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VK7AX > BCAST 12.07.90 05:06z 408 Lines 24192 Bytes #-13135 (0) @ WW
BID : 14139_VK7AX
Subj: VK7 Amateur Radio News 12Jul26
Path: SR1BSZ<EA2RCF<LU9DCE<VE3CGR<VE3QBZ<VK3AT<VK7AX
Sent: 260712/0454Z 14139@VK7AX.#ULV.TAS.AUS.AUNZ LinBPQ6.0.24
VK7 Amateur Radio News 12Jul26
Text edition:
VK7 AMATEUR RADIO NEWS
SUNDAY 12th July 2026
Welcome to the VK7 Amateur Radio News for the 12th day of July 2026, your gateway to whatâ€Ös happening across the airwaves in Tasmania and beyond.
Coming to you from the Tasmanian Amateur Radio News Desk is Peter, VK7PD with the latest updates, stories, and insights from our amateur radio community.
Weâ€Öre broadcasting far and wide thanks to our dedicated team:
DMR Talk Group 5 & D-Star Reflector 91C via the Digital Group
MF & HF relays:
1.860 MHz – Graham, VK7GS
3.670 MHz – Ross, VK7ALH
7.140 MHz – Garry, VK7JGD
14.130 MHz – Justin, VK7TW
28.525 MHz – Dale, VK7DG
And locally in Hobart on UHF CB Ch.24 - VK7FMAC and HFCB24 with Luke (no Callsign).
Missed it live? Catch the replay Tuesday 8pm on repeaters VK7RAA (North), VK7RHT, and on UHFCB24/HFCB24 (South).
Stay tuned, and enjoy the news!
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EME/Microwave Update
Richard VK7ZBX here again with regular reports on all things EME and Microwave with the latest about the 10GHz moon beacon at DL0SHF in Germany.
Per DK7LJ reports that the beacon is back in operation at normal power as the air temperature has dropped a little in Germany. The team there has been busy with a project where they are working on a very low noise device in one of their many dishes that has priority over many other tasks. This device has a noise figure better than 20 Kelvin which is very low noise.
Works on repairs to the moon beacon cooling system will begin once these works are complete.
The beacon transmits on 10,368.024 GHz, for doppler control you need to set WSJT-X to use the DX Grid of JO54cg. On the even
minute it transmits Q65-60 Submode E, and on the odd minute it transmits 2 rounds of CW.
The amateur community is very appreciative of the efforts to keep this beacon operational and Per and the team are always happy to receive reception reports of the beacon and donâ€Öt forget to outline your receive equipment, and please report even if you are usually able to hear it and it seems absent or showing issues, please let Per and the team know.
https://pa0ehg.com/dl0shf_beacon.htm
See you on the moon
73, Richard, VK7ZBX
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Tassie Ham-E-Con Radio Conference
Bookings are OPEN!!
The countdown is on for Tassie Ham-E-Con 2026, and bookings are officially open. This year's theme, Hack the Ether: Education, Ingenuity, Connection, captures the spirit of amateur radio at its best, where experimentation, innovation and lifelong learning come together. Humans have spent more than a century finding increasingly creative ways to throw signals through the air. This conference celebrates that tradition while looking firmly toward the future.
Join amateurs, makers, educators, communicators and technical explorers from across Australia and the world for a fully catered weekend. The conference program is built around four major streams: Hack the Mind exploring education and learning futures, Hack the System showcasing ingenuity and experimentation, Hack the Culture focusing on community engagement and connection, and Hack the Future examining leadership, purpose and where amateur radio goes next.
Tassie Ham-E-Con 2026 takes place on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 November 2026 at the iconic Sir Stanley Burbury Theatre on the UTAS Sandy Bay campus. Pre-conference and post-conference activities have also been planned, making it a full weekend of radio, learning and networking. The preliminary program is now available and registrations are open via the conference website: https://www.reast.asn.au/news-events/tassie-ham-radio-conference/
73 from the Conference Organising Group.
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WWFF, SOTA, POTA, LLOTA and IOTA Weekly Wrap Up
The exploits of Neil the Seal didnâ€Öt stop our VK7 activators from heading out to summits and parks this week.
Stuart, VK7FADZ, didn't let the snow and cold winter conditions keep him indoors, instead making the trek to Mount Field East for a SOTA activation. Once on the summit, Stuart logged eight contacts on 40m SSB. His efforts earned him 13 SOTA points, including the three-point winter bonus awarded for activating the summit during the winter bonus period.
Stuart is now preparing for his next adventure, setting off on the Overland Track with his radio on 18th July. If you're on the bands, keep an ear out for Stuart's CQ calls as he makes his way along the track. His plans include activating several SOTA summits, including Barn Bluff, Mount Thetis, Mount Pillinger, and Mount Ossa. If propagation and the weather are on his side, give him a call and help add a few more contacts to his log.
Peter, VK7ZPE, Rodney, VK7HAM, and Al, VK7AN, headed to the Four Springs Lake Water Management Area near Bishopsbourne for their latest activation. Managed as a trophy fishery, Four Springs Lake is regularly stocked with both brown and rainbow trout, making it a popular destination for anglers. The team was active on 40 metres and enjoyed a steady stream of contacts throughout the activation, including DX contacts into France and New Zealand.
Hope to catch you on the air.
73, Matt, VK7MAT
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Statewide SSTV Nights
A quiet net night that saw the following participants, VK7s – AX, ZAB and EV, all sharing over twenty photos.
The main themes were:
Local off-road vehicles - a 6 wheel Pinzgauer, a MAN military truck, camper trucks and a Land Cruiser stuck in shallow water
Tasmanian Fire Watch towers and amateur repeater sites
And other highlights were:
The Shrine of Remembrance Clock in Ulverstone
An “Are we there yet?” Star Trek mission
The Wye river – so named “Coz itâ€Ös bigger than a creek”
Iconic vintage Dutch chocolate in an embossed gold colour tin
And fields of Tulips from the Netherlands
Again Tony VK7AX interconnected VK7RJG to his SSTV International Gateway and VK7s exchanged photos with PC1K in the Netherlands. Please remember to leave a 30 second break between transmissions to allow the European countries a chance to send photos.
Note - Ken VK7KRJâ€Ös and Steve VK7OOâ€Ös fully automatic 24/7 monitoring sites that allows anyone testing, to send a picture and the ability to check their transmission on these pages almost immediately, any time, both South and North Tasmania.
If you missed the net there are archives of these SSTV nights on Kenâ€Ös and Steveâ€Ös websites or on NTARCâ€Ös website under blogs.
https://vk7oo.tasme.com/vhfsstv/
https://sstv.vk7krj.com/scrolling%20web%20gallery.html
https://www.ntarc.net/blogs
https://www.qsl.net/vk7ax/sstvgate3/index.html
73 from Andreâ€Ö VK7ZAB
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NEWS FROM THE NORTH
SOTA/WWFF PARKS GROUP
The Summits On The Air/World Wide Flora and Fauna parks group meets twice weekly – Mondays and Fridays 10.30AM till 12.00 at the Glebe Gardens Cafe, Henry Street, Launceston.
For more information contact Al on 0417 354 410.
73, Al, VK7AN
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Northern Tasmanian Amateur Radio Club Incorporated
www.ntarc.net
Last technical night, Colin VK7ZCF had his latest creation, a dual band 2 metre / 70 cm “J Pole” type antenna. Not having been overly happy with the results he had obtained from the previous build, he was experimenting with a similar concept unit, this time by Ed Fong WN6IQN. It is described as a “Roll Up” portable antenna and known as the DBJ-2. It is substantially made from 300 Ohm ribbon cable! In this build the ribbon section is held within a 20mm conduit and mounted on a conical base that he had 3D printed. Looking at the RigExpert display, he should be happy with the 1.1 to 1 SWR results.
We then moved on to a short fifteen minute video that Colin had found on-line, which was about ferrite cores and how to identify them. This wasnâ€Öt presented as laboratory grade test and measurement work; rather, it was a practical demonstration aimed at everyday amateurs.
The video was produced by Mike Harrison, product manager at Fair-Rite Products Group..... and yes, Fair-Rite is a clever name for a company that manufactures ferrite components.
Mike walked through how you can evaluate ferrite cores using simple, cost-effective tools, an LCR meter, a common multimeter, and a Vernier calliper. His focus was on determining both the type and suitability of ferrite materials.
He highlighted the two main families of ferrites:
Nickel-zinc ferrites - lower permeability, suited to higher operating frequencies.
Manganese-zinc ferrites - higher permeability, suited to lower operating frequencies.
The video covered practical measurements such as physical dimensions, bulk resistivity, and inductance using a known winding. To minimise measurement error, he used ten turns through the aperture of each core, reducing the influence of wire-added inductance compared with a single turn winding.
The aim of the presentation was to give viewers confidence in evaluating their own ferrite cores and making an educated guess about the material type theyâ€Öre dealing with. It was a simple, accessible demonstration that offered useful insight for anyone experimenting with ferrites in RF applications.
Later Ian VK7IG, following the line of thinking on ferrite cores and inductors with an interesting article from Jeff Steinkamp N7YG. Jeff explores a slightly different angle, but with the same focus on keeping test equipment practical and cost-effective.
His article looks at using a Vector Network Analyser for two-port measurements, along with simple home built component test jigs to make reliable input connections. A VNA operates by sending a very low-power test signal through a circuit or component, then measuring both the amplitude and phase of the reflected and transmitted signals.
This approach allows inductors to be measured with far greater precision and crucially, at the actual operating frequencies amateurs tend to use, which are typically much higher than the 100 kHz test frequency found in most everyday LCR meters.
It was a great find from Ian, and a very accessible introduction for anyone curious about applying VNA techniques to component evaluation.
Links are included in the text version of this broadcast:
How to Identify an Unknown Ferrite Core: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q95Vwk3kZok
VNA component measurement: PDF on NTARC website for this broadcast
DBJ2 rollable antenna: https://edsantennas.weebly.com/uploads/2/9/3/5/29358461/dbj-2_qst.pdf
As usual pictures will be available on the NTARC Web site under “Blogs” for this broadcast.
https://www.ntarc.net/blogs
UPCOMING EVENTS
CW course - Every Wednesday night, on 3.580 MHz from 7 to 7.30 pm. Your CW Coach for the evening is Nic, VK7WW.
On Air Test and Technical gathering - Wednesday nights, on 3.567 MHz from 7.30 pm.
Club Room Technical night - The next session will be Wednesday the 22nd July and will commence at the usual time of 6.30 pm at the Club Room Archer Street, Rocherlea.
Coffee Morning - Held every Friday in the NTARC Club rooms. Time is from 10 am to noon.
Finally - If you have any items of news please email them to the Secretary at the following address news@ntarc.net all items to be received no later than 5 pm on the Friday prior to the Broadcast.
73 from Stefan, VK7ZSB, Secretary NTARC Inc.
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NEWS FROM THE NORTH WEST
North West Tasmania Amateur Radio Club Bi Monthly Meeting
The next club meeting will be starting at midday with a BBQ and then the meeting will commence at 1.30pm on Saturday 1st August 2026. It will be at our usual venue, the Scout Hall, 73 Alexandra Road, Ulverstone, afternoon tea will also be held.
Members are encouraged to bring items for show & tell, and club rooms are open till 6pm for members to socialise.
A small plate of afternoon tea would be appreciated, we have Tea, Coffee etc available for members and guests. Visitors are most welcome to attend.
If you have any cold or flu symptoms or are unwell or have been in contact with a confirmed COVID case, then please do not attend the meeting.
73, Eric VK7EV, News Officer
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NEWS FROM THE SOUTH
Radio and Electronics Association of Southern Tasmania
https://www.reast.asn.au/
https://www.facebook.com/reasttas/
https://www.youtube.com/reasthobart/
August is shaping up to be our 2026 REAST Build Month
REAST has our next build project coming together well thanks to Dave VK7CB and Richard VK2ARH.
Notification has been sent out to REAST members via the Discord Members Build Channel and orders are increasing.
REAST Members watch the discord channel for more information.
73, REAST Committee
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July Forum Night Wrap-Up
https://www.youtube.com/live/DYuvK1Qqnbc?si=9r0GElKGpVp4Ax4n
Open Mic Night Celebrates Amateur Radio as the "Hobby of Hobbies"
The latest REAST Forum Night took a different approach, with members gathering for an informal "Open Mic" evening where the only requirement was to share something they were passionate about. The night quickly demonstrated why amateur radio is often described as the "hobby of hobbies", with members showcasing an incredible range of projects spanning electronics, computing, home automation, antenna design, artificial intelligence, restoration, astronomy, Meshcore networking and outdoor communications.
Presentations ranged from building home servers, media streaming systems and Home Assistant automation through to restoring vintage valve radios, experimenting with GNSS precision positioning, developing Arduino and Raspberry Pi projects, learning Morse code, astrophotography, 3D printing, and constructing antennas for everything from HF to Meshcore networks. Members also shared how amateur radio had become the gateway into broader interests including radio-controlled models, FPV drones, emergency communications, camping, four-wheel driving and citizen science.
Artificial intelligence was another major talking point, with several members demonstrating how tools such as ChatGPT, Claude and Copilot are helping write software, understand unfamiliar technologies, analyse technical data and accelerate experimentation. While everyone agreed AI is a powerful assistant rather than a replacement for technical knowledge, it is rapidly becoming another valuable tool in the amateur radio experimenter's toolkit, provided operators remember to verify its output before relying on it.
The evening highlighted one of amateur radio's greatest strengths: it brings together people with widely different interests who all enjoy learning, experimenting and sharing knowledge. REAST plans to hold more Open Mic Forum Nights in the future, with members encouraged to suggest topics and vote on future discussion themes through the club's Discord community. If this first session was any indication, there will be no shortage of fascinating projects to share.
https://www.youtube.com/live/DYuvK1Qqnbc?si=9r0GElKGpVp4Ax4n
73, Justin VK7TW with some help from Arthur Inglis
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Wednesday Experimenterâ€Ös Group (WEGs)
July 15 will be a social night with no program from the DATV Studio so, see you back in the studio on July 22nd.
https://www.reast.asn.au/news-events/live-stream/
https://www.reast.asn.au/special-interest-groups/amateur-tv/
https://www.youtube.com/c/ReastHobart/
73, REAST Committee
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REAST Training and Assessment Update
https://www.reast.asn.au/information/amateur-licence-assessments/
Thinking about getting your Amateur Radio licence or upgrading to the next level? REAST continues to offer regular Training and Assessment Days for all Australian amateur licence levels. Standard, Advanced and Regulations assessments are held on alternate months, with the next session on Saturday 25 July 2026, while the next Foundation Training and Assessment Day will be held on Saturday 22 August 2026.
https://www.reast.asn.au/news-events/upcoming-events/
If you're planning to attend, please contact the Learning Organiser Justin VK7TW as soon as possible by emailing reast.assessor@gmail.com.
You'll also find the full training schedule on the REAST Events page, along with a range of free learning resources, including the popular Foundation Licence Training Video series on the REAST YouTube channel.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsnsP_zjw831mdC6sY4XqavRUY-53ZWUn
To help build your confidence before assessment day, don't forget to try the Wireless Institute of Australia's online Foundation Trial Exams, with links available in the text edition of this broadcast.
https://www.wia.org.au/licenses/foundation/onlineexams/foundation.php
Whether you're taking your first step into amateur radio or upgrading your qualifications, the REAST training team is ready to help you succeed.
73 from Justin VK7TW.
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Save the Date - ADSB Support
In September we have a very special presentation night that will be occurring a little later in the month than normal!
On Wednesday 23rd September from 7:30pm we will have Mogens Andersen in the clubrooms to give us a presentation on the ADSB Support service.
For those who are in the know - Mogens is the Chief Operating Officer of the ADSB Support Organisation that is based in Denmark and they supply ADSB receivers all over the world to amateurs, non-amateurs, and many other areas to receive the ADSB signals from aircraft and feed it into the various aircraft tracking systems around the world.
Fun Fact - ADSB Support is based in a little town in Denmark called Billund. For those Lego aficionados out there they will know that the main Lego factory is based in Billund and the ADSB Support organisation is based at the Billund airport where most of that Lego is shipped out from!
Save the Date - September 23rd from 7:30pm.
https://www.adsbsupport.com
73, REAST Committee
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Technology News
Quantum Diamonds: The Future of Ultra-Precise Magnetic Sensors
Scientists at the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) are developing a remarkable new type of magnetic field sensor that uses tiny imperfections inside diamonds to measure magnetic fields with extraordinary precision. These "nitrogen-vacancy" or NV centres are created by replacing a carbon atom in a diamond with a nitrogen atom and leaving a neighbouring carbon atom missing. When green laser light and carefully controlled microwaves are applied, the defect glows red in a way that changes according to the strength and direction of the surrounding magnetic field. By measuring these tiny changes, the sensor can determine magnetic fields with incredible accuracy.
Unlike many existing quantum sensors, diamond NV sensors work at room temperature, can operate in harsh environments, measure both the strength and direction of magnetic fields, and require little or no calibration. They can also be made very small, robust and potentially inexpensive, making them suitable for everything from laboratory instruments to portable field equipment. NIST is now developing improved versions that read the magnetic signal electrically rather than optically, reducing power consumption while increasing sensitivity.
One of the most exciting applications is GPS-independent navigation. Aircraft, drones and autonomous vehicles could use these sensors to measure subtle variations in the Earth's magnetic field caused by the underlying geology and compare them with detailed magnetic maps to determine their position. Because this technique doesn't rely on satellite signals, it cannot easily be jammed or spoofed, making it an attractive backup navigation system for aviation, defence and emergency services. Researchers also see applications in medicine, biology, electronics, quantum computing, materials science and even detecting the tiny magnetic fields generated by individual nerve cells.
For amateur radio operators, this technology provides a fascinating glimpse into the future of quantum sensing. While not destined to replace a compass anytime soon, diamond-based quantum magnetometers may eventually become compact enough for precision navigation, scientific field work and advanced instrumentation that can operate anywhere on Earth without relying on external positioning systems.
Read the full NIST article:
https://www.nist.gov/noac/technology/magnetic-and-electric-fields/nv-center-magnetometry
Sourced from the NIST website and summarised by Arthur Inglis
--------------------------------
Regular VK7 gatherings and events over the coming months:
VK7 Regular gatherings:
Sewing Circle Net – Daily on 3.640MHz commences at 6:30pm AEST.
Statewide SSTV Net - held every Thursday night via the North/South Link on VK7RAF/VK7RJG from 7:30pm. In the North and North West - VK7RJG on 438.55 -7MHz and in the South - VK7RAF (146.650 -600kHz) CTCSS tone 141.3Hz to link RAF North-South. Plus VK7AX International SSTV Gateway connected to VK7RJG for the duration of the net.
State-wide – MICROWAVE QSO Party – following the Sunday broadcast call-back on 1296.15 MHz FM. One group in the greater Hobart area and another in the greater Launceston area.
Then North-south digital contacts on 1296.2MHz using Q65-60B.
Stations in the Launceston area transmitting on the odd minute. Southern stations on the even minute.
REAST - 6m AM Net on 53.1MHz Everyday from 4:30pm
SOTA/WWFF Group – Meeting Mondays and Fridays 10.30-12.00 midday at Glebe Gardens Cafe, Henry St, Launceston.
NTARC CW course - Every Wednesday night, on 3.580 MHz from 7 to 7.30 pm. Your CW Coach for the evening is Nic, VK7WW.
On Air Test and Technical gathering - Wednesday nights, on 3.567 MHz from 7.30 pm.
NTARC Technical night session - Wednesday 22nd July from 6.30 pm at the Club Room Archer Street, Rocherlea.
NTARC Coffee Mornings are held every Friday in the NTARC Club rooms. Time is from 10am to noon in the Rocherlea Clubrooms.
NW VK7 – Wednesday from 8:00pm local – NW Tassie Amateur Repeater Group Net on 2M VK7RMD and Allstar Node 56780
NW VK7 - Thursday commencing at 8:30pm local - N.W. Tassie 2m DX Net 144.190 USB
VK7 Events:
NTARC - 15 July - Mid Year Club Get-Together and Meal - Iron Horse Bar and Grill - 468 Westbury Rd, Prospect Vale, Launceston from 6pm.
NWTARC - 1 August - Bi-monthly Meeting & BBQ from midday at the Scout Hall, 73 Alexandra Road, Ulverstone.
REAST - 23 September - ADSB Support Presentation from 7:30pm in the Queens Domain Clubrooms and Streamed
VK - 7-8 Nov - Tassie Ham-E-Con Amateur Radio Conference - UTAS Sandy Bay
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A reminder to those people rostered for next weekâ€Ös broadcast:
Newsreader: VK7TW
Repeaters: REAST, NTARC and in the NW thanks to NWTARC, WCRG, NWCRRA, VK7AX, VK7JH and VK7DC
160m: VK7GS
80m: VK7DG
40m: VK7ALH
20m: VK7JGD
10m: VK7VKT
UHFCB24 & HFCB24: VK7FMAC & Luke
DMR: Talk Group 5 and D-Star Reflector 91C - Digital Group
2026 Roster -
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1iTod4MGlJRjXxi2vuDrHngoytZebSMph/view?usp=drive_link
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A big thank you to everyone who contributed to and supported this weekâ€Ös broadcast of the VK7 Amateur Radio News.
Thatâ€Ös it for this week! If you missed the live transmission, remember you can always catch the rebroadcast Tuesday at 8:00pm on VK7RAA in the North, VK7RHT, and UHFCB24/HFCB24 in the South.
Got news, stories, or updates to share? Weâ€Öd love to hear from you! Send them to vk7arnews@gmail.com by Friday 9pm. You can also join the conversation on our VK7 Amateur Radio News Groups.io page.
groups.io/g/vk7arnews
Stay tuned now for callbacks on this frequency, with each relay station using their own callsign.
On behalf of the VK7 News Team, this is Peter, VK7PD, wishing you good DX, and a great week ahead!
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(Posted to the packet radio network on behalf of the 'VK7 News Team' courtesy Tony VK7AX)
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