Monster Media 1996 #14

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Silent Key - VK2SG ANARTS CO-FOUNDER, SYD VK2SG, SILENT KEY IT IS WITH DEEP REGRET WE ANNOUNCE THE PASSING OF SYD MOLEN, VK2SG, CO-FOUNDER OF ANARTS WITH BILL STORER, VK2EG AND OTHERS. SYD SUCCUMBED TO A HEART ATTACK ON THE MORNING OF FRIDAY 29TH DECEMBER 1995. REPRINTED BELOW IS THE EULOGY GIVEN BY BILL, VK2EG, AT HIS FUNERAL ON WEDNESDAY 3RD JANUARY 1996. ------ SYD WAS ALWAYS INTERESTED IN RADIO AND ELECTRONICS. HE WAS AN AVID SHORT WAVE LISTENER IN HIS TEENAGE YEARS. EVEN IN HIS SCHOOL DAYS, I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT HE HAD BITS AND PIECES OF CRYSTAL SETS HIDDEN IN HIS DESK. IN 1939 HE JOINED THE RAAF AND SERVED THROUGHOUT THE HOSTILITIES ON HUDSON AND DC3 AIRCRAFT IN THE OPERATIONAL PACIFIC THEATRE OF WAR, AS WELL AS AN INSTRUCTOR IN THE FIELD OF ELECTRONICS. IT WAS DURING HIS WAR SERVICE THAT HE MET AND MARRIED JEAN. AFTER HIS DISCHARGE FROM THE AIRFORCE IN 1945 HE BECAME INVOLVED WITH THE ROYAL FLYING DOCTOR SERVICE AS ONE OF THEIR LEADING MOBILE TECHNICIANS IN THE FAR OUTBACK OF QUEENSLAND AND THE NORTHERN TERRITORY. IT WAS DURING THIS TIME THAT HE BECAME A LICENSED AMATEUR WITH THE CALLSIGN OF VK4SE. AFTER LEAVING THE ROYAL FLYING DOCTOR SERVICE, HE OBTAINED HIS BROADCAST CERTIFICATE AND WAS EMPLOYED WITH VARIOUS BROADCAST STATIONS AND ENDED UP WITH 2UW IN SYDNEY. HE THEN TOOK OUT HIS CURRENT CALL VK2SG. FROM HERE HE BROADENED HIS HORIZONS BY ASSISTING WITH THE PLANNING AND EVENTUAL OPENING OF CHANNEL 10 TELEVISION STUDIOS. HE SERVED IN THEIR STUDIO AND EVENTUALLY THE TRANSMITTING FACILITIES. HE EVENTUALLY RETIRED FROM CHANNEL 10 AROUND 1980. ALL THROUGH THESE YEARS HE WAS AN ACTIVE AMATEUR, GAINING DIFFERENT AWARDS FOR DIFFERENT FIELDS OF COMMUNICATIONS, AND STILL CONTINUED EXPERIMENTING WITH DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF HIS HOBBY. IN 1970 SYD WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SAFE COMPLETION OF THE FIRST 8600-MILE VOYAGE OF THE RAFT - LA BALSA - ACROSS THE PACIFIC FROM SOUTH AMERICA TO AUSTRALIA. THE RAFT'S RADIO EQUIPMENT MALFUNCTIONED APPROACHING AUSTRALIA AND IT WAS WITH SYD'S TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE AND DEDICATION THAT ENABLED THEM TO MAKE THEIR SUCCESSFUL LANDFALL. IT WAS DURING THE LAST 15 YEARS THAT HE BECAME INTERESTED IN DIGITAL METHODS OF COMMUNICATION AND WAS IN THE FOREFRONT OF ALL DEVELOPMENTS OF THESE NEW MODES. MUCH OF THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT THAT WAS USED WAS SURPLUS DISPOSALS AND SYD, WITH HIS KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE, DEVELOPED NEW IDEAS. HE WAS ONE OF THE FOUNDATION MEMBERS OF THE AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO TELEPRINTER SOCIETY AND WAS A REGULAR PARTICIPANT IN MANY CONTESTS AND FURTHERED AND ENCOURAGED YOUNGER MEMBERS OF THE AMATEUR FRATERNITY TO BECOME ACTIVE AMATUERS IN THE DIGITAL MODES. SYD WAS KNOWN THROUGHOUT THE WORLD WITH HIS ORIGINATION OF THE RADIOTELETYPE DX NOTES AND, ALTHOUGH HE GAVE THE ORIGINATION OF THESE NOTES TO OVERSEAS AMATEURS AFTER ILLNESS FORCED HIM TO CUT DOWN ON HIS RADIO ACTIVITIES, THEY ARE STILL SENT WORLDWIDE WEEKLY AND KNOWN AS THE "VK2SG DX NOTES" - THEY EVEN NOW APPEAR ON THE NEW SUPER HIGHWAY - THE INTERNET. SYD HAS MANY AMATUER FRIENDS AROUND THE WORLD WHO REMEMBER HIM FONDLY AND WILL MISS SEEING THAT VK2SG CALLSIGN ON THEIR SCREENS. SYD'S PIONEERING IN AMATEUR RADIO HAS GIVEN MANY THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD A LOT OF PLEASURE. HE IS SURVIVED BY HIS WIFE JEAN. WRITTEN BY BILL STORER, VK2EG SUBMITTED BY PAT LEEPER VK2JPA, SECRETARY, ANARTS Silent key -- VK2AKC It is with deep regret that we announce the passing of Cecil Kearins VK2AKC of Dubbo on Monday 18th December. Cec was well known on the ham bands and was licensed for approximately 50 years. Cec was a keen home brewer and was in the RAAF for 3 1/2 years during his younger days. from Jan Harvey VK2BNH Silent key -- VK2LM It is with a great deal of regret that I inform you of the passing of Len Brennan VK2LM, formerly VK2AMU, of Apex Street, Mount Victoria. Len had been licensed since 1939 and was active on all frequencies he was allowed to operate on, which included 11 metres, satellite, slow scan TV and the like. He was well known amongst his peers and was highly regarded in that community. Len may have been remembered by a lot of people in the district as the owner and operator of several picture theatres in the Gosford and Entrance area and was the first person to introduce hi- fidelity sound and later stereo and surround sound into the theatres for the enjoyment of his patrons. Len was a quiet and private man but was a man of great science and understood the theories of sound and R.F. He was an avid keeper of sun spot cycle records. I believe that Len was among the first people to discover sun spots and the influence on the transmission and receiving of radio waves. Len was a leader in technology and was always at the cutting edge, he was the first person to have a packet relay station over the Blue Mountains and I am sure he would be remembered by the packet using fraternity for that. His input into Amateur Radio will probably never be fully realised. Len had a great impact on me and was a true friend and I personally regret his passing. Len died at the Lithgow Hospital after a long illness with cancer at 4am on Tuesday 19.12.95 and is survived by his wife Betty who is now VK2AMU. submitted by Paul Robertson VK2GON Federal news - Interference Interference Issues regarding interference to amateur activities on the 160m, 2m amd 70cm bands from other services, and from the possible future installation of Windshear air safety radar system in Australia, were discussed at a recent Canberra meeting with the SMA. As many amateurs well know, interference to repeater systems on 2m from pager systems operating above 148 MHz has been a particular problem for many years. A technical report on the subject, compiled by Will McGhie VK6UU, was presented to the SMA at the previous WIA-SMA meeting last May. An update, again from Will McGhie, on a recent pager interference problem, and its solution, was given to the SMA in November. The SMA said, as a general principle, they will investigate all well-documented interference complaints, and that the priority given to any such investigation is made by the local SMA Area Office. Recent experience, and cooperation with the SMA, has indicated a number of ways to successfully approach pager problems on 2m. To improve the situation for repeater system operators, the WIA in conjunction with the SMA, will develop a flow-chart and "check box" system as part of a self-managed solution to investigating interference sources to 2m repeaters. Providing a copy of this check list along with a written complaint should help the SMA to take the appropriate action in the future, when it comes to dealing with such interference. Recent interference problems on the 160m and 70cm bands, arising from other services, had already been dealt with before the November meeting in Canberra. However, the SMA will in future advise the WIA of any new licences which may affect activities on amateur bands, particularly on bands where amateurs are a secondary service (e.g. 420-450 MHz), and work in conjunction with FTAC to avoid possible mutual interference. This procedure will also apply to Windshear radars, which operate immediately adjacent to the 6m and 70cm bands. Federal news - exams Examination System: Revision of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the SMA and the WIA Exam Service has been under way for more than a year, and the WIA sought advice on progress. In addition, the issue of invigilator requirements for remote area examinations, raised at the meeting last May, was discussed, along with the matter of the syllabus and exam question banks not being in harmony with the current TLSs and Regulations. The SMA expalined that the many changes which had occurred in the SMA over recent times had occasioned delays and some loss of continuity in the revision of the MOU, but it is actively under way again. An SMA officer was to visit the WIA Exam Service operation in Melbourne before Christmas, to assess and report on current practices and procedures. Regarding remote area invigilator requirements, the WIA proposed that, rather than using the Income Tax Act definition of remote areas, a definition based on travellling time would be administratively simpler. The SMA said they were prepared to consider this further and asked the WIA to put up a more detailed submission. The SMA said they were progressing with consideration of the AOCP syllabus and question bank, which the WIA submitted earlier in 1995. Finalisation of the review of the AOCP syllabus was antici- pated by the end of January, and the question bank some time later, although no time frame was proposed at this point. Until the relevant information booklets on the Amateur Service, RIB70 and RIB71, were revised, amateur licence candidates would continue to be examined on the previous regulations, the SMA said. Other matters discussed at the November WIA-SMA meeting included use of the AX2OOO Olympic Games special event call sign, which the WIA wants to extend the permitted period of operation from one month before and one month after the opening ceremony, to six months or more before and up to three months after; further action on proposed amateur use of LF in the 150-200 kHz region; and a number of issues surrounding the allocation and use of amateur call signs. Armed with more information as a result of the November meeting, the WIA is developing further submissions to put before the SMA in all these matters. More detailed information on all the matters discussed at the November meeting will be included in later WIA News items. Divisional news Divisional News On behalf of your Divisional Council, I wish to extend a warm welcome to the following who have been accepted for membership to the New South Wales Division of the WIA: FULL MEMBERS NAME CALLSIGN ADDRESS Gause, M. VK2MGM Barnsley Berry, D.J. VK2UDB Newcastle Blunn, J.H. VK2TAT Greenacre Meinsma, D.R. VK2FIM Charlestown ASSOCIATED MEMBERS (SHORT WAVE LISTENERS) Roll, M.R. L21008 Balmain Wilmanski, W.H. L21007 Auburn Miller, G.C. L21008 Castle Hill Unwin, R.J. L21009 Moruya Pope, B.F.M. L21010 Terrigal Your Divisional Council welcomes your decision to join the growing number of Amateurs and Short Wave Listeners who are members of the NSW Division, by now all should have received ther new-member's information kit and Certificate of Membership. Membership of the institute entitles you to receive all the services that are provided for members in their pursuit of the hobby of Amateur Radio. Should you have any questions, suggestions, or constructive criticism, don't hesitate to contact me, at any time, by one of the following means: Telephone (02) 831-8450 or by Fax on (02) 621-1516 I take this opportunity to wish all of you a prosperous, healthy and happy 1996. Cesar Miranda, VK2TCM Membership Secretary WICEN news WICEN News Welcome to the first WICEN news segment for the year, and we trust that all members had a safe holiday. As far as we know, there were no activations, although February could be nasty for bushfires. During the festive season, Santa Claus brought WICEN (NSW) a Web page; it is temporarily located underneath the NSW Divisional Web page, as "http://sydney.dialix.oz.au/~wiansw/wicen/". Please note that it is "still under construction", but links to pages of interest to WICEN personnel are being constantly added. We thank the NSW Division of the Wireless Institute of Australia for their generosity. Although still early in the new year, the calendar already has several events upon it. The Central Coast meeting, under David VK2UDT, is on Friday, and the Management Committee meeting is on the 20th of this month. The Central Coast Amateur Radio Club Field Day, an event not to be missed for publicity purposes, is on 25th February, and since we will not have the caravan this time then your ideas are requested; please let the Publicity Officer, Dave VK2KFU, know if you can assist. The Red Cross Calling Doorknock Appeal, with Andy VK2XRX in charge, is on 17th March. Another March event is the annual Cave Rescue Exercise at Bungonia Caves, but no details have been forthcoming. Finally, there are the two big annual events; the City to Surf Fun Run on 11th August, and the Hawkesbury Classic Paddle on 26-27th October. Those regions wishing to have their activities publicised on this broadcast are requested to get the details to the Publicity Officer, Dave VK2KFU, by Thursday night at the latest. Packet radio is the preferred medium, to the VK2KFU system itself (AX.25 or TCP/IP), or failing that, to VK2DAA, VK2OP, or VK2GJB. WICEN is always looking for members to provide the community with communications assistance. Write to WICEN (NSW) Inc, PO Box 123, St Leonards 2065 for further information, or come up on one of the WICEN nets: Blue Mountains each Monday at 8.30pm on 7175 simplex, Northern Rivers each Tuesday at 8pm around 3610 kHz on odd Tuesdays and the Lismore repeater 6800 on even Tuesdays, Hunter each Wednesday at 7.30pm on the Newcastle repeater 6900, the State-wide HF net each Wednesday at 8.30pm around 3610 kHz, Central Coast each Thursday at 8.30pm on the Wyong repeater 7125, and Sydney each Thursday at 9.30pm on the Chatswood repeater 7150/8275. -- Dave Horsfall VK2KFU, WICEN (NSW) Inc. Publicity Officer News briefs The December 1995 issue of Australian Video Camera reports that a UK company has introduced a new dimension into the still-new area of virtual reality. The company has introduced a new VR headset that can generate smells to match the images being projected on the headset video screns. Tiny cylinders containing "aroma gases" are mixed with carbon dioxide and alcohol and released into the headset under computer control. The headset also contains its own air supply to remove the old smell before the next one is introduced. We wonder if the Amateur Television community will pick this one up and run with it ... ************* The same magazine also notes that the Israeli intelligence service (hello to all Mossad agents monitoring VK2WI on 10,125 MHz!) has devloped a video camera and transmitter that can be swallowd and used inside the body. The camera, housed in a tiny pill-sized capsule, will allow government agents to locate incriminating evidence that may have been swallowed by a suspect. The capsule even contains its own light source to illuminate the parts most other cameras can't reach ... IPS report IPS WEEKLY SOLAR AND GEOPHYSICAL REPORT (29 DECEMBER - 04 JANUARY) ISSUED 05 JANUARY SUMMARY Date 29 30 31 01 02 03 04 10cm 76 75 75 75 75 81 85 A 2 7 7 5 7 8 ( 4 estimated) T 4 14 10 -2 19 24 16 SOLAR ACTIVITY WAS LOW ON 3RD JANUARY, AND VERY LOW FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE PERIOD. THE GEOMAGNETIC FIELD AT LEARMONTH W.A. WAS QUIET 29TH TO 30TH DECEMBER, AND QUIET TO UNSETTLED FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK. MAXIMUM USABLE FREQUENCIES AT SYDNEY WERE MOSTLY NEAR PREDICTED MONTHLY VALUES, WITH FREQUENCIES DEPRESSED TO 20 PER CENT DURING NIGHT HOURS ON 31ST DECEMBER, AND ENHANCED AT TIMES TO 15 PER CENT ON 3RD JANUARY. SPREAD F WAS OBSERVED DURING LOCAL NIGHT ON 3RD. FORECAST (05 JANUARY - 11 JANUARY) SOLAR: VERY LOW TO LOW GEOMAGNETIC: QUIET TO UNSETTLED IONOSPHERIC: NEAR PREDICTED MONTHLY VALUES. COURTESY OF IPS RADIO AND SPACE SERVICES SUMMARY BY PAT VK2JPA ANARTS BROADCAST OFFICER Club news: Gladesville Now for some news from the Gladesville Amateur Radio Club -- The club would like to wish the VK2WI listeners all the best for 96 and to bring you some dates and activities for your diary. Tonight (Sunday) VK2TVG resumes the relay of the VK2WI news session. The live Test Transmission resumes next Wednesday at 7.30 pm, originated at VK2TVG and relayed in Sydney through VK2RTV on Channel 35. The Australian Amateur Television Club provides a relay through VK2RFM at Oakdale on 1250 MegaHertz and the Central Coast Amateur Radio Club relays through VK2RTG on 444 MegaHertz. Both groups also provide a relay on Sunday evening at 7 pm. Television Gladesville thanks them for their support in providing the extended coverage. VK2TVG is also radiated in Sudney at 7 pm through VK2RTV on Channel 35. Part of the Amateur Radio hobby is to keep one's technical knowledge refreshed and this is the philosophy behind the Glades- ville Test Transmissions. On Wednesday and Friday the first technical segment in the trans- mission is from the Club's lectures in NAOCP and AOCP theory - an opportunity for newcomers to prepare for that future exam and for the older licence to brush up on some theory. Our hobby covers broad interests and the Crew at VK2TVG feel that the test transmissions help provide an understanding of the tech- nology involved. Please check us out on one or more of our transmission evenings. The first Gladesville Club meeting for 1996 will be Monday 12th February at 7.30 pm. Country listeners visiting the forthcoming Central Coast Field Day are invited to call into the club stand, its location will be advised in a future VK2WI broadcast. Again best wishes for 96 from the Gladesville Amateur Radio Club Club news: Veterans Group The next meeting of the Veterans Group at Amateur Radio House will be on Thursday February 15th 1996 from 1100 hrs to 1400 hrs and thereafter on the third Thursday of each month. No meeting is organised for this month January. Season's Greeting to all submitted by Franklyn Pain VK2DYP Coming events Now, a summary of upcoming events of interest to members and other Radio Amateurs and Short Wave Listeners ... SUNSAT (with "parrot repeater") launch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .TBA Gladesville ATV live test transmissions resume . . . . . . . .Wednesday Ross Hull Contest and VHF/UHF Field Day . . . . . . . . Saturday-Sunday Divisional Office re-opens. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15th VHF to SHF DX Group meeting at Parramatta . . . . . . . . . . . . .16th Waverley ARS meeting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17th Manly-Warringah Radio Society lecture night (Woomera & Rockets/atomic bombs from a personal perpective! Bob VK2GRY). . . . . . . . . . . 17th Parramatta ARC meeting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18th Divisional Council meeting at Parramatta . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19th Divisional Trash and Treasure Sale at Parramatta . . . . . . . . . 28th Ross Hull Memorial VHF/UHF Contest ends , . . . . . . . . 11am EST 28th February -------- Divisional Council meeting at Tamworth . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10th Radio Veterans maating at Parramatta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15th MIR space station's tenth birthday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19th Waverley ARS meeting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21st Mnly-Warringah Radio Society lecture night . . . . . . . . . . . . 21st March ----- John Moyle Memorial Field Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . TBA Daylight Saving time ends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3rd Divisional Council meeting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8th Red Cross Calling Doorknock Appeal (Andy VK2XRX) . . . . . . . . . 17th ----------------------------------------------------------------------- VK2WI Broadcast 7th January 1996. Copyright 1996 WIA (NSW) & contributors. Material may be used elsewhere if the source is acknowledged. --