2017 Club Calendars are hot off the press!

Be sure to have at least $2 on you at the Christmas Party so you can take (at least) one home with you.

This year there’s loads of new faces and all the dates have gone up a year (which you’ll agree will be very handy).

Thanks go out to Steve VK2ZSW and Trevor VK2TT for the hard work putting this years calendar together.  It’s no small task!

Once again our thanks goes out to Jaycar Electronics for their sponsorship.  As Amateurs we’ll always be among their best patrons and it’s fantastic that they choose to support the club so generously.

The club participated in the Spring VHF/UHF Field Day 2016 on Saturday 26th of November at the very picturesque North Brother Mountain Lookout.  Turnout was good with over a dozen members making the journey up the mountain.  6m was alive on the day thanks to a solid helping of Sporadic E, but we weren’t so lucky with 2m or 70cm.  Despite the threat of some bad weather, it turned out to be a lovely day and the clubs station was perfectly situated out of the constant strong winds at the lookout.

The club also provided communications for the White Ribbon Coastal Walk on the morning of the Sunday the 27th (no photos yet, sorry) – thanks to the 7 members who assisted.  Henry VK2ZHE mentioned that the highlight of the day was a good chat with our Mayor, Peter Besseling, who personally thanked us for our involvement in the walk and showed interest in the activities and wellbeing of the club.

If anyone has any photos I’d be happy to update the post – please send them to the club email. 🙂

Update: And here’s the first of the White Ribbon Walk Photos via Dennis VK2DAM:

See you all the Christmas party next weekend!

November Oxtales has been released!

Our regular thanks to John VK2AYQ and Trevor VK2TT for another excellent read – and thank you to all contributors.

Members should now have received their copy by email, but website copies of the current and past editions can always be found here.

ORARC has been invited to assist with communication for this year’s White Ribbon Coastal Walk.  Henry VK2ZHE writes:

The White Ribbon Coastal Walk is a free community event consisting of walking the Coastal Walk from Lighthouse Beach, Flynns Beach or Town Beach Kiosk to the Town Green to raise awareness about White Ribbon Day, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.

This year’s White Ribbon Coastal Walk takes place on Sunday the 27^th of November 2016. The walk commences at 8 am from the Tacking Point Surf Life Saving Club at Lighthouse Beach. The finish is at the Town Green in Port Macquarie. Walkers can start from Lighthouse Beach, Flynns Beach or from the Town Beach Kiosk. A bus will transport walkers from the Town Green to the Lighthouse Beach and Flynns Beach starts.

Full details of the walk and an entry form are available here.

Members of ORARC provided the safety communications for the event last year and we have been invited to provide the safety communications again for this year’s walk.

This is a call for at least 10 volunteers to assist with communications for the walk on Sunday the 27^th of November 2016. The bus for walkers leaves the Town Green at 07:30 am and the opening address at the start at the Tacking Point Surf Life Saving Club takes place at 07:50 am with the walkers starting at 08:00 am. The event should be over by 12 noon. Communications will need to be in place by 07:30 am. Net control will run from the Town Green and check points can close down when all the walkers have reached the next check point. The walk is an important community event that the club is proud to support.

Check Points:

1. Tacking Point Surf Life Saving Club at Lighthouse Beach
2. Shelly Beach Picnic area
3. Flynns Beach Surf Life Saving Club
4. Town Beach Kiosk
5. Town Green Port Macquarie

Two operators are needed for each check point so that someone can remain at the radio in the event that it is necessary to speak with the officials at the location.

If you can help, please contact Henry Lundell VK2ZHE via the normal channels.

Sunday the 27^th of November is the day after the VK2BOR Spring VHF UHF Field Day at North Brother Mountain. Both these events will be discussed at the ORARC November Friday Night Get Together in the SES Building at 7:30 pm on Friday the 18^th of November 2016.

For the benefit of those unable to attend today’s meeting, please note the following:

• The club will be participating in the upcoming Spring VHF/UHF Field Day held on the 26th and 27th of November.  The club will run a station from the top of North Brother Mountain (at the lookout) on the Saturday from a Marquee.  The club caravan will not be present as caravans are not permitted on the road to the top of the mountain (for good reason).  More info here.
• The club will not be holding a committee or monthly meeting during the Christmas party this year to eliminate the inevitable ostrification of the (mostly) (X)YLs whilst the meeting occurs.  The next club meeting will be on January 7th 2017.  The committee will likely meet during December to address correspondence and financial commitments, but will converse amongst themselves in regards to when this will happen.