Ulverstone's Unwavering Wavelengths: A Tasmanian Club Champions Youth and Community Radio

ULVERSTONE, TASMANIA – In the coastal town of Ulverstone, the North West Tasmania Amateur Radio Club Inc. operates with a clear mandate: to foster active engagement in amateur radio with a "minimum of politics," and, critically, to promote and provide training and assessments with a particular emphasis on the region's youth. This forward-looking approach underscores the club's commitment to the hobby's continuity and evolution in North West Tasmania.

The club's calendar is dotted with a diverse array of pursuits, reflecting the multifaceted nature of amateur radio. These range from practical community service, such as providing safety communications for annual horse endurance events in March and assisting local Scouts with the Jamboree On The Air/Internet (JOTA/JOTI), to technical explorations including Amateur Television (ATV) and Slow Scan Television (SSTV) in both analogue and digital formats. Knowledge-sharing sessions, radio direction-finding 'foxhunts,' and outdoor radio days further enrich the member experience.

A significant contribution to the region is the club's custodianship of key repeater sites, including VK7RMD on Mt Duncan (behind Penguin) and VK7RAL on Companion Hill in Hampshire. They also maintain a UHF CB repeater on Channel 44 atop Mt Duncan. Furthermore, the club supports vital voice repeaters such as VK7RTV (2M, 146.775 MHz) at Stowport and VK7RDR (6M, 53.775 MHz) on Dazzler Range. These facilities are instrumental in local communication and are used to assist with the relay of the WIA National News and VK7 Regional News every Sunday morning at 9:00 am local time, ensuring amateurs across North West Tasmania remain informed. These news broadcasts are also accessible via other repeaters in the region, including VK7RDR (70cm, 439.775 MHz) and VK7RAC (70cm, 438.650 MHz).

General meetings are held bi-monthly on the first Saturday of February, April, June, August, October, and December at 1:30 pm, with the Leven District Scout Headquarters at 73 Alexandra Road, Ulverstone, serving as their regular venue. The next such gathering is scheduled for Saturday, June 7th, 2025, at 1:30 pm, and all interested visitors are welcome. For licensing, training and assessments are conducted on an 'as required' basis. Club assessor Andrew Hay (VK7XR), who also serves as President, is a key contact (weetbixau@yahoo.com.au), alongside other accredited ACMA assessors in the North West Tasmania area such as Dave (VK7DC).

The North West Tasmania Amateur Radio Club, under the leadership of President Andrew Hay (VK7XR), Secretary Mark Rockcliff, and Treasurer Eric Van Der Neut (VK7EV), plays a vital role in sustaining a vibrant and technically adept amateur radio community. Its proactive engagement with youth, its stewardship of crucial communication infrastructure, and its diverse range of activities ensure that this enduring technical hobby continues to thrive in its corner of the island state. The club can be contacted via its Ulverstone PO Box or the phone number 0418 572 183.