Anniversary of Wellington Mesh Network

John ZL2HD spoke at our Wednesday 17 August about the kinds of antennas, masts and towers that are permitted within the Wellington City boundaries. John outlined efforts involved in trying to protect Amateur Radio interests in the face of city council moves to regulate the proliferation of cellphone towers and streetside cabinets. The process has continued since 2010, when cellphone masts started proliferating. The council had no control over placement of antennas on the roadside utility corridor. Wellington has separate definitions for antennas and aerials in its District Plan – antennas are what telcos use, aerials are thin bits of wire that radio amateurs want. Masts are fine. Towers are something else again. The upshot: “Masts or supporting structures of any height are permitted if they are below 102mm in diameter (guys don’t count so long as they’re not thick); “fatter things” (including lattice masts) cannot exceed 18m in height on a residential site, or rise beyond 5m above the “building profile.” The building profile is determined by a surface at 45 degrees to the horizontal starting two metres above the ground on the property boundary. Rural sites have their own rules, seasides and ridgelines are special cases. Heritage areas are a separate problem. Existing installations survive…

Branch Award for Sangster Shield Contest Wellington Branch 50 NZART (WARC Inc) won the inaugural trophy for the most active branch in the Sangster Shield Contest. This award, in memory of Tony Fletcher ZL2ALJ - a long-time Branch 50 NZART member, was presented to the Chair by the Sangster Shield contest coordinator, Glenn Kingston ZL2KZ at the Wellington Branch meeting on 18 November 2015. WARC Inc thanks Tony's wife for the gift that enabled the trophy fund to be established. While Wellington Branch won the trophy this year, it is to be hoped that other branches will encourage their members to participate in the NZART Sangster Shield contest held each May. The contest involves contacts over two evenings in early winter on QRP CW. Sangster Shield Branch Award Certificate

The third in a series of Broadband-Hamnet (Mesh) SIG meetings was held at the Tawa Community Centre on Thursday 22 October at 7.30pm. A slightly smaller group turned up, due to proximity to Labour Weekend and hte. John ZL2HD provided an introduction to how to get a node working when it didn't seem to be responding to your computer. Mike ZL1AXG provided an update on the mesh coordinating group meeting earlier in the week, and mesh developments.