Morning news 27th of December 2009 Good morning listeners, thank you for tuning in. For emergencies the phone number here at the Dural transmitting site is 02 9651 1489. Our office number is 02 9651 1490. This goes to a message bank when the office is unattended. In an emergency, the Secretary of A.R.N.S.W can be contacted direct on mobile 0400 445 829. Silent Keys We have been advised of the passing of Phil Card VK2ZBX. Phil passed away last May and was active up to his passing. He was a long term Telsta Technical Officer and was very active on 2 meters AM during the 1960's. A moments silence for Phil Card VK2ZBX (10 seconds pause) Vale Phil VK2ZBX. We have also been advised of the passing of Jim Cuming VK2PM. Jim passed away on the 1st of December 2009 and was responsible for the financial advice that allowed Atchison St to be developed into its larger premises of sales basement etc. He was also active in the 2 metre AM days and had many friends in the amateur fraternity. A moments silence for Jim Cuming VK2PM (10 seconds pause) Vale Jim Cuming VK2PM. Advised by David VK2AWZ Wyong Field Day Dinner. Amateur Radio New South Wales in conjunction with the Central Coast Amateur Radio Club will be holding the 2010 Dinner at the Wyong Bowling Club on Saturday the 27th of February from 6 pm. The cost is 25 dollars per head and will consist of a single two course buffet. There will also be lucky door prizes up for grabs. For more information or to book please contact the Secretary of Amateur Radio NSW on 0400 445 829. If you are attending please send your money to A.R.N.S.W, PO Box 6044, Dural Delivery Centre NSW 2158. There will be an application form on the WEB Pages soon. It is most important that those wishing to attend book as we need the numbers to advise the club for catering purposes. Help Amateur Radio New South Wales start the 100 years off to good beginning. Advised by Brian Kelly VK2WBK Secretary A.R.N.S.W. IPS Weekly Solar and Geophysical Report for the 18th to the 24th of December. SUMMARY Dates across the columns are 18th 19th 20th 21st 22nd 23rd 24th 10cm flux 84 82 84 83 82 78 77 Fredericksburg Index (Afr) 2 0 2 1 2 3 1 estimated Australian Index (Aaus) 5 3 4 5 3 5 3 estimated T index -3 -5 -3 7 2 3 -4 Solar flare activity was very low on the 20th and 24th; otherwise low. Geomagnetic activity observed for the Australian region was quiet to unsettled on the 18th; mostly quiet with isolated unsettled periods at high latitudes on the 21st; and quiet on other days. Southern Australian ionospheric F2 critical frequencies were mostly near predicted on the 18th and 22nd; there were depressions to 15 per cent early on the 19th, then predicted monthly values to 25 per cent enhanced later in the day; near predicted to 15 per cent depressed on the 20th; near predicted on the 21st with periods of degradation; and near predicted on the 23rd and 24th. Forecast for the 25th to the 31st of December Solar activity should be very low. Geomagnetic activity should see mostly quiet conditions. Maximum usable frequencies should be near predicted monthly values. Courtesy of IPS Radio and Space Services Summary by Pat VK2JPA VK2 WICEN News, 20th of December 2009. Tomorrow, Monday the 28th of December marks the 20th anniversary of the Newcastle Earthquake. WICEN participated in the response, including the passing of Health and Welfare messages. Those members who have an up to date e-mail address registered with WICEN should have received a notice of an Annual General Meeting for the afternoon of Sunday the 8th of February, at Dural. Others should receive one by regular mail shortly. Please consider making yourself available for a committee position. You do not need to be a long term member, or a hard-core communications expert to make a valuable contribution. WICEN is planning to provide a display and presentation at the "Centenary" Central Coast Field Day at Wyong on Sunday, February 28. Does the shiny new touch-screen device under the Christmas tree have a new telephone number? Or perhaps you have otherwise changed your contact details? If so please advice WICEN. This is especially important now given the flood situation in the north of the state. You can contact WICEN by sending an email to operations@nsw.wicen.org.au or by calling the Duty Officer on 0408 397 217. The WICEN NSW website can be found at: www.nsw.wicen.org.au There is an informal facebook group for WICEN members, and anyone else interested in emergency communications across Australia. Submitted by Julian Sortland VK2YJS for WICEN NSW Inc. ARRL DX news for the 24th of December 2009 MADAGASCAR, 5R. Sat, G4OHX will be QRV as 5R8HX from December 28 to January 3. Activity will be on the HF bands using mainly CW. QSL direct to home call. ZAMBIA, 9J. Take is QRV as 9J2FM and has been active on 17 meters around 1900z. QSL via JA4ATV. MOZAMBIQUE, C9. John, ZS5J is currently QRV as C91J from Bilene. Lately he has been active on 40 meters using CW. QSL this operation to home call. CHILE, CE. Al, K7CA is QRV as CE1/homecall until February 23. Activity is on the HF bands using mostly CW. This includes an entry in the Stew Perry contest and the upcoming CQ 160-Meter CW contest. QSL direct via NW7O. MOROCCO, CN. To celebrate the New Year 2010 special event station CN10NY is QRV until March 18, 2010. QSL via EA7FTR. ANTARCTICA. Felix, DL5XL is QRV as DP1POL from Neumayer Station III. He has been active on 80 meters around 2300z. QSL via DL1ZBO. IRAN, EP. Mohammed, EP4MRG has been active on 20 meters using SSB around 1100z to 1300z. QSL direct. THAILAND, HS. Joerg, DL1MJF will be QRV as HS0ZGQ from December 30 to January 25. This includes a one-week side trip to Koh Samui Island, IOTA AS-101. Activity will be on 40 to 10 meters using CW and SSB. QSL to home call. ITALY, I. Roger, K1DQV will be QRV as I1/homecall from Rapollo in the Stew Perry contest. QSL to home call. OGASAWARA ISLAND, JD1. Harry, JG7PSJ and Makoto will be QRV as JD1BMH and JD1BLY, respectively, from Chichijima Island, IOTA AS-031, from December 27 to January 1. Activity will be on 160 to 10 meters using CW, SSB and RTTY. QSL direct to home calls. AUSTRALIA, VK. Jim, G6PAA is QRV as VK6/homecall from Western Australia, IOTA OC-001, until January 13. Activity is on 80 to 10 meters using CW, SSB, RTTY and PSK. QSL to home call. MEXICO, XE. In celebration of the 5th anniversary of the "Grupo DXXE," some members of Grupo DXXE are QRV as 4A1DXXE from various locations until December 31. Activity is on 160 to 6 meters using CW, SSB, RTTY and PSK31. QSL direct via N7RO. VENEZUELA, YV. Pasquale, YV6KAJ will be QRV as YW5EID from La Tortuga Island, IOTA SA-044, from December 26 to 29. Activity will be on 40 to 12 meters using SSB, RTTY, PSK and Olivia. QSL via EA5KB. VANUATU, YJ. Nao, JK1FNL will be QRV as YJ0NA from Port Vila, IOTA OC-035, from December 28 to January 4. Activity will be on 40 to 6 meters. QSL to home call. THIS WEEKEND ON THE RADIO. The Stew Perry Topband Challenge, DARC Christmas Contest, South Dakota QSO Party, PODXS 070 Club QRP DX PSK31 Scramble and the RAEM CW Contest are all on tap for this weekend. The Lighthouse Christmas Lights QSO Party runs until January 3. Club news. The Mid North Coast Amateur Radio Group The Mid North Coast Amateur Radio Group invite all amateurs and persons interested in electronics and communications to the Radio Expo 2010 to be held in Coffs Harbour NSW on Sunday the 24th of January. The Radio Expo is the largest radio show between Newcastle and the Queensland boarder. Over 20 Exhibits are on display and the show is not to be missed.   Some of the highlights of the Radio Expo include:-  * AmSat Australia with demos of just how easy it is to use ham radio satellites * WIA National Display with Centenary Year Merchandise material and 2010 Call Books  * A range of quality SMD soldering stations and demos on their use for ham radio activities * New DRM Shortwave radios and portable shortwave radios with DSP fitted * Huge display of historic valve and transistor radios from years gone by * Plus trade displays offering special Expo Only prices on all the major brands If that is not enough why not sit down in cool surroundings and have a nice cool drink and sample the home made muffins and cakes along with fresh cooked toasted sandwiches and have a chat. Then wonder over and check out the home brew displays, Elecraft Kit Display and the disposals tables.   Also check out the Club displays from Summerland, Oxley and The Urunga Radio Group.   There are five (5) lucky door prizes up for grabs along with a guessing comp and trivia quiz. Something for the whole family. * Radio Expo 2010 Coffs Harbour * Doors open 8.30am * Mc Lean Street Coffs Harbour * Show closes at 1.30pm * Hot and cold food sales * Disable access * Clean amenities * Cool ceiling fans * Free Parking Entry only $5.00 per person, Children under 12 FREE   Hosted by the Mid North Coast Amateur Radio Group Inc   More info is available on the groups comprehensive web site at www.mncarg.org. Talk in frequency is 146.750 CTCSS 123 Hz.   That web site again www.mncarg.org   Info supplied by Gary Ryan VK2ZKT Group President. The Hornsby and Districts Amateur Radio Club, Inc. The Hornsby Club nets will continue through the holiday season, with the exception of the 40 metre net on New Year's Day, although this does not prevent stations from seeing if anyone is about at the time. Monday nets are on the Club's linked repeaters, 147.250 and 439.975 MHz from 8:00pm, and Wednesday nets are on 3608.5kHz, also from 8:00pm local time. More information on the club can be found at: www.hadarc.org.au, or on facebook and twitter, by searching for "VK2MA". From Julian Sortland, VK2YJS, Publicity Officer, Hornsby and Districts Amateur Radio Club, Inc. The Oxley Region Amateur Radio Club Inc. The next meeting of the Oxley Region Amateur Radio Club, will be the January monthly general meeting at 2pm on Saturday, the 2nd of January 2010, in the SES Building in Central Road, Port Macquarie. This is an excellent opportunity for those who are holidaying in Port Macquarie and surrounds at this time to meet the local amateurs. Almost all the 2010 Call Books ordered have now been distributed. The club’s 2010 calendar and one or two Call Books will be available at the January meeting. The VK2RPM UHF repeater is providing excellent service on its original frequency of 438.525 MHz. Access to this repeater requires a 123 Hertz CTCSS subaudible tone. The UHF repeater is co-sited with the VK2RPM 146.7 MHz 2 metre repeater at Middle Brother Mountain. Visitors are reminded that the club also provides a second two metre repeater, VK2RCN at Telegraph Point on 147.0 MHz . This repeater has excellent coverage in the Port Macquarie and Wauchope areas and can usually be worked reliably using hand held transceivers in the two towns. Visitors are always made very welcome at the club’s monthly general meetings at 2pm on the first Saturday of each month, and at the Friday night gathering at 7pm on the evening of the fourth Friday of each month. The venue for all these meetings is the SES Building in Central Road, Port Macquarie. Please contact the club via PO Box 712 Port Macquarie NSW 2444 if you are interested in attending Foundation Licence or Standard Licence training courses in Port Macquarie and Wauchope. For more information about the Oxley Region Amateur Radio Club, please visit the club’s website at www.orarc.org The website contains a photo gallery and the club information including the November 2009 issue of the bimonthly newsletter, “Oxtales”. The January 2010 issue will be posted on the website later this week. Submitted by Henry Lundell, VK2ZHE on behalf of the Oxley Region Amateur Radio Club Inc. Summary of coming events. January Oxley Region meeting on the 2nd. Summer VHF-UHF Field Day on the 16th and 17th. Hornsby 40 meter Netters lunch on the 19th. Coffs Harbour Radio Expo on the 24th. Trash & Treasure and Homebrew at Dural on the 31st. February Orange & District meeting on the 5th. Hornsby Mid-Monthly meeting on the 9th. Waverley training and exams on the 13th & 14th. Hornsby meeting on the 23rd. Central Coast Centenary dinner at Wyong on the 27th. Central Coast Centenary Field Day at Wyong on the 28th. March Summerland Car boot sale on the 28th. Submitting news items Please get your news submissions in by the Friday night preceding the broadcast. Please specify if you want the item to run for more than one week. It may not be necessary for items to run continuously as all events will be included in the summary of coming events. Submission of news items should be sent to news@arnsw.org.au Broadcast roster As we are on the summer format there will be no broadcast this evening. Next week the 3rd of January, again there will be a broadcast in the morning only. The announcer for this will again be Tim VK2ZTM. The engineer is yet to be decided. That concludes our morning news. All the best from the broadcast team at VK2WI. Have a great week. Thank you for listening.