Some re-iteration of points in the missing QUEENSLAND notes, we hope, will be excused under the The monthly meeting of the V.h.f, circumstances. The April meeting saw a closely Group was held on Friday, 19th May. Our contested election of officers and out of fifteen former President, Roy 4ZRM, resigned at the rominations, the following candidates were meeting and George 4ZMG was elected our successful: Peter 2ZPC, Chairman; Tim 2ZTM, new President. New face at the meeting was Vlce-Chrlrman: Norm 2ZXC. Secretary; Keith Peter 4ZPG. Another Peter, 4ZPC, brought 2ZAU, Treasurer; Bob 2ZMM. Broadcast and along the start of a transistorised S Mc. s.s.b. Publicity; Phil 2ZPI, Contest Liaison. exciter. Speaking on s.s.b., Dane 4ZAX has The V.h.f. and T.v. Group hold their meet- just acquired a Collins v.h.f. s.s.b. transverter ings on the first Friday of each month at and radiates a blockbuster signal on 144 Mc. Wireless Centre, Atchison St., Crows Nest, and Newcomer to 144 Mc., Graham 4ZGB, is finding VHF visitors are always welcome. Business during out how sharp 144 Mc. beams are and is lucky Sub-Editor: CYRIL MAUDE. VK3ZCK the meeting is kept as brief as possible and in having a rotator. Another newcomer to 2 Clarendon St., Avondale Heights, 3034, Vic. interesting lectures are the main event of the 144 Mc. is Eddie 4ZWA. evening. See you there. 73, Keith 2ZAU. In Brisbane lately has been Eric 2ZEN, an O.T.C. man, working at Bribie Island. In the Well activities over the past month seem HUNTER BRANCH Brisbane power race this month is Malcolm rather varied, ranging from plenty of DX to 52 Mc.: This band has been very quiet, with 4ZEL, doing some work on his 4-125 driver, a state of complete inactivity. very little activity on the Saturday and Sun- I mean, final. Royce 4ZRH also has a new day nets. Two new stations have come on final and soon will have it on the air. Roy Is V.H.F. CONTESTS IN AUCKLAND, N.Z. six metres during the month. These are Frank also active on 432 Mc. using a 6/40 into stacked 2ZFX, who uses a two-way ex disposals, and 13 element Yagis. 4HD, of Woombye, is think- Two metre contest, Sunday, August 20, from is putting out a very fine signal and is testing ing of 432 Mc., but I would suggest something 1800 to 2200 hours N.Z.S.T. This contest is out a high power final, and Henry 2ZGK, of a little better than an 815. Suggest he beams divided into four periods, each ol one hour. "Dora Creek". U.h.f. Contest, 432 Mc. and above to be held Brisbane and talk to the 432 boys on 144 Mc. on Sunday, November 19, from 1900 to 2200 144 Mc.: This band has been In fair shape Speaking of 432, Alan 4AI has given up Ama- hours N.Z.S.T. and will be in three periods, during the past month and some good open- teur t.v. for other things. each of one-hour duration. ings to have been noticed. QSB has Band openings into Brisbane these days are played havoc with the signals some evenings. few and far between. 52 Mc. is open sporad- The Auckland V.h.f. Group will be holding Dave 2ZFR has been busy with the local Shire ically to Victoria and Japan if one really lis- a V.h.f. Field Day on Saturday and Sunday, Council getting their Civil Defence radio gear tens. ATV0 was recently copied 9th and 10th December. Hours of operation going. in Maryborough and North Queenslanders are are: Saturday 1600-2200 hours, Sunday 0600- Kevin 2ZKW is still doing well with the having a ball with the Pacific DX. 73, 4ZMW. 12G0 hours N.Z.S.T. Y.M.C.A. Radio Club In Maltland with the prospects of a second YL member. 7S, Mac SOUTH AUSTRALIA NEW SOUTH WALES 2ZMO. Once again the winter months are with us 52 Mc.: Activity on the lower end of the and as expected the VK5 V.h.f. Group has band is mair.Iy confined to the week-end, VICTORIA again commenced a hibernation period. How- peaking on Sunday morning. A dozen or more Six metres has been quite active although ever, this year it appears that there are quite stations are now quite active on the 53.866 most of this has been on the nets, both a.m. a few light sleepers as high activity has been Mc. a.m. net. The activity is centred in the and f.m. There have been a couple of open- noted at various times, especially of a week- Blue Mountains with good signals being re- ings, the biggest being on 28/5/67. end. Perhaps the prospect of JA activity is ceived in Sydney. The new 53.95 Me. f.m. net maintaining this interest in the bands, but has got away to a slow start owing to a short- Two Metres: This band has not been too however optimistic we are of this It Is age of "low-band" transceivers, but good active but it is not bad enough to call dead. considered that August will be the earliest coverage is reported by the stations on this There have been a couple of minor openings opportunity for the VK5s to avail themselves net. The monthly 6 mx fox hunt for May was but nothing of note. The fox hunts and scram- seriously to scratching the DX out of the noise. held on Sunday, 14th, with VK2ZVL acting us bles held on this band are still very popular, Contrary to any other reports previously pub- the fox. A small attendance was the result even though the evenings are getting cold. lished, no confirmed contacts between VKS of Inclement looking weather, although little The fox hunts are held on the fourth Wednes- and JA have been recorded, but scatter signal rain was experienced. Place getters were VKs day of each month at 2000 hrs. E.A.S.T., and reports are numerous. 2ZAU, 2ZPJ and 2ZEV. Interstate and country the scrambles on the second Sunday at 2045 A recent fox hunt on 146 megs. f.m. had visitors are always welcome at our monthly hrs. E.A.S.T. Interstate visitors are welcome the hounds completely bamboozled. Barry 6 and 2 mx fox hunts. to participate in these events. 5ZMW won the first hunt, but nobody could locate Jim 5ZGV, the fox, in the second hunt. 144 Me.: Over the past couple of weeks the V.h.f. Group Meeting: The May meeting of During this hunt all the cars participating activity on this band seems to have hit an the Group, held on the 17th of May, saw the found themselves adjacent to a new housing all time low. Perhaps this may be attributed attendance of about sixty members and vis- area complete with vacant allotments. Not a to the eager gathering on the frequency of itors who heard Alan 3AE, of the Department trace of transmitting equipment was to be the slow Morse broadcasts, as after these of Civil Aviation, speak about the commun- seen, although an S9 signal appeared to come sessions more stations put in an appearance. ications systems of the Department. Alan used from one particular vacant block. Eventually Crossband contacts 144 to 432 Mc. seem to be slides and tapes to assist the presentation. frustration reigned supreme until one of the on the increase and plans may be heard of Some tapes were made of communications hounds decided to let fly at a surveyor's peg. b-gger and better u.h.f. signals to come. made between Australia and the U.S.A. and To everyone's amazement the signal dropped. 482 Mc.: On Saturday, May 13, a meeting was n Qantas plane flying across the Pacific. The Investigation of this surveyor's peg revealed held at Wireless Centre of 432 Mc. enthusiasts. noticeable point was that the frequencies used a hollowed out section containing a vertical There were 12 in attendance and it was decided were very close to two metres and were re- quarter wave dipole, fed via coaxial cable to form a 432 Mc. Moonbounce team whose layed via the ABS2 satellite which is orbiting from the transmitter which was conveniently purpose will be to conduct Moonbounce experi- over the Pacific Ocean. The satellite Is over buried in a nearby site. Notwithstanding the ments and generally endeavour to Increase the the equator at 151 degrees west at an altitude time had crept on and no time was available interest in 432 Mc. operation. Further details of 22,300 miles. for a third hunt, and Barry 5ZMW was de- may be obtained from Gordon 2ZXD who was clared the winner on the result of the first elected chairman at the meeting. Progress of The V.h.f. Group has started a v.h.f con- hunt. 73, Colin 5ZHJ. this team will also be given, from time to verter project and prototype models are now time, on the Sunday broadcasts. being tested. More news of these will be given WESTERN AUSTRALIA in future issues of "A.R." 73, Cyril 3ZCK. Can it be that the winter season has revived The new V.h.f. and T.v. Group Committee the v.h.f. bands? Often the moan is heard are anxious to hear from country members EASTERN ZONE that there is not much activity in this neck who either require assistance in v.h.f. mat- 8 Metres: On Sunday 28/5/67, between 1300 of the woods, but things seem to be improv- ters or wish to offer constructive criticism of and 1600, we had a very good opening to VK5, ing. Our Amateur t.v. Is on the air with Group activities. At present plans are in VK4 and VK2, with such stations as SZLP, Warren 5WJ/T and Kevin 6ZCB/T both run- hand to extend v.h.f. coverage of country areas 4NG, 4ZFR, 4ZDK and 2ZFB. Also heard some ning .test signals on 432 Mc. There is a very during Sunday broadcasts on both S2 and 144 ZLls and ZL t.v., and Port Pirie Channel 1. good article in the May West Australian V.h.f. Mc. If you have plans for visiting Sydney in The opening was observed after noticing short Bulletin showing how to construct a suitable the near future, drop our Secretary, Norm skip on 28 Mc. with 5HP working 2AXB and converter. 2ZXC, a line letting him know the dates and ZLs on this band. A big local do was the Hamfest at Kal- frequencies on which you may be working. gorlie which catered for everyone, both h.f. This information will be made public so that and v.h.f., a.m., f.m. and s.s.b. and even those members can be on the lookout for your S Metres: The f.m. net is very active in the who did not have any gear. Maybe more signals. Information of v.h.f. activities during Zone. On Sunday 7/5/67 George 3ZCG heard the VK5 beacon peaking S8-9 QSBing to S4. about this later. your proposed visit is also available from the The last scramble went well in the morning same source. The opening began late at night after 1030 p.m. when t.v. ch. 9 and 10 caused but there was some lack of activity in the The May meeting of the V.h.f. and T.v. Group local t.v.i. After GLV10 closed, Ch. 10 Ade- afternoon. celebrated the 20th anniversary of the post- laide was watched with very little snow In The boys at Wesley College Radio Club are war Group and was brightened by the presence Morwell and ML Tassle and was also observed building up a helix with which they hope to of some of the inaugural members. Some very by Art 3ZAT who works at Ch. 4 and 10. track Australis, that is when it gets aloft. humourous and interesting tales of the early Oh, yes, s.s.b. in the scramble in the shape days was related by five of these stalwarts in The next day, there was no sign of the of 6TU and with a very nice signal. S.s.b. the form of Horrie 2HL, Roy 2HO, Carlle 2NP, beacon but that night George worked Alan signals have been spanning the hills and dales Fred 2ABC and Dave 2AWZ. Unfortunately 2ZEO at Deniliquin and David 3ZKU at Kat- from the shack of Max 6ZFM in Bridgetown some of the other early members were unable tungn. Alan stated that he too had heard the and received in Perth before and after the to attend owing to illness or prior engage- beacon and after calling his head off, managed Sunday news at 0930. ments. Thanks chaps for making this meeting to work 5ZKR at Mt. Gambier and later heard A.m. phone on six metres is having a revival something to remember. 7ZAE. with more a.m. units becoming available ex commercial use, but how about several chan- Our apologies for the non-appearance of Two a.m. activity in Gippsland is Just fair nels chaps, if you must use one channel, please N.S.W. v.h.f. notes in the May issue, these with most activity on Friday and Sunday even- don't all talk at once. iNote. try staggering the notes were posted on Anzac Day but evidently ings. As yet no signals have been heard at units by 3 kc., then it's a real mess when came to grips with the mechanical monster this QTH from the VK0CR beacon. 73, George everyone talks at once.—Sub-Ed.) 73, Laurie which delights in devouring important letters. 3ZCG. 6ZEA.

Amateur Radio, July, 1967 Page 21