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VK3XMF@ggrec.org.au

We can be proud of the success of our 25^th anniversary dinner on the 27^th of July at the Cardinia Park Hotel Beaconsfield. There was about 50 present with some faces not seen for a considerable time. Our guest speaker Graeme VK3NE gave a very interesting talk on his time spent in Antarctica and we thank him and his XYL Pam VK3NK for sharing our celebrations. Our special call sign VI3BJA was launched at the dinner and is proving very popular with overseas prefix hunters. Success on 80, 40, & 30 metre bands has not been so rewarding. If you would like the use of the call for a week please let me know, it is ours until the 31^st of December 2002. My thanks to those involved in the setting up and clearing away in the function room.

One side of special call signs is the need for QSL cards, we are hoping that a number of members with computer art skills will over the next few months submit some designs for us (Jan has made a good start on his) to choose from. We could print our own in which case we could have a number of designs or we could choose the best card and have it printed outside. No choice need be made until possibly December.

We have firmed up the event queue through to our break up on December 14^th when Phil VK3YB and Kathy have offered to open their home to us. We are also in the process of finding interesting places to go as a club for both Australia Day Weekend’s so keep a copy of the event queue close to be in the know.

In closing this month I would encourage all licensed members no matter the class of call you have to take the VI call for a week and if you hear it on give the operator a call. On 80, 40, 30, 6, 2 Metres & 70cm’s things might be a little slow. Give some encouragement and give a call.

I hope to see many of you at the various events listed for August.

73s Peter VK3VB

Lead free solder
The other day, while going to buy a roll of solder, I noticed Dick Smith and Jaycar were selling lead free solder. Jaycar had it in 20gram ‘hobby packs’ for $2.50, while Dick Smith had it in much larger rolls, however looking in the current catalogue only reveals a 200gram roll for $9.99, I was initially after a 500 or 1Kg roll of ‘savbit’ solder, this has 2% copper added to the regular 60/40 mix of tin and lead and is supposed to make your iron tips last a bit longer by discouraging the solder from robbing copper from the iron’s tip (does it work?, I don’t know).

Anyway, after giving up in disgust at not finding what I wanted I opted for a 1Kg Jaycar roll and a 20g roll of the new fangeld stuff (98%tin, 2%copper) - at $2.50 was worth a suck it and see.

The sales man in Jaycar in the city said ‘it is no good for electronics’, not very encouraging from the start, anyway I tried it and found that it is kind of ok.. First off your wires etc. have to be in good clean condition (this is always the case, but extra so for lead free) as the lead free solder does not ‘wet’ the joint as well as regular 60/40 solder. also joints that rely on 60/40 solder’s ability to flow right through a complex joint will be in trouble.

I tried three example, these are :-

• Two resistor tails twisted together, 99% successful
• IC pin in plated through circuit board hole, 90% success
• Tinning a 2.5mm multi strand copper wire, very poor to complete failure !!

The solder didn’t want to flow right through the wire, it sat on the surface penetrating only a few strands, as I applied more solder all over with plenty of heat it still would not flow even though the insulation on the wire was retreating up the wire followed by me getting that burning sensation! (yes iron is on)

Paul VK3TGX

How to build a 432 Mhz Quagi

The boom is made from wood.{Do not use any type of metal for this.} The boom length is 61 inches and 1/2 inch thick. Mark the boom as to where the elements are to be spaced and drill a 1/8 inch hole in the centre of the boom material. After you have done all this apply a few coats of stain. This will preserve the wood from the abuse of the weather. Use #12 wire to form the quad elements. Cut the wire to the correct lengths (see chart below). The quad elements are supported at the top and bottom of the element with a Plexiglas strip with a hole centred at both ends. The bottom of the quad being the feedpoint. Apply a little epoxy to where the wire passes through the support holes. This will secure the wire so it will not move around.
Next solder one end of the wire to the center of an type-N connector feed it through the holes in the Plexiglas and bend it into shape. Then finish the element by soldering the loop closed to the ground tab on the N connector. On the reflector just solder to two ends of the wire together.
The directors are mounted through the boom. Epoxy them as well. They can be made from any 1/8 inch metal rods. Cut them to the EXACT size (see chart below...I used stainless steel welding rods which are available at a hardware store)

NOTE: At UHF frequencies even 1/8 inch difference in length will make the antenna preform differently.

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YL Chat
The White Elephant sale was a busy and successful day where everyone found plenty to do, the YL’s were occupied in a number of different roles and I believe all were happy to help and enjoyed the fellowship. We missed jenny but were pleased to have Judy with us for the day. Thanks to Reg and Albert for all the hard work of organizing this event.

The dinner was great, the friendships made through the club are a very important part of the life of the club and I feel we celebrated our 25^th in great style. We were saddened that Jenny was not well enough to be with us and wish her a speedy return to health. The vegetarian meal was very good as was the rest of the food.

I was surprised with the enthusiasm shown by stations worldwide when Peter went on air with the VI3BJA callsign and I couldn’t get near the rig in the afternoons for a whole week!!!

Pat

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Some comments from Dorothy-
" The talk was very interesting and I loved the films of all the different penguins and wildlife and hearing about life in the Antarctic"

"The food was great, I enjoyed particularly the roast chicken, it was beautiful"

"I loved the friendship at the dinner but I did miss Jenny"

"Dianne’s Table decorations were beautiful"

How to burn the shack down.
The 12V power wiring in my shack consists of a 25A power supply feeding a 6mm ‘buss’ running from one end of the shack to the other with tapping’s at several points as required. Also, at either end there is a 18AH lead acid battery for extra grunt (and power failure use) when required.

The other day I decided to put in an extra "T" socket above my radio desk, all went well up to the point of connecting it to the main DC buss. I wanted to use a circuit breaker in case of a short circuit, especially as this socket was to be used for temporary setups and testing etc. On a rack of circuit breakers next to the socket was a spare 5A unit, a bit small I thought so I dug around and found a 40A unit, A tad overkill, but it should save me from a fire.

After all was connected it was time to test it all, yes polarity correct (Reg), time to test the circuit breaker. Sometimes I test them, however this was not every day practice. Anyway at 40A I was going to need more than the regular supply, so I switched in both battery’s, and plugged in some 2.5mm figure 8 flex (the red/black stuff that comes with most rigs) and shorted out the far end.

Kaflash crack, all the shack radio’s dropped out and the voltmeter I have permanently in circuit was showing about 6V! After 10 sec’s I removed the short as the breaker had failed to trip.

Crikey, I had pulled a 25A supply and 2 battery’s (admittedly one is a few meters away, but on 6mm wire) down to 6V! How many amps had I been pulling id hate to guess, the figure 8 test lead had certainly got quite hot and heaps more flexible. Ian occasionally gives me the odd motor controller from his golf bag carrier business, these I take up to 30A, and sometimes 40A, but I had never crashed the shack this low with 1 battery on line, let alone 2 - I will have to borrow a clamp meter and do some tests.

The 40A breaker was ripped out and connected with 2mm auto wire about 4 inches long straight across a 12V 7AH battery, it took about 6 seconds to trip! again the wires were VERY warm and some metal had been blown away from the battery terminal!

It appears that this breaker was a thermal breaker, it requires a fairly long sustained overload before it will trip, whereas a magnetic breaker will pop instantly. This breaker and most others DONT say what they are in English, but contain only code number that you look up on a chart that you don’t have!

Thermal breakers are good for electric motors that have a larger startup surge, but are not much chop for the shack as protection for you radio’s etc.

PS :- club members that built the power supply project recently that had 2 PC supplies in them should check the circuit breakers that came with them, Req has blown his up twice, and the breaker failed to save it - maybe they are thermal units, CHUCK EM OVER YOUR SHOLDER and fit magnetic one’s.

Paul VK3TGX

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July 2002 General Meeting Minutes

Date: 19/5/02 Start time: 8:09pm. Location: Peoples Republic of Cranbourne

Chairperson: Peter VK3VB Minute Taker: Ian VK3BUF

Present: All on the temporary list. (coming soon…a proper attendance list)

Visitors and Guests: none Apologies: Yarn, Jenny

Correspondence Received: Mags from other Clubs, Guides wanting to see a copy of an insurance policy. AR mag.

Treasurer’s Report:

Read by: HFA, Moved by: HFA, Seconded by: HR Carried: definitely.

Previous Minutes: Circulated/Read by: VB, Moved by: VIB Seconded by: DHI and carried.

Business Arising from Previous Minutes:

• VI3BJA callsign a go ahead. Peter VK3VB is taking bookings for 7 day periods.
• Working bee went ok. Note that our dipole is presently down.
• Prep for the Anniversary dinner proceeds ok.
• Annual sale – Helpers needed.
• Ian VK3VIB acting as stand-in treasurer during the sale.
• RDD is still working well
• IRLP equip prep proceeds. Cavities etc. No frequencies yet allocated,
• JOTA, a guide callsign will be allocated on the day.

New Business:

• Coffee mugs are now available.

(That’s right! for the low low price of $7 you can think about radio when you drink coffee!)

• Club Station is now nice and clean. Thanks to Graham VK3KCS
• Next exams 7^th of Sept and 30^th of Nov. (big chance to trade in your old call for a new mucho full callsign.)
• Lysterfield lake gig Sunday 11^th of Aug. $2.80 to get in but bbq’s are free and you get to gargle lake water to freshen your breath. (no spitting back into the lake)
• A bicycle ride on French Island is being investigated for November. Tour de French Isle?
• Science show Melb Museum on 23^rd, 24^th and 25^th of August. Bruno is coordinating this if you can help. There will be a CW demo.
• Bruno to organise bulk purchase of PL259-PL259 adaptors from Radio Parts.

(except they only had one left!)

Meeting closed at 8:44pm

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May 2002 Magazine
April 2002 Magazine
March 2002 Magazine
February 2002 Magazine
January 2002 Magazine
November 2001 Magazine
October 2001 Magazine
September 2001 Magazine
August 2001 Magazine
July 2001 Magazine
June 2001 Magazine
May 2001 Magazine
January 2001 Magazine

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