Redfest 2024 Update

Greetings from the Redcliffe and Districts Radio Club VK4RC.

Robert Thomson VK4TFN here.

REDFEST 2024, 9 am Saturday the 6th of April at St Michael's College Caboolture.

Our website is redclifferadioclub.org.au

Breakfast is at 8 and there will be a cafe serving coffee, tea, cakes, slices and cookies.

Vendors start booking now. $10 per table,

[email protected]

The raffle prize is the ICOM ID 5100A VHF/UHF dual band digital TxRX as well as lucky door prizes. Tickets $5 each on sale now.

There will be tables and displays, especially for the ladies and ALARA will be there.

Thank you and 73's from the Redcliffe and District Radio Club VK4RC.*

Hello, I’m Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and I’ve been thinking.

This month is rushing to it climax as it marks the Leap Year that heralds the Olympic Games in a few more months. Colleges and schools have resumed the order and the routine of life is only interrupted by the changes in the weather.

I thought I would indulge in some retrospection. My younger self was intrigued and engaged by the now antique creation of the crystal set radio. The first one that I remember was in a nicely constructed wooden case which was polished to a high shine in the style of good quality furniture. My home built unit was on pieces of wood salvaged from boxes that had transported fruit and was not polished, just rough cut unvarnished wood. But that was the baptism into the indulgence and enjoyment of radio and amateur radio in particular.

Recently the control buttons on my TV remote started to fail internally and after removing the cover for an inspection and checking the cost of a replacement, I opted for the easy fix of buying a new remote. Now this was from a seller in Victoria and it ended up taking 8 days for it to arrive to alleviate my increasing frustration with the ever more failing unit it had to replace. The tracking was good until the parcel arrived at the mail sorting centre for southern Queensland where my much needed remote rested for four days out of the 8. It then arrived on the eighth day with the fanfare of an SMS and an email but no more tracking. Relief from the faulty unit had come at last.

Around the same time, I had been looking at the very popular dual band hand held radio which is a toy of choice for many amateurs around the world. What caught my interest was the range of amateur bands that it covered on receive and the fact that a previous HT of the same brand had given good service. Then an ad popped up for an on line site with what seemed a fair price for one of these radios. It turns out the sales site is located in the State Capital, Brisbane, and with the appeal of fast delivery and free postage as part of the deal, I succumbed to the temptation and invested in one Chinese made radio.

The tracking was superb as the parcel travelled from mainland China to the Brisbane International Airport and thence to the Redbank Mail Centre. Once again it seemed that my agony was going to be prolonged as nothing happened until the next day and without announcement the radio was delivered to my front door. It had taken just six days from when I paid for the radio to when it was delivered beating the local purchase by 2 days.

I don’t know if there is a moral to all this other than to stay calm and not fret when your goods are being transported by the local postal service. I am now getting acquainted with the button presses and getting closer to some old fashioned SWL type monitoring.

I’m Geoff Emery VK4ZPP and that’s what I think….how about you?

G’day from Central Queensland.

I’m Mark VK4XMC, and along with the members and committee of the

Gladstone Amateur Radio Club we would like to invite you to our annual fundraiser BBQ Saturday 9th March at the beautiful and family-friendly East Shores Gladstone Harbour.

Come and see live demos of the latest ICOM radios and get involved in a foxhunt or two. It's a casual gathering with radios to raffle and a fast auction.

All inquiries to [email protected]

or find us on Facebook.

See you there!

Hello, I’m Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and I’ve been thinking.

Tomorrow is the day that license fees are no longer required as the Class Licence regime comes into force. There is still some confusion about how certain matters will be dealt with under this new framework but it seems that the ACMA has been quite assiduous in following up on detail. It remains to be seen if we will end up with the regulations spelled out in plain language for everyone to understand, not just public servants.

I have wondered about the rivalry that contests evoke. Some people seem to have a very competitive spirit akin to sporting rivalries whilst others enjoy the effort of just doing better than they did before. Short burst activities such as sprints offer a relative equality to people within a time zone perhaps but with things such as grey line propagation involved there can be both advantage and disadvantage for contestants at different ends of the continent. Similarly the application of time zones to the duration of the contests can impact the success of stations and this is without the considerations of space weather influences.

Recent flare activity on the Sun has resulted in noise and blackouts effecting some geographical areas and not others. For example, it is possible that Western Australia could suffer a strike whilst the eastern states are unaffected.

With all the forecast material available on the internet from multitudinous sources, it makes the life of the DX operator on HF much simpler but the immediate effects on contest operators can be frustrating periods of inactivity.

So here is the dilemma: conditions are variable and can favour some areas above others, the rules could be amended but who can referee the variations and adherence or it could be accepted that there will never be fairness and scores simply represent the results on a particular event. All of this seems very complicated except for the last solution and that would require a cosmic shift in attitude for some operators.

I would suggest that the current sense of competitiveness really is misplaced when there is no “level playing field”. Imagine if at the upcoming Olympics if some competitors were allowed to claim running records with wind assistance or swimmers no longer had to touch as they turned in their lanes. The hue and cry would be enormous as when football teams have an extra player on the field during substitutions. Surely the same ethical standards should apply when we amateur operators compete!

I suppose this would be too hot a potato to hold and we won’t see any practical response to suggestions like this. However, I believe we should all be striving for the best in our pursuit of excellence and ensuring fairness in what we do should be at the top of the priority list.

I’m Geoff Emery VK4ZPP and that’s what I think….how about you?

Hello, I’m Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and I’ve been thinking.

In the world of family-owned businesses such as pastoral holdings, we often hear the term “succession planning” used. It is not simply something to think about in terms of Monopoly board finances but something that affects each of us in different ways. As members of clubs, the incorporation documents will include terms under which the assets will be distributed in the event of closing down.

Personally, the same need is met by the legal document called a “will” which allows for and sets out how the person wants their estate handled and where items are to be distributed.

Back in club land, there is another form of succession and that is the choosing of office bearers whose task it is to run the organisation as laid down in the constitution and articles. When numbers shrink, it is often the same faces that populate the top table, year after year, simply because there seems to be no one else.

At home, we gather as much equipment as we think necessary to pursue our recreation of amateur radio, fishing, bush walking, vintage car restoration or wine collection. We tend to cherish these items because of the pleasure they bring in use and the storehouse of memories they have accumulated. They are, in other words, important to us. Now it is normally true that when we value items, we wish to dispose of them so that others who appreciate them will get the chance to enjoy them too. There is also the commercial reality that it may be necessary to recoup money to meet expenses and the auction house gets to set the value at the sale time.

Sadly we do see that people do suffer traumas and they do die. If there is no planning, then the need to dispose of beloved belongings will possibly fall to people who don’t have the same regard for the cherished items. With transmitting gear, it is wise to ensure that it only goes to people or bodies with the appropriate credentials, that is licensed operators or clubs run by qualified people.

We don’t treat our office bearers as commodities like our rigs but practically we need to ensure that the membership of our club is maintained and suitable people get to learn the mechanics of how the club operates. If an office holder has to retire then there is no rush to find someone to fill the position just because the articles of association require it. If there are people who are familiar with the processes and procedures then the transition goes ahead without stress.

The same situation applies when it comes to the election of office bearers.

As the Class Licence will impose a few new quirks on club procedures for running repeaters and the like, now is the time when a good discussion and understanding of the requirements should be happening. Perhaps it should also be a trigger for a wider exploration of how we can make things better.

I’m Geoff Emery VK4ZPP and that’s what I think….how about you?

-------------------------------------------------------*

Social Scene

Redcliffe and Districts REDFEST April 6 (vk4tfn)

WIA AGM held MAY 4-5 2024 in BUNDABERG. (barc)

Hi everyone , my name is Steve VK4SJH.

I am pleased to announce that the Redcliffe Radio Club will be starting the 2024 Amateur Advanced Training Course on 10th February via Microsoft Teams.

Your instructors will be myself, Mark VK4EMP and Ken VK4AKH.

The course will be run every Sunday 7:30pm to 9PM using Alan Jenners VK4KZ excellent notes and other sources. You will find the instructors very helpful and friendly. Go to the Redcliffe Radio Club’s website for details including email address and mobile phone number via the online form stating that you would like more information about the Advanced course.

If you think that you would like to do the Standard training for the Standard exam don’t worry our course teaches at both levels.

David VK4DN from the Bundy Amateur Radio Club.

Just a quick update about the huge WIA Convention and HamFest happening this year on May 4th and 5th in Bundaberg.

The event promises to be a great opportunity to buy and sell new and used equipment but also an amazing weekend for visitors to the Bundaberg region. Network with other amateurs from all over Australia and New Zealand.

VK stations, mark your calendars for May 4th and 5th - your 2024 Bundaberg WIA Convention and HamFest.

David VK4DN from the Bundy Amateur Radio Club.

Hello, I’m Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and I’ve been thinking.

Apart from the devastation so many people have suffered in the almost freakish weather we have endured, in the last several days, there is one thing that springs to my mind. The government has been issuing reminders for people to have an evacuation kit ready for immediate use. This certainly is a great idea and for many of the less agile a suitable container that can be moved on wheels will be a help also. A recent trip away reminded me just how much we need to transport and this was just medical aids, clothing and the like. Documents, photographs, jewellery and the like weren’t even taken and the car seemed to be filled.

This is not the point other than to show how many important items have to be included on a list and prepared for transport. When it comes to clubs the situation is compounded as they also have belongings and records to consider. Who has the responsibility for ensuring that these items can be removed in times of emergency and taken to safe storage? When you consider the cost of replacement, an average ham shack can soon accumulate a bill running to a few thousand dollars. If you have ever had to prepare a list for an insurance claim you will know how quickly the figures can build up.

So obviously, for a club, there needs to be a schedule of what needs to be removed quickly in the event of a threat to the items belonging to the club. Are there lists of items to be prioritised and containers for transport as well as the manpower and means of removal? These are all considerations that can be overlooked in a club where no drama is expected. The TV footage I have seen of the overnight flooding in parts of southern Queensland show how people can be caught unawares and in many cases clubs have premises, leased by local councils, which are subject to floods. If this is a known risk, have precautions been taken such as providing benches or roof storage which might save items that have to be left behind or when access is already lost?

There are many things to consider in keeping the assets of a club safe and the where, why and how are going to be determined by local factors. Just because fire has never been through an area or it hasn’t flooded in living memory doesn’t mean that it can’t happen, as this past weeks victims can attest.

Organisation is a task that needs to be thorough and preparation needs to be based on sound facts. If we haven’t managed to prepare for the worst, it is really time to pull the finger out.

I’m Geoff Emery VK4ZPP and that’s what I think how about you

This is Graham VK4CEG for the Brisbane Amateur Radio Club.

It was an excellent first day back at Brisbane Amateur Radio Club. Rick, S77RP, VK4HC when in Australia, visited from the Saychelles. We contacted two stations in the Saychelles on 20, 15, 24, and 10 meters using the Club station VK4BA. Several members all took turns passing the microphone around. Surprisingly 10 meters was excellent armchair copy from Brisbane.

On the same day, Michael, VK4MWL showed his home built VHF UHF antenna and explained Satellites Communications. Mike made two contacts through the International Space Station to VK2 and VK3. Mike's antenna can be seen on the Brisbane Amateur Radio Clubs facebook page.

This is Graham VK4CEG for the Brisbane Amateur Radio Club.

Hello, I’m Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and I’ve been thinking.

It is hardly a mystery that the weather has loomed large in most peoples’ minds with both a moderate heat wave affecting comfort and sleep for many in the east of VK4 and then we have the promised cyclone. The disruption to lives of people in the areas targeted by the tropical low with its deluge of rain and winds is both a mental issue and a physical one with stress and property damage being issues that reflect the personal impacts of so-called “acts of God.”

However, the shops are not only sporting early entrance to Easter with buns and chocolate eggs but the earlier festive day, the 14th of February, now sporting items to tinkle the keys of the cash registers and point of sale terminals. Love may have been the motive for the majority of popular music but it is surely the reason for Valentine’s Day to also be the anniversary date of the change over to decimal currency back in 1966. Love may make the world go round but the almighty dollar keeps us motivated in survival mode.

Regardless of these traditional things, there is coming change which will impact all amateur licences on the Australian register and that is the introduction of class licensing. Like many, we have received the letter from the ACMA telling us of the immediate effects on our own licences.

From posts to various groups, it is patently obvious that the language being used is causing much confusion to many people who have also received this letter.

One of the useful publications for many people who have to put into writing the things that others need to be aware of and that is the Australian Government Style Guide. It is a book that is readily available and often is used as an adjunct to course work in college courses. The premise is that the language we use should be appropriate to our audience and it seems this letter misses the mark. I find that I peck at the material which the Australian Communications Authority has provided us as my mind tires in interpreting bureaucratise into plain English, these days. I had hoped for a smaller set of instructions in plain language but it seems the subject matter has been rendered into prolix language for what reason?

On the ground, or in the shack, there will be little change to what we radio amateurs do so really there should be little cause for concern. The annual dip into the wallet to pay a licence fee is being abolished so many people will find it easier to join the WIA and receive the benefits of being a member as a result.

We live in hope of better days ahead and to those who are surviving the weather conditions, you are in our thoughts.

I’m Geoff Emery VK4ZPP and that’s what I think….how about you?

Hello, I’m Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and I’ve been thinking.

Soon we should know if the weather is giving us another featured event with the formation of a new cyclone on the east coast. It seems that the El Nino pattern has confused many into thinking it must be dry. Like so much about the natural world, the climate sciences are dealing with unthinkable numbers of variables when they look for patterns and then develop predictions over long and short terms.

In some ways, it would seem that predicting space weather for electromagnetic spectrum users is an easier task in that the dynamics can be better observed, clarified and outcomes predicted. The fun for us radio enthusiasts is being able to pick the results that we experience and the calls we get in the log as a result.

Now that the educational world is resuming classes, many people will be resuming patterns left behind for some weeks and others will be engrossed in new experiences whether as new students or as new parents fledging their offspring. Life that is predictable within a framework tends to be more comfortable to the human psyche and we all look forward to that stability.

As the pattern of life resumes after a nominal holiday period, forward planning should be on the minds of hams with the change of propagation patterns with the revolving seasons and contests to engage the competitive spirits amongst us. I wonder how many have their calendars marked for events they hope to enjoy, this year?

Around my part of the world, the mundane seems to be overwhelming the need for relaxation. As I have mentioned before, the grass keeps growing in the warm and humid weather. I spoke with one person during the week who is having to get behind the lawn mower up to three times a week. There seems to be a reason for enjoying apartment living even with the limitations in mounting antennas which that lifestyle imposes.

It seems that as we age unless we have inherited an estate worthy of a lord, many of us have to learn new survival skills by downsizing our belongings and activities.

We move into smaller accommodations, perhaps with restrictions on what we can erect and even whether we can pursue recreations that have given us pleasure in our younger lives. This is the benefit of belonging to social groups such as radio clubs where issues can be discussed and hopefully solutions found.

The lifestyle benefits of senior enclaves are portrayed in expensive TV ads but the limitations are often profoundly missing.

Perhaps we should, as a dispersed community, be looking to ways of supporting different sectors of the amateur cohort. Rather than take the approach that we are all one group with one pursuit in mind, maybe we can try and gear activities towards the different age groups we seek to encourage and support.

I suppose what I am suggesting is that we need some imaginative thinking to sustain amateur radio today.

I’m Geoff Emery VK4ZPP and that’s what I think….how about you?

Social Scene

Clubs are welcome to submit text with audio for this section

Redcliffe and Districts REDFEST April 6 (vk4tfn)

WIA AGM held MAY 4-5 2024 in BUNDABERG. (barc)

Peter Lord, VK3FPL/4 moved some 25 years ago to Queensland for his retirement, living at Gilston in the Gold Coast hinterland.

He was active on all bands to UHF, with many HF skeds to friends bank home in Melbourne.

Born in 1929, he was an official photographer and film-maker at the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games, and soon set up a leading film processing company employing hundreds of people. He invested in a diverse range of businesses, including one which made high-quality pipe organs for churches and recital halls. A genius master craftsman, Peter seemed able to make or fix almost anything, with a well-equipped workshop in the garage under his home.

Well into his 50s, Peter was actively involved in motorcycle racing, competing with some success at the Easter races at Mount Panorama, Bathurst.

Peter’s house bristled with antennas, almost all of which he had constructed himself, the centrepiece being a tall aluminium tower with VHF Yagis and a huge 40m beam.

Time catches us all in the end, and Peter was alert and active until his passing aged just shy of 95 years on December 17.

He will be sorely missed by his wife of 50 years, his family and a great many friends.

Vale Peter Lord, VK3FPL.

( From Chris Edmondson, VK4EO )

Hello, I’m Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and I’ve been thinking.

It seems to be that this year is off to the proverbial flying start as we are already 14 days into January. I suppose the feeling of time passing by is hastened by going into the supermarket and seeing the display of Easter hot cross buns. Be that as it may, I wonder how many of us have our calendars market with the amateur activities we want to enjoy for this year?

On that point, the current issue of Amateur Radio magazine has a great two page calendar of contests as the centre fold courtesy of Alan, VK4SN. If we just want this information for personal use or as an aid for our club activities, this is the very useful Christmas present. I still miss the release of the annual callbook which contained so much of this kind of material. Every so often I see someone trying to verify details from years back and inevitably it is the callbook sitting on someone’s shelf that has the answer. Perhaps my hope is in vain but I would like to see it resume publication notwithstanding the somewhat specious claims of loss of privacy that caused the ACMA to end its licensing.

I have been trying to keep abreast of the weather forecasts and it almost seems that we are in a recurrent pattern, this summer. The heat of the days and the frequent showers provide a constant reminder as the grass seems reach higher for the clouds each day. In some areas there have been random but strong storms bringing deluges and currently there is a focus on the Gulf of Carpentaria where a low pressure system could spawn another cyclone.

Over some time I have invested in what are called power banks as a support when we need to use medical equipment and the mains is off, in particular and hopefully also use some for playing radios away from home. There have been some good price reductions from various outlets and hopefully a lot of us have taken the opportunity to grab a New Year bargain. The most versatile unit I have includes USB and 12 volt outlets along with a modest sine-wave inverter. Perhaps with the capacity of a club bulk buy, people could get the benefit of further discounts on buying units like this.

Once again the various reports on Sunspot Cycle 25 indicate a volatility which provides a lottery of operating conditions. Now there are suggestions that the cycle should peak this year and not 2025 as was previous thought. For many operators who have never experienced the joys of radio in a sunspot maximum, it is the time to put a signal on air and like fishing, see what bites.

I’m Geoff Emery VK4ZPP and that’s what I think….how about you?

It is with sadness that we report the passing of a real gentleman and former member of the Sunshine Coast Amateur Radio Club known affectionately to all as Doctor Rod VK4MRC.

Rod Cardell was well-liked at the club and in his community and died December 27th in Nambour after ill health, his funeral was held on January 3 and attended by family, friends and club members. Dr Rod a retired doctor and former Ansett Pilot, was born in Brisbane on the 4th of July 1932 and was a child of WW2, living in the shadow of Mt Louisa Townsville in Far North Qld from 1942 to 1945 adjacent to the Stock Route Airstrip which became a US and Australian Air force base during the war. He had many great adventures and put them to paper in 1991 when he wrote the book, “Wings Around Us” which includes the story of how his father refused to sell his house to make way for the Airbase, so it was built around them. He is missed by his children, grandchildren, club members, and the local community. Vale Dr Rod VK4MRC.

Hello, I’m Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and I’ve been thinking.

The fireworks that marked the New Year Celebrations are now just a memory but the world around us continues with infinite variability. The possible peak of activity may be upon us for Sunspot Cycle 25 with solar flares, radio blackouts and amazing DX if I understand the reports. The weather has been going to be wet for days but the skies cleared and people have been looking forward to basic services such as electricity, telephones and the internet. Areas that suffered from storms and deluges with extreme damage to housing are ironically getting water back to their homes as the localised flooding recedes.

At my QTH, we had storm activity and woke up the following day, New Year's Eve, with no internet. With the brilliance of the design of the NBN, this also meant no home telephone and our main service provider and the one I use as backup were all unavailable. A day without online entertainment was little more than an inconvenience but it indicated how many advisory services are now geared to delivery via the Internet. We had no access to immediate weather advice or means of accessing it other than via good old-fashioned broadcast, free-to-air, services. It seems the outage was localised as it has not been mentioned on any service that I have used.

We woke up for New Year's Day with the service restored but stories running in the news are indicating many people have been without services since Boxing Day and they live not knowing what is happening in the community that sustains them. For these people, it would seem the planners have put all their eggs in one basket and then dropped it.

It is interesting to hear the electricity supply people saying that the quickest way of restoring power to many areas is to set up small networks that transportable generators can service. Then as if this is the ultimate fix, hearing from one spokesperson that this solution will save householders from having generators. Sorry mate, but since when has redundancy of services been unnecessary? Householders might not have the means to replace telecommunications but should be able to protect themselves with readily available equipment.

I wonder what involvement there has been in the whole weather-born situation from radio amateurs and whether radio clubs have been able to assist during the Christmas to New Year period. I am not aware, at this stage. Have you been affected or has your club suffered loss or been involved? This is the news that should be shared widely. There is a spirit of generosity within our community but for it to be demonstrated, the needs have to be known.

There has been some interesting activity during the recent heatwave in the south of the State with VHF signals being received in places quite distant from their source.

I’m Geoff Emery VK4ZPP and that’s what I think….how about you?

Redcliffe and Districts radio club.

http://www.wia.org.au/clubs/vk4/RedcliffeAndDistrictRadioClub/

Redfest 2024

HAPPY NEW YEAR from Redcliffe and Districts Radio Club VK4RC.

Robert Thomson VK4TFN here.

We have a date for REDFEST 2024

It'll be the 6th of April, the first Saturday.

Our website is www.redclifferadioclub.org.au

So, hope you had a merry little Christmas and still keep your eye out for that Kris Krinkle fella. He spreads merry mirth and good cheer everywhere he goes.

You must remember: if you're going drink, don't drive or if you're going to drive, well then don't drink.

We'll see you all in the new year, it starts tomorrow!

73 from the Redcliffe and Districts Radio Club VK4RC.

Thank you

Robert Thomson VK4TFN

Hello, I’m Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and I’ve been thinking.

Whilst we are in the festive season, there are so many this year who will have bitter memories of the ending of 2023. From the north of the state where the cyclone caused devastation to the south where extreme summer storms have caused momentous damage and further loss of life we have been subjected to the strength of natural disasters.

It was around 20 years ago that various bodies were releasing studies which gave a foreboding scenario for the years ahead. As I recall, the Army projected that changing weather would call for its resources to be deployed around the South Pacific region and the insurance industry found that the strength of natural weather phenomena was going to increase in the future. Sadly these projections appear to have come true.

My sources show that at least two households of amateur operators associated with National WIA News have been impacted by property damage from the Christmas and Boxing Day storms. I can only assume that there will be others of the amateur community who will have had to call their insurance company too.

As we move into the New Year and a new management structure in February, we should not lose sight of the warnings that have preceded the current events. Some of the language used has caused offence with language literalists claiming that the weather and climate is always changing and then there is no such activity as “climate change”. Whether that term is correct or not hardly matters when the things that have happened have been warned about and we are experiencing the results now.

I would say we need as individuals and members of families and organisations that we need to make the best preparations for what will happen, regardless of what it is called, the best preparedness that we know how. I would think that clubs can spread the message amongst members and take their story to their local community. It is not new and the US has shown us how with programs sponsored through the ARRL and other groups. It is not a case that we should be alarmist but rather a considered display of facts and demonstrated responses that work is what is needed.

As there has been a fall off of volunteering since the COVID lock-downs it is more important than ever that those of us who can contribute actually get out and do a bit. As we have experience in a recreation which has developed for over 100 years,

it has demonstrated that growth can and does happen by evolution and not simply revolution, as some would have it. The fact that hams have not, in this country,

been noted for their involvement in community work should be no barrier to heading in that direction.

After all, we all have family and friends and we all make up our community. In helping others we are in fact helping ourselves and helping the next great flowering of amateur radio.

I’m Geoff Emery VK4ZPP and that’s what I think….how about you?

Redfest 2024

Merry Xmas from the Redcliffe and Districts Radio Club VK4RC.

Robert Thomson VK4TFN here.

We have a date for REDFEST 2024

It'll be the 6th of April, the first Saturday.

Our website is www dot redcliffe radio club dot org dot au

So, have yourself a merry little xmas and keep your eye out for that Kris Krinkle fella.

He spreads merry mirth and good cheer everywhere he goes.

You must remember: if you're going drink, don't drive or if you're going to drive, well then don't drink.

We'll see you all in the new year.

Merry Xmas and 73's from the

Redcliffe and Districts Radio Club VK4RC.

Hello, I’m Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and I’ve been thinking.

Now is the time for us to be sharing Christmas wishes and for many this will have a special poignancy. There will be people missing from the festivities who last year shared our lives and who enjoyed the pleasure of company of their family and friends. There will be those who are needed to work and support others in the community and there are those who suffering the ravages that the weather has wrought. To each and every one, we send best wishes and season’s greetings with the hope that next year, our lives will be enriched and comforted.

It isn’t usual to cast a sombre note but in the aftermath of Cyclone Jasper, we are seeing the results of extreme weather with people seeking to recover from the various losses that they have suffered. Once again we have seen the media reports of communication failures with infrastructure damaged or inadequate for the abnormal weather. Some 20 years ago, the topic was how do we harden the mobile network as the reaction to terrorist attacks was foremost. These days it seems almost as if we should accept the inadequacy of the communications network instead of seeking to strengthen its capacity.

For those of us who have been spared the harshest winds and heaviest rains, we can seek the best comfort in the celebrations under wet or overcast skies with the hope that tomorrow the storms will abate and the DX will be 5&9.

I hope you find the presents you wanted beneath the tree and the people you love surround you.

From all of the QNews team, we wish you a Merry Christmas.

…..and that’s what I think.

I’m Geoff Emery VK4ZPP

Social Scene

Clubs are welcome to submit text with audio for this section

Redcliffe and Districts REDFEST April 6 (vk4tfn)

WIA AGM held MAY 4-5 2024 in BUNDABERG (barc)