Southern Electronics Group – VK6SR

29^th of December 2023, another year has almost passed and it is also time to hopefully renew your SEG Membership for 2024. 

Achievements in 2023 included the second Ham-Camption at Mayanup/Boyup Brook in May, Ham Feasts at Katanning in June and Quinninup/Manjimup in November and upgrades to the club RemoteHams stations at Albany, Carnarvon & Perth.  The club voice repeaters, Allstar linked repeater network and the usual maintenance tasks also kept us busy throughout the year.  A number of great 6M DX contacts from the VK6CRO Carnarvon RemoteHams stations is worth mentioning, including Middle East, Europe, UK and Alaska,

In 2023, SEG had 73 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.  Activity in the club creates more activity and I think this is something that we can continue to build on.  The bank balance is healthy and we have a good array of donated equipment, particularly for VHF & UHF, so if you have an idea for a club event or project, please don’t be afraid to put it forward.  The Ham Feasts and Ham Camp started as ideas over a couple of drinks and grew from there. 

Thank you to our generous donors, who have made large, in-kind donations to the club throughout the years, by way covering our power & internet bills, rent-free building and tower space, donating food & drinks at club events, donating equipment and items for raffle prizes and auctions and the generous financial donations to the club during the year.   Finally, thank you to everyone who is a financial member of SEG and participates in club activities.  

SEG became an incorporated association as a necessity to maintain WIA Public Liability Insurance and the next AGM will take place online, hopefully in February 2024. Members will be advised of the details via email.

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.  SEG continues to invest and upgrade 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.  These all cost the club 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. 

SEG is very conscious of the cost of living pressures on everyone’s budget at present and the cost for SEG Membership remains at $30.00/year.  Our membership year runs from 1 January to 31 December each year and this gives you access to all the SEG facilities, systems, services & events.  If you joined SEG after 1 September 2023, please email me for a reduced, pro-rata membership fee.  And if club memberships aren’t your cup of tea, SEG are also happy to accept your donation.

This year there has been a change with the club membership registration & payment provider. The RegisterNow company, who SEG have used for the last 7-8 years was sold to a bigger, overseas company called race Race Roster.  Race Roster has wound down all of Register Now’s facilities and put them under their own Race Roster brand.

There are a number of things that Race Roster do differently to Register Now, including the layout & functionality of their system is quite different to what we’re previously used to and unfortunately they also don’t accept Paypal. 

My thanks to Kevin N4RMF/VK6 for helping me test the Race Roster system and writing up some details on how to best navigate Race Roster. 

The link to the SEG membership system is:  https://raceroster.com/events/2024/83293/2024-southern-electronics-group-membership

• Select 2024 Membership (or 2024 Membership and optional donation if you desire). 

• You will get a popup box, enter your email address, select ‘No, I want to create a password’ and enter your new password.
• You will then be redirected to the Details Page. 
• Important Step: At this stage, you will receive an email from Race Roster and need to confirm your email address in your email program/software.  You only need to do this step once.
• Go back then to the Details Page.  You can also change your membership & donation level at this point if you wish.  Unfortunately the ‘Date of Birth’ question is mandatory with Race Roster, we don’t need it and can’t be removed/deleted, but enter 1-Jan-2000 if you don’t want it in the membership database.  Enter all the fields, those marked with ‘*’ are must complete, then press the ‘Continue’ button.
• You will then be sent to the Payment Page.  Check the name, email, phone & payment amount are correct, enter credit card details and press ‘Submit Order’
• Your Membership should then be processed, email you a receipt, notify the Secretary/Treasurer and deposit the funds to the SEG bank account.
• Fees for Race Roster services and credit card payments are absorbed by SEG. (About $3 per standard membership on current rates)

I will send out, some more detailed instructions and screenshots of the Race Roster system shortly for those needing more information or assistance.

If you’re having difficulties with the Race Roster system or needing some assistance, please email me and I will do my best to help get your membership added and processed.

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

Thanks again to everyone for 2023 and your ongoing support of SEG is greatly appreciated.

73,

Rob…
VK6LD