by QNews VK4BB
Weekly podcast produced by QNews in Queensland Australia covering Amateur radio news items.
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🇺🇲
Publishing Since
1/25/2024
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1 available
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April 17, 2025
Hello, I’m Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and I’ve been thinking. Well the space weather is jostling us about with interesting solar activities over the past week. This is a great challenge for the DX chaser on the shortwave bands as conditions can vary in short order with coronal mass ejections causing ionising effects in the atmosphere. The next couple of days could be amazing as we get the benefits of solar flares which continue in this cycle. This is a rare happening when we have two consecutive long weekends, an occurrence which stirs the embers in many an Aussie chest. It seems that the gods of weather are being kind for Easter allowing people to enjoy their preferred activities with sunshine for a change. Whether the following weekend will be so fortunate as thousands gather to participate in the Anzac memorials, we will have to wait and see. One thing that has been filtering through my thinking is how little we seem to consider amateur radio and modern housing solutions. With more and more people living in apartments and suburban homes being erected on postage stamp sized allotments, the opportunity to maintain a reasonable working HF station is getting more limited. When we could look at a yard of 810 square metres as being the average, there was enough space to generally have some sort of antenna system. Whether it was horizontal such as the once ubiquitous G5RV, a doublet or a modest tower with a commercial beam, the options were available. Now many of the people who had these facilities have moved into smaller residences, maybe granny flats, apartments a few stories high and even supported accommodation. Each of these situations has its own set of limitations for a once active ham. Yes there is internet linked means and VHF and UHF repeaters but for the died in the wool HF operator it can be like losing an arm or a leg when they can no longer make the skeds with people they have known over the air. For the youthful person juggling study, work and perhaps romance, the proverbial dance card is already close to full and even although they may have enjoyed amateur radio when circumstances were different, they find themselves effectively isolated from the hobby. Mobile operations have always been an option for those fortunate enough to have access to a vehicle but many people don’t have that option so home based operation is their only opportunity to stir the aether again. What I see is many people who could be more active but who are functionally denied access. The value of video sharing sites is good but I don’t see much material aimed at the so-called house bound amateur. I don’t get to see much of the current overseas magazines as they have disappeared from the newsagent shelves but from our own publication it seems authors aren’t engaged is this side of the hobby. Perhaps clubs could think this over and find some ways forward. I’m Geoff Emery VK4ZPP and that’s what I think…. how about you?
April 11, 2025
Hello, I’m Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and I’ve been thinking. In the world of politics, people have sought to clarify the meaning of what their government and people have embraced as guiding principles. After the blood bath that was the French Revolution, the country became known for its three word motto which upheld freedom, equality and brotherhood. The Declaration of Independence of the United States similarly tries to have its principles adhere to this style of governance with many more words. The countries which developed out of the colonial system to become democracies all seem to have similar guides to life and rule which the despots despise and endeavour to over turn. The twentieth century saw two major wars which gave rise to the League of Nations and then the United Nations as bodies to try and seek order and respect for all people. Why this brief history lesson? Well in amongst the great doings the smaller actions which we radio enthusiasts are involved in also fit under the umbrella of these sentiments with our paramount body for communications, the ITU, being now part of the United Nations stream of activities. Our own amateurs code embraces those same basic principles that the French adopted. When Russia invaded the Ukraine some 3 years ago, there were many discussions and thoughts about how we hams should deal with the situation. To the extent that decisions of government are beyond the average person to stop, it is common for contacts between amateurs to continue without rancour or bitterness as had been happening before. In this country and many other jurisdictions, our regulations don’t allow on air promotion of political issues except in a general sense of wider discussion. We all are aware of the various actions the current administration of the USA has been continuing and not a day goes by without news media reviewing the latest matters and trying to analyse the possible outcomes deriving from the White House. As we have heard in the lead story to WIA National News, the peak Canadian amateur organisation, the RAC, has made the decision to boycott the Dayton Hamvention held in Xenia, Ohio in May. As the bonds between the English speaking countries of North America have been grown over centuries and amateur radio has been integral in over the last century, this is a momentous decision. It indicates the depth of feeling which has been aroused but still has the hope of returning to participate in the greatest ham gathering in the Americas. Along with the Friedrichshafen meet in Germany these events mark the highlights of the amateur radio/electronics year around the world. The fact that on an organisational level, one representative body of one country will not participate in no way limits the way in which individual amateurs and clubs are able to mutually join together for the betterment of the service. Keeping the politics off the air is a great way to keep any rancour and angst out of our hobby. I’m Geoff Emery VK4ZPP and that’s what I think…. how about you?
April 4, 2025
Hi, I'm John VK4JPM, Secretary of the Darling Downs Radio Club, Quick reminder that next weekend is busy for club members and guests. If you're on our mailing list - which would include members, of course - in the last few days, you should have received by email a newsletter containing lots of important info about upcoming events and club activities. On Saturday morning, 12 April, a group of us will be attending Redfest. Come up and say hi if you see us - we'll be the people with bright yellow badges. On Sunday, 13 April, we're holding our bimonthly club lunch at the Withcott Hotel. That's a relaxed opportunity to catch up with friends you've never met, and yes, there are food items that come with ham. Guests, non-members, significant others and harmonics are welcome. Check the menu and location details from our home page at www.ddrci.org.au. Finally, look for some construction articles from Bruce VK4MQ, and start planning to join us for the Annual Foxhunt and BBQ in May... It's only four weeks away now. Hello, I’m Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and I’ve been thinking. It is interesting to reflect on how attitudes change and the way attention to details vary. It was during this last week that I set about acquainting myself with certain radios, the availability and, of course, how big of a hole they would put in the pocket. What made me consider the changes is the memory of how we were all looking for ways to maximise our website’s noticeability. Even during some classes of higher learning included practices in web design and choosing the right wording and layout to attract the search engines from those amazing applications, the search engines. Although I had that tiny bit of training, I have never sought to have a page of my own, and like the rest of us with internet access, I have been a consistent and regular user of the search engines included or added to my web browser. After this week, I can’t draw a conclusion as to how the market for amateur radio gear is working in VK-land. I have conducted multiple searches and used different search strings in different search engines, and my success in finding details of authorised agents and resellers for what have been the major marques has been poor. Not only that, when trying to establish whether certain products are available off the shelf, some sites tell me everything other than the availability. I have to wonder whether the retail sector is too busy or not clued in to the value of suitable internet marketing, as it limits the potential customer from getting all the needed information. Or is this a sign that the notoriously low profit margins for our beloved gear have just drained the enthusiasm from those prepared to invest time and large amounts of money? I like using local vendors where possible, but like so many of us, these days, we get some joy from the cheaper small purchases from overseas. Sometimes the products are as good as our local retailer has on display, sometimes better and often worse and sometimes the products can only be obtained from overseas. Currently, I am awaiting delivery of parts from both overseas and locally. Since Australia Post changed domestic deliveries to a 3-day, 2-day, a week, alternating pattern, ostensibly to maximise the parcel delivery service, they have let the small items, the packet mail service, fall into the doldrums. Then there is one notable commercial competitor in the freight delivery business that seems to work in a way that makes Auspost seem speedy. It makes a person wonder if there is a conspiracy to close down the small businesses which operate on-line. Maybe the lucrative contracts for the mega online retailers are the goal as we customers seem to get less and less choice in the matter. We can hope that the weather improves and services return to normal. I’m Geoff Emery VK4ZPP, and that’s what I think…. how about you?
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