About 30 people boarded the express bus from the Park Royal Motel to the ARNSW facility at Dural for a Sunday of activities to finish off the 2019 WIA Annual Conference weekend.
This WIA N.S.W. Division facility was originally opened by the Honourable Allen Fairhall MHR, Minister for the Interior (VK2KB) on the 15th May 1957. There is a wonderful historic plaque in the broadcast building commemorating this significant event.
There were many trash and treasure stalls and these were doing brisk trade as well as the ARNSW equipment store was open to browse.
There were exhibitors from:
St George ARS
Manly-Warringah ARS
Blue Mountains ARC
Hornsby and District ARC
ALARA
WICEN
CREST (Citizens Radio Emergency Service Team)
SOTA and
ARNSW Homebrew Group
WICEN showed their well-equipped EmComm trailer and portable mask and CREST also showed their pneumatic EmComm mast.
We thank all the clubs and organisations that came along and exhibited on the day.
There were tours of the broadcasting facility including the broadcast booths, transmitters, beacons and IT areas. The facility has a large tower that has a number of commercial client and these are separately managed. There is a brand new 40m concrete monopole awaiting antennas and smaller tower housing numerous repeater and beacon antennas. The rest of the yard hosts many dipoles and wire antennas.
There was a great lunch provided by ARNSW and after this lunch there were two presentations given. The first by Rob VK2DIO on Allstar Linking and Single Board Computers and the second by Alex VK2PSF entitled Digital Voice Update 2019. There was also quick address by the new WIA President - Greg Kelly VK2GPK.
With a bag full of treasure, a full stomach and some great conversations with many people during the day it was back on the bus and back to the Park Royal and a night at Vivid!
A huge thank you to ARNSW and the Waverley Amateur Radio Society who made up the 2019 WIA Annual Conference organising committee who put on a great weekend.
We look forward to seeing you in Hobart, Tasmania for the WIA Annual Conference Weekend on the 8-10 May 2020. Keep your eyes on the WIA website for details and early bird bookings.
Page Last Updated: Tuesday 4 June 2019 at 20:25 hours by Justin Giles-clark
St George ARS