Wellington VHF Group, Inc: Online.

Sorry to folks who noticed the server was unavailable from ~0100 until ~0900 this morning. A power glitch in the Wellington CBD had a, shall we say, negative impact on the network provider i'm connected through. More details under BlakJak.net Administrivia as they come to hand.

Folks,
Bike the Trail 2010 is coming! Once again Wellington VHF Group have been approached to provide marshalls for the course route, with the Amateur VHF repeater at Belmont (710) being ideally suited to providing comms across the Hutt Valley.

This is an event we successfully helped with in 2009 and things went so well, they want us back!

We have recently been advised that Gerry Kilpatrick ZL1BBS, NZART Honorary Solicitor and Life Member, has become a Silent Key.
Wellington VHF Group note this with sadness and extend condolences to all his family and friends.

The NZART Website reports the following:

10-February-2010 - Gerry Kilpatrick ZL1BBS SK

Herewith the Gerry Kilpatrick ZL1BBS Funeral Details:
Requeim Mass will be celebrated at St Ignatius Catholic Church, 12 Kotiri Street, St Heliers, on Friday 12th February at 11am.
All communications to the Kilpatrick Family, C/- PO Box 56013, Dominion Road, AUCKLAND 1446.

Those who've been keeping an eye on our Events Calendar will have noticed that as per tradition, our January meeting was again a BBQ at Sladden Park.

Members of the group used this opportunity to show off their "divergent ideas of entertainment" (to steal a phrase from ZL2SX). Various things, including rockets, kites, potato guns, motorised surf boards, speed boats, jet skis, have all been seen at WVHFG BBQ's; we were sure there'd be something of interest!

And indeed, we weren't disappointed; it was a lovely sunny afternoon with great folks and some fun to be had.

Crowds of Folks settling in for a BBQ Dinner.

ZL2ABC has an interesting view of 'Maritime Mobile'...

Arrrr me hearties!!! OVER!

Many members of the Group along with their families enjoyed a lovely, warm and sunny Thursday afternoon at the Riverside. thanks to all those who attended and made it a success!

3 News Reports Daniel ZL1DFA assisting in finding information for those concerns about welfare in Haiti.

Well done Daniel, a simple thing but something that Amateur Radio is good at - and indeed valuable for.

As has become traditional for the Committee of the Wellington VHF Group, the first Committee Meeting of 2010 was held at in the Kapiti/Horowhenua region; this year at Waikawa Beach at the QTH of John ZL2HD.

This is usually preceded by a leisurely stroll along the beach, and this year was no exception:

Wellington VHF Group Committee would like to wish members and friends a Happy New Year and all the best for 2010, while we provide directions :-)

From an announcement “Digital Divide Information Release”, by MED, 24 December 2009.

"The present analogue licences in the UHF band will cease at Digital Switch Over (DSO), and any required digital television licences will be provided in the VHF bands thereafter. Discussions will be held with amateurs to confirm the preferred approach to allowing television use in the 54 – 68 MHz band.

The following VHF band allocations will also come into effect after DSO:

* 50 – 51 MHz: radio amateur non-television use on an exclusive basis
* 51 – 54 MHz: radio amateur non-television use on a shared basis."

See this link to view the MED announcement

This is not the preferred outcome we have pitched for. Having our ATV allocation shifted to VHF was not an option we preferred.