CTARC Ragchew - July '26

Please find attached the latest issue of Ragchew.

Do enjoy reading it and once again, a really fantastic issue.

Thank you Charl ZS1ZZ.

Thank you too to all the contributors.

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 July 2026 Ragchew as a PDF file [here];

Read the July 2026 Ragchew in Online Flipbook [here];

Ragchew is also on our Newsletters Page

CTARC Ragchew - September '24

Here is your September 2024 issue of Ragchew.

Thank you once again to Charl ZS1ZZ and all the contributors.

Here once again a fantastic issue of Ragchew, Charl just keeps excelling himself... Brilliant, thank you Charl. I know how much work this is, we really appreciate all you do for us.

Do enjoy reading this issue, and remember the next Club meeting on Saturday, 26 October. More details on that to follow shortly.

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 September 2024 Newsletter as a PDF file [here];

Ragchew is also on our Newsletters Page

CTARC Ragchew - July '24

Here is your July 2024 issue of Ragchew.

Thank you once again to Charl ZS1ZZ and all the contributors.

Once again a really great packed issue of Ragchew. Charl ZS1ZZ has out done himself once again. It’s a very hard job of continuing finding and compiling great and interesting articles for our monthly newsletter.

Great reports on the CTARC AGM and a past Youth Event this month.

Do enjoy reading this issue, and watch out for more emails regarding Lighthouse Weekend and a Fox Hunt in August.

Thanks again Charl…

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 July 2024 Newsletter as a PDF file [here];

Ragchew is also on our Newsletters Page

CTARC Ragchew - July '23

The July 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 July 2023 Newsletter as a PDF file [he
re];

Ragchew is also on our Newsletters Page

CTARC Ragchew - July '22

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

Remember please, Anne is always needs articles to publish in Ragchew!  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 at zs1ct@ctarc.org.za

Download the July 2022 Newsletter as a PDF file [here];

Ragchew is also on our Newsletters Page

CTARC Manny Petersen ZR1AE Silent Key - 26 Jul '21

It is with sadness that we must announce the passing of Emmanuel "Manny" Petersen, ZR1AE on 26 July 2021.

Manny was a former member of the CTARC. He was also involved in Hamnet and was particularly active in radio communications for rallies and events. His salt mine activities included working on contracts at Mosgass in Mossel Bay.

We will miss his cheerful "guten morgen!" when coming up on the two-metre repeater frequencies in the mornings,

Manny is survived by his son, daughter and grandson.

Our condolences go to his family and friends.

R. I. P.

CTARC Annual General Meeting - 24 Jul '21

The Annual General Meeting of the Cape Town Amateur Radio Centre was held at 14h00 on Saturday, 24 July 2021. Owing to the current Coronavirus restrictions at the time, the meeting was held in virtual format on the Jitsi platform. This was the first such AGM for our club to be conducted this way.

 The elections were conducted successfully and the previous Chairman, Rob ZS1SA was re-elected for another year. The Committee was also re-elected, with some changes to members' portfolios. The new CTARC COmmittee for 2021/2022 period may be seen [here]. 

 Danny ZS1BL has stepped down from the Committee after some five years of faithful service.

Owing to the virtual nature of the meeting, awards could not be physically handed to the recipients but will be done so at the soonest opportunity.

A fuller report will appear in the next edition of Ragchew.

 

CTARC Committee Meeting - 19 Jul '21

CTARC Committee members are reminded of the committee meeting to be held online at 19h00 on Monday, 19 July 2021.

Please do make an effort to attend the online meeting.

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

CTARC Subs Coming Due - Jun '21

We remind our club members that the annual CTARC membership subscriptions are due at the end of June 2021.

Owing to the restrictions on club activities at the clubhouse due to the Covid-19 lock-downs, the CTARC Committee have decided to keep the ordinary members' annual subscription to just R100-00.

Your annual subscription must be made to the CTARC and can be done by EFT. If doing so, please include your name and call sign (e.g. "JOHN SMITH ZS1ABC") in the recipient's note, so that you may be ticked off the list!

Details of the CTARC's account information are [here].

A reminder that subscriptions for access to our Remote Station at Morningstar (R350-00) are not included in the above-mentioned amount and must also be renewed annually at this time, for those who make use of that system. 

Thank you to those members who have already paid their subscriptions. Our Club Secretary, Anne, welcomes early payment of subs before the rush at the end of the month!

CTARC Ragchew - July '20

The July 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!

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 July 2020 Newsletter PDF file [here];

Ragchew is also on our Newsletters Page

CTARC Annual General Meeting Photos - 27 Jul '19

Below are some photos [taken by Una ZS1UNA nnd nick ZS1ZD] of the 2019 Annual General Meeting of the CTARC, held on Saturday, 27 July 2019 at the CTARC clubhouse.

A very nice collection of all the photos of the event taken by Una ZS1UNA is [here].

The written report-back of the meeting is [here].

Rob ZS1SA reads his Chairman's Report

Anne reads the Secretary's Report

Danny ZS1BL reads the Treasurer's Report, which was accompanied
by the financial statements projected on screen.

Tho Wellie Award went this year to Keverne ZS1ABU

Lem ZS1LEM won the CTARC Club Participation Award

Colin ZS1RS won the Fox Hunt Award

This year, the Len Wells Ham Spirit Award went to James ZS1ZKZ

Chris ZS1CDG was awarded the Buck Taylor Trophy

Honorary Life Membership was awarded to John ZS1AGH...

...and to Ian ZS1SX as well.

Paul ZS1S made a special presentation...

...of a bouquest of flowers to Anne, to say thank you for
all her hard work throughout the past year.

Daniel ZS1DEA proposed a new club trophy for the CTARC
in remembrance of Gerald ZS1GRM/SK

After the formal business of the meeting had been concluded,
the members all tucked into delicious eats and had a good natter.

Mike Z1FP was responsible for the microphone and PA system

Dennis ZS1AU emphasises a poInt with Patrick ZS1PDY

Hendrik ZS1EEE [right] shares a platter
of scrumptious eats

Daniel ZS1DEA in front of one of the new CTARC Event Banners.
He brought along a flagon of ZS1GRM/SK's finest,
that we might all toast the fond memory of our
departed friend.

CTARC Annual General Meeting - 27 Jul '19

Chris ZS1CDG receives the Buck Taylor Award
from CTARC Chairman Rob ZS1ZSA

The CTARC held its AGM on Saturday 27 July 2019 at the clubhouse at the Belvedere Community Centre in Keurboom Park in Rondebosch.

Committee members including Rob and Anne started arriving to set things up from 13h00, Mike ZS1FP set up a microphone and PA system. By the time the meeting formally commenced at 14h00 all seats inside had been taken, with a sizeable number of club members outside. We had a total of 57 attending that day.

Club Chairman Rob ZS1SA called the meeting to order with the gong as is our tradition and, as there was most definitely a quorum present, declared the meeting open.

His first task, and a sad one at that, was to ask the members to hold a minute’s silence for those CTARC members who had become Silent Keys this year. Gerald Meneses ZS1GRM of Vredehoek, and Leon Isaacson ZS1CI of Woodbridge Island were thus acknowledged.

Then Rob asked for acknowledgement of the previous year’s AGM minutes, which was obtained from John ZS1AGH and seconded by Nick ZS1ZD.

Rob then proceeded with the Chairman's Report. Firstly he drew our attention to the fine new solid steel security gate, professionally welded by Richard ZS1RIC. Then he provided a summary of an eventful 73rd year of club activities:

In August 2018 the CTARC held the annual International Lighthouse/Lightship Weekend at Green Point lighthouse – our 22nd year at that venue. It was also an opportunity for Chris ZS1CDG to complete the HF Assessments for his fledgling RAE candidates, which will be done again this year too.

The September 2018 meeting was a talk and slide show by Mike ZS1CO on his trip to the USA and some interesting hams he met there.

The October meeting was a video made available by Paul ZS1S on the VK0EK DX-pedition with which our club assisted.

The November meeting was our 2018 end-of-year function which took the form of a braai and social occasion

In December, during the Xmas break, Rob organised a successful fox-hunt, reviving a fun activity that we will see more of in future at the CTARC.

Our January 2019 meeting was a Show-and-Tell format, where members brought and described various homebrew projects they had constructed or found interesting. These are always most interesting meetings, and the standard of construction and interest was high.

As the February 2019 meeting would have been just a week away from our March Flea Market, no formal meeting was scheduled, but nevertheless a second fox-hunt was organised. Word of how much fun these are had by now spread and the fox hunt was well-attended.

On the first weekend in March the CTARC hosted the annual Mega Flea Market. This buying/selling and swopping event has grown through the years and was very well attended. Many radio hams drove off afterwards with heavier car boots and lighter pockets than when they had arrived! That evening will have been punctuated with interesting explanations to wives and spouses about these new acquisitions.

At the end of March, Tom ZS1TA gave us a most interesting talk and slide show on Low Earth Orbit Satellites.

In April Rob ZS1RM gave a fascinating talk and demo on B25 military radios, which are his passion and abiding interest. He demonstrated the modular component aspect of these rigs, taking them apart, reassembling them and then operating them again.

In May Barry ZS1FJ showed us a video on the Scarborough Reef DX-pedition. The location is a precarious piece of rock sticking out of the sea and one of the highly sought-after DX entities.

In June another fox-hunt took place. There was also a DF-Antenna construction workshop run by Rob ZS1SA. We also held a social braai for the RAE candidates to meet the rest of the club. In spite of seriously wet weather, the meeting was well attended

In addition to the monthly meetings, Rob mentioned the four antenna workshops that the club held through the past year. These included refurbishing of the main antenna feed lines, the addition to the mast of the 40m rotatable dipole generously donated to the CTARC by a kindly member. ZS1ZKZ effected some seriously appreciated repairs to the main mast’s lifting system. <There was also a Repeater visit where Paul ZS1S, Rob ZS1SA, Lem ZS1LEM and Dave ZS1SG did repairs to the equipment = dunno if this should be mentioned. Anne, please check with Rob.>

The CTARC’s Remote Station out at Morningstar, generously made available by Fred ZS1FZ and maintained and developed by Alan ZS1LS, continues to be a great success. We currently have 48 subscribers to this system, to which another 5 from overseas will be joining shortly.

The CTARC’s membership continues to grow, in spite of the difficult economic climes. This year our membership increased by 20 new members to bring it up to 111.

The Chairmans report was followed by the Secretary’s report. Anne delivered this with her characteristic efficiency. She thanked us all for our assistance with her communications, emails and admin. She mentioned the CTARC’s FaceBook group now has 269 members. She also mentioned her new role as treasurer, taking care to emphasize the need to maintain transparency as regards the admin of financial aspects of the club, membership fees, donations and catering expenses.

Danny ZS1BL gave the Treasurers report, showing us the spread sheets of the CTARC’s finances. While the club is in a healthy financial state, the income is slightly down from last year due to that year’s substantial donations received. Having been CTARC Treasurer for a goodly number of years, Danny is stepping down and that portfolio will be handled by secretary, Anne.

Rob then gave a breakdown of the various roles of the Committee members and thanked them for their contributions through the year – John ZS1EQ, Chris ZS1CDG, Noel ZS1FW, Paul ZS1S, Paul ZS1PXK (his 18th continuous year on the Committee), Danny ZS1BL, Peter ZS1PGC, Tony ZS1TK, Barry ZS1FJ, and co-opted members Charles ZS1CJO and Nick ZS1ZD. Their roles will remain as before, but with the difference that Danny ZS1BL is resigning as treasurer (which portfolio will be taken up by Anne), Tony ZS1TK becomes Club Events Reporter and Photographer, Paul ZS1S will be Bulletins Manager in addition to his representation on the Western Cape Repeater Working Group. Ettienne ZS1ESB will remain as the CTARC’s honorary auditor.

It was then Rob’s pleasant task to hand out the annual club awards.

The Golden Wellie award went to Keverne ZS1ABU for faithful attendance through thick and thin.

CTARC Life Membership was awarded to both In ZS1SX and John ZS1AGH.

The Fox Hunting Award (a new one, instituted by Rob ZS1SA) was awarded to Colin ZS1RS.

The Len Wells Ham Spirit Trophy was awarded to James ZS1ZKZ.

The Buck Taylor Award - our club's premier award, was awarded to Chris ZS1CDG.

The Sports Award trophy was accepted in absentia by Michael ZS1MJT on behalf of Hughey ZS1YS.

Paul, ZS1S presented our club Secretary, Anne with a beautiful bouquet of flowers to say Thank you from the Committee and Club for another year of sterling service and Ragchew editing.

Following the awards, the CTARC Chairman and Committee were re-elected (with the abovementioned exceptions) for another year.

As a final acknowledgement to Gerald ZS1GRM /SK, his son-in-law Daniel ZS1DEA made two brief announcements. the first was the presentation of a trophy to the CTARC, to be used in commemoration ZS1GRM. Rob gratefully accepted the award, a mounted transmitting valve, on behalf of the CTARC.

The second announcement was that samples from a flagon of Gerald’s finest mountain dew distillate would be available afterwards for those who wished to raise a toast to the fond memory of ZS1GRM. We did so, confident that Gerald would have approved of this, his final contribution to the CTARC. Indeed, it was good stuff ! 

With the business concluded, the meeting broke for delicious refreshments [arranged by Rob and Anne] and the opportunity to have a good chat with all the other members.

The meeting adjourned at about 16h30.

Photos:

A magnificent set of photos by Una ZS1UNA can be seen [here]

Other photos are available [here].

Our next meeting will be the International Lighthouse Lightship Weekend, which the CTARC will hold at Green Point Lighthouse 17 / 18 August. We look forward to seeing you there!

CTARC KPH Night of Nights - 12 Jul '19

Between 1999 and 2000, commercial maritime radio traffic using Morse Code was phased out, bringing the end of an era in marine radio communications. Officially, that is.

Fortunately, on 12 July 2000 the Maritime Radio Historical Society was founded with the goal of maintaining the traditions of maritime Morse Code by restoring historic coast station KPH back into service. The first steps toward that goal were taken and on 12 July 2000 the first Night of Nights (named by MRHS co-founder Tom Horsfall) was held at the KPH transmit site in Bolinas, California on the West Coast of the USA.

Every year since then the MRHS has held the  Night of Nights on 12 July with opening transmissions taking place x number of years and one minute since that supposed last transmission in 1999.

They will be on air again this year on 12 July 2019, and those CW ham radio operators with an interest in monitoring this interesting event may find out more [here].

The RCA Receive Station at Point Reyes, California

A volunteer marine CW operator at KPH

CTARC Leon Isaacson ZS1CI - Silent Key - 7 July '19

It is with regret that we announce that the key of CTARC member, Dr Leon Isaacson ZS1CI, went silent on 7 July 2019 at his home in Woodbridge Island in Milnerton. He was 92 years old.

Dr Isaacson was a lecturer at the Department of Physiology at the University of Cape Town for many years. In his retirement, despite his advancing years he maintained an active interest in construction and progressive aspects of amateur radio technology, such as digital modes.

Our condolences go to his family and friends.

CTARC Formal Notification of AGM - July '19

Dear CTARC Member

This is the official notification that the Cape Town Amateur Radio Centre's Annual General Meeting has been called.

Date: Saturday, 27th July 2019.

Time: 14h00.

Venue: CTARC Clubhouse, Round Table (Belvedere) Community Centre, off Laidlaw Road, Claremont.

Social: Join us for afternoon refreshments after the meeting.

PLEASE REVIEW THE ATTACHED PDF DOCUMENTS:

[Agenda for 2019 AGM]

[The Minutes of the 2018 AGM]

[Proxy Form] - should you require somebody to vote on your behalf and cannot attend the meeting.

[Trophy & Award Nomination/s] - should you wish to nominate a member for a trophy or award.

To those who received a CTARC floating trophy at the previous AGM, please ensure it is returned to me or Rob ZS1SA at the soonest opportunity. in certain cases we need time for the next repitient's name to be engraved.

We look forward to seeing you on the 27th July 2019.

Regards,
Anne Bareham
(CTARC Secretary and Editor)
Cell: 072-268-1207

CTARC Software Defined Radio Interest Group - Jul '19

We have received the following communication from Deon ZR1DE:

Software Defined Radio

Over the last few years interest in Software Defined Radio (SDR) and Digital Signal Processing (DSP) has been steadily increasing.

Workshops introducing the RTL-SDR dongle and its applications together with a PC have been held, arousing more interest in this field amongst Radio Amateurs.

Advantages of software applications are the opportunity to investigate the digital part of communications without the need for circuit construction. Inexpensive hardware modules have become available and all experimentation is done in software on the PC.

The idea of forming a group of interested persons both from within and outside the Amateur Radio community, who would like to investigate and share knowledge in this field, has been expressed.

As a start in this direction we would like to create a platform to facilitate the process.

Should you be interested to find out more or to contribute, please e-mail me at: pcoetzee715@gmail.com

or alternatively contact the Boland Amateur Radio Club.

Deon ZR1DE

CTARC Ragchew - 1 July '19

The July 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

CTARC AGM - 27 July '19

The CTARC's next monthly meeting, being the Annual General Meeting, will be held at the clubhouse on Saturday 27 July 2019.

At this meeting, CTARC members will receive reports from the Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and others on the club's activities and finances throughout the past year, as well as future plans. The CTARC chairman and committee for the 2019/2020 period will also be elected.

After the formal business of the AGM has been concluded, there will be the chance to socialise with other members and friends, as is the tradition at CTARC.

The AGM is an important meeting for the club and we encourage all members to attend.

Further information and documentation will be posted here presently, e-mailed to CTARC members, published in Ragchew and announced on our Sunday morning bulletins in due course.

CTARC Committee Meeting - 22 July '19

CTARC Committee members are reminded of the forthcoming meeting at 19h00 on Monday 22 July 2019 at the clubhouse.

Committee members, please do make an effort to attend.

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

CTARC - Subscription Renewal for 2019 / 2020

A HUGE THANK YOU to those members who have already renewed their club subscriptions for 2019 / 2020,

For those club members who are still to renew their membership:

There has been a small increase in subs for this year.

The new amount payable is R180-00 per Member, and R140-00 for Pensioners (over 65).

(For new members joining the CTARC, a once-of Admin Fee of R50-00 applies.)

(Remember your spouse/partner may join the Club for 50% of your fee).

The Membership Renewal Form is attached with all the information you need, including banking details, and this is your reminder to please pay your 2019 / 2020 subs as soon as possible.

(EFT is preferred if possible please, but I will be collecting cash subs and forms at the AGM.)
Please remember, to send me proof of payment if you pay by EFT.

CTARC subs are due each year on 30 June 2019, and those members who have not let us know their intention to renew on or before the AGM, we will have to assume you wish to be removed from the membership and mailing lists.

*Most important... If your contact details have changed please also update them on the form attached please.

Morningstar:

Also available to members is our high power remote base station at Morningstar.

If you would like use Morningstar and have not already subscribed, then kindly add an additional R300-00 to your membership subs which will be used as your contribution toward the site rental costs at Morningstar.

Once I receive your proof of payment, I will add your name to the list and you will be given access to Morningstar for one year from date of payment.

You will be sent setup instructions for the use of Morningstar once payment is received.

The Club is growing, with many new members joining this past year. Your Club has many exciting and different events planned for the upcoming year so please don't miss out and renew your membership now.

I will see you all on Saturday, 27 July 2019 at the AGM, where you can enjoy some delicious refreshments and socialise with your friends and fellow Amateurs.

kind regards

Anne
(CTARC Secretary :)