[continued from previous message]   
      
   Well what a wonderful time I had in Maryborough for the 26th Australian   
   Jamboree.   
      
      
   It was a plethora of activities, from stem to sea to craft and camping.   
      
   All other scouts I spoke to had a wonderful time, meeting each other and   
   engaging in the activities.   
      
      
   Archery tag and Laser tag were highlights, which I would like to experience   
   again.   
      
      
   We had a couple rainy days and night, so my gumboots and raincoat came in   
   handy.   
      
      
   The mud run benefitted from the rain, which helped me get very dirty when I   
   did it!   
      
      
   I even brought home a couple pieces of muddy clothes, much to the disgust of   
   my mother.   
      
      
   As you know the AJ2025 station was on air using the callsign  VI2025AJ during   
   that time.   
      
      
   They had some contacts however I heard the bands were not that cooperative.   
      
   I am sure Chris Horne, VK2CGH, will be able to supply a report on the   
   activity of the station to the WIA news crew, so we may be able to share some   
   YOTA news with you.   
      
   Happy Australia Day!   
      
   For WIA National News, I am Alec VK2MV in Sydney. Now back to you Bruce.   
      
   WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- RESCUE RADIO   
      
   This story takes us to the US state of California where deadly wildfires   
   consumed much of the Los Angeles area and beyond, destroying homes and   
   causing electrical and cellular outages. Even as SpaceX temporarily   
   activated the test version of its satellite-to-cellular service to help   
   deliver emergency alerts and texts, hams were relying on the region's   
   robust and resilient PAPA System of repeaters.   
      
   The analogue repeaters of California's wide-reaching PAPA System had their   
   nets and routine traffic communications cancelled for a number of days.   
   The repeaters were placed on standby for news and emergency traffic only   
   but by January 14th, all but three returned to net-hosting and normal use.   
   Three repeaters remained off the main network to continue providing   
   emergency coverage in the greater Los Angeles area.   
      
   Cecil Casillas, WD6FZA, president of the PAPA System, told our US sister   
   service, Newsline, that as of Tuesday 14th, none of the PAPA repeaters had   
   suffered fire-related damages. He said that flames closely threatened   
   repeaters on Mount Wilson and at Saddle Peak, which overlooks Malibu, but   
   the fires stopped short of affecting the buildings, antennas or other   
   equipment. He said the Saddle Peak repeater had been knocked out of   
   service by an unrelated battery failure but that the fires blocked access   
   for anyone to bring up a generator.   
      
   Meanwhile, SpaceX gave temporary access to its Starlink satellites to   
   T-Mobile customers, even without its direct-to-cell constellation being   
   fully completed. According to an article in PC Magazine, only T-Mobile   
   customers with supported phones would have access to texting but emergency   
   alerts and evacuation notices could be received by any cellular phone.   
      
   (newsline 2464)   
      
   ------------------------------------------------------------*   
      
   BEACONS   
      
   VK2RSY Beacons at Dural in NSW.   
      
   The beacons identify in Morse with VK2RSY QF56MH (the Maidenhead locator   
   for the site) at approximately 40 second intervals.   
      
   Beacons serve a couple of major functions. One is as an indicator of   
   propagation, to see if there is a path between an observer and the   
   location or region of the transmitter. The other major function is in the   
   local service area, where the constant signal of a beacon can be used as   
   a reference for antenna or equipment performance and comparison.   
      
   Band	Frequency	Power	Antenna	Notes   
      
   10m	28.262 MHz	25W   
   6 m	50.289 MHz	20W   
   2 m	144.420 MHz	20W   
   70 cm	432.420 MHz	20W   
   23 cm	1296.420 MHz    20W   
      
   There are no beacons at Dural currently operating on frequencies higher   
   than 23 cm. Amateur Radio NSW do have the licenses and would be interested   
   in hearing from YOU  if you would like to work on a project for one or   
   more of these microwave bands.   
      
   arnsw.org.au/html/dural_facs.html   
   ---------------------------------------------------------------------   
      
   IT'S A DATE   
      
   Clubs are welcome to email text with audio for this section   
      
   Details of all WIA affiliated clubs and societies can be found   
   on the WIA website, including email addresses and website links.   
      
   ----------------------------   
      
   2025   
   VK3 - BARG HamFest the 2nd of February at Ballarat Polo-Crosse Pavilion   
   next door to the BARG clubrooms at Ballarat Airport. (wiacal)   
      
   VK6 - PARGFEST PEEL AMATEUR RADIO GROUP held February 15 9AM at   
   Mandurah Bowling Club 89 Allnutt Street      ( parg.org.au/ )   
      
   VK3 - Yarra Valley Amateur Radio Group HamFest March One at   
   Mooroolbark Community Centre.                        (wiacal)   
      
   VK4 - Redcliffe & Districts Radio Club REDFEST April 12 at   
   Deception Bay North State School.                     (wiacal)   
      
   VK - WIA AGM May 3 - 4. Hosted by Bendigo Amateur Radio & Electronics   
   Club and their Technology Expo                   (vk3gtv/wiacal)   
      
   VK5 - SERG Convention and Fox Hunting Championship June 7 and 8   
   At Scout Hall in Mt. Gambier                        (vk5dj)   
      
   VK  - Australian Ladies Amateur Radio Association 50th anniversary   
   Glen Waverly July 26 president@alara.org              (vk2ayl)   
      
   VK4 - GOLD COAST AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY  2025 HAMFEST NOV 9  (vk4dmh)   
   Country Paradise Parklands 231 Beaudesert Nerang Road.   
      
   VK3-  Rosebud RadioFest, Eastbourne Primary School, Rosebud (wiacal)   
   November Sixteen.   
   ------------------------ends------------------------------------*   
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   --- SoupGate-DOS v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)