HamCram graduates in June 2024

Controlling field equipment under an ecosystem approach The June Shed Workshop was held a week later than usual - from 1pm to 3pm on Sunday 13 June 2021 at Mike ZL1AXG's QTH due to Queen's Birthday weekend getting in the way. Mike ZL1AXG and Bernard ZL2BD gave an introduction to the concept of an antenna ecosystem, in which a range of antennas could be controlled by a single microprocessor control system. This includes remote antenna switches (with just one antenna cable into the shack), 4 square switching, directional switching of beverage antennas or similar, tuning of magnetic loop antennas, and rotator control for beam antennas. Mike ZL1AXG also introduced Charlie Morris' Simple Transceiver for 80m SSB. He showed off some of the modules that are under construction, and outlined in a block diagram the design of the transceiver. He demonstrated how the audio modules could be tested using a multi-meter, signal generator and oscilloscope by inputing a signal from the signal generator at 1KHz in the front end of an amplifier and measuring the voltage on the oscilloscope or multimeter at the output end.

A Special Meeting to amend club rules in light of Covid-19 and the phasing out of cheques by major banks was scheduled for Sunday 21 June from 1pm - 3pm. This was the first face-to-face meeting since Covid-19 set NZ back in 2020. Details of the amendments to our rules were sent to members in advance. Club members accepted the proposed changes proposed to the Rules, which can be found on this website under Club Business. The special meeting was followed by our regular monthly meeting where Frank ZL2TTS spoke to a Powerpoint presentation on HF propagation. Frank is one of our most active DXers and he discussed key considerations in successfully making DX contacts at the bottom of the solar cycle based on propagation via the ionosphere. This was also the first time we have met at Waitohi Hub - in the maker space meeting rooms. A number of members met in the cafe afterwards for coffee and snacks.

Mike led off on the second Shed Workshop on Sunday 10 June 2018 from 1pm - 3pm. The topic was "Kitset Transceivers". Mike talked about his experiences in assembling and modifying BITx40s and a µBITx. He drew on resources from his website (http://uBITx.net) that attracts over 16,000 unique visitors each month and is the definitive guide to the µBITx for constructors. Afternoon tea was provided.