The NARC Hawke’s Bay Hamfest April 5, 2014 – ZL2GT Napier Amateur Radio Club Inc

Hosted by the Napier Amateur Radio Club Incorporated
After kicking around ideas during the past year the Napier Amateur radio club decided to to host the first ever North Island Hamfest during the weekend of April 4th and 5th. Planning over the past 3 months paid off! Emails were sent to 40 clubs around the North island with an attached Flyer which was kindly forwarded to their club members. Thank you to the hard working club secretaries! The Friday night get-together renewing old acquaintances and meeting new ones before the hamfest allowed hams to register before the opening the next day.

The Nelson Park Cricket Club in Napier was a great venue but the weather looked a bit ominous. But typical of Hawke’s Bay, the heavy weekend rain forecast turned into an insignificant shower Saturday morning. Over 60 hams including many that traveled very long distances checked in with Karl ZL1TJ, our secretary by the 10 Am Hamfest start. A short welcome to all and a quick prize draw saw the conference open with the first speaker Jan ZL2CZE on SDR technology

NARC Club Secretary Karl ZL1TJ checks in the attendees

Early Morning Car Boot Sale opens the Hamfest

Jan, ZL2CZE explains SDR Receiver technology

Rob, ZL2AN talks about measurement and matching issues with Yagi antennas and how to solve the problems involved.

Dave, ZL2MQ talking about his beautifully constructed low noise 2m preamps and KW solid state amplifier used for moonbounce work on 2M

Dave ZL2MQ's professionally construction 2M KW amplifier for EME — Dave ZL2MQ’s professionally construction 2M KW amplifier for EME

Propagation 101 – Lee ZL2AL explains how the sun can be your best friend to help you work rare DX.

How to efficiently install HF and VHF mobile radios and antennas was explained by Laurie ZL2TC to an attentive audience

After lunch, Bob Sutton ZL1RS, a notable EME Dxer made a presention on his trips to Africa, the Pacific and other parts of the world operating EME for the past 25 years. Bob and Chris ZL2DX then did a live on screen demonstration of EME contacts using JT65B mode on 2M into the USA with his antenna array set up outside the venue.

Bob showing pictures of his trips to Africa, the Pacific and other parts of the world operating EME for the past 25 years.

Bob explains how the JT65B operates — Bob explains how the JT65B mode operates as his setup operated by Chris ZL2DX was working stations in the USA via the moon. Impressive Bob!!

Bob's homebrew solid state KW 2M Amplifier does it's thing bouncing signals off the moon to the USA at moonrise just after lunch — Bob’s homebrew solid state KW 2M Amplifier does it’s thing bouncing signals off the moon to the USA at moonrise just after lunch. His portable yagi antenna array pointed to the moon (lower left)

Bob's 1 KW on 2M Have a look at the aluminium heat sink base! — Bob’s 1 KW on 2M Have a look at the aluminium heat sink base!

About 20 hams and a few of their YLs stayed on and enjoyed the hospitality of the Napier RSA on Saturday night before traveling home the next day.

Many raffles and draws took place during the day with prizes of the new 2M VHF/UHF antenna kit developed by the NARC which will soon be offered for sale to the ham community. Other prizes included an SDR receiver dongle and ICOM hats and calendars Thanks to ICOM NZ for their prize donations. The day ended with a few drinks and a few farewells to those who had travelled long distances.

The Napier Amateur Radio club wishes to thank the six speaker/presenters and all the amateurs who helped us make the event so successful. In addition we say thank you for the support by local amateurs and those who traveled long distances to be with us on the day.

It was a weekend of fun, absorbing new technology and refreshing old ones. The bonus was renewing old acquaintances and meeting new ones. Ham radio was the winner on the day.

73, Lee ZL2AL – (Photos by Dave Walker ZL2DW)

By admin