The purpose of the Net is to overcome the lack of member contact
since General Meetings of the VK6 division were discontinued.
As with the General Meetings of the past, visitors (non-members) are welcome to attend.

Call Sign VK6WIA 146.750 MHz Lesmurdie Repeater
and 80 Metre Gateway on 3.564 Mhz controlled by Will VK6UU.

Net Control Tony VK6TS - Meeting Opened at 1930 Hours.

No formal check-in called for except 80 Metres.
VK6BH Bill (Mobile 200 Km North of Geraldton) VK6KHC Herb (Kambalda)

A roll call of Divisional Council produced the following check ins:
VK6HK Don Minute Secretary VK6LZ Cliff President VK6NE Neil Vice President
VK6OO Bruce Treasurer VK6TS Tony Broadcast/Net Control
VK6UU Will Federal Councillor VK6ZLZ Christine Secretary
Apologies from VK6ZSE Eddie  VK6IW Dave
 

Those participating (17) were:
*VK6BIK Chris Portable Perth *VK6BH Bill Mobile North of Geraldton *VK6CSW Clive Perth
*VK6HAO Peter Perth *VK6HK Don Perth VK6 Councillor & Minute Secretary
*VK6KHC Herb Kambalda *VK6KZ Wally Perth Federal Director
*VK6LZ Cliff Perth VK6 Councillor & VK6 President
*VK6NE Neil Perth VK6 Councillor & VK6 Vice President
*VK6OO Bruce Perth VK6 Treasurer *VK6PM Con Toodyay *VK6TQ Kim Perth
*VK6TS Tony Perth VK6 Councillor & News Broadcast
*VK6UU Will Perth VK6 Councillor & Federal Councillor
*VK6XH Keith Perth VK6 Councillor *VK6ZLT Terry Perth
*VK6ZLZ Christine Perth VK6 Councillor & Secretary

VK6TS Tony opened the net and listed last months topics,
as there was no business brought forward,
he invited participants to raise points of interest for discussion.

Low Interference Potential Devices (LIPDs)

One participant reported that he had programmed the
70 cm LIPD frequencies into his 70 cm hand held for scanning,
and had recently heard three local kids using bad language,
was worried that the 70 cms AR band would degenerate into a CB band.
He had also carried out a test with a friend who owned one,
they found that in a heavily built up area
it was good for one and a half kilometres.

Another asked if there was anymore from Federal on the subject.

The Federal Councillor (VK6UU)
had not heard anything as yet, from Federal,
but he had spoken with a VK4 repeater manager who had said
that the interference to the VK4 linked repeater
(70cm 6 mtr, and 29 Mhz gateway)
had been deliberate and malicious with the playing of music etc.
accompanied by the ctcss tone required to open the link,
thus allowing the interference to be retransmitted on 6 mtr and 29 Mhz.,
this had resulted in the link having to be shut down by the manager.

Tony VK6TS read from the LIPD class licence conditions
which in part say "must not cause interference
to another radio communications device".

Wally VK6KZ would like to see a test case
as the ACA had given the subject "very short shift" when
it had been brought up at the Federal/ACA Liaison meeting
which he had attended in June.
He also reminded listeners that LIPDs were permitted on other Amateur bands.

Internet - VK6 Home Page

Christine VK6ZLZ reported that she had received feedback from
two Amateurs so far, and as a result the front page had been changed.
She requested listeners to check out the Web site and pass comments to her.

One participant thought that the home page should be dynamic
in that it should change frequently to retain interest.

Another said that it had "tremendously improved" since he had last looked,
with a lot more information, he had run out of time
and must get back to it soon - it was "really good",
he also thought that the home page should explain the
difference between Amateur Radio and the Internet.

Internet vs Amateur Radio

Tony VK6TS reported that a correspondent had complained about
the amount of Internet content which had appeared in NewsWest of late.

He also pointed out that without the Internet,
the Sunday morning re-broadcast of Queensland's Q-News,
the American Newsline, and the UK RSGB News
in real audio would not have been possible.

Don VK6HK said it was important to promote the Internet as
an information resource, in times past Amateurs would consult
the public library for AR information.

One participant said that it was an interesting reflection
that the Internet may be the death of AR,
as according to the RSGB news,
the linking of computers in the UK using wideband techniques
on power lines had resulted in an increase of the noise floor by 17 db.

In Australia, Telstra is promoting the use of wideband
on the telephone copper network.

Tony VK6TS said that he had come across and
interesting AR site, this was www.dxbands.com.

Another participant said that transceiver modifications
could also be found, and suggested that perhaps
interesting site addresses could be published on NewsWest.

Endorsement of Repeater Applications

Cliff VK6LZ referred to the criticism on the packet network
concerning the "approval" by the VK6 Council of an application
by the repeater group for a repeater in Victoria Park.

He pointed out that WARG had requested a letter to the SMA
from the division SUPPORTING THEIR APPLICATION TO THE ACA
for the frequencies as requested and
confirming that they met the WIA band plan.
In other words the WIA cannot approve a repeater only the SMA can do this.

27 Mhz News

There was some discussion on the practicability and/or desirability
of relaying NewsWest onto the 27 Mhz CB band.

Most participants were not against the concept
if the CB fraternity wished to receive it.
Cliff VK6LZ remembered that some five or so years ago,
permission was granted to a CB club to relay the
divisional news onto a 70 cm CB repeater.

Amateur Radio Course

Cliff VK6LZ reported that he had visited the AOCP class
just started by Gwynne Brockis VK6JG on Monday night
in order to present Gwynne with the Amateur of the Year award
(the presentation had been delayed due to Gwynne's extended absence overseas)
and was pleased to see about 15 students
including three or four ladies present.

VHF Sprint

Two participants reported that they had gone portable
to a hill near Toodyay at the weekend and
inspite of being unprepared antenna wise, they had had a great time.

Christine VK6ZLZ reminded listeners that
the "RD contest" was only about a month away.

Net closed at 2036 hours.

Notes prepared by VK6LZ apologies for Errors and Omissions if any.

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