Branch 50 (Wellington) NZART – Known as the Wellington Amateur Radio Club
We had seven HamCram participants in our June 2024 HamCram, and six passed the examination. Please welcome on the air the following new operators and members of Branch 50 NZART:
Eben ZL2EF provided an insightful introduction to morse code at our June 2024 regular meeting. He gave us t he history of morse code (known in amateur radio circles as “CW” or “Continuous Wave”), and pointers on how to learn the code – both for speed and for real world amateur communications. He also demonstrated his QRP CW transceiver and a range of different types of keys. Thanks also to George ZL2AG for bringing along his collection of “bugs” (mechanical automated keys).
Some key websites he referenced:
https://morsecode.ninja/ (Kurt Zoglemann)
https://cwops.org/cw-academy/ (CW Ops Academy)
https://longislandcwclub.org/ (Long Island CW club)
http://www.k1usn.com/sst.html (Slow Speed “Contest”)
Meshtastic is software that runs on very affordable and tiny LoRa devices to provide texting services that can travel long distances at 915MHz. A presentation on Meshtastic was given at the May 2024 meeting of the Wellignton Amateur Radio Club. The presentation is available for download here.
By Bernard Robbins ZL2BD
Available NOW in two different formats
Options: An A4 sized comb-bound manual that will lie flat and is good in a workshop environment. 110 Pages. Cost Including Shipping $35 An A5 sized bound book for convenient reference that fits in a standard bookcase. The A5 book has four, fold- out circuit diagrams. Total 164 pages. Cost including Shipping is $25
An introduction to the manual
In this book Bernard reproduces the ZC1 service manual, which has been out of print for about 80 years. This book represents a primary source of technical information for those restoring the ZC1 MKIl. The original five Chapters is extended to ten by adding a significant amount of additional servicing information. Bernard provides a range of other useful circuit information including design enhancements and modifications developed by a range of amateur operators over the years.
This radio was produced by the New Zealand Government for use by the armed services during World War II. There are still many of these 80-year-old radios around, but finding supporting documentation today can be difficult.
Information is provided on a low cost, solid-state replacement for the vibrator. There is also a brief history of the ZC1 by Chris Underwood ZL2CU
Purchase on our Orders and Payment Page
