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QNEWS MAY 4 2025 - VK4 ON AIR

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DID YOUR CLUB TELL ANYONE ABOUT AMATEUR RADIO THIS WEEK?
IPSWICH AND DARLING DOWNS DID - WHY DIDN'T YOUR CLUB? ASK!

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THE FOLLOWING NEWS CAN BE HEARD FROM OUR AUDIO SERVICE
Available in Audio RIGHT NOW

Also search QNEWS (make sure it IS the Ham Radio QNEWS)
in your podcast.

QNEWS thanks to Tony VK7AX can be found on
www.vk7ax.id.au/wianews/
180.150.53.59/wianews/
QNEWS audio ready to download thanks to Brendan VK4BLP from
www.wiaq.org.au



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VK4 SILENT KEYS @ WIA YEAR FROM MAY 6 2024

SK CALL SK NAME DATE ADVISED BY

VK4PS ALAN STEPHENSON 23/05/24 (vk4zz)
VK4FANG ROGER HARNDEN 22/07/24 (vk4zz)
X/VK4TC Terry Harding Cain 30/07/24 (vk4zz)
VK4CWJ GORDON WEBSTER July 2024 (vk4vp)
VK4SWR JOE SEBAST5IANI 03/07/24 (vk4zz)
VK4TE ALEX McDONALD 27/09/24 (vk4ra)
VK4NL NOEL DESJARDINS 16/10/24 (vk4vp)
VK4RG RON GRANDISON 22/12/24 (vk4hit)
VK4NOE FRED WHITE 29/01/25 (vk4eht)

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WHO LISTENS TO QNEWS?
WHEN IS NEWS READY TO DOWNLOAD?
Join the REBROADCASTERS List?
(subscribe for an automatic feed.)
Email to vk1wia-broadcasters-join@...
from the email account that you wish the emails to go to.



Ipswich & District Radio Club

Web – www.vk4wip.org.au
Email - vk4wip@...
Full list of repeaters - www.vk4wip.org.au


This is Allan VK4HIT with news from Ipswich and District Radio Club.

In a catch-up from the March business meeting the club accepted no fewer
than six new members and one returning member.

We think this could be a record, with the exception perhaps of that very
first club meeting in the early 1960s.

It brings current club membership to a very healthy 71.

A warm welcome to Anne, Andrew, Mark, John, Mick and Kevin and to
returning member Kelly.

Under expert guidance from Greg VK4GJW during the last Foundation course
Anna VK4NNA passed with 100 per cent and was issued her call-sign within
two days of the exam. Perhaps that’s another record.

The next foundation course is this month.

And on the social scene president Peter VK4SIR is looking for company for
a camping weekend for the Clairview Gathering May 8 to 10 at the BarraCrab
caravan park.

Reporting from Ipswich this is Allan, VK4HIT.





TO SUPPLY QNEWS ITEMS:-

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send audio to
If you would like to submit club news items for inclusion in
QNEWS broadcasts, please email your item in text to:-

qnews@...

THEN submit audio:-

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of it being broadcast in the very next edition QNEWS. Each item will
only be broadcast once, if you want a couple of mentions, please
submit different slants to keep your event 'fresh .‘

A reminder when supplying HamFest info we obviously can't
plug DEALS from commercial traders "on air", but we at the
WIA will put your supporters 'goods' in this text edition
"no worries."

We will not give blatant 'plugs' to raffles, be it raffles
at the event or "on-line".





DARLING DOWNS RADIO CLUB

vk4wid@...

Hi from the Darling Downs Radio Club - I’m Secretary, John VK4JPM and this
is Sunday 4 May.

Last Wednesday you should have received an email about the upcoming
foxhunt. If you didn't get it, you should definitely send an email to
secretary@..., because we might have wrong details or be unable
to get in touch with you. And right now we don't have a way that you can
self-subscribe to our lists, but regardless of whether you're a member or
not we'd love to keep you informed. Don't be bashful and get on the list.

This coming weekend there are two major club activities:

Next Saturday 10th of May we have our first annual club foxhunt and BBQ.
Well, you have to start somewhere, and in the case of the DDRCI foxhunt,
we're starting at Peacehaven Botanic Park on Kuhls Rd in Highfields.
Start time of 1030 is when hounds depart for the chase, so you'd want to
be in the carpark maybe around 1000. Bruce VK4MQ is our hunt-master, and
he's mapped out a finish point that's going to work for both newbies and
experienced hands. You won't have to travel more than 15km radius from
the start, and there's going to be plenty of support. In fact, if you go
to the club website at ddrci.org.au and check the event invitation in the
calendar, you'll find loads of hints, maps, DIY options, and just about
everything you need except the final location of the fox.

It's not possible to get lost because we're going to come back to
Peacehaven Park for the BBQ. Check out the photos, which look pretty good
but real life is better. And you don't have to be in the hunt to come
for lunch... all welcome - just turn up with some food and drink and join
in.

All the info you need is on the website, but if we've missed anything then
drop a line to the secretary.

Two other things about the foxhunt:
* next Thursday night on the 8th of May we're running a drop-in zoom call
from 1900 local time. We're calling it an orientation, and it will
provide a chance to get any last minute info or ask questions about any
aspect of the hunt. And we can have a bit of a chin-wag at the same
time, another skill we can help you develop.

* if you're coming on the hunt, drop a line to foxhunt@... to
tell us how many people will be along. There's no entry fee, and no
formal requirements, but knowing that you plan to hunt or BBQ will help
us with planning. That address again: foxhunt@...

Good luck everyone.

And on Monday 12th, it's our regular monthly meeting, coming to you once
again from the Toowoomba Library starting from 1900. The topic is WICEN
and Simon VK4TSC from Brisbane WICEN is coming up specially to brief us on
what WICEN is all about and how to get involved. And why should you get
involved? Because as an amateur radio operator it's always important that
you should be prepared and ready to support a civil emergency. When the
zombies rise and commercial communication stops, we hams are the people
who will hold humanity together. But realistically, you will learn
potentially new and useful operational skills that can make you a better
operator. And, as another support activity, Simon is going to ask you to
get involved with the Hip Pocket Rally that takes place in Southbrook, a
bit west of Toowoomba, on 28 June. Helpers from our club are welcome,
and Simon will tell you what's expected and how to get involved. That
date again: 12 May for the meeting, and 28 June for the event.

We will try to again bring you the member meeting via Zoom, and details of
the link will be up shortly on the event calendar entry on the website.
But in person is always better if you can make it: the Toowoomba Library,
level 3, and if you're a new face we'll do our best to make you feel at
home.

If you missed anything and can't find it on the website, drop me a line
secretary@....

Thanks for listening, and there's a little bit extra in the News text
edition - I’m John VK4JPM, and I’ll catch you next week to let you know
how the hunting went.


==========================

If you missed the pointer to the movie "Frequency", you should check it
out: go to the ABC iView site, and navigate through "channels and
categories", then movies, science fiction, and Frequency will be in the
list if it's still available. Or try the Programs A-Z link and scroll to
"F".

One of these might be a direct link:



You do need to have a (free) iView sign on to watch the movie, but the
trailer is open. And listen for the classic line: "want CW or LSB"? Yes,
their operating procedures are suspect - generally it's better to press
the button when you transmit - but we've seen worse technology portrayals
in movies.

==========================

Info on the club Foxhunt:


More info will be added in the next few days, including how to register -
that will be in the article, along with a link to the map for the start
location and the BBQ location (almost the same place). No, we won't tell
you where the FOX is going to be found, but it won't be too hard, and
Bruce promises no dirty or sneaky tricks. We did a test a few days ago,
and you could possibly do the hunt with just a handheld and a whip
antenna, but that definitely would be the hard way.


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Hello, I’m Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and I’ve been thinking.

One of the changes to modern retailing is the growth of on-line retail.
Yes we still
have the grocery store in the guise of the supermarket and the hardware
store that
sells lots of corner store items. We have the newer outlets from overseas
that lets
you get groceries, hardware, musical instruments and surprises, all in
good old
bricks and mortar stores, as they say.

We people who enjoy the electronic side of making things have seen a large
drop off
of retail outlets and some of us find it awkward or impossible to get to
the nearest
store, especially if you live in the regions.

This brings me to the amateur radio tradition of having a pile of loot, a
box of
goodies or a rack of spares colloquially called the junk box. So it was
that during
the past week I gathered some material that had been waiting for the
opportunity to
be attacked by heat and molten solder and I set forth.

I found that I had accumulated a stash of generic UHF plugs, PL259’s, and
I had a
nice run of coax to make some patch leads. Once the eyes were tuned to
cutting and
trimming the cable ends to the right length came the thrill of melting
solder.

That task seemed to go not too badly for the first two ends until I picked
up the
meter leads to do the mandatory check for shorts or open circuits. That
test was
past but what greeted me was the centre pins on both connectors were now
lopsided.

I have made the discovery that most of this collection of plugs, probably
sourced
from an Asian vendor did not have decent insulation but some brown, low
melting
point plastic substitute.

Hopefully I hadn’t lashed out too many pennies in buying this collection
of rubbish
in thinking I was getting the better quality

insulation. A quick look on my nearest dedicated ham radio supplier showed
a listing
for proper plugs with teflon insulation and including postage they are
about $4:00
each. Thank heavens for the specials offered by this retailer.

I suppose what is an object lesson from days of yore, is that items which
can be
salvaged and reused have a quality that is worth utilising. If you have ever
wondered why there can be containers filled with electronic and electrical
bric-a-brac at your HamFest, then I have just given the reason why.

Buying from overseas and especially sourcing generic type items can be
fraught with
danger. Cable with insulation that breaks down with heating or voltage, fake
semiconductors and RF connectors that don’t meet specs are some of the
many issues
you can read about with on-line shopping. There may be consumer law to
protect
purchasers in this country but cheaper items are often a lottery when
bought from
overseas unless they are so-called A1 by reputation. We can say “let the
buyer
beware” but there really is no practical recourse when postage to and from
countries
like the USA can be multiple times the cost of the “bargain” and the only
beneficiary ends up being the local waste facility.


I’m Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and that's what I think, how about you?



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Social Scene

NOTHING UNTIL JULY BY LOOK OF THINGS.

VK - Australian Ladies Amateur Radio Association 50th anniversary
Glen Waverly July 26 president@... (vk2ayl)

VK4 - GOLD COAST AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY – 2025 HAMFEST NOV 9 (vk4dmh)
Country Paradise Parklands 231 Beaudesert Nerang Road.



Subscribe: [email protected]
Group Owner: [email protected]
Help: [email protected]


TO CEASE GETTING THIS EMAILED SERVICE:-
Unsubscribe: [email protected]







-----------------------------ENDS------------------------------------*

-------------------------------------------------------------------69



QNEWS APRIL 27 2025 - VK4 ON AIR

--------------------------------------------------------------------*

WHY DIDN'T YOUR CLUB TELL ANYONE ABOUT AMATEUR RADIO THIS WEEK?

--------------------------------------------------------------------*

THE FOLLOWING NEWS CAN BE HEARD FROM OUR AUDIO SERVICE
Available in Audio RIGHT NOW

Also search QNEWS (make sure it IS the Ham Radio QNEWS)
in your podcast.

QNEWS thanks to Tony VK7AX can be found on
vk7ax.id.au/wianews/
180.150.53.59/wianews/
QNEWS audio ready to download thanks to Brendan VK4BLP from
wiaq.org.au



--------------------------------------------------------------------*


VK4 SILENT KEYS @ WIA YEAR FROM MAY 6 2024

SK CALL SK NAME DATE ADVISED BY

VK4PS ALAN STEPHENSON 23/05/24 (vk4zz)
VK4FANG ROGER HARNDEN 22/07/24 (vk4zz)
X/VK4TC Terry Harding Cain 30/07/24 (vk4zz)
VK4CWJ GORDON WEBSTER July 2024 (vk4vp)
VK4SWR JOE SEBAST5IANI 03/07/24 (vk4zz)
VK4TE ALEX McDONALD 27/09/24 (vk4ra)
VK4NL NOEL DESJARDINS 16/10/24 (vk4vp)
VK4RG RON GRANDISON 22/12/24 (vk4hit)
VK4NOE FRED WHITE 29/01/25 (vk4eht)

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DARLING DOWNS RADIO CLUB
wia.org.au/clubs/vk4/DarlingDownsRadioClub/
vk4wid@...

Hi - I’m John VK4JPM secretary of the Darling Downs Radio Club and this is
Sunday 27 April. Did you find the easter egg in last week's text version?
It did get a bit scrambled and reformatted, but you can look carefully
down the left side the start of each line spelled... "Happy Easter"


Before I get to club activity, here’s a shout-out to all other club
officers of Queensland amateur radio clubs. Hardly any of us have met,
which is a huge pity and if you’re going to be at the WIA AGM in Bendigo
next Saturday - PLEASE come find me and say hello.

Now to Darling Downs Radio Club news. Coming up on 10 May - that’s only
two weeks away - we’re running our inaugural annual club Foxhunt and
family day. The actual hunt will start at 1030 and will run no further
than a 15 km radius from the starting location at Peacehaven Park in
Highfields just north of Toowoomba. Fox frequency will be 145.650 kHz, and
the hunt is going to be staged so that experienced hands and rank
beginners can both have fun. Doesn’t matter where you are in the state;
we’d love you to come and join us - we already know of a few distant
households who will come to stay in Toowoomba overnight, and the aim is to
be as social as possible.


The hunt will start from Peacehaven Botanic Park on Kuhls Road in
Highfields, a truly lovely location that hardly anyone knows about.
Peacehaven Botanic Park is also the location for the post-hunt BBQ. Tons
of parking, easy access, wet-weather protection, and great family
amenities. OMs, YLs and Harmonics who aren’t hunting can turn up at 1145
and we’ll come and join you.


Bruce VK4MQ is a really good fox, and has made it easy to get going with
this hunt - our aim is for it to be fun for all and particularly social.
Tips, construction ideas, how to enter, location and BBQ details, and info
about the briefing session we’ll run on zoom, will all be on the club
website: www.ddrci.org.au, and click on the upcoming event notification
for 10 May. It’s that easy.


And in other coming up info: our next club tech session is on Monday 12
May when we’ll be joined by Simon VK4TSC from Brisbane WICEN group to
guide us the on the WICEN state of mind, and talk about the Hip Pocket
Challenge Horse enduro which has been rescheduled for Southbrook on 28
June. Simon’s team is looking for helpers from our club, and it’s a great
way to learn the ropes. Details about that on the website too.


Finally for this week, something off the wall. If you’re a fan of science
fiction movies, you might have heard of a movie from 2000, entitled
“Frequency”. It’s a typical amateur radio experience: due to unusual
aurora activity, a ham operator gets to talk to his son 30 years in the
future on the same transceiver that the father is using in the past.
That’s not normally what happens on 15 metres, but it’s a pretty cool yarn
involving firemen, cops, space-time-continuum, parallel universes,
baseball, and a HeathKit transceiver. For an undisclosed time, Frequency
is available to watch on ABC iview for free. Every ham should see it, and
it’s safe for a date-night with the YL. More info in the QNEWS Text
edition.
Drop a line to secretary@... and let us know what you thought.
I’m John VK4JPM, and I’ll catch you next week. Or 30 years ago, if I can
get on 15 metres. 73s!


==========================

To find the movie "Frequency": go to the ABC iView site, and navigate
through "channels and categories", then movies, science fiction, and
Frequency will be in the list if it's still available. Or try the
Programs A-Z link and scroll to "F".

One of these might be a direct link:
iview.abc.net.au/show/frequency
iview.abc.net.au/show/frequency/video/ZW4008A001S00

You do need to have a (free) iView signon to watch the movie, but the
trailer is open. And listen for the classic line: "want CW or LSB"? Yes,
their operating procedures are suspect - generally it's better to press
the button when you transmit - but we've seen worse technology portrayals
in movies.

==========================

Info on the club Foxhunt:
ddrci.org.au/events/first-annual-foxhunt-and-bbq/

More info will be added in the next few days, including how to register -
that will be in the article, along with a link to the map for the start
location and the BBQ location (almost the same place). No, we won't tell
you where the FOX is going to be found, but it won't be too hard, and
Bruce promises no dirty or sneaky tricks. We did a test a few days ago,
and you could possibly do the hunt with just a handheld and a whip
antenna, but that definitely would be the hard way.




--------------------------------------------------------------------*

Hello, I’m Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and I’ve been thinking.


It was a comment about the quality of the image on one of the free to air TV
channels that started me thinking about progress.

Compare the sound reproduction of a portable cassette player to digital
machine and
you can appreciate the way things have improved.

With television, the images that we get when archived material is shown is
appalling
to the images we saw on the screens in our living rooms 30 or more years
ago. Just
as the digital TV was a vast improvement over the old PAL services the
newer HD is
another jump ahead in home entertainment.

This brought me around to thinking about the radios that I have used in
the past.
Budgets being what they are on the domestic front, most of my rigs have
been 2 nd
hand so already showing their ages by the time I got to use them. From
hybrid to
fully solid state HF radios there seems not to be much difference in
performance.
For someone who started listening on the large console receiver dominating
the
lounge room and then went through home made and commercial simple sets, it
was
amazing at the time, what the multiband and multimode brand name
transceiver could
do.

Still as most of us will have experienced, these older rigs had their own
characteristics which made them good but at times finicky and annoying on
reception.
They are perfectly usable but you have to tolerate overlapping signals and
front end
overload, from time to time, as they represent the technology of the
period of
manufacture.

More recently I was able to purchase and Asian but not big brand name QRP
transceiver which has provided a lot of fun when I have been able to use
it. It is
an SDR and it has been my introduction to the multicoloured scrolling
display. What
a great little rig that has yet to do duty out in the rig. It is versatile
and every
bit a good as the best shortwave rig that I have owned.

Over the past couple of weeks I have been fortunate to use a full blown
100W SDR
transceiver made by a major Japanese company. Before receiving this piece
of kit, I
watched several on-line videos and took note of what users and reviewers
had to say.

I must say that I have yet to put a signal on air and I have to fight the
electrical
noise which envelopes this QTH but the received signals and sensitivity
just blows
me away. I am using a shortened centre loaded vertical antenna in a poor
location
but pulling voices out of nothing is amazing. There can be no trace on the
display
and the audio is readable. There can be close by signals without
heterodyning and I
have yet to find out how this unit handles a really close by and strong
signal. I
suspect it will use the AGC to the best advantage and still provide a
clean signal
through the speaker.

I am impressed with the improvements that digital technology is providing
now and I
hope we all appreciate the engineering developments to our recreation.

I’m Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and that's what I think, how about you?


-------------------------------------------------------------------*

Social Scene

VK - WIA AGM May 3 - 4. Hosted by Bendigo Amateur Radio & Electronics
Club and their Technology Expo (vk3gtv/wiacal)

VK - Australian Ladies Amateur Radio Association 50th anniversary
Glen Waverly July 26 president@... (vk2ayl)

VK4 - GOLD COAST AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY – 2025 HAMFEST NOV 9 (vk4dmh)
Country Paradise Parklands 231 Beaudesert Nerang Road.




TO SUPPLY QNEWS ITEMS:-

Send SCRIPT to qnews@...
send audio to


If you would like to submit club news items for inclusion in
QNEWS broadcasts, please email your item in text to:-

qnews@...

THEN submit audio:-

To submit audio email qnews@... and ask for the current
password then read "how to submit items" in the weekly news page on




Remember the sooner you submit audio material the more the likelihood
of it being broadcast in the very next edition QNEWS. Each item will
only be broadcast once, if you want a couple of mentions, please
submit different slants to keep your event 'fresh .‘

A reminder when supplying HamFest info we obviously can't
plug DEALS from commercial traders "on air", but we at the
WIA will put your supporters 'goods' in this text edition
"no worries."

We will not give blatant 'plugs' to raffles, be it raffles
at the event or "on-line".


Subscribe: [email protected]
Group Owner: [email protected]
Help: [email protected]

TO CEASE GETTING THIS EMAILED SERVICE:-
Unsubscribe: [email protected]



WHO LISTENS TO RADIO?
WHEN IS NEWS READY TO DOWNLOAD?
Join the REBROADCASTERS List?
(subscribe for an automatic feed.)
Email to vk1wia-broadcasters-join@...
from the email account that you wish the emails to go to.









-----------------------------ENDS------------------------------------*

-------------------------------------------------------------------69



QNEWS APRIL 20 2025 - VK4 ON AIR

--------------------------------------------------------------------*

DID YOUR CLUB TELL ANYONE ABOUT AMATEUR RADIO THIS WEEK?


--------------------------------------------------------------------*

THE FOLLOWING NEWS CAN BE HEARD FROM OUR AUDIO SERVICE
Available in Audio RIGHT NOW

QNEWS thanks to Tony VK7AX can be found on
www.vk7ax.id.au/wianews/
180.150.53.59/wianews/
QNEWS audio ready to download thanks to Brendan VK4BLP from
www.wiaq.org.au

Also search QNEWS (make sure it IS the Ham Radio QNEWS)
in your podcast.



--------------------------------------------------------------------*


VK4 SILENT KEYS @ WIA YEAR FROM MAY 6 2024

SK CALL SK NAME DATE ADVISED BY

VK4PS ALAN STEPHENSON 23/05/24 (vk4zz)
VK4FANG ROGER HARNDEN 22/07/24 (vk4zz)
X/VK4TC Terry Harding Cain 30/07/24 (vk4zz)
VK4CWJ GORDON WEBSTER July 2024 (vk4vp)
VK4SWR JOE SEBAST5IANI 03/07/24 (vk4zz)
VK4TE ALEX McDONALD 27/09/24 (vk4ra)
VK4NL NOEL DESJARDINS 16/10/24 (vk4vp)
VK4RG RON GRANDISON 22/12/24 (vk4hit)
VK4NOE FRED WHITE 29/01/25 (vk4eht)

---------------------------------------------------------------------*
DARLING DOWNS RADIO CLUB
wia.org.au/clubs/vk4/DarlingDownsRadioClub/
vk4wid@...

Hi. I'm John VK4JPM, Secretary of the Darling Downs Radio Club.

It's Sunday 20th of April, and I can promise you that there IS at least
one easter egg hidden in the text version of this week's news, provided
that the editor
hasn't reformatted my typing. But you'll have to download the text to do
the search. SCRIPT POSTED WITHOUT REFORMATTING (Ed. VK4BB)
Details on how to do that are on the WIA website, or drop a line to
secretary@... and
I'll send you a copy.

How good was last weekend? Massive congratulations to all at Redcliffe for
A really good showing at Redfest despite the threats of bad weather...
they did well,
Particularly with the breakfast - it was as yummy as promised; the trading
floor was
Packed - with both people and bargains, and props for three informative
tech sessions.
Yes, I'm pretty sure many of us are encouraged to be back for the next
one. We had an
Excellent turnout for the club lunch last Sunday, and the change of venue
gave us
A chance to expose members to yet another pub kitchen. Consensus was that
they very
Successfully passed the taste and value tests - no disappointments. And
it was great
To be joined by so many new faces - well done to all those who joined us
by driving in from
East of the Range. It's the first time we've run the social lunch on a
Sunday, and there's a
Rumour going around that it might not be the last time.

Finally last Monday Cam VK4CSS brought out a neat collection of toys to
support his talk on RADAR and LIDAR. Cam's session was every bit as
informative as promised, and many attendees were surprised to discover
just how error-prone RADAR and LIDAR can be when used to detect vehicle
speed. And magically, our experiment with videocasting the meeting was a
huge tech success, so we're looking to see what it takes to do that more
often.

That's what you missed - and here's what's coming up.

Our next warm-body club activity is the FoxHunt and BBQ to be held on
Saturday 10 May. Look for a calendar article all about the event on our
home page at www.ddrci.org.au, where you can read about Bruce's home-brew
hardware; and be informed about the day's tech stuff, foxhunt stuff, and
social stuff - yes, definitely something for everyone, and for *all*
members of the family. That's Saturday 10th of May, starting in the
morning and finishing with BBQ lunch which you can join from around 1200
whether you've been in the hunt or not.

Then Monday 12 May is the date to hold for our next Technical meeting,
when we welcome Simon VK4TSC to give us an update on "What is a WICEN"?
You might remember that we'd scheduled Simon to talk about emergency
operations, but the meeting had to be deferred due to - an emergency. Not
only is Simon bouncing back for 12th of May, but the Hip Pocket horseride
at Southbrook - also cancelled due to Alfred - has been rescheduled into
the last weekend of June. More details coming, but this literally is a
great chance to get back on the horse with WICEN... they will need
volunteers to help run the event and Simon will explain all.

Finally: don't forget that next Friday 25 April is Anzac Day and you can
use your AX prefixed callsign to work the bands and qualify for the Club's
Garden City Award. Details on our website, of course.

If you missed any of this, check our club entry on the WIA site, check our
club entry on the club's site, or send an email to secretary@...
if none of that made any sense.

I'm John VK4JPM, and there really *is* an easter egg in the text version.
Until next week, 73s from Darling Downs Radio Club.



=====
A bit of extra info.

Did you receive the email related to the ACMA's most recent advisory on
apparatus licensing? There are some gems, like
legislation.gov.au/F2023L01648/latest/text
and also
acma.gov.au/sites/default/files/2025-04/Apparatus%20licence%20fee%20schedule%20%28April%202025%29.pdf
and
acma.gov.au/consultations/2025-04/remaking-amateur-licence-conditions-determination

Worth a bit of a read.

=====

Membership of the club is currently $30 full rate and less for concessions
- which makes it one of the cheapest rates of any club in Queensland. But
it might be going up. If you join now you'll get that rate through to
July 2026. Check the website for details and forms.

=====

Special events: the club is planning some fun activities in Toowoomba and
would appreciate your volunteer support for a few hours. Dates are:
17 August from 0700-1700 (not necessarily the whole time)
20 September from 0800-1300 (again, not necessarily the whole time)
Can you pencil those in your diary and hold them? We'll let you know what
it's about in a few weeks.

=====




--------------------------------------------------------------------*

Hello, I’m Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and I’ve been thinking.



Well the space weather is jostling us about with interesting solar
activities over
the past week. This is a great challenge for the DX chaser on the
shortwave bands as
conditions can vary in short order with coronal mass ejections causing
ionising
effects in the atmosphere. The next couple of days could be amazing as we
get the
benefits of solar flares which continue in this cycle.

This is a rare happening when we have two consecutive long weekends, an
occurrence
which stirs the embers in many an Aussie chest. It seems that the gods of
weather
are being kind for Easter allowing people to enjoy their preferred
activities with
sunshine for a change. Whether the following weekend will be so fortunate as
thousands gather to participate in the Anzac memorials, we will have to
wait and
see.

One thing that has been filtering through my thinking is how little we
seem to
consider amateur radio and modern housing solutions. With more and more
people
living in apartments and suburban homes being erected on postage stamp sized
allotments, the opportunity to maintain a reasonable working HF station is
getting
more limited. When we could look at a yard of 810 square metres as being the
average, there was enough space to generally have some sort of antenna
system.

Whether it was horizontal such as the once ubiquitous G5RV, a doublet or a
modest
tower with a commercial beam, the options were available. Now many of the
people who
had these facilities have moved into smaller residences, maybe granny flats,
apartments a few stories high and even supported accommodation. Each of these
situations has its own set of limitations for a once active ham.

Yes there is internet linked means and VHF and UHF repeaters but for the
died in the
wool HF operator it can be like losing an arm or a leg when they can now
longer make
the skeds with people they have known over the air. For the youthful
person juggling
study, work and perhaps romance, the proverbial dance card is already
close to full
and even although they may have enjoyed amateur radio when circumstances were
different, they find themselves effectively isolated from the hobby.

Mobile operations have always been an option for those fortunate enough to
have
access to a vehicle but many people don’t have that option so home based
operation
is their only opportunity to stir the aether again.

What I see is many people who could be more active but who are
functionally denied
access. The value of video sharing sites is good but I don’t see much
material aimed
at the so-called house bound amateur. I don’t get to see much of the current
overseas magazines as they have disappeared from the newsagent shelves but
from our
own publication it seems authors aren’t engaged is this side of the hobby.

Perhaps clubs could think this over and find some ways forward.

I’m Geoff Emery VK4ZPP and that’s what I think….
how about you?

(vk4zpp@...)


-------------------------------------------------------------------*

Social Scene

VK - WIA AGM May 3 - 4. Hosted by Bendigo Amateur Radio & Electronics
Club and their Technology Expo (vk3gtv/wiacal)

VK - Australian Ladies Amateur Radio Association 50th anniversary
Glen Waverly July 26 president@... (vk2ayl)

VK4 - GOLD COAST AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY – 2025 HAMFEST NOV 9 (vk4dmh)
Country Paradise Parklands 231 Beaudesert Nerang Road.




TO SUPPLY QNEWS ITEMS:-

Send SCRIPT to qnews@...
send audio to


If you would like to submit club news items for inclusion in
QNEWS broadcasts, please email your item in text to:-

qnews@...

THEN submit audio:-

To submit audio email qnews@... and ask for the current
password then read "how to submit items" in the weekly news page on




Remember the sooner you submit audio material the more the likelihood
of it being broadcast in the very next edition QNEWS. Each item will
only be broadcast once, if you want a couple of mentions, please
submit different slants to keep your event 'fresh .‘

A reminder when supplying HamFest info we obviously can't
plug DEALS from commercial traders "on air", but we at the
WIA will put your supporters 'goods' in this text edition
"no worries."

We will not give blatant 'plugs' to raffles, be it raffles
at the event or "on-line".


Subscribe: [email protected]
Group Owner: [email protected]
Help: [email protected]

TO CEASE GETTING THIS EMAILED SERVICE:-
Unsubscribe: [email protected]



WHO LISTENS TO RADIO?
WHEN IS NEWS READY TO DOWNLOAD?
Join the REBROADCASTERS List?
(subscribe for an automatic feed.)
Email to vk1wia-broadcasters-join@...
from the email account that you wish the emails to go to.









-----------------------------ENDS------------------------------------*

QNEWS APRIL 13 2025 - VK4 ON AIR

--------------------------------------------------------------------*

DID YOUR CLUB TELL ANYONE ABOUT AMATEUR RADIO THIS WEEK?


--------------------------------------------------------------------*

THE FOLLOWING NEWS CAN BE HEARD FROM OUR AUDIO SERVICE
Available in Audio RIGHT NOW

QNEWS thanks to Tony VK7AX can be found on
www.vk7ax.id.au/wianews/
180.150.53.59/wianews/
QNEWS audio ready to download thanks to Brendan VK4BLP from
www.wiaq.org.au

Also search QNEWS (make sure it IS the Ham Radio QNEWS)
in your podcast.



--------------------------------------------------------------------*


VK4 SILENT KEYS @ WIA YEAR FROM MAY 6 2024

SK CALL SK NAME DATE ADVISED BY

VK4PS ALAN STEPHENSON 23/05/24 (vk4zz)
VK4FANG ROGER HARNDEN 22/07/24 (vk4zz)
X/VK4TC Terry Harding Cain 30/07/24 (vk4zz)
VK4CWJ GORDON WEBSTER July 2024 (vk4vp)
VK4SWR JOE SEBAST5IANI 03/07/24 (vk4zz)
VK4TE ALEX McDONALD 27/09/24 (vk4ra)
VK4NL NOEL DESJARDINS 16/10/24 (vk4vp)
VK4RG RON GRANDISON 22/12/24 (vk4hit)
VK4NOE FRED WHITE 29/01/25 (vk4eht)

---------------------------------------------------------------------*

DARLING DOWNS RADIO CLUB

vk4wid@...


It's Sunday 13th of April, and I'm John VK4JPM, secretary of the Darling
Downs Radio Club. We're halfway through our big weekend and you're
invited to come and be part of the fun.

But first, here's a reminder. ANZAC day is coming up on the 25th of
April, and that means you're entitled to use the AX prefix for the whole
day. So... why not see if you can make contact with a few members of the
club and qualify for the Garden City Award using the AX form of your call?
Details on the website - just look for the Awards tab.

Moving along: if you're listening to this on the Sunday morning airing of
QNews, then you still have time to nip out and join us for lunch at the
Withcott Hotel. We do the lunches every two months, but this is the first
time we've met on Sunday for... as long as I can remember, anyway. Folk
will start to arrive at 1130 for a 1200 start - look for us inside at the
western end... that's near the fireplace. Full details are on the club
website at ddrci.org.au.

And on Monday the 14th, the regular club meeting starting at 1900 in the
Toowoomba Library on Victoria Street Toowoomba just off Herries Street.
Cam VK4CSS has promised that the talk on RADAR and LIDAR will be both
informative, and will contain a few stay-out-of-trouble tips. We can't
give the game away too much; you'll just have to come and find out. Both
technologies have an interesting place in modern navigation, and they are
both quite different and amazingly similar. Session starts at 1900 in the
Toowoomba Library on Monday 14th, and runs to about 2030. Tons of parking
under the building, and you don't get wet if it rains.

Like all club events, our meetings are free to attend, and we welcome
members, non-members and guests.

If you're not yet a member of the club, don't forget that this month you
can join and get an extra 3 months membership for free. Joining is easy:
there's a big button on the home page that you click, and it takes you to
the forms.

And finally, an update on our club Foxhunt Day to be held on Saturday 10
May. Everyone is welcome, especially if you're from another club. Our
club's Mr Homebrew, Bruce VK4MQ, has designed some really good and cheap
hardware that you can build yourself. Details of the hunt, and articles
on homebrew antennas and other items, can all be found on the club website
right now.

IF you missed any of this, then you can go to the website and download our
April news bulletin which contains the info and a heap of links to make
your life easier. Or drop a line to Secretary at DDRCI dot org dot au.

Until next week, when I get to tell you what you missed, I'm John VK4JPM
for the Darling Downs Radio Club.


* The April newsletter with all the links is here:
ddrci.org.au/newsletter-05-april-2025/

* The Garden City Award is here:
ddrci.org.au/awards/

* How to become a member of DDRCI (only $30 right now, or even less for
concessions or young people):
ddrci.org.au/membership-application/



--------------------------------------------------------------------*

Hello, I’m Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and I’ve been thinking.


In the world of politics, people have sought to clarify the meaning of
what their
government and people have embraced as guiding principles. After the blood
bath that
was the French Revolution, the country became known for its three word
motto which
upheld freedom, equality and brotherhood.

The Declaration of Independence of the United States similarly tries to
have its
principles adhere to this style of governance with many more words. The
countries
which developed out of the colonial system to become democracies all seem
to have
similar guides to life and rule which the despots despise and endeavour to
over
turn.

The twentieth century saw two major wars which gave rise to the League of
Nations
and then the United Nations as bodies to try and seek order and respect
for all
people.

Why this brief history lesson? Well in amongst the great doings the
smaller actions
which we radio enthusiasts are involved in also fit under the umbrella of
these
sentiments with our paramount body for communications, the ITU, being now
part of
the United Nations stream of activities. Our own amateurs code embraces
those same
basic principles that the French adopted.

When Russia invaded the Ukraine some 3 years ago, there were many
discussions and
thoughts about how we hams should deal with the situation. To the extent that
decisions of government are beyond the average person to stop, it is
common for
contacts between amateurs to continue without rancour or bitterness as had
been
happening before.

In this country and many other jurisdictions, our regulations don’t allow
on air
promotion of political issues except in a general sense of wider discussion.

We all are aware of the various actions the current administration of the
USA has
been continuing and not a day goes by without news media reviewing the latest
matters and trying to analyse the possible outcomes deriving from the
White House.

As we have heard in the lead story to WIA National News, the peak Canadian
amateur
organisation, the RAC, has made the decision to boycott the Dayton
Hamvention held
in Xenia, Ohio in May. As the bonds between the English speaking countries
of North
America have been grown over centuries and amateur radio has been integral
in over
the last century, this is a momentous decision. It indicates the depth of
feeling
which has been aroused but still has the hope of returning to participate
in the
greatest ham gathering in the Americas. Along with the Friedrichshafen
meet in
Germany these events mark the highlights of the amateur radio/electronics
year
around the world.

The fact that on an organisational level, one representative body of one
country
will not participate in no way limits the way in which individual amateurs
and clubs
are able to mutually join together for the betterment of the service.

Keeping the politics off the air is a great way to keep any rancour and
angst out of
our hobby.


I’m Geoff Emery VK4ZPP and that’s what I think….
how about you?

(vk4zpp@...)


-------------------------------------------------------------------*

Social Scene

VK - WIA AGM May 3 - 4. Hosted by Bendigo Amateur Radio & Electronics
Club and their Technology Expo (vk3gtv/wiacal)

VK - Australian Ladies Amateur Radio Association 50th anniversary
Glen Waverly July 26 president@... (vk2ayl)

VK4 - GOLD COAST AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY – 2025 HAMFEST NOV 9 (vk4dmh)
Country Paradise Parklands 231 Beaudesert Nerang Road.




TO SUPPLY QNEWS ITEMS:-

Send SCRIPT to qnews@...
send audio to


If you would like to submit club news items for inclusion in
QNEWS broadcasts, please email your item in text to:-

qnews@...

THEN submit audio:-

To submit audio email qnews@... and ask for the current
password then read "how to submit items" in the weekly news page on




Remember the sooner you submit audio material the more the likelihood
of it being broadcast in the very next edition QNEWS. Each item will
only be broadcast once, if you want a couple of mentions, please
submit different slants to keep your event 'fresh .‘

A reminder when supplying HamFest info we obviously can't
plug DEALS from commercial traders "on air", but we at the
WIA will put your supporters 'goods' in this text edition
"no worries."

We will not give blatant 'plugs' to raffles, be it raffles
at the event or "on-line".


Subscribe: [email protected]
Group Owner: [email protected]
Help: [email protected]

TO CEASE GETTING THIS EMAILED SERVICE:-
Unsubscribe: [email protected]



WHO LISTENS TO RADIO?
WHEN IS NEWS READY TO DOWNLOAD?
Join the REBROADCASTERS List?
(subscribe for an automatic feed.)
Email to vk1wia-broadcasters-join@...
from the email account that you wish the emails to go to.









-----------------------------ENDS------------------------------------*

QNEWS APRIL 06 2025 - VK4 ON AIR

--------------------------------------------------------------------*

DID YOUR CLUB TELL ANYONE ABOUT AMATEUR RADIO THIS WEEK?
DARLING DOWNS DID and they promoted REDCLIFFE

--------------------------------------------------------------------*

THE FOLLOWING NEWS CAN BE HEARD FROM OUR AUDIO SERVICE
Available in Audio RIGHT NOW

QNEWS thanks to Tony VK7AX can be found on
www.vk7ax.id.au/wianews/
180.150.53.59/wianews/
QNEWS audio ready to download thanks to Brendan VK4BLP from
www.wiaq.org.au

Also search QNEWS (make sure it IS the Ham Radio QNEWS)
in your podcast.



--------------------------------------------------------------------*


VK4 SILENT KEYS @ WIA YEAR FROM MAY 6 2024

SK CALL SK NAME DATE ADVISED BY

VK4PS ALAN STEPHENSON 23/05/24 (vk4zz)
VK4FANG ROGER HARNDEN 22/07/24 (vk4zz)
X/VK4TC Terry Harding Cain 30/07/24 (vk4zz)
VK4CWJ GORDON WEBSTER July 2024 (vk4vp)
VK4SWR JOE SEBAST5IANI 03/07/24 (vk4zz)
VK4TE ALEX McDONALD 27/09/24 (vk4ra)
VK4NL NOEL DESJARDINS 16/10/24 (vk4vp)
VK4RG RON GRANDISON 22/12/24 (vk4hit)
VK4NOE FRED WHITE 29/01/25 (vk4eht)

---------------------------------------------------------------------*


DARLING DOWNS RADIO CLUB

vk4wid@...

Hi, I'm John VK4JPM Secretary of the Darling Downs Radio Club, and this is
QNEWS for Sunday 6th of April. We didn't pull any April Fools pranks this
year, but someone did a great job of promoting a small nuclear reactor
claiming that it was available at a certain national electronics chain.
Batteries not included, but I've put a link in the text version of this
news:

facebook.com/story.php/?story_fbid=1066457412185085&id=100064625084926

Quick reminder that next weekend is busy for club members and guests. If
you're on our mailing list - which would include members of course - in
the last few days you should have received by email a newsletter
containing lots of important info about upcoming events and club
activities.

If you didn't, then you might not be on our list. You don't have to be a
club member to stay in touch: just drop us a line to
secretary@... and we'll put you on the list. No obligation. And
if you didn't get the email, here's a quick summary of next weekend.

On Saturday morning 12 April, a group of us will be attending Redfest.
Come up and say hi if you see us - we'll be the people with bright yellow
badges.

On Sunday 13 April, we're holding our bimonthly club lunch at the Withcott
Hotel. That's a relaxed opportunity to catch up friends you've never met,
and yes: there are food items that come with ham. Guests, non-members,
significant others and harmonics are welcome. Check the menu and
location details from our home page at www.ddrci.org.au

While you're there, you'll also find the invitation for our club meeting
on Monday 14 April. We're at the Toowoomba Library for this one, from
1900. Come and enjoy a cuppa and a tim-tam while Cam VK4CSS explains all
about RADAR and LiDAR, and how they can be used separately or together to
find out where things are. Cam will discuss the strengths and weaknesses
of both technologies, and explain when it's good to not trust either...
with the suggestion that autonomous vehicle have many layers of
protection, but speed traps might be less robust. It's all info that you
need, and you get to ask questions.

We're hoping that we will be able to bring this meeting to those of you
who are a bit unable to travel to be with us live. Check the website for
details of how to connect remotely... if we can do it, we will.

Finally look for some construction articles from Bruce VK4MQ, and start
planning to join us for the Annual Foxhunt and BBQ in May... it's only
four weeks away now.

If you missed any of this, then you can download QNEWS text or audio files
via the WIA website, or with links from the DDRCi home page. And it's
always OK to drop a line to secretary@... or use the contact form
from the website.

Until next week - 73s from all of us here in Toowoomba - I'm John VK4JPM,
Darling Downs Club Secretary, and I'm looking forward to saying hi in
person to you next weekend!

=====

But wait - there's more!

Did you know that the Darling Downs Radio Club has a special Garden City
Award for contact with Club members? It's not hard to qualify: for
instance, as few as three contacts with the club station VK4WID would get
you across the line. The award comes as an attractive certificate and
would look great on any shack wall. Check the website at
ddrci.org.au/awards/ for details of how to qualify and receive the award.

=====


--------------------------------------------------------------------*

Hello, I’m Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and I’ve been thinking.

It is interesting to reflect on how attitudes change and the way attention to
details vary. It was during this last week that I set about on acquainting
myself
with certain radios, the availability and, of course, how big of hole they
would put
in the pocket.

What made me consider the changes is the memory of how we were all looking
for ways
to maximise our web site’s notice ability. Even during some classes of higher
learning included practices in web design and choosing the right wording
and layout
to attract the search worms from those amazing applications, the search
engines.

Although I had that tiny bit of training, I have never sought to have a
page of my
own and like the rest of us with internet access, I have been a consistent
and
regular user of the search engines included or added to my web browser.

After this week, I can’t draw a conclusion as to how the market for
amateur radio
gear is working in VK-land. I have conducted multiple searches and used
different
search strings in different search engines and my success in finding
details of
authorised agents and resellers for what have been the major marques has
been poor.

Not only that, when trying to establish whether certain products are
available off
the shelf, some sites tell me everything other than the availability. I
have to
wonder whether the retail sector is too busy or not clued in to the value of
suitable internet marketing as limiting the potential customer getting all
the
needed information. Or is this a sign that the notoriously low profit
margins for
our beloved gear has just drained the enthusiasm from those prepared to
invest time
and large amounts of money?

I like using local vendors where possible but like so many of us, these
days, we get
some joy from the cheaper small purchases from overseas. Sometimes the
products are
as good as our local retailer has on the display, sometimes better and
often worse
and sometimes the products can only be obtained from overseas.

Currently I am awaiting delivery of parts from both overseas and locally.
Since
Australia Post changed domestic deliveries to a 3 day, 2 day, a week,
alternating
pattern, ostensibly to maximise the parcel delivery service they have let
the small
items, the packet mail service fall into the doldrums.

Then there is one notable commercial competitor in the freight delivery
business
that seems to work in a way that makes Auspost seem speedy. It really
makes a person
wonder if there is a conspiracy to close down the small businesses which
operate
on-line. Maybe the lucrative contracts for the mega on-line retailers are
the goal
as we customers seem to get less and less choice in the matter.

We can hope that the weather improves and services return to normal.


I’m Geoff Emery VK4ZPP and that’s what I think….
how about you?

(vk4zpp@...)


-------------------------------------------------------------------*

Social Scene


VK4 - Redcliffe & Districts Radio Club REDFEST April 12 at
Deception Bay North State School. (wiacal)

VK - WIA AGM May 3 - 4. Hosted by Bendigo Amateur Radio & Electronics
Club and their Technology Expo (vk3gtv/wiacal)

VK - Australian Ladies Amateur Radio Association 50th anniversary
Glen Waverly July 26 president@... (vk2ayl)

VK4 - GOLD COAST AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY – 2025 HAMFEST NOV 9 (vk4dmh)
Country Paradise Parklands 231 Beaudesert Nerang Road.




TO SUPPLY QNEWS ITEMS:-

Send SCRIPT to qnews@...
send audio to


If you would like to submit club news items for inclusion in
QNEWS broadcasts, please email your item in text to:-

qnews@...

THEN submit audio:-

To submit audio email qnews@... and ask for the current
password then read "how to submit items" in the weekly news page on




Remember the sooner you submit audio material the more the likelihood
of it being broadcast in the very next edition QNEWS. Each item will
only be broadcast once, if you want a couple of mentions, please
submit different slants to keep your event 'fresh .‘

A reminder when supplying HamFest info we obviously can't
plug DEALS from commercial traders "on air", but we at the
WIA will put your supporters 'goods' in this text edition
"no worries."

We will not give blatant 'plugs' to raffles, be it raffles
at the event or "on-line".


Subscribe: [email protected]
Group Owner: [email protected]
Help: [email protected]

TO CEASE GETTING THIS EMAILED SERVICE:-
Unsubscribe: [email protected]



WHO LISTENS TO RADIO?
WHEN IS NEWS READY TO DOWNLOAD?
Join the REBROADCASTERS List?
(subscribe for an automatic feed.)
Email to vk1wia-broadcasters-join@...
from the email account that you wish the emails to go to.









-----------------------------ENDS------------------------------------*

QNEWS MARCH 30 2025 - VK4 ON AIR

--------------------------------------------------------------------*

DID YOUR CLUB TELL ANYONE ABOUT AMATEUR RADIO THIS WEEK?
DARLING DOWNS AND RECLIFFE DID.

--------------------------------------------------------------------*

THE FOLLOWING NEWS CAN BE HEARD FROM OUR AUDIO SERVICE
Available in Audio RIGHT NOW

QNEWS thanks to Tony VK7AX can be found on
www.vk7ax.id.au/wianews/
180.150.53.59/wianews/
QNEWS audio ready to download thanks to Brendan VK4BLP from
www.wiaq.org.au

Also search QNEWS (make sure it IS the Ham Radio QNEWS)
in your podcast.



--------------------------------------------------------------------*


VK4 SILENT KEYS @ WIA YEAR FROM MAY 6 2024

SK CALL SK NAME DATE ADVISED BY

VK4PS ALAN STEPHENSON 23/05/24 (vk4zz)
VK4FANG ROGER HARNDEN 22/07/24 (vk4zz)
X/VK4TC Terry Harding Cain 30/07/24 (vk4zz)
VK4CWJ GORDON WEBSTER July 2024 (vk4vp)
VK4SWR JOE SEBAST5IANI 03/07/24 (vk4zz)
VK4TE ALEX McDONALD 27/09/24 (vk4ra)
VK4NL NOEL DESJARDINS 16/10/24 (vk4vp)
VK4RG RON GRANDISON 22/12/24 (vk4hit)
VK4NOE FRED WHITE 29/01/25 (vk4eht)

---------------------------------------------------------------------*

DARLING DOWNS RADIO CLUB

vk4wid@...


Hi, I'm John VK4JPM Secretary of the Darling Downs Radio Club on QNEWS
for Sunday 30th of March. We are officially one quarter of the way into
2025 and the club is just getting started.

In celebration of that, a short one this week with the pointers that you
might have missed if you weren't listening to last week or the week
before. And it's important to know because in two weeks we have a run of
three events back-to-back, and everything is different. Here we go.

On Saturday 12 April, many of us will be heading to Redfest. You'll
recognise us thanks to the bright yellow badges, so come and say "hi".

And now for something completely different. As you've heard, this year
Redfest clashes with our regular bimonthly club lunch date. So we've moved
lunch to the next day, on Sunday 13 April, and we're going to try a new
location a bit down in the valley. Come along and meet the gang at the
Withcott Hotel, just at the bottom of the range. We'll be at the front
dining area, probably near the fireplace, and we won't be hard to spot.
The Withcott is conveniently located on the highway, has a ton of parking,
and has a reputation for a good meal. This is an informal gathering, so
just turn up. Bring a mate or the family, and you don't need to be a
member.

And closing the trifecta on our three club events in a row: Monday 14
April is our next member meeting and will be held at the Toowoomba Library
at 1900. Our treasurer, Cameron VK4CSS will talk about RADAR and LIDAR.
Cam will present about radar and lidar speed measurement, including the
history of radar and lidar; give a brief chat about over-the-horizon
radar; explain how radar speed measurement work including videos to
demonstrate, and he'll talk about when radar or lidar doesn't work.

And why would you want to attend? Well, you might even learn something
about both technologies that could save you being accused of an action
that can't be proved or where the measurement can be shown to be
inaccurate. Got it?

The date again: 1700 on Monday 14 April at the Toowoomba Library - where
the parking is plentiful and under cover, and once again we welcome
members and non-members alike.

Finally: calling all Fox Hunters. Saturday 10th of May is our inaugural
annual Club Fox Hunt and BBQ day. It's all been mapped out; we'll shortly
tell you the starting location for participants, and the lunch location
for people who just want the BBQ. In between starting line and lunch
we'll be making it easy for first time FoxHunters, and interesting for
those who have done this before. Start thinking about pulling a team
together. And members of other clubs are welcome to join us, especially
if you think you can teach us a thing or two!

As always: all this info, along with any updates, is on our website at
www.ddrci.org.au. Just select All Events from any of the calendar entries
to see everything that's coming up in our diary. We're listening for your
query via secretary@... or the contact-us form on the website.
And two hints: if you're not a member and you join from 1 April, you get
15 months of membership through to end of June 2026. Also: all the times
in this news are AEST, and Daylight Saving Time ends next Sunday, 6 April.

I'm John VK4JPM for the Darling Downs Radio Club - 73 and see you next week.






Redcliffe and Districts radio club.


REDFEST 2025
Latest Update.

Greetings from the Redcliffe & Districts Radio Club VK4RC.

Robert Thomson VK4TFN here.

REDFEST 25 "Adventures on HF"
will go ahead at 9:00am on the 12th April.

It's only two weeks away.

Our new venue is:
The Deception Bay North State School,
Old Bay Road, Deception Bay.

There's still a few tables left if you hurry.
$15 per table.

Email redfest@...

The ICOM IC-7300 raffle, at $5 each we have
plenty of tickets.

For more info about REDFEST go too:
www.redclifferadioclub.org.au/redfest

ALARA will be there and we'll have
tables set aside for the ladies,
so gents: bring your women folk along.
At our REDFEST Cafe you'll find
good coffee and tea with cakes.

Bye for now and 73's from
The Redcliffe & Districts Radio Club VK4RC.

Thank you
Robert VK4TFN
0428 044 992


--------------------------------------------------------------------*

Hello, I’m Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and I’ve been thinking.

And so the wet weather continues but unlike the movie, “Ground Hog
Day” the location changes where the heaviest falls and damage
occurs. Sadly some areas in the north of Queensland are getting a
repeat dousing and flood and the inland is getting floods which for
better or worse may remain for many days or weeks. For the farmers who
look forward to rain at the right time of the season it may improve
their income in the long run and for the house holders who have been
surrounded or evacuated, relief can’t come soon enough.

I would imagine that many amateurs have developed a routine of
checking the weather, space weather and propagation charts as a way of
planning their activities. The long term forecasters are an indicative
service to the agricultural industries but our Bureau of Meteorology
is relatively cautious in issuing trends in the weather for as much as
the commuter and tradie might like the assurance of perfect knowledge,
forecasts beyond days, even when based on good averaging of data, tend
to fall into the crystal ball style of guesswork.

So it is with the solar activity that gives such wonderful
conditions for long distance communications and within hours or days
can provide a total blackout on many bands. Just as the Earth has
patterns of activity in wind and ocean currents, these too can alter
drastically and quickly as the information from the amateur radio
balloons circling the planet can report. The solar cycle of activity
averages around 11 years from peak to peak and within that we can plan
and speculate on what activities we might be able to accomplish.

As we grow into familiarity with the various skills that make our
operations more enjoyable and interesting, we accumulate a store of
knowledge which is applied to radio but also aids in so many other
areas.

Sadly there is a level of confusion coming from across the Pacific
as the new US administration assails the community with instructions
and demands. The final outcome of the shutting down of its overseas
broadcasting can only be guessed at and the cleaning of the FCC book
of rules may or may not change how amateur radio is conducted within
the US jurisdictions.

I mention this as in the past week, our regulator, the ACMA, has
been releasing many papers to its client base via email and web site.
We are fortunate that order stays with the governance of radio
communications in this country, rather than the tumult we can see
elsewhere. It was good to note that during the John Moyle Field Day,
various clubs were able to quickly re-organise their operations to
accommodate the weather over the weekend. Having flexibility in
planning events can smooth the way to success in so many things.


I’m Geoff Emery VK4ZPP and that’s what I think….
how about you?

(vk4zpp@...)


-------------------------------------------------------------------*

Social Scene


VK4 - Redcliffe & Districts Radio Club REDFEST April 12 at
Deception Bay North State School. (wiacal)

VK - WIA AGM May 3 - 4. Hosted by Bendigo Amateur Radio & Electronics
Club and their Technology Expo (vk3gtv/wiacal)

VK - Australian Ladies Amateur Radio Association 50th anniversary
Glen Waverly July 26 president@... (vk2ayl)

VK4 - GOLD COAST AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY – 2025 HAMFEST NOV 9 (vk4dmh)
Country Paradise Parklands 231 Beaudesert Nerang Road.




TO SUPPLY QNEWS ITEMS:-

Send SCRIPT to qnews@...
send audio to


If you would like to submit club news items for inclusion in
QNEWS broadcasts, please email your item in text to:-

qnews@...

THEN submit audio:-

To submit audio email qnews@... and ask for the current
password then read "how to submit items" in the weekly news page on




Remember the sooner you submit audio material the more the likelihood
of it being broadcast in the very next edition QNEWS. Each item will
only be broadcast once, if you want a couple of mentions, please
submit different slants to keep your event 'fresh .‘

A reminder when supplying HamFest info we obviously can't
plug DEALS from commercial traders "on air", but we at the
WIA will put your supporters 'goods' in this text edition
"no worries."

We will not give blatant 'plugs' to raffles, be it raffles
at the event or "on-line".


Subscribe: [email protected]
Group Owner: [email protected]
Help: [email protected]

TO CEASE GETTING THIS EMAILED SERVICE:-
Unsubscribe: [email protected]



WHO LISTENS TO RADIO?
WHEN IS NEWS READY TO DOWNLOAD?
Join the REBROADCASTERS List?
(subscribe for an automatic feed.)
Email to vk1wia-broadcasters-join@...
from the email account that you wish the emails to go to.









-----------------------------ENDS------------------------------------*

QNEWS MARCH 23 2025 - VK4 ON AIR

--------------------------------------------------------------------*

DID YOUR CLUB TELL ANYONE ABOUT AMATEUR RADIO THIS WEEK?


--------------------------------------------------------------------*

THE FOLLOWING NEWS CAN BE HEARD FROM OUR AUDIO SERVICE
Available in Audio RIGHT NOW

QNEWS thanks to Tony VK7AX can be found on
www.vk7ax.id.au/wianews/
180.150.53.59/wianews/
QNEWS audio ready to download thanks to Brendan VK4BLP from
www.wiaq.org.au

Also search QNEWS (make sure it IS the Ham Radio QNEWS)
in your podcast.



--------------------------------------------------------------------*


VK4 SILENT KEYS @ WIA YEAR FROM MAY 6 2024

SK CALL SK NAME DATE ADVISED BY

VK4PS ALAN STEPHENSON 23/05/24 (vk4zz)
VK4FANG ROGER HARNDEN 22/07/24 (vk4zz)
X/VK4TC Terry Harding Cain 30/07/24 (vk4zz)
VK4CWJ GORDON WEBSTER July 2024 (vk4vp)
VK4SWR JOE SEBAST5IANI 03/07/24 (vk4zz)
VK4TE ALEX McDONALD 27/09/24 (vk4ra)
VK4NL NOEL DESJARDINS 16/10/24 (vk4vp)
VK4RG RON GRANDISON 22/12/24 (vk4hit)
VK4NOE FRED WHITE 29/01/25 (vk4eht)

---------------------------------------------------------------------*

Ipswich & District Radio Club

Web – www.vk4wip.org.au
Email - vk4wip@...
For a full list of repeaters - www.vk4wip.org.au


QNEWS 16 March 2025

In news from Ipswich and District Radio Club, WICEN volunteers will be
heading out in the field for the Brisbane Trails Marathon on April 27.

It’s never too late to offer your services on the day. A minimum of 14
operators are required most with a 4WD and radio equipment to operate in a
remote location. Ipswich WICEN also welcomes the support from other
amateurs in southeast Queensland.

Please contact Paul McDonald at VK4PMCPaul@...

Currently the club’s training officer is seeking expressions of interest
for the next Foundation course expected to start sometime in April.

A minimum of two and up to six people are needed. If you know anyone
interested, including yourself, please contact Greg via email
VK4GJW@...

Classes are usually held Tuesday nights over a period of eight weeks. The
final night being the ACMA theory and regulations exam and practical
assessment.

Reporting from Ipswich this is Allan, VK4HIT.





DARLING DOWNS RADIO CLUB

vk4wid@...

It's the 23rd of March and this is QNEWS from the Darling Downs Radio
Club. I'm John VK4JPM, Secretary of the Club.

The Management Committee is busy at work sorting out a few items that need
to be addressed - we'll tell you about that at the next meeting, which
will be on Monday 14 April. More about that in a second.

The John Moyle Field Day was a heap of fun and thanks to all those who
came along to help the club get into the history books. It will be a
while before we know how we did, but in raw terms we ran for six hours
with four teams across 10, 15, 20 and 40 metres. Given the commercial
nature of the site we were on, we also attracted a bit of attention from
the public and had more than a few people come over to find out what we
were doing. Explaining Amateur Radio to onlookers is one way to increase
our numbers. We also had some underbubblers drop by for a squizz: there
are members of our club who are on the road to a Foundation Licence, and
what better way to get a feel for what structured operating is about than
to watch a team of people calling "CQ Contest"? Thanks to Dougal, VK4EKA
for being team captain and arranging the main setup - a centre-fed
longwire flown between trees; to Wayne VK4ARW with his quick-erect rotator
dipole; and SAM VK4SAM with a most interesting multiband-vertical and an
impressive ground plane.

The Field Day also gave us a chance to shake out the club's self-contained
trailer, designed quite effectively to operate in a mains-free
environment. Fortunately we had good sun and the batteries stayed nice
and charged.

OK, what's coming up next?

Many of us will definitely be at Redfest on 12 April, and the hunt is on
for the perfect venue for the informal Club Lunch on Sunday 13 April. It
will definitely be somewhere between Withcott and Gatton, and three
locations are being sussed out and tested. If you're one of the folk who
can't get to a meeting a Saturday, then please come and make the point.
Everyone is welcome, including family, friends, and especially including
people who know nothing about amateur radio.

Now: the next three big club events. Monday 14 April is our next member
meeting and keep an eye on the website for the location, because we might
well drop back to do another test from the very welcoming Scout Hall in
Newtown. The topic for the meeting is RADAR and LIDAR, distance and
object measuring technologies key to so many processes including building
measurement and yes - speed traps. Cameron VK4CSS talk about both
technologies - they are quite different and quite similar, and shouldn't
be confused. And we will let members and guests know about whether the
meeting will be streamed - it might be. If you're not on our mailing
list, then drop a line to secretary@... and we'll add you.

Upcoming:
* Saturday 10th of May is the date for our inaugural annual Foxhunt Day
and BBQ lunch... check the website for details, and
* the May meeting on the Second Monday night (it's the 12th) will be a
reconvened session with the Brisbane WICEN folk

All the information I just covered is on our website at www.ddrci.org.au
and select All Events from any of the calendar entries to see everything
that's coming up in our diary. Drop an email to secretary@... if
you have a query or just want to get on our mailing list, or if all that
seems a bit hard then use the contact-us form on the website.

I'm John VK4JPM for the Darling Downs Radio Club - 73 and see you next week.





Redcliffe and Districts radio club.


Hello.

Text:
REDFEST 2025
Adventures on HF
Update.

Greetings from the Redcliffe & Districts Radio Club VK4RC.

Robert Thomson VK4TFN here.

REDFEST 25 "Adventures on HF"
will go ahead at 9:00am on the 12th April.

I'm really looking forward to it.

Our new venue is:
The Deception Bay North State School,
Old Bay Road, Deception Bay.

There's still a few tables left if you hurry.
$15 per table.

Email redfest@...

The ICOM IC-7300 raffle, at $5 each we have
plenty of tickets. Buy as many as you want.
Ticket sales over the internet stop after the 6th of April.

For raffle tickets go too: www.redclifferadioclub.org.au/redfest

Bye for now and 73's from
The Redcliffe & Districts Radio Club VK4RC.

Thank you
RRT
0428 044 992



--------------------------------------------------------------------*

Hello, I’m Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and I’ve been thinking.

One area of amateur radio that we don’t see mentioned often is one
that brought many people into the broader compass of “radio”. A
lot of people, these days, associate the introduction of the
Citizen’s Band Radio Service as being the fillip that gave rise to
the many new amateurs who entered via the then Novice licence.

There was a growth in amateur numbers following re-opening of the
bands after World War 2. Lots of people had become acquainted with the
versatility of radio communications because of their occupations in
the early 1940’s. By the time people were settling into new found
peace, the so-called Cold War, had taken over global politics and in
the light of experiences in the 30’s and 40’s countries had come
to recognise the power of broadcast radio. Whilst domestic
broadcasting was expanding on the so-called AM band, a far greater
reach was obtained using short wave or as we know it, the HF section
of the radio spectrum.

Religious broadcasters had been using the short waves and imperial
powers such as the British Empire, later the British Commonwealth, had
found that news services and entertainment could be consistently
beamed into areas where they had colonial influences. Even in the
1930’s people were joining the growth of undersea cables,
aeronautical passenger and mail services and radio as means of
“shrinking the world”.

From the late 1950’s and onwards most major countries and many
minor ones operated powerful shortwave broadcasting services. Some
were established for propaganda and others were what is now considered
as soft diplomacy. Music was a great leveller for people and even
political antagonists would be playing music from their supposed
enemies as a way of grabbing and holding attention.

The value of Radio Australia to introducing our life and
perspectives was well recognised as it had a non-partisan policy of
providing news and information and it sought to help people in
neighbouring countries. Weather reports, farming tips and English
language lessons were all grist for the mill until a few years ago
when the plug was pulled. As evidence of its effectiveness, shortly
after closing its services several of the frequencies that RA used
were adopted by one of the Asian Tigers as their own.

In this past week we have seen the current administration pull the
plug on one of the most well recognised international broadcasters
when the USA locked staff out of the Voice of America studios and
offices and placed the programming on automatic.

My introduction to radio was strengthened by tuning around the dial
and listening to these various broadcasters and finding other things
like marine traffic, police networks and becoming intrigued by amateur
radio, particularly 40m. From that I went on to join the WIA as an
Associate Member, Short Wave Listener and eventually I became a full
member.

Shortwave is still with us and along with scanning of VHF and UHF,
it makes a great introduction to the hobby of radio.

I’m Geoff Emery VK4ZPP and that’s what I think….
how about you?

(vk4zpp@...)


-------------------------------------------------------------------*

Social Scene


VK4 - Redcliffe & Districts Radio Club REDFEST April 12 at
Deception Bay North State School. (wiacal)

VK - WIA AGM May 3 - 4. Hosted by Bendigo Amateur Radio & Electronics
Club and their Technology Expo (vk3gtv/wiacal)

VK - Australian Ladies Amateur Radio Association 50th anniversary
Glen Waverly July 26 president@... (vk2ayl)

VK4 - GOLD COAST AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY – 2025 HAMFEST NOV 9 (vk4dmh)
Country Paradise Parklands 231 Beaudesert Nerang Road.




TO SUPPLY QNEWS ITEMS:-

Send SCRIPT to qnews@...
send audio to


If you would like to submit club news items for inclusion in
QNEWS broadcasts, please email your item in text to:-

qnews@...

THEN submit audio:-

To submit audio email qnews@... and ask for the current
password then read "how to submit items" in the weekly news page on




Remember the sooner you submit audio material the more the likelihood
of it being broadcast in the very next edition QNEWS. Each item will
only be broadcast once, if you want a couple of mentions, please
submit different slants to keep your event 'fresh .‘

A reminder when supplying HamFest info we obviously can't
plug DEALS from commercial traders "on air", but we at the
WIA will put your supporters 'goods' in this text edition
"no worries."

We will not give blatant 'plugs' to raffles, be it raffles
at the event or "on-line".


Subscribe: [email protected]
Group Owner: [email protected]
Help: [email protected]

TO CEASE GETTING THIS EMAILED SERVICE:-
Unsubscribe: [email protected]



WHO LISTENS TO RADIO?
WHEN IS NEWS READY TO DOWNLOAD?
Join the REBROADCASTERS List?
(subscribe for an automatic feed.)
Email to vk1wia-broadcasters-join@...
from the email account that you wish the emails to go to.









-----------------------------ENDS------------------------------------*

QNEWS MARCH 16 2025 - VK4 ON AIR

--------------------------------------------------------------------*

DID YOUR CLUB TELL ANYONE ABOUT AMATEUR RADIO THIS WEEK?
REDLIFFE SUNSHINE COAST AND DARLING DOWNS DID.

--------------------------------------------------------------------*

THE FOLLOWING NEWS CAN BE HEARD FROM OUR AUDIO SERVICE
Available in Audio RIGHT NOW

QNEWS thanks to Tony VK7AX can be found on
www.vk7ax.id.au/wianews/
180.150.53.59/wianews/
QNEWS audio ready to download thanks to Brendan VK4BLP from
www.wiaq.org.au

Also search QNEWS (make sure it IS the Ham Radio QNEWS)
in your podcast.



--------------------------------------------------------------------*


VK4 SILENT KEYS @ WIA YEAR FROM MAY 6 2024

SK CALL SK NAME DATE ADVISED BY

VK4PS ALAN STEPHENSON 23/05/24 (vk4zz)
VK4FANG ROGER HARNDEN 22/07/24 (vk4zz)
X/VK4TC Terry Harding Cain 30/07/24 (vk4zz)
VK4CWJ GORDON WEBSTER July 2024 (vk4vp)
VK4SWR JOE SEBAST5IANI 03/07/24 (vk4zz)
VK4TE ALEX McDONALD 27/09/24 (vk4ra)
VK4NL NOEL DESJARDINS 16/10/24 (vk4vp)
VK4RG RON GRANDISON 22/12/24 (vk4hit)
VK4NOE FRED WHITE 29/01/25 (vk4eht)



Fred White VK4NOE became a silent Key on 29th January 2025.

Fred was a member of the Mount Isa and Districts Amateur Radio
Group when it was formed in 1979. He was known around Australia
as an active member of the Royal Navel Amateur Radio Society.
He was a regular participant of the RNARS net held on 15 meters
on Sunday mornings in the early 80's.

Fred passed away January 29 in Townsville hospital after a short illness.

(vk4eht)



---------------------------------------------------------------------*


Redcliffe and Districts radio club.


Greetings from the Redcliffe & Districts Radio Club VK4RC.

Robert Thomson VK4TFN here.

REDFEST 25 "Adventures on HF"
will be held on the 12th April 2025.
Gates open at 9:00AM.

Our new venue will be
The Deception Bay North State School,
Old Bay Road, Deception Bay.

Our new venue is filling up with vendors.
There's only a few tables left.
Hurry and book your table.
Don't miss out.

Tables are $15 each
For table bookings email:
redfest@...

Don't forget your raffle tickets for the ICOM IC-7300.
It has HF and 6m.
Tickets $5. Buy as many tickets as you want.

redclifferadioclub.org.au/redfest

Bye for now and 73's from
The Redcliffe & Districts Radio Club VK4RC.





DARLING DOWNS RADIO CLUB

vk4wid@...

Welcome to QNEWS for Sunday 16 March. I'm John, Secretary of the Darling
Downs Radio Club and what a week it's been. And who expected such a
confluence of events that all demonstrated how useful Amateur Radio could
be in a time of stress and emergency? As this segment goes to air, the
John Moyle Memorial Field Day will be in its final block. The field day
celebrates readiness and willingness to operate portable, without
connection to mains power, and to provide training for emergency
conditions. And like the universe playing a massive prank,
ex-tropical-cyclone Alfred showed us all how exactly ready we would be to
deal with an actual natural event, a week before the competition and at
least one WICEN training exercise had to be cancelled while we dealt with
the civil emergency.

Alfred gave our club a chance to experiment; we tested out a new location
and for the first time ran the meeting interactively over the net. It can
only get better from here.

And we had an opportunity to restructure the management committee with
some appointments to backfill vacant positions. Check that out on the
website: go to the Committee page, to see the rogues gallery and meet the
leadership team. You'll probably get a few surprises.

With Alfred and its aftermath now a diminishing memory, let's have a look
at what's coming up in the next few weeks for Darling Downs Radio Club.

The second weekend in April is going to be exceptionally busy for members
and guests of the club.

Many of us will be travelling to Redcliffe for Redfest on Saturday 12th of
April, so we have shifted our regular informal lunch to Sunday 13 April.
The location is still to be decided, but will probably be somewhere in the
Lockyer Valley and will provide an opportunity for those members and
guests who can't make it to an event on a Saturday. So definitely Sunday
13th April for the lunch and we'll let you know where shortly - it will be
on the website in the Upcoming Events entry on the home page.

The following day Monday 14 April is our monthly member meeting. If
you've ever been on a plane or been booked for speeding, you know that
RADAR is a pretty important technology. You might even know that night
vision has very little to do with carrots. But what about LIDAR, a
technology crucial to successful operation of self-driving vehicles?

At our next member meeting on 14 April, Cameron VK4CSS will be talking
about both RADAR and LIDAR. He'll focus on how RADAR and LIDAR are used
for speed measurement, including pre operation checks, modes of operation,
how to use RADAR and LIDAR, and most importantly Cam will tell you when
RADAR and LIDAR experience error and won't work. Yes, who knew: these
technologies are not infallible. Keep an eye on our website for updates
to the warm-body location, and whether we will be streaming the meeting
live for those who live a bit further away.

Those dates again: 12, 13 and 14 April.

Finally a tip for this coming Tuesday, 18 March, for anyone who is
involved in community broadcasting, or is interested in protecting an IT
network. Technorama, the group that looks after the technologists who
support community broadcasting is running a webinar on cybersecurity.
It's this coming Tuesday at 1730 Queensland time, 1830 Oz Daylight time.
The challenges of networking and cyber-protection certainly apply to hams,
and you're welcome to join the session and learn. Register at


All the information I just covered is available on our website,
and if you missed any info or want to clarify
then get an email to someone who cares: secretary@... or use the
contact form on the website ().

Until next week, 73 from John VK4JPM for the Darling Downs Radio Club.





SUNSHINE COAST

Maleny VK4RSC 146.850 and 438.075 VK4RSN 53.7
Noosa Heads VK4RSL 146.825 and 438.175

News from the Sunshine Coast Amateur Radio Club, this is Gordon VK4VP
for those who may have missed this last week due to TC Alfred.

SCARC is having a CarBoot sale on March 22nd at the clubrooms 85 Godfreys
rd. Bli Bli.
Entry and traders tables are free but we do require bookings to secure a
traders spot.

It will be located in the grounds of the clubroom so if you need shade
apart from the few large trees, you will have to organise something
yourself.

There will be Egg and Bacon rolls and drinks for sale as well as some
great bargains to be had.

Traders can setup from 8am and general entry from 9am

Details of how to book a traders spot are on our website - vk4wis.org


--------------------------------------------------------------------*


Hello, I’m Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and I’ve been thinking.

For so many of us it is good riddance to Alfred, the cyclone that
was. For many more it is the harrowing task of saving what is left and
disposing of the too badly damaged and finding the path back to
normality.

We were fortunate that the drama that unfolded as the low pressure
system deluged the coast was kept away by the forces of nature or the
whim of the gods, I don’t know which. What I did know is that whilst
Hervey Bay coastal suburbs was swamped we, only some 30 kilometres
away, had sunshine and blue sky.

I mention this only to show that the effects of this weather system
were so hard to predict and the ability to prepare was that much
harder.

Domestically, we had obtained another larger capacity generator for
those times when the mains drop out and I had been preparing it for
service prior to the entrance of Cyclone Albert. As it turned out, the
engine needed some replacement parts which I had sourced from on-line
vendors as I couldn’t track down a local dealership for the brand.
As the people of south east Queensland honed their listening skills
trying to get a sense of the forecast track and possible destination,
I waited and watched the tracking information on my parts delivery.

It was ironic that my preparedness ended up being arrested when the
delivery services seemed to halt processing on Wednesday with Albert
still expected to create havoc somewhere between Bribie Island and the
Gold Coast. Now having dodged the proverbial bullet the parts have
been delivered and our new but second hand generator is finally
commissioned into service.

I suppose the point is that when we see the need to prepare for
potential emergencies, we should press on and complete the jobs as
delay could spell disaster. We were lucky this time but always there
will be a next time to deal with some drama and probably it will be
weather related.

People in the radio community can now re-erect their sky-hooks
without fear of gale force winds and the lucky ones can enjoy the John
Moyle activities of this weekend with hopefully more welcoming weather
than most of us have had.

To our many listeners and others who follow on video, text or
podcast, I wish you success in your recovery efforts if you have
suffered during the cyclone and for all of us may the companionship
that amateur radio fosters continue and spread. May the bands be open
and the signals strong.


I’m Geoff Emery VK4ZPP and that’s what I think….
how about you?

(vk4zpp@...)


-------------------------------------------------------------------*

Social Scene

VK4 - SUNSHINE COAST CAR BOOT SALE MARCH 22 see vk4wis.org (vk4vp)

VK4 - Redcliffe & Districts Radio Club REDFEST April 12 at
Deception Bay North State School. (wiacal)

VK - WIA AGM May 3 - 4. Hosted by Bendigo Amateur Radio & Electronics
Club and their Technology Expo (vk3gtv/wiacal)

VK - Australian Ladies Amateur Radio Association 50th anniversary
Glen Waverly July 26 president@... (vk2ayl)

VK4 - GOLD COAST AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY – 2025 HAMFEST NOV 9 (vk4dmh)
Country Paradise Parklands 231 Beaudesert Nerang Road.




TO SUPPLY QNEWS ITEMS:-

Send SCRIPT to qnews@...
send audio to


If you would like to submit club news items for inclusion in
QNEWS broadcasts, please email your item in text to:-

qnews@...

THEN submit audio:-

To submit audio email qnews@... and ask for the current
password then read "how to submit items" in the weekly news page on




Remember the sooner you submit audio material the more the likelihood
of it being broadcast in the very next edition QNEWS. Each item will
only be broadcast once, if you want a couple of mentions, please
submit different slants to keep your event 'fresh .‘

A reminder when supplying HamFest info we obviously can't
plug DEALS from commercial traders "on air", but we at the
WIA will put your supporters 'goods' in this text edition
"no worries."

We will not give blatant 'plugs' to raffles, be it raffles
at the event or "on-line".


Subscribe: [email protected]
Group Owner: [email protected]
Help: [email protected]

TO CEASE GETTING THIS EMAILED SERVICE:-
Unsubscribe: [email protected]



WHO LISTENS TO RADIO?
WHEN IS NEWS READY TO DOWNLOAD?
Join the REBROADCASTERS List?
(subscribe for an automatic feed.)
Email to vk1wia-broadcasters-join@...
from the email account that you wish the emails to go to.









-----------------------------ENDS------------------------------------*

QNEWS MARCH 9 2025 - VK4 ON AIR

--------------------------------------------------------------------*

DID YOUR CLUB TELL ANYONE ABOUT AMATEUR RADIO THIS WEEK?
SUNSHINE COAST, DARLING DOWNS and TOWNSVILLE DID.

--------------------------------------------------------------------*

THE FOLLOWING NEWS CAN BE HEARD FROM OUR AUDIO SERVICE
Available in Audio RIGHT NOW

QNEWS thanks to Tony VK7AX can be found on
www.vk7ax.id.au/wianews/
180.150.53.59/wianews/
QNEWS audio ready to download thanks to Brendan VK4BLP from
www.wiaq.org.au

Also search QNEWS (make sure it IS the Ham Radio QNEWS)
in your podcast.



--------------------------------------------------------------------*


VK4 SILENT KEYS @ WIA YEAR FROM MAY 6 2024

SK CALL SK NAME DATE ADVISED BY

VK4PS ALAN STEPHENSON 23/05/24 (vk4zz)
VK4FANG ROGER HARNDEN 22/07/24 (vk4zz)
X/VK4TC Terry Harding Cain 30/07/24 (vk4zz)
VK4CWJ GORDON WEBSTER July 2024 (vk4vp)
VK4SWR JOE SEBAST5IANI 03/07/24 (vk4zz)
VK4TE ALEX McDONALD 27/09/24 (vk4ra)
VK4NL NOEL DESJARDINS 16/10/24 (vk4vp)
VK4RG RON GRANDISON 22/12/24 (vk4hit)

---------------------------------------------------------------------*


SUNSHINE COAST

Maleny VK4RSC 146.850 and 438.075 VK4RSN 53.7
Noosa Heads VK4RSL 146.825 and 438.175

SCARC is having a car boot sale on March 22nd at the clubrooms 85 Godfreys
rd Bli Bli. Entry and traders tables are free but we do require bookings to
secure a traders spot.

It will be located in the grounds of the clubroom so if you need shade apart
from the few large trees, you will have to organise something yourself.
There will be Egg and Bacon rolls and drinks for sale as well as some great
bargains to be had.

Traders can setup from 8am and general entry from 9am

Details of how to book a traders spot are on our website - vk4wis.org

(Gordon VK4VP)





DARLING DOWNS RADIO CLUB

vk4wid@...

Hi - I'm John, Secretary of the Darling Downs Radio Club and this is QNews
for Sunday 9 March.

I'm sure you all know the phrase "we live in interesting times", and this
time is spectacularly interesting. QNews is assembled on the Thursday
before broadcast, and written prior to that... so as I record this segment
pretty much everything I say is going to be a best guess.

Cyclone Alfred is already being felt through preparation for an event with
which many of our clan have no experience, and with potential outcomes
that nobody can predict beyond likelihood.

So the first mantra for today is: whether or not we can predict an event
and its outcomes, an event only becomes a disaster when preparation is
inadequate, or the situation totally overwhelms resources available to
cope with what's happening. The key is planning.

Most of what I say from here on is going to be speculative if you're
listening on Sunday the 9th, but if you get the text edition that is
distributed on Friday you could be ahead of whatever curve is being thrown
at us.

At this stage, the club meeting on Monday 10 March will go ahead. Simon
VK4TSC and Alan VK4AL from the Brisbane WICEN group are coming along to
talk about emergency preparedness and WICEN: what WICEN is; what WICEN is
not; how WICEN operates in our region; what you'd learn from being
involved with WICEN, and how you can get involved. All great topics and
extremely relevant to dealing with emergencies.

It's still possible that Simon and Alan won't be able to make it from
Brisbane, in which case we will either have a natter night at the
Toowoomba Library Meeting Room, or we will send an email on Monday
afternoon to cancel the meeting. The home page of our website will be
updated with latest status, so keep a check. Assuming of course that we
can still update the page.

Still in in the nature of preparedness, next weekend is the scheduled John
Moyle Memorial Field Day event for 2025. Our club is planning to operate
in 6-hour mode from the rear of the Danish Flower Art complex on New
England Highway just north of Highfields. The rules require that all
operations - including battery recharging - be portable and entirely away
from power-points and permanent wiring. If you've never done a John
Moyle Field Day, here's an interesting opportunity - in the aftermath of
Cyclone Alfred - to see how portable operation can work. We will let you
know in the coming week how to get involved, what's happening and indeed
if our participation is still going ahead.

A forward look at the diary. Our next Member Meeting will be on Monday 14
April and the topic is RADAR and LIDAR, and how those are used in mobile
situations. Yes, two words that strike fear into the hearts of many on
the roads, and two technologies that you might want to understand a bit
better. How do they actually work, and when don't they work? All will
be revealed. That's the second Monday of the month, which is 14 April,
just ahead of Easter.

And finally: watch this space for a change of date and possibly venue for
our next club lunch. The normal date clashes with Redfest and we think
you shouldn't try to be in two places at once. The lunch will probably
move to Sunday 13 April, and we will discuss that at the meeting tomorrow.

Cyclone Alfred is expected to hit The Downs around the same time that you
would hear this on-air. Please stay safe and don't take risks. Keep an
eye on our club website for meeting updates, and drop a line to
Secretary@... if we can help.

With any luck, internet and phone will still be up, but if not... there's
always Amateur Radio!

Until next week, 73 from John VK4JPM for the Darling Downs Radio Club.





TOWNSVILLE

vk4wit@...
4773 1196 or 0408 001142
po box 333 Garbutt East, QLD 4814
www.tarc.org.au

TARC did the 2025 Defence Welcome to Townsville Expo.

1st March, the birthday of both the Australian Army and the Royal Australian
Navy saw the running of the Defence Welcome to Townsville Expo, organised by
the Directorate of Regional Engagement, Defence Member and Family Support,
Joint Support Services Division, Military Personnel Organisation, Department
of Defence.

The Welcome Expos are held in communities where Defence members are
stationed and have been held in Townsville for many years. The Townsville
Amateur Radio Club Inc. has participated in many of the Expos under the
leadership of RAN Veteran Iain Morrison VK4IGM to fly the Amateur Radio flag
in the Defence Community. The 2025 Expo was supposed to have been held on
Saturday 8th February but had to be deferred due to Defence personnel being
deployed in North and Far North Queensland to support relief efforts during
the Monsoon Weather Event. With Cyclone Alfred safely out at sea (for
Townsville) and with most Defence personnel back in town, the Expo was held
at Townsville Stadium, Murray with excellent weather and good attendance
from exhibitors and Defence families.

theTARCinc was there in strength with fearless leader Iain/VK4IGM assisted
by Richard/VK4PQV, Dave/VK4HDG, Lyndall/VK4ZM and Gavin/VK4ZZ setting up at
7-30am with battery operated audio-visual display, a working HF/VHF/UHF
transceiver, a HF Loop antenna on tripod, a hands on send your name in Morse
Code setup, a live demonstration of Steve/VK4GFR Kiwi-SDR remote controlled
receiver, pamphlets and give away copies of Amateur Radio Magazine and
Back-scatter. The team were joined by Wallaby Bob/VK4WJ and were kept busy
catching up with members of other community organisations (Flinders Region
Girl Guides have already grabbed us for JOTA) and fielding enquiries from
Defence families. The TARC stand was visited by Grant/VK4GWA who was
involved with running the Townsville Aero Modellers stand just down the
lane, Marion and Joe/VK4AM (a RAAF veteran), Mark/VK4TSV, Jo and Ben/VK4YT,
Peter/VK4PJH and Sammi and Snow/VK4ME (an Australian Army veteran) and we
visited Nigel/VK4NAR - The Sallyman - for the occasional coffee refill. We
also took turns in going to see Iain/VK4IGM driving a Tuba for Townsville
Brass.

We were visited by the youth leader of Florence Bay Rovers - they are keen
to become radio qualified during 2025.

The Midday closing time came around too soon and packing up only took half
an hour!

The hams finished up and were well satisfied that the presence of Amateur
Radio was well re-energised amongst the Defence community and community
groups in the Townsville region.

Iain/VK4IGM thanks everyone who assisted with the Expo display and hopes for
a good roll-up for the early 2026 event.

Prepare for lots of rain and a few days imbibing in your favourite ale and
nibblies hoping there is not too much wind and the floods go down quickly
cheers fm the bleary og


--------------------------------------------------------------------*

Hello, I’m Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and I’ve been thinking.

It is just weeks ago that areas to the north were fighting the force
of nature with homes flooded and roads cut. Only last week I commented
on the vague pattern that was the path of Cyclone Alfred and wished
him away. This week the south of Queensland and northern New South
Wales are feeling the brunt of what a cyclone can provide and we have
no assurance that the system is moving far away or dissipating any
time soon.

My earliest memories of weather like this are of being stranded on
the farm that my parents owned and getting the thrill as military
aircraft flew low over the paddocks and dropped fodder to stock on
adjoining farms. Back then, the rescue boat was a sturdy wooden vessel
propelled by about half a dozen oarsmen whose task was to best the
raging brown water to offer assistance. Local radio amateurs used
shortwave radios to pass messages to and from the flood bound areas. I
was too young to know that they were involved, then.

These days the communities depend on the services of emergency
workers and volunteers and the boats tend to be metal and powered by
petrol engines. A smaller crew means more goods or passengers can be
taken aboard. Radio amateurs may assist on an a hoc basis or some are
involved in local disaster support but the ubiquitous mobile phone is
thought by many to provide communications and safety.

As we have personally experienced, when the cell service runs out of
battery power people can be without communications for days until
battery charging is provided by emergency generators or re-connection
of mains electricity. It was with a certain feeling of satisfaction
that I watched news reports of retailers running out of generators as
the seriousness of the impending threat dawned on people.

It is perhaps too late to be reminding listeners about the service
an amateur station can provide if there is preparation for conditions
like the passage of a cyclone. However the whole situation should
provide a lesson in preparedness on personal, domestic and community
levels.

As we can’t be sure of where Alfred will travel before finally
blowing itself out, we should be encouraging others to be properly
prepared in the next few days and then look over what did and didn’t
work for them.

For all those directly effected I trust you stay safe and the
disruption to you and your friends and family is not too great.

I personally know many amateurs live in the path of the cyclone or
its area of influence. I hope your antennas came down when you wanted
them and not when the gales hit. I trust you kept your food fresh and
the lights stay on.

Best wishes from the QNews Team.


I’m Geoff Emery VK4ZPP and that’s what I think….how about you?

(vk4zpp@...)


-------------------------------------------------------------------*

Social Scene


VK4 - Redcliffe & Districts Radio Club REDFEST April 12 at
Deception Bay North State School. (wiacal)

VK - WIA AGM May 3 - 4. Hosted by Bendigo Amateur Radio & Electronics
Club and their Technology Expo (vk3gtv/wiacal)

VK - Australian Ladies Amateur Radio Association 50th anniversary
Glen Waverly July 26 president@... (vk2ayl)

VK4 - GOLD COAST AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY – 2025 HAMFEST NOV 9 (vk4dmh)
Country Paradise Parklands 231 Beaudesert Nerang Road.




TO SUPPLY QNEWS ITEMS:-

Send SCRIPT to qnews@...
send audio to


If you would like to submit club news items for inclusion in
QNEWS broadcasts, please email your item in text to:-

qnews@...

THEN submit audio:-

To submit audio email qnews@... and ask for the current
password then read "how to submit items" in the weekly news page on




Remember the sooner you submit audio material the more the likelihood
of it being broadcast in the very next edition QNEWS. Each item will
only be broadcast once, if you want a couple of mentions, please
submit different slants to keep your event 'fresh .‘

A reminder when supplying HamFest info we obviously can't
plug DEALS from commercial traders "on air", but we at the
WIA will put your supporters 'goods' in this text edition
"no worries."

We will not give blatant 'plugs' to raffles, be it raffles
at the event or "on-line".


Subscribe: [email protected]
Group Owner: [email protected]
Help: [email protected]

TO CEASE GETTING THIS EMAILED SERVICE:-
Unsubscribe: [email protected]



WHO LISTENS TO RADIO?
WHEN IS NEWS READY TO DOWNLOAD?
Join the REBROADCASTERS List?
(subscribe for an automatic feed.)
Email to vk1wia-broadcasters-join@...
from the email account that you wish the emails to go to.









-----------------------------ENDS------------------------------------*

QNEWS MRCH 2 2025 - VK4 ON AIR

--------------------------------------------------------------------*

DID YOUR CLUB TELL ANYONE ABOUT AMATEUR RADIO THIS WEEK?


--------------------------------------------------------------------*

THE FOLLOWING NEWS CAN BE HEARD FROM OUR AUDIO SERVICE
Available in Audio RIGHT NOW

QNEWS thanks to Tony VK7AX can be found on
www.vk7ax.id.au/wianews/
180.150.53.59/wianews/
QNEWS audio ready to download thanks to Brendan VK4BLP from
www.wiaq.org.au

Also search QNEWS (make sure it IS the Ham Radio QNEWS)
in your podcast.



--------------------------------------------------------------------*


VK4 SILENT KEYS @ WIA YEAR FROM MAY 6 2024

SK CALL SK NAME DATE ADVISED BY

VK4PS ALAN STEPHENSON 23/05/24 (vk4zz)
VK4FANG ROGER HARNDEN 22/07/24 (vk4zz)
X/VK4TC Terry Harding Cain 30/07/24 (vk4zz)
VK4CWJ GORDON WEBSTER July 2024 (vk4vp)
VK4SWR JOE SEBAST5IANI 03/07/24 (vk4zz)
VK4TE ALEX McDONALD 27/09/24 (vk4ra)
VK4NL NOEL DESJARDINS 16/10/24 (vk4vp)
VK4RG RON GRANDISON 22/12/24 (vk4hit)

---------------------------------------------------------------------*


DARLING DOWNS RADIO CLUB

vk4wid@...

Hi - welcome to Sunday 2 March, the start of Autumn and already we're half
way to winter. Welcome to QNEWS - I'm John VK4JPM, Secretary of the
Darling Downs Radio Club, and here's news from the club for this week.

First, to everyone who isn't a member of a club: this broadcast comes to
you because clubs exist. Without those clubs - and the WIA is a club of
sorts - much of what's good about our hobby simply wouldn't happen. So:
support your club. One simple way to do that and show your support is:
just be a member. If your membership has lapse: sign up. Then get
involved. Trust me, it’s worth the effort. It will come back to reward
you in spades.

Second: everyone is welcome at DDRC events, and if you're a member of
another club, why not drop round to one of our meetings or join a net? We
encourage non-members too. Seriously: what can we do to help you enjoy
the hobby more, and can you help us do a better job for our members?

So: what's happening that's exciting and involving? Quite a bit in the
repeater and net space.

The work **is** now completed on the VK4RTQ UHF repeater/. RTQ UHF is
both running on -7Mhz offset and is linked with the other repeaters in the
group: VK4RZA and VK4RZB with a few more coming. The online
browser-based Repeaterbook listing now shows correct parameters for the
repeaters, but it's taking a little while for the updates to be pushed
through to the Apple and Android apps.

Don't forget the VHF and UHF nets:
* 2m VK4WID club net on Sunday mornings at 1000 via VK4RDD 146.750
* 70cm Revival net Monday evenings at 1930 on VK4RTQ UHF 438.025 MHz
(with the -7megs offset and net controller Don VK4FAX
* 2m New Horizons net Tuesday evenings at 1930 on VK4RTQ VHF and relays:
147.050 on the Downs

Details of frequencies, offsets, CTCSS, times, and all the other stuff is
on our website.

Other events: 8th of March for the Hip Pocket Challenge WICEN event at
Southbrook, and the club is assisting the Brisbane WICEN group with that.

10th of March for our next club meeting at 1900 local in the Toowoomba
Library meeting rooms: topic is again WICEN, with Simon Chantrill along to
help get us across what WICEN is and isn't. Oh, and we're going to draw
a mud map of how the repeater interconnections work, so don't miss that
meeting.

Saturday 15 March sees the club out at the Danish Flower Market for the
John Moyle Field Day. We'll be doing the six hour option, hope to do lots
of contacts in that time. and there will be plenty for all comers to do.
Did you know that the club has a portable radio trailer? No? Come and
find out what's in it. Saturday 15 March.

As always, all this info is on our website at ddrci.org.au, and the WICEN
info is also on brisbanewicen.org.au. If you can't find what you're
looking for, use the club's website contact page to get in touch. And
membership is half price right now, so what better time to renew or become
a member for the first time.

Until next week, 73 from John, VK4JPM for the DDRCi.





GYMPIE COMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTRONICS GROUP
wia.org.au/clubs/vk4/GympieCommunicationsAndElectronicsGroup/

This is Cath VK4CCR, secretary for Gympie Communications & Electronics Group
with what we believe is some exciting news for our club.

One of our members Dave Robson VK4FO is now an Amateur Radio Authorised
assessor, all his details can be found on the ACMA website.
Now THAT we have an assessor associated with our club, this will be a great
opportunity for those local to our area to get involved in Amateur radio,
learning about electronics and chatting on the radio.

If anyone would like any further information, please see our contact page
on our club website gceginc.org.au

73 Cath VK4CCR





VK4 SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- WICEN


And now some news from WICEN Queensland, I'm John VK4JPM. Our focus this
year will be numerous horse endurance rides and one walking/running event.
The first horse ride for the year is coming up next weekend at Southbrook,
followed by Kilkivan two weeks later, and the Easter ride in support of
Far-A-Way, out of Imbil Showgrounds over 4 days of Easter. Many other
events follow. You can find details on the website at Brisbanewicen.org.

Did you know there are regular Queensland-wide WICEN nets on HF on a
Sunday morning? Frequencies and times can be found on our website at
brisbanewicen.org.au, and scroll down until you find “Present and Upcoming
Events” on the left hand side. Then go to the current month.


Due to the vagaries of propagation the currently used frequency has
different net controllers in two different areas of the state to assist
communications, and relay stations are involved as necessary.


A 30m frequency is currently under evaluation for consistency of
communications, and a monthly room is being organised for those that need
to communicate information that either couldn't be done on the net or has
come to light after the net.


Plus a chat room is also under investigation for all other times.


As changes are made, detail will be added to the website which is in the
slow process of being brought up to date.


For more details, check the Brisbane WICEN groups website at
brisbanewicen.org.au.

(Simon VK4TSC, Secretary of the Brisbane WICEN group via vk4jpm)

--------------------------------------------------------------------*

Hello, I’m Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and I’ve been thinking.

One of the things that we naturally keep an eye open for is the
weather and this past week has given many of us a bigger excuse than
usual. The forecasters have been running prolific numbers of
simulations in their software and still Cyclone Alfred has been
very successful in its game of hide and seek. Even now there is
uncertainty as to the final track it will take and how it will effect
us.

Almost like a practice run, last week, we were enjoying settling
down for some relaxation in front of the one eyed monster, as the TV
was once known when the household and the whole neighbourhood plunged
into darkness. There was a scramble for the torch and items to take
away lack of power were connected. It is important in our household as
there are medical issues to be taken care off and this is the priority
one.

As I tried to connect a device to a power bank/ jump starter, there
was a flash of light from the led indicators and then nothing. A
standby device from an overseas vendor had gone flat just sitting in
its carry case. Now I have devices that are powered by lithium
chemistry batteries and once charged they seem to have a lifespan
greater than an elephant’s memory.

I find it convenient to make special purchases on-line as quite
often I can strike a good bargain and the goods are delivered to the
door. That drive to a local retailer and return saves not only fuel
but also time away from home.

We all know that sourcing components from not well known sources can
be fraught with problems not the least of which is counterfeiting.
Slow delivery times and high freight costs can also be an issue. Then
as my experience with the power bank has shown, you can end up with
something which is not up to standard when you come to use it. It was
an expensive way to get a USB wall-wart charger and I certainly
won’t be carrying it in the car in case of a flat battery.

Like most of us, I look to get things for a fair price and a bargain
is very welcome too. Similarly I much prefer to shop with local
suppliers because they have a lot invested in their business and their
profit helps us all through their spending, wages and taxes. It might
be the thing that I need but the benefits extend much wider when we
deal with local businesses.

One major supplier has a magnificent range of stock in their massive
catalogue but they have a couple of price structures, one for trade
and one for retail and by the time I dive in, surface and get my
breath back again, it is quicker and easier to buy off the
international auction sites.

There is a lesson in there somewhere.

I know my backup power is working and I hope that we all can safely
wave goodbye to Alfred.


I’m Geoff Emery VK4ZPP and that’s what I think….how about you?

(vk4zpp@...)


-------------------------------------------------------------------*

Social Scene


VK4 - Redcliffe & Districts Radio Club REDFEST April 12 at
Deception Bay North State School. (wiacal)

VK - WIA AGM May 3 - 4. Hosted by Bendigo Amateur Radio & Electronics
Club and their Technology Expo (vk3gtv/wiacal)

VK - Australian Ladies Amateur Radio Association 50th anniversary
Glen Waverly July 26 president@... (vk2ayl)

VK4 - GOLD COAST AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY – 2025 HAMFEST NOV 9 (vk4dmh)
Country Paradise Parklands 231 Beaudesert Nerang Road.




TO SUPPLY QNEWS ITEMS:-

Send SCRIPT to qnews@...
send audio to


If you would like to submit club news items for inclusion in
QNEWS broadcasts, please email your item in text to:-

qnews@...

THEN submit audio:-

To submit audio email qnews@... and ask for the current
password then read "how to submit items" in the weekly news page on




Remember the sooner you submit audio material the more the likelihood
of it being broadcast in the very next edition QNEWS. Each item will
only be broadcast once, if you want a couple of mentions, please
submit different slants to keep your event 'fresh .‘

A reminder when supplying HamFest info we obviously can't
plug DEALS from commercial traders "on air", but we at the
WIA will put your supporters 'goods' in this text edition
"no worries."

We will not give blatant 'plugs' to raffles, be it raffles
at the event or "on-line".


Subscribe: [email protected]
Group Owner: [email protected]
Help: [email protected]

TO CEASE GETTING THIS EMAILED SERVICE:-
Unsubscribe: [email protected]



WHO LISTENS TO RADIO?
WHEN IS NEWS READY TO DOWNLOAD?
Join the REBROADCASTERS List?
(subscribe for an automatic feed.)
Email to vk1wia-broadcasters-join@...
from the email account that you wish the emails to go to.









-----------------------------ENDS------------------------------------*

QNEWS FEBRUARY 23 2025 - VK4 ON AIR

--------------------------------------------------------------------*

DID YOUR CLUB TELL ANYONE ABOUT AMATEUR RADIO THIS WEEK?
DALING DOWNS and BRISBANE AREA WICEN DID.

--------------------------------------------------------------------*

THE FOLLOWING NEWS CAN BE HEARD FROM OUR AUDIO SERVICE
Available in Audio RIGHT NOW

QNEWS thanks to Tony VK7AX can be found on
www.vk7ax.id.au/wianews/
180.150.53.59/wianews/

QNEWS audio ready to download thanks to Brendan VK4BLP from
www.wiaq.org.au

Also search QNEWS (make sure it IS the Ham Radio QNEWS)
in your podcast.



--------------------------------------------------------------------*


VK4 SILENT KEYS @ WIA YEAR FROM MAY 6 2024

SK CALL SK NAME DATE ADVISED BY

VK4PS ALAN STEPHENSON 23/05/24 (vk4zz)
VK4FANG ROGER HARNDEN 22/07/24 (vk4zz)
X/VK4TC Terry Harding Cain 30/07/24 (vk4zz)
VK4CWJ GORDON WEBSTER July 2024 (vk4vp)
VK4SWR JOE SEBAST5IANI 03/07/24 (vk4zz)
VK4TE ALEX McDONALD 27/09/24 (vk4ra)
VK4NL NOEL DESJARDINS 16/10/24 (vk4vp)
VK4RG RON GRANDISON 22/12/24 (vk4hit)

---------------------------------------------------------------------*


DARLING DOWNS RADIO CLUB

vk4wid@...



I'm John VK4JPM, Secretary of the Darling Downs Radio Club, and it’s
Sunday 23rd of February. Here's what's coming up for the club over the
next few weeks - and it's a packed program.

On Saturday the 8th of March The Brisbane WICEN group is assisting with
the Toowoomba Endurance Horse Riders Association's Hip Pocket Challenge.
That's being held in Southbrook, south west of Toowoomba and WICEN is
providing checkpoint assistance. The event runs from 1400-midnight on the
8th, and club members and guests are invited to come along on the day and
find out what running a WICEN event is all about. We'll give you more
information next week, but the brisbanewicen.org.au site has a bit of
info. And while you're there you can read all about last year's event.

We’ll continue the theme on 10 March with our monthly member meeting.
Simon Chantrill VK4TSC from Brisbane Area WICEN group is joining us, hot
off the heels of the weekend event. Station readiness is vitally
important, and amateur radio operators have so much to offer when there's
a real emergency. Simon will give us background to WICEN and what it is -
and, indeed, what WICEN is not. For those who didn't make it to the Hip
Pocket event, he'll do a bit of a debrief, and talk about some of the
upcoming events in our region - and tell you how you could get involved.

Finally, on 15 March the club is going bush for the John Moyle Field Day.
Actually, we'll be in the relatively comfy confines of the Danish Flower
Market complex just outside Highfields, but we'll be fully compliant with
the John Moyle Field Day rules: the aim is to operate fully portable and
literally in the field, which is training for emergency situations - as
well as the opportunity to get an award for the club. Plan to come along
and help us: we'll be doing the six hour option, and there will be plenty
for all comers to do. Did you know that the club has a portable radio
trailer? No? Come and find out what's in it. Saturday 15 March.

And just ensure that Saturday 10 May is in your diary before there's a
clash with something much less important. More info to come, but it's the
date of our first annual Club Fox Hunt and BBQ. Fox Hunt will start from
a secret location, and finish at another secret location with - you
guessed it: a barbecue.

As always, all this info is on our website at ddrci.org.au, and the WICEN
info is on brisbanewicen.org.au. If you can't find what you're looking
for, use the clubs website contact page to get in touch. And membership
is half price right now, so what better time to renew or become a member
for the first time.

Until next week, 73s from John, VK4JPM for the DDRCi.




Redcliffe and Districts radio club.


Greetings from the Redcliffe & Districts Radio Club VK4RC.

Robert Thomson VK4TFN here.

REDFEST 25 "Adventures on HF"
will be held on the 12th April 2025.
Gates open at 9:00AM.

Our new venue will be
The Deception Bay North State School,
Old Bay Road, Deception Bay.

We will raffle a very nice ICOM IC-7300.
Tickets $5. Buy as many tickets as you want.

Go to: redclifferadioclub.org.au/redfest
Scroll down, order your tickets, follow the instructions
for completing your purchase and the best of luck to you.
Make sure we know you're not a robot.

Bye for now and 73's from
The Redcliffe & Districts Radio Club VK4RC.

Thank you and 73's
Robert Thomson VK4TFN
0428 044 992




VK4 SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- WICEN


WICEN News for Sunday 23 February.

If you're in SE Queensland and use the UHF repeaters that support WICEN
comms, including VK4RZA, VK4RZB, VK4RZC and VK4RTQ, here's some important
news. These repeaters are being reworked, improved and reconnected and
are performing much better. As part of the rework, these repeaters also
have been linked.

After a long time of operation with increasing amounts of interference on
the inputs, the SEQ WICEN UHF repeater network has been given an upgrade.
Part of the upgrade is a universal shift to a -7MHz split, so your old
offset will no longer work. But everything else is the same, so all you
need to do is reprogram the offset. The CTCSS access tone remains at
91.5Hz, so no change needed there.

By the time you hear this bulletin on Sunday 23 Feb, all of the following
will be operating and linked permanently.

VK4RZA Springbrook (Gold Coast) transmitting on 431.100 MHz
VK4RZB Mt Coot-tha (Brisbane) transmitting on 431.200 MHz
and VK4RTQ Mt Kynoch (Toowoomba) transmitting on 431.025 MHz

all listening with a minus 7MHz offset, and requiring a 91.5Hz CTCSS tone.

These repeaters on air now and work completed, and should be correctly
identified in Repeaterbook by the time QNEWS is broadcast.

In early March the team will be upgrading VK4RZC Wilkes Knob (Sunshine
Coast) which is transmitting on 431.125 MHz. No offset change has yet
been made to that repeater.

All repeaters have a 3 minute time out and all are permanently linked

That information from Andrew VK4QF, and we thank the repeater team for a
great job.



====================

From the Brisbane WICEN Group comes news of an activity in just over two
weeks. The Southbrook horse endurance ride runs on 8/9th March 2025, and
the event is run by TEHRA (Toowoomba Endurance Heritage Riders
Association)

Southbrook Cricket Club is the venue for the ride. Place is packed with
horse floats, tents, trucks and of course, horses.


Ride usually has a 20km, 40km & 80km event. This year there will be 3
checkpoint locations. These locations may or may not be used as multiple
checkpoints.


Event usually starts at 1400hrs local and finishes at midnight. Those
still on course after cut-off at midnight are automatically disqualified.


The 20km event is not usually in our sphere of influence but depends on
how the course has been organised.


The 40km is one loop around the circuit though our manned checkpoints, the
80km is a second loop. It sometimes reverses direction to keep everyone on
their toes.


The base at Southbrook Cricket Club is operated by WICEN from start to
finish of the event. This is all computerised (using software designed by
John Edwards VK4IE) with a paper based backup. Field stations have paper
sheets designed to facilitate number taking and check off reported
details, and may use computer programs of their own in addition.

Besides the field stations reporting competitor numbers, the WICEN
checkpoints also provide a way for the competitor to ask for assistance,
whether that be the rescue float, farrier, medical assistance or search &
rescue. It is all about safety.

WICEN is a strong contributor the success of the event: some of the
events we have been involved in were not going to happen if we were not
used.

The ride organisers serve a couple of web pages noting starter numbers,
finish numbers and vet out/withdrawals.
Overall a very well organised event that doesn't leave operators in the
field waiting for no shows.

For more details, check the Brisbane WICEN groups website at
www.brisbanewicen.org.au


—


Simon VK4TSC




--------------------------------------------------------------------*

Hello, I’m Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and I’ve been thinking.


The apocryphal saying that stalks the internet, “May you live in
interesting times” certainly seems to be the situation for us now.
We amateurs often point the finger at ourselves for not being good
communicators in that we can really get messages stacked and waiting
when it comes to our own pursuit.

Overseas we see the efforts of a new government flailing and
stumbling to rapidly achieve promises made in election campaigns. For
us who are outside the USA, it is an amazing spectacle and at times a
frightening one to watch the reports and analyses of the actions
befalling Uncle Sam. Whilst we think of sovereign countries as
governing for the good of their own people, when one nation achieves
superiority in many spheres of activity which interact with other
nations through treaties and international law we can have many
dilemmas facing us when the 1000 pound gorilla in the room no longer
accepts the benefits of consistent behaviours.

We can take heart that as our country moves towards an impending
election that we will have a consistency of behaviour and conduct
established by our constitution and law.

We radio amateurs will still be able to operate and know that our
ACMA will still operate in ways that are familiar. Barring war or
similar cataclysm we will not be taken off the air waves.

Whilst this country does have certain media outlets with stated
political affiliations or biases, we are still able with relative ease
to get news reports which provide clarity to happenings here at home
and overseas. Trying to judge what is happening from reports emanating
from within the USA is looking almost impossible until you can
recognise the filters that the story has gone through and then
compared to other sources.

We have seen, over many years, divisions occur within the structure
of national amateur radio bodies from Europe to north American
countries. At times hams seem to take themselves very seriously and
find splitting national bodies a better solution than struggling to
repair apparent failings. Recent history has demonstrated this here,
too.

What I am driving at is that rebellion can have useful outcomes if
it is conducted for the benefits of all the people. When ideas are out
front or transparent, as the politicians call it, we can better get
our minds around the issues.

We have our own election within the WIA running and we are facing a
Federal parliamentary election before tax return time. We are
fortunate that the systems which establish the rules for the elections
and any possible change in controls are well understood and we can
expect things to continue without the heartache and angst we are
seeing festering in our Pacific neighbour.

It has been the policy of amateur radio from its inception in this
country that it should be free of partisan politics. I hope and trust
that we can see this attitude passed along as part of our heritage.





I’m Geoff Emery VK4ZPP and that’s what I think….how about you?

(vk4zpp@...)


-------------------------------------------------------------------*

Social Scene


VK4 - Redcliffe & Districts Radio Club REDFEST April 12 at
Deception Bay North State School. (wiacal)

VK - WIA AGM May 3 - 4. Hosted by Bendigo Amateur Radio & Electronics
Club and their Technology Expo (vk3gtv/wiacal)

VK - Australian Ladies Amateur Radio Association 50th anniversary
Glen Waverly July 26 president@... (vk2ayl)

VK4 - GOLD COAST AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY – 2025 HAMFEST NOV 9 (vk4dmh)
Country Paradise Parklands 231 Beaudesert Nerang Road.




TO SUPPLY QNEWS ITEMS:-

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-----------------------------ENDS------------------------------------*

QNEWS FEBRUARY 16 2025 - VK4 ON AIR

--------------------------------------------------------------------*

DID YOUR CLUB TELL ANYONE ABOUT AMATEUR RADIO THIS WEEK?


--------------------------------------------------------------------*

THE FOLLOWING NEWS CAN BE HEARD FROM OUR AUDIO SERVICE
Available in Audio RIGHT NOW

QNEWS thanks to Tony VK7AX can be found on
www.vk7ax.id.au/wianews/
203.31.7.19/wianews/

QNEWS audio ready to download thanks to Brendan VK4BLP from
www.wiaq.org.au

Also search QNEWS (make sure it IS the Ham Radio QNEWS)
in your podcast.



--------------------------------------------------------------------*


VK4 SILENT KEYS @ WIA YEAR FROM MAY 6 2024

SK CALL SK NAME DATE ADVISED BY

VK4PS ALAN STEPHENSON 23/05/24 (vk4zz)
VK4FANG ROGER HARNDEN 22/07/24 (vk4zz)
X/VK4TC Terry Harding Cain 30/07/24 (vk4zz)
VK4CWJ GORDON WEBSTER July 2024 (vk4vp)
VK4SWR JOE SEBAST5IANI 03/07/24 (vk4zz)
VK4TE ALEX McDONALD 27/09/24 (vk4ra)
VK4NL NOEL DESJARDINS 16/10/24 (vk4vp)
VK4RG RON GRANDISON 22/12/24 (vk4hit)

---------------------------------------------------------------------*


DARLING DOWNS RADIO CLUB

vk4wid@...

It’s Sunday 16th of February. I’m John VK4JPM, Secretary of the Darling
Downs Radio Club, and welcome to a bit of a QNews special. This past
week I’ve been in Fiji taking part in the Pacific Media Partnership
Conference and especially a session on disaster readiness and risk
management for Broadcasters.

Response to a hazard is about preparation, which is one of the areas where
Amateur Radio operators have always played and continue to play a very
important role. We are known to excel at supporting disaster
communications. And in recognition of that, our club is stepping up focus
on areas of our hobby where a bit of prep will pay off in a big way. So
here are four upcoming club activities with which you can get involved.

Firstly, our next meeting.

Historically in Australia, the amateur radio group focused on natural
hazards has been the Wireless Institute Civil Emergency Network, or WICEN.
At our March meeting on Monday 10th, Simon Chantrill VK4TSC from
Brisbane Area WICEN group is joining us to talk about the role of WICEN;
what WICEN does across the country and in Queensland; how you can deploy
those highly useful skills that you developed when you worked towards your
license, and how you can use those skills to help the broader community.
Fortunately not every WICEN activity is an emergency and it’s better if
WICEN never gets deployed in anger. Many events are peaceful, community
oriented, and how we learn the skills we need when a hazard goes
pear-shaped. As Simon says: WICEN is a state of mind and being ready is
everything. So write that down: 10 March at the Toowoomba Library for
our March Technical Meeting and member night.

But wait: there’s more. On the weekend immediately before Simon’s visit,
he’ll be working on a WICEN event to support the Toowoomba Endurance Horse
Riders Association’s Hip Pocket Challenge, being held in Southbrook. The
team will be setting up on Friday 7 March, and the event runs from
1400-midnight on Saturday the 8th. WICEN provides checkpoint and safety
controls, and assists the organizers to ensure that incidents are managed
and don’t turn into disasters. All club members are welcome to come
along, see how it’s done, and skill up. Maybe even participate at a
checkpoint. You don’t need to have a license for this one, but you can
definitely treat it as part of your training if a ham licence is your aim.

Then on weekend of 15/16 March you can join us at the Danish Flower Art
Complex on the New England Highway for the club’s contribution to the 2025
John Moyle Memorial Field Day. The point of the field day is to learn now
to be ready for totally portable operation. That’s one of the likely
situations when a hazard becomes a disaster, and the combo of radio and
life skills becomes a winner. We’ll tell you next week how to get
involved. And it’s an easy one to work: this year we’ll take the
multiple operator six hour option. Even though everything will be
portable, we’ll still have easy access to important human amenities
like... working toilets and a decent cup of barista coffee from the cafe.

Finally, be ready for another portable operation event: our first annual
Fox Hunt and BBQ. That’s scheduled for 10th of May finishing with a very
social conclusion at a secret location in the Darling Downs region.

Over the coming weeks we will remind you of all these events, but you can
put them in your diary now and be ready! 8 March for the WICEN event, 10
March for the Member meeting featuring WICEN, 15 March for the John Moyle
Memorial Field Day, and 10 May for the Fox Hunt.

If you missed any detail, listen for the repeat or on another net - check
QNEWS HYPHEN VK to get a quick direct link to how to subscribe or
download, and check the WIA broadcast page for frequencies.

If that doesn’t float your boat because you’re moving between islands
all the info is on our website at www.ddrci.org.au and the contact page
will help you send an email to us via secretary@...

Until next week, hope that was enlightening, and it would be just so
perfect to see you in person at one of the Club’s events in March. Until
we meet, it’s 73s from John VK4JPM




--------------------------------------------------------------------*

Hello, I’m Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and I’ve been thinking.

The week has passed and I wonder how many of us were surprised by an
unexpected love token for St. Valentines Day?

In the gloom of the current news cycle where crime and cost of
living issues seem to head the broadcast news services there seems to
have been little weight given to what can be a special good news event
on the calendar.

Better news has happened for the people in north Queensland as the
low pressure systems have moved the rains away from major population
centres and the massive range of jobs in restoring normal life and
livelihood gets underway. Whilst the roads may get repaired and the
shelves of the shops are restocked, one constant reminder of flooding
is the smell. It is something I first experienced in my school years
and most recently in a trip to Brisbane over a decade ago. Clean water
and sunlight still seem to be the best cleansing agents after the silt
and debris are removed.

I have mentioned before that when I worked at night, I used to enjoy
getting the written version of the amateur radio news downloaded on
packet radio. These days we are fortunate that not only are there many
volunteer re-broadcasters but audio and video versions of the news are
available. As a reminder to

listeners in the Wide Bay area, there are alternatives when copy 2m
is poor and if you watch the video you get broadcast quality sound. By
the way, I still get the text version of the news and that allows me
to catch up when life gets in the way.

It was worthwhile seeing someone replying to a post, on line, that
now was a good time to get involved in amateur radio with simple
equipment. The writer reminded us that in another 5 years or so, the
sunspot cycle will no longer be giving us the gift of great DX on the
HF bands and maybe a low powered radio would need to be replaced by a
more standard 100W one.

The truth is that many people started out running lower power to
meet their licence conditions and they developed great skill in
pulling signals into their shack and also succeeded in completing
contacts at that lower power. I have met and heard operators who never
felt impelled to go to higher power and this is one of the great
things of our activity. There are so many modes and methods which we
can use and explore and not feel we are less than a “big gun” who
chases rare DX with maximum power.

At some suitable time, I want to dabble with some of the digital
modes that will run on my station equipment. One area of annoyance for
me is the so-called improvements and additions that are being supplied
by the Windows operating system. As a firm believer in the KISS, keep
it simple stupid, principle these new extensions to the operating
system are just taking space on my hard drive.

I’m Geoff Emery VK4ZPP and that’s what I think….how about you?

(vk4zpp@...)


-------------------------------------------------------------------*

Social Scene


VK4 - Redcliffe & Districts Radio Club REDFEST April 12 at
Deception Bay North State School. (wiacal)

VK - WIA AGM May 3 - 4. Hosted by Bendigo Amateur Radio & Electronics
Club and their Technology Expo (vk3gtv/wiacal)

VK - Australian Ladies Amateur Radio Association 50th anniversary
Glen Waverly July 26 president@... (vk2ayl)

VK4 - GOLD COAST AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY – 2025 HAMFEST NOV 9 (vk4dmh)
Country Paradise Parklands 231 Beaudesert Nerang Road.




TO SUPPLY QNEWS ITEMS:-

Send SCRIPT to qnews@...
send audio to

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@...

THEN submit audio:-

To submit audio email qnews@... and ask for the current
password then read "how to submit items" in the weekly news page on




Remember the sooner you submit audio material the more the likelihood
of it being broadcast in the very next edition 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: [email protected]
Group Owner: [email protected]
Help: [email protected]

TO CEASE GETTING THIS EMAILED SERVICE:-
Unsubscribe: [email protected]



WHO LISTENS TO RADIO?

How do I join this REBROADCASTERS List?
(subscribe for an automatic feed.)
Email to vk1wia-broadcasters-join@...
from the email account that you wish the emails to go to.









-----------------------------ENDS------------------------------------*

QNEWS FEBRUARY 09 2025 - VK4 ON AIR

--------------------------------------------------------------------*

DID YOUR CLUB TELL ANYONE ABOUT AMATEUR RADIO THIS WEEK?


--------------------------------------------------------------------*

THE FOLLOWING NEWS CAN BE HEARD FROM OUR AUDIO SERVICE
Available in Audio RIGHT NOW

QNEWS thanks to Tony VK7AX can be found on
www.vk7ax.id.au/wianews/
203.31.7.19/wianews/

QNEWS audio ready to download thanks to Brendan VK4BLP from
www.wiaq.org.au

Also search QNEWS (make sure it IS the Ham Radio QNEWS)
in your podcast.



--------------------------------------------------------------------*


VK4 SILENT KEYS @ WIA YEAR FROM MAY 6 2024

SK CALL SK NAME DATE ADVISED BY

VK4PS ALAN STEPHENSON 23/05/24 (vk4zz)
VK4FANG ROGER HARNDEN 22/07/24 (vk4zz)
X/VK4TC Terry Harding Cain 30/07/24 (vk4zz)
VK4CWJ GORDON WEBSTER July 2024 (vk4vp)
VK4SWR JOE SEBAST5IANI 03/07/24 (vk4zz)
VK4TE ALEX McDONALD 27/09/24 (vk4ra)
VK4NL NOEL DESJARDINS 16/10/24 (vk4vp)
VK4RG RON GRANDISON 22/12/24 (vk4hit)

---------------------------------------------------------------------*

DARLING DOWNS RADIO CLUB

vk4wid@...

Good morning, good evening, good night, good day and good grief. So many
repeats on this news that I hope you get it before the club meeting this
coming Monday. Hi; I'm John VK4JPM, Secretary of the Darling Downs Radio
Club and this news will be fresh if it's Sunday 9th of February.

Most importantly, tomorrow night Monday 10th is our February club meeting,
where members, guests and others will find out lots about the Amateur
Radio take on the Fox Hunt, and how you can have massive amounts of fun
and learn useful stuff at the same time.

The meeting will be hosted by Bruce VK4MQ, who has been beavering away
over the last two months to construct a heap of projects to show you how a
Fox Hunt works.

Actually, you might not know what Fox Hunting is all about, so here's the
gist: the person assigned as the fox takes a small transmitter of
sufficient power - which might not be very much - and hides it somewhere.
The hunt participants then use a receiver and a directional antenna to
locate the fox. That could be really simple - for instance if the fox is
hidden in a back yard under a garbage bin it won't be hard to find. Or it
could be tricky and tough, for instance if the fox is hidden up a tree on
the other side of a river. Or somewhere even more challenging than that.
We're wondering if someone has though of hiding a fox on the international
space station. Hey, it could happen.

Bruce is going to show you Fox Hunt equipment designs that you can make
really cheaply and simply. Let's start with the obvious item: a hand-held
directional antenna. Bruce has designed a portable antenna that works
wonderfully and can be built in under an hour using conduit and
coathangers or any other wire you have around.

Next, how about a signal strength meter, so that you can see how close you
are to the fox? Bruce found a cheap Chinese module that gives a useful
expanded meter display, and that would set you back for well under ten
bucks. I've seen the prototype and it has more than 70dB of linear scale
on a real meter, and it looks gorgeous.

Finally you might need a 2m filter for your handheld, and Bruce has
created one of those to get rid of other noise that might confuse your
receiver... and you.

The Fox Hunt meeting special, and indeed all the projects, has been
designed for those of us who have no experience with Fox Hunting and no
particular skill. That makes it a meeting that's ideal for newbs and
young'uns, so bring the kids and let's get them started with our hobby?

Plus it will get you started on the path to our planned club Fox Hunt day
in May.

The meeting starts at 1900 in the Toowoomba Library in Herries Street near
Grand Central on Monday 10th of February, and it's in a meeting room on
level 3. That's easy to find, and there's plenty of free offstreet
parking.

A reminder of events in the future: Stand by for details of the club's
plans for the John Moyle Field Day over the weekend of 15-16 March;
there's a WICEN event in Southbrook on 8/9/10 March; and pop Saturday 10
May in your diary for the Club's first annual FoxHunt and social BBQ.

Did you miss anything? No? Not a problem. you can subscribe to QNEWS
and get this in audio or text every week, and all the details about club
events are on our website at www.ddrci.org.au - go to the calendar items
on the home page and click the "view detail" buttons. We welcome
out-of-towners and non-members to our events - if you're planning to
travel in then let us know so that we can set the red carpet for you and
*your* guests. Secretary@... gets to us very quickly, and
www.ddrci.org.au is where you find the website.

73s from John VK4JPM and all the gang at the Darling Downs Radio Club.



--------------------------------------------------------------------*

Hello, I’m Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and I’ve been thinking.


The continuing stories of the weather and the flooding in the north
of Queensland seem to be expected to continue for some time yet. Along
the central coast we have had the inconvenience of showers and the odd
rain squall but the stressful and dangerous deluges have spared us. It
is something that I can, in part, identify with from my youth on the
regularly flooded north coast of NSW.

It is perhaps too early to know if the amateur fraternity have been
engaged in assistance efforts but I haven’t seen anything appear on
my internet feeds indicating WICEN and other groups have been
activated. I would like to remind listeners that our regular WIA
National News presenter, Felix Scerri, and his family live in the
heavily effected town of Ingham which has been without services such
as electricity for several days. To Felix and amateurs in the flooded
communities, I trust you are remaining safe and that relief comes
soon.

Whilst our news services have been following the flooding the world
has remained active and from a north American news outlet, MSNBC,
comes a report of an event which hopefully can never happen in this
land down under. Commentator Rachel Maddow tells of what appears to be
politically driven actions by the Federal Communications Commission.

It is alleged that under the new White House administration, there
is a policy to direct support for news services towards those
businesses that support the new administration. In her story, Miss
Maddow, told of how a local newspaper which had a readership of over
many hundreds of thousands, and was identified as the paper of record
for official advertisements for that area, has had its contracts with
the Federal government withdrawn and the business transferred to
adjacent area publishers.

It would be inconceivable for we Aussies to see the ACMA act in such
a partisan political manner as this news story presents.

However we individually may view our governmental processes we seem
to be better protected by administrative structures than our
colleagues across the Pacific, allowing for the truth of the report.

Returning to the floods and the possibility of amateur radio support
during this crisis period, there is the question as to whether the
resilience mapping actually accommodates our skill base and uses it.
If the answer is yes, then we seem to be hiding the efforts of many
people as we don’t usually get to hear of their efforts. Then if the
answer is no, we must ask the question as to whether we have lost
recognition and credibility as a volunteer support group. Certainly
there are good reasons for getting the word out about our
contributions or finding out why our participation is dying on the
vine.

I’m Geoff Emery VK4ZPP and that’s what I think….how about you?

(vk4zpp@...)


-------------------------------------------------------------------*

Social Scene


VK4 - Redcliffe & Districts Radio Club REDFEST April 12 at
Deception Bay North State School. (wiacal)

VK - WIA AGM May 3 - 4. Hosted by Bendigo Amateur Radio & Electronics
Club and their Technology Expo (vk3gtv/wiacal)

VK - Australian Ladies Amateur Radio Association 50th anniversary
Glen Waverly July 26 president@... (vk2ayl)

VK4 - GOLD COAST AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY – 2025 HAMFEST NOV 9 (vk4dmh)
Country Paradise Parklands 231 Beaudesert Nerang Road.




TO SUPPLY QNEWS ITEMS:-

Send SCRIPT to qnews@...
send audio to

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@...

THEN submit audio:-

To submit audio email qnews@... and ask for the current
password then read "how to submit items" in the weekly news page on




Remember the sooner you submit audio material the more the likelihood
of it being broadcast in the very next edition 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: [email protected]
Group Owner: [email protected]
Help: [email protected]

TO CEASE GETTING THIS EMAILED SERVICE:-
Unsubscribe: [email protected]



WHO LISTENS TO RADIO?

How do I join this REBROADCASTERS List?
(subscribe for an automatic feed.)
Email to vk1wia-broadcasters-join@...
from the email account that you wish the emails to go to.









-----------------------------ENDS------------------------------------*

HERE IS YOUR WIA AUDIO + QNEWS ADVICE for FEBRUARY 2 2025.


UNLESS YOU RECEIVE THIS WEEKLY EMAIL TO ADVISE NEWS IS READY
NEVER DOWNLOAD WIA OR QNEWS UNTIL 0400 UTC SATURDAYS

-------------------------------------------------------------------

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PLEASE DOWNLOAD NEWS BY MONDAY IF USING BACKUP SITES.

QNEWS FEBRUARY 02 2025 - VK4 ON AIR

--------------------------------------------------------------------*

DID YOUR CLUB TELL ANYONE ABOUT AMATEUR RADIO THIS WEEK?
REDCLIFFE AND DARLING DOWNS DID

--------------------------------------------------------------------*

THE FOLLOWING NEWS CAN BE HEARD FROM OUR AUDIO SERVICE
Available in Audio RIGHT NOW

QNEWS audio ready to download thanks to Brendan VK4BLP from
www.wiaq.org.au

QNEWS thanks to Tony VK7AX can be found on
www.vk7ax.id.au/wianews/
203.31.7.19/wianews/

Also search QNEWS (make sure it IS the Ham Radio QNEWS)
in your podcast.



--------------------------------------------------------------------*


VK4 SILENT KEYS @ WIA YEAR FROM MAY 6 2024

SK CALL SK NAME DATE ADVISED BY

VK4PS ALAN STEPHENSON 23/05/24 (vk4zz)
VK4FANG ROGER HARNDEN 22/07/24 (vk4zz)
X/VK4TC Terry Harding Cain 30/07/24 (vk4zz)
VK4CWJ GORDON WEBSTER July 2024 (vk4vp)
VK4SWR JOE SEBAST5IANI 03/07/24 (vk4zz)
VK4TE ALEX McDONALD 27/09/24 (vk4ra)
VK4NL NOEL DESJARDINS 16/10/24 (vk4vp)
VK4RG RON GRANDISON 22/12/24 (vk4hit)

---------------------------------------------------------------------*






Redcliffe and Districts radio club.
wia.org.au/clubs/vk4/RedcliffeAndDistrictRadioClub/


REDFEST 2025
Adventures on HF
Update.

Greetings from the Redcliffe & Districts Radio Club VK4RC.

Robert Thomson VK4TFN here.

REDFEST 25 "Adventures on HF"
will be held on the 12 th April 2025.

Our new venue wil be
The Deception Bay North State School,
Old Bay Road, Deception Bay.

We will raffle a very nice ICOM IC-7300.

We're sorting through our shed and so the Redcliffe Club
tables will be overflowing with all manner of pre-loved
bargains as will the vendors tables.

Go too: www.redclifferadioclub.org.au for more
information.

Bye for now and 73's from
The Redcliffe & Districts Radio Club VK4RC.

Thank you
Robert VK4TFN
0428 044 992




DARLING DOWNS RADIO CLUB

vk4wid@...

Hello and welcome to the weekly update from the Darling Downs Radio Club.
I'm Secretary John VK4JPM. It's GroundHog Day, so I've checked with
Punxatawnie Phil and we're either in for another four weeks of Queensland
snow, or this segment will replay over and over again until the next Club
meeting on Monday 10 February.

Speaking of which: Bruce, VK4MQ is preparing for the session on Fox
Hunting with ever more interesting do-it-yourself tools. He has just
completed a signal strength meter that you can build for almost nothing -
seriously, since the key expanded meter component is a Chinese module
costing $6 or less. Bruce also promises to describe how you can make a
directional antenna in one hour with easily available parts for under $5,
and he's worked up a seriously high-Q 2m filter at a similarly
unbelievable price.

The message here is that you can get into Fox Hunting without spending a
lot of money; you can have a heap of fun in an only slightly competitive
field, and learn so much about radio and electronics in the process.
That's a really important reason for our hobby, and Bruce is keen get you
up to speed.

Come along and plan to have your horizons expanded, because that's what
club meetings are about. That, a beverage or two with friends and some
timtams. It's on the 10th of February starting from 1900. We meet in the
Toowoomba Library, level 3, with tons of undercover parking in the
basement, so even if it did snow in Queensland you won't get wet.

At Darling Downs Radio Club we believe that being social is an important
part of amateur radio, so a reminder about our bi-monthly informal lunch
this coming Saturday February 8th. We'll be meeting at Cafe Inferno in
the Southern Hotel on Ruthven Street Toowoomba, just a bit south of the
CBD. All very relaxed, and the menu still includes the great value Six
Super Saver Specials menu. Highly alliterative, and very tasty. You
can't go wrong. Again you'll find address and more details on the club
website, and it would help if you register via email to
lunch@....

Now, a few upcoming events. There's a WICEN event in Southbrook on
8/9/10 March; the John Moyle Field Day over the weekend of 15-16 March;
and pop Saturday 10 May in your diary for the Club's first annual FoxHunt
and social BBQ.

Did you get all that? No? Not a problem. All the details about club
events are on our website at www.ddrci.org.au, and click the "view detail"
buttons to get... more details. We welcome out-of-towners and non-members
to our events - if you're planning to travel in then let us know so that
we can set the red carpet for you and *your* guests.

Finally: if there's anything that's still a problem, feel free to blame us
and get it fixed by sending an email to secretary@... - the same
address for making general contact with the club.

Until we meet again next week, it's 73s from John VK4JPM and all the gang
at the Darling Downs Radio Club.

--------------------------------------------------------------------*

Hello, I’m Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and I’ve been thinking.

The technology that we use depends on what is generally called a
commodity and which we pay for in increasingly high premiums, that of
electricity.

Mostly we are supplied by a reticulated service and the electrons
are persuaded to travel the network in various ways that we call
generation. We seem to have seen a total revolution as batteries were
the first way of making electricity available, then came
electromagnetic generation with various forms of energy providing the
mechanical forces to rotate the magnetic fields and we have now
revived the storage battery to facilitate use.

Various uses of electricity have occurred over the last 3 centuries
or so and the latest fad which has swept the share market speculators
off their feet has been that of artificial intelligence. AI was
undergoing an ethical analysis as to the limits of its uses and the
capacities it should be allowed to develop and then ChatGPT was
launched on the world. Shares in the “chip” manufacturer, Nvidia,
soared but not as high as the fictional cryptocurrencies. Then this
past week a new player with reportedly fewer demands on computing
power lobbed into view and the stock exchanges reeled.

Before the release of the Chinese developed AI app, there were
questions as to whether the electricity grids could meet the high
demand of the data centres which hurled the gazzillions of terabytes
of data into the internet to make AI work. Then some cheeky
environmentalist types added further to the debate by querying the
amount of water that the data centres demanded to maintain suitably
cool environments for the computers to make the magic.

What we saw in the development of electricity as a necessary tool is
the benefits of economies of scale. As more people were able to access
electricity, the costs of providing it fell until somewhere in the
last quarter century the western world lost sight of the things that
are useful and renamed them as commodities. Utilities such as water
and electricity were processed and supplied at sustainable costs but
when controls were relinquished, and plants were sold off the prices
rose.

With AI becoming more ubiquitous the processes of refining its use
and recovering the costs involved should, like electricity did once,
fall with the greater uptake. Perhaps the union of AI and quantum
computing will provide the impetus for a dramatic renaissance and
dynamism to the sciences and technology.

Boffins have been debating whether the fictional devices of the TV
“Star Trek” series such as matter transporters can not only be
imagined but also constructed and used. Perhaps we are at the dawning
of the Age of Aquarius after all and amateur radio will see a
flowering that few of us can imagine.

I’m Geoff Emery VK4ZPP and that’s what I think….how about you?

(vk4zpp@...)


-------------------------------------------------------------------*

Social Scene


VK4 - Redcliffe & Districts Radio Club REDFEST April 12 at
Deception Bay North State School. (wiacal)

VK - WIA AGM May 3 - 4. Hosted by Bendigo Amateur Radio & Electronics
Club and their Technology Expo (vk3gtv/wiacal)

VK - Australian Ladies Amateur Radio Association 50th anniversary
Glen Waverly July 26 president@... (vk2ayl)

VK4 - GOLD COAST AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY – 2025 HAMFEST NOV 9 (vk4dmh)
Country Paradise Parklands 231 Beaudesert Nerang Road.




TO SUPPLY QNEWS ITEMS:-

Send SCRIPT to qnews@...
send audio to

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@...

THEN submit audio:-

To submit audio email qnews@... and ask for the current
password then read "how to submit items" in the weekly news page on




Remember the sooner you submit audio material the more the likelihood
of it being broadcast in the very next edition 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: [email protected]
Group Owner: [email protected]
Help: [email protected]

TO CEASE GETTING THIS EMAILED SERVICE:-
Unsubscribe: [email protected]



WHO LISTENS TO RADIO?

How do I join this REBROADCASTERS List?
(subscribe for an automatic feed.)
Email to vk1wia-broadcasters-join@...
from the email account that you wish the emails to go to.









-----------------------------ENDS------------------------------------*

QNEWS JANUARY 26 2025 - AX4 ON AIR

--------------------------------------------------------------------*

DID YOUR CLUB TELL ANYONE ABOUT AMATEUR RADIO THIS WEEK?


--------------------------------------------------------------------*

THE FOLLOWING NEWS CAN BE HEARD FROM OUR AUDIO SERVICE
Available in Audio RIGHT NOW

QNEWS thanks to Tony VK7AX can be found on
www.vk7ax.id.au/wianews/
203.31.7.19/wianews/

QNEWS audio ready to download thanks to Brendan VK4BLP from
www.wiaq.org.au

Also search QNEWS (make sure it IS the Ham Radio QNEWS)
in your podcast.



--------------------------------------------------------------------*


VK4 SILENT KEYS @ WIA YEAR FROM MAY 6 2024

SK CALL SK NAME DATE ADVISED BY

VK4PS ALAN STEPHENSON 23/05/24 (vk4zz)
VK4FANG ROGER HARNDEN 22/07/24 (vk4zz)
X/VK4TC Terry Harding Cain 30/07/24 (vk4zz)
VK4CWJ GORDON WEBSTER July 2024 (vk4vp)
VK4SWR JOE SEBAST5IANI 03/07/24 (vk4zz)
VK4TE ALEX McDONALD 27/09/24 (vk4ra)
VK4NL NOEL DESJARDINS 16/10/24 (vk4vp)
VK4RG RON GRANDISON 22/12/24 (vk4hit)
--------------------------------------------------------------------*



DARLING DOWNS RADIO CLUB

vk4wid@...

Hello - and here's the QNEWS contribution from the Darling Downs Radio
Club for Sunday 26 January. I'm John VK2JPM, Secretary of the club.

Coming up: the next club meeting is on the evening of Monday 10th of
February in the Toowoomba library at 1900. This month's topic is Fox
Hunting, and Bruce VK4MQ is going to do his darndest to show you the two
most important outcomes that you can get from our hobby: have a REALLY
good time, and develop great technical and life skills.

Fox Hunting isn't complex. Someone takes a small transmitter, which could
typically be on 80m or 2m, and puts it where it can be found. Then people
- the hunters, working individually or in teams - try to find the fox
using whatever techniques work for them. That could be a simple antenna
and a Chinese handheld, or it could be a very sophisticated. So... part
of the fun is in the chasing and finding, and part of the fun is in
developing better tools and techniques.

For instance, here's something you might not have thought about: the same
techniques used in ham fox-hunts can be - and are - used to track and find
livestock, and to rescue humans who have triggered an emergency beacon.
This could truly be a life-changing or life-saving meeting for you to
attend.

We're planning a club Fox Hunt event in late March or April, and Bruce
will show you how to be prepared for not much money and only a small
amount of effort. That date again: Monday 10 February at 1900 in the
Toowoomba Library.

If you're coming to the meeting and you've been busy constructing over the
holidays, why not bring a bit of show and tell?

Do you have to be a member of the club to attend our meetings?
Absolutely not. Anyone can come, and all are welcome. Meetings are what
we do to spread information about our hobby, get people together, and have
a better time because... well, that's what a club is about.


While we're on the calendar: anyone is welcome to join us at our next
informal lunch... we do these on the second Saturday of every even month,
so the next lunch is on the 8th. All the details are on our website at
www.ddrci.org.au and you get to meet some of the gang in a convivial
atmosphere... that's PR talk for have an enjoyable lunch with a friendly
group.

I'll update you next week on some of our future plans - the John Moyle
Field Day is coming up in March, I've mentioned a scheduled Fox Hunt, and
there will likely be a group of us heading to Dayton Hamvention in May.

If you missed any of the info in this bulletin: it's on the website, or
if you have questions about anything at all - like, who can I ask about
why my radio doesn't work? - drop us a line. Secretary@... will
get our attention, and someone will get back to you pretty quickly.

73 from John VK4JPM for the Darling Downs Radio Club.

--------------------------------------------------------------------*

Hello, I’m Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and I’ve been thinking.

As I sat down at the keyboard to prepare this talk, the thrumming of the
ceiling fan outpaced the chirrups of the cicadas serenading the night. It
seems that large parts of the Sunshine State have largely dispelled the
rain clouds for a little while and replaced the wet and humid weather with
a heatwave with equally high levels of humidity.

It is hardly the type of weather that encourages one to sit behind a
microphone or keyboard and commune with the world. It is time for the
younger students to enjoy the last days of the school holidays whilst
staying as cool as conditions allow. We more senior folk are advised to
stay cool and drink plenty of fluids to overcome the heat stresses.

I spoke, last week, of the Jamboree which was held in Maryborough and one
of the things I didn’t mention was the state of the camping area when
sudden heavy rains caused localised flooding at the showgrounds. The
images that appeared on television showed the scouts valiantly defending
their sleeping area with shovels and what materials they could use to
divert the several centimetres of water. It was a classic case of being
caught unawares but being prepared to do what was necessary in the
circumstances. For all of that disruption it seems that the situation was
accepted and the good memories of time spent around the Fraser Coast were
carried home in spite of the deluge.

I caught a YouTube video, last week, from a space scientist and amateur
operator, Dr. Tamitha Skove, and from the observations she has recorded it
appears that we have reached the first stages of the decline in Solar
Cycle 25. This is a good time to put our operating skills to work and
catch the excitement of HF whilst the benefits of the cycle remain. I can
recall the rapidity of some previous cycles as exotic skip was soaked into
then so-called normal conditions that prevail between the 11 year peaks.

Part of the joy of amateur radio is pitting one’s skills against the
prevailing conditions on the bands. Some of the best fun is had when
signals come from around the globe and we can work those stations without
internet or satellite assistance. That is not to say these methods of any
the less valid or enjoyable but a barefoot DX contact on the bands is
always reason to smile with satisfaction.

For our clubs, I trust you have resumed activities refreshed by the
holiday break and members have returned full of enthusiasm and inspiration
for the remainder of the year ahead.

I am looking forward to sharing with you in 2025 and hope to hear your
stories on the news.

I’m Geoff Emery VK4ZPP and that’s what I think….how about you?

(vk4zpp@...)


-------------------------------------------------------------------*

Social Scene


VK4 - Redcliffe & Districts Radio Club REDFEST April 12 at
Deception Bay North State School. (wiacal)

VK - WIA AGM May 3 - 4. Hosted by Bendigo Amateur Radio & Electronics
Club and their Technology Expo (vk3gtv/wiacal)

VK - Australian Ladies Amateur Radio Association 50th anniversary
Glen Waverly July 26 president@... (vk2ayl)

VK4 - GOLD COAST AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY – 2025 HAMFEST NOV 9 (vk4dmh)
Country Paradise Parklands 231 Beaudesert Nerang Road.




TO SUPPLY QNEWS ITEMS:-

Send SCRIPT to qnews@...
send audio to

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@...

THEN submit audio:-

To submit audio email qnews@... and ask for the current
password then read "how to submit items" in the weekly news page on




Remember the sooner you submit audio material the more the likelihood
of it being broadcast in the very next edition 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: [email protected]
Group Owner: [email protected]
Help: [email protected]

TO CEASE GETTING THIS EMAILED SERVICE:-
Unsubscribe: [email protected]

-----------------------------ENDS------------------------------------*

QNEWS JANUARY 19 2025 - VK4 ON AIR

--------------------------------------------------------------------*

DID YOUR CLUB TELL ANYONE ABOUT AMATEUR RADIO THIS WEEK?


--------------------------------------------------------------------*

THE FOLLOWING NEWS CAN BE HEARD FROM OUR AUDIO SERVICE
Available in Audio RIGHT NOW

QNEWS thanks to Tony VK7AX can be found on
www.vk7ax.id.au/wianews/
203.31.7.19/wianews/

QNEWS audio ready to download thanks to Brendan VK4BLP from
www.wiaq.org.au

Also search QNEWS (make sure it IS the Ham Radio QNEWS)
in your podcast.



--------------------------------------------------------------------*


VK4 SILENT KEYS @ WIA YEAR FROM MAY 6 2024

SK CALL SK NAME DATE ADVISED BY

VK4PS ALAN STEPHENSON 23/05/24 (vk4zz)
VK4FANG ROGER HARNDEN 22/07/24 (vk4zz)
X/VK4TC Terry Harding Cain 30/07/24 (vk4zz)
VK4CWJ GORDON WEBSTER July 2024 (vk4vp)
VK4SWR JOE SEBAST5IANI 03/07/24 (vk4zz)
VK4TE ALEX McDONALD 27/09/24 (vk4ra)
VK4NL NOEL DES JADINS 16/10/24 (vk4vp)
VK4RG RON GRANDISON 22/12/24 (vk4hit)


--------------------------------------------------------------------*

DARLING DOWNS RADIO CLUB

vk4wid@...

Hi, I'm John VK4JPM, Secretary of the Darling Downs Radio Club. It's
Sunday 19th of January and welcome to the QNEWS for this week.

It's already only 22 sleeps away from our first member meeting of 2025, on
the second Monday of February. Bruce VK4MQ has a passion for Fox
Hunting, and he's champing at the bit to show you why and how that
happened. Not only is Bruce bringing along some of his home-brew foxes so
that you can see what one looks like up close and personal, but he's a big
fan of the cheap DIY directional antenna.

There's lots more to fox hunting than just a transmitter and a receiver -
although those are a big help. It's also helpful to have a bit of
technique, both as a hunter or as the fox, and Bruce will let you in on
hints, tips, and winning strategies that you can use in either role. This
is how Bruce gets to talk about the nuns and the beat-up sedan.

Bruce has promised to bring along some raw materials and will build a
directional antenna on the spot.

Here's another tip: Bruce did some investigation on a couple of 3.7Volt
LiPO cells that were showing the dreaded 0volt reading, and discovered
something rather remarkable. You can come along and find out what he did,
which was a big surprise even for a major sceptic like Bruce.

All this takes place at the Toowoomba Library on Monday 10th of Feb
starting from 1900 local time (or 7pm if you're having problems with
24-hour finger-maths). Plenty of free and secure parking, and you'll find
us on the upper level when you get in the lift.

Also with plenty of parking: our next social lunch is on Saturday 8th of
Feb. From around 1130 you'll find us on a table at "Fire and Ice" =
that's the northern bar of Toowoomba's Southern Hotel in Ruthven Street.

The club meetings and the lunches are open to anyone - just come along and
get involved. We love saying hi to new attendees, and help you get
connected with people who share your interests. It's so easy for
fascination with hobby-level electronics or a ham licence to turn into a
very solid career, as many of us have found.

Coming up: the John Moyle Memorial Field Day will be held in March, and
we've just been told that Redcliffe and Districts Radio Club's REDFEST
2025 will be held on Saturday 12th of April.

All of this information and more is on our website at ddrci.org.au, in
QNEWS online, or send email questions to secretary@...

Thanks for joining us - I'm John VK4JPM for the Darling Downs Radio Club.





(J)
Redcliffe and Districts radio club.



Greetings from the Redcliffe Radio Club VK4RC.

Robert Thomson VK4TFN here.

REDFEST 2025 will be held on the 12th April 2025

The Theme will be "Fun on HF"

We have a new venue.
REDFEST 2025 will be held at the
Deception Bay North State School in
Old Bay Road Deception Bay.

We will Raffle a very nice ICOM radio TxRx.

Go to redclifferadioclub.org.au for more information.

73's and bye for now from the Redcliffe & Districts Radio Club VK4RC.


--------------------------------------------------------------------*

Hello, I’m Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and I’ve been thinking.

In the past week, my part of the world has seen the conclusion of one of
the biggest
gatherings on the Fraser Coast. Maryborough was the host town for the
Scouting
Jamboree displayed as AJ25 on the patches and advertising.

The last time this event was held in Maryborough, I was lucky enough to be
able to
participate in the amateur radio station that was on site. Sadly band
conditions
during the day were not the best and very few scouts were lucky enough to
experience
ham radio as they circulated around the activities. At night, the Scouters
who were
amateurs were much more successful and we would catch up with their
successes when
we returned the following day.

I have not heard how the activities went this year but hopefully with band
conditions more favourable there was plenty of action to spur enthusiasm
in the
hearts of the scouts who ventured into the amateur radio station.

My participation has been limited to driving past the venue and following
items
presented in the media except for one activity.
I do a weekly shop for the household and in that first week the streets
and shops of
Maryborough were illuminated by the bright Jamboree shirts of people
attending to
purchases in town and sight-seeing the historical town.

What really came across to me was the courtesy and general good behaviour
of the
scouts. We are all used to the slightly frenetic pace at which people of
this age
like to live life and the fact that chasing the moment can overtake
consideration
for people around them. With these young people there was a unity and
alertness
which we would associate with people involved in the scouting movement.

I have never had so many bodies defer to my travel along supermarket
aisles and even
apologise if they thought I had been hindered.

I am left with the feeling that we amateurs are lucky to have an
association with
the Scouting movement and where we can we should offer assistance to our
local
groups. There is the hope that some of those people working to get their
badges in
various skills which align with amateur radio can take the further step of
joining
the radio fraternity as a complementary activity.

Later this year, there will be the opportunity to participate in the
JOTA/JOTI
activities but in the meantime the opportunities remain for closer liaison
with
Scouts, Guides and Joeys at local levels. Like all voluntary bodies, scouting
depends on the support of people like you and me. If there is an
opportunity take it
and if not try and make it.

I’m Geoff Emery VK4ZPP and that’s what I think….how about you?

(vk4zpp@...)


-------------------------------------------------------------------*

Social Scene


VK4 - Redcliffe & Districts Radio Club REDFEST April 12 at
Deception Bay North State School. (wiacal)

VK - WIA AGM May 3 - 4. Hosted by Bendigo Amateur Radio & Electronics
Club and their Technology Expo (vk3gtv/wiacal)

VK - Australian Ladies Amateur Radio Association 50th anniversary
Glen Waverly July 26 president@... (vk2ayl)

VK4 - GOLD COAST AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY – 2025 HAMFEST NOV 9 (vk4dmh)
Country Paradise Parklands 231 Beaudesert Nerang Road.




TO SUPPLY QNEWS ITEMS:-

Send SCRIPT to qnews@...
send audio to

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@...

THEN submit audio:-

To submit audio email qnews@... and ask for the current
password then read "how to submit items" in the weekly news page on




Remember the sooner you submit audio material the more the likelihood
of it being broadcast in the very next edition 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: [email protected]
Group Owner: [email protected]
Help: [email protected]

TO CEASE GETTING THIS EMAILED SERVICE:-
Unsubscribe: [email protected]

-----------------------------ENDS------------------------------------*

QNEWS JANUARY 12 2025 - VK4 ON AIR

--------------------------------------------------------------------*

DID YOUR CLUB TELL ANYONE ABOUT AMATEUR RADIO THIS WEEK?


--------------------------------------------------------------------*

THE FOLLOWING NEWS CAN BE HEARD FROM OUR AUDIO SERVICE
Available in Audio RIGHT NOW

QNEWS thanks to Tony VK7AX can be found on
www.vk7ax.id.au/wianews/
203.31.7.19/wianews/

QNEWS audio ready to download thanks to Brendan VK4BLP from
www.wiaq.org.au

Also search QNEWS (make sure it IS the Ham Radio QNEWS)
in your podcast.



--------------------------------------------------------------------*


VK4 SILENT KEYS @ WIA YEAR FROM MAY 6 2024

SK CALL SK NAME DATE ADVISED BY

VK4PS ALAN STEPHENSON 23/05/24 (vk4zz)
VK4FANG ROGER HARNDEN 22/07/24 (vk4zz)
X/VK4TC Terry Harding Cain 30/07/24 (vk4zz)
VK4CWJ GORDON WEBSTER July 2024 (vk4vp)
VK4SWR JOE SEBAST5IANI 03/07/24 (vk4zz)
VK4TE ALEX McDONALD 27/09/24 (vk4ra)
VK4NL NOEL DES JADINS 16/10/24 (vk4vp)
VK4RG RON GRANDISON 22/12/24 (vk4hit)


--------------------------------------------------------------------*



---------------------------------------------------------------------*

DARLING DOWNS RADIO CLUB

vk4wid@...

Hi, and welcome to the second QNEWS for 2025 - I'm John Maizels, Secretary
of the Darling Downs Radio Club and it's Sunday 12th of January.

First up reminder is that if you're listening to this on Sunday morning
and in range of the club's repeater VK4RDD on 146.75, then the regular 2M
Net is at the top of the hour at 1000 local time. Pretty much that's the
same time as the rest of Queensland, so if you're listening to this on
Sunday evening then you've missed it. If you are around, then please join
in with the gang any Sunday - you don't have to be a club member - and
meet the locals.

Also something for which you don't have to be a member: our next club
technical gathering is on Monday 10th of February when you can come and
learn some ins and outs of Fox Hunting. In fact, you can read all about
the meeting and Fox Hunting on our website right now - go to
www.ddrci.org.au and check the calendar entries at the start... where
you'll be reminded that we don't have a meeting in January.

Also on the website: the latest club bulletin courtesy of our editor Len,
and some interesting videos. Here's a tip: you should scroll down to the
bottom of the home page and check out why being involved in ham radio is a
good thing. You should play the RSGB video - it's a few years old, but
you'd never know: the message is really fresh and it paints a great
picture of our hobby. And when you watch it, note who appears on screen.
The Darling Downs Club aims to be every bit as inclusive as the video
suggests. No questions are too silly, no age or gender distinction is
important, and we have lots of people ready to help you take your
technology interests further. Maybe you can help us set a few records:
we've been told about a YOTA operator who is only 8, so we're looking for
the 7-year-old technologist who wants to get started! Drop us a line so
that we can provide en

Other reminders: our next club lunch is on Saturday 8th of February, and
the 80m Club HF Net is Saturday nights at 1930 on 3.65 plus/minus QRM.

If you missed any of the words or dates: it's all in QNews online, or
check our website. And if you have questions: secretary@ ddrci.org.au
will find us.

Until next week, have fun on and off-air, and catch you down the log. 73s
from John VK4JPM and the team at Darling Downs Radio Club.

--------------------------------------------------------------------*

Hello, I’m Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and I’ve been thinking.

As we move into a new calendar year it seems right to wonder what the
direction of amateur radio is taking. There has been a tradition of
maintaining practices which were foundational to the pursuit of AR. Over
one hundred years ago, the wireless enthusiast was largely a home
constructor. Morse code had been around for several years and its use in
railway, shipping and military areas meant that it was the logical means
of sending messages and conversing. Although patents existed for different
voice modulation methods, the complexity of design and availability of
components limited the uptake for the amateur experimenter.

As the technology developed and was adopted around the world, it became
necessary to find ways of harmonising the use of the radio spectrum. We
see the current outcome of this in the International Telecommunications
Union and the many subsidiary bodies that exist to facilitate various
sectors.

Part of the structure of radio administration has been to create a
framework and then allow local authorities to care for the vast user base
in a way that best suits local conditions. Our regulator seems to be a
hands off arm of government called the Australian Communications and Media
Authority. If you wonder why I use that expression, consider trying to
resolve an issue regarding your licence and finding you have no effective
right of appeal to the Minister of Communications if you are dissatisfied
with an outcome.

It seems that part of the job description of the administrator of services
is to ensure that the needs of their clients are adequately served. For we
radio amateurs there are a few needs that are specific to our ability to
utilise the full extent of our licences. For instance, we need to be able
to corroborate or substantiate our qualification and licence grade to
operate overseas or even register for certain internet applications
involving the potential to transmit. The recent transfer of individual
amateur licences to a class register has meant that there is no access to
an official data base or, for many, a document that states the current
status.

Despite many attempts to remedy this situation with the Agency, it remains
intransigent in its refusal to provide simple and convenient solution. It
is difficult to know the reasoning behind this situation as to whether it
is bureaucratic convenience, gross ignorance of the client base or poor
external advice. Whatever the cause it is plainly evident to those who
need an entry on an official site or a piece of plastic or paper with the
up to date information that this demonstrates a poor understanding of this
part of the amateur service which the agency is charged with governing.

In the scheme of things these are minor issues which require simple
solutions and those solutions are being ignored.

Let us hope this year can see a common sense resolution to these
transitional omissions.

I’m Geoff Emery VK4ZPP and that’s what I think….how about you?

(vk4zpp@...)


-------------------------------------------------------------------*

Social Scene

VK4 - Redcliffe & Districts Radio Club REDFEST April 12 (wiacal)

VK4 - GOLD COAST AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY – 2025 HAMFEST NOV 9 (vk4dmh)
Country Paradise Parklands 231 Beaudesert Nerang Road.




TO SUPPLY QNEWS ITEMS:-

Send SCRIPT to qnews@...
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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@...

THEN submit audio:-

To submit audio email qnews@... and ask for the current
password then read "how to submit items" in the weekly news page on




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of it being broadcast in the very next edition QNEWS. Each item will
only be broadcast once, if you want a couple of mentions, please
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-----------------------------ENDS------------------------------------*

QNEWS JANURY 5 2025 - VK4 ON AIR

--------------------------------------------------------------------*

DID YOUR CLUB TELL ANYONE ABOUT AMATEUR RADIO THIS WEEK?


--------------------------------------------------------------------*

THE FOLLOWING NEWS CAN BE HEARD FROM OUR AUDIO SERVICE
Available in Audio RIGHT NOW

QNEWS thanks to Tony VK7AX can be found on
www.vk7ax.id.au/wianews/
203.31.7.19/wianews/

QNEWS audio ready to download thanks to Brendan VK4BLP from
www.wiaq.org.au

Also search QNEWS (make sure it IS the Ham Radio QNEWS)
in your podcast.



--------------------------------------------------------------------*


VK4 SILENT KEYS @ WIA YEAR FROM MAY 6 2024

SK CALL SK NAME DATE ADVISED BY

VK4PS ALAN STEPHENSON 23/05/24 (vk4zz)
VK4FANG ROGER HARNDEN 22/07/24 (vk4zz)
X/VK4TC Terry Harding Cain 30/07/24 (vk4zz)
VK4CWJ GORDON WEBSTER July 2024 (vk4vp)
VK4SWR JOE SEBAST5IANI 03/07/24 (vk4zz)
VK4TE ALEX McDONALD 27/09/24 (vk4ra)
VK4NL NOEL DES JADINS 16/10/24 (vk4vp)
VK4RG RON GRANDISON 22/12/24 (vk4hit)

--------------------------------------------------------------------*




DARLING DOWNS RADIO CLUB

vk4wid@...

Here's a Happy New Year to our listeners all over Queensland and beyond -
coming to you from the Darling Downs Radio Club in Toowoomba. I'm John
VK4JPM, secretary of the Club, and welcome to 2025. It's Sunday 5th of
January, and time for a good look forward to what's coming up this year -
all of which you can check on our website.

This is a good time to remind you that our activities are open to anyone
who is interested in any aspect of our hobby - including just being social
- and from wherever you might be travelling. Darling Downs is a really
lovely part of the country with so much to see, do and eat. Oh yes, some
of the best food in the country. Here's a thought: why not combine a
social, business, or activation trip with one of our meetings? You can
pop the dates in your diary now - grab a pencil and jot this down.

As always, January is a no-meeting month, when we let members get on with
it. For the rest of the year, our meeting cadence is pretty easy to
follow: on the second Monday of each month, at 1900 local, we meet at the
Toowoomba Library for a tech topic session. You'll find details on the
website calendar. And if it's an EVEN-numbered month we meet for a social
lunch on the second Saturday. Next one of those is 8th of February from
1130 - make the opportunity to come to town and join us.

And if you decide to hang around for the weekend, you could be in place
for our next member meeting on Monday Feb 10th. Bruce Boardman, VK4MQ,
has some great ideas about fox hunting, both from the hunt and homebrew
construction. We agree with Bruce that Fox Hunting combines a great way
to learn practical electronics and to sharpen analytical and diagnostic
skills - perfect positioning to help high school students work towards
high ATAR scores.

February meeting on Monday the 10th.

If you want more info, check the website at www.ddrci.org.au or drop a
line to secretary@... and we'll get back to you.

That's it for this week; 73 from John VK4JPM, and the Darling Downs Radio
Club team.




--------------------------------------------------------------------*

Hello, I’m Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and I’ve been thinking.

It seemed a happy co-incidence that our Sun joined in the earthly
celebrations by providing not one but two solar storms to mark our
arbitrary New Year. The fireworks looked spectacular on the TV and the
solar winds must have provided entertainment and frustration to radio
users around the world.

The significance of New Year is not whether it is correct by the laws of
physics and mathematics but the mental prompt it gives we humans to
refocus and align our thoughts and actions to priorities that may have
slipped from view. For each of us, it marks a new beginning to a new time
period and the mental stimulus can guide us in new directions and away
from patterns that have become routine, is another way of putting it.

This small segment, in the weekly news service, is primarily aimed at the
club environment but of course it must also speak to the individuals who
make up those clubs. Those of you who have watched the video posted by
Hayden, VK7HH, (Ham Radio DX is the channel name) on YouTube, and using
material from the recent REAST Conference in Tasmania will be either
understanding or shocked at the statements from the WIA members on the
panel.
Clubs have largely been left to develop their own strategies for growth
without the support of the peak body for amateur radio.

Sadly this merely confirms the impression that many have shared that the
Board doesn't have an effective working committee structure. Past years
have seen much effort given to aiding clubs and hopefully we can see a
resurgence of activity in this area. Here in VK4, we no longer have any
state hierarchy between members, clubs and the WIA. How much is shared in
the on-line video meetings with club presidents and ultimately with club
members seems to be an unknown quantity.

There is a ballot for WIA Directors coming up shortly and I would hope
that we see some really inspiring presentations and enthusiasm for growing
our hobby and our clubs. It is not usually advised that the flaws in our
activities are published but we take part in a “communications” activity
which is largely done over the air and person to person. I would hope that
more amateurs can contribute to the discussions and that more clubs can
evaluate their situation regardless of the leadership that we once valued.

It is a new year and the calendar has been marked with activities to be
addressed. Is this too much to hope and expect that the Board, which
carries the legal responsibility of supporting and developing amateur
radio in VK-land, might shine a light on itself so that we all can see the
efforts being made to fulfil the duties of being a Director?

I’m Geoff Emery VK4ZPP and that’s what I think….how about you?

(vk4zpp&wia.org.au)


-------------------------------------------------------------------*

Social Scene


VK4 - GOLD COAST AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY – 2025 HAMFEST NOV 9 (vk4dmh)
Country Paradise Parklands 231 Beaudesert Nerang Road.




TO SUPPLY QNEWS ITEMS:-

Send SCRIPT to qnews@...
send audio to

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@...

THEN submit audio:-

To submit audio email qnews@... and ask for the current
password then read "how to submit items" in the weekly news page on




Remember the sooner you submit audio material the more the likelihood
of it being broadcast in the very next edition 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: [email protected]
Group Owner: [email protected]
Help: [email protected]

TO CEASE GETTING THIS EMAILED SERVICE:-
Unsubscribe: [email protected]

-----------------------------ENDS------------------------------------*

QNEWS DECEMBER 29 2024 - VK4 ON AIR

--------------------------------------------------------------------*

DID YOUR CLUB TELL ANYONE ABOUT AMATEUR RADIO THIS WEEK?


--------------------------------------------------------------------*

THE FOLLOWING NEWS CAN BE HEARD FROM OUR AUDIO SERVICE
Available in Audio RIGHT NOW

QNEWS thanks to Tony VK7AX can be found on
www.vk7ax.id.au/wianews/
203.31.7.19/wianews/

QNEWS audio ready to download thanks to Brendan VK4BLP from
www.wiaq.org.au

Also search QNEWS (make sure it IS the Ham Radio QNEWS)
in your podcast.



--------------------------------------------------------------------*


VK4 SILENT KEYS @ WIA YEAR FROM MAY 6 2024

SK CALL SK NAME DATE ADVISED BY

VK4PS ALAN STEPHENSON 23/05/24 (vk4zz)
VK4FANG ROGER HARNDEN 22/07/24 (vk4zz)
X/VK4TC Terry Harding Cain 30/07/24 (vk4zz)
VK4CWJ GORDON WEBSTER July 2024 (vk4vp)
VK4SWR JOE SEBAST5IANI 03/07/24 (vk4zz)
VK4TE ALEX McDONALD 27/09/24 (vk4ra)
VK4NL NOEL DES JADINS 16/10/24 (vk4vp)
VK4RG RON GRANDISON 22/12/24 (vk4hit)


Following a QNEWS report from Ipswich on December 8, very sad news to
report is that Ron Grandison VK4RG passed away 2am on Sunday December 22.

Ron was one of the originals of the Ipswich and District Radio Club.
He helped build the clubhouse in in the early 1960s and participated
in many events.

He was the morning voice of the 8am net which started in 1986.
His last was only on November 25 this year. When you heard Ron's voice
you knew it was 0800 hours precisely.

Ron had a positive presence in many lives.

Funeral details will be published on the Ipswich club's FaceBook page
and emailed to all members.

Vale Ron Grandison VK4RG.

(vk4hit)


--------------------------------------------------------------------*



---------------------------------------------------------------------*


DARLING DOWNS RADIO CLUB

vk4wid@...

Hi - I'm John VK4JPM, secretary of the Darling Downs Radio Club, and
this is our final club update... for 2024. It's Sunday 27nd of December,
and Ho, Ho, Happy.

Yes, it's that moment between two public holidays and another one; the
time when the euphoria hasn't quite worn off, but you don't know what
you're going to do next week.

Whether you had a religious experience, or your break was purely secular,
did you manage to acquire a few more toys for the shack or do some
electronics activity?

There are two reasons that I'm asking. Firstly, it's time for some show
and tell activity. Our next meeting, which will be the second Monday in
February - is on the topic of fox hunting. Necessarily, that translates
into a bit of home-brew experience, which is one of the many threads for
which ham radio operators are renowned. So between now and February - and
don't worry, we'll remind you about the date often enough - think about
what you might bring along. That's one reason. The other is info
experience with a few of the remarkable Chinese e-commerce website that
will sell you anything from a tagged 4/5A Nicad battery to a pair of
underpants. My experience so far has been overwhelmingly good, but one of
our members uncovered a real lemon of a product, and we'll be talking
about that in the coming weeks.

It's New Year's Day on Wednesday... best wishes for the coming year from
all of us at your Club - and all clubs; be safe; try to avoid fireworks
in the shack, and good luck with that elusive contact on-air... seems a
few of the bands have been remarkably open at just the right time for the
holidays.

Do you have a presentation topic that you'd like us to cover in a meeting
next year? Tell us. In particular, what might appeal to younger people?
Drop a line to secretary@..., and check out our website at
www.ddrci.org.au.

73 from John VK4JPM, and from the entire team at the Darling Downs Radio
Club.




--------------------------------------------------------------------*

Hello, I’m Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and I’ve been thinking.



Well the wrapping paper and remnants of Christmas feasting have past us by
and the
mid-night reverie of New Year is almost upon us. What a strange ending to
this year
as the tropical heat penetrated to the south of the continent with strips
of the
east coast spared the worst of the heat. Then just to remove any smug
feelings we
went into a period of heatwave. Thankfully we shared Christmas with a
little breeze
and temperatures a bit lower than blood heat.

As the calendar turns over we have the usual summer contest period
continuing and
for many people preparations for schooling are the next big thing for
family life.
Then there are the club activities which hopefully members have thought
out ahead of
time. In other words, the next couple of months should see many events
saved for
action in Reminder files or on the notice board.

As we move through sunspot Cycle 25, we can properly suspect that we are
entering
the downward phase and the next couple of years will see much of the great
DX become
less frequent. It is properly a time when the country hunter should be
making hay
whilst the sun shines, as the old saying goes. But then we have the
alternative
available. As contentious as it might be for some operators there is a
wide range of
weak signal modes available to implement quite simply and cheaply, these
days.

The digital transition that has overtaken us in the last quarter century
has really
widened the range of opportunities for the amateur radio enthusiast. It is
no longer
necessary to be tied to a desk top machine and have this connected to
mysterious
black boxes to be able to far outperform the much vaunted packet radio
system of the
80’s and 90’s. The capability of mobile devices can provide a whole new
scope to
operating.

As we come to sing Auld Lang Syne for another year it is good to reminisce
over the
year that is passing out. However, having a list of aspirations for the
new is a
good start to the beginning how we wish to continue.

I’m Geoff Emery VK4ZPP and I wish you all the best for 2025….
and that’s what I think

-------------------------------------------------------------------*

Social Scene

VK - WIA AGM May 3 - 4. Hosted by Bendigo Amateur Radio & Electronics
Club (vk3gtv)



VK4 - GOLD COAST AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY – 2025 HAMFEST NOV 9 (vk4dmh)
Country Paradise Parklands 231 Beaudesert Nerang Road.




TO SUPPLY QNEWS ITEMS:-

Send SCRIPT to qnews@...
send audio to

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@...

THEN submit audio:-

To submit audio email qnews@... and ask for the current
password then read "how to submit items" in the weekly news page on




Remember the sooner you submit audio material the more the likelihood
of it being broadcast in the very next edition 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: [email protected]
Group Owner: [email protected]
Help: [email protected]

TO CEASE GETTING THIS EMAILED SERVICE:-
Unsubscribe: [email protected]

-----------------------------ENDS------------------------------------*