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

Southern Electronics Group (SEG) is pleased to announce the long awaited, next Manjimup Hamfeast is scheduled for Monday 27 November 2023.

For those who haven’t been before, the Manjimup Hamfeast is a pub lunch for radio enthusiasts held at the Quinninup Tavern, 1222 Wheatley Coast Road, Quinninup.

The food is great, drinks are cold and the company is excellent! YL’s, XYL’s & partners are also very welcome.

Start time is 11.30am.

The legendary Hamfeast Raffle will also be held on the day, with some great prizes to be won.

For those coming from Albany, Mt Barker, Katanning, Bunbury, Perth or most other places, Quinninup can be reached in 2-3 hours travel time.

It is preferred if you can pre-order your meals to help the chef to have sufficient supplies on hand and to prepare & deliver the meals in a timely manner on the day. I have attached the Quinninup Tavern’s menu to this email and I’ll also put it on the SEG website.  Meals can be selected on the day, but there are no guarantees if not pre-ordered!

The Quinninup Tavern also informs me – “If there are other choices anyone would like please let me know.  Looking forward to seeing all the crew again J“

First important point: If those attending can e-mail me with their meal choices and to confirm their attendance, so I can prepare a spreadsheet for the chef. Please have your orders back to me by 8.00am, Tuesday 21November 2023 at the latest.

Second important point: When you arrive on the Hamfeast day, if you can attend at the bar, let the staff know your callsign & name and they will take payment for your meal/s.

The chef is aiming to serve meals between 12.00pm and 1.00pm, but with upwards of 40 people expected, this equates to one meal cooked & served every 90 seconds, so please be patient. ?

Please RSVP and provide meal preferences to me directly by email or SMS text.

Save the date in your calendar – Monday 27 November 2023, start time around 11.30AM and look forward to seeing you there!

73

Rob…

VK6LD

Menu: https://www.hamradio.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Quinninup-Tavern-Menu-2023-1.pdf

December 2022 and another year has almost raced past – I’m not sure where all these years are going quite honestly!

It is also time to hopefully renew your SEG Membership for 2023.  Achievements in 2022 included the inaugural Ham-Camption at Mayanup/Boyup Brook in September and Ham Feasts at Katanning in June and Quinninup/Manjimup in November.  A working bee weekend was held at the Manjimup repeater site in February to bring the repeater and APRS online.

SEG became an Affiliated Club with the WIA, which now gives us coverage under their public liability insurance.  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.  

Upgrades and maintenance visits were also made to the club’s remote stations at Perth, Carnarvon and Albany.  Most notable contacts are the 1296MHz/23cm National Digital Record by Nigel VK6CPU/p (via Albany RemoteHams) to VK3ZAZ at a distance of 2168kms on 18 Feb 2022 and a bunch of 6M FT8 & SSB contacts into Middle East and Europe from the VK6CRO Carnarvon RemoteHams station.   Regularly daily nets & skeds are held on the remote stations and they are missed when the internet or power goes down at the remote sites.  

The club also has on offer, a couple of potential sites for an additional remote station in the south-west that both have power & internet available.  I need to check these sites for potential HF noise & QRM and the reliability of the power and internet.  Neither of these sites has a tower or mast, so those logistics will also require investigation.

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.  

In 2022, SEG had 70 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.  I asked several new members during the year, what attracted or caused them to join SEG and the common answer I got, was they saw SEG as club that was active and getting to work doing things in the hobby, such as holding amateur radio related events, helping out in the amateur community, building Allstar nodes, building club remote stations and encouraging activity.  

Activity creates more activity and I think this is something that we can definitely build on.  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. 

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 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.  And 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 company.  (Good news is there’s no additional fees for using credit card or Paypal)

The link to the 2023 Membership renewals is:

https://www.registernow.com.au/secure/Register.aspx?E=48639

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.

Thanks again to everyone for 2022 and your ongoing support of SEG is greatly appreciated.

73,

Rob…
VK6LD

From Graham VK6WCR:

Ham Camption 9,10,11 Sept

We enjoyed a relaxing drive Down to Mayanup. Taking in all the sights along the way. Said hello to a few familiar wee faces at Gnomesville . Further along we noticed a few wineries and Pubs that looked perfect for a drop in and refreshments .

Mayanup recreational area/ Mayanup Horse and pony club. Here we where met by our Host . Darren
We set up camp close to showers and toilets. Cost  was $10 each per night . Bargain basement prices .  After setting up camp I setup my antenna Radio gear, Other people gradually rolled in during the Friday afternoon setting up camp  their radio equipment  as well.

6 pm we all met down at the fire pit. Rag Chewing began in earnest.  

A re-occurring theme, was how so many of us had traveled the same old journeys over the years ,lived and worked in the same remote areas but at different times. We had so many mutual friends. For me it was  like a walk down memory lane hearing all the changes that had come about in areas that i had one time or another lived and worked in the past.

Bedtime was 10 pm Friday Night .  Blessed with a full moon. Night air was fresh. Cows , I forgot to mention the progress society and council who manage the land also have cows roaming on the property but they are up and over the other side of the hill in a far paddock so not a problem.

Being in farming country you may hear the distant sheep.

OMG at midnight I heard what I can only describe  sounded like a wolf being strangled in mid howl . I Never new Cows howl at the moon . LOL But apparently they do.

Saturday morning I woke around my usual time of around 5am. How can i describe it hmm . Pea soup mist and quite fresh brisk morning. None the less I soon had a brew going ,shortly after bacon and eggs was  on the go . Not long after Brekky , I found myself doing the rotisserie dance next to the fire pit  . Good to see I wasn’t the only  one getting  acclimated to the country air.

Conversations continued on from where we had left of the night before. Darren our host collected our fees also sold some raffle tickets. Shortly after, he announced he would be putting on a sausage sizzle for everyone free of charge and that Saturday night Pizza was on the menu for free as well.

During the daytime on Saturday I was going from one campers setup to the next looking at their radio equipment and antennas . 

I spoke with a Amateur operator I believe is with Bunbury Amateur radio club . He was full bottles on Ardiuno and raspberry pi like devices . From what I recall it is an area he works in professionally . Devon I believe was his name.

Some of the radios I was able to see in use Yaseu/Elad/Xiego/ Icoms/ baofeng /kenwood   to name a few . Antennas where a mix of tapped verticals. Center fed and end fed  longwires ,One that looked like a hills hoist clothes line 

Plan for Sunday go back around get a photo of each operator , their call sign and equipment. But that is for tomorrow. Right now it’s getting late Time for bed  .Wouldn’t you know it right on cue at midnight that weird animal noise sound . again only this time it sounded like a donkey being strangled mid Eeee aww rrr aww eee . something like that.  Strange critters down that neck of the woods .Must be something in the water the cows drink.

Sunday morning ended up heading back Home earlier than planned . Unfortunately We had a death in our extended family so had to  head home organise some new flights some flights. 

Summary for the weekend at Hamcamption.

This was a trial of an idea 1 st event. Host was Darren VK6EK with Mike helping. Very Successful Weekend.

Everyone I met is looking forward to the next one.So Pencil in the Month of May 2023 for a possible HamCamption. The Format was kept simple and worked great it allowed for everyone to feel like they where all part of one big family catching up for a reunion.

People who attended where amateurs from our Great Southern region including up to Perth Northern Suburbs and east to Gidgegannup and everywhere in between. Some of them members of various clubs and organisations Some where just individual Hams.

When I was leaving Darren  invited us to attend the next one and asked me to pass on his personal invitation to all PARG Members as well.

I will be keeping in touch with Darren VK6EK.

73′
Kindest regards
Graham VK6WCR
————————————————————————————————–

List of attendees from Darren VK6EK:

Hi All,

Many thanks for the photos and attendee report from Graham VK6WCR.

The list of Ham-Camption attendees, 25 in total, from Darren VK6EK:

VK6EK:                  Darren

VK6MN:               Mike

VK6II:                    Dan

VK6DEV:              Phillip

Vk6POP:              Bob

VK6LAM:             Craig

VK6TW:                JT

VK6MB:                Mike 

VK6MK:                Stuart

VK6FN:                 Max

VK6VBC:              Brock

VK6DEW:             Doug 

VK6NW:               Wayne

VK6PAW & VK6MOT:      Glynn & Tom

VK6BSA & VK6DEE:          Mark & Deena

VK6WCR & XYL:                 Graham & Maggie

VK6GWM & XYL:               Glenn &

VK6GS & XYL:                     Gary & Grace

VK6NDX & XYL:                  Nick & Jen

Again, a big thank you to Darren, Mike & Dan, who put their hearts and souls into organising the Inaugural 2022 Mayanup Ham Camp and to everyone who attended. 

There is a lot that goes into planning, arranging and producing these events and in the background, to make these into memorable events.  I think it might be fair to say, it was even better than Darren expected! ?  There were a few moments in the organising and arranging, that we may have wondered, was this thing going to fly, but in the end it all came together.

We have plans for a bigger, better and more interesting Mayanup Ham Camp in 2023, so make sure you keep a look out for the next event. (Possibly May 2023)

Regards,

Rob…

VK6LD

It is that time of year again!

Everyone is encouraged to join Southern Electronics Group (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 is still only $30.00 per year and the membership year runs from 1 January to 31 December each year.

SEG has invested and upgraded its network of repeaters, Allstar links and nodes, the RemoteHams internet-controlled HF/VHF/UHF club station, APRS digipeater & I-Gate services and club callsign VK6SR.

These 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.  For members who joined part way through 2020, we can pro-rata your 2020 membership.  (Please ask to have your membership adjusted.)

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

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

The link to the 2020 Membership renewals is:  https://www.registernow.com.au/secure/Register.aspx?E=37113

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 below 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 and we look forward to hearing from you soon.

73,

Rob…

VK6LD

Online SEG Renewals & Applications

Membership Form (Word)

Membership Form (PDF)

For some time now there has been ongoing short intermittent bursts of white noise QRM on the VK6RAA Mt Barker 70cm repeater (439.950MHz).  Despite best efforts, the source hasn’t been identified due to its short & intermittent nature, but is probably originating from somewhere on Mt Barker Hill and it isn’t deliberate.

To overcome the noise source a 123.0Hz CTCSS subtone has been implemented on the Mt Barker 70cm repeater in order to access the Allstar linked system.

With the CTCSS tone access now installed, if your transceiver transmits a 123.0Hz CTCSS sub tone to the repeater, your transmissions will go out over the linked Allstar system.  If your transceiver doesn’t transmit any CTCSS tone (or a CTCSS tone other than 123.0Hz) your transmissions will only go out locally on the repeater over the Mt Barker area and won’t be heard on the wider linked Allstar system.  This way the repeater still stays as open access for everyone, albeit limited to Mt Barker without the correct CTCSS tone, but will prevent the white noise QRM going out over the wider network and upsetting our fellow amateurs.

If you need any advice or assistance with adding a 123.0Hz subtone to your transceiver please contact SEG for help to reprogram your transceiver.

2017 SEG Membership Renewals

We encourage everyone to join the Southern Electronics Group. 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 has invested considerably in the network of repeaters, AllStar nodes, APRS digipeaters & APRS I-Gate. These are costly to licence, maintain and operate, not just in financial terms, but also time.  SEG also holds the club callsign VK6SR.

In 2017, SEG are planning to refurbish the 2M repeater antennas and install a web based IP switch to control/reboot 12V DC power at Mt Barker and linking the Albany 70cm repeater into the AllStar VK6 south west network.  We are also looking into the possibility of an amateur repeater in the Denmark area, with a connection into the AllStar VK6 south west network & 2M APRS digipeater.

Importantly, being a member of SEG helps us to share the cost of funding these services, establishing new projects as well as repairing things when they break (like power supplies and antennas).  Donations to SEG are also always very welcome.

Membership is only $30.00 per year and the membership year runs from 1 January to 31 December each year.

To foster on air activity on our local repeaters and AllStar nodes, SEG will also be offering pre-programmed Baofeng BF-888 70cm handhelds to members in 2017 (new & rejoining) for the subsidised price of $10.00 each, limited to one per membership. The handhelds will be pre-programmed to all local 70cm repeaters and simplex frequencies.

In 2017, SEG will again be able to accept membership renewals and new applications securely online via credit card & Paypal through the RegisterNow group.  If you also wish to purchase a 70cm handheld, this can be added to your membership renewal in the RegisterNow checkout process.

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 at the bottom of this page and sent via e-mail, by Australia Post to the Treasurer at the PO Box or in person at the next SEG Ham Feast.

Your ongoing support of SEG is greatly appreciated and we look forward to hearing from you soon.

73’s,

Rob…
VK6LD

Online SEG Renewals & Applications 

Membership Form (Word)

Membership Form (PDF)

2016 SEG Membership Renewals

We encourage everyone to join the Southern Electronics Group. 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 is only $30.00 per year and the membership year runs from 1 January to 31 December each year.

The group has invested considerably in the network of repeaters which we own and operate. These repeaters are expensive to licence, maintain and operate, not only in money but also time.  There is also the club callsign VK6SR, APRS digipeater and I-Gate.

In 2016 SEG is planning the rollout All Star linking between the repeaters at Manjimup and Mount Barker with the existing All Star system at Katanning.  There are also discussions under way with the Bunbury Radio Club to join in with our All Star linking as both clubs share many common interests (and members!).

SEG are also making progress towards putting in a new 70cm repeater at Albany in 2016 which will cover town and surrounds with linking to Mount Barker and the All Star network.

Importantly, being a member of SEG helps us to share the cost of funding these new projects as well as repair things when they break (like power supplies and antennas).  For members who joined part way through 2015, we can pro-rata your 2016 membership.  Donations are also very welcome.

In 2016 SEG will be able to accept membership renewals and new applications securely online via credit card & Paypal for the first time through the RegisterNow group.. (Below)

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 below and sent via e-mail, by Australia Post to the Treasurer at the PO Box or in person at the next SEG Ham Feast.  Please contact SEG for the online links to online pro-rata membership renewal and donations.  (See Contact Page for details)

Your ongoing support of SEG is greatly appreciated and we look forward to hearing from you soon.

Online SEG Renewals & Applications 

Membership Form (Word)

Membership Form (PDF)