QNews for June 15th 2025

Redcliffe Club annual Carboot Sale.

Greetings from the Redcliffe and Districts Radio Club VK4RC Robert Thomson VK4TFN here.

The Redcliffe Club will hold our Annual CarBoot Sale on Saturday 30th August 2025 at our club house in MacFarlane Park at Kippa Ring in the City of Redcliffe.

There will be a raffle prize and there will be lucky door prizes as well.

So, vendors in at seven, breakfast is at eight, the carboot sale starts at nine, the raffle draw is at ten thirty.

$10 per car boot or table, gold coin admission.

There'll be bacon and egg rolls for breakfast.

Go to www dot redclifferadioclub dot org dot au for more information.

Thank you and 73's from the Redcliffe and Districts Radio Club VK4RC.

Hello, I’m Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and I’ve been thinking.

Well the winter cold has hit with a vengeance during the past week and staying out of the cold breezes has been high on most peoples priorities.

The weather got me to thinking about what things we could do to benefit our fellow amateurs. One of the obvious things was to have a lending library where people could get the loan of equipment instead of laying out money for items that they may only use once or twice a year.

I know that many larger clubs have this service as well as holding stocks of basic components that are sold at low prices.

It was traditional for many clubs to maintain a library of newsletters and magazines as well as the hardy reference books, the “bibles” to hobby. As circumstances change and people move on, it has been harder to store all this material let alone maintain the record keeping.

These days so much material is available on-line that storing tons of paper and keeping the silver fish away is not a task to be taken lightly. Having a basic computer system set up with links to much of the available material could well be an easier solution to this issue.

However, the other idea of having loan equipment requires both storage and an inventory record and tracking system and probably a discussion with the club’s insurance provider as to the cost/benefits to be obtained and being able to fund some of the goods may take some discussion too.

As many clubs take on the task of disposing of deceased estates they are already aware that there is a plethora of items in an individual amateur’s “junque” box. It may seem indelicate but I think it is worthy of personal consideration that each of us lists the items with good commercial value and which can be sold or gifted as part of the estate settlement. Then there is the time to talk to the club about items that it would like to have to help members. A donation or two would always be appreciated.

Then there is the inevitable junk box collection to sort out. Many people use a lot of obsolete gear and many spares or no longer available. Sorting and listing them could ensure that these sacred collections don’t get relegated to the rubbish skip but go on to serve their intended purpose.

The vexed issue could be the circuit diagrams, data books and equipment manuals.

Perhaps these could best be itemised and put on a national site with an expiry date before they get sent to the recyclers. What a waste, many will say.

I know there are many clubs who don’t have dedicated club rooms and some of these suggestions will not suit local needs.

Still there is the opportunity for some mind stretching discussion and perhaps a fresh idea or two will provide a solution.

I’m Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and that's what I think, how about you?