Suburban Clubs

The interest and enthusiasm in those early days has continued through the years and now the club, as an incorporated body under the guidance of an annual elected committee, provides a variety of activities and functions for the mutual enjoyment of its members. Today, monthly club nights at which it is usual to have an excellent guest speaker, are held on the first Friday of each month. On the third Friday, at a somewhat less formal gathering, commonly referred to as the coffee shop meeting, members have the opportunity to increase their technical knowledge and skills or just engage in some friendly chit chat over a cup of coffee.

Over the years, EMDRC Inc members have often taken a leading approach to new technologies and special interests such as satellite communications, computing, enhanced data transmission and the Internet communications have been familiar topics in the monthly club meeting.

Meetings

Our clubrooms and coffee shop meetings are held at the EMDRC clubrooms 13a McCubbin Street Burwood. Situated within the RF quiet suburban back streets of Burwood, the EMDRC clubrooms are the ideal location for a huge variety of club activities. The clubrooms are shared with the Milpara Scout group, the premises offer a large first floor meeting hall as well as dedicated EMDRC rooms on the ground floor.

Club Activities & Events

Club members have contributed towards providing extended communications for amateurs, particularly those located in the eastern suburbs and hill districts, by establishing and maintaining a VHF voice repeater - VK3REC.

A number of members regularly participate in the various contests sponsored by the Wireless Institute of Australia and kindred international organisations. Weekend pilgrimages are made annually to selected locations from which the club station VK3ER is activated in the contest mode. Club station VK3ER holds a regular club radio net and has operated for many years on the 2 meters. To encourage contacts with its members, the club sponsors the Southern Cross Award, as evidenced by the unique certificates which now grace the walls of many ham shacks around the world.

Although primarily serving the eastern side of Melbourne and the Dandenongs, the club's membership, which currently stands at over 200, is drawn from a wide area including country Victoria, interstate, and even overseas. The assistance and encouragement freely given to new members, and particularly to beginners, engenders the spirit which has made belonging to the EMDRC Inc something of which members can be justifiably proud. The club runs amateur radio classes as needed, which attract students of all ages.