Hi there - welcome to news from the Darling Downs Radio Club. I'm Club Secretary John VK4JPM. Exciting few days coming up, and if it's Sunday, 9 November by the time you hear this, it's probably too late to leave home for the Gold Coast and the annual GCARS Hamfest. But if you're listening early or picked up the text edition of QNEWS, this is a reminder that some of us will be attending, so look for the well-identified club shirts and hats, and say hi. Tomorrow night, Monday, 10 November, is our monthly tech meeting and gathering. Special guest is John VK4JB,E up from the big smoke to talk about EMR, or electromagnetic radiation, or electromagnetic emissions in some quarters. EMR is non-ionising radiation; it's invisible; it's non-ionising, so the impact follows the inverse-square law; and generally speaking, the stuff we transmit isn't going to dissociate electrons in your body. But your transmissions do have the ability to heat things that are in proximity, so you can be very damaged if you're too close to a radiator. Check out the ARPANSA website - that's A R P A N S A.gov.au for some background. John will cover all this and more tomorrow at the club meeting. He has tips to help you follow what's happening, and advise on how to correctly document your operation so that you have adequate defence if someone chooses to complain about what you're doing on air. The meeting will be held at the Scout Hall, 2 Victory Street, Newtown in Toowoomba, and everyone is welcome. Last weekend I attended QTech 2025 in Chermside, and what a wonderful event that was. About 60 people in the room for a series of really great presentations, panels and discussions... not one was a dud. I was especially impressed with young hams Finn VK4II and Otto VK4OTZ, who opened the day with a well-researched presentation titled "Young Hams: yes, we exist!", and showed how their lives had been positively impacted by their involvement in amateur radio. And how did they get started? Playing with rockets and realising a need for communications. Amateur radio to the rescue. The event featured a small dealer space, plenty of muffins and lunch, and evidence of really solid planning and admin for the event - congratulations to the organising team. Two highlights stood out for me: a cross to the International Space Station in conjunction with students from a local school, and the corridor conversations - especially with the large contingent who had come from Adelaide, none of whom I had previously met. Anyone who goes to a conference knows that you get permission to attend based on the program, but a huge benefit is from social interactions. In this case, I learned all kinds of useful things about operating a successful club, and discovered some useful theory and experience along the way. There was much discussion about the present and future of amateur radio, and about how to grow this event. It definitely proved that there's an appetite for technical info and project work, and we were treated to several practical and home-brew developments brought along by participants. Everyone at QTech 2025 was bubbling with enthusiasm for what took place. Speaking of which: there's a strong rumour that you should hold the first weekend of November in 2026, and plan to be in Hobart. Truly: I can't wait. We've been advised of some tower and other gear being sold right now, and needing to move quickly, so a bargain is possible. Check VKclassifieds.net.au and search on vk2ri for the list of stuff. That's vkclassifieds.net.au and search vk2ri. If there's anything you missed, it's all on our website, or you can send an email to secretary@ddrci.org.au. Next week, we'll tell you about the December meeting on Monday, the 8th, our social plans for the end of the year, how to get some of the new club merch, and what we're doing about education and training.

It's the week beginning Sunday 2 November, and hi from the Darling Downs Radio Club: I'm Club Secretary John VK4JPM with the club update. Consider that it's now only 53 sleeps until Christmas, when you get to open that Icom IC22S you always yearned for back in 1978. Welcome to November in radio-land. Did you survive Trick or Treat in your location? Or maybe you're like our house: solidly overloaded with chocolates that we're going to have to eat ourselves. And more importantly: have you set your overseas daylight savings clocks back? Europe returned last weekend, and the US drops its clocks back this afternoon, Australia time. It's only EIGHT sleeps until John VK4JBE joins us in person to talk ElectroMagnetic Radiation - or EMR - and how to stay both legal and neighbour friendly. Most of us trust that EMR won't be a problem, but it can be... and in so many ways. John will bring along some documentation created to help you manage your EMR obligations - in particular, the EMR Safety Site Management Book, which will help you record everything needed to use the RSGB and WIA tools. That's on Monday, 10 November, at the Victory Street Scout Hall in Newtown. All the details are on the website at ddrci.org.au, and the meeting should be the first event shown on the calendar. By the way if you haven't checked the calendar rotator on our website recently, then give it a go. We're hiding past events in there along with future meetings. You can even go back in time and relive the downpour during the Carnival of Flowers parade. Next weekend is GCARS on the Gold Coast - many of us will be down there on Sunday morning, and you should be able to recognise us by the club shirts and hats. Please say hello! For the December meeting, we're still thinking about doing the Chinese Radio session, along with a bit of show and tell. That's enough warning to get something together to bring along and show - and that meeting will be on December 8th. Three thoughts before we leave. Until 1 Jan, membership of DDRCi is 25% off. That means it's only $30 to become a full member and only $7.50 if you're a junior. Join now, save money and support the club! DDRCi's training and assessment is in full swing. If you want to get or upgrade your qualification, start with an email to education@ddrci.org.au and we'll get you on the path to success * and finally if you do have an IC22S - as all of us did, back in the day - check out VK3ZYZ's articles on how to arduinoise the 22S... search for "SADARC" and "Arduino" and you'll find it. Thanks for listening - I'm John VK4JPM for the Darling Downs Radio Club. Social Scene GOLD COAST AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY – 2025 HAMFEST NOV 9 (vk4dmh) Country Paradise Parklands 231 Beaudesert Nerang Road.

Hi from the Darling Downs Radio Club for Sunday 26 October, or whatever date it happens to be when you hear this broadcast. I'm John VK4JPM, Secretary of the Club with a heap of good news for this week. Firstly congratulations to highly enthusiastic club member Brad, who last weekend upgraded himself from Shortwave Listener to Foundation Licensee. It might even be that by the time you hear this Brad will be on air as VK4BLL. Our next member meeting is Monday 10 November at regional Scouts HQ in Victory Street Newtown. EMR is the topic - that's Electro Magnetic Radiation, the stuff that happens when charged particles are accelerated and put to some hopefully good use. Beyond the need to do something useful with the radiation comes the requirement to understand how to play safe. Too little EMR and you won't be able to communicate with anyone. But when there's too much EMR you might well have problems ranging from annoyed neighbours to seriously dangerous health issues. We're being joined by John VK4JBE who will introduce an EMR Safety Site Management Book, designed to help amateurs record all the information necessary to use the WIA and RSGB tools, and ensure that you are complying with the requirements of your ACMA license. John has taken other clubs through this topic and the feedback has been very strongly positive... rather like some of the EMR that he will discuss. That's on Monday 10 November from 1900 AEST and held in person at Victory Street, and also by telepresence. All the detail is on the website - go to the home page which is ddrci.org.au and wait for the scroller to cycle around to the item for the meeting. And if you have questions, send a note to secretary@ddrci.org.au so that we can get you answers. Coming up later in the year we're looking at a Foxhunt, a BBQ end-of-year lunch, and a meeting devoted to getting the best out of the ridiculously cheap Chinese handhelds that everyone seems to have these days. We'd love to know your thoughts on these ideas, and don't be afraid to tell us. Secretary@ddrci.org.au. Oh, and there's still time to renew your club membership if you haven't done that yet. Just go to the home page and click the big red button that says "Join our club: click here". It can't be simpler than that. Until next week, thanks for tuning in and all the best from the Darling Downs Radio Club. This is Allan VK4HIT with news from Ipswich and District Radio Club. Last weekend on Saturday October 18 the club hosted a major JOTA/JOTI event at the Denmark Hill clubhouse. A total of 153 enthusiastic young people turned up across the day. Of this number there were 40 Guides, 80 Joeys and Cubs and 33 Scouts and Venturers. The day ran from 9am to 8pm with Joeys and Guides present before 1pm and Scouts and Venturers after 3pm. Various activities included orienteering (using handhelds) in the bush adjacent to the clubhouse (Denmark Hill Conservation Park), electronic kit building, 20 computers for JOTI chats, as well as Minecraft, and the obligatory contacts made on VHF via All Star and HF. The 2025 JOTA/JOTI event was supported by eight members from the Ipswich and District Radio Club. It was a great day, only interrupted by a late storm which did its best to try and launch a gazebo in the direction of Toowoomba! Reporting from Ipswich this is Allan, VK4HIT. From Kevin VK4UH here, President of the Brisbane VHF Group and Convener of the QTech 2025 conference, to be held in Brisbane. The two-day conference will run over the weekend of the 1st and 2nd of November and is being held at the conference facilities of the Kedron Wavell RSL in Chermside, one of Brisbane’s northern suburbs.

Hi from the Darling Downs Radio Club with QNEWS for the period beginning Sunday, 19 October. I'm John VK4JPM, secretary of the club, bringing you an update. By the time you hear this, JOTA will be in full swing. Whilst the planets didn't align for formal club participation this year, we're heavily focused on helping young people to develop STEM skills - that's Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths, all core components of the amateur radio hobby, and all addressed in the study you do to get a ham licence. And if you or someone you know is a scout and you'd like to know how we can help tide the STEM, drop a line to education@ddrci.org.au. Seriously, don't underestimate the value of what you learn to get your ham ticket. Not only does that get you on air, but we'll bet anything you like that those skills will pop up over and over again in your professional and home lives away from amateur radio. If there is such a thing. One great piece of news that came our way during the week: the Queensland Office of Fair Trading has formally registered the new rules that we voted in at our AGM in September. Our Rules are posted on the DDRCI website underneath the DOCUMENTS tab, so that you can read them at any time. Now: looking forward to the calendar and our next meeting. It's on Monday, 10 November and will again be held at the Scout Hall in Victory Street Newtown, and of course by telepresence. We're ramping up our focus on Electro Magnetic Radiation or EMR. Why? Because understanding of EMR goes directly to two things that are important to our ability to operate harmoniously - by not creating interference problems for our neighbours, and by operating safely so that we don't create problems for anyone. All our amateur transmitters emit electro-magnetic radiation - but do you know exactly how much and are your operations safe? John VK4JBE from Bayside District Amateur Radio Society is going to give us an overview of what the electro-magnetic radiation safety standards are, and explain how to apply them to our amateur stations. He's going to cover some work done by the Wireless Institute of Australia, and the Radio Society of Great Britain, both of whom have produced some tools to help. That's all vitally important stuff, and you can meet John and hear from an expert on Monday, 10 November. As always, all the info on QNews is available online and you can check our website at ddrci.org.au, or email us via secretary@ddrci.org.au if there's something specific you'd like to ask. And as always, if you like what we're doing: become a member. It's really inexpensive and your support helps heaps. I'll see you next week - 73 from John VK4JPM for the Darling Downs Radio Club. Kevin VK4UH HERE, President of the Brisbane VHF Group and Convener of the QTech 2025 conference, to be held in Brisbane in two weeks’ time. The two-day conference will run over the weekend of the 1st and 2nd of November and is being held at the conference facilities of the Kedron Wavel RSL in Chermside, one of Brisbane’s northern suburbs. The theme of this year’s conference is “The future of Amateur Radio is in your Hands” The programme includes presentations covering a wide range of aspects of our ever-expanding hobby, from entry-level, recruitment and supporting young people in AR right through to advanced technical advances in equipment and operating. In addition, there will be trade displays and equipment demonstrations. Also arranged, an exciting live ARISS telebridge where local high school students will be able to pose questions to the astronauts orbiting aboard the international Space Station, via Amateur Radio. Information and an open invitation to all to participate in this inaugural event has been circulated widely in AR Magazine, via this WIA national broadcast and via a variety of internet sites and other social media outlets.

News from the amateur radio clubs around Queensland, Australia. This week, from John VK4DPM of the Darling Downs Radio Club. The address to send news to is: qnews@wia.org.au VERY, VERY SAD NEWS. VK4ZPP GEOFF EMORY 2025 10 10 (vk4bb) IT IS WITH A HEAVY HEART that I ANNOUNCE THE PASSING OF VK4ZPP, GEOFF EMORY. GEOFF'S WIFE DAWN CALLED ME FRIDAY EVENING TO SAY GEOFF DID NOT MAKE IT THROUGH SURGERY THAT EVENING AT THE HERVEY BAY HOSPITAL, WHERE HE HAD SPENT SEVERAL WEEKS. GEOFF OF COURSE WAS THE MAINSTAY, THE BACK BONE OF THIS QNEWS BULLETIN FOR SOME 15 YEARS, SINCE THE WIA BECAME A NATIONAL BODY. WITHOUT VK4ZPP'S WEEKLY CONTRIBUTION, AND IN MANY CASES HIS HAD BEEN THAT WEEKS ONLY CONTRIBUTION, QNEWS AND A LOCAL VK4 NEWS WOULD HAVE CEASED MANY A MOON AGO. TO DAWN, THE FAMILY, TO GEOFF'S MANY FRIENDS, AND TO YOU, THE LISTENERS OF QNEWS WE ALL WILL MISS HIM DREADFULLY. AS GEOFF ALWAYS SAID AT THE CONCLUSION " THAT'S WHAT I THINK-- HOW ABOUT YOU".. THIS TIME THERE IS NO THOUGHT -- WE WILL MISS HIM.. RIP VK4ZPP ANOTHER SILENT KEY. Graham Kemp VK4BB, producer of QNews.

Hi everyone, and welcome to the Darling Downs Radio Club corner of QNEWS for week beginning 5 October 2025. Daylight saving has started in Oz, but doesn't stop in Europe until 26 October, and in North America it stops on 2 November. Of course none of this affects the way the bands behave, and as far as our experiments confirm daylight saving does not fade curtains or curdle milk. But it does make phoning interstate more confusing. Just a tip that all our dates and times will be in invariant Australian Eastern Standard Time regardless of what everyone else is doing. You should have received a newsletter from the club on Tuesday. If you didn't, and you want to be on the list, let us know. If you want to get off the list, you have to let us know that too. One day that will all be automated, but automation costs money and a few more members would help a lot. Hint, hint. At Darling Downs Radio Club we're very focused on education and meetings over the next few weeks, so here are some dates for your diary - and everything is on the website, so you can check there if you miss any of the following. You might have missed a really good lunch yesterday, but keep an ear out for the next social event which will be in December. We're planning a BBQ, possibly combined with a Fox Hunt. Watch this space. The next club Member Meeting is on Monday 13 October, when we plan to announce some very positive club initiatives that are in play, and our tech review will dissect the recently advised ACMA Licence Conditions Determinations - there was one for Amateur Licences and another for Citizens Band operation, and both are now in force. What do these mean to you? Join us and find out. There will also be some general tech nattering, and we'll discuss an exciting development. The meeting will be in person, or the remote link is on the website in the calendar entry. The 18/19 October weekend plans for JOTA and JOTI are still being finalised with Toowoomba Scouts, but by the time this segment goes to air we might have some arrangements locked down. We are well down the process of scheduling Foundation Licence training and examinations for the weekend, and while we are aiming at Scouts in particular the sessions will be open to anyone. If you, or someone who you know, wants to get started with a Foundation Licence - and who doesn't? - check the club website and send email to education@ddrci.org.au to get on the list. No obligation. Speaking of which, last weekend our club Education Officer Dave VK4JPS supported a pre-JOTA Foundation Licensing course where 14 Scouts successfully gained their Foundation licences. Our training program includes some hardware to get started, and practical experiences to develop operating practice. We're being very POTA themed, and you should expect a "Support your Parks" activity through the Jota Weekend. So please support us and our students, and we look forward to Hunting you throughout the JOTA weekend. Next month on Monday 10 November, John VK4JBE joins us to bring you up to speed with understanding your EMR obligations, and how a bit of EMR knowledge could actually help you with your neighbours. Finally, two other items that we will be discussing over the coming months. Firstly estate planning and bequests. It's probably not a surprise that even hams don't live forever, and I hope you've made a will. What you might not have done is specify what happens to your collection of gear. All that stuff falls into the category of "possessions", and it's not part of your house or bank accounts. You can, for instance, specify that your posessions should be handled a particular way. for help Secretary@ddrci.org.au all the info is on our website at ddrci.org.au. Thanks for listening, and we'll catch you next week. 73 John, VK4JPM Secretary of the Darling Downs Radio Club.

It's Sunday 28 September 2025, and we've just passed the spring solstice. Days are getting longer; the sun is getting higher, and next weekend Daylight Saving Time starts in many states that aren't Queensland. That's the solar report for this week, so hi - I'm John VK4JPM, Secretary of the Darling Downs Radio Club with some updates for members, guests, and everyone who is listening so that they can be in the callback! I'm going to start with a big shoutout to all the club members and others who helped get us across the line and into the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers Parade. All those flowers that attendees made at the last tech meeting were carefully attached to the side of our float and made us look FABULOUS. We had real radios operating on the truck, and despite the rain that fell ONLY for the hour that we were in the procession, we had a great crowd and an amazing time. If you go to the website - ddrci.org.au - there's a story in the calendar rotator, and a link where you can see what we looked like in the parade. Pretty cool stuff. Who knew that you could put petals on a satellite dish and attract LNBees? So what important dates are on the club's calendar? This coming Saturday - that's the 4th of October - we've scheduled the bimonthly club lunch at an old haunt: Rink 46, which previously was known as the Drayton Bowlo. All the details are on the website; rock up after 1130 and stay for a few hours. No ceremony, although we'd appreciate an email to lunch @ddrci.org.au to let us know how many of you are coming. And look, we have a bit of a surprise for after the lunch; we've also scheduled a tour of an important facility not far away. Guests, XYLs and harmonics are all very welcome for this one. Saturday 4 October from around 1130. Our next technical meeting is on Monday 13 October at the Victory Street Scout hall, and another very timely topic: we're going to dissect the two determinations that ACMA has just released - that's the amateur radio determination which defines what we're allowed and how we're allowed to do it, and the citizen's band determination which has some interesting tweaks that you'll want to know about. 13 October for that one, in person or via telepresence if you can't get to Newtown. And the November meeting is locked in for Monday 10th, with focus on Station EMR management. All the details are on the website - check the calendar scroller on the home page, and click into anything that looks interesting. ddrci.org.au, and if you missed anything - like details of our next education sessions, or how to become a member, start from the website and drop an email to secretary@ddrci.org.au if you can't find what you're looking for. Oh, and check out how we looked in the parade - it's a hoot. Until next week: 73 from John VK4JPM and the team from the Darling Downs Radio Club Social Scene Townsville Amateur Radio Club's Cardwell Gathering Field Day October 3 at Meunga Creek Caravan Park & Camp (wiacal) Qtech2025 a two-day conference Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd November at Kedron-Wavel RSL (vk4uh) GOLD COAST AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY – 2025 HAMFEST NOV 9 (vk4dmh) Country Paradise Parklands 231 Beaudesert Nerang Road.

Judy Robertson - Honorary TARCadian Sad news has been relayed by TARCadian Roslyn Bryant that Judy Robertson went Silent Key on Wednesday Morning 17th September at home at Carlyle Gardens Townsville. Hello and welcome to the 21 September edition of QNEWS, and this segment comes to you from Toowoomba - home of the Carnival of Flowers. I'm John, VK4JPM secretary of the Darling Downs Radio Club. We've all been focused this week on the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers parade, and the club's first-time appearance in the parade itself. Look for some photos on the homepage at ddrci.org.au, which will tell the story more eloquently than I can now - for the simple reason that QNEWS is recorded earlier in the week and at this very moment in radioland we haven't left yet. Even in advance of leaving the shed, we should all send a big shout-out to the team of lead co-ords who made the float happen, especially Sam, Bruce, Liz, and Dave, and all the folk who pitched in to dress it up. Hello, I’m Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and I’ve been thinking. One of the qualities of the amateur has been the ability to adapt. From the early days of radio, items have been repurposed to meet the needs of home construction. When the market was awash with disposals gear, many items became modified to meet the needs of the amateur radio pursuit. When the solid state items came, home experimenters took the left overs from computers and made items which improved the functionality of the shack and allowed self-learning of this new technology. In more recent times, rigs have become smaller and lighter whilst the world has become a dumping ground for non-certified electronics which create noise and gross interference on many amateur radio bands. The introduction of the home personal computer saw many discussions and articles on how to suppress electronic trash from the switch mode power supplies. The issue has grown out of bounds in the years since. An outcome of this latter problem, at least indirectly, has been people taking gear into the field, to parks, hills, beaches and all sorts of locations where operations can be conducted. The delight in operating in an electrically quiet place can’t be underestimated. To take these thoughts in another direction. We can look at major features of our community. In towns and cities, the grocery store has grown into the supermarket and most of these are operated as part of a chain. Economy of sourcing stock, logistics and efficiency in back room operations all contribute to the massive success of our grocery/retail industry. With all their resources, the science of marketing is constantly being refined. It is no glitch or aberration that Easter hot cross buns appear just after Christmas. The run up to in-store promotions is carried out many days or weeks prior to the start of the campaign. And that annoying practice of rotating shelf items to different aisles to ensure the paying customer has more to view and thus increase the number of spontaneous purchases should be banned. For people running club activities, we have a major example of success in these stores. The organisation, positioning of outlets and the range of items for sale all offer us lessons in streamlining our own club activities. Clubs depend on volunteers and thus, you can say, their time is more precious that paid staff within a store. The amateur aims to live balanced life and this should always be kept in mind. What I am trying to do is point our thoughts towards examining areas which may benefit our clubs and ultimately our recreation. If we can have a closer look at something that at first glance seems remote to amateur radio and take a lesson or too, then the whole community gets the benefit. I’m Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and that's what I think, how about you?

On QNEWS for week of 14 September 2025 I'm John VK4JPM, Secretary of the Darling Downs Radio Club. Coming up: the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers, and this year the club has entered the parade for the first time. We've been busy assembling flowers and radio gear, and we're getting ready to demonstrate aspects of Amateur Radio as the parade wends through the crowd. The parade takes place on Saturday 20 September, and is big enough to take about 90 minutes to pass any one spot. If you can't come in person, you can watch the parade via the interweb, keep an eye on our website. If we look like it's going to work. Given the degree of difficulty associated with contacting a float, you can expect a serious multiplier. If conditions are right, check the website on the day for details of bands, frequencies, and fine-print. Our next meeting dates are up on the website, and details will be filled in once we get past next Saturday! Right now you could plan for the next Club Lunch on Saturday 4 October, and the next club meeting on Monday 13 October. And don't forget that the Non-Queensland southern states move into Daylight Time Confusion from Sunday the 5th. Oh, and our last meeting with Dion 4DKW was a ripper. Hello, I’m Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and I’ve been thinking. One of the issues that clubs and groups tend to have is that of raising money to cover the running costs. Very few operate in an area where membership subs cover the outgoings let alone provide for the future needs. To this extent, our radio, electronics and maker spaces all have this issue to plan for. In the larger towns and suburbs, the growth of the mega hardware stores has provided a source of funding by selling slices of bread surrounding a freshly cooked snag. Elsewhere alternatives to this activity have to be found. For major outlays such as office furniture, IT, radios and the like, it is usually necessary to turn to some of the many grants funded by councils and governments. Getting behind the keyboard and writing a grant submission can be quite an exercise in creative thinking to tell the story of why you need the money and what those items will do, not only for your group but usually the benefits to the community also. This doesn’t mean that small groups have to go without a fillip to their coffers. There are several projects run by clubs which engage members in construction of shack accessories. You may not find a great demand for the goods or they might take off like the proverbial scalded cat. I can think of one VK2 club that produces DC power distribution boards and they seem to sustain a constant demand. Other clubs have produced DIY kits for test gear or model specific accessories to improve operating ease of their radios. Obviously the need for transformers for the current fad of end-fed and random wires gives an opportunity to fill a gap in the market. The current costs of goods sourced from the USA is troubling when postage is added so a local source may be the solution and a preferable alternative to the unknown quality of some Asian products. Of course, getting a project organised and costed will determine the success or otherwise even before gathering a team to produce and distribute the goods. The up side is that often when you look around your membership, you will find people with skills that can improve the design and presentation whilst contributing to a team effort. Building friendships is a good way of strengthening the whole club performance. What we can do is find ways of doing things that build the funds in the bank, strengthen the membership and also benefit our community amateur and generally. Remember that the majority of amateurs are getting older. I certainly couldn’t man the barbeque or serve the sausages but I can still do other things which can contribute. I’m Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and that's what I think, how about you?

Welcome to QNEWS and a segment from the Darling Downs Radio Club. It's 7 September where we are, and only four weeks until Daylight Saving starts. First piece of news: we had our Annual General Meeting last Monday, easily made quorum, and everything went smoothly. The motion to replace and update the Rules was passed without dissent, and we have a full committee with three new members joining the team. The rogues gallery is online at the website, and you can check out the new club officers. The meeting also updated our member schedule with two new member classes: family membership for up to two adults and up to two children for $55 and a new junior member category - if you're under 17, it's only $10 to be a member of the club. The membership system is updated and you can join or renew right now. And thanks to everyone who joined or renewed during the special membership drive last month: as you can see, you did get a bargain. Hello, I’m Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and I’ve been thinking. This past week has seen the Sun continue a range of electro-chemical gyrations with results being both seen and received on Earth. Sunspot Cycle 25 is certainly maintaining the interests for all those who follow space weather and for radio amateurs as well. Now that we have officially entered Spring time, I would imagine that many people are preparing for the warmer seasons and checking and prepping gear that has been stored during the Winter. It has been a strange period with the southern highlands of Queensland receiving a rare smattering of snow and parts of the interior plagued by flooding. Now we get to prepare for the annual cyclone season. Life is full of action. I am committed in family matters so my social calendar is something to look forward to in the future. But for many of us, students and parents and others who enjoy their radio, I have a question. How do you record the events that you wish to enjoy so they don’t slip by until it is rush to prepare? Being of the old school, so to speak, I use paper records to keep track of appointments and events. The ubiquitous calendar fixed with a big magnet to the fridge door is the main household source of these reminders. For good measure, I use a pocket diary so that details are available when I indulge in sports such as shopping. Not everyone uses a smart phone and sometimes the old methods provide a level of redundancy that a lost piece of electronics might lose. The reason I ask the question is, I believe that a consistent platform to inform our community would be helpful. There are events on the amateur calendar which go from local to international and these need integrating with personal events such as sports, other recreations and medical visits, for instance. Would it be a help if we had a platform to distribute regular detailed updates and what would it be? Email was the go to in previous years but the use of social media platforms seems to have replaced a lot of email correspondence and how many people still regularly log into web sites to check things like this? Our broadcast news carries a certain level of events and the print schedule of the magazine goes against efficient updating. Then once we have made a choice of method, there comes the necessity of having a coordinator who can extract the information and compile the necessary posts to get out to members. Assuming that the mechanics could be sorted there is the reluctance that seems to be inflicted on our communications hobby of getting the information from the sources to the distribution point. Ask our News Editor how easy it is and you will understand my point. For what it is worth, do you think we could benefit by a simple system of notification that would allow the best planning for us all? I’m Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and that's what I think, how about you?