The Christmas lunch was held on Sunday 12th December at the Mount Osmond Golf course clubrooms. The meal consisted of soup, a three meat carvery, and dessert. More than 60 AHARS members and family were in attendance.
18th November 2010 - General meeting.
This was a series of short talks. Jim Tregellas VK5TR spoke on rewiring microwave oven transformers. This was followed by Richard Southcott VK5ZNC & Sue VK5AYL who spoke about the new website. After supper John Elliott VK5EMI spoke on 49 days of AHARS.
7th November 2010 - AHARS Hamfest (Buy and Sell).
The AHARS Buy and Sell was held on Sunday 7th November 2010 at the Goodwood Community Centre, Rosa Street, Goodwood. The entry fee was $5.00, including raffle tickets. The WIA National President officially opened the event. Peter Wolfenden VK3RV delivered a talk on the History & Beginnings of the WIA. AREG also spoke on their recent balloon launches. ALARA & NERC provided refreshments & BBQ. Commercial vendors in attendance included Strictly Ham, Aztronics, NBS Antennas, TTS, TET Emtron and Navitas Solar. About 300 people passed through the doors.
Peter VK3RV spoke about the beginnings of the WIA.
c/o AR magazine Jan/Feb 2011
27th October 2010 - VK100WIA at the Blackwood Oval.
AHARS took part in the centenary of the Wireless Institute of Australia (WIA). A number of members operated from the Blackwood Football Club Oval with the special call of VK100WIA.
Barry’s famous and very effective tuner and antenna stand. A ¼ wave vertical on a squid pole supported on a Trident stand
Left to right: Doc (VK5BUG) on the key, Barry (VK5BW) on 40m; David (VK5KC), John (VK5BJE), and Ingrid (XYL of Doc) supervising
Kevin (VK5AKZ) on 2m, Hans (VK5YX) on 40m, Barry (VK5BW) taking a well-earned break, and Lesley (VK5LOL) logging
Kevin on 2m, Barry on 40m, John (VK5TD), AND John (VK5EMI) logging
23rd October 2010 - Strawberry Fair & the WIA National Field Day.
The Strawberry Fair at the Eden Hills Primary School, coincided with the WIA National Field Day.
21st October 2010 - Construction night.
A wideband directional coupler for both HF and low band VHF, by Graham VK5ZFZ.
There were several visitors to to the meeting that night, including one from Canada, Jason VE7JMR. His host for the evening was Gerard VK5ZQV.
c/o AR magazine December 2010
c/o AR magazine December 2010
Sunday 19th September 2010 - AHARS Technical symposium.
c/o AR magazine September 2010
The AHARS Technical Seminar was held at the Belair Community Hall on Sunday 19th September 2010.
Before the door opened there was a queue of people waiting to come in. All together, 85 people attended (including four students from one of the TAFE colleges). All found something of particular interest.
The lunch and morning and afternoon teas were pronounced to be excellent and more than ample.
The lectures ranged from two by Drew Diamond VK3XU in which he spoke of some of the items that have appeared in AR from time to time and others that had not. The demonstration items he brought along were very good.
Phil Harman explained very clearly the principle of High Performance Software Defined Radio (HPSDR) and his talk was backed up by the working station set up by Hans Smit VK5YX.
Rob Gurr VK5RG gave a talk about early SSB when the amateurs were experimenting with this new medium and were building their own phase modulated equipment because there was no commercial manufacturer prepared to make radios that may represent just a passing phase - no pun intended.
Keith Gooley VK5OQ and lain Crawford VK5ZD demonstrated different systems used for transmitting and receiving on UHF and SHF. Several large dishes were assembled to be examined and some very small components (designed to operate on very short wavelengths) such as wave guides and mixers were passed around to be studied.
Drew Diamond VK3XU. The lecture ended with a two-way contact from inside the hall to a (very) mobile station out in the car park. The vehicle in the car park looked like an angry porcupine and could operate on everything from SHF to 160 metres.
To end the day Graham Dicker VK5ZFZ showed us a number of techniques for making very professional looking front panels for your home brew equipment.
As well as the HPSDR of Hans, there were several other items to be studied in the breaks such as antennas, amplifiers and other items of interest.
16th September 2010 - My favourite device.
My favourite device (or tool) brought along by AHARS members.
John VK5BJE brought along his handhelds. Rob VK5RG brought along a container full of the tools he keeps on his bench. For Hans VK5YX it was syringe of flux paste which he finds invaluable for working on surface mounted devices. For Erich VK5HSE it was a flat bed plate for heating surface mounted boards so that the solder melts evenly. Another useful tool for working on surface mounted devices is the vice Mark VK5AVQ designed. Barry VK5ZBQ brought along an AVO meter vintage 1930. Trevor VK5ATQ showed a set of simple traps made from electrical wire that convert an aerial to work on 20m or 80m. John VK5EMI had a magnifying lens to wear on his head, a nibbler and a set of small tools. Another member with old but very accurate meters to show as Lyle VK5WL. David VK5KC had a capacitor/resistor bridge that he had made up from a kit. Keith VK5OQ also had something he had made up, from one of the Drew Diamond designs in AR, a sheet metal bender. For Wal VK5YW it was a grid dip meter.
c/o AR magazine November 2010
19th August 2010 - General meeting.
Brainstorming - Future Directions of AHARS, facilitator John VK5BJE.
c/o AR magazine October 2010.
18th July 2010 - Mid Year Dinner.
This was held at the Fresh Choice Restaurant, Diagonal Road, Sturt.
15th July 2010- General meeting.
Restoration of old radio gear, by Phil Storr.
3rd & 4th June 2010 - Foundation licence course.
This was held at the Sea Rescue Squadron Barcoo Road, West Beach.
17th June 2010 - General meeting.
Safety in the radio shack, by various speakers including Graham Dicker, and a ST John Ambulance trainer. There was also a report on the 2010 WIA AGM by David VK5KC.
20th May 2010 - General meeting.
Members Show and Tell.
15th April 2010 - General meeting.
This was a Member's Buy and Sell. At the end of the meeting there was a mini auction of some items from the deceased estates AHARS had been handling.
20th March 2010 - John Moyle Memorial Field Day.
Eleven AHARS members took part in the 2010 JMMFD at “Womberoo”, our out-station in the mallee, near Swan Reach. Hosts Tina and Rob Clogg ensured that all were well fed and cared for, as usual. Ages ranged from our youngest “ham” , Patrick VK5FMPJ, all the way up to the truly senior age bracket. Special guest was Rufus, VK5YO, a long-term friend of many in AHARS, and a rather regular attendee at the Womberoo field days.
Those in attendance were Tina VK5TMC; Rob VK5ZHW; Christine VK5CTY; Kevin VK5AKZ; Jenny VK5FJAY; Lesley VK5LOL; Hans VK5YX; Patrick VK5FMPJ; Russell Morgan; Richard VK5ZNC; Susan VK5AYL; and Rufus.
Operating under our club callsign, VK5BAR, a total of 393 contacts were made – all on HF – for a total of 770 points. Most contacts were within Australia, but there were 5 to New Zealand, one to the USA, one to the Netherlands, and one to Japan.
18th March 2010 - General meeting.
Software Defined Radio by Hans Smit VK5YX & Dean Probert VK5LB.
27th & 28th February 2010 - Foundation course.
This was held at the Sea Rescue Squadron Barcoo Road, West Beach.
26th February 2010 - Special luncheon.
A special club luncheon was held which was attended by visiting Canadian amateur, Robin Haigton VE3FRH/VE3IOI and his wife Diana.
18th February 2010 - AGM.
Held at the Belair Community Centre. AGM, followed by a short talk Some History on Receiver Principles by Steve Mahoney VK5AIM.
Greg VK5ZBD was issued the Presidents Award for 2009-10. Greg has been a quiet worker for many years in AHARS, making videos of almost every club activity, and transcribing them for general use, and providing general assistance in many other ways. Greg also has run the public address for club meetings and out annual Buy and Sell. Outside of AHARS, he often assists with the Sunday broadcast.
17th January 2010 - Club Picnic, Bridgewater.
About 65 members and friends attended the Annual AHARS Picnic at Bridgewater. Thanks to Barry VK5BW and Shirley for organising the event.