President’s Ramblings

Hi all,

Well I have well and truly got my dates mixed up and will be rushing through this copy of Gateway. I missed the prac night due to work commitments and it has thrown me completely. So it’s now Tuesday the 11th and really I need to get the hard copy to our two reliable printers and dispatchers by tonight, or tomorrow at the latest.

It seems that I have been a president in absence of late due to a number of things, mainly to do with work and family. It is not how I intended it to be but there is not much I can do about it. Next year I think I will just stick to producing the mag each month and leave the rest to others. Luckily we have a fantastic committee that have been keeping things ticking over. Thanks all.

At the moment I don’t even have a radio connected up anywhere due to a lot of work I am doing at home. With new tenants about to move into the shop space it’s all been a bit hectic.

Just to make things seem the same, next month I will be away!. Heading up to sunny Queens land for a few weeks R&R. We have not had a holiday for a couple of years so I am looking forward to that! I will miss both the prac night and the meeting night again.

Not much news this month from club members, seems everybody has had a bit of a sabbatical. So this issue will be filled with stuff from various places.

Don’t forget the Christmas hamper, and the Christmas Party. It seems like only yesterday that we were doing the same thing. Life just rushes past, Rebekah is off to High School next year. Now that is scary!
Cheers, Andrew VK3HFA
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Remove yourself from the gene pool!!!
Continuing on from last month we present more “stupid things people do”. The 2005 Darwin Awards. Thanks to Paul TGX for sending them in.

8. As a female shopper exited a New York convenience store, a man grabbed her purse and ran. The clerk called 911 immediately, and the woman was able to give them a detailed description of the snatcher. Within minutes, the police apprehended the snatcher. They put him in the car and drove back to the store. The thief was then taken out of the car and told to stand there for a positive ID. To which he replied, "Yes, officer, that's her. That's the lady I stole the purse from."

9. The Ann Arbor News crime column reported that a man walked into a Burger King in Ypsilanti, Michigan, at 5 a.m., flashed a gun, and demanded cash. The clerk turned him down because he said he couldn't open the cash register without a food order. When the man ordered onion rings, the clerk said they weren't available for breakfast. The man, frustrated, walked away.

A 5-STAR STUPIDITY AWARD WINNER!

10. When a man attempted to siphon gasoline from a motor home parked on a Seattle street, he got much more than he bargained for. Police arrived at the scene to find a very sick man curled up next to a motor home near spilled sewage. A police spokesman said that the man admitted to trying to steal gasoline and plugged his siphon hose into the motor home's sewage tank by mistake. The owner of the vehicle declined to press charges, saying that it was the best laugh he'd ever had.

In the interest of bettering human kind please share these with your friends and family.... unless of course one of these 10 individuals by chance is a distant relative or long lost friend. In that case, be glad they are distant.
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Upcoming Events
Saturday 15th  Oct	JOTA/JOTI	Volunteers needed
Friday 21st  Oct	General meeting	Ron Fisher speaking
Monday Oct 31st	Committee Meeting	Club HQ
Friday 4th November	Prac Night	Club HQ
Friday 18th November	General Meeting	Not sure yet!!
Monday 28th November	Committee Meeting	Club HQ
Saturday 10th Dec	Christmas Party	El presidentos residence

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GRAND OPENING
1.00pm - 4.30pm Sunday October 16th
The North East Radio Group (the NERG) invite all people interested in Amateur Radio to come and visit the new NERG home at 126 Mountain View Road Briar Hill and see what the hobby has to interest them, along with a sausage sizzle.

An official opening of the NERG meeting place by Banyule Councillor Jenny Mulholland will be made at 2.00pm.

The aim behind this event is to publicise the hobby of Amateur Radio and the presence of the NERG within the local community, focusing from school age to those well into retirement. We are intending to have a "SHOW AND TELL" with displays from our group as well as others including WICEN, WANSARC, WIA, ARVic, W4W, and VKS737 to show the many facets of the amateur radio and related hobbies.

For more information please visit www.nerg.asn.au or phone NERG Secretary, John Weir, on 9431 0667
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THE LAUGH IS ON US!
A priest was being honored at his retirement dinner after 25 years in the parish. A leading local politician and member of the congregation was chosen to make the presentation and give a little speech at the dinner. He was delayed so the priest decided to say his own few words while they waited. " I got my first impression of the parish from the first
confession I heard here. I thought I had been assigned to a terrible place. The very first person who entered my confessional told me he had stolen a television set and, when stopped by the police, had almost murdered the officer. He had stolen money from his parents, embezzled from his place of business, had an affair with his boss's wife, taken illegal drugs, and gave VD to his sister. I was appalled. But as the days went on I knew that my people were not all like that and I had, indeed, come to a fine parish full good and loving people.".. . Just as the
priest finished his talk, the politician arrived full of apologies at being late. He immediately began to make the presentation and give his talk. "I'll never forget the first day our parish priest arrived," said the politician. "In fact, I had the honor of being the first one to go to
him in confession."

Moral: DON'T EVER BE LATE
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RIVERINA FIELD DAY
22/23 OCTOBER 2005
The Wagga Amateur Radio Club will again be hosting the Riverina Field Day on 22 & 23 of October 2005. This event will be held at the WARC Clubrooms in Small Street, Wagga Wagga.

Program
Free Entry and Registration
Saturday
2pm – Doors open for Coffee
7pm for 7:30pm – Field Day Dinner at the Clubrooms
Sunday
Clubrooms available for setup from 8am
Doors Open at 9am
Lee Andrews Communications
Flea Market
Food and Drinks available
Free Tea and Coffee
Closes about 3pm

More Information
www.warc.org.au
jeyles@wia.org.au
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Radio Operators wanted by Coast Guard

The Australian Volunteer Coast Guard is seeking additional radio operators for its Search & Rescue/Communications Centre at Sandringham.

Experienced radio amateurs may be well suited for this role.

The Coast Guard is a 24-hour Marine Search & Rescue organisation that operates flotillas from Portland, Warrnambool, Lake Hume, Marlo, Mallacoota, Queenscliff and Geelong, several inland lakes and around Port Philip and Westernport bays.

Comprehensive training will be offered to those interested in gaining a Marine Radio Operators Rating and making a significant contribution to marine safety within and around Victorian coastal waters.

Trainee operators will train on a wide range of marine radio equipment and learn standard operating procedures & protocols.

A great deal of personal satisfaction and sense of pride within our community can also be expected from this important role

For further information, or to organise an information night at your radio club please contact:
Paul O’Connor Ph: 041 200 1280
Email: radioroster@hotmail.com
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Ailing members :

Have heard that Colin Bishop is not well. If there is anything we can do we will be sure to make it happen.

If you know of other club members that are unwell at any stage we would be pleased if you could let us know.

If any member needs any assistance with anything at all the club is here to help.
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48th Jamboree on the Air - 15-16 October 2005
JOTA is an annual event in which about 500,000 Scouts and Guides all over the world make contact with each other by means of amateur radio. It is a real Jamboree during which Scouting experiences are exchanged and ideas are shared, thus contributing to the world brotherhood of Scouting The JOTA is a world-wide event
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WANTED
If you have helped the Club by taking stuff home when we moved our radio out of the hall, well, it’s time to bring it all back !!

Yes that’s right, please bring back our magazines, antennas, boxes of junk, the RT85 6m radio, anything that you have been minding for us. I’m sure the XYLs will be pleased to see it all go.

If you don’t now if it belongs to the Club, please contact our President - Andrew Clinkaberry or any committee person.

See you with arms full of goodies at the next GM.
Bruno Tonizzo VK3BFT
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JOTA /JOTI Saturday the 15th October 2005.
Yes folks, it’s on again this October.

We hope to be running IRLP, Morse & JOTI in the Hall and HF in the Club shack.
Operating hours are from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM only so please make some time to come and help.

We need radio operators and equipment to make this day a success.
Don’t leave it for someone else to do because there isn’t anyone else!

Contact Bruno Tonizzo for more info.
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Christmas Hamper
Please bring along your goodies to the October & November GM or any Prac night and stock up the basket.

Wine, chocolates, nick-naks, a leg of ham, everything to make your Christmas party swing !!

The more members donate the more pleasure it will bring to one lucky member and the funds go to the Club facilities for your use. Please support the club by filling the hamper.
See Reg for raffle tickets.
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A Horses Ass…….. (or a..e!!)
Just when you thought it was safe to go out in the street again, here is the end of the horse’s tale!!!

Now the twist to the story!

When you see a Space Shuttle sitting on its launch pad, there are two big booster rockets attached to the sides of the main fuel tank. These are solid rocket boosters, or SRBs. The SRBs are made by Thiokol at their factory at Utah. The engineers who designed the SRBs would have preferred to make them a bit fatter, but the SRBs had to be shipped by train from the factory to the launch site. The railroad line from the factory happens to run through a tunnel in the mountains. The SRBs had to fit through that tunnel. The tunnel is slightly wider than the railroad track, and the railroad track, as you now know, is about as wide as two horses' behinds.

So, a major Space Shuttle design feature of what is arguably the world's most advanced transportation system was determined over two thousand years ago by the width of a horse's ass.


..... and you thought being a HORSE'S ASS wasn't important!.
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The new license system cometh!!!!
From NERG News (hope they don’t mind!)

The amateur Licensing Conditions Determination (LCD), the regulations and assessment procedures that govern amateur radio in Australia, are about to undergo big changes. The new LCD is expected to be signed into law around 15th October.

NERG News will bring you details once the legal ink has dried, but in the mean time you can find a lot of information under the ‘Education’ section of the WIA web (www.wia.org.au). All amateurs are advised to obtain a copy of the LCD when it becomes available as there are many minor changes that may
affect the way you operate. The syllabus for the “foundation”, “Standard” or “Advanced” licenses are already available from the WIA web site. Anyone
thinking of a new license or wanting to upgrade from a novice/novice-limited to the Advanced level should check out
this information. Assessments for all levels include a single exam paper of 50
technical and regulations questions, and a practical assessment. Novices upgrading to Advanced will not need to be assessed on regulations - just the technical.
Unrestricted, Intermediate, and Limited licenses automatically become “Advanced” operators. Little has changed change in their conditions other than 400 Watts for all modes and you can all apply for the few 2 letter calls that are still out there.

All other Novice levels become Standard” and gain full access to their existing bands plus 20m, 40m, and 6m. They can also use modes up to 8 kHz on HF, in keeping with Advanced level. However power level remains at 100W.
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General Meeting Minutes
Date: 16 September 2005
Start time: approx 09:00 PM. (Due to guest speaker presentation before the GM)
Location: Guide Hall Cranbourne.
Chairperson: Andrew Clinkaberry VK3HFA
Minute Taker: Albert Hubbard VK3BQO

Present: As per attendance sheet.
Visitors and Guests: VK3TLR from HMAS Cerberus
Apologies: Helmut & Dorothy; Pat & Peter; Colin & Bobbie; Peter 3KCG; Ian & Dianne.

Correspondence Received: AR Magazine for Sept 2005. Newsletters from EMDRC. Note from Guides suggesting we move October’s Meeting as they want the Hall.
Correspondence Sent: Nil
Treasurer’s Report: As tabled.
Read by: Mike Ide VK3KTO Moved by: Ron 3EXJ Seconded by: Ivan 3ARV
Carried: Yes
New Callsigns - Nil
Previous Minutes: As printed in Sept magazine.

Business Arising from Previous Minutes: New magazine format ok by members. Christmas Hamper started – articles requested. Wheelchair Ramp is to be started soon. Raffle for DVD player draw to be held over till October meeting due to insufficient tickets sold. Future events and guest speaker reminders.
A Fox Hunt is to be organised for early next year.
The Bowling Day last Saturday was well attended and was a great day.

New Business:
Thanks to Mike 3KTO and Grahame 3YCG for a demonstration before the meeting on tuning up HF radios – TS520s and the TS440.
Guest Speaker for October is Ron Fisher VK3OM
Members to think of activities for Australia Day – perhaps at the Club Rooms to make use of the AX prefix.
Thanks to Reg for donating a (used) printer and scanner for Club Room use.

Meeting Closed at around 09:45 PM.
Next Committee Meeting: 26th September at Club Rooms @ 8pm
Next Prac Night : 7th October 2005.
Next General Meeting : 21st September 2005.
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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.