QNews for August 31st 2025

Hello, I’m Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and I’ve been thinking. Well, the calendar starts a new month and a new season. I have been noticing some of the native plants starting to bloom for the past couple of weeks. Traditionally, Spring is a time of renewal and regrowth, and for those of us living in areas where chills and frosts can settle, it will be good not to have the tingle of cold weather when we venture out in the morning. One of the things that amateur radio is historically known for is experimentation and enjoyment of craft activities. Even in the solid state world, we still have breadboards and construction kits; things embedded in the ethos of the hobby but also valuable learning tools. It seems not too long ago that having a personal computer and a printer was something we could aspire to see in our shacks. Innovation and manufacturing has moved on with 3D printing and laser CNC machines that sit on a bench or table and give the ability to make creations that mere hand tools would never see completed. This got me thinking about having mementoes that could be made to announce our presence and membership to our fellows and the wider world. Just think of the various ways that we can make a name badge these days. Clear epoxy potting of objects can provide exciting decorations and displays of so many items. Colour printers are relatively common in many households, and materials are readily available at various craft shops. If that doesn’t work for you, then there is the home home-sized engraving machines, and with CNC, the finished item can look totally professional. I have been to local markets where woodworkers sell pens they have produced in their home workshops. How these items stack up in cost to the advertising pens given out by businesses and organisations, I am unsure of, but surely this is an opportunity to perhaps make a little money by selling them or distributing them as gifts. Not all that many years ago, paper QSL cards were the standard before e-QSL’s became the modern standard. Every so often, there can be the opportunity to share a physical, so perhaps being able to make short print runs can work for you too. I mentioned that I have enamelled badges from several years ago. These days, most clothing badges are made in the form of patches to be sewn on larger items. In some areas, specialist uniform suppliers can provide design and production if this type of adornment suits your needs. Maybe you have one of the fancy embroidery sewing machines that can be computer programmed to stitch these, too? For the avid readers, bookmarks were once a great freebie to hand out at events. With e-readers, they perhaps aren’t quite so collectable. What I have tried to do is cast the net amongst simple items that can be made at home. With a little thought and discussion, maybe your club or group can have a project that allows other interests to join in with the obvious activities that we consider to be amateur radio. The idea of spreading the word and sharing our common identity really appeals to me. Got a gift for the successful candidates in getting their ticket? I’m Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and that's what I think. How about you?