Club News & Forthcoming Events

Branch 53 of NZART

23rd Market Day

Coming in 2025

Paengaroa Community Hall.

4 Old Coach Road, Paengaroa.

(GPS Coordinates: 37.49S 176.24E)

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The Opening of the Branch 53, Te Puke Amateur Radio Club’s new club rooms

There seems to be no record as to when the Te Puke Amateur Radio Club was formed, however we do have on record that a meeting was held at the Te Puke District High School to form a Branch of NZART On the Thursday 9^th June 1955 at 1930hrs, hence Branch 53 of NZART was born.

Monthly meetings were held at the Te Puke District High School from 9^th June 1955 to June 1957. From July 1957 until October 1976 the monthly meetings were held at the President’s residence ZL1IB Eric Brown, during this time it was decided to look for land and a suitable building for club rooms.

On the 21^st August 1976, the club tendered for and won their tendered price of a $125.00 for a prefab classroom from the Otumoetai School. This was then shifted to the then Palm Park now Te Puke Holiday Park and services connected. The first meeting in the new club rooms was on the 14^th November 1976. The club received the call sign ZL1TH in December 1977, and in 1995 the Club call sign was changed from ZL1TH to ZL1IB in memory of Eric Brown one of the foundation members of the club. In 2018 after 42 years, the Western BOP District Council informed us that our Land Licence would not be renewed, and we had until the 31^st March 2019 to vacate the land. At our September 2018 meeting a vote was taken, and members agreed to move out to the Paengaroa Community Hall. Our last meeting at these club rooms was held on 9^th February 2019. On the 9^th March 2019 we held our first Business Meeting in our new club rooms where 13 Members attended, Club Membership is around the 26 mark.

Between September 2018 and September 2020 time was spent renovating the new club rooms at the rear of the Paengaroa Community Hall with the builders building 2 Radio Shacks, ZL4SH Shanon doing all the electrical wiring etc; ZL1TAP Andrew did all the gib stopping and painting of the two Shacks with help from ZL1LET Chris, ZL1PLG Paul, ZL1LDP Lance and ZL1LWR Syd painted the interior of the meeting room. ZL1LDP Lance engineered the tower for the HF Antenna and the Satellite Mast for the tracking Antenna’s. McLeod Cranes came along and lifted the HF Tower on to the roof of the Hall and came back a couple of weeks later to lift the 20M,17M,15M,12M,10M and 40M E Antenna DY-Mini6B up onto the tower. ZL1BVA John and ZL1TAP assembled the UHF/VHF Satellite Antennas and attached the assembly to the Satellite Mast. There are 2 Shacks in the new club rooms, Shack 1 has been setup with various Transceivers namely Kenwood 2000, Kenwood 590s, Icom 2820H for UHV/VHF D-Star, Shack 2 Icom IC-9700 UHF/VHF for Satellite Communications and a APRS set-up. We will also be putting up an end feed MFJ Long Wire which will work 80M, 40M, 30M, 20M, 17M, 15M, 12M & 10M when time and energy permit.

On Saturday 21^st November 2020, the 65^th year of the club, we held the official opening day of our new club rooms where 31 invited guests attended. The cutting of the co-ax was done by the CEO of The One Foundation Mr. Kerry Bird who also gave a speech on behalf of The One Foundation which has helped us tremendously in getting us to where we are today. Speeches were also made by our President ZL1KFT Kevin, Western Bay of Plenty District Deputy Mayor John Scrimgeour, Chairman Paengaroa Community Hall Ian Macdermott and NZART Vice President ZL2AJ Warren Harris. After the speeches guests filed into the club rooms for a look at what we have to offer then back upstairs to the Hall Supper Room for the cutting of the cake by ZL1BTP Laureen our oldest Life Member and our President ZL1KFT Kevin, cake was made by ZL1LWR Syd and iced by Lynn Lethbridge XYL of ZL1LET Chris.

Afternoon tea followed the cake cutting which was enjoyed by all and a remarkably successful day as far as the club was concerned. We look forward to at the very least another 40 years.

ZL1LWR Syd Rowe

Secretary

Branch 53

Photos from the day

Awaiting the cutting of the co-ax

Cutting the co-ax by Mr. Kerry Bird of The One Foundation with Kevin and Syd

Plenty of stories being told

Cutting of the cake by ZL1BTP Laureen our oldest Life Member and our President ZL1KFT Kevin

Congratulations to Chris (June 2020)

Just passed his Radio Amateurs Examination and is now licensed as ZL1LET

The Old Club Rooms Te Puke

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Ray ZL1RAB with coffee???

Te Puke radio Club was again asked to participate by assisting the Rotorua Branch with communications for the Rotorua Marathon. ZL1RAB Ray was there on duty on a cold wet morning, but he looks nice and warm with that cup of coffee???? Or was it something stronger??? Hi Hi.

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High as a kite but Shanon gets the job done

One of the many tasks in order to get our new club rooms online.

ZL1IB