(If you can't be there, please remember to send in your reports and apologies to Rob or Anne.).
Tuesday, 12 March 2019
CTARC Committee Meeting - 18 Mar '19
(If you can't be there, please remember to send in your reports and apologies to Rob or Anne.).
Wednesday, 6 March 2019
CTARC Forthcoming SARL Technical Symposium - 12 Apr '19
SOUTH AFRICAN RADIO LEAGUE
Unlocking Amateur Radio Technology
Venue: PROTEA HOTEL TECHNOPARK, STELLENBOSCH
Date: Friday 12 April 2019, 13h00 – 19h30, followed by cocktails
Organizing the 2019 SARL Symposium has now been underway for some time, and a lot of groundwork has been covered. We are confident that by now you are well aware of the events which constitute the symposium, which will take place on the 12th April 2019 at the Techno Park in Stellenbosch.
Unlocking Amateur Radio Technology promises to be a very exciting event that Radio Amateurs who want to get more from their hobby should attend.
Presentations on:
- How to use your computer to receive radio signals with the aid of a low cost “dongle” plugin;
- Development of a Reverse Beacon Network for determining propagation opportunities in the VHF bands;
- The workings of the IARU and its importance to Radio Amateurs worldwide;
- The latest 3U orbiting CubeSat built by CPUT;
- The latest craze - FT8;
- and much more!
So, do not not let this opportunity slip by!
Please register timeously to ensure your seat and presence at the evening cocktail.
Book early - there are only 50 seats available at R250, after that registration will cost R700.
To keep Radio Amateurs abreast of developments, updates will be published in News Bulletins, on the SARL Website and in Newsletters and other media.
Deon ZR1DE
pcoetzee715@gmail.com
Hans ZS6AKV
hans@intekom.co.za
Tuesday, 5 March 2019
CTARC Forthcoming March Meeting - 23 Mar '19
The CTARC will hold their March monthly meeting on Saturday 23 March 2019 at 14h00 at the usual clubhouse venue in Rondebosch.Usually we don't hold another meeting in March because the annual flea market, which traditionally is held on the first Saturday of that month, is enough to occupy us for a while thereafter!
However, Tom ZS1TA has kindly agreed to give a talk on Amateur Radio and Satellites on the abovementioned date. Tom is well known in radio ham circles and recently distinguished himself by holding the first QSO on two metres between South Africa and St Helena Island. He was also featured on a recent SARL bulletin, making contact with the same station via satellite.
An exciting new development for radio hams is the geostationary Es’hail-2 satellite, launched in November last year. It carries amateur radio transponders and is now in a geostationary orbit at 25.9° East. These are the first amateur radio transponders to be put into geostationary orbit, and the coverage is expected to link radio amateurs from Brazil to the West of us to Thailand in the East. South African hams have already started making international contacts through this bird.
It promises to be a most interesting topic. See you at the meeting. Come early to ensure your seat!
------------------------------------------------------------------
NB This event has now taken place. Read the report [here].
Sunday, 3 March 2019
CTARC Report on Flea Market of 2 Mar '19
The annual CTARC Mega Flea Market was held on the lawn outside the CTARC clubhouse on Saturday 2 March 2019, under partly-cloudy skies.
At 11h00 the committee members arrived to set up the catering area, gazebo [kindly provided by John ZS1AGH], tables, PA system and braai fires. At 12h00 the sellers started setting up their stands and car boots filled with amateur radio gear, and at 13h00 [or thereabouts!] the main crowd arrived.
It was a successful, well-attended event, with some 30 sellers offering a wide variety of items ranging from high-end transceivers, test equipment and antennas, down to nuts, bolts, cables and hardware useful to radio hams throughout our widespread community.
Anne, Elsabe and others were kept very busy serving boerie rolls and liquid refreshment to the hungry and thirsty masses. Thank you for your sterling service, and also to John ZS1EQ who kept the fires busy until there was no more meat left to braai!
The South African Antique Wireless Association were represented on a stand manned by John ZS1WJ. We were also glad to see Almeiro ZS6LDP who had come all the way from Pretoria.
The flea market continued until late afternoon, with most attendees walking off with at least one or two serendipitously-discovered bargains.
We will do it all again next year!
Below are some photos kindly provided by Chris ZSCDG and others.
At 11h00 the committee members arrived to set up the catering area, gazebo [kindly provided by John ZS1AGH], tables, PA system and braai fires. At 12h00 the sellers started setting up their stands and car boots filled with amateur radio gear, and at 13h00 [or thereabouts!] the main crowd arrived.
It was a successful, well-attended event, with some 30 sellers offering a wide variety of items ranging from high-end transceivers, test equipment and antennas, down to nuts, bolts, cables and hardware useful to radio hams throughout our widespread community.
Anne, Elsabe and others were kept very busy serving boerie rolls and liquid refreshment to the hungry and thirsty masses. Thank you for your sterling service, and also to John ZS1EQ who kept the fires busy until there was no more meat left to braai!
The South African Antique Wireless Association were represented on a stand manned by John ZS1WJ. We were also glad to see Almeiro ZS6LDP who had come all the way from Pretoria.
The flea market continued until late afternoon, with most attendees walking off with at least one or two serendipitously-discovered bargains.
We will do it all again next year!
Below are some photos kindly provided by Chris ZSCDG and others.
 |
| That frustrating period before the formal commencement of sales at 13h00... |
 |
| ...But one can always check out what's on offer in the interim! |
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| Lots and lots and LOTS of goodies, waiting to be discovered |
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| Packed full of freshness - and cable spools! |
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| Fleamarket attendance is always hungry and thirsty work |
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| Noel ZS1FW looks very chuffed with his latest acquisition |
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| Lem ZS1LEM peruses the items on offer from Fred ZS1FZ |
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| CTARC chairman Rob ZS1SA and another watch bemused as an unidentified ham tries to tune up the nearby trapeze poles to resonate on 80m... |
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| Wolfgang ZS1WHL and Hans-Jurgen ZS1HJH |
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| As ever, the CTARC flea market was very well attended this year. |
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| [Centre] John ZS1AGH and Louis ZS1LVH |
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| Always the opportunity to meet up with old friends and have a good natter. |
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| John ZS1EQ provided sterling service at the braai fires |
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| Food and liquid refreshments provided efficiently, as ever, by the catering ladies |
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| While interested parties visit ZS1FZ's table, Richard ZS1RIC on right tiptoes through the tetrodes... |
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| Time and motion study: The man in the red hat [Dave ZS1DFR] spots a bargain... |
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| ... and swoops to secure it! |
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| Tom ZS1AFS and his good lady Sue travelled across from the Overberg to attend |
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| The Dreaded Eldred ZS1DJ assesses an 807 with a critical eye while Wouter ZS1KE passes by |
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| Someone brought along a whole combi's-full of gear! |
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| If the price of a rig on offer is too high, one may always resort to fervent supplication! |
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| One man's spaghetti is another man's treasure! |
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| Sumptuous QRO, beautifully constructed! |
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| The clouds began to gather, but that didn't deter a continuing well-attended event |
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| Eldred had some fine gear on offer |
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| Once again, the CTARC mega-fleamarket was a great event, to be repeated next year! |
Friday, 1 March 2019
CTARC Ragchew - 1 Mar '19
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!
Download the PDF file [here];
Ragchew is also on our Newsletters Page
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