Category: Meetings

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16 November – KiwiSDR project update – A RemoteDX project

KiwiSDR receiver

Our November meeting was held on Tuesday 16 November (note that this was a different day to usual) from 1pm – 3pm at The Collective Hub, Johnsonville.

John ZL2XJ and Bernard ZL2BD gave a presentation and demonstration of the KiwiSDR project that will be installed on a quiet receive site not too far away from the city. The equipment has been tested in suburban Wellington this year.  The presentation included an overview of the technology and its application, and included a “listen in” on KiwiSDR sites via the internet portal.

The meeting also discussed our draft submission to the Wellington City Council on the Draft District Plan.

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October Branch meeting: Blackwood Cup

Our October Branch meeting was held on Tuesday 19 October from 1pm at The Collective Community Hub,  1/33 Johnsonville Rd. We normally meet on a Sunday, but we needed to find a venue that would allow the appropriate physical distancing. A Tuesday slot was available in the larger space at The Collective Community Hub.

The meeting featured our annual competition for the Blackwood Cup. There were only two entrants this year, a QRP magnetic loop controller (entered by John ZL2JPM) and the simplest possible morse code practice device (entered by George ZL2AG). John took out the prize for the second year running. Congratulations!

In addition Mike ZL1AXG gave a presentation on “Selecting a portable shortwave receiver” and demonstrated his recent purchase of a Tecsun PL-330 receiver.

Tea, coffee and biscuits were available as usual following the meeting.

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Choosing a portable HF receiver (PL-330)

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POSTPONED Branch meeting September 2021 – Colonial Knob Mesh Upgrade and Update

The view to the North from Colonial Knob

We are still at Covid Alert Level 2. Wellington City venues are not available for use, and to host at a member’s home would be challenging under existing requirements. Therefore, the Committee has decided to postpone the meeting. The Committee will review options on 23rd September.

At this meeting Ted ZL2TB and John ZL2XJ will give a presentation on the Colonial Knob high speed broadband node upgrade.  This is our most complex node in the network, with links northward to Mt Field and  Titahi Bay, to the East – in future to Mt Climie, and to the South the node connects to our Johnsonville node with a link onward to Ngaio.

This will be a chance to have a refresh on the possibilities of the high speed broadband network and see how our upgrade has benefited the mesh network.

Tea and coffee will be available after the meeting in the cafe upstairs, courtesy of the club.  All welcome!

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August Meeting – Bob Morris ZL2AVM speaking on his time in TV broadcasting

Bob ZL2AVM (on right) with Ted ZL2TB, March 2021

Those who have heard Bob ZL2AVM speak about his days at sea or as a young person experimenting with amateur radio in Cornwall, will know that he always gives a great presentation.   

Those who came along to Bernard ZL2BD’s QTH at 1 Winsley Tce, Churton Park, on Sunday 15 August got to hear his latest talk on his career in Commercial Television Broadcasting. In turns out that ships and television transmitting stations weren’t so different after all!

Storms, and in particular, lightning strikes were a major concern, but fortunately Bob manages to escape being electrocuted, and hence was able to tell us his wild tales.