Microwave display - Ballarat Amateur Radio Group Hamvention - Sunday 4th Feb 2024

[VK3BA]

G’day to all VK3 Microwavers...
 
On Sunday the 4th of February 2024 will be the annual Ballarat Amateur Radio Group Hamvention… BARG Hamvention
 
With the help of others, I’m planning on setting up a promotional display of microwave gear for attendees to see with the intent of attracting more people to microwave radio operations. Yes, there is life beyond 10metres. I’ll also be promoting the VK3RBA linked network… VK3RBA QRZ page  as well as Amateur Radio Victoria who maintain many of the repeaters around Victoria… Amateur Radio Victoria
 
I’ve already received offers of assistance from a few BARG members and Amateur Radio Victoria are committed to assist. I’m waiting to hear back from a manufacturer from Japan to see if they’re interested in being involved as well.  
 
I’ve booked two tables worth of space and if anyone was interested in bringing along and displaying their microwave gear, including antennas, to bring them along to display. It would be great if you could also print out an A4 sized sign on who’s it is and what it is and attach it to your equipment. I’ve booked a GPO for the stand, therefore if you wish to power up your gear, bring along a small power supply and plug it in. The display area will predominantly taped off so that hands-on access will be restricted, but close enough to enable attendees to see the equipment, method of construction, etc and maybe gather some clues & ideas of how to go about it and where to get the bits to build a system. The display will be supervised at all times. There may also be an opportunity to do some live testing from a test station outside to a couple of systems inside the building, including a test ATV broadcast link.
 
None of the displayed gear will be for sale – it is purely to help promote microwave radio and attract some more people to get involved – more contacts for the rest of us.
 
So if you’re interested in bringing some gear along to show and encourage others, let me know so that I can plan the display.

Cheers,

[VK4CZ]

Great work Nik - hope you have a great day.

[VK3BA]

As well as Amateur Radio Victoria, I now have Icom Australia coming along with a full IC-905 display including material & merch.

Cheers,

[VK3BA]

G'day all,

As part of the display, I intend on running a few videos and series of photos on rotation to help give newbies some ideas. So if you've got any field day, portable or microwave related pics that you like to add to the slideshow for everyone at the Ballarat Hamvention to see, feel free to email them to me at nikp007 at bigpond dot com

Don't forget that the 2024 Summer VHF/UHF Field Day weekend is on the 13th & 14th of January, which is a great opportunity to take some nice field day pics to share. 

Thanks.

As a side note, I’m in the middle of re-building my portable/roving microwave station and as a result, I’ll have a 5GHz panel antenna (as new, works and I’ve made a few contacts with this) for sale at the Ballarat Hamvention as well as some various lengths of hardline terminated with SMA connectors. Also a GARC 3.4GHz panel antenna will be available for free – as parts only – severely failed return loss at 3.4GHz which explains my nil 3.4Gig contacts thus far. The transverter was proven to work well yesterday on the test bench.
 
I may also have at least two 10GHz 2ft antennas to give away as well. But there will be conditions to the give away of these. Because they’re free, doesn’t mean you can take them and later on put them up for re-sale. I’ll be far from impressed if I see this and is not in the spirit of hams helping out hams. They are free to a couple of people who have equipment ready to go on 10GHz but are lacking a suitable antenna – these are for those people and for someone that will regularly use it and create more activity. You will need to source your own WG-SMA transition, but these are readily available on eBay. I may have a spare for sale on the day. All available at the Ballarat Hamvention only. If you want any of these items, get to the Ballarat Hamvention… Ballarat Hamvention 2024


Cheers,

[VK3BA]

G’day All,
 
This is another reminder to anyone interested in contributing to the Microwave display at the Ballarat Hamvention on the 4th Feb 2024
 
I’ve booked two tables worth of space to set up a display of microwave gear for all and sundry to get some ideas.
 
I’m inviting anyone who has some microwave gear, to bring it along to display, to help encourage some newbies to the microwave bands. The stand will be supervised at all times. Bring along your single band or multiple band gear. Bring it along to give someone some ideas. The idea of this display is to promote the microwave bands and give interested people some ideas of how to go about it. If you have some gear from Kuhne, SG-Labs, DEMI, etc or totally homebrew like Rob VK3KRD or Alan Vk3XPD, bring it along. If you have a single band or something like the VK3ALB Panel of Power, bring it along. Give some newbies some ideas. If you’re into Amateur TV, bring your gear along. The more the merrier.
 
I’ve got Icom Australia and Amateur Radio Victoria on board. My idea is to promote microwave radio and the VK3RBA linked repeater system sponsored by Amateur Radio Vic. I hope to have some active video displays from Andrew VK3FS in rotation as well as some hand outs for anyone interested in getting active on the microwave bands.
 
I’d love to have as many as people as possible to bring along their microwave gear to put on display to give everyone some ideas on getting active on the microwave bands. If we run out of space, that’s not a bad problem to have. I’m hoping to take some good pics and ask Andrew VK3FS to take some video to perhaps put an article together for the AR-Magazine to promote microwave radio.
 
Cheers,
 
Nik Presser
VK3BA

[VK5ZD]

Hi

There's a high likelyhood that I'll be attending the hamvention. I'll have gear that covers all bands from 1.3GHz to 134GHz.

73
Iain VK5ZD

[VK3BA]

G'day Iain,

That'd be great to see some of your gear on display. Hopefully with a variety on display, each with a different approach, will help give some newcomers a spread of ideas and that there's more than one way to skin a cat.

We look forward to seeing you in Ballarat and we can keep you company on the way over via a number of linked repeaters from the SA border to Ballarat... VK3RBA Repeater Network

Cheers,

[VK3BA]

A reminder that the BARG Hamvention is this Sunday – doors open at 10am… https://www.barg.org.au/?page_id=4379 and a reminder that it’s next door to the BARG clubrooms in a much bigger venue – same venue as last year. Grab a coffee and a snag and prepare to empty your wallet on the numerous number of trading tables.

Some great news for the microwave promotion display. In recent days I've re-confirmed that we'll have a rep from Amateur Radio Victoria (sponsor of most repeater sites in VK3) along. Today I've heard further from Icom Australia that Hiro will be bringing along at least one, possibly two full IC-905 systems to demonstrate. We’ll also be demonstrating the ATV function connected to a video camera. Feel free to ask Hiro about the possible production of the Icom 24GHz modules.

And more good news... we'll be premiering the new/updated/refreshed microwave video by Andrew VK3FS which will then be released to YouTube after the Hamvention. So the first time you'll see this video will be at the BARG Hamvention. Andrew has spent many days on this, gathering new content, illustrations and the numerous hours of editing to produce a very highly polished video. I can't divulge any further info - you'll have to come and see it on Sunday. There have been offers by a few people (inc from VK5) to bring along some of their microwave gear to display. This is all about promoting microwave operations and attracting some new operators to the scene and to give them some alternative ideas of how to go about it. If we can get a few newbies up on the giggle bands, we’ll have more stations to work in the future.

[VK3BA]

Update...

The BARG have now engaged a mobile coffee van to be in attendance - real coffee!!

Hiro from Icom is bringing along another surprise, which arrived from Japan in recent days. You'll have to come to the BARG Hamvention to see what it is, or wait until I put a short video up hopefully by Sunday night. I'll try and put a few pics up here during the Hamvention time permitting.

Bring your shorts & thongs - it's going to be a fairly warm day.

Cheers,

[VK2XAX]

BARG Hamfest Overview from VK3FS
Icom showed the prototype of the new 24GHz transverter for the IC-905.
Watch it here...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhJ2pbLlaQE

cheers
Tim
de VK2XAX

[VK3BA]

As Tim has posted above re Andrew's review of the BARG Hamvention held a few days ago, he's also since released to public the updated 2024 Microwave recruitment & promotion video that was showcased on Sunday with lots of new content, graphics & illustrations... Review of the 2024 BARG Hamvention

And as already noted, Hiro from Icom Australia came along with the prototype of the CX-24G 24GHz module for the IC-905. I've since passed on lots of feedback to Hiro about a few improvements before it goes into production.

Attached are a few pics from Sunday.

Cheers,