February 7, 2010 is the first anniversary of the disastrous fires in Victoria where 13 major fires burnt 352,686 hectares.  173 lives were lost, over 2000 homes destroyed, countless stock killed, kilometres of fences,  sheds and wildlife.

The fires continued to burn in the area until March, when fire fighting efforts along with cooler weather and rain allowed the fires to be brought under control.

The Yarra Valley Amateur Radio Group members were impacted significantly by the fires.  Members homes were lost, the club room grounds were burnt and the club lost our communications trailer.  Fortunately the club rooms were saved by a neighbour.

Amateur Radio played a significant role in providing communications operators to emergency organisations post the fires, providing 1000's of hours of operating along with many other technical services.  This is an oportunity for all amateurs to recognise the service given.

For the first anniversary of the 2009 February fires the Yarra Valley Amateur Radio Group have applied for and received a special callsign in recognition of the services radio operators provided during and after the fires.  This callisgn is VI3KIAH and will operate at Kinglake, one of the most significantly damaged areas, on February 7, 2010.  Radio amateurs and friends are invited to visit the station on the day.  'Kiah' is an Australian Aboriginal word meaning "beautiful place".  The club will issue a special QSL card for contacts made on the day.  The plan is to run to a schedule of frequencies over the day.

Attached is the concept document that the club lodged with the Wireless Institute of Australia and Australian Communications and Media Authority to gain the callsign.

The Yarra Valley Amateur Radio Group would like to invite all amateurs to participate in this event, where propagation allows, by calling in over the day and evening or visiting the station during its operations, in particular amateurs from the bushfire affected areas.

The Club has received notification that we have been allocated the 30th January by Bunnings in Cranbourne to host a BBQ Stall from 8am to 6pm.  This is very good news as it will provide us with a great opportunity to promote the club and the hobby to a broad cross section of the community right on our doorstep.  In addition this will provide a fantastic chance to raise significant additional funds for our club.

We still have 7 weeks to get ourselves organised, and on behalf of the club I thank Brian VK3BSN who has been diligently working in the background to secure this opportunity and will be working to get the paperwork in order over the coming weeks.  Also, thanks to Pat VK3OZ who has once again put her hand up as the nominated food handling representative.

Please check your calendar and if you are able to spend an hour or two – or some hours – then please give me a call or send me an email with your availability.

The Club is planning an excursion to Mount Buggaree for the Summer VHF/UHF Field Day on the 16th of January 2010.

Over the next 3 to 4 weeks we need to confirm who intends to go, what equipment is being taken, and what the potential camping or lodging sites are.

For those that are interested in improving their Morse skills the Club will be holding a "Morsecodeians" get together at the Club Rooms each second Thursday night from 28 January 2010 at 8pm to collectively work whatever suitable morse can be found on the HF bands.

See the Event Queue for dates.

The Club effort for the Spring Field Day will be on Saturday 28th of November in the 8 hour section - 3pm until 11pm. We will need people to arrive at 2pm to assist with setting up the station and ensure we are on air by 3pm. The venue is still being decided with a few options under consideration. Any members who wish to liaise directly with Phil may wish to activate our station earlier (from midday onwards) – otherwise the official kickoff time for the Club will be 3pm.

GGREC has introduced a Worked VK3RLP awards program.

The Objective: To encourage members (and the general radio community) to integrate radio operation in with other family/social/travel activities and to promote the hobby of Amateur Radio and GGREC.

One reason for choosing our repeater/IRLP node is that by being on 70cms it makes operation far easier and more convenient for members.  Take the handheld with you on the next weekend away, or for the more adventurous build up a portable high gain antenna and try for the Distance Award or Difficulty Award on the next 4WD trip or holiday.

Category 1: The Distance Award The member who completes a QSO via VK3RLP from the furthest distance from the repeater’s location.  This category is designed to encourage members to make a contact via the repeater from far-away locations and experiment with antennae, choice of location and propagation.

Category 2: The Difficulty Award The member who has a QSO via VK3RLP from the most difficult location to access.  This category is for those who like the challenge of accessing difficult or challenging locations.

Category 3: The Oddball Award The member who has a QSO via VK3RLP from the strangest location.  This category is really just for fun and imaginative operations.

Category 4: The Interesting QTH Award The member has a QSO via VK3RLP from the most interesting or unique location.  This category is to see what interesting and different locations members may visit.

Category 5: The Non-Member Award This category is for non-GGREC members and will be assessed on a combination of the previous 4 categories.  Essentially, this category will be awarded to the applicant who makes the most interesting, strangest, farthest, and most difficult contact via the clubs repeater, either direct via RF or IRLP, or a combination of these characteristics.

The Rules:

1. All QSOs in Category 1 & 2 must be by direct RF contact into the VK3RLP repeater.
   
2. QSOs in Category 3 & 4 may be originated via another IRLP device or direct into VK3RLP.
   
3. Aeronautical QSOs are permitted and will be considered in the broader context of the category in which they are being applied for, and the other applications that are terrestrial or marine based.
   
4. All applications must accompany some form of supportive evidence.  Refer to the “Making an Application” section of this document.
   
5. Non-member QSOs can be direct via VK3RLP or IRLP.  The committee will take into account all characteristics of the application when assessing each award.
   
6. There is no limit to the number of applications that members or non-members can make – in fact, the more the merrier – this objective of this Award is to encourage activity and have some fun.
   

The Award commences on 1st November 2009 and finishes on 31st March 2010.  This Award program is intended to be fun and to promote the hobby and the club, as well as generating more activity on the VK3RLP IRLP Club repeater.

The club will provide small business card style brochures for members to hand to interested/confused members of the public which directs them to our web site to learn more about the hobby and our Club.

Status updates will be provided on the club’s website, magazine, fortnightly news broadcast and at the monthly General Meeting.  Awards will be issued at the General Meeting in May 2010.

Making an Application: It is preferred that all applications be accompanied by a photo of the member on location, and some form of confirmation of the QSO (be it an email or QSL Card confirming the QSO).

Applications can be made by email or in hard copy to any committee member and must include:

• Name and Callsign of the operator
  
• Category of Award being applied for
  
• Details of the QSO (date, time, location (inc details such as HASL, Gridsquare, Lat/Long etc where available), station worked (name and QTH), mode (RF or IRLP, signal report etc) – relevant to the Award category
  
• Any supportive evidence of the event/QSO (eg. Short story, QSL Card, email, photo etc)
  

Yaesu FT-950

I won’t bore you all here with the sales pitch from the various Yaesu brochures, but I do invite everyone to read the reviews of the radio on the internet and start familiarising themselves with the radio and its features.

Perhaps most importantly, the sophisticated receiver section utilizes DSP filtering, incorporating features such as Variable Bandwidth, IF Shift, and Passband Contour tuning. Digital Noise Reduction and Digital Auto-Notch Filtering are also provided, along with a manually-tuned IF Notch filter.  The radio will also give us much improved access to six metres for the upcoming summer six metre DX-season.  Maybe someone wants to consider a six metre antenna project?

A small but dedicated team from our club intends to activate the Wilsons Promontory Lighthouse on ILLW on the 21st and 22nd of August 2010.  This will require a 19km hike in and the same on the way out, so we are already preparing a training regime as well as organising and testing portable and light weight station and antennae options.

The Ballarat Amateur Radio Group (BARG) will be hosting a dinner on Saturday, 24th October, prior to Sunday’s Hamvention, and everyone is welcome.

The venue and details are:
The Western Hotel
1221 Sturt Street, Ballarat (corner Ripon Street South).
Saturday, 24th October @ 7:00PM

A team of experienced VK amateurs is heading to Norfolk Island this January to operate bands from 6 metres to 10GHz. The team from the VK uWave Group, will be Alan VK3XPD, Kevin VK4UH and Michael VK3KH.

Preparation and preplanning is progressing well with accommodation and airfares already booked. As with most remote operations the airfare cost and arrangement are the most difficult part, particularly as the group plans to take a 1.2 metre dish for all bands from 1296MHz through to 10GHz.

A group of VK5 and VK3 operators has organised to travel to Port Macquarie on the NSW coast, with full Microwave gear, to take advantage of the opportunity. A number of ZL operators have also indicated their interested in setting up at favourable locations on the NZ North Island. It is hoped to use 2 metres as the main propagation indicator, and then move up the bands as propagation/conditions permit.

The group will have internet access, and will use the VKlogger (www.vklogger.com) as the main method of liasion. Operation will be SSB, CW and where possible Digital modes for Meteor Scatter and Tropo paths. 6 Metres will be part of the operation, and we are hoping for opportunities on the “magic band” in all directions. As this is the main Sporadic E season, anything is possible. We will have HF capabilities, but these will be limited as VHF,UHF and Microwaves are our prime focus.

The group is excited about this venture, and we hope we receive support from VK and ZL operators to make it worthwhile. We will post updates as we get closer to the time.

This year JOTA / JOTI is on Saturday 17th October. As it does every year, the Club will be operating radios to assist the Cranbourne Guides.

This year the event will run from 3pm until 9.30pm. Between 3pm and 5pm will be for the younger children followed by dinner and a camp fire. The older children will arrive for dinner and then use the radios up until 9.30pm.

As on previous years, food and drink will be provided for us throughout the day by the Guides.

The Oceania DX Contest is coming up in October. The Phone contest is Saturday 3rd October 0800Z through Sunday 4th October 0800Z, with the CW contest being the following weekend the 10th & 11th October.  If anyone is interested in joining me to put in a club effort please drop me an email.  Full details about the contest can be found at the following web site.

GGREC is recommencing its News Broadcast service for members and listeners.

The first broadcast will be on Wednesday 30th September at 8pm AEST.  Frequencies used will be 145.450MHz FM and also 3.670MHz LSB + QRM.

The 4th Caulfield Scout Group is holding a special Tribute Evening in order to honour Garnets 30 years of Scouting.

Members of the Scout Radio & Electronics Service Unit and anyone else that knew him is welcome to join with us (along with other's from the Scouting movement) for this evening.

The club will be putting in an effort for the RD Contest this year.  I think it should be a load of fun and a great chance for those who are new to radio and/or contesting to get in amongst the thick of things and see what this contesting stuff is all about.

We’ll be running a few stations – both in the open HF category as well as in the open VHF/UHF category. The contest starts at 18.00 Local on Saturday 15th August and goes for 24 hours.

If you are interested please drop me an email at vk3qb@ggrec.org.au and let me know roughly what hours you plan to be at the club rooms for the contest – and if you have a preference for a particular band and/or mode.  Also, if you are new to contesting please let me know.

We’ll have a planning session at the club rooms on Friday evening 7th August at 7pm onwards – fairly informal but the idea being to determine what equipment and antennae we’ll be running and also to ensure everyone is comfortable with the rules etc.  Then on Saturday 8th August we’ll have a working bee to ensure our antennae are all in order and we’re ready with any additional wires we may require – such as something dedicated for 160 metres.

I am looking forward to the RD contest this year and I know the club has the capacity to put in a very competitive effort – with some careful planning and well executed operating I think we could well be a place getter.

ABC Radio switched on its digital radio services this week in Melbourne as well as in Sydney, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide.

This means that 774, Radio National, Classic FM, NewsRadio and triple j are now all available on the digital radio platform as well as analogue. Also, our three new music services were switched on – ABC Dig Music, ABC Jazz and ABC Country. From July 8th, a special ABC Grandstand Digital service will begin uninterrupted ball-by-ball coverage of the Ashes cricket series from England.

Digital transmission brings new sound clarity and added information and functionality to users of our existing networks. It also enables ABC Radio to develop and deliver new services that are distinctive on air and innovative online. I urge you to visit the websites for ABC Dig Music, ABC Jazz and ABC Country as well as tune in on digital.

While they are up and running, all the services are still in test mode and will remain so for some weeks while the new DAB+ transmission system is bedded down. This is leading-edge technology and Australia is the first country to roll it out on this scale. During this initial phase the services will go off air from time-to-time with little or no notice while work on them continues to be done.

In Melbourne, it’s important to note that all the digital radio services are running on low power while work is being done on the antenna array. This is unlikely to be completed until sometime in November. There will be some reception problems until then which means listeners won’t yet get the full benefits of digital radio, including more robust reception, until the work is completed.

All the UK's national radio stations and many local services will stop broadcasting on analogue by the end of 2015, according to ambitious switch-off targets unveiled by the government today.

The Digital Britain report, published today, said announced a "Digital Radio Upgrade" that would see services on national and local digital audio broadcasting (DAB) multiplexes stop broadcasting on analogue.

Vacated FM spectrum will be filled by a new tier of ultra-local radio consisting of small local commercial and community stations. Radio stations currently broadcasting on medium wave will upgrade to DAB.

The switchover will be announced two years in advance and not until digital accounts for 50% of all radio listening, said the report. The government is hopeful this target can be met by the end of 2013.

Today the government has also required that DAB must be comparable to current FM coverage, and DAB must reach 90% of all the population and all major roads before the upgrade timetable can begin.

The absence of in-car digital radio has hampered further takeup of the new technology, but the government has today recommended that all new car radios sold in the UK by the end of 2013 should be digital.

Despite the popularity of DAB radio sets with consumers, the vast majority of radio listening continues to be to analogue.

Digital accounted for 20.1% of radio listening in the first three months of 2009. DAB remains the most popular digital platform, accounting for 12.7% of digital listening.

Achieving switchover will require a huge increase in the popularity of digital and DAB if the government is to hit its initial 50% reach target, and a position where it can realistically switch off the analogue signal for national radio stations without millions of listeners losing out.

But an early switch-off date will be welcomed by the commercial radio sector. Stephen Miron, the chief executive of the commercial sector's biggest radio group, Classic FM and Capital Radio parent Global Radio, called on the government to set a date "the earlier, the better".

"Only that certainty will give us the leverage to get the car-makers, the set manufacturers, the multiplexes - and many others - on board.
Whatever the date, and we personally believe the earlier the better - a firm date needs to be set," Miron told a conference in April.

Commercial radio operators including Global Radio, which owns Classic FM, and UTV-owned TalkSport and Absolute Radio will have their licences extended by media regulator Ofcom to compensate for the extra investment that they will be required to make in digital, the government said.

The report said the cost of the rollout of the DAB transmitter network would require a "significant contribution" from commercial operators as well as the BBC, which it said may be able to use some of the estimated £200m underspend in the corporation's digital switchover fund.

Today's final Digital Britain report also recommended the wholesale scaling back of the current system of local commercial radio regulation, largely backing the findings of former GMG Radio chief executive John Myers' local radio analysis, commissioned after Carter's interim report earlier this year.

Commercial stations will be able to reduce the number of locally produced hours they broadcast in exchange for an enhanced commitment to regular and updated local news. Stations will be given greater flexibility to co-locate and analogue services will be able to merge to form new DAB operations.

The report said DAB was "at least for the foreseeable future ... the right technology for the UK", with more than 9m receivers now sold in the UK.

But it said DAB would be only one among a range of platforms including internet, mobile broadband and digital TV, for the distribution of digital radio.

Digital Britain also said broadcasters should be prepared to experiment with more advanced compression technologies and manufacturers must ensure DAB sets are futureproofed and able to receive DAB+ and DMB-A.

The government called on radio operators to deliver new niche services on DAB, "such as a dedicated jazz station and gain better value from existing content, such as live coverage of Premiership football or uninterrupted coverage from music festivals".

Commercial radio operators have so far been unable to make niche digital services pay. But with a prospective analogue switch-off date set for 2015, and backing from car manufacturers for in-car digital radio, the sums may start to add up.

Andrew Harrison, the chief executive of commercial radio trade body, the RadioCentre, said: "For radio to flourish in the digital age we require a digital strategy and, on first inspection, we are encouraged that Digital Britain sets out a clear roadmap for our industry's future.
Clearly, implementation of that roadmap is now a priority for RadioCentre alongside all the industry stakeholders.

"We think that Digital Britain is right to identify a target date of
2015 to upgrade our sector to digital radio while also recognising the importance of meeting key criteria to trigger switchover and the need for intervention to drive the behaviour of manufacturers, the motor industry and other stakeholders. This will enable our members to plan and invest for their future; we now have a firm consensus that digital is the route forward for radio's future.

The International Museum Weekend on the 20th and 21st of June has four Australian museums taking part.

The stations are:-
on the 21st of June:

The digital test transmission from Mt Dandenong east of Melbourne today (7 June 2009) went exceedingly well with at least eight stations receiving the VK3RTV repeater signal noise free.

The test, using German made commercial quality DVT-B standard digital television boards, began at 11am (AEST or Melbourne time) with colour bars enabling viewers to tune their set-top boxes.

There was obvious delight in the voices of those reporting confirmation of their reception via the 2-metre 147.4MHz ATV liaison frequency.

Similar to the 1956 start of TV in Australia through TCN9 Sydney presented by Bruce Gyngell, the new era of digital amateur television was officially launched.

Amateur Radio Victoria President Jim Linton VK3PC announced to camera “Welcome to Television, Digital Amateur Television VK3RTV.”

Peter VK3BFG with the new DATV VK3RTV

It referred to Australian radio amateurs having a long history of experimenting with various types of television transmission, and them publicly demonstrating it before TV officially began in September 1956.

The arrival of digital amateur television is an outstanding achievement, occurring at the same time as commercial and ABC stations are just finding their way with the same digital medium.

Recognition was given to Peter VK3BFG for having the dream to digitise one of the world’s longest established fast scan amateur television devices. That dream not only became a reality today but an instant success.

The digital transmission was received at Vermont, Burwood, Woori Yallock, Delahey, St Albans, Moorabbin and Phillip Island.

Commonly used to pick-up the signal was a domestic set-top box (STB) tuned to 446.5 MHz. One viewer saw it using a miniature USB DVB-T receiver connected to his computer.

The digital signal was reduced to 2-watts and still received by many, but mostly ran at about 8-watts during the test.

At least six others were without a working STB. Peter VK3BFG notes that a manually tuned model STB is required.

A list of suitable STB is being compiled. Another option may be a simple converter so VK3RTV can be received on a vacant digital TV channel.

During the test transmission viewers saw the digital broadcasting standard DVB-T boards and associated equipment, painstakingly put together and pre-tested at the QTH of VK3BFG.

Major project funding comes from Amateur Radio Victoria. The WIA Club Grants Scheme provided $1,000 in recognition of it being a high quality innovative project.
Volunteer support has also been important to its success.

Work on the project continues with the next stage being the controller to do all of the switching necessary to manage the complex system that will have two independent channels and three inputs.

News of the VK3RTV DATV project has sparked interstate and overseas interest. A detailed article will in time be published in the WIA journal Amateur Radio magazine.

The Geelong Amateur Radio Club and Amateur Radio Victoria will be taking part in the International Museum Weekend of the 20th and 21st of June.

GARC President Dallas Jones VK3DJ is encouraging other clubs and individuals to set up stations and operate from museums on that weekend
too.

GARC has been operating from the Geelong Regional Museum for a few years and now expands its operation to also include the Queenscliffe Maritime Museum.

Amateur Radio Victoria Event Coordinator Terry Murphy VK3UP advises that the statewide organisation will operate from the HMAS Castlemaine at Gem Pier Williamstown on the Sunday.

The Geelong, Queenscliffe and Williamstown museums have very much welcomed amateur radio. There should be no shortage of museums that would be available on the weekend.

"The Australian Communications and Media Authority has invited industry feedback on its Five Year Spectrum Outlook 2009-2013, as part of its commitment to keep the five-year snapshot of radiocommunications priority issues current.

"The purpose of the Five-year Spectrum Outlook 2009–2013 is to provide transparency for industry about the pressures on spectrum and the likely directions of ACMA’s spectrum management work in the short and medium term, and to foster dialogue with stakeholders about emerging pressures for change to existing spectrum access arrangements."

"The research undertaken by ACMA in the creation of the Outlook indicates increasing competitive pressures on certain parts of the spectrum that have the most desirable characteristics for a range of emerging and evolving applications, particularly in the range 400 MHz to 6 GHz. "

Commercial Radio Australia (CRA) have announced that Melbourne commercial radio broadcasters will begin test transmission of digital radio services on or around 7 May 2009. CRA is the peak industry body coordinating the start up transmissions on behalf of Digital Radio Broadcasting Melbourne (DRBM), a joint venture company currently comprised of all analogue commercial radio stations operating in Melbourne.

The transmissions in Melbourne will broadcast on VHF Band III Channel 9A. These are licensed services in accordance with Australian Broadcasting and Communications Authority (ACMA) regulations.

It is expected that the impact on existing broadcasting services will be minimal, if at all. However, in the event that you do experience some kind of interference, there will be a  hotline and website available to enable you to report details and access further information:

The VK3FOX team is pleased to announce the 2009 Victorian Fox Hunt Championships.

The event will be held on Saturday the 16th May commencing with the first hunt at 12:30PM.  A time of equipment set up and a sausage sizzle will be held at the start - 1 Noorabil Court, Greensborough (Mel 11B10) commencing at 11:30 (sausages from then). (Note: savage, vicious, youth biting, cat hating dogs not welcome in the back yard!!)

Cost will be $15 per head with those under 15 years of age (on the date of the event) $10; this includes lunch, afternoon tea and the evening meal.

Unlike past years where there is a "return to base" between hunts, this year we will start each hunt from a nominated assembly point following the previous hunt , like normal Friday night hunts.  There will be a stop for afternoon tea at a location with toilets etc.  The evening meal will be served at NERG Hall (Briar Hill Community hall - 126 Mountain View Road Briar Hill).  Following the completion of the night hunt we will reconvene for supper and the anointing of the 2009 Champion at the hall. A sniffer hunt has not been included; if there is a huge outcry then we may be convinced to include one.

 Event 1   10M Hunt   28.450MHz
 Event 2   6M Hunt   52.1MHz
 Event 3   HF/MF Hunt Two leg 3.585MHz and 1.825MHz
 Event 4   2M Three legs   145.300, 144.247, 144.700MHz
 Event 5   UHF Hunt Two legs 439.050MHz and1296.1MHz
 Evening meal
 Event 6   Night Hunt 145.3MHz, 439.050MHz, 52.1MHz, 28.450MHz, 144.247MHz

Numbers please for catering and planning!