The recent visit to the Kāpiti Coast Museum on the 24th March, by a contingent of Amateur Radio enthusiasts from the Hastings and Napier New Zealand Amateur Radio Transmitters (NZART) clubs, included the opportunity for licenced operators to transmit from the Museum’s “Ham Shack” using the museum’s ZL6KCM callsign.
Following a welcome by museum member John Yaldwyn (ZL4JY), David Walker (ZL2DW) from the Hastings Amateur Radio Branch 13 was able to make contact with Chris Johnson. (ZL2VC) in Hastings via the HB Clifton High frequency accessor. The accessor is a repeater that allows access to areas all around New Zealand. David was using a 40 year old FT101B transmitter while Chris was using a more modern Icom IC-746PRO HF radio with a 75 foot high inverted Vee antenna.
“At times admittedly there was difficulty hearing him due to local ‘noise’ ( on the radio wavelength )”, said Walker. “Here is a venue that is worth a visit by any ham (Amateur Radio operator) passing through Waikanae”
Meanwhile, other members of the group took an interest in some of the other local exhibits and memorabilia which forms the Museum’s collection.
Esther Juan, a dance teacher based in Waipawa, was given the chance to examine a small pair of Chinese shoes used in foot binding, a practice that that started in the Tang Dynasty around the 10th Century. The painful practice where bones of young girls were broken and the feet bound to stop them growing, was finally banned around 1912.
“I had seen pictures of them but never seen a real pair. Actually holding them gave me goosebumps”, she said.
People who are interested in seeing some of the exhibits on display can visit the museum or take a virtual tour using the www.kapitimuseum.org.nz/about/take-a-virtual-tour/ link.
