NewsWest
The News
Every Sunday morning on the VK6 linked repeaters and HF, repeated Sunday evening, and online any time.
The main VK6 NewsWest broadcast is every Sunday morning at 09:30 WST (01:30 UTC), following the 09:00 WIA National News. It goes out through the linked repeater network, which starts at VK6RAP on 146.700 MHz, and on several HF frequencies. NewsWest is also relayed in VK2, VK3, VK4, VK7 and VK8: see the full broadcast schedule for your area.
The National News and NewsWest are repeated from 19:00 WST (11:00 UTC) on Sunday evenings.
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Please listen on air and give your callsign at the end of the broadcast as a callback. It tells the NewsWest team how many people are listening, and the numbers are reported to the WIA. If you can’t call in on air, register your callback online.
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Every episode is available to play or download, and as a podcast: search for “NewsWest” in your podcast app or subscribe.
NewsWest is produced by a small team of volunteers. To contribute, submit your news or record one of our scripts. Report any problems with downloads to newswest@vk6.net.
This week's show notes
NewsWest is available for mp3 download at vk6.net
NewsWest, Sunday 1 November 2026
Produced by Phil VK6DEV. Running time 20:31.
1:08 RAOTC November bulletin, tomorrow (Clive VK6CSW)
The Radio Amateurs Old Timers Club bulletin goes to air on Monday 2 November: 7 am on 3620 kHz (80 m, now at 7 am) and 10 am on 7088 kHz (40 m), and at 10 am on 2 m, 6 m and 70 cm through the NewsWest linked repeaters. It’s repeated on Sunday 8 November after the WIA news. This month: a short history of the RAOTC, and “Steam Age Lifeboat Radio” by Bill Roper VK3BR. The November luncheon is on Tuesday 10 November at the Bayswater Hotel; all members and visitors welcome. Book a seat with lunch coordinator Phil VK6GX, pbcasper@bigpond.com. Broadcast details: raotc.org.au.
4:38 RASA: free resources for every amateur (Bob VK6POP)
The Radio Amateur Society of Australia’s free guides: the Foundation study guide, the Welcome to Amateur Radio guidebook, the VK Regulations Handbook for the Standard and Advanced regulations exams, and QTC, the monthly magazine. No membership needed. RASA was at the NCRG Hamfest and, this weekend, the VKFF get-together in Albury. vkradioamateurs.org
6:36 EG1PR: amateur radio for Spain’s emptying villages (Steve VK6SJ)
Spanish special event station EG1PR is on air from 6 to 8 November at Presura, Spain’s national fair for rural repopulation, in Burgos. It supports the Radio for Rural Repopulation award, run by URE Burgos and URASO (Soria), linked to the “183 Municipalities of Soria on the Air” project. Australian contacts are welcome. Award rules on the EG1PR page at QRZ.com. “Don’t let silence win.”
9:17 Foundations of Amateur Radio: phased arrays (Onno VK6FLAB)
From a radio telescope dish scanning the whole sky at Dwingeloo to antennas that steer with no moving parts: how phase shifts between antennas focus a phased array, from Braun’s three-element array in 1905 to the Square Kilometre Array’s 131,072 antennas, and the four-square antennas amateurs use.
14:34 Bob’s Ramblings: Christmas wish lists and club promotion (Bob VK6POP)
Santa rarely brings amateur radio gear, so look for good used equipment instead, starting with Roy’s Disposals Helpline, which has been running for 40 years or more. Helpline items to vk6xv@bigpond.com by Thursday morning. Plus a reminder for clubs to send news and promos to NewsWest: they tell newcomers there are active clubs out there.
16:47 Northern Corridor Radio Group
NCRG meets for a chat, cooked breakfast and projects every Sunday at 8:30 am at Whiteman Park. Visitors and prospective members welcome.
17:38 Amateur Radio Disposals Helpline (Roy VK6XV)
Wanted: unused ham logbooks, for Graham Rogers VK6RO, VK6RO@hotmail.com. For sale: a Yaesu FT-757GX II, 160–10 m, SSB/CW/FM/AM, 100 W, with microphone and power lead, $500 or nearest offer, from a deceased estate: Bruce VK6LAW, brucedowding@telstra.com. Items for next week to Roy VK6XV, vk6xv@bigpond.com, by Thursday morning, with “Helpline” in the subject.
NewsWest invites contributions: send yours as email attachments to newswest@vk6.net by noon Friday. Register your callbacks and feedback at vk6.net.