cq_qrs_newsletter

2025 09 CQ QRS RagChew

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Contents

CQ QRS Ragchew

Would you be surprised if I didn’t say Tuesday was a ripper? I would! Wasn’tit great to have such good conditions and so many of our mates on air – all enjoying the gentle art of slow CW.

This week we have a bunch of interesting things for you to read in the newsletter – starting with the reports from so many of our team – thank you one and all.

And a special vote of thanks to Ross MONNK for the first of his articles about creating your own QRZ.com pages and to Pete ZLATE for sharing the insights into his background as a radio operator.

And for those just starting out (or for those who know someone who might be curious about reading Morse code, our CW trainer Nic VK6WW has a great little chart that might be just what the Doctor ordered.

On a sad note though, toward the end of the newsletter I report that one of our long- term mates has become a Silent Key. So… on on…

Here’s this week’s list of the 58 stations heard by 49 of our team:

Masthead Image

This week we have the great shot of Pete ZL4TE when he was operating as 5WOTE in Samoa in November. This week, the first of several articles from Pete kick off in the QRZ? section below.

Reports

After next Tuesday’s Group, please send me a list of who you worked and / or who you heard using our web form here:

Please help attract new and old team members to have a go by submitting your repor each week. Submissions close 1300 (Eastern Australian time) on Thursday.

Website

If you’d like to find out a bit about our net, or would like to pass information to others about our Tuesday get-togethers, here’s the link to our brand new website.

Bit.ly/CQQRSWebsite Cheers, mb Mark Bosma VK2KI / VK6QI Beautiful South Bowning NSW mark.bosma@icloud.com non impsditi ratione cogitationis

Reports & Comments

Once again, a huge thank-you to our part-time Aussie Nigel G4RWI for building bott the webform that we all use to submit our reports, and the outstanding software too that I use to convert the collected reports into the Excel spreadsheet above and individual reports that you’ll see below.

Manual production of the spreadsheet and team reports used to take me a whole day, but now takes less than a couple of hour from go-to-whoa – thanks mate – Eccles cake on its way.

So the spreadsheets above show the known stations on last Tuesday’s Group; the comments distilled from the team members’ reports follow:

Comments:

[40m] * VK6KHZ Ron – thanks for the QSO last week. QSB and local noise made it almost impossible sorry – glad we made it though. Using an SW-3B at 5W and a random-wire inverted L.. +1 couldn’t get on this week – antennz down. * Cheers, Nick VK6DV.

[40m] + Some nice CW to listen to. It’s helping me heaps. I do like the Farnsworth approach though as I feel I pick up the letter sound better with a good break bw letters; too slow and I just can’t stay focused hihi..

[40m] * Testing my ‘massive’ SIL4732 Comms Rx tonight! Astounding! 0.5 to 30MHZ plus FM Broadcast band!.

[80m] * Only heard one station on 80, very low signal strength but would have been readable if the OTHR (radar?) wasn’t active..

[40m] * Hello dear QRS team. I had some time this morning and did some SWL on the VK5PH KiwiSDR in Ironstone. I was listening to Stan ZL3TK and his QRC traffic. Its a great practice for RX, thanks for the event. Think its time to take part on the air soon.

Better WX is coming round the corner soon ( We hope 😉 73 de DL3YZ.

From David VK6KD/5 at Port Broughton on Yorke Peninsular SA

[40m] * Once again lots of QSOs in progress. Great to hear..

[80m] + My Squid ant was running fine on 40w when tested during the afternoon but would only run on 20W max later on. Still managed to make contact so pretty happy..

From Donald VK6JDM 20 km west of Esperance on south coast of VK6

[40m] + It was a tiring day with Madame Lashes industrial strength pilates in the morning (no escaping as the XYL has prescribed it as the way to stay fit and being a nurse/midwife I do not argue with her on matters of health), then it was digging footings and mixing concrete for more solar panels.

+ Finally got to the radio room and set the gear up – dummy load test showed 100 Watts output. Heard lots of stations on 40 metres, none of them could hear me. Perfect SWR, 100 Watts and no one heard me – penny finally dropped – still had the Tx

Feeding the dummy load!. * Connected the antenna to Tx, moved to 80 and there was one of the men who le me down the path of Morse depravity himself.

Managed a brief QSO with Mark before a loud station came up on top of him with plenty of clicking and thumping.. + Moral of the story – if the SWR is too good to be true – it is too good to be true.. fl didn’t do iti]

[40m] + Nice copy on most stations using ten tec omni 5.

• It was great to have a clear Tuesday evening and get on the net. A couple of nice calls with Keiran (3BTV) and Manny (8DRQ) before dinner. + My subsequent full tummy CQ was answered by Mark (2Kl), whose log indicated our last QSO was in Feb last year.

It was good to catch up in what ended up being a good fifty-minute chin waa..

• Sorry David (VK6KD), I heard you call after my chat with Manny, but dinner was already on the table and had to run. I was hoping to catch you later, but you had only just started another QSO when I found you..

[40m] * Very good conditions, lots of S9 signals. Good sigs from the ZL net as well. Good copy on the 4W from vk3ctm/v (operating from the verandah!) I was yakking away to VK2WP when I had to send sri 73 sk. Wal probably wonders why.

I was trying to fit in another qso whilst the dinner finished cooking, but forgot that I was trying to reduce some balsamic vinegar, and I could smell that I had crossed the line between caramelized and burnt!. [Bugger’!]

[40m] * When the band opened up lots of traffic from the East with some good rag chewing going on, great to follow on..

[80m] * The contact with Mark VK2KI was rather difficult due to QSB but we managed to complete the QSO with a fair few repeats !.

[40m] * Excellent conditions and happily no storms about. Clear copy on all stations..

[40m] + Not many operators were there last night. From the brave ones, apart from OM Rich / VK6PZT who was RSN 332, QSB and almost QNP, all the rest were with very good signals..

From your editor Mark VK2KI at Beautiful South Bowning NSW

[40m] * Wow! What a terrific night we had! Lots of our team members out enjoying what turned out to be good conditions, despite the BOM Space Weather Service’s prediction of fade-outs due to four solar flares..

• I started the evening with a nice chat to Brian VK2EBN and his best mate Rafiki up at Newcastle. Brian told me that when not in use on air, his Flex transceiver and panadapter were on the Reverse Beacon Network.

See the Links page on our website bit.ly/CQQRSWebsite for more about the RBN system..

• I then had a nice chat about wine with Tony VK3CTM at Bendigo and noted a bit of auroral QRM creeping in as the band started opening to the West. Next I enjoyed a chat to George VK2-Art-Of-Engineering up at Kogarah before heading off to dindins…

+ Nicely satiated (| had to look that up to make sure I wasn’t being rude or something), I had a bit of a look around on the VK1CT KiwiSDR – so many tertific rag chews going on!

Eventually I hooked up with Lance VK7TO at Margate; Lance used to be VK7ZA and I don’t think I’d chatted to him with his new call.

I rounded the 40m session with a chat to Gerry VK3ZXC at Pakenham – signals from Gerry were in and out of the QSB – not very strong compared to others from down that way, but we made it in the end..

[80m] + After a hard day’s bottling at my mate’s vineyard, I was ready to head to bed by 11152, but thought I’d have a quick look down on 80m. I’m glad I did, because there was more fun to be had..

• For me, QSYing from 40m to 80m is lots of fun…. on my trusty old TS-120S the band change is easy (no tuning up needed with the broadband solid state PA – which in it’s day was pretty remarkable), but then the Pi-coupler on the feedline to my double-extended Zepp needs careful adjustment to get a 1:1 SWR and 50 to 60 Watts output.

All good so far, then comes the interesting bit – adjusting my phasing-type noise canceller. This can be alittle tricky, especially if there’s any static crashes about luckily on the TS-120S, the analogue S-meter and now my narrow CW filter make the adjustment much easier than my TS-50 with it’s slow and course LCD ‘S-meter and too effective AGC (which makes listening to a null in the noise level difficult).

However, having my S9 noise level drop to S2 this time makes it all worthwhile! + So why am I telling you all this? When I landed un-tuned on 3555KHZ, I could hear Peter VK6IS and David VK6KD/S just signing.

Very rapid tune-up and adjustment, then quick call to neither station in particular, hoping one or other would respond. Outta luck!

Peter was called by Richard VKG6PZT in Bunbury who I couldn’t hear here – so I sent a quick DN 5 DN 5 D – hoping that David would interpret that to be directed at him if he also couldn’t hear Richard.

No luck, so I cheated – sent a quick note on our CQQRS Alerts WhatsApp group – which David did see.. + Signals weren’t particularly strong from David’s 20 Watts from Port Broughton SA, but we could still have a nice chat before David was carried off by the marauding mozzies.

After David I couldn’t see any other stations in the VK1CT KiwiSDR waterfall display, but had a careful tune around anyway; lucky I did because I came across Donald VK6JDM near Esperance calling CQ. Donald was RSN 432 with me, and in and out of the QSB.

Never-the-less, the signals were better than last time and we managed to exchange the necessaries to call it a QSO.. + Padbury’s Richard the Second (VK6HRC) popped up calling CQ and with many many “RPT AGN?” requests, we managed to exchange reports on QSB peaks; even though I could have cheated and listened in on the VK6QS or VK6SEG.

KiwiSDRs, I like doing things the hard way, and listened from home in NSW only. Sure enough, the final dit-dit from Richard came through out of the noise like a meteor ping}.

+ To round out the evening, Derek VK4DRK up at Toowoomba was calling CQ and we had a nice chat; nice strong signals – I gave him an RSN 572 and he reported

RST 599 before I staggered off to bed… stepping carefully in the dark to avoid the black and white feline sprawled out on the carpet, who just doesn’t understand her pet humans’ lack of night vision.

What a great night, made ever better with several QSOs on 80m this week – thank you one and alll.

Also from your editor Mark VK6QI at Beautiful South Bowning NSW via the VK6QS KiwiSDR near Brookton WA and the VK6SEG KiwiSDR near Northam WA

[40m] * There was an amount of QSO activity in WA each time I looked at the VK6QS KiwiSDR during the evening. Then at about 0820Z I noticed my signal from Southern NSW starting to appear faintly on the waterfall. When I was working George VK2AOE, I was

• again down in the mouth – his vertical antenna was putting a solid RSN 552 into WA, but my signal was a mere RSN 242 at the time I checked.

So George’s low angle of radiation vertical antenna was doing a much better job than my 106M long 80m double extended Zepp (which is up only 7m (le has a high take-off angle) and has a clover-leaf null towards WA on 40m)..

+ Before long, the band was alive with signals and I imagine, finding a quiet slot would have become a challenge for the Sandgropers, especially for anyone who didn’t have a narrow CW filter.

Sounded like there was an amount of static crashing going on in the West as well..

[80m] + Well wasn’t it great to hear some more activity on 80m again? Will we return to the days when we have dozens of stations on 80 around VK and ZL? Ihope sol.

+ Still, those stuck on 40m will still have lots of fun without the extra challenges of the lower band… but if you’re looking for an excuse to put up another antenna… 80m awaits!. + I’m already looking forward to seeing what next week brings!

[40m] + Band very empty early on only heard and worked Peter VK6IS, then had to do household duties, came back and heard a lot of stations happily working away and worked Mait VK5A0O..

40m] * the band was quiet until well after 1800 local when some stations were finally being heard..

[80m] « the bands are very quiet these days, with only the odd contact is being made..

From Tony VK3CTM at Bendigo

From Phil VK6GX at Gidgegannup

[40m] * Sorry, nothing to report as all my antennas were destroyed by a micro- burst thunderstorm at 1800 last Wednesday, resulting in widespresd damage in Gidgegannup and Mt. Helena and loss of power for 4 days.

Thankfully no damage to buildings here, but it was a close shave with fallen trees and branches. The property is a mess, so the chainsaw is the only thing I will be operating for a while. 73, Phil..

[Wow! What next? Best wishes mate and we all look forward to you getting back on air]

From David VK3RU at Burwood

[40m] + Jordan, Thanks for my one and only QSO last night. Only because I knew Wednesday was going to be a big day, and it has been.. + Importantly, not sure how my CW sounded but it was all from my head in and out.

Only scribble on paper was “Jordan (incase in case I forgot in the moment) 3ACU and 599” oh and your report 579. That’s a first for me. TNX Cheers 3RU.

Post Morsum Call-Back Report

This Week’s Topic of Interest

QRZ.com Page Creation – Part 1 How to Build Your Own QRZ.com Webpage by Ross MONNK

Introduction

Setting aside (if I may) all those wonderful amateur radio clubs, our hobby is essentially one of isolated individuals reaching out to other

Isolated individuals. Here on the CW QRS Net, we’re even more isolated by the limited information we’re able to exchange in the few contacts that we make. And yet we enjoy the hobby exactly because of those distant and tenuous contacts. Why Rathar?

‘Why Botner? Having had a contact, we naturally speculate about the other operator – how old is. he; how long has she been in the hobby; how did they learn Morse code; does he have other keys; what is her shack like; do they have other interests both inside and outside the hobby?

And that’s where QRZ.com comes in; it’s a wonderful thing to read about them because then I don’t feel so isolated… in fact, I feel part of a world- wide brotherhood of like-minded souls.

I don’t think that I’ve yet come across another operator who hasn’t had a personal page on QRZ.com – but I know I’m wrong – some of our CQQRS members haven’t yet made one. Of course, many operators do struggle with the creation of their QRZ.com page.

Maybe they just don’t want to reveal any private information about themselves. I definitely get that – my own QRZ.com page contains information about my radio hobby and nothing else (not even a selfie), although some people are happy to share their whole lives onto the page.

And I definitely had privacy concerns at the beginning (and still do), which is why you won’t find my full address or email there or anywhere else on the internet.

Maybe those who are not so comfortable with computers and the internet, will be put off by the process of building a sort-of web-page. I will say now that it’s not a 5- minute job. But it’s not rocket science either. You just need to take it one step ata time.

In taking that time and putting in that effort to create an interesting QRZ.com page, you will be doing your fellow enthusiasts a service and adding to the hobby considerably – giving back to the hobby is always something you can be proud of.

Here We Go

So this is going to be a short series of articles that will guide you through that process to the point where you can (perhaps secretly) admire your own QRZ.com page.

The articles will cover: * Account creation and callsign verification * Editing account preferences – privacy * Creating your page – text * Creating your page – images As you can probably tell, I’ve had a lot of pleasure from QRZ.com (both as a reader and as a contributor).

They say that “a thousand mile journey begins with a single step”, and reading this article right here is that first step.

So I hope you’ll follow along with the other four steps in the following weeks’ RagChew newsletters and, in doing 0, add something to the hobby you enjoy so much. Ross MONNK

If you have an article or two that you think might be of interest to our readers, please let me know so we can share more thoughts and ideas; email to cqqrsnet@gmail.com

On My Workbench

VK5TM Phase-type Noise Canceller

From Manny VK3DRQ Last week Manny VK3DRQ reported on the first trial of his new VK5TM phase-type noise canceller. Well this week Manny has sent us some photos of his nice workmanship on the project build.

{Fantastic Manny! I’m realy gia you have givan the VK5TM noise cancerer Ait 2.90 Manny. Once you get a good noise pick-up antanna {= simple shart indoor whip ~ probably onientsd perale!

To your extemal antenna) end get used to the adjustmants, they can make a huge difference. Mos! of the time my S9 switch mode power supply

Noise level is down below $1. For those intarasted, sae my article far details here: hiipavtmaiché. mp4 enaadeheser-ara- spechew-remindertornest-tnecsye- aro: 103924907n=2E290RcbCs |

Have a great day and hopefully I’ll now be able to hear you on Tuesday (the best day of the week). 73&77 Manny VK3DRQ [Thanks Manny – beautiful workmanship!

I hope that after trying different pick-up antennas and a bit of time learning how to null the noise most easily, you’ll get as much satisfaction out of this great little devices as I and others do.

I’ve tried different indoor and outdoor pick-up antennas via a multi-way coaxial switch, but found that just a very simple 50CM telescopic whip right at the back of the noise canceller oriented horizontally (and parallel to my main antenna) works best!]

3D Printed Paddles

From Richard VAK6HRC My new 3D-printed keys were gifted to me by a friend who has been following the topic on printing keys.

Initially he printed the basic hacksaw blade version shown at the top, but settled on the vastly improved one with proper bearings and opposing magnets. A work of art that has pride of place on my desk. Thank you Gary.

My beautiful new paddle before Gary wired the ‘socket in. I know very little about 3D printing but my friend Gary gave me a quick overview of the process and the engineering that went into producing the work of art.

The opposing magnets are well inside the print so hard to see, but the photo at the right shows a key with adjustable magnetic tension for reference. Cheers. W Richard VK6HRG

Similar key with adjustable opposing magnetic tension from a well known maker in the US.

Hammarlund HQ-170 Receiver

Hammarlund HQ-170 Receiver from Paul VKSKLE Well this Tuesday nite I did manage a few forty metre CW contacts, but I’d been busy most of Monday and Tuesday working on my Sunday hamfest rescue of a 1960 Hammarlund HQ170.

Spent some more time on Wednesday going over the alignment again after a couple of days of AC on the radio. The moisture and various other changes always seem to happen after a good long hot soak. Very few parts were needed.

About 6 new tubes (and yes the seller advised that some tubes were very tired). I had

6BA6W and 6BE6 tubes all in boxes so in they went. Having replaced a few chassis electro caps I decided to tackle the big boy aluminium multi-can cap. It’s about 6.5 inch by 1 inch – all aluminium – probably cutting edge in 1960.

I unsoldered each can section and tested for Equivalent Series Resistance, speed of reformation and it’s ability to hold full charge for 10 mins under self discharge with the voltmeter disconnected. Just one section of 40UUF 400V looked sub-optimal.

So I soldered a short tag strip in above it with a 1 meg ohm bleeder to give it a chance of reforming in service. On the new tag strip also went a 47UF 450V cap asa replacement. This method was widely used in the industry with good success in the tube era.

It’s reversible and doesn’t involve a whole new multi-can cap. They are available but as New Old Spares generally – so can be hit and miss. The remaining sections of the can capacitor tested so well that there was no need for replacement.

There are no crystal filters in the radio. However itis a triple conversion super heterodyne set. There was quite a bit of mechanical realignment required too; the shaft on the band switch was out and the VFO tuning cap was incorrectly adjusted.

After a new good 6C4 oscillator tube was put in I set about getting every band close to frequency stop to stop. It made me tired, a bit ike watch adjustment when the hair spring has been set up wrong.

I think what had happened was the tuning cap was running out of usable C at the top end. As previous ham rather than accept the last section was out and leave it alone decided to bend every vane section and have it right…

Unfortunately at the cost of alignment everywhere else. Having determined the reason for the error I elected to have neatly all the tuning range in frequency on dial and accepted the limits of the engineering.

Perhaps with the original oscillator tube things may have been a bit different. However it’s common for the first and last ends of a vintage VFO to be out a bit at the extremities of the tuning range. As a CW op the bottom of the band needs to be close.

Anyhow the old set is hot and full of good CW audio, just like Hammarlund in USA would like. The recording is too big for MailChimp, so if you’d like a listen, send an email to Mark at cqarsnet@gmail.com Best regards Paul VK3KLE

QRZ?

Who’s calling me? Who’s on the other end? This week it’s Pete ZL4TE from Cambridge NZ

My radio journey…..

… Started in the UK, about 1978 when a schoolfriend of mine, Neil (later GOSVN) told me about his dad being a radio ham. My dad had been a radio tech in the RAF in the Suez Crisis, so I was always aware of radio.

After the chat with Neil, I started listening to AFN (American Forces Network) from West Germany at night on MW, and then found loads of external services broadcasting from all over Europe. At 17, I was able to join the Territorial Army.

I wasn’t able to vote or (legally) drink, but at the height of the Cold War, I was able to sign up, withnthe bonus that the infantry unit I joined had its own bar, and wasn’t too bothered about the niceties of liquor licensing!

Anyhow, being young, fit, a bit of a ‘racing snake’ and not knowing any better, they needed a radio op and asked for a volunteer. Apparently I didn’t step back quick enough and was given a piece of kit, that was truely awful. The A41 manpack radio.

An all valve, vhf, battlefield comms radio, 38 – 55MHZ with 0.75w of raw, untamed, output power. What could

The tuning dial was tiny, and at night, under “red light” it was next to impossible to tune. The sets did take a hell of a battering, but at over 20KG, plus a frame that was designed to assault the kidneys on any sort of a march, and 2 spare batteries, carrying it, plus your own kit, as a fair old work out.

The instrument of torture, the battery, and me in 1980, having just ended a 2 week exercise on Salisbury Plain which culminated in an 8 hour night march and attack. Endex had sounded and I was fast asleep sat up with the radio still on!

Following my initiation into the world of manpack battlefield radios, and the dubious joy of carrying the 20KG radio, plus spare batteries plus your own fighting order webbing, I was, at least, to use an Army term “fit as a butcher’s dog”.

Still in 1980, I was on an an urban warfare exercise at the soon to be demolished camp in the quaintly named village of Ogborne St George. There was nothing quaint about the camp.

It had been run down for many years, and since the early 1970’s had been used as a FIBUA (Fighting in Built Up Areas) training ground, often for those being deployed to Northern Ireland.

Consequently, there were many unfilled holes, cunningly disguised with long grass, as well as the various missiles which were hurled in our direction.

With unerring accuracy, I managed to find one of said holes, and went down like a sack of spuds, resulting in me stuffing up all the ligaments in my ankle. In true army fashion, they found me a job I could do

With a stuffed ankle. radio op at the Company HQ. RESULT. Even though only still 17, I rapidly worked out, that the radio op: a) had a vehicle to sit in (a massive upgrade from a slit trench) b) knew when we were moving, so could always be ready to go c) always co-located with the cooks, so tea and hot food was available

| loved working the C42, with it’s whole 20w of power, and I’d like to think I was reasonably good at it. Again, it was valve gear, so took time to warm up and had a bit of drift at first, but actually a rugged bit of kit.

One of the regular radio ops was away for a while so I had a bit of “hands on” training with the Regimental Signals Instructor.

| applied to go on a radio operators course and was gently told “no”, or two words to that effect, the second word being “off” by the Company Sergeant Major. Apparently the Ad1 was my bit of kit, and that was that.

In the bar after my brief conversation with the CSM, the barman (an ex signaller) had overheard the conversation, and advised me there was a Signal Squadron in Windsor, about 30 minutes drive away.

Well that was that, and after a visit to Windsor, I put in my request to transfer to 94 (Berkshire Yeomanry) Signal Squadron.

The CSM saw it, and being ex Irish Guards, the conversation was even shorter than before, but just as expletive laden, and lots of extra duties later I transferred to the Royal Signals.

To follow – a few more like this about the good and bad old days, and perhaps a bit about amateur radio too! 73 Pete zidte – catch you on Tuesday night

QRZ? Who’s on the other end?

FD I I I TOE II DI III IRE IL DIELS NN pt to tell a lot about the place… and where we now live has a really good neighbourhood vibe – locals stop along the road just to say g’day, and everyone in the neighbourhood looks out for everyone else.

And as it turns out, our net is pretty much like that too! But when you’re on the key, it’s really hard to find out a bit more about the person you’re chatting to.

So I’m really keen to share the backgrounds of some of our team members – it’s really nice to know who’s on the other end of the QSO. How did they come to amateur radio and when, and what on earth was the motivator that got them interested in CW?

How’s the journey been so far, and what’s planned? Perhaps, what they get out of the net and the newsletter, and how it can be made better? Most people are reluctant to write about themselves; amateurs particularly.

Why would anyone be interested, and after all, it’s not just about me! However, you may surprise yourself. So, would you be willing to share some thoughts about yourself? Doesn’t matter if you think you’ve always been a crap writer…

I’m very happy to quietly help you shape some thoughts – I reckon you’ll be pleased with the results. So please let me know: cagrsnet@gmail.com And by the way, when you do email material to me, please don’t use reply to either the RagChew newsletter or the weekly reminder.

Replying to the newsletter will go off into the never-never land because RagChew is distributed by MailChimp, not me; and if you reply to my weekly reminders, any attachments you send get hidden behind the html image of the attached newsletter – and I’ll never see them!

So please start a new email to cqgrsnet@gmail.com There’s also an alternative to writing about yourself… lan VK1HF is keen to record and produce some short audio segments for RagChew about some of our team members.

If you’d like to have a chat with lan rather than writing something, send me an email cqarsnet@gmail.com and I’ll pass your details to him. So… QRZ?

Other News

For those who may want to try their hand at receiving (and decoding) a message in CW. I’m contemplating running an introduction to Morse code using the following chart, on-air on the QRS nights, perhaps at the top end of our fx range?

I’ll have to find the reference – it came out of AR magazine in the 1980S.

How to use the chart

• Simply place your finger on the START box. * Let’s say Di-Dah is received * Slide your finger up to the Dit, then across to the right till you find the Di-Dah * Yes! Congratulations! You’ve just decided the letter ‘A’!

…and you haven’t ever learnt the code! Of course this CW will need to be sent very slowly. Download the chart from here Visual Morse Code Chart and print it for reference. I think this may open a doorway for those ops who are curious about CW. Just an idea.

Any thoughts from readers? cqarsnet@gmail.com 73 Nic VK7WW. [think this is brilliant Nic. As you said, it will allow curious people to have a go, which hopefully will lead to more interest in CW.

It’ll be good to see if we can generate interest in running this as an advertised sked during our net; I think it’l also be a useful too! for people like Jordan, me and others who are keen to encourage firs CW QSOs on the net]

Nic VK7WW runs an on-air Slow Morse training net every Wednesday at 7pm EDST on 3580 for 30 mins. He uses the callsign of the Northern Tasmania Amateur Radio Club VK7TAZ on that net.

Amazing Value! S14732 Pocket Radio Receiver With ESP32-S3 Control

From Nic VK7WW: On Tuesday I sent this little video to Mark (click on the image to the right to download). Jordan, VK3ACU told me that a friend was raving on about this Rx, so at $52 I bought one from eBay-prices now going silly (Ali express has them for $42).

| bought mine with a loop antenna – particularly good on low fx. Also has FM broadcast band. Tonight I was using my 80m DEZepp antenna. Came across Mark, so you got the video @).

Here’s a Youtube video review of this terrific little pocket receiver: https://youtu.be/GpEa6MSVy7k?si=56Z3aY YptwJka3NA 73 Nic VK7WW

Visit to Melbourne Radio VIM

Visit to Melbourne Radio VIM From lan VK1HF: Hey audiologists…this video from Melbourne radio, the old VIM. At 1:19 the ‘other station’ ..what makes your audio sound like that?

Like, let’s say without transmitting over the air etc..if I want to record my voice but make it have that kind of sound..how do you do it?

Https://youtu.be/nMnDN4mncSs?si=PrOlTSEHKL3im013 VIM was part of the Australian coast radio network and wason air from 1912 till 2002 It carried MF, HF and VHF general and safety communications with ships as well as regular weather broadcasts.

This film is a compile from two visits in 1998 and 2002. Various aspects of the station and the chaps at work are seen.The station was situated on the Boneo Rd near the turn off to Cape Shank.

Apart from the building and a cell phone tower nothing exists of the facility now.

VK3YE Video – Beach Portable

Click on the image to the left to run the Youtube video; anyone we know? Peter worked at least three of our team members from the wet sand.

IN IS tI NS Nt NN AA Nt IAP pt from your editor Mark VK2KI / VK6QI For the past four years or so, Mister Hard Quiz Richard VK6PZT has run the International Morse Code Day Quiz on April 27TH – Samuel Marconi’s birthday.

Well after receiving no feedback to our question in a recent RagChew newsletter, we’ve decided to not run the Quiz this year.

We know that on the day we’d have plenty of starters from around the world on the Zoom videoconference, and we’d all have a great time, but in reality, Richard has just opened a new medical imaging business venture in Busselton and has better things to do than compile another quiz.

For the past four years or so, Mister Hard Quiz Richard VK6PZT has run the International Morse Code Day Quiz on April 27TH – Samuel Marconi’s birthday. Well after receiving no feedback to our question in a recent RagChew newsletter, we’ve decided to not run

The Quiz this year. We know that on the day we’d have plenty of starters from around the world on the Zoom videoconference, and we’d all have a great time, but in reality, Richard has

Just opened a new medical imaging business venture in Busselton and has better things to do than compile another quiz. So…. here’s an opportunity….. what would you like to do to celebrate International Morse Code Day this year on Sunday April 27TH?

Would you like to organise something that would be fun for our team? Of course, I’m happy to help, as will other team members I’m sure. Please let me know your thoughts cqqrsnet@gmail.com

A Morsel from Richard VK6GHRC

Just to let you know about some of the antics I get up to over here in the West! Regarding our CQQRS net, I know a fair few people that listen in but are not confident enough to join in or are just happy to follow along.

I know this because they let me know either in person or on air so I don’t put any pressure on them but let them know we have a very supportive and fun group ready when they are. On another topic I sometimes join an HF net in the morning when conditions allow.

So I caught up with a group of friends and that is where the 3D key print subject came up and now I have lovely key on my desk as you know. I have just spoken with Gary and he will send some info regarding the 3D print.

Thought you’d like to see the sticky rice that Max’s breakfast-time discussion on Friday inspired. So under the radar skullduggery live and well ! Have a great day Richard

A and K Solar Indices

Here’s a great video on the a and k solar indices; click on either image.

Regretfully I need to report the loss of one of our long-term team members, Adrian VK5AW who lived at Berri SA. Adrian joined our team early in the peace after one of our earlier 80m Slow CW Pow-Wows, and was a regular contributor.

Team members’ thoughts about Adrian in a future RagChew; Andy, lan or perhaps others from other Clubs who knew Adrian? Our thoughts are with his family. Di-di-di-dah-di-dah dit dit.

Di-dah-di-dah-dit

So back to the CQQRS Slow CW QSO practice net.

Next Tuesday’s Net

Our CQQRS Group will be on as always on Tuesday from around 0700Z until about 1300Z; see https://bit.ly/CQQRSWebsite and navigate to the Net Details page for details.

Doesn’t matter whether you’re brand new and want to try just exchanging callsigns and RST reports, or you’re ready for a good old rag chew. We’ll have fun.

There’s usually people around until after 1300Z – so keep calling in the segment of the band designated in the table below until you catch someone.

I should be on as usual from home in NSW or via the Remote at Bedfordale WA, and I’ll also be watching the proceedings using the VK6QS and Tecsun SDRs in WA and NSW respectively. Hope to hear you there.

Please let me know via our Reports form bit.ly/CQQRSNET who you work or hear on Tuesday’s Group. The report form closes at lunchtime (Eastern Australian time) on

Please let me know via our Reports form bit.ly/CQQRSNET who you work or hear on Tuesday’s Group. The report form closes at lunchtime (Eastern Australian time) on Thursday.

Post Morsum

Richard VK6HRC will run our phone Post Morsum on the South West AllStar net (via repeaters and hotspots all over WA) from 0600 WA time, then from 0700 WA time on 80m (8605 LSB).

See https://bit.ly/CQQRSWebsite and navigate to the Net Details page for details of how you can connect via Echolink or even possibly via your local FM repeater.

Teamwork

Thank you so much to our team of 34 contributors: DL3YZ, MONNK, VK1HF, VK2DLF, VK2GAS, VK2GAZ, VK2KI, VK2WP, VK3ACU, VK38CTM, VK3DRQ, VK3ECH, VK3FG, VK3KEV, VK3KLE, VK3RU, VK5AO, VK5CZ, VK5ET, VK6BEK, VK6DV, VK6GX, VK6HRC, VK6IS, VK6JDM, VK6KD/5, VK6KHZ, VK6PZT, VK6QI, VK6RR, VK7TA, VK7TO, VK7WW and ZL4TE.

Thank you team – that’s why so many people enjoy the RagChew newsletter! GU CW on Tuesday, mb Mark Bosma VK2KI / VK6QI Beautiful South Bowning NSW mark.bosma@icloud.com non impediti ratione cogitationis

About the CQ QRS Net

For the current schedule and more information about the CQQRS net, please go th the Net Details page on our website:

The opinions expressed in the RagChew newsletter are those of the individual contributors. The opinions do nat necessarily reflect that of the editor or of the C@ QAS Group members.

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