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 CONTACT US
VK3XMF@ggrec.org.au

Hi everybody,

Welcome to my last (most likely!) presidents message. It seems the year has disappeared without a trace and its time for me to hang up my hat and let somebody else have a go. Time constraints with shift work and a new study regime does not really leave me the time to be a good president, and besides it really needs somebody with better technical knowledge than me, or at least a team behind them like I have had.

I would like to single out Bruno for some special mention; I know he has made a lot of sacrifices for the club over the last year and put in more time than he should have simply because I have not been able to make a lot of "president" things. Thanks Bruno for your patience and expertise, the club and I really appreciated it.

The rest of the committee, most of who have retired or are retiring, have done a great job in keeping the club running. It does take some time out of your life and they have all given that freely for the benefit of the club. It is difficult to come up with fresh ideas month after month so a new committee with new members can only be a good thing.

There have been some reservations expressed about the long-term future of the club recently. The difficult issue of public liability insurance has made quite a few people, not only committee members, feel uncomfortable with their position. It is an issue that won’t go away and one we have to resolve very quickly if the club is going to survive in the long term. There is no doubt that this is going to add further financial responsibility to each and every member and I don’t think it is only going to be a couple of dollars each. I am sure it will dominate the committee meeting scheduled for tonight.

The move to the scout’s premises is still a discussion item. We are having the District Commissioner (?) along to the committee meeting and hope to resolve a few issues then, we will let you know at the general meeting what transpires. If you get a chance pop around to the scout hall and have a look around so you can form your own opinion.

We need new committee members! Most of the current committee are not standing, and I would not be if some of them were! Last I heard, and I didn’t make the prac night, is that we only have one volunteer. I will stand for a committee position (may even do treasurer) simply because I believe we need some continuity between the old and the new, I may not be able to make all the meetings though.. So come along, put your hand up, and put something back into the club. Or watch it fade away!

We will be moving for fees to increase by $2 across the board at the meeting prior to the annual general meeting. So if the old fees are still published on the front page you will need to add $2 to them before dispatching them to us. It is likely that we will be asking members for significantly more to cover the cost of insurance! (Our only alternative may be to not have a HAMFEST which in the main is our only "risk")

Thanks for giving me the opportunity to be your president this year I have really enjoyed it and learnt a lot along the way. Give some serious consideration to the club and its future; nobody likes to see something that is 25 years old simply disappear! Its your club make the most of it.

Cheers for now, Andrew VK3HFA

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More on EMR Standards
(extract from VK3APC News) & RAAF WILLIAMS RC

A talk by an Australian Communications Authority engineer has put many amateur's minds to rest over the proposed electromagnetic radiation standards. The talk was given by the ACA's Jim Karamalakis to last month's Radio Amateur Old Timers Club Luncheon.

Jim said that the EMR framework is modeled on established FCC procedure. The standards are intended to ensure that members of the general public are not exposed to high levels of EMR. How does all this apply to radio amateurs? Jim said that the ACA regulations took a tiered approach, depending on factors such as RF power, antenna height and antenna gain. The three levels require successively more work to demonstrate compliance. All but the few with VHF high-power permits will be in Levels One and Two, so this is where most explanation will be given.

The lowest tier is called Level One. Level One is the best level to be at, as you are exempt from demonstrating compliance. That's right - you need do nothing and you are automatically EMR compliant. You are in Level One if:

1. The average total power fed to all antennas is less than 100 watts, or

2. The average EIRP is less than 3200 watts when measured from any angle, or

3. The bottom of the lowest antenna is at least 10 metres above the ground.

Most amateurs will comfortably meet the first two conditions. Even if you were running 200 watts of SSB, the duty cycle of this mode puts you well below the 100 watt average. The 3200 watt EIRP limit is also unlikely to be reached by anyone except for the operator running high power to large beam antennas on the VHF/UHF bands. It is the third point referring to antenna height that will trip up most amateurs, especially the hundreds that use inverted-Vees on forty and eighty metres. For many urban amateurs, an antenna with the lowest part ten metres above ground is the stuff ham dreams are made of.

In plain language, if you have an antenna less than ten metres up or run the legal limit on some modes, you will fit into Level Two. All this means is that you will have to be able to demonstrate compliance to the ACA. This can be done through self-assessment using ACA-developed guidelines. Jim said that at normal amateur power levels a distance of two or three metres from the antenna would be sufficient to meet EMR standards.

Level Three requires an accredited person or laboratory to perform the test. This is an extreme case and will not apply to amateurs using ordinary power levels. So in summary, there are two main EMR categories for amateurs. If you have high antennas and don't use linear amplifiers, you will not need to do anything to be compliant. On the other hand if you run close to the legal limit, or have antennas less than ten metres up, you will probably need to perform a self-assessment to demonstrate compliance.

The other main question is when will this all happen. The implementation date has been pushed back several times. The ACA material is at final draft stage with the Office of Legislative Drafting. This is because the changes need to be shown to be in accordance with the Radiocommunications Act. The date that the standards come into effect for amateurs will depend on when the ACA material is cleared by the Office.

The above was our a summary of a talk given by the ACA's Jim Karamalakis to last month's Radio Amateur Old Timers Club Luncheon. Our thanks to Ron Fisher VK3OM for sending us a recording of the talk so we could report it here.

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For Sale
Plessey MTR8000, 6mx FM Carphone , 6 Channel, control head included excellent condition $100

Or Swap as a part payment for an early model HF SSB/CW transceiver, such as a Galaxy V, Hallicrafters or Swan 350

John L Wichkham VK3ZK (0404) 283 935

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EXCITING NEW CALIFORNIAN IRLP NODE
(by John L Wickham VK3ZK)

There is a new Californian IRLP node, which covers the Sacremento area and surrounding districts in Northern California. You will usually find yourself involved in round table QSO’s on this node.

The node code number is: 396

You will require a DTMF touch-tone keypad system, with DTMF set to on. When entering node code numbers, they must all be sent, usually in a four digit form. For example, for the above Californian node, the first three digits are the node code, or 396. The fourth digit must either be a "0" or "1". 0 enables the node and 1 disables the node. So, first, enter the appropriate node code for the node that you want, followed by either a 0 or a 1.

When finishing your QSO on a node that you enabled, you must shutdown the node…… Happy IRLPing!

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EXAMINATION NEWS
The next exam will be held on May 4^th at 1pm. Closing date is Friday 19^th April. For further details contact Peter Pavey VK3VB or Pat Pavey (VK3OZ) on 03 59983533.

HF BAND CONDITIONS
The HF bands have been quite lively recently. If you get some time I would suggest having a listen on 10 meters in the mornings for some impressive stateside stations or on 17 metres in the late afternoons. 20 metres also

Next Month: Next month we will have an article from VK3ZK on modifying a dry cell pack in a "battery eliminator" so you can use handhelds without a 12V socket to run straight of your shack supply.

 FOR SALE
Icom ICQ7a 2/70cm Handheld and scanner. Inc speaker mic, handbook. This is current model with rx past 1.2Ghz. $225

 Equipment Below from Deceased Estate VK3ZMR
KLM 2m FM Amp $100
Contact Peter VK3VB on 59983533 for either of the above items
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160 metre band plan proposed changes

160 metre band plan

The proposed changes to the 160 metre band plan comply with IARU policy and are consistent with the new ARRL band plan. They have been canvassed amongst 160m operators and published several months ago in AR magazine.

All comments received have been favourable and there appears to be no objections from the various WIA Division Technical Advisory Committeess.

If there are no objections, the WIA Federal Technical Advisory Committee Chairman, John Martin VK3KWA, proposes to make these changes as quickly as possible, preferably in time for the publishing deadline for the May issue of AR.

The details are as follows:

1800 - 1810 Digital modes (Note 1)
1810 - 1840 CW DX only (Note X)
1840 - 1875 SSB and AM

Note 1 refers to the existing footnote defining digital modes.
Note X is an additional note as follows:

"Some SSB operation may occur down to 1835 kHz, but only for contacts with overseas stations which cannot operate above 1840 kHz. It is recommended that SSB and AM net activity should occur only above 1850 kHz. Operation may vary from the band plan during times when the operator's location is in full daylight."

If any WIA Victoria member wishes to comment on this proposal, please do so by return email.

WIA Victoria Tel. 9885 9261
40G Victory Boulevard Fax. 9885 9298
Ashburton 3147

Office Hours: Tuesday 10am to 2.30pm
VK3BWI broadcast 1st Sunday at 2000 hours.
Web site: www.wiavic.org.au
Email: wiavic@wiavic.org.au

 
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MarchGeneral Meeting Minutes
Date: 15th March 2002 Start time: 8:00 pm.
Location: Guide Hall Cranbourne
Chairperson: Andrew Clinkaberry
Minute Taker: Bruno Tonizzo
Present: As per Attendance Sheet.
Visitors and Guests: Nil
Apologies: Ivan Blezard VK3ARV, Helmut VK3DHI & Dorothy Inhoven, Phil Pavey VK3YB, Dave Campbell, VK3XMF, Colin & Bobby Bishop VK3HR,
Correspondence Received:
AR Magazine – March 2002
WANSARC Newsletter – March 2002
EMDRC Newsletter – March 2002
Letter of resignation from committee from Graham Brennan
Letter from the Citizen Advice Bureau re GGREC details to be updated on the Cranbourne Information & Support Service Inc.
Letter from Consumer Affairs reminding us to lodge our Annual Statement.

Nomination from Reg Goddard, VK3UK, for a General Committee position.
 Treasurer’s Report:
Read by: Ian Benson Moved by: Ian Benson Seconded by: Reg Goddard VK3UK Carried: Yes.
Copies available to members on request.
Previous Minutes: Read by: Andrew Clinkaberry Moved by: Keith Sadler Seconded by: Mike Ide Carried: Yes.
New Callsigns: Nil
Business Arising from Previous Minutes:

1. The following items were discussed.
2. Nominations for committee positions to be in by the 5^th April 2002.
3. Peter Paver suggested that the Club respond to the WIA and let them know that we would like to see something similar to the UK Foundation License set up here in Australia.
4. Graham Brennan suggested that we should investigate the hire of the Cranbourne Hall for our Hamfest. Free tea and coffee should be offered to attendees.

New Business:
Naree Ide said that there was a prospective amateur looking for information about GGREC.
John Moyle Field Day is on this weekend, rules are in the AR magazine.
Old Timer’s Club luncheon. Mike Ide talked about the EMR presentation.

Self Assessment comes into force in April 2002. A letter will be sent to all amateurs in August.

There are three types of assessment.
1) No assessment
2) Self assessment
3) Special license assessment
A video of the Satellite talk at the recent MDRC Club is available for members to borrow.
Review of the past month’s activities.
Bowling day, Telstra visit, Bike Ride, Cape Schank Coastal Radio station visit.
- Bruno to send a letter of thanks.
IRLP Update.
What is outstanding:
FM92 or equivalent Transceiver
12 volt power supply
Weather proof cabinet.
Antennas
Internet link
Discussion about charging a fee for the Prac Night.
 Club Events: – As per Event Queue
Guest Speaker: Nil
Next Meeting: General Meeting Friday the 19^th April 2002.
Meeting Closed: at approx 10:15 pm.

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AGM IS THIS FRIDAY NIGHT
The GGREC inc AGM is being held this Friday, 19^th of April. This is the most important meeting of the year so please make a special effort to attend and have your input into the running of the club for the next 12 months. Club fee’s also fall due at the AGM so don’t forget to see the treasurer on the night.

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Please make any suggestions or comments on any of this by email:-
    VK3XMF@ggrec.org.au