CRARC Committee August update email #Committee_update

The CRARC committee meets on-line on the second Wednesday of the month, to discuss the running of CRARC. This email is an outline of items covered and other topics potentially of interest to CRARC members and is promulgated to keep members aware of what is going on.

On Wednesday 25th September 2024, the CRARC monthly general meeting will be held at the club rooms, with a presentation on flex radios being provided by VK1KAZ and VK6SJ. Kaz and Steve have recently established a company selling the flex radio line in VK and will be able to answer questions on these products and will also be providing a demonstration of some of these radios.

As at the August Committee meeting, Club membership stood at 173 financial members – as expected with the 30^th of June having passed us by, a number of members have not renewed.  As always, if you have any membership queries, contact Graham on membership@crarc.org.au

CRARC maintains a number of Beacons and Repeaters.

We continue to experience intermittent QRM to the Bulls Head 2m and Ginini 70cm repeaters. The Bulls Head QRM is expected to be resolved when we get the permanent repeater back onto site – the normal repeater suffered a failed PA and has just been received back from the repairers and will be reinstalled when the opportunity for a site visit eventuates. Ginini 70cm repeater will be going to a 7MHz split once licencing changes are received back from ACMA and when we have a window of opportunity to make a site visit there. As retuning of both the repeater and multiple filters will be required, this may take more than one visit to achieve. Repeaters appear to be running correctly at all other sites, but if you notice any issues with repeater performance, please advise the committee by email.

On the education front, 4 successful candidates passed the Foundation course in late July. The education team are busy at the moment with the next course this weekend a separate course being delivered in support of the ANU Solar Challenge team next month the next Foundation course is scheduled July 20/21 and is presently open for registration via Eventbrite. Note that the education team may also conduct upgrade assessments on the Saturday of the course (pending assessor availability and sufficient lead time to order exams) in addition to out of sessions examinations by arrangement with the education team via education@crarc.org.au

For WICEN, we are approaching what is normally the busy period in the calendar, however we really only have the Brookvale Horse Endurance Ride on the books for now (5 October). Unfortunately we have had confirmation that the Fitz’s Challenge has been cancelled and unlikely to run again unless another organisation takes on running it.

The CRARC Merchandise shop is now available with a wide selection of T-Shirts, Hoodies, Caps, Polos and Sweaters in both male and female styles. Each T-Shirt, Hoodie, Polo and Sweater can be ordered with the CRARC Logo, your callsign and your name digitally printed over the left breast.  Caps can be ordered with the CRARC Logo and your callsign digitally printed on the front.  A small commission for each item is paid to CRARC so all purchases support your club. https://merch.crarc.org.au/

Matt VK1MA

For the CRARC Committee