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Our newest radio club celebrates the Centenary
Date :
04 /
09 /
2010
Author :
Jim Linton - VK3PC
The Macedon Ranges Amateur Radio Club successfully operated VK100WIA from the 18th to the 20th of August from a combination of member's homes and the Woodend Scout Hall. Club members arrived at the scout hall early on the Friday with rain, wind and sleet, the local temperature about 2.5 degrees and reports of snowfall on the nearby Mt Macedon. While the chill are being addressed inside the hall by way of a wood fire and gas heater, there were six members outside in the wind and on water-logged ground while erecting a multi-band aerial support by gum trees. Club member Peter Wolfenden VK3RV mounted a small historical display within the hall while others set-up the operating station.
For the next 12 hours it was a busy time operating on 80M, 40M, and 20M using SSB and CW. The 2M repeaters and a specially installed IRLP node courtesy of Graeme VK3NE McDiarmid and John Nunan VK3IC was also used. A great time was had by all especially Joe Aprile who managed to "snag" a number of stations in Italy on 20m by calling them in Italian, although it sometimes took a while for him to explain the significance of the VK100WIA call sign.
On the Friday night, the main scout hall filled with about 100 scouts, leaders and parents, while VK100WIA continued in full swing in a backroom with operators Luke Steele VK3HJ and Peter Wilmott VK3TQ. Later Peter VK3TQ, who is also a scout leader explained the operation of the amateur centenary station. Other club members on the three-day operating roster were Ron Burman VK3ZJ, Bob RobinsonVK3SX, Ray Tampion VK3YAR, Peter Wolfenden VK3RV, Jenny Warrington VK5ANW/3, Colin Smith VK3YWY, Richard Hoskins VK3JFK and Gary Greer VK3GSG. In all more than 600 contacts were logged. And to top it off the club gained publicity in the Macedon Ranges Leader newspaper with a story and photograph.
Well done to Victoria's and possibly Australia's youngest radio club on its support for the world's oldest national radio society, the Wireless Institute of Australia.
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