I would like to order 22 Margherita's please !

The Hornsby & Districts Amateur Radio Club (HADARC) hosted two Foundation Assessment Courses with a difference over the weekends of 28-29 January, 2006 and 11-12 February 2006 proving that with amateur radio, you can do it anywhere.

With a difference you may ask ?... Well, you have heard of the old saying about getting your licence out of a cornflakes packet ?. Ten successful candidates in the January course and 12 successful candidates in the February course can honestly say they obtained their Foundation amateur licence in a pizza restaurant. Whilst making a light joke in relation to the venue, HADARC would like to congratulate the candidates for their success, hard work and study in obtaining their foundation licence and look forward to hearing them on the bands once their licences have been processed. HADARC would also like to congratulate Frank VK2AKG and Norma VK2YL who will soon have an additional three amateur radio operators in the household following the success of their daughters in the January course.

What started off as a conversation one Friday night at Georges Pizza in Baulkham Hills about amateur radio and the introduction of the new foundation licence ended up with considerable interest from quite a few of the local visitors to Georges Pizza. George kindly offered the use of his restaurant area at the rear of his shop for HADARC to host a Foundation course over the weekend of January 28 and 29 however interest in the foundation course and it's unusual but local and convenient venue became known and an additional course was arranged for the weekend of February 11 and 12 to cope with the increased interest.

Whilst planning and conducting two Foundation courses in such a short time proved to be a challenge, assistance from the WIA ensuring we had sufficient resources to conduct the courses was greatly appreciated. Discussions after the courses were mainly centered on renaming George's pizza varieties and it was agreed on the following, Margherita - Foundation, Ham & Pineapple - Standard and Supreme (no anchovies) - Advanced.

Special thanks is also extended to HADARC members, Mal VK2HSV, Rod VK2DAY, Steve VK2HIP, Rose VK2HOP, Kirsty VK2HKJ and of course George from Georges Pizza for making this possible and what about the pizza you may ask ?... Unfortunately the pizza oven was turned off during the duration of the course but who knows, one Friday night we may be sitting down at Georges enjoying a pizza and of course talking about amateur radio and we may do this all again. Amateur radio is so much fun.

73
Peter Tolmie VK2ZPT

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