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Updated 31 August 2010

News items are placed at the top and gradually work their way to the bottom of the page becoming links only

 

What a successful AGM last weekend! ........ We had a really good attendance and welcomed two new members,

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VK4HJE John receives a membership certificate from club president, VK4JM

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Rusty VK4JM welcomes a returning member Keith Baldwin VK4KEB

Keith was a club member in the early 1980's. He worked on the transmission tower construction on Mt Goonaneman and also served on the Management Committee and as Treasurer in those early years.

At the conclusion of the AGM, Keith was the guest speaker delivering a pictorial diary of communications equipment that his company, Luxfield communications has been involved with.

The members certainly had an entertaining meeting and stayed long into the day, catching up with friends, copying down specs on new radio equipment and software. They also voted in their new 2010 Management Committee pictured below.

committee

Are you interested in some club history?........ 2011 will be the club's 50th anniversary!

To begin to celebrate this milestone we have compiled a photo archive of club activities. Take a look at the Archive Photos link. It may take a while to load as there are quite a few photos on the page but it will be worth it if you'd like that walk down memory lane.

And some calendar reminders... while we're at it...

September Workshop.... An APRS information session for members who want to install and run APRS in their vehicles or any members with an interest in the technology. Graham VK4SR will run the workshop and pass on all the information that he has.

Members are asked to bring their computes/laptops so each can install a working copy of the APRS software.

Are YOU coming? Don't forget to let us know, you can email aprs at barc.asn.au. We want to be sure there is enough room for members and computers on the day.

 

Remembering Keith, VK4APQ........ With the sad passing of Keith Haverfield VK4APQ the club lost a Past President and great supporter. For those who don't know the full story we have created a webpage with information gleaned from Keith's family and friends. Follow this link to Keith's story

 

 

The International Lighthouse & Lightship Weekend got off to a great start with an outstanding cast by Joe

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Eight club members assembled at the Burnett Heads Historical Lighthouse park to erect several antennae for the ILLW due to commence Saturday at 10am.

Despite strong wind gusts, Joe VK4FDJB launched the sinker over the high pole on the second cast! The ground crew, Jos and Dan, could then haul to long wire up and over.

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Meanwhile the second crew erected the vertical on the Community centre.

A total of 51 contacts were made over the course of the even, 29 to registered Lighthouses in Australia and New Zealand. Dan, VK4MAX even managed several contacts into California on 20M.

 

The Lifestyle EXPO display........ As part of Seniors Week this was our club display. More photos are at the 2010 Expo link.

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Look who was mentioned in dispatches........ From the minutes of a Bundaberg Regional Council meeting where the club's request came up for discussion.

Here is an excerpt from the minutes...

Subject: Relocation of Bundaberg Amateur Radio Club Equipment to the Sloping Hummock
Associated Organization/Person: Bundaberg Amateur Radio Club.
Resolution: Cr Honor presented the Report; and moved:-

That approval be granted for the Bundaberg Amateur Radio Club to relocate the existing WICEN Repeater from the Turner Street Tower to the new Council
Communications Tower on the Sloping Hummock, in recognition of the Club's
support role Wireless Institute Civil Emergency Network (WICEN) for times of
emergency, subject to the following conditions:-

[and it went on to list the usual... be insured, don't interfere with others; conditions]

The motion was Seconded by Cr Wilkinson.
The Motion on being was put - was carried unanimously.

Cool huh? It was really good to see that the Council appreciates the Club's WICEN group and their preparedness for times of emergency.

Don't forget.... any club members who fancies some Emergency comms training is welcome to join the WICEN group. We train 6 times per year and a little birdie tells me there's to be a combined "real exercise" later in the year to make sure all emergency service groups are ready for the cyclone season.

The discussion at the Council meeting was giving permission for us to relocate VK4RBG (our town repeater) from the sugarland water tower to the Council's new tower on the sloping Hummock.

The ACMA approvals are also now in place so the relocation will be undertaken soon.

The new site will house the new ICOM repeater and ARCOM controller that we purchased and programmed. Signals should boom out from the Hummock and extend the 2M coverage, hopefully filling in some black spots that the WICEN team had identified.

 

A club member's Solar Project... From recent discussion with club members it seem quite a few are contemplating solar projects. Here is a link to the VK4ION SOLAR PVI electricity generation project. If anyone else has a project underway let us know and send photos - you could inspire all the club members to try project Helios.

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BUXTON ! What a great day out... As someone once said it's just a silly trophy [when we lose it] but it will become our crowning achievement when we win it back!

bbq1VK4JM passes the trophy to HBARC President VK4WM Wade

And thus the great annual BBQ @ buxton unfolded with good food, great company and our President handing over the hard fought trophy.

For the full story and photos taken on the day follow the Buxton2010 link

   

As suspected the HBARC committee were in fact burglars in stealing the trophy this year

 

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Club member & past President Keith VK4APQ is Silent Key

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Keith Haverfield VK4APQ 1927-2010

Keith was a past President and club stalwart being instrumental in constructing the present Transmission Tower on Mt Goonaneman. He began with chasing up Military tower sections & specifications in 1983 and saw the project completed in 1985. The Tower has provided a legacy for the Club which has lasted 25 years and will hopefully remain for another 25.

 

You have just over TWO months..... To dust off your field gear and be ready for the WIA Centenary inspired national field day in October. And here's a novel idea.......... The WIA suggests that we don't hold it in a secluded spot known only to one or two members... shock horror the WIA want's clubs to mount displays where there are people! Yes, we know that's going to be a stretch but here's the thinking...

In just a few years there will be a lot of baby boomers (that's us older folks) retiring and we will have some cash and we will need hobbies to take us into old age and forgetfulness. smiley

The WIA is suggesting that now is the time to show people that you can get out, have fun... use fairly cheap, unsophisticated gear as a starting point in the hobby, and you never know, some people may think it's a brilliant idea and become involved!

So how about it club members?? What say you all? Shall we be trying to mount a display - in a shopping centre? In a public area? Would you support a club event and be prepared to talk to passers-by about Amateur Radio? Over...................

 

Bigpond NExt G Wireless Internet Yagi - club member project.... There is some information at a web page NextG Yagi Project and the full pictorial diary at this link.

 

OFFICIAL OPENING - VK4RBW 439.775MHz on Mt Watalgan ........ With the words "VK4RBW is now in operation" the Mayor, Lorraine Pyefinch was the first official transmission from the site.

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Costing in excess of $6500 the club acknowledges funding received from the Bundaberg Regional Council Community Grants Program. There is a web page with photos and a copy of our President Rusty McGrath's opening address.

 

Club member VK4ION attended WIA accreditation in Melbourne... An Emergency Communications Officer (Emcomm) training program is being prepared by the WIA and the RTO - Trainsafe.... More on that when the WIA announces they're ready to accept enrolments.

 

Twitter Live Feed

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This is what's happening on twitter......

Get into it

 

*5&9

5&9 was the name of the BARC Newsletter circulated to members when the club formed in 1961. It was re-introduced as a member mail-out in the mid 1970's and we proudly display it again in the 2010's to commemorate our past

 
 

These are links to previous News Items

 

 

Bigpond NextG wireless internet Yagi project is at the VK4ION NextG Wireless Yagi link

 

The official opening of VK4RBW Mt Watalgan - web page with photos

 

The Deltahet Project by Arch Lewis (SK) is a story and photos of a 1964 project

 

Rusty McGrath - 2010 Senior Citizen of the Year - full story on the Award

 

Check out the new APRS Links page and get into APRS

 

ARCOM Controllers USA - Visit their website and see their Repeater Controller solutions

 

Follow the Club on Twitter at twitter.com/vk4bw

 

Member email accounts: vk4xxx @ barc.asn.au could be yours. Contact secretary

 

George W9EV from Washington Island, WI in the U.S. Check out the w9evt webpage

 

What's happening with SUNSPOTS? A great website to follow is spaceweather.com.

 

Doug VK3UM has RF Safety Calculator software available for download at his website at VK3UM Downloads

 

Follow this link to Robyn's Tassie adventure.

 

Television Interference atricle created by VK4JRO TVI Quarter Wave Stub Filter

 

VK4SR's article and photos on overcharging Gel Batteries Myths about gel batteries.

 

APRS system installed on Mt Goonaneman at VK4RBG-3 follow users on www.aprs.fi .

 

Link to EAC reference webpages which has TV specs, TV antenna info, channel frequencies

 

International Lighthouse & Lightship Weekend 2009 Click the ILLW09 link for details of the club's involvement

 

Bundy Youth Electronics Group: BYEG Basic electronics classes for high school students

 

BARC beat Hervey Bay and won the Trophy!!! Read all about it at this Buxton BBQ link

 

Sunspot story at this NASA Link explains what our sun is up to this cycle

 

BALI trip - Robyn kindly sent a few photos from a recent trip

 

Workshop - making fox hunting antennas - 10 happy hams make Fox Hunt Yagi's

 

In March we partied with RADAR - Here is the 2009 RADAR Visit link.

 

The DX CONTACTS page is for members to share interesting contacts but we need more input.

 

VK4UD Wireless Internet page - a link to an article written by VK4UD

 

Hepburn Charts: This is a link to William Hepburn's Worldwide Tropospheric Ducting Forecasts.

 

Friends of BARC - a link to interesting pages about some of our members (not necessarily radio related)

 

NASA - Astronomy picture of the Day - amazing photographs from beyond, one for every day of the week

 

Workshop November 2008 - Antenna Analyzer's presented by VK4JM

 

WEBSITE HOSTING - Our web domain hosts uls

 

XMAS PARTY 2008 - Photos taken at the Xmas Party.

 

Want YOUR QTH co-ordinates? - Software to find your house coordinates

 

VK4UD Blackwater Adventure - Bob's adventure in the Coal Mine

 

Gympie Radio Club - Gympie Communications Electronics

 

Obscure nonsense - Page of silly facts

 

Worked all Continents WIA WAC Award

 

Nasa reports on lack of sunspot activity July 2008 The Sun's behaving normally

 

Here is a direct link to the Jules Verne story

 

AGM - Guest Speaker - Dwyane Honor GPS Presentation

 

ILLW 2008 - Burnett Heads Historical Lighthouse ILLW 2008

 

Worked All Queensland Award - Shires Contest Yahoo Group

 

Social Day with Hervey Bay Club - Buxtonville BBQ July '08

 

Working Bee on Mount Goonaneman - Photo's of antenna activities on the Mountain

 

Xmas in June Dinner -Photo's taken at dinner

 

VK4SR Kenwood presentation - Photo's of Graham's presentation

 

Club Car Rally April '08- Photo's taken at lunch

 

Workshop March '08- Making BALUNs - Balun Workshop

 

RADAR February '08, visit to Bundy - PHOTO's of Rocky club Visit

 

Xmas Party 2007 - Photo's of the Xmas Party

 

 

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