Broadcast - 27 Sept 2026
Last Wednesday evening the NTARC club rooms were opened so members could get together to watch a live event feed on the REAST YouTube channel. The presentation was by Mogens Anderson from ADSB Support, based in Denmark. The doors were opened by 7:00 pm with members soon arriving. Prior to the presentation we had a guided tour of the clubs ADSB Support receiver installation, when I say guided tour, it really was only looking at one small black box sitting on a shelf next to its UPS.
However, on the club room table we did have a disassembled ADSB receiver unit, for the inquisitive ones amongst us to delve into. And before you ask, when Mogens delivered the latest version unit in 2024, the original was opened up to recover the cavity filter block, for use in the next production run. So the one in pieces on the desk was our original unit supplied and installed back in 2023. I know you might find it a bit hard to believe, but our current working unit has never seen a screwdriver or been opened since we received it.
Unlike the current version, the original unit also incorporated a GPS module with its own external antenna mounted near the main telemetry antenna. The main processor board was a Beagle Bone Black and the accompanying daughter board, which is called a “cape”, was designed and manufactured in Denmark. The “cape” incorporates a Software Defined Receiver as well as the time and location reference coming from a Trimble GPS module, a very nicely engineered board. The only missing item was the cavity filter block. This teardown did help to put the equipment into context for the presentation though.
A big thank you to REAST for providing the video stream. It turned out to be a very informative presentation which generated local discussions that continued on into the late evening.
Last technical night at the clubroom Ross VK7ALH, brought in a very fresh and clean looking Palstar Inc. antenna matching unit, model AT1500CV. Not a toy, this one was quite hefty in physical size and capacity. Covering 1.8 to 30 MHz with a manufacturer rating of 1000 Watt tone and 1500 Watt PEP SSB. The front panel has a dual movement cross needle meter for forward and reverse power, incorporating a dual range scale for 300 or 3000 Watt. There is a position input and output selector for bypass, Coax 1, Coax 2 and balanced line output.
With the lid removed it was obviously in immaculate condition internally as well. Ross then brought out the units original Rotary Inductor, it had suffered a catastrophic RF arc-over and was looking very black and sorry for itself. Ross informed us that evidently this was a problem with the first batch of these units. Luckily, from his vast spares collection, Ross found a drop in replacement with a higher arc-over voltage rating. A fairly simple problem to fix, assuming you have the spares!
NTARC General Meeting reminder - To be held on Wednesday the 14th of October at 7:30 pm. Held at Rocherlea Scout Hall, Archer Street, Rocherlea. If you have items you would like added to the agenda please email the secretary at: secretary@ntarc.net no later than Tuesday the 13th October.
Now a very important reminder, JOTA is coming to NTARC club rooms Rocherlea. It is planned to be operational from noon on Saturday the 17th of October and 10 am on the Sunday. The usual activities of Radio talking, some morse code activities, electronic kits, JOTI internet chat and Fox hunting, weather permitting. So check your calendars and see if you are available for any period of time over the two days, any assistance would be very much appreciated. Please e-mail the secretary or turn up if you can.
As usual pictures will be available on the NTARC Web site under “Blogs” for this broadcast. NTARC 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 30th September 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.
That’s all folks,
73, Stefan VK7ZSB.
