The Goulburn & Southern Tablelands Amateur Radio Society (GSTARS) met at the Goulburn North Maccas at 1800 on Wed 14feb2024. Rod Miller VK2ZZM & I, Dom Bragge VK2JNA are members there (as well as MWRS). We consolidated into about six 4wd vehicles & headed up Mt Gray overlooking Goulburn. Mt Gray is where the majority […]
Jan 2024 – 5th Wed – Solar projects
The brochure said: “What do you do under the sun? Burn or recharge? Best display by vote, best story judged by our last winner.” As always a very entertaining evening, five very interesting displays including a full solar driven boat on site. And did you know a simple LED produces power when exposed to light. […]
January 2024 Lecture – using LTSpice
For this month’s lecture, on 17 January 2024, Clifford VK2CLF speaks on the topic, Using LTSpice to Simulate Oscillators and Filters. LTSpice (also known as SwitcherCAD) is software provided free by Analog Devices which has a competent version of the Spice simulation engine behind an easy-to-use interface that allows drawing and simulating almost any kind […]
WOWIT Indicator
We’ve got 2 rigs in the car, a 70cm/UHF-CB combo and a 2m. A green light on the rig goes on to show it is receiving, however if you were not quick enough to see it, then you go “which one was it?” (WOWIT). So, using a latch relay and a couple of resistors, I […]
November 2023 lecture – Underwater explosions
Underwater Explosions, or How to Sink a Submarine, is now available on the club’s YouTube channel.The Society’s resident explosives expert, Mike VK2MDP, talks about how underwater testing is used to measure the energy output of explosives. The science upon which this is based, comes from military research on how to sink a submarine. Mike has […]
VHC Pilgrimage 2023
The annual post-Christmas trip to the Victorian High Country was kicked off by Andy VK2EAH and Geoff VK2WA, with Dom VK2JNA in hot pursuit. Dom caught up by Jindabyne and we headed down the Barry Way. We paused at Ingeegoodbee to take in the first scenic lookout: After a quick swim in the fast-flowing (and […]
2023 Christmas Net
The 40m band was a bit cranky at 9am this morning, with thunderstorms to the southwest and north, so plenty of static about. A few stations popped up on the club’s 2m repeater as well. A couple of stations missed the RF sched, or were inaudible, but checked in via email afterwards. As an experiment, […]
The French Atlantic Affair
You won’t find too many novels that include a passage like this: Yes, Dr. Berlin, but what do you hams talk about? Is what they usually said to him, and he’d realize then that they’d never understand, and he’d change the subject. But sometimes, though rarely, he’d come across someone who really dug his hobby, […]
Sun 17-Dec-2023 Christmas BBQ
Camzilla Strikes Again!
One of the joys of the Australian bushland (even in urban areas like Sydney) is the variety of wildlife to be found. We’ve reported before about various critters marauding about the club grounds. Well, it looks like “Camzilla”, one of our local goannas, has struck again (1-Dec-2023)! As one of the club wags put it: […]
Nov 2023 – 5th Wed – Computer based gear or projects
“Bring out your Raspberry Pi’s, computer or microcontroller based projects that are related to our fine hobby” said the invite! There is a special prize for the people’s choice award this month, kindly donated by our member The book “Raspberry Pi for radio amateurs” published by Elektor Electronics. https://www.elektor.com/raspberry-pi-for-radio-amateurs Phil VK2BDF presented his room temperature controller, based […]
October 2023 lecture – Laser Communications
October’s lecture is now available on the Society’s YouTube channel, VK2MB-TV.Free Space Optics (FSO) uses light propagating in free space to wirelessly transmit data for telecommunications. “Free space” means air, outer space, vacuum, or something similar. This lecture by John Cummins highlights some of the engineering challenges in designing and building a commercial laser communications product […]
70cm coverage test for ATV
MWRS hosted a test for the Sydney ATV group, as they have lost their Lawson repeater and are trying to find another site. The initial test used a 9dBd 6-element Yagi, pointed SSW, and 20W FM. FM was used for convenience (equipment is easy to access). The Yagi was located on our tower, below the […]
Sat 18-Nov-2023 – Summer prep working bee
Several members came to the club to prepare the clubhouse and grounds for fire season. The group managed to: Thank you Richard VK2SKY, Leo VK2LEO, Mal VK2TMF and Samuel, Phil VK2XPL, Geoff VK2TGO
Message of good news over the radio (1987)
Society member Jim Kimpton G4WAO came across an old newspaper browsing some photos on an ageing iPad. It was the JOTA of 1987, the year of the hurricane in southern England, when Jim was living in Chichester then and was with the local club. Jim had forgotten about the event but thought it might be […]