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VK7AX > BCAST 11.01.25 05:34l 532 Lines 23468 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
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VK7 Amateur Radio News 12Jan25
Text edition:
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VK7 AMATEUR RADIO NEWS BROADCAST
FOR SUNDAY 12th January 2025
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Welcome to the VK7 Amateur Radio News.
This was first broadcast on Sunday, January 12th, 2025 and we bring you the latest from the world of amateur radio in VK7.
This week, joining you from the Tasmanian Amateur Radio News desk for the first time is Fran, VK7FRN.
Tune in as we share updates and insights across VK7, broadcast through an array of platforms and frequencies:
On DMR Talk Group 5 and D-Star Reflector 91C, managed by Gavin, VK7HGO.
On Medium and high frequency rebroadcasts thanks to our dedicated operators:
1.862 MHz by Any takers
3.670 MHz by Dale, VK7DG
7.140 MHz by Ross, VK7ALH
14.130 MHz by Any takers
28.525 MHz by Garry, VK7JGD and
UHF CB Channel 24 in the Hobart area, hosted by Mark, VK7FMAC
If you missed todayâ€Ös broadcast then you can catch the replay on Tuesday night at 8:00pm on repeaters VK7RAA in Northern VK7 and VK7RHT and UHFCB24 in Southern VK7.
Thank you for tuning in and enjoy the broadcast!
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Silent Key
Maurice Potter VK7SA SK
It is with sadness that we let listeners know of the passing of Maurice Potter VK7SA. The following tributes come to us from Herman VK7HW, Reg, VK7KK and Mike VK7FB.
Maurice was a long time well known South Arm resident and historian. There is a room in the South Arm Community Centre named after him as the ‘Maurice Potter History Roomâ€Ö. Maurice moved to QLD a number of years ago to be closer to family. Maurice also kept in touch with a VK7 Coffee group for some time via Zoom. Maurice was recently ill and in hospital a few times. He had just moved into an aged care home from hospital. He only told me recently that he had Christmas dinner with his family.
73, Herman VK7HW
As mentioned Maurice lived most of his life in South Arm and held his amateur licence since 1979.
He was very active on CW for a few years and enjoyed all facets of the hobby and helped with rebroadcasts for many years.
He was often called the mayor of South Arm and created a history room of the area in the Calverton Hall with a wonderful collection of photos and memorabilia of the peninsula. It is well worth a look if you are in the area.
He moved to Burrum Heads Queensland about four years ago and passed away on 3rd January 2025 in his 92nd year.
Vale Maurice.
73, Mike VK7FB
Good things did come from COVID
The recent loss of Maurice VK7SA has brought to mind the existence of a group of Hobart Eastern Shore Hobart Amateurs who met regularly for coffee at Eastlands for years.
Mike VK7FB, Bill VK7WR and Ian VK7QF with their partners were joined by Maurice VK7SA, Reg VK7KK and Andrew Dixon formerly VK7GL and Tony VK7ZAC.
Along came COVID so we gave up meeting personally for the safety of Zoom where the get together continued. This became a bonus when Maurice moved to VK4 and Andrew to VK2 and Tony's business required him to frequently check in while mobile.
It was particularly great to follow Maurice's integration into his new community in Burrum Heads as we shared his travels with his Respite group and more recently his health problems.
73, Reg, VK7KK
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VK7 Broadcast News - Digital Broadcasts
Clayton VK7ZCR would like to send a big thank you to the following radio operators for their help in 2024 to put the WIA National News and VK7 Amateur Radio News to air each week.
Phil, VK3PG, Ross, VK7WP, Gavin VK7HGO and Ian VK3JS for putting the DSTAR 91C broadcast to air.
Each Sunday morning they put the WIA National News on DSTAR 91C from 9-9:30am and then the VK7 Amateur Radio News to air on DSTAR and DM Talk Group 5 from 9:30-10:00 am.
We need more operators on the Digital channels on a Sunday morning so, if you listened on DSTAR and/or DMR and you would like to help out please contact Clayton at email:clayton7008(at)gmail.com.
Thanks for you help.
73, Clayton VK7ZCR
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Statewide News
2024 VK7 SOTA/Parks Recognition
Phil VK7ID wanted to recognise those VK7 activators, chasers and hunters who participated in SOTA, POTA and WWFF in 2024.
The list below is just the top three in each category but there are many others who got out and about or supported those activators by chasing or hunting.
We should also take a moment to recognise the local, interstate and international volunteers that support these programs and keep them running for our benefit.
Just the parks categories listed below accounted for over 5000 QSO's involving a VK7 during 2024.
2024 SOTA Activators
1st Stuart VK7FADZ with 40 Summits and SOTA Goat!
2nd Jim VK7JZ with 31 Summits
3rd Phil VK7ID, with 14 Summits
2024 SOTA Chasers
1st Tony VK7LTD 113 activators worked
2nd Phil VK7ID 109 activators worked
3rd Matt VK7MAT 79 activators worked
2024 POTA Activators
1st Matt VK7MAT 53 activations,
2nd Phil VK7ID 10 activations
3rd Eric, VK7EV 10 activations
2024 POTA Hunters
1st Paul VK7PJM 463 parks
2nd Dave VK7AAE 250 parks
3rd Matt VK7MAT 204 parks
2024 WWFF Activators
1st Allen VK7AN 6(9) references
2nd Rodney VK7HAM 5(9) references
3rd Angela VK7AMP 3(6) references
2024 WWFF Chasers
1st Paul VK7PJM 469 references
2nd Dave VK7AAE 278 references
3rd John VK7XX 229 references
73, Phil, VK7ID
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QSL Update
The updated list of QSL cards held as at 3 January 2025 is in the email version of the broadcast.
We appear to be in a generational change and/or issue of new Callsign ownership so if you have received a new callsign in recent years please email Herman with your QTH and/or Club details so cards can be forwarded on an opportunity basis. If you would like your cards mailed direct please send me some stamps.
Happy New Year and Good DX'ing
73, Herman, VK7HW, WIA Manager VK7 Inwards QSL Bureau
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Sorted Cards held at 3 January 2025 ( Any errors in the listing are mine, I sometimes miss culling a call sign)
AAC, AAD, AAE, AAH, AAP, AAR, AB, AC, ACE, ACG, ACN, AD, ADE, AED, AG(2014), AGC, AHT, AIR, AJC, AKK, ALZ, AM, AN, ANC, AO, AP, APZ, AS, ATH, AXZ, AY
BA, BB, BBB, BO, BPV, BT, BU, BYE
C/GH, CA, CBK, CBR, CH/T, CJ, CMV, CTV, CV, CW, CWB, CX
DAN, DD, DG, DHT, DI, DIK, DN, DO, DQ, DT, DV, DW, DY, DZ
EA, EG, EI, ER
FADZ, FALX (alx), FAZZ, FCIA, FF, FG, FGGT, FKLW, FLAR, FMI, FPRN, FTAS, FTR
GA, GEL, GGZ, GH/C, GM(2020), GOP, GR, GS, GU
HBR, HCH, HCK, HH, HL, HOB, HRS, HSA, HSC, HSD, HSJ, HVK, HXT, HZ
IAN, IR, IS
JA, JAB, JAZ, JCR, JG, JGD, JOK, JON, JP, JS, JW, JX
KAC, KAM, KBA, KD, KDO, KJ, KKR, KL, KO, KQ, KRJ, KT
LA, LDH, LJ, LL, LLL, LM, LT, LVH
M, MA, MAG, MBD, MBP, MD, MEL, MET, MHZ, MI, MJ, MRS, MS, MV
NA, NB, NC, ND, NEC, NET, NIK, NRF, NRT, NSE, NTE, NVH
OB
PAF, PBD, PM, PRN, PSH, PSJ, PSZ, PW
QK
RA, RG, RJ, RN, ROY
SD, SG(vi7SG), SN, STO, SV, SW, SZ
TA, TCE, TED, TK, TL, TM, TO, TPE, TR, TS, TUX, TX, TZ
UK, UT
VA, VAC, VAO, VAZ, VDC, VEK, VH, VK7/AG9A9Mark), VM, VR, VTM, VZ
WA, WC, WIA, WL, WN, WO, WT, WUU, WX
XV, XX
Y, YN, YUM
ZA, ZBX, ZE, ZGK, ZJJ, ZK, ZM, ZMS, ZR, ZT, ZTA
Special Callsign Cards delivered to VK7 Bureau - VI7POL, VI75G, VI90IARU, VK75FAA
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SSTV Nights
A quiet net night that saw the following participants, VK7s –
TW, ZCF and OO all sharing over twenty photos.
The highlights were:
A series of Lego constructions. A Castle, a military base, an airport and a dormant then active volcanic mountain
A couple of CW keys being tested on the workbench
A small loop antenna
A home constructed model RF-40 field strength meter
A couple of small “Black Box†digital transceivers using SDR receivers. These being a QRP-Labsâ€Ö QDX and a Hermes Lite
A neatly housed Transceiver Interface for PC control of rigs using digital & SSTV modes
An ARISS SSTV Award. Just how easy these are to obtain was covered on REASTâ€Ös last WEGs night. Decoded ISS photos can be seen on VK7OOâ€Ös web site
A couple of interestingly shaped Tayberries
Rumours that you may be able to take screw drivers on planes, itâ€Ös so that the passengers can help with the maintenance
A billion dollar cartoon or joke?
and 73 from an athletic Light House Keeper
Note - Ken VK7KRJâ€Ös and Steve VK7OOâ€Ös fully automatic 24/7 monitoring sites allow anyone who has sent an SSTV picture the ability to check them on their pages almost immediately, any time, both South and North Tasmania.
If you missed the net there are archives of these SSTV nights.
These photos can be seen on Kenâ€Ös and Steveâ€Ös SSTV websites or on NTARCâ€Ös website under blogs.
Please remember to use your own photos or those that are copyright free.
SSTV VK7OO Tasmania Australia (tasme.com)
VK7KRJ's 2m SSTV scrolling web gallery
Blog 3 â€ö NTARC Inc.
Have a Happy New Year from Andreâ€Ö VK7ZAB
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NEWS FROM THE NORTH
SOTA/WWFF PARKS GROUP
The Summits On The Air/World Wide Flora and Fauna parks group meets twice weekly – Mondays and Fridays 10.30AM till 12.00 at the Glebe Gardens Cafe, Henry Street, Launceston.
For more information contact Al on 0417 354 410.
73, Al, VK7AN
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Northern Tasmanian Amateur Radio Club Incorporated
www.ntarc.net
At least one club weekly event has started for the New Year. Last Wednesday night saw Nic VK7WW back at the helm of the TestNet and TechNet session, almost as if the net hadnâ€Öt even taken a break over the Christmas New Year period. It was excellent to hear all the local and mainland call signs fronting up to the radio net discussions, with the ensuing images of Morse Keys, impressively big decks and circuit board miss-haps, all happily flowing on the Discord channel. Keep up the good work fellows.
Last year saw some Internet providers divesting themselves of the hassle of having e-mail customers. Subsequently this caused a large number of new e-mail addresses and updates required for club members. With the New Year all club members e-mail addresses now seem to be correct. Also with the New Year there comes an Annual General Meeting, so expect an e-mail soon with information. So please give serious consideration to any nominations, including yourself, that you would like to make for the new 2025 committee.
Now for something completely different and on a light hearted note. I will hand over to Stuart VK7ES, for an item he recently penned, entitled:
“An interesting piece of Chinese Technologyâ€
The story began a few weeks before Christmas, I purchased a carton of LED Tea Lights for the festive season from a local recycling yard for the bargain basement price of $5.00 per carton. Each carton contained 32 units.
At a pre-Christmas Tech night at NTARC, I took a unit with me as a discussion point as to how it was made to flicker like a real candle. Stefan, VK7ZSB suggested that they contained a miniature audio chip, similar to the ones found in Greeting cards. He also gave me a few larger units that had been hanging around the NTARC clubrooms for many years so I decided to reverse engineer my unit and the club units to see if there was any truth to it.
Dismantling one of the units I purchased, I expected to find a miniature potted chip as per a greeting card. Alas, there was only a CR2032 lithium button cell and an LED with a simple but effective switch that simply pushed the positive lead of the LED onto the side of the button cell to power it on...no other components found. How does it flicker? Closer inspection with my microscope showed a small black speck about the size of a grain of finely ground pepper within the LED itself with some barely visible wires emanating from it. Could this be the illusive audio chip?
I removed the LED from its holder and devised a way of extracting the audio. The circuit I used consisted of a 10 volt bench power supply, a 10k current limiter/load resistor on the positive supply line, 100uF DC blocking capacitor followed by a voltage divider to reduce the level enough to feed the line input of my computer. Here is a sample of the audio.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-NMtt8jb90lFEG1VdSrT0g97FN7Mm44V/view?usp=sharing
I think you would agree that itâ€Ös not what you would like to get for a Birthday Greeting, but, at least it is "Audio" I guess! Maybe itâ€Ös a code and itâ€Ös sending secret messages back home. A close inspection of the audio wave envelope revealed that there is a varying shift in the DC level that causes the flicker.
The larger and older units from the club rooms were a much more elaborate design consisting of two AA cells, a small PCB, a slide switch, an LED and a black potted chip about 4 mm in diameter mounted on the PCB. To extract the audio from this unit was much easier. I simply put a couple of clip leads across the LED. The voltage swing from this unit was much lower so there was no need for a voltage divider, I just placed a 100uF in series with a 1k resistor to the negative of the supply to charge the capacitor and fed the junction of the two directly into the computer line input. Here is the audio.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-SRmUpQks_nAAvXc5yfCAvZgqHbTTRLG/view?usp=sharing
The audio seems to be a very distorted series of train noises repeated every 30 seconds. Again, I guess it's audio but, personally, I wouldn't be adding it to any of my favourite play lists any time soon.
Pictures of the LED and audio samples are on the NTARC website under Blogs.
This exercise was just a bit of fun but, I believe, as trivial as it is, it is the essence of the hobby and/or profession we enjoy… an endless curiosity of how and why things work.
Stuart VK7ES
Thank you Stuart, my sentiments exactly and as you so eloquently put it, “an endless curiosity of how and why things workâ€. Certainly brings back memories of my first crystal set, how did it work without batteries? and so my journey started…….
Pictures and audio files will be available on the NTARC Web site under “Blogs†for this broadcast. NTARC Blogs
https://www.ntarc.net/blogs
UPCOMING EVENTS
TestNet and TechNet session - Every Wednesday, TestNet/CW course on 3.580MHz from 7 pm, then a TechNet on 3.567MHz from 7.30 pm till 8.30 pm. Your host for the evening is Nic VK7WW.
Coffee Morning – The first for 2025 will be held on Friday the 17th January in the NTARC Club rooms. Time is from 10 am to noon and we look forward to seeing you all there. So why not pop in, check the QSL cards and join us for a cuppa, there is endless tea and coffee along with biscuits available for a donation.
Club Room Technical night session - The first session will be Wednesday the 22nd January, at the usual time of 6.30 pm at the Club Room Archer Street, Rocherlea.
Annual General Meeting & General Meeting - Wednesday the 12th February 2025 at the NTARC Club Rooms, Rocherlea Scout Hall, Archer Street Rocherlea commencing at 19:30 hours (7.30 pm). Information to be e-mailed to club members soon.
Finally – As club room events are still in recess, but the broadcast continues on, so a reminder to all members that if you have any items of news you would like added to our weekly roundup then please e-mail them to the Secretary at the following address news(at)ntarc.net
Thatâ€Ös all folks,
73 from Stefan, VK7ZSB, Secretary NTARC Inc.
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NEWS FROM THE SOUTH
Radio and Electronics Association of Southern Tasmania
https://www.reast.asn.au/
https://www.facebook.com/reasttas/
https://www.youtube.com/reasthobart/
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Forum Night - In depth look at N1MM
https://www.reast.asn.au/news-events/upcoming-events/?event_id1=2658
This Wednesday night is our first Forum Night for 2025 and is all about N1MM.
N1MM is a powerful and flexible logging platform that is used around the world.
https://n1mmwp.hamdocs.com/
This forum night will hopefully start with some local experts on N1MM who will take us through some of the features and explain some of the nuances of the logging platform.
We will then open it up to the floor for experience and questions.
This forum night is hopefully timely as we have the Summer VHF and above Field Day on the next weekend!
Come along with your stories relating to N1MM and logging.
7:30pm, this Wednesday 15th January, 2025 in the Queen's Domain Clubrooms and Streamed.
See you there.
73, REAST Committee
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HUMONGOUS Amateur Radio Car Boot Sale
https://www.reast.asn.au/news-events/upcoming-events/?event_id1=2565
REAST will be holding a huge amateur radio carboot sale in the Queens Domain compound from 11am on Sunday 19th January 2025.
Want to sell something - it will cost you $10 to setup your carboot then you can sell as much as you want - all profit goes to you.
There will be a Sausage Sizzle on the day with Snags and Bread at $3 and Burgers and Bread at $5 - Soft drinks available $1 per can.
The REAST club will be selling 5.4m and 8.1m portable Aluminium masts for very reasonable prices!
No need to book - just turn up.
73, REAST Committee
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Wednesday Experimenterâ€Ös Nights
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdMBgDdqLyo
Last Wednesday night we started with Tony VK7XTC in the studio with his recently homebrewed UnUn 49:1 balun complete with common mode choke wound on very nice large FT-243 ferrite cores in a water proof box. Antenna it is being used on is an end fed half wave for 40/20m. Thanks Tony.
We then got Richard VK7ZBX and Steve VK7OO into the studio showing off their recent Christmas/New Year ISS SSTV pictures that they decoded.
Steve outlined the ISS SSTV event arrangements - 12 images - Steve was able to capture all 12 images in the set and Richard captured 10 of them. Thanks Steve and Richard.
We did a congratulations to Dave VK7DG who is number 42 on the top 100 Global Satellite Rover section.
We then featured some pictures from Reuben VK7FREU and Justin VK7TW who went to see a recent weather inversion on Mt Wellington and Justin also did a SOTA activation on VK7/SC-001.
We finished with our space weather report and future events.
This Wednesday night is our forum night and so the WEGs night will be back in your feed in a fortnight
See you then.
73, Justin, VK7TW
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REAST Training and Assessment Update
Looking to join the world of amateur radio or upgrade your license? REAST has you covered with regular Training and Assessment Days for all license levels!
Key Dates:
Foundation Training and Assessment Days: Held every two months, starting 22nd February 2025.
Standard, Advanced, and Regulations Assessments: Held on alternate months, starting 29th March 2025.
Stay updated with the full schedule on the REAST Events Page.
https://www.reast.asn.au/news-events/upcoming-events/
Do you need to secure your spot or ask a question - email: reast.assessor@gmail.com and your inquiry will go directly to the Learning Organiser, who be in contact.
We have learning resources available including our Foundation Licence Training Videos that are a must-watch for beginners. Find them on the REAST YouTube Training and Assessment Playlist.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsnsP_zjw831mdC6sY4XqavRUY-53ZWUn
Practice Makes Perfect so, prepare with the WIA Foundation Trial Exams and the link can be found on the email edition of the broadcast.
https://www.wia.org.au/licenses/foundation/onlineexams/foundation.php
Whether you're starting your journey or leveling up, REAST is here to guide you every step of the way.
73, Reg, VK7KK
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Regular VK7 gatherings and events over the coming months:
Regular gatherings:
Sewing Circle Net – Daily on 3.640MHz commences at 6:30pm AEST.
Statewide SSTV Net - held every Thursday night via the North/South Link on VK7RAF/VK7RJG from 7:30pm. In the North and North West - VK7RJG on 438.55 -7MHz and in the South - VK7RAF (146.650 -600kHz) CTCSS tone 141.3Hz to link RAF North-South.
State-wide – MICROWAVE QSO Party – following the Sunday broadcast call-back on 1296.15 MHz FM. One group in the greater Hobart area and another in the greater Launceston area.
Then North-south digital contacts on 1296.2MHz using Q65-60B.
Stations in the Launceston area transmitting on the odd minute. Southern stations on the even minute.
SOTA/WWFF Group – Meeting Mondays and Fridays 10.30-12.00 midday at Glebe Gardens Cafe, Henry St, Launceston.
NTARC - Club Room Technical night session - Wednesday the 22nd January from 6.30 pm at the Club Room Archer Street, Rocherlea.
NTARC - TestNet and TechNet sessions every Wednesday night. TestNet/CW course on 3.580MHz from 7pm till 7.30pm and a TechNet on 3.567MHz from 7.30pm till about 8.30pm
NTARC Coffee Mornings are held every Friday in the NTARC Club rooms. Time is from 10am to noon in the Rocherlea Clubrooms.
NW VK7 – Wednesday from 8:00pm local – NW Tassie Amateur Repeater Group Net on 70cm VK7RMD
NW VK7 - Thursday commencing at 8:30pm local - N.W. Tassie 2m DX Net 144.190 USB
Events:
REAST - January 15, 2025 - N1MM Forum Night - Queens Domain Clubrooms from 7:30pm and Streamed
REAST - January 19, 2025 - CarBoot Sale of the Century and Sausage Sizzle - Queens Domain Clubrooms from 11am.
NTARC - February 12, 2025 - Annual General Meeting & General Meeting at the NTARC Club Rooms, Rocherlea Scout Hall, Archer Street Rocherlea commencing at 19:30 hours (7.30 pm).
REAST - February 16, 2025 - Annual General Meeting and BBQ from 11am
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A reminder to those people rostered for next weekâ€Ös broadcast:
Newsreader: VK7ZIR
Repeaters: REAST, NTARC and in the NW thanks to NWTARC, WCRG, NWCRRA, VK7AX, VK7JH and VK7DC
160m: Any Takers
80m: VKJ7JGD
40m: VK7DG
20m: VK7ALH
10m: VK7VKT
UHFCB24: VK7FMAC
DMR: Talk Group 5 and D-Star: Reflector 91C VK7HGO
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A huge thank you to all people and organisations that assisted with this broadcast.
--------------------------------
That wraps up this week's edition of the VK7 Amateur Radio News. We hope you found it informative and enjoyable?
You've been listening to VK7WI, or if youâ€Öve just tuned in, you've just missed our live broadcast. But donâ€Öt worry! You can catch the
rebroadcast on Tuesday night at 8:00pm on repeaters VK7RAA in Northern VK7 and VK7RHT and UHFCB24 in the South.
We encourage you to share your news, stories, and updates with us. Email your contributions to vk7arnews(at)gmail.com.
For more information about the broadcast and to join the discussion, visit our VK7 Amateur Radio News Groups.IO Group.
groups.io/g/vk7arnews.
Remember, the deadline for submissions is 21:00 on the Friday before the Sunday broadcast.
Stay tuned for callbacks on the frequency youâ€Öre currently listening to. Relay stations will use their own callsigns during this time.
On behalf of the entire VK7 Amateur Radio News Team, this is Fran, VK7FRN wishing you 73, and Happy New Year to all.
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(Posted to the packet network courtesy Tony VK7AX)
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