Broadcast - 11 Oct 2026
At our last club‑room technical night, Ross VK7ALH, kicked things off with what appeared to be a homemade power supply, both substantial physically and also current output. Its most striking feature being a front and rear panel made from aluminium checker plate, giving it quite an industrial appearance. Finished off with a well ventilated, perforated outer cover, incorporating a rubberised handle for transport. After an internal inspection of control boards, it appears to have been a commercial power supply that has been transplant into a new housing, most likely to allow for the inclusion of voltage and current metering as well as an increase in output regulation devices. Yet another interesting unit requiring some of your “tender loving care” Ross!
Club room technical nights just wouldn’t be complete without a 3D printed offering by someone, the last tech night was no exception. Colin VK7ZCF, had two different 3D printed, pole-top attachable devices with him for our perusal:
Firstly a central hub designed to accommodate two, telescopic antennas. Both mounted horizontally, they can individually extend out either side of the hub to about 5 metres. The hub also accommodates a panel mount SO259 socket for co-axial cable feeder connection. This makes it a very versatile, and quickly adjusted dipole antenna for a required frequency, as long as the desired frequencies are marked on the telescopic sections or you have a tape measure and “cheat sheet”.
Colin’s second 3D printed item was a rather nice pole top cap with an offset, over the side, nylon pulley wheel with ball bearing race. This neat and simple concept to have a pulley mounted on top of a pole gives him the ability to easily pull up an antenna wire or the centre of a “folded V”, with minimal pulling resistance and maximum convenience.
These two items were specifically made to fit his telescopic, aluminium, window washing pole that extends to over 12 metres in length which was covered in June. It had individual sections that were not the usual friction extended-hold found with fiberglass but each section incorporated a cam locking device. Remember, the one called "CNHOPOLE"… with the “Danger Electrocution” warning printed on the side. Thank you Colin, we await field trial results.
NTARC General Meeting reminder - This 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 this 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 will be available, 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.
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 General Meeting - This Wednesday the 14th October at 7:30 pm. Held at the NTARC Club Room, Rocherlea Scout Hall, Archer Street, Rocherlea.
Club Room Technical night - The next session will be Wednesday the 28th October 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
