Presidents Report - 2019

​Firstly I must thank the folk who put in an extra effort to make sure AHARS ran smoothly throughout the year.
Without a doubt the outstanding effort is by Christine Southby who gets the supper ready at the general meetings. It is good to be able to have a coffee or a tea, and a cake or a biscuit while chatting with fellow AHARS members and visitors during the interval at these meetings. We have a small presentation to show our appreciation for all her effort:
Next there is Barry VK5BW and Roy VK5NRG who open the shack on our second and fourth Saturday mornings for our coffee and chat sessions and our technical sessions.
I must not leave out Denis VK5HH who turned up mid week with his mower to cut down the jungle at the shack site and the other members who helped on the day.
I should not leave out the members who arrive at the hall at 7.00 PM and help setup the chairs, the video projector and the sound system. Thanks for your efforts.
Lastly there is the dedicated crew who carry out the training and assessment sessions lead by Sasi VK5SN.
For 2019, we shifted the very successful AHARS Buy and Sell to the Marion RSL because of the restricted parking we were experiencing at the old venue. It was great success and we had three overseas visitors in 2019. From Austria we had Wolfgang OE4WOG and Hans OE2JOM, and from France we had Patrice FK8HA and his wife.
We only had three commercial vendors this year, from Melbourne we had Ross from Strictly Ham and Graham from RBL communications, the first time he has made the journey to Adelaide. Another first appearance was Pat Cookson who is wishing to dispose of a stock of Jackson hardware including exquisite tuning capacitors and reduction drives.  Pat and her late husband Charles, run Cookson controls who supply a vast range of spare parts for ovens, cook tops and all manner of kitchen hardware. Her husband had ordered a lot of Jackson hardware just before the Jackson factory in the UK burnt to the ground and now the stock they have may well be the last of many of these items left anywhere in the world.
The 2020 annual picnic was held at the Marion RSL on the 19th of January and in spite of inclement weather it was a well attended event. We were able to move inside the RSL rooms out of the rain and the RSL catering was excellent. Looking at the money we made from the buy and sell, the committee had decided the picnic would be free to AHARS members but partners and friends would have to pay $10.00 for the meal unless they are also members of AHARS.
While I am talking about finances, your subs for 2020 are due You can pay by direct deposit, account details on the AHARS web site, by cash or cheque to the Treasure tonight, and by post . The cost of membership is still $20.00 if paid before the end of March. After that date it will be $25.00. Please make sure we have a valid email address.
Details for direct deposit  -  Name: AHARS, BSB: 105 186, Account no: 036 248 940 and by Post to AHARS Inc, P.O. Box 401, Blackwood, S.A. 5051
 
You will know AHARS runs a deceased estate and downsizing equipment collection and sales system but this is fast becoming unsustainable. Those involved are getting on in years and can no longer take down towers and antennas and are snowed under when it comes to testing collected equipment, a service we provide for more valuable items. We urgently need new (younger) people to take over or help with this important function. This service helps ensure Ham Radio equipment does not fall into the wrong hands.
 
On another note, I have just sent our membership call signs to the WIA so they can calculate the cost of our liability insurance and the figures I got back are disappointing. 96 people are members of the WIA and 68 are not. Remember the WIA is the organisation that looks after our interests with the government and hence the rest of the world. Without them I suspect our bands and privileges will be eroded. We have recently seen an effort in France to take away half of the internationally y agreed two meter allocation and give it over to aviation.  The WIA can search their records on call signs only and can see who is a member and who is not. Our insurance costs more for the non members.