President’s Ramblings
A few gremlins hit the pages last month, and a few things didn’t happen as I wanted.

Firstly to Graeme Brown VK3BXG, the real author of the cow story (and that’s no bull!!!) and Graham Coleman VK3YCG apologies for getting call signs confused. Just a moment of insanity there, and I have plenty of those!

Secondly, I will try and get this magazine to you via email this month, it never happened last month because of problems with the file. We will also send you a hard copy for a month or so and then let you make up your mind how you would like to receive is.

Thanks to Albert VK3BQO who is the editor this month. We will be taking it in turns to produce this magazine. Takes the pressure off a bit! Also thanks to David VK3FW and Geoff VK3HGG who are photocopying, collating and posting the mag each month.

The rest of the happenings will be in here, so have a read.

Cheers, Andrew VK3HFA
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Hey Members, although we manage to fill the pages of the mag with snippets, it would really be great to have some larger articles to sink the teeth into. Can you help us out please.
Ed
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Antenna For Sale
Reg VK3UK has a 2m Ringo antenna for sale. Check with Reg at the next meeting to make him an offer for it.
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Club Room
The Committee has formulated a set of procedures for use of the Club Shack facilities outside of Meeting times.
Once approved, these procedures will be distributed to Members who must agree to abide by these procedures to gain unrestricted access to “The Shack”. Along with the procedures, a list of “code of Conduct” rules will apply. Access to the facilities can be terminated as simply as pressing a few keys on a keyboard and the keys cannot be copied so the Right of Access will need to be earned and respected.
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Hamfest 05
The Hamfest is on track to be the great event it has always been. Don’t forget the date is 16th July and we could do with all the helpers that can assist on the day -- PLEASE.
Bruno is the proud Daddy of the event this year. Thanks Bruno
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Silent Key
One of our members passed away recently. He was Dennis Furlong VK3XP. Unfortunately we have not been able to obtain any more details as at the posting of this magazine so we will let you know more as details come to hand.
73s Dennis
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The following article is reprinted from Australian Reader’s Digest July 2005
What's faster? Morse code or text messaging?
It was a mad dash - with dots - recently at Sydney's Powerhouse Museum when veteran telegraph operators Gordon Hill and Jack Gibson took on a couple of kids and their mobile phones in a race to send the quickest message. The rules were simple: 93-year-old Hill had to translate a message into morse code and send it to 82-year-old Gibson to decode the transmission and print it out using a manual typewriter. Meanwhile, 13-year-old Brittany Devlin punched the same transmission into her mobile phone using text messaging and sent it to nine-year-old Ben Hutchinson's phone nearby. And the winner? Morse code romped home. It took 90 seconds for Gibson to have the message down on paper. The text message appeared 18 seconds later. Victory to the tried-and-true 19th century invention.
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RD Contest
Members decided at the June Meeting to take part in the next RD Contest. Mike VK3KTO explained what the RD was about and described the operating rules. He is co-ordinator for this event and he will be inviting operators to take part during the 24 Hour event. Two sections are operated; HF and VHF. If you would like the challenge of taking part in a 24 Hour event you will not be asked to stay for the whole time unless you think you are up to the task. However shifts will be ransisto for both sections. The RD Contest is held this year on the 13th and 14th of August and it will give us a chance to use the new Club Shack and all the new antennas. It should be a good lead up to JOTA which follows in October of course. (15th and 16th October)
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Radio in the CFA (Prepared by VK3HGU)
The development of radio in the CFA started around the mid 1940’s when brigades in the Western District started experimenting with HF radio. These were usually ex army tank wireless the likes of No.19’s and FS6’s. They were crystal and valve and operated in the AM mode with a power output of about 20W.
The first big test for the radio networks, which had been established with brigade groups, came in the 1952 and 1955 fires in the North East and Western Districts. On this occasion the army was called in to assist with radio communication.
Other types of HF radio followed including Habros, Hawk 102’s, SC 100 – 108 and Forest Commission AWA Forest Phone FP1. Some of these were privately owned and operated by amateurs.
About the late 1960’s SSB was introduced and then about the early 1970’s ransistorized radios came into being.
Some of the early pioneers for CFA included Hughie O’Rorke, Mike Russell-Clarke and Vivien Cooper, among others. One of the first radio groups was VL3QC of the Casterton Group radio network in 1954. It had 12 operators. HF stations were established in Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong and Dandenong.
In 1959 there were 708 radio licenses among brigades. Around the mid 1950’s CFA began introducing VHF transceivers with valve components and about 25W output. Some of these were PYE ST151, 60B, BTR 20, AWA, MTR 15 and 20’s, Phillips 1677-828-92-920 and at present Motorola Syntrx Pro with about 40 operational channels.
In 1966 the CFA began changing over to VHF from HF for its radio network. Later around the late 1960’s, early 1970’s, transistorized VHF radios were introduced. Mike Russell-Clarke was also instrumental in designing VHF radio units for spotter aircraft. Some brigades at first were hesitant to change to VHF because of its shorter range. But, due to consultation and the efforts of Russell-Clarke, higher power base stations and repeaters were set up.

After the 1962 bushfires, Group Officers and Captains collected 2000 pounds which the Dandenong Ranges Group used to set up a complete radio system with base stations, a repeater station on Channel 9 TV tower and mobile radio for all vehicles. At present there are over 25000 radios in CFA network.

CFA HF Frequencies

Old Fq’s

2.850

New Fq’s

2.488

3.260

2.488

2.512

3.290

4.510

2.580

3.340

4.525

2.600

3.360

5.906

2.620

3.393

8.050

2.660

3.836

2.692

3.848

2.740

4.524

2.780

The new frequencies are only tested on high fire danger days during summer. This occurs near the Sth. Australian border, scheds are about 0700 to 0900hrs, midday and 1900 to 2100 hours.

VHF Frequencies 160.9875 to 163.7875 (40 operational channels)
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Club Event Queue

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A Letter From ACA
they’re changing things again.
The Australian Communications Authority (ACA) is in the process of relocating radiocommunications apparatus licensing, frequency assigning and customer enquiries services from Regional Offices to its Central Office in Canberra. This is in response to ongoing changes in licensing arrangements over many years (for example, increased use of class and system licensing) and it will enable the ACA to continue to improve service delivery and to respond to new challenges. A new team called the National Licensing and Enquiries Centre (NLEC) has been established to take up this work. All licensing, frequency assigning and customer enquiries services performed in the Regional Offices will transfer to NLEC by the end of July 2005. In addition, the ACA will merge with the Australian Broadcasting Authority (ABA) on 1 July 2005 to create the new Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). The creation of NLEC and ACMA will not affect the status of your licence. Licence fee payments to the ACA may continue to be made by mail, credit card or BPAY as per the instructions on licence renewal notices. If you have questions about the centralisation of services, please contact NLEC@aca.gov.au or 1300 850 115.
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Letter to the Editor
Mike and I have been members of GGREC for 10 years. Peter Pavey our past president has led the club for five of those years. During that time, Mike and I have really enjoyed the Club Meetings; monthly for me and twice monthly for Mike. We have looked forward to meetings with such interesting speakers over the years such as Ian Jackson, Graham VK3NE (Antarctica, shipping etc), Peter Diprose (radio operations in New Guinea), and many others. We have found Peter to be one of the best presidents just look at the achievements over the years. Apart from Peter and Pat conducting radio exams in their homes for the past 10 year that we know of, the fabulous new shack which Peter, Ian Jackson, and lots of other members helped build and furnish with enthusiastic vigour over the months during 2004-2005, we have held White Elephants days which have once again through efforts of Peter and other members been most popular and lucrative. The funds enable us to carry on.

The spirit of the club is so great, both from a radio perspective and a social one. You just have to listen to the happy, familiar voices discussing radio parts and other topics. There is just a happy hum which a lot of other clubs do not have (this has been mentioned by visitors from other clubs over the years).

Peter’s liaison with the guides over the 5 years of his presidency has been excellent too. Sincere thanks Peter for all the hard work you have done during your 5 years as president of this club.

From two most grateful members Naree & Mike Ide

Postscript : Naree gave me this letter a couple of months ago and I forgot to include it. So apologies for the oversight. Andrew
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The Annual Club Dinner
was held in June. According to all those attending, the meals were extremely tasty and value for money. Looks like this venue gets the GGREC “Thumbs Up”.
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Talk Talk Talk
Andrew Clinkaberry gave an impromptu talk about the medical equipment carried in a modern ambulance. Although Andrew spent an hour describing such items as de-fibrillators and closed loop breathing apparatus, it felt like he had only touched the tip of the iceberg. Well done Andrew; we will all be waiting for the next episode of Dr Casey.
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Want To Be Bowled Over
A 10 pin bowling afternoon has been organised for September 10th at Cranbourne. Bowling commences at 2pm and the fees are $8.00 per adult inc shoes plus $7.00 per child inc shoes.
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Club Shack Proves Popular
Its good to see the Club Shack being used extensively at the Prac Nights. At times it was a bit crowded and you have to weave your way through the crowd to get from one room to the other but I think that shows how popular it is. This month’s event saw the Club Station getting some use talking to Ian VK3BUF on his trip around the Southern States of Aus. Signals on 80m were good with Ian’s sloping mounted roughly dipole (attached apparently to a picnic table) in a caravan park proving to be the best way to go when portable.
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General Meeting Minutes
Date: 17 June 2005
Start time: 08:00 PM.
Location: Guide Hall Cranbourne.
Chairperson: Andrew Clinkaberry VK3HFA
Minute Taker: Bruno Tonizzo VK3BFT

Present: As per attendance sheet.

Visitors and Guests: Brian Fry from Endeavour Hills
Apologies: Ron & Judy Robertson, Val & Ian Benson, Steve & Maria Harding.

Correspondence Received:
AR Magazine for June 2005.
Newsletters from FAMPARC & EMDRC.

Correspondence Sent: Letter to the Cranbourne Guides advising of the new GGREC Committee, power point repair in the hall & that we are not going to have Prac nights in the hall on the first Friday of the month.

Treasurer’s Report: As tabled.
Read by: Mike Ide VK3KTO Moved by: Mike Ide VK3KTO Seconded by: Reg Goddard VK3UK Carried: Yes

New Callsigns - Nil

Previous Minutes: As printed in March magazine.

Business Arising from Previous Minutes:
Albert U Andrew to take turns collating & editing the Club magazine.
Boat Ride – No news yet.
Radio Print Handicapped Guest speaker– No news yet.
Club shack – Policy for the use of the Club shack to be written by the Committee and presented to member for discussion.
Mid Year Dinner – At the Cardinia Hotel, Saturday 25th June at 6:00 PM.
RD Contest – GGREC to enter this year to see how a contest is organised & run. Mike to manage the HF room & Helmut to manage the VHF / UHF room.
Email Address – Please see Andrew to check and or update your email address.
Gippstech – no news.
Bowling night – Club voted to go to Cranbourne. Date to be announced.

New Business:
Magazine layout – Members said that it was alright.
Cakes baked by Dorothy Inhoven each Prac & GM night. Members to make a donation for each slice.
Fund raising ideas – general discussion.
This months Guest speaker has cancelled. Andrew to give a talk on Ambulance equipment.
Letter of thanks to be written for the display of ambulance & equipment.
There will be a raffle at each GM. See Reg & Jenny for tickets. Please bring some spare change for tickets.
Nest Exam date is the 6th August at 1:00 PM.
Meeting Closed at around 08:45 PM.
Next Committee Meeting: Monday 28th June 2005 at 8:00 pm at GGREC Headquarters Cranbourne.

Next General Meeting : 15th July 2005 at the Guide Hall Cranbourne.
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G & C Communications
Specializing In Two-Way Radio, Car Audio & Alarm Systems
Authorised Dealer For: Barrett R.F.D.S – Kenwood – Icom - Gme Electrophone – Uniden -Yaesu
HF & UHF Amateur, CB & Marine Radios
Receivers, Scanners, GPS & Accessories

Sales – Installation – Repairs
Commercial Two-Way Radio Systems
Visa, Bankcard and Mastercard

Shop 2 207 High St Cranbourne
Shop: 5996-3298 or Mobile: 0417 387 515
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All Band Dipole Antenna
An all band dipole that has low SWR on 80,40,30,20,15,12 and 10 Meters. Does not need an antenna tuner and is fed by coaxial cable. Length is 41 Meters and fed 8 Meters from one end. Uses a 2 stage super low loss balun 98.9% efficiency

For more info contact Peter VK3KCG 9770 5321 or go to www.dxantennas.com for more information.
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For Sale
70cm 11element Yagi
With A 11.5db Gain Over A Dipole
These Antenna’s Are Ideal For Mobile Use As They Come In Two Pieces And Can Be Used As A 6 Or 11 Element Antenna
Special Price For Club Members:
$80 Each ($30 Goes To The Shack Building Fund)
Contact Reg Vk3uk
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GATEWAY
The Official Journal Of The Gippsland Gate Radio
AND ELECTRONICS CLUB inc.
July 2005
Incorporation Number A0016893M

Club Meetings are held on the third Friday of each month at the Cranbourne Girl Guide Hall in Grant Street. Prac nights are held on the first Friday night in the Club- rooms. Both nights commence at 8:00 PM. Visitors will be made most welcome.

President Andrew Clinkaberry VK3HFA (5942 5396)
Secretary Bruno Tonizzo VK3BFT (9700 4526)
Treasurer Mike Ide VK3KTO
Committee Members Reg VK3UK, Helmut VK3DHI, Dave VK3XMF
Ivan VK3ARV
Magazine Editor(s) Andrew VK3HFA, Albert Hubbard VK3BQO
Club Station VK3BJA located in the clubrooms.
6M Repeater VK3RDD : Freq. In 52.575, out 53.575 MHz
70cm Repeater VK3RLP Freq. In 434.475, out 439.475MHz
CTCSS 88.5Hz IRLP Node Number- 6794 (Using VK3RLP)
Call in Frequencies are: HF on 28.325 MHz, USB VHF on 146.225 MHz, FM and UHF on 438.850 MHz,
Visit our internet site at: www.ggrec.org.au
Current GGREC inc. Membership Fee Schedule
Full Member $37.00, Pensioner Member $22.00
Junior Member $22.00, Extra Family Member $17.00
Fees due after each April Annual General Meeting.

The deadline for articles is TEN DAYS before each General meeting.

Please direct magazine correspondence to:
Andrew Clinkaberry, 1 Carney St. Nar Nar Goon Vic 3812
Phone: 5942 5396 or email clinks@dcsi.net.au

All other Club correspondence to P.O. Box 1098, Cranbourne 3977
or Email : secretary@ggrec.org.au

It costs lots of cents to produce and send each copy of Gateway.

Disclaimer- The opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the official view of the GGREC inc and the GGREC inc cannot be held responsible for incorrect information published.

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