QNews for May 17th 2026

QNews for July 19th 2026

From Toowoomba, centre of the universe, comes the Darling Downs Radio Club's contribution to QNEWS for Sunday 19 July. I'm John VK4JPM, and I've just reconfirmed why it's a bad idea to eat chocolate before you record the news. Thanks to all the people who sent positive feedback after last week's piece in National News. We now know what caused the Telstra outage: a clock that went backwards to the wrong epoch, and then told all the downstream servers they were wrong. Even though things can't possibly fail with networks, they do. That's why being a well-prepared amateur radio operator is so important - we won't go out when a server spits the dummy. The club meeting last Monday with Di Main VK4DI was wonderful, and Di was her usual high energy self. She provided some really good tips for contesting, and if there's interest we plan to run a weekend workshop on contesting at a future date. Also in the not too distant future, but dates not set, we are going to schedule some upgrade assessments for Foundation to Standard and Standard to Advanced - plus we're always available to help Foundation applicants to get to their first rung on the ladder. For both of those, drop us a line to education@ddrci.org.au [education@ddrci.org.au] and we'll put your name into the planning list. Coming up in the next two weeks: the first national Ausalert test is at 1400 on Monday 27 July. This is going to send a text to every phone in the country to confirm that the system works, and will work in an emergency - provided there's no clock failure. One thing that is important: if you have a mobile phone that you don't want to be heard, ensure that it's off or silenced for the test. This is probably going to be a bit like those science fiction movies where the aliens ping everyone at the same time. If you see a spaceship during the test, it's probably a coincidence... but see if you can bounce signals off it while it's there. There's no truth to the rumour that aliens rely on 2m handhelds. The other important event is the Club's Annual General Meeting at the Guide Hut at 1800 on Thursday 30 July. All the details are different from last year, but the AGM packet has gone to all members of record. If you haven't renewed your membership, you have less than a week before we draw the line ahead of the meeting. And if you're a member and you didn't get the AGM packet, please send a note to secretary@ddrci.org.au [secretary@ddrci.org.au], and we'll sort out why it didn't appear. Membership renewal is via the big red button on the home page, and we have proof that the process can take less than five minutes and is secure. Week 30 of the 52-week Ham Challenge starts tomorrow, and it's still antenna month. You can read about it at hamchallenge.org, where you'll find that the aim this week is to "Build the cheapest antenna you can, and make a QSO with it". My money, and I'm really cheap, is that an unbent dry cleaning hanger is the go if you can still find one. Would certainly work on 2m or 70cm, and you can practice tuning radials at the same time. Probably won't work so well on 20m, but worth having a try anyway. What could go wrong? Hoping that all the repeaters are working this week, and thanks for listening. I'm John VK4JPM for the Darling Downs Radio Club. This is Gareth VK4GED You would have heard in a recent WIA National News broadcast about the WICEN Nets that are held on HF every week from VK4 and every month from VK2. Let's not forget the Brisbane Area WICEN Group has also been running its VHF Net every Sunday evening for several decades: Commencing at 7.30 pm local time, the net has been on VK4RBN but is now on VK4RES; The repeater's output frequency is 147.225, the offset in your transceiver is 600 kHz up, with a tone of 91.5; Net Controller is Gary VK4ZGB who will welcome all newcomers.

QNews for July 12th 2026

I'm Gareth VK4GED, and for QNEWS I'm standing outside the Disaster Coordination Centre in Atherton here in far north Queensland. This is where disaster specialists from Tablelands Regional Council meet when there are significant weather or other disruptive events; And it's from here that Radio Amateurs will be called to help in times of community need and where they'll be setting up a radio base at short notice. It's also where the Tablelands Radio & Electronics Club meet every month to discuss and train on matters of communications resilience. I've singled out the Tablelands Club and Council because they have one of the best emergency comms relationships in Queensland. If you have a look at the Tablelands Council's website, you will find pages dedicated to radio communication and the involvement of the Tablelands Club. Search online for "Tablelands resilient communications sub-plan" or click on this link: trc.qld.gov.au/download/resilient-communications-subplan/ The takeaway from this is that legislation makes each Queensland Council responsible for its own area's disaster response. So, if you're a Queensland Radio Amateur and you want to contribute as a communications volunteer in YOUR Council area: Make yourself known to your Mayor, Deputy Mayor and Disaster Coordinator, because they will be the ones to talk to before and during an event; Ask to be involved in your Council's disaster communication exercises and let them know your station's capability, readiness and availability. It's Sunday 12 July; we're starting to come out of the depths of winter, and the one thing that we can predict is that there will be weather today. Hi - I'm John VK4JPM, Secretary of the Darling Downs Radio Club, and it might be worth having a pen ready just in case the interweb and phone network doesn't work. This has not been a good week for technology. Let's start with tomorrow night, which would be Monday 13 July, and in this case the 13th is unlucky for nobody. Our Monthly meeting for July features Contesting, which is Amateur Radio incarnated as a sport. In five weeks the Remembrance Day Contest will be with us, and in just over 24 hours Di Main VK4DI will be along to tell you how to win the RD. As one of Australia's foremost Contesters, Di has had a go at pretty much all Contests on all bands, and under all conditions. She is one of our hobby's Elmers - that's a person who acts as a recognised mentor to help other Hams get started and progress. Di has already mentored the Darling Downs Club, by providing a bit of coaching that enabled our club to take out our category in the John Moyle Contest last March. The RD Contest is looming, and the club has a chance. Di's presence is perfectly timed to provide some support, and your presence is warmly requested to provide some support in return. We're meeting at 1900 at the Guide Hut in Harristown, with all details on the website and also pasted into the text edition of this QNEWS, available from your friendly WIA website. Tea, coffee and timtams, and the hut is going to be comfy warm. We will have an impressive amount of gear to sell, as more of the club's stash has been moved to the hut. Our vice-president Sam VK4SAM has been very busy organising a sale, and in recognition we're having the club's first SAMFest at the same time as the club meeting. Monday 13 July from 1800 for access to the gear. The club's annual general meeting will be held at the Guide Hut at 1800 on Thursday 30 July. Note the time, date and location: all different from last year! The AGM packet will go our shortly, and it's mostly standard business. We will be electing a vice-president, treasurer and two committee members. If you're interested in standing for Committee, the information on how to nominate will be in the AGM packet.

QNews for July 5th 2026

Wayne Gooda VK4YWG went Silent Key in Townsville University Hospital on Friday 19th June following a protracted battle with spinal cancer. The expert and considerate care he received in the Palliative Care Ward, along with being with family members ensured his peaceful passing. Wayne was a committee member and past Club Technician with The Townsville Amateur Radio Club Inc. and was also a member of the Wireless Institute of Australia. Amongst many activities on Amateur Radio, Wayne was a long time Packet Sysop maintaining a 2400 baud FBBS on the 6metre band and also established the first high power DMR Node in Townsville. Along with wife Cate he was also very active in supporting the Flinders Region Guides with the Jamboree On The Air activities, regular club communication support activities and social events. In his working life Wayne hit big goals when, as a Telecom Australia (and eventually Telstra) technician, maintained telecommunications infrastructure across Central, North and Far North Queensland, before moving into project management with jobs such as the Townsville to Tennant Creek Optical Fibre Project in the 1990s and the Mumbai Optical Fibre Network Upgrade Project in the early 2000s. Wayne's gregarious outlook, expert help and extensive technical knowledge will be sorely missed by Radio Amateurs and the community he was involved with. Vale Wayne Gooda VK4YWG, Silent Key. If you're listening to this live on a ham radio channel, it's most likely Sunday 5 July and the fireworks on the other side of the earth are about to happen. I'm John VK4JPM, Secretary of the Darling Downs Radio Club, and one day I'm going to try to bounce a VHF signal off a spinning Catherine wheel... because it's worth a try, and there might be a contest category that I can win by doing it. Dianne Main VK4DI. The detail for the meeting on the website right now at ddrci.org.au, along with a timeline of contests, and a bit about Di who discovered amateur radio while she and husband Bill were in Western Australia. Less than a year later she entered the Remembrance Day Contest to help some scouts get a leg up and they won the WA section. Di was hooked. From there she has taken challenge after challenge, including running JOTA in Kalgoorlie for five years, getting her US Extra licence a couple of years back, and the ultimate challenge of being one of the WIA's contest runners. Di promises to spill the beans on how you can be a better contester, how you can keep better score, how to pick the right categories, and how to have an enjoyable time doing all that. Monday 13 July at the hut in Harristown, with all the details and how to join the webcast if you can't make it tucked away on the home page at ddrci.org.au and check the calendar scroller. Two important bits of housekeeping. Users of the club's VK4RDD will need to have a 91.5Hz CTCSS tone on the transmission from this coming Tuesday 7 July. No tone, no kachunk, so be ready. We have lots of activities coming up, and as a member you'll find out first. Coming up in August: our next freebie education class to turn you from nadio into radio - yes, we'll plug you full of enough stuff that you can get your foundation licence or upgrade to a higher class. Further info about that from education@ddrci.org.au [education@ddrci.org.au], and you can ask about dates and times. We'd love to help get you on air or doing more. And speaking of which, the club has a heap of gear for sale, some of which will be available at the club meeting on the 13th. If all of this has been too quick, too garbled, or too much like speed morse, then check out the website or send an email to secretary@ddrci.org.au [secretary@ddrci.org.au] and we'll help.

QNews for June 28th 2026

Greetings from the Redcliffe and Districts Radio Club VK4RC. Robert Thomson VK4TFN here. With regret we have to announce that there will be no carboot sale this year. We would like to thank all of you who have supported us in the past. Our carboot sale will return next year in 2027. Thank you and 73's from the R & DRC VK4RC. Hi. I'm John VK4JPM, Secretary of the Darling Downs Radio Club, and I'm here to tell you just how much I've enjoyed the extra 14 seconds of daylight yesterday compared to last Tuesday. It's a miracle. This week the club has been busy working on some future and long term projects, but nothing so important that it's going to get in the way of the next club meeting on 13 July. The topic of the month is Contesting, and as always we're calling on an expert to tell us how to do the best job. Di Main, VK4DI not only has the world's best callsign, she has one of the best contesting records because she's serious about what she does. Di runs a five acre station setup down in the hollows of the Lockyer Valley, somewhere around QG62EM. From there she spends lots of time DXing, antenna building, and being competitive on-air. At only $40 full rate, and with plenty of discounts for older and younger folk, this is a real bargain. And your membership supports the work of the club. Don't wait until the AGM comes round: renew now. It's as easy as going to the website and clicking the big red button. And it would be reasonable to ask what we've been doing: well, look at the meetings we've run over the past year; the events that have been held, and the way that the club is getting recognition with our Council and beyond. That's all because you've supported us in the most important way possible: as a member. We love your encouragement. And you'll need to be a member to vote at the AGM, so you might as well do it now. ddrci.org.au and it's the big red button. By the way, there's a serious discount for new members and people who haven't renewed for a few years... and that will only be in place until the AGM so you don't have long. The 52 week ham challenge continues and we're up to week 27. The next few weeks are designed to encourage you to do something with antennas, as you'll see when you check the site at hamchallenge.org. This week is intriguingly referenced as "something something satellites". No really, that's what it says, possibly the most amusing challenge since Grosreinemachen. The challenge is to make contact with a satellite, or possibly make your own. Or do some cool software. Wait... did they really suggest building your own satellite? How on earth... ah no, it wouldn't be on earth. OK, have to think about that one and it might be a good topic for a future club meeting. Something something satellites indeed. Ham radio is nothing if not interesting. We're also getting ready for JOTA/JOTI. If you know some younger folk who would like a bit of training in the ways of radio, and who could use some encouragement to join activities, why not drop a line to Education@ddrci.org.au [Education@ddrci.org.au] to let us know. We're planning some training days maybe around the end of August and it would be great to find some willing starters. Education@ddrci.org.au [Education@ddrci.org.au] and our education officer Dave will get back to you. Reminder that VK4RDD will turn on its 91.5Hz CTCSS filter on Tuesday 7 July - tone access only after that date. And if you're a user of the ACMA's frequency lookup service, that changes from 29 June. Details on the ACMA website.

QNews for June 21st 2026

Good morning, good evening, or g'day - depending on when you're listening to QNEWS and from where. I'm John VK4JPM, Secretary of the Darling Downs Radio Club, and this week we're brought to you by the letter "S" for "solstice". It's half-past 2026 already and from here the days get longer and the sun gets higher. Good news for anyone who bought a solar system a few months back and is wondering where all the energy went. The big news from the club is our next meeting. The topic is "contesting", which is a major thrust in Amateur Radio and one of the tools we have to keep the hobby relevant and very much alive. Make sure you put 13 July in your diary, and plan to attend either in person or by telepresence. Why? Our special guest, who will be with us in person for the evening, is Diane Main. Di is one of Australia's most prominent contesters. [She is] A contesting machine. Di brings organisation, passion, and a relentless focus on bringing MORE operators into field radio." You can expect lots of helpful information, encouragement and tips. Check the website for more information and details of the location. www.ddrci.org.au [http://www.ddrci.org.au] Now something slightly different, and here's an invitation from a sector adjacent to ham radio. Once upon a time pretty much every broadcast engineer had their ham ticket as well, and was active in the hobby. We all know that broadcast radio is a technology business, and community radio especially - without the mostly volunteer techs that keep stations running then nothing would happen. Technorama is the peak body for community radio technologists, and on 25 July Technorama will be running the Queensland leg of this year's roadshow in Broadbeach - intriguingly titled "Crisis Averted". It's a day of information, how-to sessions, discussions on how to avoid disaster, and a heap of social networking. The cost of attendance is so low that you're going to have to check the site because you won't believe me - less than $90 even if you're not a member of Technorama but cheaper if you are. Hams can play a very important part in running radio stations, and where else would be allowed to play with transmitters ranging to 10kW or more? And you probably have, or could learn, lots of skills that are really useful. Check out their website at technorama.org.au and follow the dots. What do you have to lose? 24-26 July, in the heart of the Gold Coast, and lots of fun. Check technorama.org.au for all the detail on that. This week's challenge in the 52 week ham challenge is so challenging that I wonder what they were thinking. It reads "Open a repeater... without using dedicated features of your radio for opening repeaters". The most important dedicated feature is the transmit button, and I assume you are allowed to use that. The hint shows emojis for a megaphone and someone whistling. OK, that's weird. Even with a megaphone, I don't know anyone who could whistle at 91.5Hz. But... maybe they want you to find or build an external CTCSS generator, and that could be very useful both as a project and as a way of rejuvenating an older transmitter that doesn't support access tones. Have a go. And speaking of which: the club's repeater VK4RDD will require a 91.5Hz tone from 7 July - that's soon; it's just a bit over two weeks. We've updated all the documentation to say that a tone is required, so don't get caught out if you're a regular user of the repeater. 91.5Hz CTCSS needed on VK4RDD from Tuesday 7 July. For all info in this bulletin, and many things not mentioned, your moment of truth is at ddrci.org.au and look for interesting entries on the scroller at the top of the page. That's it for this week. Club 2m net coming up on VK4RDD at 1000 on Sunday mornings, and dead silence in the evenings. I'm John VK4JPM, and I'll be back next week with more from the Darling Downs Radio Club. See you then!