Shed Workshop November 2022: Emergency!

Have you thought about what you would do in an emergency? Come along to our last shed workshop for the year on 6 November from 1pm to 3pm. The venue is John ZL2XJ’s QTH at 9 Ridley Place, Churton Park, Wellington.

This session will be characterised by a discussion of how you have prepared for a major emergency. This will include, what you will do to keep yourself and your family alive, and how your amateur radio gear can be used to help your neighbours. What provisions have you set aside? Would the batteries in your existing portable equipment (e.g. handhelds and phones) be charged up, and how could they be recharged? What about your ham shack? Have you got a UPS or emergency power system?

All are welcome! The workshop will conclude with tea, coffee and biscuits.

Blackwood Cup October Meeting

The Blackwood Cup

Three members brought out their homebrew projects to have a go at winning the annual Blackwood Cup. We met at The Collective Hub,  1/33 Johnsonville Rd on Tuesday 18 October from 1pm to 3pm (followed by tea and coffee). The winner this year was George ZL2AG (not for the first time!).

The Blackwood Cup has been fought over since the early 1930s. The most recent winners:

YearWinnerCallsignProject
2021J P MoriartyZl2JPMQRP Magnetic Loop & Autotuner
2020J P MoriartyZL2JPMQRP Antenna Tuner modules
2019R G NewlandsZL2AGArtificial ground system
2018D McNeillZL2AOVuBITx Txcvr & mods
2017M H WoodsZL1AXGBITX40 Txcvr mods

Who will win the cup in 2023? You have 52 weeks to get your project completed!

Club member Bob ZL2CA wins Amateur of the Year award

Wellington Branch 50 NZART club member, Bob Vernall ZL2CA, was awarded Amateur of the Year 2021 by NZART at the 2022 Annual Conference. Bob was instrumental in freeing up the 60m band for amateur radio use. Many amateurs will be grateful for opening up a new an interesting HF band for daytime use.

September Meeting: DX Operating techniques

The September meeting of Branch 50 NZART was held on Tuesday 20 September from 1pm – 3pm at The Collective Community Hub at 1/33 Johnsonville Rd.

The Chair gave a report on NZART Conference 2022 held the previous weekend

The topic for the meeting was “DX Operating techniques and antenna options for your suburban lot for 20M – 6M band openings”. Members shared their DX hunting experience and there was discussion of importation of HF tribanders and monobanders.

We concluded with tea, coffee and biscuits.