CTARC Visiting Radio Amateur - 25/26 Oct '14

The Cape Town Amateur Radio Centre has been approached by a visiting ham from the UK, Mike /G7TWC, who would very much like to operate from the CTARC clubhouse during the CQ Worldwide Phone contest on the weekend of 25 / 26 October 2014.

Any member who would be prepared to accompany Mike at the CTARC clubhouse during this weekend must please contact our secretary, Anne at her e-mail address [here]. As the October monthly meeting will take place on the afternoon of 25 October at 14h00 B:, we can at least guarantee that the clubhouse will be open and active for that afternoon.

However, it would be nice to make our club station available for the full period of the contest. Your involvement will be appreciated!

Above: Mike /G7TWC

 

CTARC Forthcoming October Meeting - 25 Oct '14

This is just an advance notification that the October meeting of the Cape Town Amateur Radio Centre will take place at 14h00 B: on Saturday, 25 October 2014, at the CTARC clubhouse at the Belvedere Community Centre, off Laidlaw Lane in Rondebosch. Pencil this date on your calendars, please.

The format and details of the meeting will be announced in due course, on this blogspot and via the CTARC Sunday morning bulletins at 08h00 B:on the 145.750 MHz repeater.

CTARC Forthcoming September Meeting - Sep '14

On Saturday 27 September 2014 at 14h00B: the CTARC will hold its September meeting at the CTARC clubhouse, at the Rondebosch Community Centre off Laidlaw Lane in Rondebosch.

Dennis /ZS1AU has kindly delivered to give us a brief (but doubtless content-rich) talk on Propogation for DX'ing. As the holder of the Number One DXCC Honour Roll certificate (details of which [here]), Dennis is a well-established expert on the topic. For those DX hounds in pursuit of elusive DX callsigns, this meeting is a must!

This meeting will also be an ideal opportunity for those CTARC members who still need to renew their annual club subscriptions to do so. Our club needs your continued support.

We look forward to seeing you all there! Visitors and new members are always welcome.

Above: Dennis / ZS1AU

CTARC - Updates to Tristan da Cunha DXpedition - 14 Sep '14

The Tristan da Cunha DXpedition is currently on the go. Paul, Nigel and their equipment were airlifted by helicopter to the island. The Agulhas II has now set sail to Gough Island.

The weather on Tristan da Cunha is currently poor and the operators have not been able to unpack all their antennae. ZS1AU reports that they have not yet been able to put up their beam antenna owing to difficult weather conditions. However, both operators are now on air and have been worked by ZS Hams.

Updates: 22 September:

Paul and Nigel have now managed to erect the beam antenna, owing to improved weather conditions. This development, along with an improvement in propogation has lead to a marked improvement in communications. Nigel /ZD9XF continues to be very active on CW.

On 21 September, listeners to the CTARC Sunday morning bulletin at 08h30 S.A.S.T. were treated to a linkup on HF where Bryan /ZS1NQ /Div 4 relayed Paul /ZD9ZS to Cape Town where he delivered a report via the local 2m repeater on 145.750 MHz. Thanks to Dennis / ZS1AU and Danny /ZS1BL for their involvement.

A good time for local (ZS) hams to make contact with Paul /ZD9ZS is around 10h00 S.A.S.T. on 14195 kHz.USB. Sometimes he operates split on 14205 kHz.

The following operating frequencies apply:

Phone:

7195 kHz, LSB
14195 kHz, USB

Paul / ZS1ZS / ZD9ZS has now been heard and worked on the 20m frequency, operating using a vertical antenna

Morse:

10121 kHz CW
18080 kHz CW
24109 kHz CW

Nigel / G3TXF / ZD9XF is now operational and very active on CW, logging some 1000 contacts per day.

CTARC Committee Members Meeting - Sept '14

Just a reminder of the forthcoming meeting for committee members of the CTARC.

This will take place on Monday 22 September at 19h00 at the clubhouse in Rondebosch.