Meetings

2010

March Meeting - Annual General Meeting

The AGM on March 8th at the Scout Hall was well attended, with club members stepping forward to help for all of the officer and committee positions.

February Meeting

A small informal meeting mainly with members bringing each other up to date on matters to do with the branch and amateur radio in the area. Several non-amateur visitors bringing the numbers up to normal.

2009

December Meeting

The area Radio Inspector from the Radio Spectrum Management group (RSM) of the Ministry of Economic Development (MED) gave an interesting presentation on just what their job is and some of the tools they use to accomplish it. The meeting brought a good turnout.

September Meeting

The meeting on September 14th was an informal gathering. Ric ZL2RIC showed off some of the many certificates and awards he has collected over his ham career.

August Meeting

The meeting on August 10th featured a talk by recently elected NZART Councilor Lee Jennings, ZL2AL. After his talk about NZART, he gave a presentation on the ZM2M contest station. Well presented and most interesting. (Lee resigned as councilor a couple of weeks after the meeting.)

ZL2RC reported on the condition of 685 having checked it out on a visit last week. The batteries are in dire need of replacement, and given their location, it will be quite expensive to do so. The door of the hut is in urgent need of replacement as it is starting to fall apart.

July Meeting

The July meeting featured a presentation on Search and Rescue operations.

June Meeting

A well attended meeting with a demonstration of operating split to work the rare ones.

May Meeting

Members present. 11, plus three visitors.

Show on WW2 Ships/submarines by Roger. Radio equipment on three vessels. Approx 1942.

Presentation to Roger of certificate of thanks.

Discussion on 3 remits, show of hands on all remits. To be taken to conference by Mike, ZL2CC to be our proxy.

Discussion on 690, digirepeater and national system site. Decided we spend up to the estimated amount on updating site, pole, antenna's etc. Moved Roger, ZL2RC, seconded Douglas.

No further business, the meeting closed at 8:40 pm.

April Meeting

The April meeting was held one week later than normal, on Monday, April 20th (to avoid Easter Monday). The meeting featured a talk and slides about the recent ZL7T expedition hosted by Phil, ZL2RVW, assisted by Mike, ZL2CC.

March Meeting (Annual General Meeting)

The Annual General Meeting held on March 9th brought a small turnout. Fortunately for the club, a number of hams were willing to volunteer their time and effort as officers, committee members, newsletter editor, and repeater trustees. Thanks to a couple of large grants, subscriptions were kept at $35/year.

February Meeting

An active meeting. Basil resigned as president (health reasons), Alan away (family reasons). Nice comments on the BBQ and the work put into it by members especially Roger, plans to secure the displays and other branch history. Mike and Phil gave us the gen on the ZL7 Chatham Island DX activation for a week from the 6th of March when they will make up two of the six operators. Mike is standing for the NZART council but the voting papers were incomplete so I assume NZART will have to send out corrected ones. Comment on the Kordia siting issue as per Council Comments in the last Break-In Both trustees has emailed comments to the council member we have been dealing with on this matter. Good to see our new local active amateur Ross ZL2RWM

  • A very rough video of the BBQ and a DVD copy of an 8mm film on the construction of the sewage pipeline into Poverty Bay completed the evening thanks to Robert and his computer projection set up (really makes for good viewing when videos are displayed so large on a wall when all can see them).

2008

December General and Special Meetings

Enough members attended to pass the required changes to the constitution.

Other topics:

  • reports from from some of those assisting on the Lake to Lighthouse sporting event in Wairoa
  • brought up to date on the repeater siting
  • the proposed street naming
  • the new amateur in the area
  • future possible BBQ and possible member's Xmas celebrations
  • ISS information
  • general branch financial business

Two people interested in amateur radio attended and hopefully the new amateur in the area will only be the first. ZL2HC

Meeting to discuss changes to the branch constitution

Friday, November 14th

Very small turn out but also a short meeting. The required notice for the special general meeting will be given once the proposed changes been checked with NZART. Ramifications of the proposed changes were discussed and the NZART solicitor will hopefully provide advice. Hopefully action can be got under way before the Xmas break to ensure that the donation depending on the branch status will be obtained soon.

As usual most of the work will be done by the secretary so when it's all done I hope he receives some thanks from the branch members.

November Meeting

  • A good turn out despite several amateurs who normally attend not being able to. Especially good to see three non amateurs and hopefully they did not find the business side of things too slow.
  • A large generous donation (compared to the size of the bank balance) made a pleasant surprise especially as it is for general operations so should really help in keeping down the subscriptions increases required. A vote of thanks to all those who helped to cause this was passed
  • Arnie reported on the tests for the Wairoa and Lake sporting event and the problems. It appears between HF,VHF and UHF it should be well covered.
  • A report on progress on the registration of the branch as a charitable trust was given and the need for possible constitution changes. The secretary is to email members with what is required, a quick meeting arranged for members to agree and then the special general meeting to formally approve the changes. Doing it this was speeds up possible registration and the availability of the donation awaiting on it
  • Jota cards were distributed and thanks given to all who took part in the successful event. Much discussion during and after the meeting on how to make next year even more successful and thanks to those who put in so much work on this years
  • Rolly has a contact who may know exactly from where Ivan O'Mara made his successful contacts
  • Roger brought to the branches attention the availability of ex commercial radios ideal for 2 meter FM at a good price
  • Discussion on the fees now due for the repeaters and the need to pay them in time to avoid the major costs which would otherwise be incurred to retain them.
  • Meeting finished with a video from Robert, from Utube, on an Australian JOTA field station and a very slick video of the local activities (Pity my original camera work wasn't as good). From his portable computer and projected to a very large size on the wall it really showed how technology has moved from old movies projectors etc.

From the lengthy discussion after the meeting (Ok I talked a lot) members had much to discuss and had enjoyed the meeting

October Meeting

An even larger turn out including a visitor from Australia. Very interesting to hear about amateur radio and other information about his location in north Queensland. Discussion on Jota, grants to the branch, amateur assistance to a major sporting event in Wairoa (please contact Arnie ZL1CAX for more information) and club registration as a charity. An interesting point made was that the national system repeater was effectively a UHF duplicate/back up to 690 and could be remotely disconnected from the system to act as a stand alone repeater. Tea and bikkies ended a low key but interesting meeting. --ZL2HC

September Meeting

A larger turnout than last time including two visitors one who is active on PRS and is interested in amateur radio. Reports were given on the siting of the repeaters at Whakapunake, possible JOTA activities and grants to the branch. Also progress report on the possible naming of a street after Ivan O'Mara. No major results as all these activities are ongoing and members will be informed as soon as any information is received or proposals made. Members were asked to contact Alister ZL2AIX with any offers of assistance with JOTA.

Thanks to Alister ZL2AIX members were able to view a DVD of what I would think has to be near the ultimate contest station. Many high broadcast type towers with large aerial arrays, separate stations for each band and mode, computer logging and many operators a serious set up and showing what most amateurs can only dream of to have and to be near the top in HF contesting. --ZL2HC

August Meeting

A cold night but a warm hall and a small turn out provided discussion of several topics in addition to the normal meeting business. No major news items or activities and the topics are ongoing.

July Meeting

The July meeting was held July 14th and was very informal.

June Meeting

The June meeting included a review of the NZART Conference by Jim ZL2IA. Hopefully many club members will be able to attend the 2009 Conference in Hawkes Bay. There was also a discussion of the proposed NZART agreement with Kordia for 9 repeater sites around the country, including Whakapunake.

May Meeting

The May meeting determined the club's positions on the 11(!) remits before the NZART AGM. Roger ZL2RC provided a video explaining the history and workings of the Gisborne town clock.

Club BBQ

A Branch 11 BBQ was held Sunday afternoon, 27 April, at the QTH of president ZL2UT.

April Meeting

The April meeting provided a quick update on the Branch 11 Committee meeting (including word that the digipeater would be updated to current APRS standards). This was followed by a screening of a documentary on the challenges of building the gigantic Itaipu Dam in South America.

March Meeting

The March meeting was Branch 11's Annual General Meeting (AGM). President Ric ZL2RIC had announced he was not be available to stand as President for another year. A new slate of officers and committee members stepped forward to help the club. Dues were reduced to $35/year, with a $10/year rate available for students.

February Meeting

The February 11th meeting reviewed the December earthquake, and its reminders for individual preparedness.

Roger ZL2RC also reported on the successful installation of the National System equipment, which is currently running as a local UHF repeater.

2007

December Meeting

The December meeting was held at a new venue! The club enjoyed being able to use the spacious Bryce Street Scout Hall.

November Meeting

The meeting was held on 12 November on Kaiti Hill in the observatory at 7.30pm The Coso club is closing on Monday nights and the suggestion is that the new meeting location should be in the observatory. The general consensus was that was not the ideal location for club meetings at present. There was a showing of a video about contest operation.

Interesting video of contesting and Jota, much thanks to Robert. Good view but I think most there agreed there were some problems. Others showed up after the meeting as I made down the steps in the dark

October Meeting

The October meeting featured a tour of the radiology department thanks to Mike, ZL2CJH. We had a chance to see the equipment, some schematic diagrams (with their remarkable similarity to QRO ham stations), and even a chance to peer "inside" some antenna coil housings and a black box module. Thanks also to Steve, ZL2RI for arranging a van to shuttle members from the Cosmopolitan Club to the hospital.

August Meeting

Joe Campbell was the guest speaker at the August meeting on the topic of commercial wind power generation on the East Coast. Joe gave a great talk on wind power up the coast, trips to India for transformers and the Gisborne steam loco. Background information, the history of each since it's start and technical details made for a very interesting evening for a well attended meeting.

July Meeting

Hamish, ZL2HC demonstrated the Channel 39 ATV Repeater at the meeting on Monday, July 9th. Good reception of the repeater was obtained and DVD's with views of the repeater and other club repeaters were played through the repeater for members present and any watching at home one of whom called in on 680 and he could then see the members present as well as hear them when a video camera was used to feed the repeater uplink transmitter