Q-News AR News from Queensland

Hello and welcome to a special AX edition of the DDRCI contribution to QNEWS. I'm John VK4JPM, Secretary of the Darling Downs Radio Club, and it's my job to spread good tidings. Ho Ho Ho. So as you listen live, it's most likely Sunday 17 May, and you've probably heard that today is World Telecommunications Day. Under a long-standing agreement between the ACMA and the WIA, all VK licenced amateur radio operators may use the special AX prefix today, running up to 2359 tonight. Why not come up on the callback as AX? If it's Sunday morning, then why not also join us at 1000 for the club net on VK4RDD, and we're activating today as AX4WID. We love hearing from DX stations and members of other clubs. If you can hear this you already have the gear, so you just need to be in range of Toowoomba. If you missed the club meeting last Monday, you missed something rather special. Guy Martin from ADSBSupport in Denmark explained a bit how ADS-B works; how to get global coverage to track planes; and what interesting information can be gleaned and displayed. A number of club members have applied to support ground stations, and I know of at least two club members who have been accepted as ADSBSupport builds its network. If you're interested in supporting a ground station, and if you missed the meeting, drop me a line to Secretary at DDRCI.org.au and we'll tell you how to get in touch. Coming up, the diary dates for a very busy June: Next club activity: we're at Bunnings Toowoomba North on Sunday 7 June. You can help support the club in a really meaningful way: we need Sausage Twirlers, bread-stackers, drink-stockers, ice-blockers, onion-whackers, and money-takers. No experience needed; just a few hours of your time between 0800 and 1600 would help massively. Send your immediate acceptance to secretary@ddrci.org.au so that we can put you on the roster. Next club meeting will be the day after Bunnings on Monday 8 June, and watch for some special news. The following weekend on Saturday 13 June we're running a BBQ lunch up at the wonderfully named Peacehaven Park on Kuhls Road, Highfields. And following the lunch, there's a definite threat of a foxhunt to take you through the afternoon. Facilities at Peacehaven are brilliant. Details of all these dates, and quite a bit more will be found on the website at ddrci.org.au. It's always a source of truth. Coming into Week 21 of the year we've been handed another bonza opportunity in the 52 Week Ham Challenge. And get this: the deal of the week is: "Read your transceiver's manual and use a feature you've never used before". Clearly this was written by someone who owns a Baofeng handheld... I'm still looking for the repeater reverse button; maybe it's in there. If only I could get the scanner to find active planes. So much fun. Read all about that and all the challenges at hamchallenge.org, or find it from our website. Finally an offer to other clubs. Getting on QNEWS is easy and helpful to the community. If you'd like to know how it's done, or if you'd like some help getting there, drop me a line. secretary@ddrci.org.au will do it, and our operator is standing by to take your call. And your club's call. And your words for QNEWS. As we've found out many times, people all over the state are interested in what your club is doing, and if your club meetings are being held online there's an audience waiting to be told what and how. Secretary@ddrci.org.au and let's talk about how to get going. Until next week, I'm John AX4JPM for the Darling Downs Radio Club. 73.