CTARC Monday evening net - 30 Aug '21

Radio hams monitoring the 145.750 MHz Repeater on Kanonkop will know of the weekly Monday evening CTARC Net held on that repeater at 20h00. 

Recently Mike ZS1FP (who used to run the net with Noel/ZS1FW/sk, as well as after Noel passed on)  announced that he's no longer available to do that. Thank you, Mike, for your service to the Cape Town Amateur Radio Centre.

Fortunately, Barry ZS1FJ has stepped in to continue to run the net, which is for all radio amateurs (not just CTARC members) who can reach that repeater to participate in! Thank you, Barry!

Remember, the net meets every Monday evening, starting at 20h00 local time, on the 145.750 MHz repeater (Duplex FM, input frequency 145.150 MHz, no CTCSS tones required).

The net covers a  wide range of topics that radio hams may discuss including (but not limited to) technical matters. Do join in! It's a great opportunity to chew the proverbial rag with fellow radio hams!

CTARC Meeting - 25 May '19

Our forthcoming May monthly meeting takes place at 14h00 [promptly!] at the CTARC clubhouse on Saturday, 25 May 2019.

Barry ZS1FJ, who has participated in many DX-peditions in his long and interesting amateur radio career, will show us a video on the Scarborough Reef DX-pedition of 2007. It promises to be a most interesting show.

We will also have the usual bring-and-buy SwopShop after the meeting.

Further details of this forthcoming meeting will be announced on the CTARC blogspot, in our Ragchew Newsletter, and on our Sunday morning bulletins at 08h30 on the 145.750 Mhz repeater.

 ____________________________________________________________________

Note: This event has now taken place. A report-back will be published presently.

CTARC Antenna Work Party - 8 Dec '18

Hello Everyone

We have decided to have an Antenna Work Party on Saturday 8 December.
Paul, ZS1S, will be ‘Commander in Chief’ for the day!

We will be lowering the tower and repairing the Yagi antenna, and also installing the new Dipole antenna that Barry ZS1FJ kindly purchased for us from the USA.

All members are welcome if you can please spare an hour or two to have some fun whilst helping your club maintain the equipment. Do bring your own lunch.

If you’re able to help, see you at 09h30 on Saturday 8th December 2018.

With appreciation,

Rob ZS1SA
CTARC Chairman

CTARC Antenna Work Party - 24 Feb '18

On the morning of Saturday 24 Feb, stalwarts of the CTARC assembled at the clubhouse for a work party to reassemble the club's main coaxial mast. Present were Rob ZS1SA, Barry ZS1FJ, Noel ZS1FW, Danny ZS1BL, Paul ZS1S, and Lem ZS1LEM.

Grateful acknowledgement to Barry / ZS1FJ for the photographs below.

The main meeting at 14h00 is reported on [here]

CTARC Photos of the January Meeting - 28 Jan '18

Here are the photos of the 27 January 2018 CTARC meeting.
The written report-back is [here].

CTARC Chairman, Rob / ZS1SA opens the meeting

Well attended

Lots of swops also brought along for trade / disposal

Frank /ZS1CM handed over an elderly copy of Ragchew from 1996

Barry /ZS1FJ sets up the vertical dipole

 

Barry sets of the "Klaus" mast attached to the door handle of his car

The feed point of the folded dipole, showing the perspex construction

The folded dipole is very lightweight and transportable

Diagrams: Left:  Folded dipole; Right: Delta loop

Heavy duly 45o ohm twin-feed cable can handle QRO with little loss

Assembling one side of the directive element

Barry shows the lightweight boom of the Mystery Antenna

Mike / ZS1CO and Hylton / ZR1HPC

Hylton / ZR1HPC assembles a dipole element of the Mystery Antenna

This is a 3-way apex mounting hook for a dipole or inverted-V

Swops: The grey box is a 12v antenna coaxial relay (ZS1SX)

Swops:Meters, fused cables, spring bases, hardware (ZS1SX)

Swops: PC Speakers, cables, etc. (ZS1FP)

Swops: Valve bases (ZS1FP)

Swops: Mike /ZS1FP had this fine set of binoculars on offer

Swops: These two retro dial-phones went quickly

SARL icon: OM Tjerk Lammers /ZS6P (now relocated to Cape Town
as ZS1J) visited us

Chewing the rag after the meeting

The CTARC telescopic mast gets a new coat of paint;
The multi-band vertical still has its bend from the July storm!

Paul /ZS1S transports a VERY big mast home