As all our regular visitors know, playing radios with the Scouts isn’t just a once-a-year thing for us, so we had another visit from one of the local Scout groups, this time 2nd Turramurra Cubs. As usual, we give our young visitors a taste of the hobby, and what they might experience if they come […]
1st Forestville Cubs Visit, 2023-07-25
JOTA comes but once a year, but at Manly-Warringah we make sure that our friends in the Scouting movement don’t have to wait a whole year for their next experience of Amateur Radio! Throughout the year, the Society hosts visits from local Scout groups – a kind of mini JOTA – when the kids come […]
A Tape Measure Tactical Antenna for Airband
There are plenty of amateur tactical aerials available on the market for 2m and 70cm but I couldn’t find an airband one. I decided to cook one up, but couldn’t find any recipes. I wanted an end-fed half-wave (EFHW) tuned for 125.000 to 127.000 Mhz. We use many flower pots aerials, rubber duckies and quarter […]
Noel Carmody – SK
Noel was also known as VK2HU to the MWRS, a very active member for many years and responsible for the construction of many of the heavy iron structures, grids and brackets required for tower support and securing the radio sites. He was a grey nomad and followed many of the club members in the great […]
Going Bush for NavShield 2023
Club members Simon VK2TW and Richard VK2SKY were again active with NSW State Emergency Services for their Bush Search and Rescue NavShield bush navigation event. The event takes place in a different location each year, within a few hours’ drive of Sydney; the location is kept secret until shortly before the event to avoid teams […]
Go West, OM!
During a recent family visit to Perth, VK2AXC ran a Morse Code Activity for his grandson’s Cub group.VK2AXC’s son is also a new leader with the Greenwood WA Cub Scout Group hence the invite to help with an evening program. By all accounts the Cubs had great fun, and got in some advance preparation for […]
June 2023 Lecture – Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS)
According to the provisions of Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) 1974, all ships of 300 gross tonnage and upwards, and passenger ships irrespective of size, engaged on international voyages, shall be equipped with the radio equipment of the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS). This equipment must undergo an annual comprehensive inspection performed […]
VHF portable operation with range
Portable VHF/2m operations can often be a challenge when range is required: Here is a simple and economical portable set-up providing you do not have to run into the bush. Except from the length of the RG58 cable, all the components were picked up from the local council clean-up! The aerial is a ground independent […]
24-Jun-2023 Winter VHF/UHF Field Day
Stunning day, great location, good view to the ocean. Gear was setup up efficiently and worked well on 6m, 2m, 70cm and 23 cm. Present: Nick VK2FS (Organiser), Geoff VK2TGO, Geoff VK2WA, Michael VK2MDP, Phil VK2APL, Phil VK2JPK. Dom Visitors VK2JNA, Mal VK2TMF. Downside – nobody on the air. Only made contact with three stations […]
May 2023 – 5th Wed – Battery operated
From a watch running on a micro button cell to your electric car, new or old, rechargeable or disposable batteries. Torches, tools, radios, heaters. Do you have some cool gear (radio or not) that is powered by battery? Have you ever created a battery out of unconventional materials (here are some ideas – and some more – to inspire […]
Colin VK2JCC talks to Hornsby RSL
On Wednesday 10 May, MWRS club member Colin “Professor Portable” Christie VK2JCC gave a presentation on Amateur Radio to the Hornsby RSL subbranch. His audio visual presentation was warmly received by 40 members. Colin outlined what Amateur Radio is all about and completed the morning with a “show and tell” of both military and modern […]
Setting up for Convict 100
The Convict 100 mountain bike marathon is on at St Albans on 6 May, and CREST NSW is providing communications support. MWRS members Des VK2TGJ, Dom VK2JNA, Geoff VK2WA, Richard VK2SKY, and Scott VK2SMF, along with Brendan VK2YMI, Craig VK2BTQ, Dean VK2DAC, and John VK2JV went bush to set up the repeater masts ahead of […]
MWRS Members on HMAS Vampire
If you haven’t heard MWRS members Colin VK2JCC, Carmel VK2CAR, and Stuart VK2BMX operating 40m from a park recently, it’s because they have been busy on the historic warship HMAS Vampire, activating the Special Event Station VK2VMP! They are joined on the “Vampire Team” by Mark VK2DI, Steve VK2KHA, Chris VK2VCG, and Alex VK2PRC. Congratulations […]
April 2023 lecture – Colour TV Manufacturing in Australia
In the April lecture, John Mobbs spoke about Television Manufacturing in Australia – yes, it used to be done here! John originally came to Australia when his employer, Marconi Wireless, was acquired by the medical colour TV unit of the company Smith Cline and French, who brought him out here. The rest, as they say, […]
QSL Card Archive
Like most Amateur Radio Clubs, over the years VK2MB has accumulated a sizeable collection of QSL cards from Amateur stations all over the world. Recently, Mal VK2TMF brought a document scanner to the club, and now the cards have been digitised for posterity. Thanks Mal! You can find the MWRS QSL Archives here.