Great News ! The frequency assignment to get another 70cm pair for adding a digital repeater to VK7RAD has been completed, and ACMA has provided the allocation we need to progress with the installation of the Yaesu DR-1X repeater. Further news coming as things unfold, so stay tuned !
The REAST Digital Repeater is getting closer
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REAST Equipment Tender Closed – $1,229.41 raised by Members
A fantastic outcome – the club room cleanup tender has raised a total of $1,229.41, made some space in the Clubroom, and given some members some new treasures for their collections.
Thank you everyone for your participation in this cleanup !
Sean Lincolne (VK7FAZE)
President – REAST
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August Presentation – The Fundamentals of Radio Astronomy – Wednesday 1 Aug @ 7:30pm at the Club Rooms
This monthly presentation covers aspects of Radio Astronomy ranging from the development of Radio Astronomy (Karl Jansky and Groth Reber) through to the role of microwave mapping in developing theories of the universe and studies into HF planetary radio emissions from Jupiter. Presented by Mike Groth (VK7MJ).
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Digital Radio Club Buy (open to non-members as well)
Following a great deal of interest in Digital Radios, repeaters and DMR radios, REAST is arranging for a series of club bulk buys of the Radioddity GD-77 DMR Handhelds.
These are available for purchase from the club for $120 each ( $130 for non-members ). You may have seen these available online in the usual places, but unlike other sellers these will be setup and configured for you so that all you need to do is enter your callsign and you will be on the air.
Further details – including how to purchase are available on the REAST web site at the following URL : https://www.reast.asn.au/news-events/digital-radio-club-buy/
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REAST Equipment Tender – Now Open
As part of work to clean up the Clubroom, a number of surplus items are being made available for sale by tender to financial REAST members.
The catalog of items for tender is available in the members only area of the web site, as well as a paper copy on display for members in the Clubroom.
The Tender will close on midnight Monday the 30th of July, with emails sent to the successful bidders shortly afterwards.
Further details on how to bid are included on the cover page of the tender catalog. If you have any questions please email [email protected] for further details.
Good luck, and thanks for supporting REAST
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Repeater Upgrades Under Way
If you have not been around the Clubroom,or had the chance to use VK7RAD recently you may not be aware that work has started on the upgrade of REAST’s Repeater Infrastructure. Recently Damien Styles (our new Repeater officer) installed a Spectra MX-800 Repeater, replacing the trusty old Phillips 814 that ha served for many years. Word has it that the more modern hardware has resulted in a noticeable improvement in audio quality. Don’t take my word for it – get on air and give it a go !
For those of you asking about the Yaesu DR-1 – we are (still 🙁 ) waiting on the license variation to get additional frequencies for this and when we have the OK from ACMA we will be getting that up and running to !
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Radio Remote Control with Android
REAST member Vince Henderson VK7VH has written in with this excellent article on how he is using Pocket RxTx, an Android application, to remote control his Ts-2000 Radio.
A couple of years ago, I looked at the remote radio control Android app, called Pocket RxTx. It had many teething problems. I left it alone until it showed signs of being reliable.
The latest beta version caught my eye. The result is that I am now using the latest beta version of the app. It works very well. The app is written by Dan Toma, an Amateur Radio operator, YO3GGX. Full details of the app are available at his website www.yo3ggx.ro
The details of my set up are as follows –
Radio
TS2000 – CAT connection from radio rear com connector to PC RS-232 serial port. This is a straight type cable. Audio in/out and PTT is via an interface that connects to the 13 pin ACC2 port on the back of the radio. PTT via pin 9 PKS and pin 8 GND, mutes the front mic. Audio in (from interface) via pin 11 PKD and pin 12 GND. Audio out (to interface) via pin 3 MANO and pin 4 GND.
The Pocket RxTx website lists the radios that have been tested with the app. You will probably find your make and model of radio, in the list.
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Tagged Android, Pocket RxTx, Remote Rig, Rig Control, TS-2000, VK7VH
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VK7MO 10GHz Grid Square EME Adventures Presentation
Wow, Rex Moncur VK7MO gave us a four part illustrated presentation on his 18,000km journey on his recent 10GHz Grid Square chasing EME DxPedition. Rex traveled far and wide into VK3, VK5, VK6 and VK8.
Rex started with a short presentation on the VK6 Northern Corridor Radio Group as he was very impressed with this club and the things they get up to. Rex then moved to a tutorial on EME propagation and then moved to his grid tour and get OK1KIR up to over 100 grid squares on 10GHz EME. These grid squares were from the OH, OG and OF grid fields. There were a few interesting and frustrating things that happened along the way but Rex achieved his goal!
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Tagged 10Ghz, EME, Grid Square, October, OK1KIR, Presentation, QRA64D, VK7MO, WA3LBI, Weak Signal, World Record, WSJT
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Receiving Weather Satellite Images
Sean VK7FAZE has recently been experimenting with NOAA APT weather Satellite reception and shares his experiences with us in this article
False-colour image taken from NOAA-18 showing east coast of Australia
There is not much more fascinating than getting pictures from space. And with a but of smarts and some cheap bits and pieces it’s possible to do this quite easily.
One of the display pieces at REAST’s stand at this years Festival of Bright Ideas was a display showing how to receive weather satellite photos using some fairly easily obtainable bits and pieces – a computer with a ‘USB TV Dongle’ as the now classic Software Defined Radio, a simple but impressive looking Quadrafilar Helical Antenna, and software freely downloadable from the Internet.
The antenna is built out of PVC electrical conduit and a few fittings, some 75mm PVC storm drain, and some old co-ax cable left over from an old TV installation. Some cutting and drilling, PVC glue and a couple of lazy hours on a Saturday afternoon and its done.
The software was a current version of Ubuntu Linux and the latest copy of GQRX fresh from the authors repository, with a little gentle post-processing using WxToImg to produce the ‘false colour’ images. I used the ‘gpredict’ program to track and display the various satellites passing overhead and on the day it went down quite well.
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Tagged APT, Festival of Bright Ideas, GQRX, NOAA, RTL-SDR, Weather Satellite, WXImage
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REAST and TMR Secure Long Term Lease for Wireless Station
REAST Secretary Scott VK7LXX signs sublease with Barry McCann of TMR
Earlier this week members of the REAST Management Committee met with a representative from Tasmanian Maritime radio to sign a long term lease, securing access to the building for ten years, with an additional ten year option.
The signing of the lease ensures that members will be able to enjoy the clubrooms that have been the home of the WIA Tasmanian Division and then REAST for over 25 years.
Particular thanks goes to Barry McCann who has been instrumental in negotiating and securing the lease with the Hobart City Council and ensuring that the interests of REAST members were maintained.
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Tagged Clubrooms, Lease
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