Club News

NEXT FOUNDATION LICENCE COURSE AT BAULKHAM HILLS

The next HADARC Foundation Course is planned for the weekend of the 30th and 31st of August 2008 at Baulkham Hills. There may still be vacancies on the courses and any interested persons please contact Peter Tolmie VK2ZPT, or use the web form to send the education team a message.

HADARC Name Badges

If you have ordered your Name Badge, and as yet have not collected it, these are now available from Dot VK2DB at $5.50 each. Dot is still taking further orders and if you haven't yet ordered a badge (and want one) contact Dot as soon as possible.

PICNIC in the PARK

A sweeping view of "The Lakes" with some of our Club members lazily spread around the picnic area. The delightful young lady sitting on the grass in the foreground is Lilly - grand-daughter of Tony and Ros Farrow.

Was it just good planning, or was it just good luck (like when band conditions suddenly but briefly spring upon you that elusive, rare DX), but those who came along to the Picnic in the Park had a most enjoyable, pleasant afternoon. Although many seemed to stay away in fear of the weather, about 45 members, their family and friends gathered at The Lakes at Cherrybrook.

It was especially good to see some long-distance friends — John VK2WRT and Betty from Narrawallee, Paul VK2FWIZ and his family from Bargo and John VK2EEH (unfortunately Nancy could not come that day) from Bowral.

The BBQ, which seemed to be continuously running for two or so hours, handled a wide range of exotic looking foods from simple sausages to steaks and prawns — however, catching most attention, and hence a lot of suggestions as to what they might actually be, were the purple sausages cooked by Julian VK2YJS. Fortunately, Julian is still with us, so some of the suggestions were obviously wrong!

Whilst it was overcast, despite what seemed to be happening in other parts of the district, we had no rain and the air temperature was just perfect for being outdoors. What’s more, the droves of white cockatoos stayed away so we weren’t rained upon with various sticks and leaves (or whatever). However, heeding the various TV and radio weather forecasts, the threat of a possible afternoon storm had most people leaving by four. But, as we now know, the storm didn’t come that day. It did come, unfortunately, the next day and it gave The Lakes a most violent thrashing as well as damaging several members’ QTHs and their cars in the area. We were very sorry to hear the stories about the damage caused by the storm that were told on the Nets the following week.