Southern Electronics Group – VK6SR

Well another year has almost raced past and it feels like just yesterday that I was at the beginning of 2021. Here’s hoping 2021 has been a good year for you and 2022 is a better year again for us all!

2021 saw SEG add two further RemoteHams internet-controlled HF/VHF/UHF club stations for members at Carnarvon & Albany. Membership dues, fundraising and some very generous donations made these possible, including the long-term loan of the IC-9700 transceiver by Icom Australia. The RemoteHams stations are by no means small exercises to set up and gives exciting chances for exciting contacts and DX that aren’t always possible from our own QTH’s.

Additional 2M and 70cm Allstar nodes were added to the VK6 South West Hub linked repeater network, putting more amateurs and those travelling the countryside in contact. We were very fortunate that Covid-19 restrictions did not prevent the Katanning Ham Feast in April and Manjimup Ham Feast in November from going ahead and were definitely among the largest events the club has held.

In 2021, SEG had 45 financial members in the club, including a number of members interstate & overseas, who enjoy using the RemoteHams systems and have joined the club to be part of our community. So thank you to everyone who is a financial member of SEG and participates in club activities.

With the start of a new year, comes Southern Electronics Group (SEG) membership renewals. Everyone is encouraged to join SEG and being a member is a great way to get started in the hobby, meet new friends and help out others. Licensed amateur, shortwave listeners and radio hobbyists alike are all welcome to join us.

Membership remains at $30.00 per year and the membership year runs from 1 January to 31 December each year. This gives you access to all the SEG facilities, systems & services.

SEG continues to invest and upgraded its network of repeaters, Allstar links and nodes, the RemoteHams internet-controlled HF/VHF/UHF club stations, APRS digipeater & I-Gate services and club callsigns VK6SR & VK6CRO. In 2022, a rebuild of the Manjimup repeater site is being planned to bring it back to its former glory, additional APRS I-Gates, APRS digipeaters & Allstar nodes.

These projects all cost considerable time & money to licence, maintain, upgrade and operate. Importantly being a member of SEG helps us to share the cost of funding new projects and repairs.

Now if club memberships aren’t your cup of tea, SEG are also happy to accept donations.

SEG is able to accept membership renewals and new applications securely online with credit card & Paypal payments through the RegisterNow group.

The link to the 2022 Membership renewals is:
https://www.registernow.com.au/secure/Register.aspx?E=45690

The RegisterNow system will automatically email you a receipt and deposit the funds to the SEG account.

For those who wish to pay by EFT/internet banking or by cheque, Membership Forms can be downloaded in Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF formats from the Membership page and sent via e-mail or by Australia Post to the Treasurer at PO Box 435 Mt Barker WA 6324.

Your ongoing support of SEG is greatly appreciated.

73,

Rob…
VK6LD

We had 45 attendees enjoying refreshments and a hearty lunch at the Quinninup Tavern on Monday 15 November 2021. We had travellers from Mt Barker, Porongurup, Broomehill, Manjimup, Boyup Brook, Margaret River, Yallingup, Collie, Binningup, Dwellingup, Mandurah, Perth Metro Perth Hills and even Kalgoorlie come to Ham Feast. Great to see a few first-timers to Ham Feast and our returning regulars. I think the location is just great, overlooking the karri forest from the bar, dining room and outside deck.

A big thanks as well goes to the tavern owner, Dale Atkins and her team of kitchen & bar staff for looking after us!

The legendary Ham Feast Raffle was held and the prize winners were:

1st prize (Comet GP-3, dual band 2m/70cm antenna, valued at $199): Mike VK6MN

Other prize winners were Phil VK6TEK (Bushcomm balun), David VK6FAAZ (Cable tie combo pack), Stuart VK6STU (Self-amalgamating tape), Andrew VK6ONE (Digital multimeter) and Warren (VK6VET) pliers/side cutters.

Raffle ticket sales and new memberships raised $545.00 for the kitty.

Thanks to everyone who travelled to Quinninup and made it another great event. The next Ham Feast at Katanning will take place around April 2022, so hope to see you there!

Thanks again to all.

73,

Rob…
VK6LD