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--------------------------------------------- QNEWS AUGUST 4 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) Sadly Roger, VK4FANG (aka ‘the Dodger) passed away in the Townsville University Hospital on Monday evening 22/07/24 after suffering a long and painful fight against multiple terminal diseases. Roger is survived by his Wife, Suzette and three sons, Stephen, Daniel and Lee, Lee was at his Fathers side at the time of his passing. VK4FANG was a product of South Australia, where he eventually found himself entrenched into the transport industry which allowed him to travel extensively throughout our great Country. It was the transport industry which took Roger to Townsville. In fact he transported the first load of steel from SA to Queensland Nickel Industries. During this time Roger made his ‘Office’ at the Royal Oak Hotel, where he met Suzette, they married and over time produced the three boys. In retirement Roger was an avid reader, history and factual stories was his passion. His beloved “shed” became his office, bar (rum & coke) radio shack. Roger enjoyed amateur radio where he felt comfortable and contributed much to several nets in Townsville and other areas. He made numerous on air friends and you only had to speak to him to know him. He enjoyed making contact with hams from his beloved South Australia. Rest in Peace VK4FANG ROGER HARNDEN (above from a piece sent to vk4zz by Ray vk4net) --------------------------------------------------------------------* Hello, I’m Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and I’ve been thinking. No doubt there were many who follow the sport of kings and who celebrated the thoroughbreds’ birthday on the first of the month. In the more mundane world in which I live it has been a time to rug up and keep warm with the sub antarctic winds cooling the coast of the State through to the tropics. Just for a change, it is suggested that the weather will return to its normal pattern and showers will be around intermittently. The people who are interested in things celestial will have been suffering the disruptive influences coming from the Sun and whilst the photographers in higher regions might have been chasing auroras we radio amateurs have been looking out for the sweet spots of shortwave propagation. Sun spot cycle 25 is still ringing the changes with an infinitely variable tune. I wonder what you would first think of when I mention the word “Innovation”? Is it something technical directly related to amateur radio like a new operating mode or could it be something else? As much as we might enjoy how things have run and live by the adage of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” there are good reasons, it seems to me, to apply that word and its full meaning to how we run our clubs. We will have all noticed that the membership of the bodies that engage our interest is generally fluid with people coming and moving on and along the way getting that bit older. There can be instances when an event sparks an influx of new members looking to share our radio service and what it can offer in the way of personal attainment. Take for instance the situation where Jamboree of the Air brings some new faces to the door and we not only want to help them get on air, with the formalities as well as the technical and practical matters. How many of us stop and think about those new people with their individual likes, hobbies and

QNEWS JULY 28 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) --------------------------------------------------------------------* ---------------------------------------------------------------------* --------------------------------------------------------------------* Hello, I’m Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and I’ve been thinking. One of the challenges of our activity is to work out what is improvement. If you are engaged in many sports, the aim is to improve the score whether it is getting a higher number of points, a lower handicap or reeling in a bigger fish on a lighter line. We tinkerers in the electronics field are in a position where innovation and equipment upgrades don’t necessarily indicate a better outcome. The adoption of commonplace hardware has been historically one of the hallmarks of the radio amateur. From the operating position being called a shack and using pieces of household accessories to breadboard a project. The resource that was fondly known as disposals when cheap surplus from the wars was released onto the market and then the abundance of shortwave, VHF and UHF ex-commercial equipment have all been boons to the ham. In more recent times the upgrades to terrestrial communications has provided bits and pieces that we have put to good use as the cell phone networks are upgraded. The days of dependence on electro-mechanical machines has been largely replaced by the ubiquitous computer and software and firmware and the digital revolution is bringing gear into the shacks that is so small and versatile and with such features as spectrum displays that a complete station can be carried in little more than a supermarket carry bag. Well we are all aware of this, I am sure, as we use the many historic features of our pursuit. Children find the scoring in tennis amusing with love being nothing but we still use the symbols of the land line telegraph system with abbreviations and codes. We have contests that recognise people and events that hold significance to the majority of operators and although probably most QSL cards are transmitted via the internet and not the postal service we maintain these as part of our tradition. To me, there is no right or wrong way of being an amateur if you follow the licence conditions and the accepted norms of our fellows. This then leads me to think that improvement and success in this activity is achieving the personal goals we set for ourselves. It may be that we do things alone or we may join with others in a group or team but the success seems to be in being in the game rather than getting the gold or silver endorsement on a wall plaque. I suppose that the international definition of amateur radio as sustaining lifelong learning, self education has more than a ring of truth to it. When we come to share our story with others, it would seem only right that we try and spell out that AR is something for everyone as we can all be winners. I’m Geoff Emery VK4ZPP and that’s what I think….how about you? -------------------------------------------------------------------* Social Scene The Redcliffe Club will hold their Car Boot Sale Saturday 24 August at the club house, MacFarlane Park, Kippa Ring. (vk4tn) GOLD COAST HAMFEST OCTOBER 13 at Nerang Country Paradise Parklands 231 Beaudesert-Nerang Road Nerang. (vk4DMH) TO SUPPLY QNEWS ITEMS:- Send SCRIPT to qnews@... send audio to http://www.wia.org.au/members/broadcast/upload/

-------------------------------------------------------------------69 QNEWS JULY 21 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) --------------------------------------------------------------------* CLUBBING ---------------------------------------------------------------------* Redcliffe and Districts radio club. http://www.wia.org.au/clubs/vk4/RedcliffeAndDistrictRadioClub/ Redcliffe Club Carboot Sale Update. Greetings from the Redcliffe and Districts Radio Club VK4RC Robert Thomson VK4TFN here. The Redcliffe Club will hold our Annual CarBoot Sale on Saturday 24th August 2024 at our club house in MacFarlane Park at Kippa Ring in the City of Redcliffe. The raffle prize is an electronic weather station. There will be lucky door prizes as well. So, vendors in at seven, breakfast is at eight, gates open at nine, the raffle draw is at ten thirty. $10 per car boot or table, gold coin admission. There will be bacon and egg rolls and ice cream and fruit salad on offer. Go to www dot redclifferadioclub dot org dot au for more information. Thank you and 73's from the Redcliffe and Districts Radio Club VK4RC. Thank you Robert VK4TFN --------------------------------------------------------------------* Hello, I’m Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and I’ve been thinking. A lot of us will have been experiencing the cold weather that has certainly convinced the body that Winter has come. It occurred to me that we don't live in the idyllic winter wonderland of seasonal postcards that mark the Christmas break in the northern hemisphere. Although I once lived in a place that did have snow, we also had the luxury of indoor fireplaces that wafted the scent of burning through the house and did little to warm the bed clothes. After many years of living back along the sub-tropical coastal regions, I feel the cold as much as any native. As I don’t have a shack with the convenience of comfort and heating, I have been content, although somewhat frigid regardless of the amount of clothes I have on, to try and learn how to use a 2 in one type computer. Some may remember that I previously spoke of the issues of preparing a similar device for portable use and now I have another from a different manufacturer. Getting the familiarity with the unit has filled some time that could hqve been devoted to other tasks if the weather had been kinder. It seems that this fully blown tablet cum laptop will do the things I need. Anyway this has been a long preamble to wondering if others have sideline projects that they can take on when alternatives are needed. Many interests require that we perform maintenance on our equipment but the demands on the radio amateur, in this regard, are relatively light. It is wise to power up our electronics to keep moisture at bay and reduce the chances of electrolytics deteriorating. Then there are the general upkeep tasks, such as computer updates, that help keep our whole operating system running smoothly. For each of us there are items that require attention and being able to use the time that is available for the best outcomes is important. I don’t have a planned schedule just the knowledge that certain tasks need completing to get certain outcomes. Fortunately I no longer have the tyranny a regular work pattern to meet so time can be pretty flexible and jobs done when convenient. With our club activities, it is probably best that we do plan these sorts of activities so that

QNEWS JULY 14 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) --------------------------------------------------------------------* Hello, I’m Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and I’ve been thinking. There is the old saying that a change is as good as a holiday. One thing we can all say is that we have lived through many changes and some are more momentous than others, of course. Take, for example, the transition from analogue TV to digital. It created a bit of a ripple for people getting set-top boxes to tune in the new services or they had to replace their existing receiver with what seemed a much more expensive unit. This was at a time when people had been enjoying the benefits of getting video programming on various forms of laser read machines which produced a vastly improved image to the previous home entertainment recording formats of VHS and Beta. Remember that if you remember these things, there are many who have never had the joy of recording audio from the radio or struggling with a jammed cassette tape. There is a whole generation who live beyond the era of compact disk, digital video recording and blue rays. Streaming services and multi-channel free to air TV are with us now but what will replace them, tomorrow? In our own space we are seeing more digital operations being supported and used and the technology that we use, in most commercially sourced gear, is developed around digital processes and technology with less and less reliance on analogue equipment being developed. As these changes surround us, it is wise, I think, to consider the consequences of this technological evolution. I have lived without mains electricity but when you are used to the convenience of throwing a switch and you are blacked out, there has to be redundancy or a backup to keep the lights on. When the land line phone went down, there was only the alternative of radio if you had the licence and the equipment. These days our systems are geared around mobile phone services, the internet and satellite services such as GPS. What happens when these services fail? I mean these have been big changes and if this is part of the holiday experience, we can’t afford to forget the insect repellent, can we? There have been moves from the banking sector to introduce a cashless society. If you have been through a cyclone and the power is out or the internet connection fails, just how do you pay for fuel for your generator or the car to get through to the hospital or a doctor? Getting rid of cash is like throwing the baby out with the bathwater, as the old saying goes. There are good reasons for streamlining business procedures and refining the items that we use in our daily lives but, there is usually a but, we have to be aware that we have to be prepared to use alternatives when necessary. So as radio operators, do we have the plans in place and the equipment for when, as they put it in texting, T-S-H-T-F or do we sit and hope for the best? I’m Geoff Emery VK4ZPP and that’s what I think….how about you? -------------------------------------------------------------------* Social Scene The Redcliffe Club will hold their Car Boot Sale Saturday 24 August at the club house, MacFarlane Park, Kippa Ring. (vk4tn) GOLD COAST HAMFEST OCTOBER 13 at Nerang Country Paradise Parklands 231 Beaudesert-Nerang Road Nerang. (vk4DMH) TO SUPPLY QNEWS ITEMS:- Send SCRIPT to qnews@... send audio to http://www.wia.org.au/me

QNEWS JULY 07 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) --------------------------------------------------------------------* ---------------------------------------------------------------------* CLUBBING ---------------------------------------------------------------------* Ipswich and District Radio Club VK4WIP For a full list of club repeaters - www.vk4wip.org.au Q news 7 July 2024 This is Allan VK4HIT with news from Ipswich and District Radio Club. From Ipswich WICEN - The Pinnacles Classic was held on June 16th with Greg VK4GJW and Mark VK4SMA were on the base. Checkpoint One was staffed by Rod VK4ACF and Alan VK4AJG. About 86 runners started the event and from a communications standpoint everything went well. The Guzzler Ultra Marathon is held over two days on July 20 and 21 – and Mark VK4SMA said he now has enough operators to run the Guzzler event. While the quota of operators filled, if you have time to help, please put your name on the reserve list via ipswichwicen@.... The Lake Manchester Trail is coming up on August 18 and the Mount Glorious Trail November 10. The club’s IRLP repeater is now up and running, with many thanks to Rob VK4AB and Alec VK4AZ. It has been tested locally and overseas with 59 reports on both TX and RX. Club membership numbers remain strong with four new members joining in May. A warm welcome to David VK4HDW, Bill VK2WML, Diane VK4DI and Bill VK4ZD. New members and visitors are welcome at the clubhouse for monthly social and business meetings. Check the website for dates and times. Reporting from Ipswich this is Allan, VK4HIT. Redcliffe and Districts radio club. http://www.wia.org.au/clubs/vk4/RedcliffeAndDistrictRadioClub/ Redcliffe Club Car Boot Sale & Wamuran Repeater Relocation Project. Greetings from the Redcliffe and Districts Radio Club VK4RC. Robert Thomson VK4TFN here. The Redcliffe Club will hold our Annual Car Boot Sale on Saturday 24th August 2024 at our club house at MacFarlane Park, Kippa Ring in the City of Redcliffe. As always, vendors in at seven, breakfast is at eight, the Carboot sale starts at nine, and the raffle is at ten thirty. $10 per car boot or table and a gold coin admission. Go to redclifferadioclub.org.au for more information. Wamuran Repeater Relocation Project. Following the closure of our Wamuran repeater site, the Club’s 2 meter and 70cm repeaters (on 146.925MHz and 438.325MHz respectively) have recently been relocated to a temporary site. Unfortunately, it is expected that the coverage will not be good in the short term. The repeaters had occupied the Wamuran site, for close on 30 years but it was time to move on. We at the Redcliffe Club, extend our apologies for any resulting inconvenience. It is anticipated that the Morton Bay Regional Council, will soon approve our application for a much-improved site at Ocean View. We'll get the repeaters up and fully operational at the new site as soon as possible. The Club’s 2 meter Mt Glorious repeater (on 147.000MHz) is still fully operational. Thank you for your patience and 73 from the Redcliffe and Districts Radio Club VK4RC. Thank you Robert VK4TFN --------------------------------------------------------------------* Hello, I’m Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and I’ve been thinking. We are fortunate to be enjoying the playfulness of the shortwave bands when the sunspot cycle is at maximum. Radio conditions can be both frustrating when old Sol manages

QNEWS JUNE 30 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) --------------------------------------------------------------------* --------------------------------------------------------------------* Hello, I’m Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and I’ve been thinking. Welcome to the end, no not the Universe but the end of the financial year when wage earners and small businesses collect those important documents that support the claims that will bolster the hoped for tax return. There is an area which we should all spend some time on when we think about building our clubs. That is something called group dynamics. Really it is just understanding how we can help provide the best experience within our organisation. Satisfied people will return and support a club in so many ways and it is important we do a bit to smooth that process. If our club is open in its discussion and shares and invites participation, it means everyone has the opportunity to take part in the decision making. I am aware that some clubs exist with a small executive committee which deals with all the necessary formalities and organisation and then presents a sealed package at the next AGM and probably goes on to select the same people for another 12 months. Then there are those bodies that encourage members to talk amongst themselves and come up with ideas which are discussed at the next formal meeting. I wonder which clubs then have the most satisfied and interested participants in activities? People respond well when they feel they have a sense of ownership whether of a physical item, ideas or activities. Part of the inclusion process is ensuring that messages get out to members and especially potential members. Once it was regular newsletter and then the regular posts on the web site and now perhaps social media. Whatever method is used it needs to suit the people on the other end. Like a newsagency with racks of magazines that no-one buys, if the communication is ignored or just glossed over then it has failed to serve its purpose. These are positive drivers of a successful group dynamic but we also need to think about the things that spoil interaction, also. It can be awkward and just bloody hard, at times, to stem a tendency for gossip to spread. Often it is a sign of leadership failures that the hidden rumours are spread. If we think back to the old schoolyard game of Chinese Whispers, you can get the idea of how worthwhile most gossip is. In other words, what could be something constructive and positive can get passed on to be destructive and negative. This is where openness and free discussion sets a pattern which others can take up for themselves. How much better is it to say something openly and if there is any error in it, have it corrected without rancour and then things can move on without disruption. Sadly one of the things that we see, especially from overseas politicians, is that opinions that aren’t greeted with total agreement by an audience are then followed by invective and personal insults. There is no reason to adopt this immature way of behaving if you honestly want to see growth and progress amongst your fellows. We should aim to be our best and share our best and share in the good outcomes that result. I’m VK4ZPP Geoff Emery and that’s what I think….how about you? -------------------------------------------------------------------* Social Scene Clubs are welcome to submit text wi

QNEWS JUNE 23 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 ONLY FROM:- QNEWS audio ready to download thanks to Brendan VK4BLP from www.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) --------------------------------------------------------------------* --------------------------------------------------------------------* Hello, I’m Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and I’ve been thinking. One of the basics of marketing is getting to know your customer base and being able to promote a not-for-profit activity surely falls into that category. Whether we look at our local club level or at a hierarchy which includes state and federal structures, it is being able to relate to our members that can make or break a marketing campaign. Amateur radio is something that has grown around the world for over 100 years and it is something that we adherents want to see continue for an infinite time in the future. We have two things to do and the first is to retain our existing members by replacing those that are no longer involved through various means and secondly to attract new people to continue the growth and preserve the legacy in times ahead. I suppose that is very elementary for many but what do we see in reality? There appears to be many areas where people seem to be in despair of experiencing a sustained membership let alone getting new blood. How should we set about finding the answers is a good place to start. Without knowing what glues our activities into a coherent formulation that we can identify as ham or amateur radio. It is almost cliche-ed to repeat the formal definition from the ITU and the definition doesn’t give us the information that we need anyway. I have heard of suggestions for short survey questions in each edition of Amateur Radio magazine which would collect opinions which could be collated and used to define a clearer picture. I don’t know how many clubs still have a regular magazine but social media pages and web pages could also do this same function providing there was someone to make sure the results were collected. Really when we consider it, a programmer/coder should be able to write or construct some routines or algorithms which would collect the raw data and compile a result sheet. Then there is the validation of the inputs to such a survey. As anyone that has studied basic statistics was taught, when the respondents are self selected there is automatically a skewing or bias in the sample. This is why results from facilities such as Survey Monkey must be considered unreliable a they have that inherent bias to start with. I feel we need to be more responsive to our membership and we need to learn what floats our boats, so to speak. Then we need a formula to gather the insight that newly created amateurs bring. In the two decades of having the Foundation level entry point, there have been many people who have qualified, operated for a while and then dropped out. From experience, I can surmise that study and career are powerful interventions in life. Establishing a family and funding the various things that make for a good home life often leaves little money and even less time to devote to a recreation. However, we really are flying blind with no hard evidence to support our opinions. I’m Geoff Emery VK4ZPP and that’s what I think….how about you? -------------------------------------------------------------------* Social Scene Clubs are welcome to submit text with audio for this section VK4 - Caboolture Radio Club HamFest is to be held on Saturday 13th July. The venue, a new one, the Caboolture Uniting Church Hall, 257 King street. That's the corner of King and Smiths Road. Breakfast will be served from 8 am, with the Hamf

QNEWS JUNE 16 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) ---------------------------------------------------------------------* CLUBBING ---------------------------------------------------------------------* TOWNSVILLE http://www.wia.org.au/clubs/vk4/TownsvilleAmateurRadioClub/ vk4wit@... 4773 1196 or 0408 001142 po box 333 Garbutt East, QLD 4814 www.tarc.org.au WAR on TOWNSVILLE: 29th. July 1942. In the early morning hours of the 29th. July 1942 a Japanese aircraft dropped eight x 250 lbs. bombs, supposedly on Townsville Q. Seven of the bombs fell in Cleveland Bay and the eighth bomb fell on Oonoomba, a suburb of Townsville. Thankfully the damage caused was a crater and the destruction of one palm tree. After moving to Townsville in 1979, we, as a Family did visit the Bomb Site on several occasions. On ANZAC DAY 2014, I transmitted (AM on ANZAC DAY) from the Site. Since that time the Oonoomba bomb site was granted a Heritage listing of the Historical WW2 Bombing of Townsville. I, with other Members of TARC, operated two stations on ANZAC Day 2024 , Net Control by Gavin, VK4ZZ from the Green St. Headquarters. Over the years since 2014, the original tenants (Dept. Primary Industries) have vacated and the land has become an overgrown area with a swamp surrounding the Bomb Site. My inquiring mind led me to investigate just what was the future of our WW2 Heritage-listed Site. A great deal of the then vacant land had been developed into Housing and Commercial estates. I found that Plaques, that had been laid at the Bomb Site were missing and one was removed to an area well away from our Heritage Listed Site. Investigation into the three levels of Government regarding; the future of our Site clearly proved that our Heritage Listed Site was about to be built over and lost forever! NOT ON MY WATCH. A lot of work has gone into dealings with the three levels of Government: TV and other media interviews with our Local opposition Member have all helped with securing written documentation of future support to preserve the Site in "some" form from destruction. It has not been made clear to what level the preservation will be, this is why we must get behind the support of the Bomb Site for current and future residents and visitors to Townsville to witness and enjoy our History at War. ( Ray will be calling VK4OIL ) Our transmission on the Anniversary of the Bombing, 29th. July 2024 from the Site will be - Transmission Start: 2.00 pm EST Transmission Finish: 4.00 pm EST Freq. 7.100 + or - LSB. Net Control VK4ZZ - Gavin from TARC H'quarters. TARC Members who would like to erect a portable station are all welcome. Any helpers or visitors, all welcome to attend. I also ask that we be inundated with DX stations from all over our Great Country to call into the Net and give us moral support. LEST WE FORGET. Kind regards, Ray & Wendy Schinkel --------------------------------------------------------------------* Hello, I’m Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and I’ve been thinking. round my part of the world, despite what has been forecast, we are having delightful weather with blue skies, fluffy clouds and cool mornings. Only a few weeks go, I was reporting that we were in for a drier winter and a warmer one. With most days getting into single figure temperatures as the sun comes out I really can’t say it has been warmer than average. Just like getting the sunspot figures, we will learn the tr

QNEWS JUNE 9 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) --------------------------------------------------------------------* Caboolture http://www.wia.org.au/clubs/vk4/CabooltureRadioClub/ VK4 - Caboolture Radio Club Hamfest Saturday 13th July. The venue, a new one, the Caboolture Uniting Church Hall, 257 King street. That's the corner of King and Smiths Road. Breakfast will be served from 8 am, with the Hamfest opening at 9 am. Admission is $5. For further information see the Club's Facebook page facebook.com/vk4qd (Alan VK4TG Secretary, Caboolture Radio Club Inc.) ( text edtion only ) --------------------------------------------------------------------* Hello, I’m Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and I’ve been thinking. I’ve mentioned the weather forecasts a few times, recently. The good news turned out that the excess rain did not eventuate in my part of the world and Winter joined us in an appropriate way. Slowly the underfoot is returning to a firm consistency without the squelching sound as one walks across the lawn. The deficit, in my mind, is that the colder mornings are demanding more bedding to keep the twinges out of the body. Then with sunny days with blue skies, there is not much cause for complaint. As I have touched on various topics relative to strengthening amateur radio, there has been a thought or two rattling around. When we look at organisations that have maintained their presence in the community, it occurs to me that they have retained the spirit of their foundations and then built upon the strengths they find in a developing world. It is obvious that we radio amateurs are involved in activities that predate each of us in their foundation but the way they are now practised has been an evolution. People are variously finding life somewhat more difficult at the moment with local factors and international ones signalling how important stability is to our lives. My parents lived through what is called the Great Depression and many of the lessons they passed on have helped me in my life. As life started to right itself from the tide of financial disaster, the world found itself embroiled in the Second World War and then followed the Korean conflict. There came the Vietnam War and recession as late as 30 odd years ago but still our society continued to grow. This suggests to me that as hard as times are for many people now, we can and we will endure and share good times again. It has happened before and with the lessons of yesterday we can make things better in the future. What I am suggesting is that there is still the opportunity and the time remains right for building our activities and our involvement in our communities. Obviously the collective voices of clubs will be heard more clearly than the lone operator but where there is no club that one voice has its own resonance to carry the message. Where should each of us pitch our interests to have the most effect? That is something that local circumstances really guide us to and once we recognise the role we can follow through in spreading the message of community support, individual involvement and good social experiences through out club involvements. What we perhaps need is a sense of direction, of leadership so that we can structure our plan in a way that is known to work. Do we have that leadership or can you provide some of the skills we need? This is an opportunity that looks too good to mis

QNEWS JUNE 2 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) --------------------------------------------------------------------* Hello, I’m Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and I’ve been thinking. Winter is upon us but the weather seems to be the same as the past few weeks, cloudy and wet. The forecaster tell us that the systems have changed from high pressure influences in the Great Australian Bite to low pressure but it still seems like an ever repeating sequence. The interesting thing is that the day and night temperatures for the winter months are expected to be above the normal levels for this winter quarter of the calendar. Perhaps the extra blanket or the electric blanket won’t be so much in demand this season. If you haven’t already received the email, if you are a member of the Wireless Institute, then here is a heads up that the latest Amateur Radio magazine is available online. Editor in Chief, Roger Harrison, VK2ZRH, has advised the many groups on social media that printing is taking place and distribution of the paper copy is very near. We have not long been through the effects of the G5 Solar Storm and the space scientists are telling us to be prepared for another burst of high solar activities. It is part of the excitement to ride the crests of the sun spot cycles but also to wait out the quiet times following the magnetic storms engaging with the Earth’s magnetosphere. These events are part of the constant learning that being a radio experimenter continues through life. It hardly seems long ago that we were looking at the summer VHF contests and now it barely 2 months to go until the Remembrance Day contest followed by the ALARA contest just after. Of course there are more activities happening between now and then but we should prepare for the “big ticket” events on on our calendar. Want to know more? Have a look on WIA dot org dot au website under contests. I wonder if any of my thoughts have stimulated actions within the clubs or for individual hams? The idea is to put out ideas that others can use as a springboard to develop their own vision for amateur radio in their local area and by feeding information through to the peak body, influencing the direction for the future. One of the good things that we enjoy within the news team is getting feedback. It is sort of in short supply most times and I wonder how many caught onto the deliberate error that was included in last week’s text? You may think it a bit cheeky but from time to time I try and set a lure to stimulate feedback as a means of gauging listener responses. Please feel free to email your replies to QNews or to me via my WIA email address. I’m Geoff Emery VK4ZPP and that’s what I think….how about you? -------------------------------------------------------------------* Hallo everyone, this is Graham VK4BB reminding you that today, being the first Sunday of of the month, it's time for the QNEWS Social Calender for VK4 to go to air. Social Scene Clubs are welcome to submit text with audio for this section Caboolture Radio Club Hamfest July 11 (vk7jea) BUT the facebook group called hamfests australia show it as Julky 13 We have sent numerous emails to the club (vk4qd) but no response so before you hoip in the car TRY to assertain the correct date. GOLD COAST HAMFEST OCTOBER 13 at Nerang Country Paradise Parklands 231 Beaudesert-Nerang Road Nerang. (vk4DMH) TO SUPPLY QNEWS ITEMS:- Send SCRIPT to qn

QNEWS MAY 26 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) Sad news to impart that Alan Stephenson, formerly VK4PS, life member of The Townsville Amateur Radio Club Inc. went Silent Key peacefully during the early hours of Thursday morning, 23rd May, 2024. Alan's passing brings an end to a massive contribution to Amateur Radio and the community at large. Alan was instrumental in forming up the communications section of the Townsville Civil Defence organisation in the early 1970s and continued to be a comms section leader for many years when that organisation changed into the Townsville division of the Queensland State Emergency Service. Alan was instrumental in obtaining the location of the Amateur Radio Site at Mount Stuart and securing access for the Amateur Radio Club into the current Club Rooms at the SES HQ atop the Green Street Bunker during the early 1970s, supporting the training of Amateur Radio operators through the club during the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, was comms support leader for the Club in assisting community organisations to run events safely through the power of radio and assisting radioamateurs in their experiments. Alan was a 6metre band pioneer in North Queensland back when you had to convert an ex-miltary or commercial rigs to 50MHz and his home in Little Street Belgian Gardens was a hub in the region for long distance communications. Alan was the first Technical Officer for Community Radio 4TTT-FM and was instrumental in establishing the studios in the Townsville CBD and the transmitting site at Mount Stuart. Alan also masterminded the power and tower upgrade for the community broadcaster and also helped get the Burdekin's community broadcaster Sweet-FM on the air. As a lad Alan helped his father deliver public address systems to defense positions about The Strand and other locations during World War 2, often having to wiggle through barbed wire installations to get the delivery completed. Alan eventually took on his father's radio building business - Stephenson Radio, providing radio tech and sales services right across North Queensland, often spending days on stations setting up or improving HF Radio bases used to communicate with the School of the Air or the Flying Doctor. Alan's business also extended to maritime communications, keeping commercial and recreational craft working well on the air. Alan was involved in the original TV boom when television was first introduced to the North and was really busy with the introduction of Colour TV, providing installation and servicing services for single and community distributed TVs. Alan's celebration of life will be happening at Morley's Chapel, Martinez Avenue West End Townsville starting 2pm on Friday 31st May 2024. Friends, Associates and those wanting to show their respects to Alan are invited to attend the service. --------------------------------------------------------------------* Hello, I’m Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and I’ve been thinking. There are many things used as team building exercises and they range from the plain to the bizarre, it seems. One thing that just about everyone has made at some time is a list. Whether it is getting all the groceries or planning what to take on a trip or ordering parts for some project, most of of us have had practice in putting together a list. Now if we think back a few years, most of us will remember that the American Amateur Relay League, the A

QNEWS MAY 19 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. --------------------------------------------------------------------* CLUBBING ---------------------------------------------------------------------* Ipswich & District Radio Club http://www.wia.org.au/clubs/vk4/IpswichAndDistrict/ Web – www.vk4wip.org.au Email - vk4wip@... For a full list of repeaters - www.vk4wip.org.au This is Allan VK4HIT with news from Ipswich and District Radio Club. First up from WICEN, the Brisbane Trail Marathon was held on April 28 with members volunteering their time at five checkpoints, a portable repeater site, and the base. The importance of providing safety communications to such events opens up the opportunity for members to support the club through the WICEN group. Congratulations to first-timers Trish VK4TMK and Alan VK4AJG. The early starts can be a challenge, but such is the nature of trail running. The next event is the Pinnacles Classic on June 16 followed by The Guzzler Ultra Marathon held over two days – July 20 and 21. For this event we need maximum participation from members, friends and other visiting amateurs. A total of 22 people are needed. Coordinator for the Guzzler event is Mark VK4SMA, please contact Mark via email ipswichwicen@... if you can assist. Now to more domestic matters, but no less important. Members are reminded a new mowing roster for the clubhouse is being put together. Able bodied members are urged to put your name forward. The club supplies the mower and fuel. The roster means only one or two mows per year if it can be filled with at least 10 members. As secretary Greg VK4GJW puts it – many mowers make light work. Reporting from Ipswich this is Allan, VK4HIT. --------------------------------------------------------------------* Hello, I’m Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and I’ve been thinking. An interesting time has been had by radio enthusiasts in the past few days with a G5 level flare impacting the Earth’s magnetic field. Some people recognised the severity of the event when the bands went dead and pictures of auroras from the Antarctic to the sub-tropics were appearing on TV and internet sources. Those of us old enough to remember the heady days of the legalisation of CB in this country know that it also coincided with a peak in sunspot activity too. 27MHz was a school that taught many how well low power signals can go when conditions are right. We are seeing these magnificent openings again. Back then the Novice Licence was drawing interest amongst radio enthusiasts and projects were published to adapt and use cheaply available equipment on the Novice allocations. The hobbyist Aladdin's cave of the day, Dick Smith stores were at the front of the pack in packaging and selling kits for things like transverters which used the ubiquitous CB rig as the generation platform to access other bands. Many people went on self learning safari and explored the design technology and I recall Amateur Radio magazine carried articles for changing the mixing crystals in the 23 channel radios to put them on accepted amateur frequencies in the 10 and 11 metre bands. These days there are collectors who pay seemingly outrageous prices for veteran CB equipment and from pictures I have seen, there have been numerous tables at ham fests seeking to move the same types of gear on to new homes. The difference is that the amateur event sales are usually at much lower prices. Here we have a combination of things. Good conditions and a source of less valuable radios than the all singing, all dancing commercially produced amateur radios. There are radio

QNEWS MAY 12 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. --------------------------------------------------------------------* --------------------------------------------------------------------* Hello, I’m Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and I’ve been thinking. I don’t know about you but I find it hard to pull rabbits out of a hat or even hit the ground running, these days. With the best will in the world I can say that things aren’t what they used to be for me 10, 20 years and more ago. The realisation that one’s circumstances are changing is perhaps the sign of maturity or for some, I believe, its a shock to the whole understanding of life. Now I have raised this contentious subject of age because we have to accept on a personal level that our capacities change but for most of us, we have the memories and understanding of what life was like for us at various ages. This is experience that we should be able to harness in taking an interest in the expanding field of amateur radio. Just because we are young or just because we are mature doesn’t mean our value as a person is any less or more than our fellows. We are unique individuals with a tremendous capacity to learn and grow and be able to share some of that capacity with others. This, of course, is a hobby horse of many in the radio community who wish to see the whole spectrum of activities available to us populated by people with a burning desire to pass the enjoyment on to more and more people. To do that is to ensure that our children and their children will have the opportunity to take part, as we are doing, with the knowledge that a radio ham is a good person. That may seem to be a wishy-washy sentiment but if we all accept the virtues in the Amateurs Code then we have the beacon that has guided our predecessors and our peers through the years. So I suppose the question for each of us becomes, do we want to be ready to help someone join the community? Then what do I do when the opportunity comes knocking? Can I as an individual operator provide the mentoring or can I call on a local club to offer support and friendship, too? Talking of clubs; has your club started the conversation with members as how to progress AR? I suppose after my recent challenge there has been time to really hit the road running on this proposal. With an evolving set of guidelines from the ACMA under the new license regime and a newly constituted WIA Board in place to represent us it really seems to be an opportunity that, as they say, is too good to miss. As much as the activities on air and at the bench must define the role of the wireless enthusiast, the radio amateur, the ham, it is the effort that goes into maintaining the governing structures that sustains this recreation. Moving with the times and not remaining fossilised on the shelf of past glories is as important as gathering entries in the log or chasing another certificate. I’m Geoff Emery VK4ZPP and that’s what I think….how about you? -------------------------------------------------------------------* Hallo everyone, this is Graham VK4BB reminding you that today, being the first Sunday of of the month, it's time for the QNEWS Social Calender for VK4 to go to air. Social Scene Clubs are welcome to submit text with audio for this section Caboolture Radio Club Hamfest July 11 (vk7jea) GOLD COAST HAMFEST OCTOBER 13 at Nerang Country Paradise Parklands 231 Beaudesert-Nerang Road Nerang. (vk4DMH) TO SUPPLY QNEWS ITEMS:- Send SCRIPT to qnews@... send audio to http://www.wia.org.au/members/broadcast/upload/ QNEWS Tips to get MORE out of your weekly newscast on

QNEWS MAY 5 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 13 2023 SK CALL SK NAME DATE ADVISED BY VK4OD PETER HARDING 10 JULY 2023 vk4bab VK4SOA SYD ABRAHAMS 18 AUGUST vk4eka VK4KCC GRAHAM ANDERSON 9 SEPTEMBER vk7ev VK4CCF JEFF STINSON 1 OCTOBER vk4zz VK4FZAK MAREE CHURCHILL 8 OCTOBER vk4djc VK5QD x VK4AFO AUB McKIBBEN 21 NOVEMBER vk4yt VK4SL SYD LYON 9 DECEMBER vk4hit VK4MRC ROD CARDELL 17 DECEMBER vk4kx VK3FPL/4 PETER LORD 17 DECEMBER vk4eo VK4JDJ DENNIS BAUER 12 APRIL vk4fuq/v4mik VK4KPD PETER DOR ?? Dougal --------------------------------------------------------------------* --------------------------------------------------------------------* Hello, I’m Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and I’ve been thinking. Welcome to the new WIA Board who have been getting the feel of the mood in Bundaberg at the Annual General Meeting and associated events. We wish them a very productive and successful year ahead. With the benefit of the experience of the longer serving members the new members face the task of assuming the roles of directors and also the thrill and pressures of being advocates of the Australian Amateur Radio Community. One of the tasks that we all have is planning ahead for the activities that stimulate the juices and strengthen the hunger in this great activity. For those who have had the opportunity to attend Bundaberg, this weekend, I hope the shared experience has brought new thoughts and strengthened friendships. Some of us have had to sit out this event with other responsibilities taking precedence and we await the reports to our clubs and hopefully the written words in Amateur Radio magazine. WIA News depends on its contributors and I for one will be eagerly waiting for the reports. I wonder how many clubs have managed to formulate plans to grow the membership and increase the involvement of current members? This is more than an idle musing but the hope that people have the capacity to pull something worthwhile out of the collective hat. It is the case that if we don’t try we will never succeed. Now is the time that we must realise that for amateur radio to remain a thriving community activity, there has to be no “them and us” mentality. It is the time when we need to agree that it really is all about us. Individually and collectively it is our participation that marks this pursuit as and enjoyable influence around the world. We have wars being fought and contacts are continuing to demonstrate the spirit of amateur radio in countries which are involved. We have had disputes about politics and which is the superior marque of car but when we get on air, the rules that have governed procedure for so many years have helped to reinforce the amateur spirit of respect for our fellow amateur operators. I see that some of the older members of our community and some of the more serious younger ones, too, are extremely cautious of the supposed laxity of the Class Licence and what it can introduce. Those of us old enough to have lived through the introduction of the CB Service have also witnessed the anarchy which overtook that activity with the introduction of class licensing. There are good reasons to take this as an object lesson and to ensure the regulator does not let go of the reins of the amateur service. This brings me back to the need to input, to share ideas and to participate. Collectively we are a community and we share the responsibility for growth and recognition. If we don’t take the first step in supporting our hobby, don’t exp

QNEWS APRIL 28 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 13 2023 SK CALL SK NAME DATE ADVISED BY VK4OD PETER HARDING 10 JULY 2023 vk4bab VK4SOA SYD ABRAHAMS 18 AUGUST vk4eka VK4KCC GRAHAM ANDERSON 9 SEPTEMBER vk7ev VK4CCF JEFF STINSON 1 OCTOBER vk4zz VK4FZAK MAREE CHURCHILL 8 OCTOBER vk4djc VK5QD x VK4AFO AUB McKIBBEN 21 NOVEMBER vk4yt VK4SL SYD LYON 9 DECEMBER vk4hit VK4MRC ROD CARDELL 17 DECEMBER vk4kx VK3FPL/4 PETER LORD 17 DECEMBER vk4eo VK4JDJ DENNIS BAUER 12 APRIL vk4fuq/v4mik --------------------------------------------------------------------* --------------------------------------------------------------------* Hello, I’m Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and I’ve been thinking. As the Rum City, Bundaberg, prepares to host the annual general meeting of the Wireless Institute it is perhaps the right time for us to think about what we would like to see happen for amateur radio in the next 12 months. There are matters that will need improvement and there are matters that need attention and there will be matters that have been neglected. As a new Board takes over the process of representing all Australian amateurs it is up to us as individuals and collectively as club members to let that Board know what we want. It seems that too often action is left to someone or some other body to be taken. Yet as a body that has the place to address issues it is not solely the responsibility of the top echelon of the WIA to do all the thinking. Nor is it, on the other side of the coin, the right of the WIA to dictate how we conduct our hobby. We all have a collective responsibility to the hobby to promote and protect it and here we have the best opportunity of doing these things. We have talked about STEM/STEAM as a way of promoting amateur radio amongst the younger members of the community. We have a new catch word of Innovation which can be a tag line for the renewal and growth of this recreation. Just as various sports have undergone a process of regeneration with more major events and sponsorship, our much smaller occupation is capable of a rebirth and update to the 21st century. The real issue is whether we have the incentive and initiative to drive that change. In the more balmy climate of Queensland, winter can be a good time to get around a fire at night and chew the fat. Often the best ideas are generated when people are feeling comfortable and relaxed and able to speak freely. This is where social activities not only bond us together but also stimulate new thinking which can benefit us all. I wonder if many clubs can find a way of incorporating the social gatherings, if they don’t already have them. I wonder if the free and easy discussions can bring fresh ideas to the club meetings and maybe, we can revive the club gatherings, presidents lunches and in a friendly way get discussions at all levels of the hobby going properly, once again. The good thing about social activities is that we can experience new adventures amongst our friends. I recall a day out with my club with a trip on a heritage railway. There was a saving on the tickets as a group booking gained a good discount. It was something different and an enjoyable adjunct to belonging to a radio club. There are so many things that we can do in groups in VK4 that can oil the cogs of one’s club. Can you think of things to do in your area? Are you prepared to join in the wider conversation about growing amateur radio? I’m Geoff Emery VK4ZPP and that’s what I think….how about you? ---------

QNEWS APRIL 21 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 13 2023 SK CALL SK NAME DATE ADVISED BY VK4OD PETER HARDING 10 JULY 2023 vk4bab VK4SOA SYD ABRAHAMS 18 AUGUST vk4eka VK4KCC GRAHAM ANDERSON 9 SEPTEMBER vk7ev VK4CCF JEFF STINSON 1 OCTOBER vk4zz VK4FZAK MAREE CHURCHILL 8 OCTOBER vk4djc VK5QD x VK4AFO AUB McKIBBEN 21 NOVEMBER vk4yt VK4SL SYD LYON 9 DECEMBER vk4hit VK4MRC ROD CARDELL 17 DECEMBER vk4kx VK3FPL/4 PETER LORD 17 DECEMBER vk4eo VK4JDJ DENNIS BAUER 12 APRIL vk4fuq/v4mik VK4JDJ Dennis Bauer SK 12 April Dennis grew up in Northern Queensland and in his early years lived in a small community on the Palmerston Range where it rained nearly all year which made for interesting bus rides on the muddy road to school!! Dennis led a life of various jobs on cattle properties, drilling camps, road maintenance work and hotel work and picked up a range of varied skills with the various jobs. He joined the army and trained as an engineer and did a tour of Vietnam and was involved with demining and clearing roads – a dangerous task. Dennis, Wayne VK4ARW and VK4MIK plus a couple of younger chaps did a well organised Amateur Radio Course in the early 1990’s which Wilf Booth VK4ZNZ SK, ex PMG senior technical officer and Telstra foreman, organized and wrote a very comprehensive manual that covered the theory requirements plus during the course included practical displays to enhance the learning. They were also given assistance in CW by Aub VK4AFO SK and others who greatly assisted in mastering CW. Dennis developed a great appreciation for CW and after getting past the exams and licensed he took part in the nightly CW and LSB nets. The group formed into the Tableland Radio Group and did numerous trips away operating various locations. The Group operated from Grassy Hill Lighthouse with the distinctive callsign VK4GHL and Dennis did much research in building dipoles and loop antennas for the various events which were always successful and they also learnt about his latest designs and the theory behind same – many times he had novel approaches. They also did radio operations for the Tablelands Endurance horse rides and Dennis usually manned the base control and he clarified issues such as getting lost or on the wrong track !! He had a keen sense of humour and used to have many laughing about incidents that had occurred. On one occasion Dennis designed a full wave 80 meter horizontal loop antenna with support posts which was huge but certainly worked. Dennis was a regular on Rob VK4ARQ CW net that took place from 0530 to 0630 each morning and had hams from the Darling Downs, Rockhampton, Mackay, Bowen, Townsville and various Atherton Tableland locations plus Cairns and occasionally others joined in. They got up to some high sending speeds and it was amazing to listen to. Dennis acquired a few different paddles from Italy and other countries. He also enjoyed QRP ops and building various projects to incorporate in his station set up. He did some 2 meter and 70 cm operating and was involved with a phased array that VK4MIK was building for 2 meters and got assistance from Wilf – it was an bit of a construction “ murphy” but they got it operating !! Dennis was usually a quiet bloke who “plugged away” at projects and learning and he would finally announce what he had been up to. Many hams have similar attributes. Dennis will be missed. He had his partner Sue and family near at the end. 73 Den aee you down the track. QNEWS thanks Mike vk4mik for a fi

QNEWS APRIL 14 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 13 2023 SK CALL SK NAME DATE ADVISED BY VK4OD PETER HARDING 10 JULY 2023 vk4bab VK4SOA SYD ABRAHAMS 18 AUGUST vk4eka VK4KCC GRAHAM ANDERSON 9 SEPTEMBER vk7ev VK4CCF JEFF STINSON 1 OCTOBER vk4zz VK4FZAK MAREE CHURCHILL 8 OCTOBER vk4djc VK5QD x VK4AFO AUB McKIBBEN 21 NOVEMBER vk4yt VK4SL SYD LYON 9 DECEMBER vk4hit VK4MRC ROD CARDELL 17 DECEMBER vk4kx VK3FPL/4 PETER LORD 17 DECEMBER vk4eo --------------------------------------------------------------------* --------------------------------------------------------------------* Hello, I’m Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and I’ve been thinking. In this great information age powered by the digital revolution and the internet, there is undoubtedly the greatest access to the most information that the world has known. That is not hyperbole or in the more modern jargon, clickbait. It is a fact that the amount of data grows exponentially each and every day and in fact the data storage and processing is being classed as a climate change factor by reason of the electricity that is used, the heat that is generated and the water that is used for cooling. I spend a reasonable amount of time checking out different things that interest me and I use various components of the internet to do so. In many cases I am looking to see what others have recorded about particular items and one of the easiest ways is to watch videos. There are tremendous resources available to the electronics and ham radio communities and learning to refine your search terms certainly speeds up access to the sources. Herein lies the great difficulty that until we are familiar with a topic it is very hard to judge the quality of the material that you read or view. I have frequently followed a very sincere looking presentation with another on the same topic only to have points of contradiction be glaringly obvious between the two. If the subject is quite recently presented to the world, it may be hard to find the critiques that shade and colour the picture and I am left with the big question mark and scratching my head. How do I know what is right? Fortunately in our field of interest, the laws that govern how radio and electronics are well enough established that it is only in the minute details that we will see radical change. In other words, the material in the manuals and text books is going to be more than accurate than we need in the practical world. It is for this reason that I have a small library of standard books of varying ages and they can provide most of the theoretical and technical answers that I need for my purposes. This is where I point you to belonging to a club which maintains a library for members to use. Along with equipment and instruments, books are a valuable resource and should be available to club members, at least. I have seen reports over the past years that public libraries have cleared most of their shelves of amateur radio type material and it then becomes the province of the club and individual amateur operator to source and maintain these valuable resources. Every day there are questions to which I don’t have the right answer and being able to “fact check”, with better accuracy than on social media, is a source of satisfaction. I’m Geoff Emery VK4ZPP and that’s what I think….how about you? -------------------------------------------------------------------* Social Scene Clubs are welcome to submit text with audio for this section WIA AGM held MAY 4-5 20

QNEWS APRIL 07 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 13 2023 SK CALL SK NAME DATE ADVISED BY VK4OD PETER HARDING 10 JULY 2023 vk4bab VK4SOA SYD ABRAHAMS 18 AUGUST vk4eka VK4KCC GRAHAM ANDERSON 9 SEPTEMBER vk7ev VK4CCF JEFF STINSON 1 OCTOBER vk4zz VK4FZAK MAREE CHURCHILL 8 OCTOBER vk4djc VK5QD x VK4AFO AUB McKIBBEN 21 NOVEMBER vk4yt VK4SL SYD LYON 9 DECEMBER vk4hit VK4MRC ROD CARDELL 17 DECEMBER vk4kx VK3FPL/4 PETER LORD 17 DECEMBER vk4eo --------------------------------------------------------------------* Hello, I’m Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and I’ve been thinking. How time flies when you are having fun, goes the old expression and here it is a week on from the pranksters’ favourite day of the year. I saw some amusing posts and some that were a little hard to place in the April Fool genre, this year round. Still no doubt many people managed to get “caught” out by the pranks and provide a good laugh at themselves. At the moment, the weather seems to be celebrating the great US Groundhog Day with barely a day passing along the coast without rain. It was actually a surprise that we had one afternoon and the following day with golden rays of sunshine and then the pattern resumed with storms washing the happy smiles from people’s faces. Many will have noticed that the most recent entry into the commercial electronics magazine field has succumbed to the current economic malaise. Diyode magazine has closed its doors and we have but one fully commercial publication of Silicon Chip to fill the space on the newsagents shelves. It was perhaps an heroic venture to begin with when the likes of Electronics Australia and AEM having closed before. Sadly the amount of material being published which directly related to amateur radio has been in decline over this time also. Publishers have told us that it has been due to the changes in available products around which they could develop kit construction projects. We have been fortunate that old hands such as Jim Rowe, former Editor of EA, has kept his pen dipped in ink and contributed useful articles to Silicon Chip. With items sourced from the great cornucopia of electronics manufacturing, Asia, there remains the opportunity to continue a level of homebrew, DIY that helps us in our hobby. Sadly, over the years and because of the nature of junk box collections, projects which make it into the various radio enthusiast journals often can not be replicated because certain parts are no longer stocked or the esoteric nature of the project puts it beyond the level of the journal readers. So it was heartening to pick up a copy of the April Silicon Chip an article “Becoming an Amateur Radio Operator” by David, VK3DSM. This small booklet (I call it that because of its breadth and length) runs from page 22 through to page 35 with text and illustrations. What a heartening development to once again see such material being published in the commercial field. Our own Amateur Radio Magazine does get distributed though the newsagency chain but like many specialist publications, a lot of people believe it just preaches to the converted. If you haven’t seen David’s article yet, I believe it is worth reading by every VK operator with up to date material that certainly addresses its subject in a considered and enthusiastic way. I’m Geoff Emery VK4ZPP and that’s what I think….how about you? ---------------------------------------------------------------------* CLUBBING ------------------------------------------------------

QNEWS MARCH 31 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 13 2023 SK CALL SK NAME DATE ADVISED BY VK4OD PETER HARDING 10 JULY 2023 vk4bab VK4SOA SYD ABRAHAMS 18 AUGUST vk4eka VK4KCC GRAHAM ANDERSON 9 SEPTEMBER vk7ev VK4CCF JEFF STINSON 1 OCTOBER vk4zz VK4FZAK MAREE CHURCHILL 8 OCTOBER vk4djc VK5QD x VK4AFO AUB McKIBBEN 21 NOVEMBER vk4yt VK4SL SYD LYON 9 DECEMBER vk4hit VK4MRC ROD CARDELL 17 DECEMBER vk4kx VK3FPL/4 PETER LORD 17 DECEMBER vk4eo --------------------------------------------------------------------* CLUBBING ---------------------------------------------------------------------* Redcliffe and Districts radio club. wia.org.au/clubs/vk4/RedcliffeAndDistrictRadioClub/ Greetings from the Redcliffe and Districts Radio Club Vk4RC Robert Thomson VK4TFN here. Redfest has arrived! Nine A.M. next Saturday 6th April at St Michael’s College, Abbey Place Caboolture. Redfest is definitely the place to be in Southeast Queensland next Saturday! With 40 tables of sellers showcasing a range of pre-loved and brand-new goodies for the avid ham, you won’t leave disappointed. You won’t have to look hard to find things like a couple of fully functional FL2100 amps and two Yaesu MP1000’s operational but needing TLC. Don’t forget our spotlight on the ladies this year with three special focus sellers, the display from ALARA and (of course) the café. Doug has the BBQ heating up already with anticipation of cooking his famous bacon and egg rolls. The Brisbane VHF Group will be doing those Tech Talks demonstrating the all new ICOM IC-905 and explaining the wonders of microwave propagation. There will be half-hourly lucky door prizes, minor raffle draw prizes and the major prize of the ICOM ID-5100A. Tickets are only $5.00, available on the day. The fine food is available from 8:00am and the sales start at 9:00am. Entry is only $5.00 Check out the club website for more details: redcliffe radio club.org.au. See you Saturday 6th April at Redfest 2024! --------------------------------------------------------------------* Hello, I’m Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and I’ve been thinking. As the Easter period draws to a close, it is proper to consider the place of holidays in the life of the Australian community. It seems that what used to be religious commemorations are now primarily secular vacations from the routine of daily life. Yes it is a great time for people to share time with family and friends but as we look around there are more people who are living a solo life. How many, I wonder, are in your local club? With the almost universal adoption of 7 day retail trading and people trying to find the life of Riley, are we catering for our fellow amateurs with the historic practices that we mostly have? Then there are the fortunate souls who get to enjoy extended periods of leave from education and who feel the need to engage in a change after the time of parties and plum pudding. What I feel is that when the numbers are high enough, is there any reason for clubs to not maintain a rolling schedule of activities throughout the year? Is there any reason not to run training and open the club station for use and allow the facilities to be used daily rather than just on meeting days? OK this will be open to local needs but really how much needs to be done to make the club a welcoming part of local life? I can’t answer that question but I am sure that if people put their minds to it, a lot of things can be opened up instead of just following the routine, year after yea

QNEWS MARCH 24 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 13 2023 SK CALL SK NAME DATE ADVISED BY VK4OD PETER HARDING 10 JULY 2023 vk4bab VK4SOA SYD ABRAHAMS 18 AUGUST vk4eka VK4KCC GRAHAM ANDERSON 9 SEPTEMBER vk7ev VK4CCF JEFF STINSON 1 OCTOBER vk4zz VK4FZAK MAREE CHURCHILL 8 OCTOBER vk4djc VK5QD x VK4AFO AUB McKIBBEN 21 NOVEMBER vk4yt VK4SL SYD LYON 9 DECEMBER vk4hit VK4MRC ROD CARDELL 17 DECEMBER vk4kx VK3FPL/4 PETER LORD 17 DECEMBER vk4eo --------------------------------------------------------------------* --------------------------------------------------------------------* Hello, I’m Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and I’ve been thinking. One of the great things about institutions is that they carry their foundation history with them as they grow and develop to meet the changes that come with time. So I think it is a good thing that amateur radio manages to integrate so much of it history as it embraces the development of communications available to us. When we use “Q-codes” we are maintaining a link with the telegraphists of almost 200 years ago. When we operate digital modes we are linking with recent developments in radio. We have just witnessed the John Moyle Field Day with a number of clubs going portable for the event. John Moyle was well known figure in the amateur world when I was still in short pants and as editor of “Radio and Hobbies” magazine he was responsible, in a distant way, to my gaining a better understanding of the technical side of radio as well as the techniques of the pursuit. It seems fitting that an event should celebrate this person for the contributions and leadership that he gave the field of electronics and amateur radio in particular. As I looked at the many social media posts it was very evident that the median age of the club members would bring them close to retirement. This raised the very obvious question of “where are all the young operators?” Yes it was the day of the local government elections around the State and family commitments would have determined who could have come along. But still there were no really young faces beaming from the photos either and surely we have many operators who are of school or college age? It seems that, as an institution, we are lacking leadership in sustaining the growth of the hobby. Perhaps there will be more opportunities under the new regime following the introduction of the class licence. This change seems to have raised a lot of conundrums which yet have to be figured out to solve issues that operators have recognised or already experienced. It is the time for our leadership at club and national level to see this is the time for opportunity and growth rather than perpetuating the stodginess of past glories. There have been muted calls for a campaign to promote amateur radio and I believe these should now be loud and clear. To gain the interest of younger members of the community we need to encourage involvement in the use of the materials at hand. What I mean is that the technology that we use and which is used in education is derived from the equipment technology that we were using 30 to 40 years ago but our adoption seems to have stalled around the same time. Have we the inspiration and creative juices to take on reform of amateur radio or are we stuck in some time warp of repeating the past? This is a challenge for us all and realistically we have to know if we are capable of meeting it today or just retreating into the darkness of oblivion. I’m Geoff Emery