Libraries Exposure for Amateur Radio

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Three metropolitan Melbourne primary school libraries now have practical lessons on Amateur Radio, thanks to library technician Julie Gonzales VK3FOWL. The exercise has been a real success within the local community.

Julie VK3FOWL operates from the libraries to introduce Amateur Radio to students from 8 to 11 years of age.

Each month a different group of six students are invited to the fun lunchtime program of learning and practicing the basics of Amateur Radio.

Julie VK3FOWL has prepared a booklet which covers callsigns, operating procedures, Morse code, Q-codes and log keeping.

Outdoor activities like antenna building and Amateur Radio Direction Finding are also offered. The feedback from school principals, parents and students has been  positive.

Julie encourages other radio amateurs associated with primary schools to give it a go. She suggests contact the school principal first.

The School Amateur Radio Clubs operate on 40m and 2m at lunch times on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays.


Stunning Slow Scan TV from International Space Station

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Amateur / Ham Radio operators are continuing to receive fascinating images from the International Space Station.

“Receiving SSTV from the ISS really CAN be simple: For my first time ever, I simply fired up a $3 iOS app, and held my iPod touch near my Yaesu FT-60R’s speaker, and downloaded one of the images from the ISS.”
— Clint Bradford K6LCS

Twelve different images depicting space pioneer Yuri Gagarin - the first human to orbit Earth - are being sent on 145.800 MHz using the SSTV mode PD180, with a 3-minute off time between transmissions.

ISS.jpg

The transmitter on the ISS uses 5 kHz deviation FM. If your rig has selectable FM filters (most mobiles do) make sure you choose the wider setting designed for 20 or 25 kHz channel spacing, usually marked FM or FMW.

Images received so far by radio amateurs worldwide - http://www.spaceflightsoftware.com/ARISS_SSTV/ 

Find out more about receiving these transmissions and links to decoding software - http://amsat-uk.org/2015/02/11/more-iss-slow-scan-tv/

The transmitter on the ISS uses 5 kHz deviation FM. If your rig has selectable FM filters (most mobiles do) make sure you choose the wider setting designed for 20 or 25 kHz channel spacing, usually marked FM or FMW.

Images received so far by radio amateurs worldwide - http://www.spaceflightsoftware.com/ARISS_SSTV/ 

Find out more about receiving these transmissions and links to decoding software - http://amsat-uk.org/2015/02/11/more-iss-slow-scan-tv/

Notice of interruption to MSF 60 kHz Time and Frequency Signal

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The MSF 60 kHz time and frequency signal broadcast from Anthorn Radio Station will be off during the day for maintenance work from Monday 2 March to Thursday 19 March between 08:00 UTC and 18:00 UTC - service off-air each day (but will be back on air overnight and at weekends).

The interruption to the transmission is required to allow essential maintenance work to be carried out in safety.

More Information - http://blog.sciencemuseum.org.uk/insight/tag/rugby-tuning-coil/