CTARC Ragchew - October '23

The October 2023 edition of Cape Town Amateur Radio Centre's monthly newsletter "Ragchew" is now published. Grateful thanks to our editor, Charl ZS1ZZ, for another fine edition.

Thank you to those numerous contributors in this edition!

You are also welcome to send Anne ham related things that you would like sent out to members, if appropriate, she will gladly do so for you.  To do so, please contact Anne at zs1ct@ctarc.org.za

Download the October 2023 Newsletter as a PDF file [here];

Ragchew is also on our Newsletters Page

October Meeting Report Back: Bouvet Island

At the October Meeting of the CTARC we had a very interesting talk from Adrian, KO8SCA online from the USA about the upcoming 3Y0J Bouvet Island DXpedition.

Adrian spoke to us in real time and this video was projected on the wall inside our club house. Members could also take part from their homes by logging into our Jitsi VOIP system. A question-and-answer opportunity took place at the end of the talk.

Please see pictures of our October meeting and the attachment which you may find interesting, which I am unable to put in Ragchew as it's a 2 page pdf...

You can download the the attachment [here].

Thanks to Paul ZS1S for organising this event.

A

CTARC Ragchew - October '22

The October 2022 edition of Cape Town Amateur Radio Centre's monthly newsletter "Ragchew" is now published. Grateful thanks to our editor, Anne, for another fine edition.

Thank you to those numerous contributors in this edition!  Remember please, Anne always needs articles to publish in Ragchew!  Only text in 'Word' and jpeg pictures please!

You can advertise ham-related items - for sale, swop or wanted-to-buy - in Ragchew, including colour photos, details and prices. To do so, please contact the editor at zs1ct@ctarc.org.za

Download the October 2022 Newsletter as a PDF file [he
re];

Ragchew is also on our Newsletters Page

CTARC RAE Results - 24 Oct '21

We are delighted to report that most (24 out of 27) of the Radio Amateur Exam candidates who wrote the recent exam at the clubhouse have passed. Congratulations to the new radio amateurs! Welcome to the hobby and the ham community, which you will find is a fellowship without equal.

We encourage all radio ham in the Cape Town areas, both new and existing, to join the CTARC.

Congratulations also to Chris ZS1CDG who conducted the course and who shepherded the newcomers through the process. There are already a number of new voices on-air.

CTARC RAE Exams - 23 Oct '21

On Saturday, 23rd October 2021, prospective radio amateur candidates nationwide will write the Radio Amateurs Examination at various centres around the country. This exam and the HF Assessment must be passed in order to obtain the Amateur Radio license and a call sign, both of which are issued by ICASA. Included in this number is a large group of candidates under the mentorship of Chris ZS1CDG.

Some 29 RAE candidates will write the RAE Exam at the CTARC in the Main Hall next to the clubhouse.

This group recently started their HF Assessments with Chris on Saturday, 16th October this year. Owing to the large number of candidates involved, Chris will continue this process on Saturday 23 October before the main meeting at 14h00.

We wish all RAE candidates, and in particular Chris's group, the very best of luck for the forthcoming exam, and we hope to hear them on air soon!

We also invite the candidates to consider joining the Cape Town Amateur Radio Centre, our welcoming and friendly radio ham club. Contact the Club Secretary Anne for further details here.

CTARC Forthcoming Meeting - 23 Oct '21

The October 2021 meeting of the Cape Town Amateur Radio Society will take place at the clubhouse on Saturday, 23rd October at 14h00.

The main topic of the meeting will be a talk and demonstration by Dirk ZS1X on Digital Mobile Radio. This new digital feature of our hobby enables licensed radio amateurs to talk worldwide with other radio hams via DMR-enabled repeaters and base station radios. Relatively inexpensive DMR radios are now becoming available. As such this adds a very exciting feature to our available options.

There will also be the usual Swop Shop where amateur radio-related items may be bought, sold and swapped. As ever, should any items you bring along not be sold, please take them home afterwards as there is no room in the clubhouse to keep them there!

As we are all still under Covid regulations, the meeting will be held outside the clubhouse on the lawns. The usual precautions of social distancing, masks and hand sanitising will apply.

At the recent Committee meeting it was decided that, should the weather be unkind to us, the meeting will be held in the hall adjoining the clubhouse.

We look forward to seeing you there!

CTARC Committee Meeting - 18 Oct '21

CTARC Committee members are reminded of the committee meeting to be held on-line at 19h00 on Monday, 18 October 2021.

Please do make an effort to attend the on-line meeting.

(If you can't be there, please remember to send in your reports and apologies to Rob ZS1SA or Anne.).

CTARC HF Assessments - 16 Oct '21

The CTARC Radio Amateur Examination classes continue, ably led by Chris ZS1CDG. He currently  has 29 people attending his course, which is something of a record for our growing club.

On Saturday, 16 October 2021, Chris will be taking these members through their on-air HF Assessments at his QTH in the northern suburbs. He and they will be on-air on the 40 metre band from 11h00 SAST. He extends a request for local radio hams to be there to exchange basic QSO's and signal reports with the RAE candidates.

Thanks in advance for your kind cooperation!

CTARC Ragchew - 3 Oct '21

The October 2021 edition of the Cape Town Amateur Radio Centre's bi-monthly newsletter "Ragchew"is now published. Grateful thanks to the editor, Anne, for another fine edition.

Remember please, Anne is always needs articles to publish in Ragchew! This is especially the case during the lock-down. Thank you to those numerous contributors in this edition!

You can advertise ham-related items - for sale, swop or wanted-to-buy - in Ragchew, including colour photos, details and prices. To do so, please contact the editor [here].

Download the October 2021 Newsletter as a PDF file [here];

Ragchew is also on our Newsletters Page

CTARC ZS1TA & ZD7GWM Set New 70cm Distance Record - 16 Oct '20

In the SARL morning news bulletin of Sunday 18 October, we learned via Paul ZS6NK that a new South African 70 cm band long-distance record has been set.

 

On Friday evening 16 October 2020, at 18h06 UTC, CTARC member Tom ZS1TA in locator JF95EX (in the Cape Peninsula) contacted Gary ZD7GWM in locator IH74DB (on St Helena Island) on 70 cm FM. The distance between the two stations is 3 136,7 km. 

 

Very well done, Tom and Gary!

 

 

CTARC Committee Meeting - 17 Oct '20

CTARC Committee members are reminded of the committee meeting to be held at the clubhouse at 12h00 on Saturday, 17 October 2020.

Masks are to be worn, please.

Please do make an effort to attend the meeting.

(If you can't be there, please remember to send in your reports and apologies to Rob or Anne.). 

CTARC Ragchew - October '20

The October 2020 edition of the Cape Town Amateur Radio Centre's bi-monthly newsletter "Ragchew" is now published. Grateful thanks to the editor, Anne, for another fine edition.

Remember please, Anne is always on the look-out for articles to publish in Ragchew! This is especially the case during the lock-down. 

You can advertise ham-related items - for sale, swop or wanted-to-buy - in Ragchew, including colour photos, details and prices. To do so, please contact the editor [here].

Download the October Newsletter as a PDF file [here];

Ragchew is also on our Newsletters Page

CTARC Online Course for Radio Amateurs Examination

Chris ZS1CDG has been running a very successful Radio Amateurs Examination course for newcomers to the hobby, at the CTARC and at other venues.

The next Radio Amateurs Examination will be held in October 2020.

With the Coronavirus restrictions making classroom meetings difficult, Chris is now offering this course online.

The next available course will start on Saturday, 8 August 2020.

Download the PDF with the course and registration details [here].

More general details about the Radio Amateurs Examination on the CTARC web site are [here].

CTARC Noel Futter ZS1FW - Silent Key - 29 Oct '19

It is with deep regret that we announce that the key of CTARC member, Noel Futter ZS1FW, went silent on Tuesday 29 October 2019 at his home in Bergvliet.

Noel was.an active CTARC member. He was a former Chairman of our club. Until recently he hosted the Monday Evening CTARC Nets and served on the CTARC Committee as Clubhouse Manager. He was also actively involved with setting up and running JOTA stations each year.

He was also a constructor of note, having built his own antenna mast, numerous antennas and various equipment in his shack.

Noel was an enthusiastic, generous and helpful radio amateur. He will be sadly missed from our meetings and on air.

Our condolences go to his wife Joan, his family and friends. .

CTARC Homebrew VHF/UHF Moxon Antenna - Oct '19

Here is a link to what looks like a most interesting VHF/UHF Moxon Satellite beam antenna, described by PY4ZBZ:

https://www.qsl.net/py4zbz/antenas/ms.htm

The web page is not in English, however the dimensions are construction are straightforward and should be easily interpreted.

OM Lem ZS1LEM  built the version with 5 UHF elements and 2 VHF elements.

The components include:

• 3.2 mm aluminum welding rods are available from any welding supplier (Afrox etc).
• A piece of PVC pipe;
• A 3.2mm drill bit,
• A piece of RG-58 coax, and
• A coax plug.

It looks like an easy build.

Many thanks to OM Lem ZS1LEM for passing on the link, and obrigado to PY4ZBZ and PQ2HX for publishing the information online.

Photo copyright Hermes PQ2HX

CTARC Swops - 9 Oct '19

Due to relocation of QTH, Ivan ZS1ZX is disposing of some of his HF and two-metre VHF equipment.

Included are:

• Several military-spec Automatic Antenna Tuners [rated at approx. 100W each];
   
• Several military Field Telephones;
   
• Two military switchboard units;
   
• A hybrid Yaesu HF Transceiver;
  
• A solid-state Yaesu Transceiver;
  [The above two items have been recently tested];
   
• A Yaesu FRG-7 HF Receiver in good working order;
   
• A PSU rated at 10 amps;
   
• A PSU rated at 6 - 8 amps;
   
• An (approximately) 10-metre high lattice tower.

PLUS...

A whole lot more assorted and miscellaneous stuff – too numerous to make a list of!

All the items are for viewing and collection only at Ivan’s QTH in Somerset West.

Please contact him on 067-152-5101 to make an appointment to view and/or purchase

CTARC Summits On The Air - 27 Oct '19

Please listen out for students from Reddam House, Durbanville, on Sunday, 27 October 2019. They plan to hike to the summit at Meerendal Wine Estate and activate a SOTA entity there.

The school has a growing Amateur Radio club that can often be heard working satellites and HF stations. The students have a number of hand-held transceivers and AMSAT antennas so they will be active on 2m and 70 cm.

Additionally, they will take along an HF transceiver so to those not in the Cape Town area, listen out for them on 20m and 40m. They are aiming to be set up and operating by 09h00 SAST (07h00 UTC), so after the CTARC Sunday morning bulletin check-in, listen out for them calling CQ SOTA.

Kindly please log any contacts made with them on the SOTA website database as you will be awarded with chaser points.

The summit reference is Dorstberg (ZS/WC-940). Perhaps you might also consider doing some SOTA activations on that day?.
How about a summit-to-summit QSO?

For more information, please contact Chris ZS1CDG ON Mobile: 079-787-1426.

CTARC January Meeting - 26 Oct '19

The CTARC's October monthly meeting will be held at the clubhouse at 14h00 on Saturday, 26 October 2019.

The meeting's main topic is a lecture/presentation titled "Noise Doesn't Annoy" and this will be given by Peter ZS1PC.

Further information will be published here and announced on our Sunday morning bulletins, closer to the time.
______________________________________________

Note: This event has now taken place. A report-back will be posted shortly.

CTARC Committee Meeting - 22 Oct. '19

CTARC Committee members are reminded of the forthcoming meeting at 19h00 on Tuesday, 22 October 2019 [and not the Monday, as previously announced], at the clubhouse. Please do make an effort to attend the meeting..

(If you can't be there, please remember to send in your reports and apologies to Rob or Anne.).

CTARC Ragchew - 1 Oct '19

The October 2019 edition of the Cape Town Amateur Radio Centre's bi-monthly newsletter "Ragchew" is now published.

Grateful thanks once again to our editor, Anne, for all her excellent work in putting together this month's edition, and to all those who contributed articles.

Remember please, Anne is always on the look-out for articles to publish in Ragchew!

You can advertise ham-related articles for sale in Ragchew, including colour photos, details and prices. To do so, contact the editor here.

Download the PDF file [here];

Ragchew is also on our Newsletters Page