WEST AUSTRALIAN VHF GROUP (INC)

                Minutes of 531st General Meeting, Monday June 23, 2003

                     Held Wireless Hill Meeting Room, Applecross

President, Alan VK6ZWZ, opened the meeting at 2010.

Apologies: Terry 6TRG, Colin 6ZCR, Cec 6AO

Visitors: Ron VK6AKI, Phil VK6APH, and Phil 6AD.

MINUTES: 

There being no minutes taken at the May Meeting being the annual "Junk Sale", 
the minutes of the April meeting were read and accepted.

Business arising:

Following the call for an Acting Treasurer, Chris 6KCH has volunteered. The 
President called for a vote of thanks to Chris for his assistance.

CORRESPONDENCE:

In: 

* Bank Statement
* AR and DUBUS magazines
* WIA subscription account
* From ACA about new EMR regulations
* From ACA with early advice concerning proposed consultation about revision of 
AR Regulatory arrangements.

Out:

* Application to ACA for a beacon licence for Wireless Hill (VK6RSP).

REPORTS:

A/Treasurer:

Chris 6KCH advised that:-

* The bank balance at 17th April was $1366.85.
* Membership subscriptions for 2003/4 are now due.
* Cheques for advance payment for 2.4 GHz equipment are being held unbanked 
until further notice.

Satellites:

Al 6ZAY and Phil 6ZKO advised that contacts have been plentiful on AO-40. 

Beacons:

Wal 6KZ reported that:-

* VK6RSX 144.576 MHz had been heard in Broome and Port Hedland recently. 
* VK6REP Esperance had been heard in Perth currently.
* VK6RPH, VK6RSW, VK6RBS and VK6RBU are operational.
* An application for a licence for SHF beacons at Wireless Hill had been lodged 
with ACA. The preferred callsign is VK6RSP.
* The 10GHz transmitter for VK6RBS is with Terry 6TRG for modification.
* Arrangements for the VK6RST installation at Mt Barker are proposed for late 
August or early September. An extra length of foam coax and N connectors is 
outstanding. (Phil 6ZKO offered to assist with this).

Don 6HK reported that:

* Contact was being maintained with a VK2 who is developing a new "crystal 
substitute" exciter board for beacons which is DDS based. It can be driven from 
a stable external reference and will provide CW and digital keying using the 
JT44 system.

* Modifications had been carried out to the VK6RPH power supply to overcome 
transient problems occurring with the cutover to STW diesel emergency power 
plant.

Unusual VHF Activities:

(1) Al 6ZAY detailed his progress with radio astronomy work using his 3m dish. 
So far 4 or 5 galaxy sources had been identified. Much effort has gone into gain 
stabilization of the receiver electronics by Peltier device cooling of the front 
end and heating other electronics.

GENERAL BUSINESS:

(1) There was considerable general discussion about the new ACA EMR rules.

(2) Wal 6KZ advised that Bill 6AS was still off 2mx as his large arrayed had 
effectively been destroyed by storm damage.

(3) Don 6HK advised that Craig 6JJJ at Karratha was equipped with stacked yagis 
for 2mx and a vertical for 50 Mhz and is interested in digital modes. However 
M/S tests on 50 MHz produced no result.

(4) Don 6HK reported on lack of progress with the proposed 2.4 Ghz equipment 
order from Graham Lewis VK2XGL. The latter's website had disappeared and no 
reply had been received to e-mail requesting advice on progress. 



The meeting closed at 2055, to be followed by a presentation by Chris Hill 
VK6KCH on "Required Image Rejection for 2.4-144 MHz Downconverters". Chris 
graphically demonstrated the problem being caused by the new "3G" Cellphone base 
stations currently being installed.



......................President                    ....................Secretary