Month: April 2014

The Napier Amateur Radio Club “Q” VHF/UHF Antenna Project

Post author By admin
Post date 11/04/2014

The Completed “Q” Antenna ready for use. It does look like a Pool Q!

This antenna was recently developed by Laurie, ZL2TC as a Club project for the Napier Amateur Radio Club. The design brief was for a simple, rugged 2 M/ 70 Cm antenna that is easily constructed by club members in an evening. We ended up with a repeatable design that acts as an end-fed half-wave dipole on 2 M and a 3 dB gain collinear antenna on 70 Cm. The SWR is unity on 2M and less than 2:1 on 70cm and is very effective in triggering local repeaters. The stiff 2M long tapered fibreglass housing is UV resistant, waterproof and the base of the antenna is a 28mm alloy tubing for mounting.

The kit comes complete with Step by Step instructions and all parts including cut to length coaxial cable, the pre-drilled fibreglass tube outer casing, alloy mounting tube, heat shrink tubing and waterproof tip.

This antenna kit would make a great project for a club evening construction evening. The price is very reasonable at $40.00 plus another $15 P&P within NZ. You can pay via Direct Credit or by cheque or by cash.The NARC has a limited number of these for sale.

Contact: The Napier Amateur Radio Club Inc via Karl ZL1TJ (karl@waspnet.co.nz) for information on ordering and payment.

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The NARC Hawke’s Bay Hamfest April 5, 2014

Post author By admin
Post date 06/04/2014

Hosted by the Napier Amateur Radio Club Incorporated
After kicking around ideas during the past year the Napier Amateur radio club decided to to host the first ever North Island Hamfest during the weekend of April 4th and 5th. Planning over the past 3 months paid off! Emails were sent to 40 clubs around the North island with an attached Flyer which was kindly forwarded to their club members. Thank you to the hard working club secretaries! The Friday night get-together renewing old acquaintances and meeting new ones before the hamfest allowed hams to register before the opening the next day.

The Nelson Park Cricket Club in Napier was a great venue but the weather looked a bit ominous. But typical of Hawke’s Bay, the heavy weekend rain forecast turned into an insignificant shower Saturday morning. Over 60 hams including many that traveled very long distances checked in with Karl ZL1TJ, our secretary by the 10 Am Hamfest start. A short welcome to all and a quick prize draw saw the conference open with the first speaker Jan ZL2CZE on SDR technology

NARC Club Secretary Karl ZL1TJ checks in the attendees

Early Morning Car Boot Sale opens the Hamfest

Jan, ZL2CZE explains SDR Receiver technology

Rob, ZL2AN talks about measurement and matching issues with Yagi antennas and how to solve the problems involved.

Dave, ZL2MQ talking about his beautifully constructed low noise 2m preamps and KW solid state amplifier used for moonbounce work on 2M

Dave ZL2MQ's professionally construction 2M KW amplifier for EME — Dave ZL2MQ’s professionally construction 2M KW amplifier for EME

Propagation 101 – Lee ZL2AL explains how the sun can be your best friend to help you work rare DX.

How to efficiently install HF and VHF mobile radios and antennas was explained by Laurie ZL2TC to an attentive audience

After lunch, Bob Sutton ZL1RS, a notable EME Dxer made a presention on his trips to Africa, the Pacific and other parts of the world operating EME for the past 25 years. Bob and Chris ZL2DX then did a live on screen demonstration of EME contacts using JT65B mode on 2M into the USA with his antenna array set up outside the venue.

Bob showing pictures of his trips to Africa, the Pacific and other parts of the world operating EME for the past 25 years.

Bob explains how the JT65B operates — Bob explains how the JT65B mode operates as his setup operated by Chris ZL2DX was working stations in the USA via the moon. Impressive Bob!!

Bob's homebrew solid state KW 2M Amplifier does it's thing bouncing signals off the moon to the USA at moonrise just after lunch — Bob’s homebrew solid state KW 2M Amplifier does it’s thing bouncing signals off the moon to the USA at moonrise just after lunch. His portable yagi antenna array pointed to the moon (lower left)

Bob's 1 KW on 2M Have a look at the aluminium heat sink base! — Bob’s 1 KW on 2M Have a look at the aluminium heat sink base!

About 20 hams and a few of their YLs stayed on and enjoyed the hospitality of the Napier RSA on Saturday night before traveling home the next day.

Many raffles and draws took place during the day with prizes of the new 2M VHF/UHF antenna kit developed by the NARC which will soon be offered for sale to the ham community. Other prizes included an SDR receiver dongle and ICOM hats and calendars Thanks to ICOM NZ for their prize donations. The day ended with a few drinks and a few farewells to those who had travelled long distances.

The Napier Amateur Radio club wishes to thank the six speaker/presenters and all the amateurs who helped us make the event so successful. In addition we say thank you for the support by local amateurs and those who traveled long distances to be with us on the day.

It was a weekend of fun, absorbing new technology and refreshing old ones. The bonus was renewing old acquaintances and meeting new ones. Ham radio was the winner on the day.

73, Lee ZL2AL – (Photos by Dave Walker ZL2DW)

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NARC Minutes April 2, 2014

Post author By admin
Post date 06/04/2014

MINUTES OF THE NAPIER AMATEUR RADIO CLUB
Meeting on Wednesday 2 April 2014 at the Clubrooms 123 Latham Street

Chair: Laurie ZL2TC, the meeting started at 7:30 pm.
Apologies: ZL2CZE, ZL2DC, ZL2VM, ZL2MQ.

Present: Lee ZL2AL, Mike ZL2MY, Wally ZL2MO, Bert ZL2OC, Revell ZL2SS, Willy ZL2AGD, Stan ZL2ST, Rob ZL2US, Dave ZL2DW, Gary ZL2GAZ and Karl ZL1TJ.

Minutes of the previous meeting: read and confirmed correct: ZL2MO, ZL2AL.

Arising: Rob reported Branch 13 has received a communication from NZART business manager Debbie Morgan expressing appreciation for the warm welcome and enjoyable afternoon she and her husband experienced at the 1st of March ‘Meet Debbie’ event.

Correspondence:
Various emails regarding the forthcoming Bay Hamfest.

Finance:
Accounts were tabled by Lee for various minor expenses related to the Hamfest.
Treasurer Stan reported on the state of the club’s current account, Lee suggested that the Hamfest should return a modest surplus, especially if all, including club members, pay the entrance fee.

General business:
A report by Rob and Dave ZL2DW on the 29th of March trip to the Navy’s Irirangi radio establishment and the Waiouru Army Museum organised by Branch 13.
The journey over the now totally sealed Napier Taihape road is a great way to travel West.
The Irirangi Receive and Transmit installations are about 10 Km apart and cover some 20 acres and contain an iteresting collection of antennas of all descriptions.
The receiving equipmet was kept ‘under cover’ but the three 10 kW transmitters and ancillary equipment were inspected. The station is remotely controlled from Auckland.
The Waiouru Army Museum visit followed, it was discovered that the museum contains an extensive and very interesting library.

Lee then reported on the final arrangements for the Saturday the 5th Bay Hamfest. Various minor changes and adjustments to the organisation, the main raffle prize will be a Q-tenna 2 band kitset antenna. Some further kits will be available for sale also (price $40). Icom made available some baseball hats to be used as minor raffle prizes. Dave ZL2DW was appointed ‘official’ photographer.
Forty plus hams from as far away as Whangarei, Wellington and New Plymouth have booked.

The meeting closed at 8.05 pm.

Followed by Lee ZL2AL’s presentation: “The History of Amateur Radio”.
Lee is obviously becoming an expert at the art of ‘Power Point Presentation. Coupled with being a totally dedicated Amateur Radio Operator from his 16th (Which adds up to many years!) made for a fascinating talk starting with Spark Transmitters and ending with the latest equipmet and what might be round the corner. Thanks Lee, hang on to the slide show, it is good enough to be used again.

Karl ZL1TJ
Secretary NARC