NERG NEWS newsletter archive list

NERG News Archives

Click on the month to view NERG News issues in PDF/Acrobat format

Please contact the NERG NEWS editor for updates and corrections to articles before re-publishing.

2012	Contents
February 2012	News, VK3VT receives Australia Day Volunteer Award, Chirp and Whisper Beacons, Portable Loop Antennas, Rex's 10GHz record interview
2011	Contents
December 2011	UTC & GMT time standards, repairing ceramic reasonators in the ICOM IC-621F, vintage amateur promo film, local news.
November 2011	News, Booting up an updated Windows XP PC, A dual band vertical open sleeve antenna for 10m & 6m,
October 2011	News, Digital ATV QSO party, New developers for Ham Radio Deluxe, Heathkit kits return.
Sept 2001	No newsletter published for September
August 2011	News, AGM Announcement, ARISSAT-1 report, R3 ARDF Champs
July 2011	News and activities
June 2011	No newsletter published for June
May 2011	News and activities
April 2011	John Moyle field day reports and News
March 2011	News
February 2011	News, S-meter Inaccuracies
2010	Contents
December 2010	Multi-band trapped dipole antenna special edition
November 2010	Building and using the K1EL WinKeyer-USB for CW, 2 Metre FM frequency list, Electrophone mystery object, ACMA news on 700MHz band changes, Waether Balloon Interference, and a Quiet Radio Zone for the SKA.
October 2010	Brief news and activities
September 2010	News and activities
August 2010	A trip to Gippstech, upcoming activities and news.
July 2010	Number Stations, Mt Gambier convention report, events calendar.
June 2010	Coax Cables for VHF & UHF, events calendar.
May 2010	Parachute Mobile, John Moyle results, VK3JMB gets his 300th DXCC country, Events calendar.
April 2010	Report on the JMFD, YagiCAD update and Corner Reflector antenna design, 2m foxhunt report, upcoming Contests and ARDF events calendar.
March 2010	Anderson, Merit and DIN 12V power plugs,VKCL logging software update, Hamfest reports, Event Calendar.
February 2010	DAB+ up and running, A month of Hamfests, upcoming activities and news
2009	Contents
December '09 /January'10	Airways Museum Open Day, New YAGICAD 6 Antenna Designer released, upcoming activities and news
November 2009	Upcoming activities and news
October 2009	Troublesome Electrolytic Capacitors, New road rules on use of mobile phones and Visual display units, news & calendar
September 2009	Record Sunspot-less period, news & calendar
August 2009	Making Printed Circuit Boards at Home, A Fuzzy history of the NERG, news & calendar
July 2009	Converting a 3-way splitter to an (SWR) Return Loss Bridge, 2009 Victorian Hidden Transmitter Fox-hunt Championship report.
June 2009	PC software and audio interfaces for Digital Modes made easy, DAB+ Digital Broadcasting now on air in Melbourne, VK3RTV conducts DVB-T Digital ATV trials, Monthly 2m SSB scrambles in VK3.
May 2009	60 channels for UHF CB, JMFD results, news & calendar.
April 2009	Report on the NERG's John Moyle Field Day weekend, news & calendar.
March 2009	News & calendar.
February 2009	Resistor colour code rhymes, Bushfire kit, Using VFD tubes in radios, news & calendar.News and activities
2008	Contents
December 2008	Out with Analog TV - in with Digital, VHF EPRIB beacon system closes, Bridge-T attenuator, Antenna Archives revisited - Trapped dipoles and alternative traps, 2009 hamfest and contest dates.
November 2008	VK3RTV goes Digital, Fuse Ratings and Speeds, Zero-ohm resistors, Power versus Frequency.
October 2008	Dayligh savings chaos, events list.
September 2008	NERG AGM results, The VK3RHF multi-band multi-site repeater, ARDF news, events list.
August 2008	VK3RGL goes 91.5Hz, events list.
July 2008	NERG Christmas in June report, Marg Baxter awarded life membership, repeaters heard from club rooms.
June 2008	The Retro-Turbo Encabulator, Bright lights, Repeater directory update.
May 2008	New FM and D-star repeaters from BARG; ACMA reviews and 5 year plans for 70cm and 6m; Power line time and frequency accuracy.
April 2008	A simple Quad Turnstile Antenna for 6 metres; Sunpot cycle 23 not finished yet; Morse tutor program; April Fools Day news - autopilot hyjacks plane, solar maxima rescheduled.
March 2008	Participating in the John Moyle Field Day contest, Recommended IRLP/Echolink frequencies for Australia, VK5ZAI receives NASA award for ARISS services. Featured WEB sites: TWiAR & WBCQ.
February 2008	Revised amateur conditions released by ACMA, 2008 Australian Amateur Events and Contest Calendar, GPS receives Traffic Alerts, Featured WEB site: Installing Mobile Radios.
2007	Contents
December 2007	NERG Quiz, LENA revealed, Inside a DVB-T set top box, NERG as it was a decade ago, Latest YagiCAD 5.2 Yagi antenna design tool has genetic optimisation, Digital VHF-UHF VSWR/POWER meter reviewed, A simple Antenna Tuner, other news, contests, and events.
November 2007	VK3RWM D-STAR repeaters on air, other news and events.
October 2007	A simple 2 Meter Antenna built from 50 ohm coax, Solar power and hot water notes from September meeting, The new WIA D-Star bandplan, Amateur D-Star standard uses proprietary voice codec, Emergency equipment check list.
September 2007	Photos from NERG christmas in July and RD contest. Featured Web site: Jacks videos on YouTube including WIA history of QSL cards, other news and events.
August 2007	A rollup dual band J-Pole antenna for 2m & 70cm, Worlds tallest antenna tower for Tokyo, Coax cable designators, telecom cable thefts, optical nano-tech, other news and events.
July 2007	Contesting in Australia, VK5VF beacons relocating, , other news and events.
June 2007	Cockatoos damage VK3CNE packet system antenna, Handheld secrets, VK3RMU changes frequency, Commercial Digital Radio trials, other news and events.
May 2007	The K0S 'Strange' Antenna challenge, Scarborough reef DXpedition, other news and events.
April 2007	Photos of the VK3CNE John Moyle Field Day contest station, VK3RMH 6 meter beacon back on air, April Fools Day news.
March 2007	Photos from the NERG gliding day, John Moyle Field Day contest plans and how to get to Mount Macedon, Squeezing a PDP-8 computer into a Xilinx FPGA, 2007 ARDF/Foxhunting calendar.
February 2007	Morning tea group, Hamfests galore!, Will Solar Sunspot Cycle 24 be the big one?, Shocking ways to check if the power is turned on, Identify that mystery plastic, 2007 ARDF/foxhunt calendar.
2006	Contents
December 2006	Photos from the Manna Gum Festival., Geocaching, Simple LM567 CTCSS encoder, Strain insulator danger, End of Seaphone in VK, Barbequing sausages in less than 5 seconds.
November 2006	Broadcasting, S-O-S, & 500kHz celebrate 100 year history; music video for hams; BPL trial in Mount Beauty strikes trouble.
October 2006	VK3 APRS changes frequency, call in to NERG's NET, Spitnik 1's 49th birthday, Voyager still discovering space, Battery recall, VK short listed for Square Kilometer Array radiotelescope
September 2006	News and Photos from the NERG christmas in September dinner and the Rememberance Day contest. Updates for VK3RMN, VK3RMU & VK3RPU repeaters.
August 2006	Summary of Jack's favourite video editing packages, UWB and under-16's ACMA regulations changes, Lead-free solder, RD contest, International Light House weekend, Aint got no Rythm!, VK3 AML silent key,
July 2006	Jaycar supports NERG with equipment for training amateurs, 91.5 Hz CTCSS tone for theAWA RT85, Recognising BPL interference, Web of the month: PropWiz propagation tool & Online circuit libraries.
June 2006	Donations and assistance greatfully received from Benelec, Bristols Paints and Rockby Electronics, Foundation class news, Miniature Soviet Valve, Circuit-Doku - a Sudoku style puzzle.
May 2006	Report on the MAD bike ride, New Optical Communications distance record, analysis of the NERG John Moyle scores, Web of the Month - amateur software & a foxhunt simulator, ARISS featured on the ABC science show.
April 2006	Report on the John Moyle Field Day, ARISS contact with ISS a great success, Australian TV manufacturer closes factory, Hams interfere with own satellites, Radio tower disappears from Melbourne skyline, Famous Mexican Midnight Soup recipe Mind Control (it was the April issue...), Broadband over sewer pipes.
March 2006	WICEN at the 2006 Pajero Challenge, SuitSat expires, ARISS contact, ARDF Porcupine Ridge RadiO report, John Moyle Field Day for beginners, BGP - Broadband over Gas Pipe?, Foundation use of linked repeaters and IRLP, IRLP links visible on Google Earth, Avoiding Phishy scams.
February 2006	Foundation Weekend successes, SuitSat-1 overboard, Generator warning, Western Union Telegrams Stop, WICEN at the Kinglake bushfires.
2005	Contents
December 2005	Frequency Table for new licence classes, Simple Directional Coupler to build, web sites for DX'er.
November 2005	New Australian Amateur Licence structure, Manna Gum Festival, Eureka 147 Digital Radio announcement, NERG Open Day report, A BPL poem, Podcasting, Web sites i-Flea, Google Earth, Balloon plans deflated.
October 2005	Open Day, New Regs start this month, Balloon found!, Amazing Rain Sensor, VI5PN success, 3KE breaks 300 DXCC countries, VK3 ARDF starts at Japan, Isn't BPL dead yet?, A mini-what?, 40-years ago - the AM/SSB debate.
Sept 2005	QRP in the Snow, Slow QSL card, Open Day coming soom, Component suppliers on the Internet.
August 2005	New versions of RD Contest kit and YagiCAD for windows available, RD contest rules, BPL submissions available, fox-oring reports.
July 2005	BPL letters of support, New Rules for RD contest, 6 meters under threat from Digital Audio Broadcasts, Photos from Mt. Gambier Convention and Tx Hunts.
June 2005	Balloon launch success, Digital Voice modes for HF, HamSat OSCAR52 in orbit.
May 2005	CTCSS tone standards; CTCSS for the Philips FM900 & AWA RT85; Macedon Pines ARDF event report;
April 2005	John Moyle Field day: Tiny time standard; Lithium Batteries.
March 2005	433 MHz medical transmitters threaten 70cm; Beacons & propagation web sites; ISS on IRLP & Echolink; Contest Announcements: IOTA VI5PN St Peter Island, 1st IRLP contest, 80/160m VK/TransTasman, CQ repeater;
February 2005	2005 ARDF calendar; Field Day checklist; WICEN exercises.
2004	Contents
December 2004	VTAC report - changes to VK3 repeater access; VK3RMH repairs; LIPD door locks; Weather web sites; More on BPL; November ARDF event report.
November 2004	The NERG - 21 years ago; ARDF and micro-RadiO news;
October 2004	A warning on cheap battery chargers; more on BPL;
September 2004	Care and feeding of the Yuasa VRLA batteries (Gel, SLA, or Valve Regulated Lead-Acid batteries); Local council restricts use of Satellite Dishes;
August 2004	The new Amateur Radio Victoria; Silent Key Dr John D Kraus radio astronomer and antenna handbook guru W8JK; Amsat-OSCAR 51 (“Echo" AO51 ) ready for launch; RF-ID tags track your every move;
July 2004	Report from the 2004 Mt Gambier convention and foxhunt championships; THE PAOMNNEHAL PWEOR OF THE HMUAN MNID
June 2004	The new entry level Foundation license for amateur radio; Federal and state WIA division merge into one national WIA; NERG packet node VK3CNE now on air; ARDF news and reports; Dave's favorite radio software; Incentives needed to reduce Hi-tech Trash; The Cold, Balls and Brass Monkeys;
May 2004	Why use Packet Radio?; NERG IRLP has new Internet host; The @ character added to the Morse Code;
April 2004	Low Power Precision Frequency Beacons investigate propagation on HF; New regulations of satellite dishes; Dangers of DHMO contamination;
March 2004	Working the John Moyle Field Day contest; Setting up the NERG packet node; Identifying UV resistant ropes; CTCSS to reduce 70cm repeater interference from LIPDs.
February 2004	DAB digital audio broadcast trials start in Melbourne; Batteries and concrete floors;
2003	Contents
December 2003	Region 3 ARDF championships held in Ballarat a great success;
November 2003	ACA reviews amateur licensing; Echolink joins IRLP on VK3RMH repeater; Ultra Wide Band (UWB) - a new wireless mode; Tiny Cameras; Will the real BNC stand up? JOTA 2003 report;
October 2003	Steam Cooled Vacuum Tubes, ARDF championships & news, Powerlines Communications (PLC) discussion paper from ACMA.
September 2003	AR at the Great Australian Science Show, Aircraft Maintenance reports, TV and Radio broadcasting in New York two years after 9/11, ACMA to review the Amateur Service.
August 2003	Report on ARDF at Toorourrong Reservoir, The Australian Amateur Travellers' Net , The Father of the Superhet and FM radio, Microwaves and Hot Water.
July 2003	Managerium - The heaviest element known to science.
June 2003	ACA mandates new EMR limits for radio amateurs, Errata - Local Antenna Height Regulations.
May 2003	LIPD interference to VK3RMH, Illegal High Power Cordless Phones cause widespread interference, The myth about Mobile Phones and exploding Petrol Stations, 30th aniversary of the mobile phone, North East Victorian bushfires finally over and AR involvement.
April 2003	State of Art Antennas - the bent coat hanger, Finishing Aluminium, Handy Frequency to Wavelength conversion chart, Reoprt on NERGS 2003 John Moyle Field Day.
March 2003	Local Ham told to remove tower, JMFD Field Day Checklist, WICEN at the OXFAM Trailwalker, LIPDs on 70cm, Working the JMFD, Are you radio ready?, More on Is It Legal to Talk’n’Drive?, Fix temperature sensitive FM828 squelch problems,
February 2003	NE Vic Bushfire amateur radio activities, Is It Legal to Talk’n’Drive?,
2002	Contents
December 2002	Report on 2002 Jamboree on the air, A simple Dual Band 2 m 5/8 + 6 m 1/4 Wave Antenna, Sunspots - How long can the peak last?, How would you like your Volts? - 240V mains in Australia.
November 2002
October 2002
September 2002
August 2002
July 2002
June 2002
May 2002
April 2002
March 2002
February 2002
2001	Contents
December 2001	2001 LEONIDS Meteor Storm, South Foreland Lighthouse, Centenary of the first Transatlantic transmission, AMSAT chief to visit Melbourne, Testing the performance of the NERG dummy load projects.
November 2001
October 2001
September 2001
August 2001
July 2001
June 2001
May 2001
April 2001
March 2001
2000	Contents
December 2000	Electro Magnetic Radiation Standards soon to apply to Amateur stations, Iridium still up in the air, My antennas got a bigger "MARINE" than yours!, More Astronomical Net Questions of the Week, Dissimilar Metal Corrosion, with Galvanic Corrosion Table, Big Silicon Chip Plant Opens in Melbourne
October 2000
August 2000
1999	Contents
December 1999	Warnings for the year 2000 bug; A mains-power SLA battery charger project; A simple bow-tie antenna for UHF TV reception;
1983	Contents
First Issue	First ever issue of NERG NEWS - The NERG started over 25 years ago, and to celebrate we've reproduced the first ever issue of NERG NEWS. See how much has changed in that time, and how much hasn't changed at all!

North East Radio Group, Inc. Melbourne, Australia
updated 16 Feb 2012 BYY