.L = Height Above Sea Level

Site information on the A.P.R.S. i-gate VK4BW and Digi Repeaters VK4RBU-3 & VK4RBW-3 can be accessed via http://aprs.fi or by emailing aprs< at> barc.asn.au

Follow this link to a full listing of Queensland Repeaters, Frequencies, Locations & Sponsors

CONTACT US

	If your inquiry is of a general nature please contact the Our postal address is: P.O. Box 129, Bundaberg QLD 4670
	To contact Officers of the Club;
	PRESIDENT: Rusty VK4JM ...
	SECRETARY: Gail VK4ION ...
	TREASURER: Margaret VK4FHAM ...
	TECHNICAL OFFICER, JOTA Coordinator: Ross VK4JRO...
	WICEN CONTROLLER Rusty VK4JM..
	APRS Coordinator: Ross VK4JRO...
	If you are interested in training with us or require an Assessment at any level; Please contact (Sorry but email addresses are not live links to avoid the dreaded spammers)

	CALENDAR FOR 2012 This is an extract of our annual Calendar of Events. Please use this link to find the full 2012 Calendar

May	June 2012	July 2012
5 Harry Angel Sprint - Inter-club Competition with Hervey Bay Club Note HAS Date change 6 WICEN Comms Noosa Bike Ride 12 Workshop 2m TVI Filter 12 Trans Tasman 80m Phone Contest 17 Management committee meeting 23-27 WICEN Comms Int'l Car Rally 26 Bluecard Refresher Training 26 Quarterly General Meeting	7 WICEN exercise 'Contact 2012' 21 Management Committee Meeting 23 WICEN Training 29 Club Dinner [venue to be advised]	14 Maryborough HAMFEST 19 Management Committee Meeting 21 WIA Qld President's Luncheon @ Hervey Bay 21 Trans Tasman 160m Contest 22 WIA-QLD Centenary @ Hervey Bay 29 Childers Food Festival