Subj : Amateur Radio Newsline (C) To : All From : Daryl Stout Date : Fri Jun 23 2017 08:30 am GIPPSTECH WINDOW IS CLOSING JIM/ANCHOR: A few weeks before the Friedrichshafen ham radio event, Australian and New Zealand amateurs will gather in Churchill, about 105 miles east of Melbourne, Australia for GippsTech 2017. The event is organized by the Eastern Zone Amateur Radio Club. Amateur Radio Newsline's John Williams, VK4JJW, tells us more: JOHN'S REPORT: GippsTech 2017 is a conference in Victoria, Australia, that focuses on microwave, UHF and VHF operations, particularly for weak-signal operations. Amateurs will attend the annual gathering this year on July 1st and 2nd. The conference, which has been held for 20 years, is organized by the Eastern Zone Amateur Radio Club. Peter Freeman, VK3PF, chairman of GippsTech, told Amateur Radio Newsline that it is modeled after similar events in the U.S. that allow hams to share techniques for various weak-signal operations. Peter said the Eastern Zone club itself has a number of enthusiastic members who are interested in these modes of communication, and GippsTech became an outgrowth of that. What started as a one-day event is now a formal two-day conference, drawing amateurs from most of the states throughout Australia, and even New Zealand and elsewhere. At the 2003 event, Joe Taylor, K1JT, presented his WSJT software, which was then still new. This year, the agenda will include some microwave activations, and there will be reports on previous years' proceedings available for purchase. The conference is making a Partners' Program available with a minibus providing sightseeing in the local area. If you want to be among this year's attendees, please note that registration closes June 25. Download a registration form at vk3bez.org/conference For more details, contact Peter, VK3PF, at vk3pf-at-wia-dot-org-dot-au (vk3pf@wia.org.au) For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm John Williams, VK4JJW. (WIA, EASTERN ZONE AMATEUR RADIO CLUB) ** BREAK HERE: Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the WR9ARC Repeater of the Riverland Amateur Radio Club in La Crescent, Minnesota, as part of the Sunday Night Net at 8 p.m. local time. ** SECOND TEST DAY PREPS FOR WRTC 2018 JIM/ANCHOR: It's never too early to start testing equipment and setup for a big event, and in Germany, that's what hams are doing to prepare for the World Radiosport Team Championship, or WRTC. Here's Amateur Radio Newsline's Ed Durrant, DD5LP. ED'S REPORT: In preparation for WRTC 2018, the second test day will take place from the 23rd to the 25th of June around Jessen, in central Germany. The focus will be on testing logistics and training of the volunteer support teams, along with looking for any possible process improvements. Nearly 100 volunteers are coming from all over Germany to build the fifteen stations. On Saturday, after completing their training on Friday, the fifteen teams will go to their allocated sites to assemble the test stations. The goal is to assemble all structures quickly and smoothly, while documenting any areas where the process can be optimized. After each site is set up, radio operation is planned. This will not only test the on-line scoreboard system, but also act as publicity for WRTC 2018. It is expected that there will be a lot of DX traffic on 20 or 15 meters on Saturday evening, which coincides with the ARRL Field Day. A special diploma for contacts with the test stations is planned. For details about the diploma, and how to submit a request, monitor the WRTC2018.de website. On Sunday, all sites will be dismantled, the material checked and stored. During the tests, live pictures will be posted to Facebook. The test weekend should help the organizers evaluate the best techniques and new possibilities before WRTC 2018. For Amateur Radio Newsline, this is Ed Durrant, DD5LP. --- þ Synchronet þ The Thunderbolt BBS - wx1der.dyndns.org .