MINUTES OF THE NAPIER AMATEUR RADIO CLUB
Meeting on Wednesday 3 July 2019 at the Clubrooms 123 Latham Street
Chair: Dave ZL2MQ, the meeting started at 7:30 pm.
Present: Blue ZL3TT, Mike ZL2MY, Peter ZL2CD, Revel ZL2SS, Stu ZL2XC, John ZL2AGE, Errol ZL2IT, Peter ZL2LF, Phil ZL2RO, Paul ZL2HB and Karl ZL1TJ.
Apologies: ZL2VM, ZL2US, ZL2DW, ZL2MO.
Minutes of previous meeting: Read and confirmed to be correct: ZL2CD, ZL2MY.
Arising: Karl: contrary to last months announcement, Paul ZL2HB’s club membership stands, he resigned from the committee only.
Blue: due to branch 13’s June meeting being an excursion no business was discussed.
The possibility of branch 13 assisting branch 25 with the proposed 2021 NZART AGM and conference in Napier will be discussed at the July meeting.
Dave: the boxes for the club project, dummy load extraordinary, have been delayed somewhat. The Arduino software will ensure a level response over a wide range of frequencies.
Correspondence: inquiry from Doug Birt ZL1BFS regarding the status of our submission to the Napier City Council and a reply to this.
An invitation from the Inland Revenue Department to participate in a ‘satisfaction’ type questionnaire for non-profit organisations and a ‘no thank you, we are actually not a charitable organisation’ response in return.
Notice from John ZL2VAF regarding the visit from and meeting with new AREC director Don Robertson ZL2TYR. This was forwarded to members.
Outwards: a thank you note to Don for his presentation at the June 23 special AREC meeting.
Finance: Treasurer’s report attached. Monthly power account paid.
General Business: a reminder from Blue about the branch 13 junk sale on the 24th.
A note from Dave 2DW saying thanks to branch 25 members for participating in the Faraday Centre excursion.
Peter 2LF mentioned the amazing WW2 prison camp improvised (bits of string and no.8 wire) radio receiver constructed to keep prisoners in touch with the BBC. Article to be posted in Break-Out.
Dave 2MQ: now available: very cheap motors, (Arduino) controller and software to build a satellite tracking station. Could also be used for moon bounce or just locking a telescope onto a far away galaxy or star.
The meeting closed at 8 pm.
And was followed by Stu ZL2XC explaining what he does for a living. While serving an apprenticeship with Rothmans Stu specialized in industrial automation and went through all the stages of relay logic, hard-wired (but solid state) electronic logic, fixed programmed logic and finally flexible, programmable systems. Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC’s) are programmed using ‘ladder’ diagrams which simplify the coding to a graphic (pictural) representation not a great deal different from the actual wiring diagram. This makes program writing (and modifying existing programs) a task that can be mastered by non computer software experts.
Stu is now self employed and can often be found in far away tropical paradises such as PNG where he installs and maintains all kinds of electronic control systems. Stu’s spirited presentation ended with a small PLC being programmed to run a ‘fastest draw’ game. Revell was the winner.
Great presentation.
Karl ZL1TJ