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#11
Members Items Wanted / RSGB Radcom December 2004
Last post by VK5TM - Jan 27, 2025, 08:53 AMDoes anyone have either a spare copy of the RSGB Radcom magazine for December 2004 or the archive DVD or CD that covers 2004 they no longer want please?
Mine (official RSGB archive DVD) seems to have gone in to permanent hiding mode.
Mine (official RSGB archive DVD) seems to have gone in to permanent hiding mode.
#12
Silent Keys / Re: Passing of VK5BR
Last post by VK5MCH - Jan 20, 2025, 08:54 PMVery kind words Cezar. We appreciate your input very much.
#13
Silent Keys / Re: Passing of VK5BR
Last post by YO3FHM - Jan 20, 2025, 08:37 PMQuote from: VK5RJ on May 03, 2024, 12:27 PMSad to say that we have been informed of the passing of Lloyd Butler by his family.
Lloyd passed away on the 23rd March at St Vincents Hospital at the age of 99 years and 6 months.
That's a very sad info
I had the honor of corresponding with Mr. Butler for a while (2018-2019), on the subject of a VLF receiver he built: "Simple Regenerative VLF-LF Receiver" .
And also, many other things about VLF.
I was impressed by his kindness and sharp thinking at the venerable age of 95!
Below is an excerpt from the last messages from 2019 that I exchanged with Mr. Lloyd Butler VK5BR - a wonderful man and hamradio operator:
"My experimentation and subsequent documentation on LF/VLF receiving was carried out in the late 1980 and early 1990 eras (some 30 years ago).
Now nearly 95 years of age, my mind is still generally clear on the experiments. But I did have to go back and read some of
the articles for some of the specific details of design and what I had put on paper.
These days I now live in a Retirement Village, no longer set up for radio experimentation, but still do a lot of writing."
[ May 2, 2019 ]
Since I am also passionate about fishing, sailing and gardening, I also exchanged some impressions on these topics with Mr. Butler.
And I was pleasantly surprised to receive the following answers from him:
"OK on your fishing and sailing. I never took to fishing but for many years I sailed with one of
our local sailing clubs. I started with a Mirror and progressed through two 420.s and finally a Sabre.
Our two boys got involved too. In earlier years Simon first sailed a Holdfast Trainer and later a
Rainbow. On Saturdays we tore down to the club,two cars and two trailers with boats. "
"My life in communications and electronics is pretty complicated. I have worked in broadcasting,
telecommunications, airways communications and navigation and the last 35 years up to retirement,
in a research and development organisation. I taught Civil Aviation technicians in one year and
over a 14 year period, I ran a night class at the SA Institute of Technology (now University of
South Australia). That started with electron tube technology, but during the period the first
germanium transistors were developed and I added these to the course. All blackboards and chalk in
those days."
[ May 6, 2019 ]
Unfortunately, Mr. Butler also wrote to me:
"My wife Margaret and I moved into the Retirement village in Pasadena, a suburb of Adelaide, in
2007. We had lived, not too far away, in the suburb of Panorama for many years. We had a
large allotment on which the house was built [...] this had plenty of extra room to house the work bench,
electronic gear and radio communication gear.
Several trees put in had grown to large dimensions which were useful to hang a few antennas.
[...]
Up until a couple of years ago, I used to have scheds on 40 metres with a net of other old timers.
I have used an expanding fishing rod which is close to a quarter wave on 40 and I put up as a
vertical.. The inner structure of the house is steel and I have tapped into this as a ground
plane - It gets out pretty well. But the older operators have just dropped off, many joining the
silent keys. So the net has just faded into oblivion.
[...]
I do have a 2 meter J pole inside in the corner of the garage and even inside, I can trigger two
fairly local repeaters if I want to.
[...]
But I didn't die first. Margaret passed away in October 2017. We had been together 67 years.
Now I have to get on alone - but it puts a strain on one's handling of life."
[ also May 6, 2019 ]
I was very saddened when I read the above. Starting with 2020, I tried to correspond with Mr. Butler, but unfortunately I did not receive any reply.
Now the reason has become clear to me and I can only express my condolences to the grieving family and transmit on the air my most beautiful thoughts for a special man like Mr. Butler.
I add below the QSL that I sent him in 2019 and a picture of the flowers in front of his house from the retirement village.
May God rest him in peace!
Cezar YO3FHM
#14
WICEN South Australia / WICEN SA News 19th January 202...
Last post by VK5ZAR - Jan 18, 2025, 09:41 PMWICEN SA News 19th January 2025.
This is the transcript from the WICEN SA news segment broadcast on the VK5 Sunday broadcast on 19th January 2025.
WICEN S.A. and some of our wonderful trained volunteers will be commencing with a working partnership over the coming weeks with Disaster Relief Australia for the management of the Disaster Relief Australia Incident Management Team Kits and Equipment as a WICEN Volunteer. The project will be run from the Disaster Relief Australia Head Quarters which is based at Wayville. The WICEN S.A. Committee would like to express a thank you and gratitude to those WICEN Volunteers who have nominated themselves to be involved in the exciting opportunity with Disaster Relief Australia.
It is not too late to be involved in this project, and if you would like to be involved and assist please contact David / VK5LSB via my email vk5lsb@wia.org.au , I say again the email address to contact me is vk5lsb@wia.org.au or you can contact me also via the WICEN S.A. Website, go to contacts and you will find me there on the listings. The committee looks forward to your involvement in this exciting opportunity with Disaster Relief Australia and WICEN S.A.
The next WICEN Social Get Together will be held on Saturday 01st February 2025, down at the Scouts Centre for Adventurist Activities which is located at Anderson Avenue North Glenelg.
This day will be a first for WICEN as it is a Show and Tell Day for you to bring along and show your latest toys (equipment) and other interesting objects that I am sure will be of interest to many people.
Presentations to consist of a short presentation by each person then followed by a quick question time of approx. 5 minutes
Doors will open at 10:00am for coffee and chat prior to meeting commencement prior to official proceedings.
Every attendee on the day will be provided with a free BBQ lunch and soft drinks on the day along with the social get together and interaction of Amateur Radio Operators where skills and ideas can share over lunch.
Make a note in your diary's now for the next WICEN social get together that will be held on Saturday 01st February 2025
WICEN S.A. is holding our first Saturday Technical Session on Saturday 22nd March 2025 from 10:00hrs down at the Scouts S.A. Centre for Adventurist Activities located at Anderson Avenue North Glenelg.
The first event is to be a Digital Modes Day which will be hosted by the WICEN Digital / Working Party Team.
There will also be a field setup to educate and display various digital modes on the day.
On the day the Digital Support Team will be assisting in providing education, support and assistance with programming and configuring your transceivers, digital equipment along with interfacing to your laptops etc. to be able to utilise JS8 Call, APRS, Packet Radio, Win Link, etc.
Back in October 2024 you would have received two PDF documents via email being the WICEN S.A. Training and Operations Manual along with the Social Media Privacy Manual and we hope that you have been able to have a read of them. We are currently seeking any feedback to these documents that may require any changes prior to finalizing the documents.
If you have misplaced the documents, they are available for download on the WICEN S.A. Facebook Page for your reading pleasure and review and we look forward to your feedback via email committee@sa.wicen.org.au
A Text Version of this Broadcast is available on the WICEN S.A. Facebook Page if you need to clarify some details.
This has been David VK5LSB and on behalf of the WICEN S.A. Committee saying thank you for listening and looking forward to seeing you at our WICEN S.A. Social Get Together on Saturday 01st February or our Saturday Technical Session on Saturday 22nd March 2025.
This is the transcript from the WICEN SA news segment broadcast on the VK5 Sunday broadcast on 19th January 2025.
WICEN S.A. and some of our wonderful trained volunteers will be commencing with a working partnership over the coming weeks with Disaster Relief Australia for the management of the Disaster Relief Australia Incident Management Team Kits and Equipment as a WICEN Volunteer. The project will be run from the Disaster Relief Australia Head Quarters which is based at Wayville. The WICEN S.A. Committee would like to express a thank you and gratitude to those WICEN Volunteers who have nominated themselves to be involved in the exciting opportunity with Disaster Relief Australia.
It is not too late to be involved in this project, and if you would like to be involved and assist please contact David / VK5LSB via my email vk5lsb@wia.org.au , I say again the email address to contact me is vk5lsb@wia.org.au or you can contact me also via the WICEN S.A. Website, go to contacts and you will find me there on the listings. The committee looks forward to your involvement in this exciting opportunity with Disaster Relief Australia and WICEN S.A.
The next WICEN Social Get Together will be held on Saturday 01st February 2025, down at the Scouts Centre for Adventurist Activities which is located at Anderson Avenue North Glenelg.
This day will be a first for WICEN as it is a Show and Tell Day for you to bring along and show your latest toys (equipment) and other interesting objects that I am sure will be of interest to many people.
Presentations to consist of a short presentation by each person then followed by a quick question time of approx. 5 minutes
Doors will open at 10:00am for coffee and chat prior to meeting commencement prior to official proceedings.
Every attendee on the day will be provided with a free BBQ lunch and soft drinks on the day along with the social get together and interaction of Amateur Radio Operators where skills and ideas can share over lunch.
Make a note in your diary's now for the next WICEN social get together that will be held on Saturday 01st February 2025
WICEN S.A. is holding our first Saturday Technical Session on Saturday 22nd March 2025 from 10:00hrs down at the Scouts S.A. Centre for Adventurist Activities located at Anderson Avenue North Glenelg.
The first event is to be a Digital Modes Day which will be hosted by the WICEN Digital / Working Party Team.
There will also be a field setup to educate and display various digital modes on the day.
On the day the Digital Support Team will be assisting in providing education, support and assistance with programming and configuring your transceivers, digital equipment along with interfacing to your laptops etc. to be able to utilise JS8 Call, APRS, Packet Radio, Win Link, etc.
Back in October 2024 you would have received two PDF documents via email being the WICEN S.A. Training and Operations Manual along with the Social Media Privacy Manual and we hope that you have been able to have a read of them. We are currently seeking any feedback to these documents that may require any changes prior to finalizing the documents.
If you have misplaced the documents, they are available for download on the WICEN S.A. Facebook Page for your reading pleasure and review and we look forward to your feedback via email committee@sa.wicen.org.au
A Text Version of this Broadcast is available on the WICEN S.A. Facebook Page if you need to clarify some details.
This has been David VK5LSB and on behalf of the WICEN S.A. Committee saying thank you for listening and looking forward to seeing you at our WICEN S.A. Social Get Together on Saturday 01st February or our Saturday Technical Session on Saturday 22nd March 2025.
#15
Power Supplies / Re: Lithium Ion Batteries
Last post by VK5TM - Jan 09, 2025, 08:02 PMI came across a book about batteries today - Linden's Handbook Of Batteries - that although dating to 2011, has quite a bit about various battery chemistries including Lithium types.
Lot of interesting info if you really want to dig in to the subject - this is not an historical look at batteries, but an in depth scientific look at the various chemistry and uses of batteries as it stood in the first decade of the 21st century.
It's on the 'net if you know where to look
Lot of interesting info if you really want to dig in to the subject - this is not an historical look at batteries, but an in depth scientific look at the various chemistry and uses of batteries as it stood in the first decade of the 21st century.
It's on the 'net if you know where to look
#16
Licencing Information and Training / Amateur Radio Booklet 2024
Last post by VK5MCH - Jan 09, 2025, 04:45 PMAttached is the Amateur Radio Booklet for 2024.
As it is an American publication some information may not be relevant to Australian conditions nevertheless it has some very good information in it.
As it is an American publication some information may not be relevant to Australian conditions nevertheless it has some very good information in it.
#17
Power Supplies / Re: Lithium Ion Batteries
Last post by VK5TOM - Jan 08, 2025, 10:59 AMLiitokala 21700 Aliexpress
#18
SDR / Re: Silly question, when are y...
Last post by VK5MCH - Jan 07, 2025, 06:17 AMThere's plenty on both 6 and 10 metres. 10 offers a lot of voice especially of a weekend as there is always a contest somewhere in the world.
#19
SDR / Re: Silly question, when are y...
Last post by SWLVK5ANDY - Jan 05, 2025, 01:45 PMOK, I've got another question for the good people of this forum. I have the opportunity to put up a vertical antenna of a decent length so which band is most popular around here? 10 metre and 6 metre are both viable options, so which one gets the most traffic?
#20
Members Items Wanted / 2 Stacked 10K ohm Duel Shaft c...
Last post by VK5PRO - Jan 01, 2025, 08:18 PMHello to anyone that reads this post, I am attempting to revive 1970's dead 2 metre radio, it currently has a over worked dual Volume and RIT control that does 360 degree rotations which I would like to replace first before venturing further.
I have dismantled the potentiometer and it cannot be fixed as the nylon rotors have hardened and crumbled due to age.
If you have one as seen in the accompanying photo I would be keen to speak with you.
Cheers and thank you for looking at my post.
Peter
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Item has been acquired ... Thank you to Graham VK5GM
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I have dismantled the potentiometer and it cannot be fixed as the nylon rotors have hardened and crumbled due to age.
If you have one as seen in the accompanying photo I would be keen to speak with you.
Cheers and thank you for looking at my post.
Peter
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Item has been acquired ... Thank you to Graham VK5GM
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++