� QNEWS - DECEMBER 12 VK4 ON AIR 2021 ------------------------------------------------------------* DID YOUR CLUB TELL ANYONE ABOUT AMATEUR RADIO THIS WEEK? ------------------------------------------------------------* QUEENSLAND (VK4) STATE GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH PORTAL Coronavirus (COVID-19) latest news, key facts and figures, contacts and answers to your questions. tinyurl.com/uddvmx98 ------------------------------------------------------------* THE FOLLOWING NEWS CAN BE HEARD FROM OUR AUDIO SERVICE based in BRISBANE, OLYMPIC CITY 2031, RIGHT NOW:- www.vk7ax.id.au/wianews/ OR www.wiaq.org.au Importantly remember to download from the site by COT (Close of Transmission) Mondays. Also search QNEWS (make sure it IS the Ham Radio QNEWS) in your podcast app.. tinyurl.com/4hnahk8p ------------------------------------------------------------* VK4 SILENT KEYS @ WIA YEAR COMMENCING JULY 26 2021 SK CALL SK NAME DATE ADVISED BY VK4IW Kev Dickson 07/07/2021 (vk4dmh) VK4JJ Joscelyn McGrath 29/07/2021 (vk4zz) VK4NJA Alan Perkins 07/11/2021 (vk4beg) VK4AYR Mark Bennett 26/07/2021 (tarc) -------------------------------------------------------------* CLUBBING -------------------------------------------------------------* Ipswich & District Radio Club www.wia.org.au/clubs/vk4/IpswichAndDistrict/ Web � www.vk4wip.org.au Email - vk4wip@wia.org.au For a full list of repeaters - www.vk4wip.org.au This is Allan VK4HIT with news from Ipswich and District Radio Club. The club’s November business meeting was held on 22nd at the clubhouse. On the agenda was the latest from the WICEN group. Robert VK4KHW reported the Mt Glorious Trail run was another event supported by WICEN held on November 14. Special thanks to all operators who provided communications. A total of 146 runners took part with only a few withdrawals. Twenty twenty-two is shaping up to be another big year for WICEN raising funds for the club with no fewer than six major events on the calendar. Other items included the club Christmas party which was moved to the clubhouse on November 27 owing to the high probability of rain. Glen VK4HMI reminded members of the regular Maple Ridge net with Ipswich’s sister club in Canada. The final net for the year was held on December 9 and will resume in the new year. The next business meeting will be combined with a social meeting and be the last for 2021. It will be held Monday December 13 at 1930 hours. Don’t forget to take along plate, more importantly don’t forget to put food on it. And finally, a call out to members of other Queensland clubs � if you are thinking about contributing audio to Q News in 2022 but not sure where to start - it’s not as daunting as you might think. From script writing, recording and the easy upload process to the WIA website I’m happy to help set you on your way. In the first instance contact me via email � VK4HIT@outlook.com.au Reporting from Ipswich this is Allan, VK4HIT. --------------------------------------------------------------------* Hello, I’m Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and I’ve been thinking. One of the great benefits of living now is the many ways we can obtain information via the internet with apps such as YouTube uploading more data in a day than one person can view in a lifetime. It is quite amazing how prolific fact, fiction and misstatement can be made available for easy use and re-use. One thing that needs us to recall frequently is the saying that “I saw it on the internet, so it must be true.� This is a truism that needs to be taken with not just one grain of salt but maybe a bag or two. Most of us have referred to a wiki from time to time and generally the major online encyclopaedias are well moderated and contain good factual information which is properly referenced to prove authenticity. Every once in a while I get frustrated when I follow a link to something which provides an explanation which is wrong by most other references. Unfortunately, it is a case that you are getting what you pay for and free references need to be confirmed before quoting them as the truth. As the holiday period of gift giving comes closer, no doubt there will be people wanting to try some of the basic activities of home brewing. These days, many of us start with the construction of basic antennas. For shortwave, various wire antennas that can be mounted in an average yard are some of the first types to be looked at. For many years, copper wire has been the material of choice for the home builder. Whilst twisting the wire for joining and attaching connections worked for me on my crystal sets and then home brewed receiver, that was temporary measure until I had the right tools. This brings us to soldering which is the mainstay of building, both commercially and at home. Now this brings me back to the great video vault of learning on the internet. If you have watched a few of the videos on electronics that involve soldering, do you know enough to pick the obvious mistakes? All too often a soldering iron tip is net cleaned before making a joint; this is good way to lodge contaminants and end with a poor electrical and mechanical join. Carrying the solder to the joint on the tip of the iron is another bad idea and often you will see there is mechanical coupling between wires before the solder is applied. Then how many videos show metal that is not cleaned of oxidation before trying to solder. I use the example of soldering to demonstrate that all that we see is not necessary the best practice that we can use. Sadly in training for our amateur tickets, much of this hands on skill set is no longer given in the study materials. Our brethren in the USA are very good at promoting more experienced hams to be mentors in order that these basic skills are passed on. Perhaps now is the time for a serious move is made to encourage the system here, as well. I’m Geoff Emery VK4ZPP and that’s what I think� how about you? ------------------------------------------------------------* TO SUPPLY QNEWS ITEMS:- Send SCRIPT to qnews@wia.org.au send audio to http://www.wia.org.au/members/broadcast/upload/ QNEWS Tips to get MORE out of your weekly newscast on VK4WIA If you would like to submit club news items for inclusion in QNEWS broadcasts, please email your item in text to:- qnews@wia.org.au THEN submit audio:- To submit audio email qnews@wia.org.au Remember the sooner you submit audio material the more the likelihood of it being broadcast in the very next QNEWS. Each item will only be broadcast once, if you want a couple of mentions, please submit different slants to keep your event 'fresh .� Subscribe: QNEWS-VK+subscribe@groups.io Group Owner: QNEWS-VK+owner@groups.io Help: QNEWS-VK+help@groups.io TO CEASE GETTING THIS EMAILED SERVICE:- Unsubscribe: QNEWS-VK+unsubscribe@groups.io -----------------------------ENDS----------------------------*