WESTLAKES NEWS FOR THE 6th APRIL 2014 from VI2ATZ50

Once again in the library Greg VK2CW was busy selling tickets for the clubs meat raffle. Now Les VK2RJ was ready and just needed the nod from the chief spinner so that he could select this weeks winner. Remember everyone who buys a ticket has a chance to win the meat tray. The nod was given and Les reached in and in his hand was the ticket with the callsign VK2FGJS. Congratulations Greg and enjoy the meat tray. NEW MEMBERS THIS MONTH: Ron VK3MRH Dennis VK2HHA Brenton VK3CM. On behalf of the Committee and club members, welcome to Westlakes. Pleased to have you aboard. RICKETTY KATE RESULTS: Yesterday Herb (VK2ZVF) advised that all tickets in the Ricketty Kate Draw were sold and that meant that it would drawn at yesterdays meeting. This was done and the winners were. 3rd prize of $10 went to Ian McLaren, 2nd Prize $20 Dave to VK2RD and 1st Prize $50 to Russell VK2VK. Congratulations and don't spend all your money at once. Also happening in the library was the clubs General monthly meeting which was attended by some 28 members which was good to see. The next meeting will be the AGM on the 5th May and nominations have been called for from the floor. See Barrie VK2QG for a nomination form. VISITORS TO THE CLUB: Well yesterday Gloria and Keith VK2PKT arrived to pay us a visit. It was great to see you both and don't keep it so long until the next visit. Keith started a Facebook page called AMATEUR RADIO OPERATORS. He posts Westlakes news there every week. Dave VK2RD also is an administrator and posts regular news there as well. In the activity room Norm (VK2KNC) was fixing Barrie's manual MFJ ATU. An hour later and the tuner was up and running. Thanks Norm for your assistance. Club Magazine: Have heard great feedback from various members and I am sure that if you passed a copy to a fellow club interstate the editor wouldn't object. This is a quality magazine. Now today is Westlakes 50th Birthday luncheon at the Cardiff R.S.L. Club. Those who are going will meet there at 11:00 for 12:00 all you can eat lunch. For those who cannot be there, those who are going will certainly eat your share. V12ATZ50 NEWS TO DATE FROM VK2RD. The special callsign to celebrate 50 years of the foundation of Westlakes was aired for the first time last Wednesday morning on our regular 40 metre net on 7.150 at 09:30. We logged 11 contacts during the net and a further number when Barrie VK2QG visited the Albury Wodonga 10:30 net on 7.055. Again on Friday and another 12 contacts plus some worked WARC Members for award points. Keith VK2PKT was first in with his award application, Hand delivering to Dave VK2RD at the club yesterday. Well done Keith. Richard VK2FRKO was on 80 & 40 metres last night and Michael VK2CCW will be on 80 and 40 this evening. So all in all a pleasing result so far. Have you managed to contact VI2ATZ50 yet? VI2ATZ50 will be aired during April at various times from the club shack and also in a portable capacity by allocated club members to give the most exposure to the Amateur population. Requirements to qualify for the Award will be... 1) 5 contacts with VI2ATZ50 2) 3 contacts with VI2ATZ50 and 3 club members 3) 10 contacts with WARC members A station could easily qualify on one of our morning club nets... eg: 10 members on air or VI2ATZ50 controlling a net and required members etc... VI2ATZ50 could visit another club’s net and allow points toward the award. A special QSL Card will forwarded to all stations who make a contact with VI2ATZ50. All operations of the special call MUST keep an accurate log of all contacts so that contacts can be entered in a Master log for award scoring. Please use UTC time if possible. The roster is almost done for operators wishing to either work from the club house or from their QTH. Can you help? I am sure Dave can find a spot for you on the roster. Naturally see Dave at the club or email him at vk2rd@exemail.com.au PLAY TIME: This week, A Multiband HF antenna for those of you that want to try something different is called the WFL - Wideband Folded Loop antenna. Features All band 1.8 - 30 MHz. Length 7.5 metres( good for confined spaces/small back yards), average VSWR is 1:7-1. Antenna will handle 200 watts PEP.USUALLY no ATU required. 50 Ohm impedence. This is NOT a DX antenna. The link to this is http://www.thiecom.de/ftp/rfsystems/wfl/wfl-info-e.pdf There is a lot of information on the web re this antenna. INTERFERENCE: Iranian radar invades the 10m band: The propagation on the higher bands begins to show the first signs of recovery, a bit ‘like the arrival of spring. There are some Interesting DX stations giving out QSO’S on the 10mtr band, even on 29 MHz FM. Unfortunately, on 10 mtrs there is a troublesome intruder signal. For several days there have been several reports from colleagues about a variable frequency carrier received on 10 mtrs in non-equal intervals of time and period. The signal in Southern Italy on the Adriatic coast, is arriving sometimes even more than 59 +20 db occupying almost the entire usable bandwidth for phone, from 28.400 to 28.600 MHz.The immediate evidence of this conjecture we had by referring to the latest bulletin of the IARU R1 Monitoring System, well managed by Wolfgang DK2OM and Peter HB9CET. The report (available for download in PDF) dated March 20 indicates precisely the intrusive presence of a radar by Iranian origin. So if you are getting interference on 10 metres this could well be the source. REMINDERS: WIA VK Harry Angel Memorial Sprint May 3 Saturday May 2014 - 10:00 -11:46 UTC The Harry Angel Sprint is an annual 80m contest event, first established in 1999, to commemorate the life of Harry Angel VK4HA who at the time of his becoming a Silent Key was the oldest licensed amateur in Australia. The duration of the contest is 106 minutes one minute for each year of Harry's life. The "HA" is open to all grades of licence holder and is particularly suited to operators new to contesting. Operating frequencies - CW 3500 - 3535 kHz. Phone 3535 - 3665 kHz . Station ID... VI2ATZ50/P Now to wind up. Westlakes Amateur Radio Club Inc. is located in York Street, TERALBA - and is open on Saturday from around 11:00 am. Also on a Tuesday evening from around 6:00 pm. To make contact at other times, try dialling (02) 49 581588 where an answering service operates. Visitors are alway welcome at the club. We have plenty of tea, coffee, long-life milk, a good Canteen and an interesting selection of biscuits.