Breakout 2016 – 10 October

BREAKOUT

The Newsletter of the Hastings and Napier Amateur Radio Clubs

Hastings Branch 13 NZART – Napier 25 NZART   Volume 16, Issue 10   October 2016

Hastings Br 13 Club Calls
ZL2AS
ZL2QS

Napier Br 25 Club Calls
ZL2GT
ZL2G

IRLP Node
6793
147.250

Branch Nets
9.00 AM
Sunday Morning
3615 kHz
439.175 MHz

Editor
John Newson
ZL2VAF

http://www.zl2gt.nz/   http://groups.yahoo.com/group/zl2as/

Emergency Call-in Frequencies: 3615khz and 670 repeater

Inside This Issue
Hastings Branch 13 Report   Page 2
Recent and Old History   Page 4
The W3DZZ Trapped Dipole   Page 5
“Boot Camp” weekend   Page 6
AREC Day   Page 9
New webSDR in VK2   Page 6

KIWI
ZL
DX GROUP

Photo caption – Kapiti Coast Museum “radio shack”, complete with sailor boy mannequin

Hastings Branch 13 NZART – Napier Branch 25 NZART   Page 2   Volume 16, Issue 10 October 2016

HASTINGS BRANCH 13
President:   Rob Leicester ZL2US   Ph 8786381
Secretary:   David Walker ZL2DW   Ph 8760518,   email [email protected]
Treasurer:   Peter Keong ZL2PW   Ph 8774529   email: [email protected]
AREC/CD   John Newson ZL2VAF   Ph 876 0370   email: [email protected]
AREC Deputy:   Robert Wallace ZL2SG   Ph 878 4993   email [email protected]

Committee
Jan Suldovsky ZL2CZE   Ph 021 833 487   email [email protected]
David Sullivan ZL2OK   Ph 06 8578853 wk   email: [email protected]
Ray Barlow ZL2RB   Ph 06 8786068   email: [email protected]

Hastings QSL Distribution:   Wally Shuker ZL2MO   Ph 8435497   email [email protected]
Magazine Editor:   John Newson ZL2VAF   Ph. 027 230 3642   email [email protected]
NZART License Examiners:   Peter – ZL2LF,   Dave – ZL2MQ,   Ray – ZL2RB
Club Call:   ZL2AS and ZL2QS

Club Nights: Fourth Wednesday each month at 7.30 pm Pakowhai Hall, Pakowhai Road, Pakowhai

From THE OM at the TOP TABLE

I’m getting the hang of this retirement lark (I wonder how long it will last before I take up another job of some kind)? Last weekend Sue and I travelled to Paekakariki and after some local sight seeing boarded the Steam Train for Wanganui. We enjoyed a trip up and down the river and boarded the train for the return journey to Palmerston North. I think we were the youngest in the party but we all had a great time and it was well worth while.

The end of the year is not far away and that brings certain events to our club. On the 26 October we will be having a “Meal and Meeting” at Skinny Mulligans, Waipawa…a visit to the patch of our CHB members. Car pooling has been the way to go for those of us travelling down from Hastings/Napier, I’m sure that will continue. Meal time is 6-30pm, please give your numbers attending to myself or David ZL2DW by 24 October. This event is in lieu of our normal Pakowhai Hall meeting.

The other event is the Branch 13/HBARC AGM and Homebrew Competition on 23 November, so get those projects finished off to bring along. Remember that photos are acceptable if you can’t get your entry through the door.

We also have our combined Xmas Tea for Branches 13 and 25 on 25 November at the Taradale RSA, 6-30pm, $25 per head, bookings to me or David ZL2DW by the 23 November.

On Saturday the 3rd of December we have the “Summer Wine Bus Trip” and lunch somewhere in Napier (probably the RSA). This is an event to sort out the over and under 65 year olds using (or not using) their Gold Cards hi hi.

Last year David ZL2BCE became a SK just before the event, he was one of the “arrangees” of the day, so there is an element of “memorial” about the event.

Those of us that joined the bus at Hastings and travelled through to Napier (and return) (and some joined us along the way) had quite a day…we were well home before the curfew hour expired on the Gold Card…and it’s amazing what one sees when you’re not driving. All welcome. We’ll call for an indication of numbers nearer the time.

Branch 13/HBARC Officers
(left to right)
David Walker (ZL2DW, Secretary),
Rob Leicester (ZL2US, President),
Peter Keong (ZL2PW, Treasurer)

Hastings Branch 13 NZART – Napier Branch 25 NZART   Page 3   Volume 16, Issue 10 October 2016

NAPIER BRANCH 25
President:   Wally Shuker ZL2MO   843 5497   email [email protected]
Secretary:   Karl Matthys ZL1TJ   8454372   email [email protected]
Treasurer:   Stan White ZL2ST   845 2422   email [email protected]
AREC:   Mike Bull ZL2VM   843 6052   email [email protected]

Committee:
Michael Mullins ZL2MY   843 4210   email [email protected]
Dave ZL2MQ,   0212428959   email [email protected]
Revell Troy ZL2SS   0210742837   email [email protected]
Peter Breen ZL2CD   0274721527   email [email protected]

Committee Meetings:   7:30 pm, 3rd Tuesday of January, March, May, July, September, November
Club Calls:   ZL2GT, ZL2G
Club Web Site:   http://www.zl2gt.nz/

Club Nights:   First Wednesday each month (except January) 7.30pm at the Club Rooms:   123 Latham Street Napier

On 12 and 13 Nov. we have our A.O.C. “Boot Camp” weekend for aspiring hams so if you know of someone who would like to take this opportunity send them to me or David ZL2DW, we have a fee schedule available and need to know numbers by 28 October. There is also some prior homework to do from the Training Manual so get in early.

At the last Branch 13 meeting on 28 September, (and at the later Branch 25 meeting on 5 October) we agreed to drop some of our upcoming MBIE repeater licences etc as they fall due soon. It was also agreed that we would shift the combined Br 13/25 Sunday 9am net from 3615khz to the 670 2m repeater. So far the change of frequency of the net has been beneficial with increased numbers attending, long may it continue.

An issue of repeaters etc re. access to their sites/buildings was also resolved and it’s interesting to note that the solution was not one by arrangement with a ham…but instead with the help of someone who works in the communications industry (but has some affinity towards ham radio). Once there were many industry related people who were also hams and could take the amateur equipment under their wing but this is a wake up call that these people are falling away these days.

That’s about all from me this month so make sure you put the above dates in your diary and get your bookings made. I look forward to seeing you at Waipawa amongst the other events.
73, Rob Leicester ZL2US (President Branch 13/HBARC, Hastings)

Rob ZL2US and his XYL Sue ZL2DC “chuffed” with retirement

Hastings Branch 13 NZART – Napier Branch 25 NZART   Page 4   Volume 16, Issue 10 October 2016

RECENT AND OLD HISTORY

Earlier this year Ray ZL2RB and myself gave a talk to Branch 13 re old Land Mobile R/T’s, many of you recognized some of them (comparatively “new history”).
Prompted by my attendance at the recent Branch 20 “Table Sale” my xyl and I travelled further on to Kapiti Coast and by prior arrangement delivered the selection of R/T’s to the Kapiti Coast Museum. http://www.kapiticoastmuseum.org.nz/

While there I had a look around the ham shack…again, my last time being on the 24 March 2013 when Branch 13 paid a visit there, I can confirm this date as my entry in the station log was available showing the contact I had on that day with Chris, ZL2VC, back at Hastings. (Newer history).

While in the shack I spotted something that I hadn’t seen for many years…a Trio (all valve) Com’s receiver type 9R-59D. This unit was the very first commercial radio/Com’s Rx that I ever owned (back in 1973). (I can remember listening to the Branch 13 net on 3615khz back then also). It was pretty “Super Dooper” in it’s day but I have no desire to “re-own” one these days. (Definitely “old history”).
David (ZL2DW)

Trio Com’s Receiver

Kapiti Coast Museum “radio shack”, complete with sailor boy mannequin

Hastings Branch 13 NZART – Napier Branch 25 NZART   Page 5   Volume 16, Issue 10 October 2016

Antennas 101. The W3DZZ trapped dipole

The centre section of this antenna is a standard 40m dipole of conventional length. On the ends of this section are traps designed to isolate the next length of wire being the wire needed to make it long enough for 80m. It works as a 40m dipole at 7MHz and the traps isolate the ends of the full antenna. On 80m the whole antenna forms the dipole for 3.6MHz. Due to the effect of the inductance in the circuit, the overall length of the 80m portion is less than a straight dipole.

The traps are actually parallel tuned circuits resonant at the desired operating frequency on 40m. The traps become high impedance at that frequency effectively isolating the rest of the wire leg. On 80m frequencies, the traps are no longer resonant and allow the whole antenna to become the radiating element.

A parallel tuned circuit is a capacitor and inductor in parallel and at a specific frequency called the resonant frequency the reactance’s add to become high. This is called a ‘rejecter circuit’ and a series capacitor and inductor circuit an ‘accepter circuit’ as the reactance’s cancel out to become near nil.

The 80/40m or DZZ dipole will work well on all bands 80,40,20,15 and 10m but is best on 80m and 40m. Too good to be true? Well, yes.

As with all compromise antennas there are down sides. On a full size wire dipole it is impossible to get an SWR of less than 2:1 across the whole band. With a shortened antenna as the DZZ is on 80m due to the inductances, the ‘Q’ is high and therefore the band width is much less than a standard wire 80m dipole. The bandwidth is more like 250 kHz on 80m and probably not much better on 40m. If your method of working on these bands can accommodate this restriction, then this is the compromise antenna for you.

Trapped dipoles for any bands can be built using either bought traps or in true amateur spirit home brewed. There are many internet sites giving good advice and technical construction details. A good site for a coaxial trap design is this one; http://members.shaw.ca./ve6yp/index.html where a programme can be downloaded for free use. The programme is for coaxial traps that are cheap and simple to build and will stand full legal limit power. I know the programme works as I have used it here at my station to build a trap for an 80m/160m vertical antenna. However, I found you need to add a bit to the calculated lengths of cable used and if required shorten it. Also use good quality coax not the cheap CB stuff.

Building an antenna is far cheaper than buying a similar one and in the spirit of ham radio is more fun. As ZL2AKW once said, “A bought antenna is not a better antenna, but merely a more expensive antenna; a better investment is a good book on antennas”.
Have fun
73 Mike S Mather ZL2CC

Hastings Branch 13 NZART – Napier Branch 25 NZART   Page 6   Volume 16, Issue 10 October 2016

“BOOT CAMP” Weekend

Branch 13 is hosting an Amateur Operators Certificate “Boot Camp” weekend on 12th and 13th of November 2016 at Pakowhai, Hastings. Do some prior home work, come along for the two days of tuition, sit the AOC exam. and if you pass go home Sunday afternoon with your “ticket”.
There are costs and fees involved and pre registration is required. Contact Rob ZL2US, ph 06 8786381 for details and registration

New webSDR in VK2
http://websdr.mwrs.org.au:8901/
More info here: http://www.mwrs.org.au/2016/10/04/mwrs-websdr-build-completed/
Cheers
Ross Whenmouth <[email protected]>

KNOWLEDGE BANK
HAWKE’S BAY DIGITAL ARCHIVES TRUST

Memories wanted

Do you have photos, books, meeting minutes, school journals etc. you would like to be available for future generations. Hawke’s Bay Knowledge Bank will digitally copy them and make them available on their web site.

The originals will be returned to you.

To see what we have already processed visit:
www.knowledgebank.org.nz

Ring 833 5333 between 10am and 3pm weekdays