The Darwin Amateur Radio Club
is one of the oldest clubs in Darwin. It provides emergency radio communication in times of need, as well as flexible communication networks for major social and sporting events throughout the Territory. The club is the agency through which Territorians can gain their amateur radio licences.
What is Return Loss?
In telecommunications, return loss is the loss of power in the signal returned/reflected by a discontinuity in a transmission line. This discontinuity can be a mismatch with the terminating load or with a device inserted in the line. It is … Continued
VI8BOD Station
The portable station set up at the old Qantas Hanger getting ready for a weekend of operation of the commemorative call sign VI8BOD The station has dipoles on 40 20 and 15 meters as well a rotate able tri-band beam … Continued
How Much Power gets Lost due to SWR?
Reflected power is not necessarily lost power My Radio has reduced power because my antenna has an S.W.R. of 2.5 : 1 If I use an antenna tuner in the shack to keep my transmitter happy, how much power will … Continued
Fitting PL259 connectors to RG6 Coax.
If you are going to use RG6 cable for an Amateur Radio installation you would be best advised not to use the standard “F” connector. The F connector makes a good low loss connector for receiving but is not suitable … Continued
The Darwin Disaster December 1974
The following is a scan of an article written by the late Pierce Healy VK2APQ in the now no longer published March 1975 edition of Electronics Australia Magazine. This article details the involvement of Amateur Radio in Post cyclone communications. … Continued
Ham radio assists in sea rescue
A sea rescue Amateur Radio Emergency Communications In July 2012 Mike Hall VK8MH took part in the Sail Timor Leste boat rally on board his highly modified Triton 24 Colleen, along with his crew, brothers Gary and Geoff and his … Continued
Bombing of Darwin Warning Message
After an obsessive effort by myself VK8BN and Paula Chappel VK8ZI to find out the facts surrounding the radio call from Father McGrath on Bathurst Island warning of the approaching Japanese bombers prior to the Bombing of Darwin. We … Continued
The Carrington Event
At 11:18 am on September 1st 1859 the English astronomer Richard Carrington in his observatory was recording sunspots on an image of the sun projected through his telescope onto a screen. Carrington in his report noted “Two patches of intensely … Continued
Notice of Annual General Meeting
Members, The 2017 DARC AGM will be held on Wednesday 1st March 2017 at the Knuckey Lagoons Recreation Reserve commencing at 1900Hrs Attached is the formal notice of the meeting (as required by the DARC Constitution) with Proxy … Continued