HamishZL2HC - ZL2AA Gisborne Amateur Radio Club

Hamish ZL2HC

Email: <you AT SPAMFREE example DOT com>

9.3.10

Can now get into 685 with long Yagi. Now need to have a rotator on that aerial so can vary between 4575 digi 690 and 685. AGM am still on committee and repeater trustee. From general meeting Alan with my assistance is to write to Kordia and hopefully get a firm offer by the next meeting, If not acceptable plan is to remove equipment soonest next month after meeting. Winter is coming and removal of gear will take long enough. IRLP seems to be working well, interesting how many other areas have problems. Still our national system node is off air and most of the other repeaters need major work to allow full use. Other areas probably have just as good reasons for delays in maintenance

23.2.10

Got my Alliance 20 year old plus rotator working to allow 5el 70cm beam to move between the local repeaters

Mechanical indicating and motor operating system all stopped from working by a stuck spring, still it is great to hear and see the clunk clunk as it moves in 10 degree steeps

Thanks to Ross it now seems it is only the local repeater transmitter of the national system that is not working as well as it was installed. Hopefully we will soon find out the results of the NZART council meeting and know what the situation is with the Kordia site. IRLP now seems to be working with the received sound of good quality. Thanks to Jim for all the information but I won't mention how long it took me to work it all out. Still I know a little more about Linux and the system operation

17.2.10

Good turn out in the end at a committee meeting. I think fruitful and informative. Good to hear Alex on the net even if his news was not so good. Believe he also went on the 160m net later. Emails exchanged about IRLP but it looks like there is no easy fix and we will have to work through possible solutions. Assumed a weaker national system signal was large tree in that direction but it appears it may be more general. Hopefully the face to face meeting of the NZART council next weekend will give a definite result on the Kordia siting agreement so the trustees can proceed with repeater maintenance and upgrades without the possibility of the time and money being wasted.

1.2.10

Good to see a weather station on in HB last week but haven't seen it since. Different radio appears to give me reliable access of the ZL2AS digi, original one pretty poor. Put on beacon about 690 net but only one HB station came up, after net. Heard from Alan ZL2AOP there is an amateur now working up the coast

Sent email to Alan in Hamilton (IRLP guru) to see if he can suggest changes or remotely alter settings before we try changing the sound card. No announcements about the Kordia agreement or further comments about the loss of the ATV channel a possible replacement or the six meter changes

24.1.10

Went with Roger up to 680. Roger brought test equipment which allowed checking of the repeater and I had made up some gear to check the audio of the IRLP. Sound card output is very noisy so apart from checking the repeater operation no further IRLP checks were done on the IRLP system. Roger replaced the internet connection plug and secured the cable and Tom provide signals from his home for checking and to ensure the system was still operating before we left. A new sound card is being looked for . Took more detail pictures of the 680 equipment which I will put on the web site and the TV repeater as time permits. Nice to see an weather station at Napier on the Hawkes Bay digi. Seems to come and go. I get good reception of ZL2AS-3 since I installed my 11 element LPY on the roof If the amateurs definitely are to lose the CH39 television band then this will save some license fees and hopefully any allocation round 60MHz will have some security and will also be available to amateurs in other countries
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9.1.10

As it appears the future of amateur digital television in all but the microwave bands is to be round 60MHz I checked a friends LCD television set with a Freeview digital television receiver built in. It happily accepted and searched for digital televisions signal round 50 and 60 MHz. I also note that the Samsung set on digital can be set to 7MHz channels as used by the Australians on VHF High band or 8MHz channels the UHF digital standard

Also his year the MED have to change the existing UHF TV licences to a general radio users licence. Wonder if that will affect the ATV repeaters ?

8.1.10

See the NZART site for the likely future of amateur television. Lose channel 39 get the full 6 meter band for normal use plus just above for digital amateur television. Likely 3 to 5 years away but hopefully where television channel 2 is not in use amateurs can start digital television sooner. Wonder what the coverage will be, should be pretty good going on existing tv analogue coverage. Probably need downconvertors for receive and transmit. Hopefully a lot of amplifiers and aerials will become available

Still playing with solar water heating on the cheap

5.1.10

20010 already, good to see high usage of IRLP over the holidays. The noise of the receive signal didn't seem to cause too many problems. Robert is to try and remote adjust it and I have made up an attenuator in case the problem is too high a level out of the sound card and it can't be adjusted in software. But it is being looked into as well as the double tails at times. A pity the original settings were lost with the computer failure but once the tweaks are worked out be assured many copies will be made.

The wind generator got a good work out over the last few days but unless you have a reliable clear source of wind I think solar panels (may the price continue to drop) are a better way to go in built up areas.

27.12.09

Probably won't make it to the BBQ today, hope there is a good turn out. Along with Tom and Roger helped move a tower for a wind generator mount, it will probably give better results than mine when up due to more wind out of town

24.12.09

the usual suspects were involved in getting the IRLP going on 680 on Xmas eve. Much thanks are due to Roger who got the information required before the trip and getting settings changed at the last minute to allow operation, Tom for assisting at the site and cordinating all the emails phone calls, tests required, me for having the keys to get them in and most of all Robert who not only made three trips to the site during the evening but had the knowledge and ability to do what need to be done. Also he donated and installed a UPS which should provide continuation of service which would otherwise require a trip to the site after any mains variations to restore service

The noise on the received signal may be due to the sound card in the computer or the fact that the system is operating on the original settings as supplied, as the settings tweaked for best results were lost with the computer failure. But this can looked at in the future. Both the repeater rack and the IRLP cabinet have padlocks on them now with use the same key thanks to I believe to Mike and Tom

19.12.09

with assistance from Roger, Tom, Robert, Mike and me all the gear for IRLP is now installed in the new cabinet next to the 680 repeater, a neat job and only awaiting the information on the broadband connection for Robert to hopeful have it all operational next week. Had four on the net at 2100 hrs on 690 last week, hope for more especially those from the south, to be on this weekend but most people are rather busy..

Funny sort of weather just hope the fine part continues till we are able to do some work on 690 .

[[Imagelink(1.jpg,alt=680 and batteries,width=720)]]

... 9.12.09

Really enjoyed the talk by the Radio Inspector. Very information and certainly a lot more interesting that gathering the information from other sources. And his gear!!! Things have sure changed over the years

Slowly working on my solar water heating system, seems a pity to let all this sun go to waste. Most people who have been on the Sunday night net seem keen on the change of time, 690 will increase the coverage to some members and ex members who can not access 680. Some local amateurs can not access 690 but of those hardly any have ever been on the net. Anyone for linking repeaters ?. Got my Break-In, 100 less members than this time last year (soon should be 99, I consider the $10 to be a donation). Seems there will soon be a lot more 4575 APRS digis around soon or is that just more licensed. (As a charitable organisation does a branch or NZART qualify for a individual $250 infrigment from the MED for a breach of the radio regs or is it the corporate one of $1250 ? and as NZART now are the licencee of each repeater would they rather than the branches get hit and what about incorporated branches which do legally exist? I think it's easier to make sure we don't find out as even $250 could buy another battery for a repeater)

6.12.09

680 IRLP Cat 5e has been run in conduit at the repeater site with properly mounted connectors at each end

this will allow the broadband to be plugged in at one end when available and the IRLP computer plugged in at the other end when it is shifted, A separate metal cabinet has been mounted on the wall next to the repeater rack for the IRLP computer. The power supply to the pump is outside the metal cabinet but a power outlet and Cat 5e outlet are in the cabinet. The rack side has been secured and work is proceeding on a lock for the rack door

Thanks to all those who helped both with materials and labour

Got my Break-In, 100 less members than this time last year (soon should be 99, I consider the $10 to be a donation). Seems there will soon be a lot more 4575 APRS digis around soon or is that just more licensed. (As a charitable organisation does a branch or NZART qualify for a individual $250 infrigment from the MED for a breach of the radio regs or is it the corporate one of $1250 ? and as NZART now are the licencee of each repeater would they rather than the branches get hit and what about incorporated branches which do legally exist? I think it's easier to make sure we don't find out as even $250 could buy another battery for a repeater)

5.12

Installed Tait T498 in vehicle with speaker. Works fine and allows me to use both scanner receivers in workshop. Installed mimic amplifier in workshop Tait improved 12 Sinad from 1.2uV to .4uV according to my old test gear, not that I'm into vintage radio it's just all my gear is over 20 years old. Have installed small pump and can now get water up to roof, one day I will have a solar heated pool. Having a small, read cheap, battery near wind generator appears to help rather rather than charging battery via 25 meters of cable

26/9 Have got two T498 radios working, old as the hills with poor sensitivity but synthesised so can put in channels as required by programming Eproms. Thumbwheel switch faulty in one so replace with DIL switches, how to count from 1 to 100 in binary. Circuit is reverse binary ie earth input to count, all done in original thaumbwheel switches. Still working on best system of receiving all APRS using old scanning gear and computers. learning a lot about packet and sound cards. Got broken very solid club 2m dipole from Roger , have repaired mechanical parts and now need to replace faulty balum. Not sure what it will be used for but could make a good repeater spare as it is so solid. Hope we get a good turn out at the next meeting with the RI to show active amateur interest in regulatory matters affecting amateurs. Tried using Kenwood tK705d as scanning receiver for APRS, turns out signal received from 144.7547 HB is under 1uV 5/8 whip on roof of house but long run of RG58 cable, guess what the squelch was set to, still working now and scanning receiver is now scanning FM voice channels. Looking at putting one of the T498s in the vehicle. Will do the job for local repeaters and the more modern one can go it for trips.

Using a scanner I can receive the HB digi on 144.575MHz, the local two on 144.650MHz and the ISS on 145.825. Very little APRS activity and receiving five digis , some via the above, the most number of amateurs seen has been five. Used to be said amateurs would not be happy until they had a repeater for every amateur but at least on APRS they are linked. ISS is interesting, they appear to be placing stations updates on the packet beacon, ie testing new treadmill and hatch doors unlocked

With half a tube of silastic the roof vent should be waterproof while providing ventilation for the summer. 690 gave a SWR of 1.22 into the bottom aerial and 1.2 into the top aerial while producing the same power. This was only my HAM SWR meter but so far all seems OK with the repeater into the top aerial and the digi on the bottom. Noticed that the duplexer is followed by a band pass filter before the aerial so that should help The digi is on low power and could probably could go up to high power as now the national system and the 690/digi are on separate rectifiers, invertors and batteries
- 7/11/09

intend to revamp this page with more details of my amateur activities. Also will put additions at the top of the page so latest info is first to make it easier to find

Hamish ZL2HC

Hi will add to this when possible

Have started work on squelch operation for ATV Repeater Ideal is to have squelch on FM sound channel which will have tail of 5minutes which will have test pattern on it. In the short term CTCSS may be used on the sound channel

December 2007: Interesting program on the radio about take over of a hearing group up north and the loss of most of their assets. Unlikely to happen to the branch as the equipment assets are to be blunt are unlikely to raise much if sold and cash reserves are not exactly large.
December 2007: working on CTCSS control of repeater. Old Tait RT Boards now working on B2 82.5 Hz. Plan is to use on second channel of 23cm video gear. Also revamping power supplies in workshop so next time the lights go out!
January 2008: now trying noise operated squelch for repeater with 10 minute tail, some doubts about CTCSS
17.2.08: Removed ATV repeater during week to install noise operated squelch, removed 23cm transmit and receive modules, install my 23cm receiver, check operation of exciter to allow removal of attenuators and modify rack to allow exciter to be installed in it.

Should provide a neater installation when I reinstall it hopefully this coming week and solve the problem of picture tearing unless the brightness of slide is individually reduced. This should really speed up the production of slides and also allow the use of any video source. At the least now I have read the manual any changes should be able to be made on site.

As work wise things are quiet, after the discussion of the earthquake at the branch meeting I have done a few things to prepare for the next one. (the earthquake that is)

In the workshop I have arranged my small solar panel to charge, via a regulator, several assorted SLA batteries. I have also set up so I can run my two meter gear from a SLA battery by the flick of a switch and change batteries with clips as required. Also by the flick of a switch I can supply the radios from a cable which can be plugged into a feed of the car battery. Effectively this means the vehicle can run to charge it's and any other batteries with the solar panel keeping the SLA batteries charged normally.

I also have used the electronics and leds from those cheap solar lights (8 for $20) to produce a simple light which will operate from one of the SLA batteries Cord from outside of house to power input panel allows me to run vehicle near house, plug into battery outlet on vehicle and then feed 12volt workshop system with car battery.

If battery goes low then it can be simply charged by stating the car engine and letting the car idle. Not an automatic start generator but should allow the 12volt system to operate for a long period with the small solar panel reducing how often the vehicle will need to be run keep the battery ok Have also made sure the torches and radios around the house operate and each has a spare set of batteries nearby. Still planned is a cord to allow direct connection to the vehicle battery to allow inside operation of an hf set and a 80meter dipole The earthquake showed me even if you have all the equipment it takes time to find the torches radios and batteries and connect them all up especially working from torch light.

Seems to me most amateurs did the right things after the earthquake, check they their families and property are ok, check on attractive female sorry frail aged neighbours, check work or emergency services where you may be needed, then go on local amateur channels. 680 (faulty go to 690), check 685 any hf frequencies such as 3.9 or 5680 and then monitoring 690 Some suggestions bite the bullet suggest 680 is official first check in station 690 and 685 back up or use as required. Don't forget 6475 simplex if all repeaters are down. Not legal to have CD, Marine and Forestry frequencies in your radio but if your radio can operate on those channels maybe an idea to know what they are and how to install them in an emergency. Alternately how many people have a marine radio which could be set up at home. Remember that Marine channel 16 is monitored throughout the country Encourage all branch members to have a vhf and hf sets at home which can operate from a battery and attempt to ensure base CD and S&R sets have amateur channels installed

Hopefully have pictures of my dishes small ones are on D1 satellite 10 Freeview channels, other D2 29 channels mainly foreign and religious. large one I hope to place on Intelsat to receive the Nasa channel

Upload new attachment "IRLP"

5.12

Installed Tait T498 in vehicle with speaker. Works fine and allows me to use both scanner receivers in workshop. Installed mimic amplifier in workshop Tait improved 12 Sinad from 1.2uV to .4uV according to my old test gear, not that I'm into vintage radio it's just all my gear is over 20 years old. Have installed small pump and can now get water up to roof, one day I will have a solar heated pool. Having a small, read cheap, battery near wind generator appears to help rather rather than charging battery via 25 meters of cable

Using a scanner I can receive the HB digi on 144.575MHz, the local two on 144.650MHz and the ISS on 145.825. Very little APRS activity and receiving five digis , some via the above, the most number of amateurs seen has been five. Used to be said amateurs would not be happy until they had a repeater for every amateur but at least on APRS they are linked. ISS is interesting, they appear to be placing stations updates on the packet beacon, ie testing new treadmill and hatch doors unlocked

With half a tube of silastic the roof vent should be waterproof while providing ventilation for the summer. 690 gave a SWR of 1.22 into the bottom aerial and 1.2 into the top aerial while producing the same power. This was only my HAM SWR meter but so far all seems OK with the repeater into the top aerial and the digi on the bottom. Noticed that the duplexer is followed by a band pass filter before the aerial so that should help The digi is on low power and could probably could go up to high power as now the national system and the 690/digi are on separate rectifiers, invertors and batteries
- 7/11/09

intend to revamp this page with more details of my amateur activities. Also will put additions at the top of the page so latest info is first to make it easier to find

Hamish ZL2HC

Hi will add to this when possible

December 2007: Interesting program on the radio about take over of a hearing group up north and the loss of most of their assets. Unlikely to happen to the branch as the equipment assets are to be blunt are unlikely to raise much if sold and cash reserves are not exactly large.
December 2007: working on CTCSS control of repeater. Old Tait RT Boards now working on B2 82.5 Hz. Plan is to use on second channel of 23cm video gear. Also revamping power supplies in workshop so next time the lights go out!
January 2008: now trying noise operated squelch for repeater with 10 minute tail, some doubts about CTCSS
17.2.08: Removed ATV repeater during week to install noise operated squelch, removed 23cm transmit and receive modules, install my 23cm receiver, check operation of exciter to allow removal of attenuators and modify rack to allow exciter to be installed in it.

As work wise things are quiet, after the discussion of the earthquake at the branch meeting I have done a few things to prepare for the next one. (the earthquake that is)

18.1.08 Reinstalled the amateur television repeater

Appears to be working ok on test, set power to 10 watts forward on test pattern no reading on reverse. Must always remember that for an amplitude modulated television signal the meter reads average power which depend on the picture Technically one should refer to peak sync power which is 100% modulation and occurs when the sync pulse is transmitted after every line and is thus constant reqardless of the picture. (several db higher than average reading) No reading on reverse is the same as after the rain, before the rain it was 1.8watts for 15watts forward, salt spray on the aerial fiberglass covering? At home QTH signal is 11db below adjacent channel with slight noise visible Good sharp picture with no sign of tearing regardless of picture content Ran out of time to take pictures but will upgrade when possible, installation is now much neater

25.3.08 Have been working on a box to hold the replacement batteries to

back up the invertor supplying 690, the digi and soon hopefully the extension of the New Zealand Amateur National Radio System to Gisborne The Internet sure works well, sent an email to the committee and the trustees with info on the repeater activity and a few hours later get a thank you back from from one along with an attachment on his activities in Tanzania, where he is, very interesting Been thinking, hope that all amateurs in the district would agree to be able to operate 680. Why? I think it's the only one that all local amateurs can operate and also IRLP (aplogies to whomever I'm forgotten who can't use it),

PageTwo

10.08

Since installing separate battery charger for 690 and digi no further action is planned until an agreement about the site is known. Jota sure gave a good test of the national system. As 680 was busy last week the net was held on 690, good to hear Goeff from Napier on.

Received picture from ISS first one, Jim ZL2IA is also receiving them but so far has the same noise. I have 5/8 whip, old 2meter FM radio and Pentium 11 computer running mmsstv from the site of the same name what a great prog Google real time tracking and heavens above for sites which show where the station is and when it will be overhead

1800 23.10.08

1934 23.10.08

26.10.08 Received 2343 hrs from ISS (international space station) on 145.825MHz using normal APRS set up, 5/8 whip, Icom IC-2A, into sound card of Pentium II computer running WPE and UI-View programmes

23:43:37R RS0ISS-4>CQ,SGATE Port=1 <UI R Len=51>:
>ARISS - International Space Station (BBS/APRS on)

And 27.10.08

a reply, same set up as above 5watts transmit power

3:01:33R RS0ISS-4>CQ,SGATE Port=1 <UI R Len=51>:
>ARISS - International Space Station (BBS/APRS on)

23:00:09T ZL2HC>APU16N,WIDE2-2 Port=1 <UI C Len=64>:
=3839.86S/17802.20EVTest of packet transmission to ISS {UIV23N}

23:00:11R ZL2HC-15>APU16N,WIDE2-2 Port=1 <UI C Len=64>:
=3839.86S/17802.20EVTest of packet transmission to ISS {UIV23N}


2008-October-27 23:09 2 stations
--------------------------------
Callsign    Type       Latitude   Longitude      Km   Bearing  Last Heard
--------    ----       --------   ---------      --   -------  ----------
-ZL2HC      ATV        38.39.86S  178.02.20E     0.0      0   Oct 27 23:00

-ZL2HC-15   ATV        38.39.86S  178.02.20E     0.0      0   Oct 27 23:00

Ui-View shows the xxxxx-15 at the same location as the original call, the above is from the terminal and stations screens. No other stations heard and no NZ stations seen on the ARISS website, guess no NZ gateways to the internet from ISS packet stations

2008-October-29

Thanks to an email from Jim ZL2IA that the ISS amateur station on 145.8MHz was in cross band repeater mode, input on UHF, monitored a pass at 2216 hours. Strong as, FM quality signals with only a few quick fades. Heard three Australia stations from different areas including Tasmania and then three NZ stations from the lower North Island, all in one pass of less than 6 minutes on a 5/8 whip and FM scanner

30 October 2008

Call from Jeff ZL2VJW in Napier on 690(yes its works well) and not only had he heard the ISS on 1245.8MHz but had had a two way contact with a quarter wave aerial on the 437.8MHz uplink. He gave me a call at 2115 that night which I heard but my yargi aerial on UHF didn't make the grade. Am looking into better aerials

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31.11.08

ISS back on packet 145.825MHz. unable to get in again but good to see other packet stations from NZ and to see APRS location appear on the UI-View map

23:04:27R RS0ISS-11>VK2MAL Port=1 : erased message Number 31 23:04:36R RS0ISS-11>VK2MAL Port=1 : 39 107 /0956 VK6IQ >ALL Don't forget... 23:04:56R RS0ISS-11>VK2MAL Port=1 : 107724 Bytes free Next message Number 40 23:04:59R RS0ISS-11>VK2MAL Port=1 <RR C P R7> 23:05:01R RS0ISS-11>VK2MAL Port=1 : 107724 Bytes free Next message Number 40 23:05:02R RS0ISS-11>VK2MAL Port=1 : CMD(F/K/M/R/W/B/H/?)> 23:05:17R VK2MAL>APRS,RS0ISS-4* Port=1 <UI Len=28>: Gday to all Via ISS from Mal 23:05:46R VK2MAL>APRS,RS0ISS-4* Port=1 <UI Len=28>: Gday to all Via ISS from Mal

23:07:28R ZL2CWA>APRS,RS0ISS-4* Port=1 <UI Len=2>: hi 23:07:32R ZL2CWA>APRS,RS0ISS-4* Port=1 <UI Len=2>: hi 23:07:39R VK2MAL>APRS,RS0ISS-4* Port=1 <UI Len=28>: Gday to all Via ISS from Mal

ARISS - International Space Station (BBS/APRS on) 23:10:13T ZL2HC>APU16N,WIDE2-2 Port=1 <UI C Len=64>:

Zl3GA in Christchurch appears on UI-View map, via ISS not via internet

20:23:30R ZL3GA>CQ,RS0ISS-4* Port=1 <UI Len=42>: =4322.91S/17238.49E-Geoff-Kaiapoi {UISS52}

22.11.08 Hearing the traffic on 690 during the Wairoa and the lake sporting event over two days involving running swimming kyacking and cycling makes me realise how much different members contribute to the the hobby, giving up two days at least using their vehicles and equipment to provide a service to the community as a visible expression of amateur radio and thanks for donations received while self training for any disaster is rather a major contribution especially as it tends to fall on a few. Also of course the work done to allow this. Ian and myself with the last trip to 690 which has so far performed well and all the other trips to the site by Roger and others over the years. Again specially the work done by Roger which must have taken weeks and weeks of work to provide such a good installation still working so well with the faulty aerials

Hopefully when the siting issues are resolved a new aerial installation will take full advantage of what is a very professional installation. I also hope that if that occurs apart from making full use of the service amateurs also give a few thanks to those who have helped provide it in so many ways.

21.12.08

Another ATV transmission at 1500hrs . Wonder if anyone actually watches apart from the person it is directed to. Canada and Australia via IRLP, my input to putting Gisborne on the map to overseas callers A great branch net, moved to 690 suggestion is to move back there full time and see if the numbers increase. Interesting NZART broadcast on national system. Comment from the president on costs, fair warning ohs will get us all Wonder if we will have a BBQ, as the ones which were by my standards lavish were so poorly supported maybe I should have one, gas cooker until the bottle runs out, bring your own food and drinks and enough for the host (Guess how much of the above is tongue in cheek)

Four Gisborne amateurs were in Hamilton over Easter weekend for the Technology Conference 09

The programme included lectures on the following subjects

Software Defined Radio

You purchase or build up (some very cheap) receivers and transmitters and your computer operates them and how they work. Huge possibilities

Remote Controlling a TM150

How a remotely controlled radio is used to directly control a portable repeater, as used to link repeaters for the Hawkes Bay car rally

Circuit Analysis Software

Make up an electronic circuit on your computer and check voltages and waveforms before you actually build it

Kiwisat

A NZ amateur and scientific satellite getting near completion after much work by many people over several years

High Definition TV

Present transmission systems, displays and how some of it is not so high

Digital Land Mobile Radio Open Standard and Proprietary

D-Star is only one of several systems some available for use by all and others the property of the owners. Some have been tested while others are

or will soon be in operation

Developing a 1296MHz Beacon

When you are building a transmitter on that high a frequency a lot of things become very important like spurious outputs, random noise, frequency stability etc.

Digit NBTV (NarrowBand TV)

Sending pictures on the high frequency band using normal hf radios and a computer programme. Already in use in NZ

Antenna Design using 4Nec2

See how an aerial will perform before you build it using a computer programme which will show you the effects on impedence, frequency and directivity of any changes. Displays a rotating colour 3D picture of the complete radiation pattern, different colours for different gain Wow Also included were discussions on the following topics

Please Note While several councillers of NZART were present I believe the convention can only make recommendations or suggestions to NZART. If you disagree with what follows please check I have got my facts right and use the normal channels you have available as a member of NZART to comment on their policy

Re the remit on the use of packet on the national system the trustees present agreed to investigate if the amount can be reduced but wished to retain the capacity for possible demonstrations and use in emergencies APRS many of those present wanted 144.75MHz as a common channel in the North Island . Gisborne Branch members explained the local system and the possible ramifications of a change from 144.65MHz CTCSS A list of proposed frequecies is to be drawn up. When in use it will improve existing repeater operation and should have no effect on existing users. Should only be used on nodes of the national system and should not be transmitted via the links to other areas Kordia Siting of amateurs repeaters at their sites An agrement is planned to be signed in a couple of weeks. I understand that apart from the existing power charge for all sites (which is paid by NZART) only those branches with equipment on or in Kordia structures (not Gisborne) will be charged rent, Also that non NZART members will not be covered by the agreement and NZART third party insurance. The above is only what I took from two days of interesting topics which gave a good overview of the subjects covered. It is only what I recall and I take no responsibility for any errors of fact or what was actually meant.
- Hamish ZL2HC