CRARC Committee November 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 from the November period and is promulgated to keep members aware of what is going on.

On Wednesday 27th November 2024, we will be holding an end of year function at the club rooms for the CRARC monthly general meeting, starting a little earlier than normal with doors opening at 7pm. We have a couple of volunteers who have put their hands up (thanks guys), but would very much welcome additional helpers to make the night go easier for all involved. Any additional offers of assistance, please email the committee with when/what you are able to do.

As at the November Committee meeting, Club membership continued to fluctuate in line with the variable membership year and is currently at 181 financial members.  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 with resolution of these issues hopefully getting closer. We have received the Icom FR3000 back with a new PA and freshly retuned (ably confirmed by the tech night crew) and hope to have it reinstalled in the next month or so. We are still awaiting the licencing paperwork to change the Ginini 70cm repeater to a 7MHz split. The Ginini 6m repeater plan is progressing slowly. We don’t have a firm ETA, but hope to have it completed and installed this summer. 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, the education team have slightly changed with Amanda VK1AH having stepped back from actively running our training courses to broaden the experience base of our other education team members. The November course was ably managed by Malcom VK1MAL with assistance on the presentations and assessments from Don VK2DON, Jeff VK1JB and Bob VK1ED. Amanda advises that all even candidates successfully completed their assessments and that the first course for 2025 on 18/19th January is now open for bookings. 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, it was a quiet month with no events supported – indeed we have nothing on the books until the Rally of Canberra on 21-23 March. That doesn’t mean time to relax and sit down on the job! Phil VK1PL is looking to pull back from the running of these events and is looking for the right person to take on this role. It does entail a reasonable amount of effort in the 2-3 months leading up to the event including attending a number of meetings with the event organisers to ensure that the communications side of the event is not an after thought. If you are interested in this, please reach out to Phil and discuss what is involved and what you feel you can bring to the party.

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