SOUTH AFRICAN RADIO LEAGUE
SARL NEWS SUNDAY 20 MAY 2007
You are listening to Amateur Radio Station ZS6SRL of the South African Radio League, the National Body for Amateur Radio in South Africa, with a news bulletin that is broadcast every Sunday at 08:15 CAT in Afrikaans and at 08:30 CAT in English. This broadcast can also be heard on Echolink by connecting to ZS6FCS. To listen to a web stream go to www.sarl.org.za, click on ARMI and follow the links. This, and previous bulletins, can be downloaded from the web site of the SARL i.e. www.sarl.org.za. You can also read or download previous bulletins from there and subscribe to receive future bulletins by email.
This transmission is by Hans, ZS6KR, on 145,725 and 7,066 MHz from Pretoria with relays on 3,695, 10,135, 14,235 and 51,400 MHz as well as 438,825 MHz in the Pretoria area. (Other news readers please change to suit).
SILENT KEYS
It is with regret that we announce passing of Hellie Claassen, ZS4GV, on the 16th of May. Our sincere condolences go to his family and friends, especially from the Sasolburg Radio Club and all his other amateur friends in the Vaal Triangle.
According to a newspaper report Ted Broome, ZS6KA, 81, and his wife Norma, ZS6KN, 83, were brutally assaulted in their house in Brakpan, apparently on Tuesday afternoon, 16th May. Norma passed away and Ted is recovering in hospital. To Ted a speedy and complete recovery and to him, his relatives and friends our deepest sympathies and strength.
(PAUSE)
In the news today:
INTECNET NEXT SUNDAY TO FEATURE A DISCUSSION ON APRS
SARL ANNOUNCES EXCITING NEW TECHNOLOGY PROJECT
THREE RADIO AMATEURS RECEIVE AWARDS FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTION TO AMATEUR RADIO, COMMUNITY SERVICE AND TECHNOLOGY
You are listening to ZS6SRL. Stay tuned for more detail on these and other important and interesting news items.
INTECNET NEXT SUNDAY TO FEATURE A DISCUSSION ON APRS
In next Sunday's SARL Intecnet Dick Stratford, ZS6RO, will discuss APRS and attempt to answer questions like "What is APRS? How does it work? What can I do with APRS?
Make a date to join Dick at 20:00 CAT on a repeater near you or on the web. A few days before the presentation, Dick will make a PowerPoint presentation available for download or viewing on the web a few days before the event. Visit www.sarl.org.za and click on ARMI. Clubs wishing to link their repeater to the network should send an e-mail to armi@sarl.org.za before Sunday with details of the telephone number to be connected.
SARL ANNOUNCES EXCITING NEW TECHNOLOGY PROJECT
Council has approved a project to design an HF transceiver that is suitable for use by new amateurs and that will provide a cost-effective entry point into the hobby.
The first phase of the project will be a feasibility study to determine the specifications and architecture of the transceiver and whether it could be supplied cost-effectively. If the feasibility study is promising, then the project will proceed to design, industrialize and build a prototype of the transceiver.
Initial funding for the project will be from an anonymous donation that was made by a generous SARL member specifically for this purpose.
This is not a competition, but rather a co-operative project that will harness the energy and expertise of SARL members to create a world-class design. The project will be managed by the SARL technology councillor, Andrew Roos, ZS6AA. Members wishing to contribute to and be involved in the project are requested to email him at andrew.roos@mweb.co.za.
Further details will be posted on the SARL web site shortly.
THREE RADIO AMATEURS RECEIVE AWARDS FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTION TO AMATEUR RADIO, COMMUNITY SERVICE AND TECHNOLOGY
Three radio amateurs received awards for their contribution to the promotion of Amateur Radio, Community Service and Technology at an Awards function hosted by the South African Amateur Radio Development Trust on Tuesday last week.
Dave Reece, ZS1DFR, was awarded the Siemens Radio Amateur of the Year Award (Operational) for his development activity amongst the youth. Dave spends his spare time to involve learners at Cape Maths and Science in amateur radio and has arranged tuition for interested learners to pass the radio amateur examination. He also arranges on-the-air events where learners have an opportunity to get experience in the operational side of the hobby. His other passion is to encourage Radio Amateurs to embrace new technologies and is actively promoting APRS. This system was developed by an US Radio Amateur, Bob Bruninga, for tracking and digital communications with mobile GPS equipped stations with two-way radio. In the 10 years since its introduction, it has grown to encompass just about every aspect of Amateur Radio. Dave is also chairman of the Cape Town Amateur Radio Centre.
Hannes Coetzee, ZS6BZP, received the Siemens Radio Amateur of the Year Award (Technology) for his contribution to the promotion of new technologies and home construction of radio equipment. He was instrumental in building the prototypes of the SA AMSAT equipment that will fly on South Africa's second Satellite, SumbandilaSat. This involved building and testing two versions and integrating the design and software developed by amateur Andrew Roos, ZS6AA, into a working system. The equipment was recently fully tested by SunSpace with excellent results. The system will provide radio amateurs with a satellite communications link, a parrot repeater and an audio beacon. With the magic of space connected to this, the parrot repeater will find good use in the classroom teaching learners the importantce of speaking clearly.
The third award, the Siemens Amateur Radio Community Service Award was presented to Davy Smeda, ZR1FR, a Cape Town Radio Amateur whose passion it is to provide communication for rallies and sporting events. He was an important link during the 1985 Laingsburg disaster when Radio Amateurs set up radio channels between Laingsburg and the Cape Town emergency centre and provided disaster relief communication for several days when other channels were down. It is often said that today we have cell phones, but practice has shown that when there is a disaster the cell system gets overloaded and crashes.
EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS HEADS IARU ADMINISTRATIVE COUNCIL AGENDA
The Administrative Council of the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) held its annual meeting on 14-15 May 2007 in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. The meeting was held earlier in the year than usual in order to complete the review of preparations for the International Telecommunication Union World Radio Communication Conference (WRC-07) in Geneva later this year.
IARU participation in the Global Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Conference, GAREC-07, to be held in Huntsville, Alabama, in mid-August, was discussed. The Adminstrative Council is determined to seek ways to enhance the co-ordination and promotion of the disaster response capabilities of the amateur service worldwide. A draft strategy paper was received from the IARU International Co-ordinator for Emergency Communications, Hans Zimmermann, HB9AQS/F5VKP. The Council will seek additional information from member-societies on the national regulatory position of the amateur service in preparing for and providing emergency communications, in order to identify problem areas and develop solutions.
Reports of the other IARU international co-ordinators and advisers were received. They are International Beacon Project Coordinator Peter Jennings, AB6WM/VE3SUN, Satellite Adviser Hans van de Groenendaal, ZS6AKV, EMC Adviser Christian Verholt, OZ8CY, and Interim Monitoring System International Co-ordinator Chuck Skolaut, K0BOG. Co-ordinators and advisers were re-appointed.
Congratulations to Han, ZS6AKV, on his re-appointment.
The Council discussed many other important issues. SARL News over the next few weeks will cover the outcome of the meeting in greater detail.
ARE YOU USING FREQUENCY 439,050 MHz IN DIV 6?
The Division 6 Band Planning Group wishes to allocate this frequency for a new repeater in the Pretoria area, and needs to confirm that it is not already in use.
If you are aware of this frequency being used please would you contact Peter Hers, ZS6PHD, at 083 445 4634, or by email to zs6phd@mweb.co.za.
CLUB NEWS
ZS1HELL ACCOMPLISHMENT
The ZS1HELL team announces, with pride, that the number of QSL-cards needed to be taken into consideration for a TOP BAND certificate has been reached on the e-QSL service of the SARL web. This is proof that the electronic QSL service works well.
The ZS1HELL team, which consisted of 12 members of the Boland Amateur Club wishes to thank all stations who have already answered their QSL electronically.
PROPAGATION REPORT
Hannes Coetzee, ZS6BZP, reports that the expected solar activity will continue at very low levels. The geomagnetic field is expected to range from quiet to unsettled levels on 21 till 23 May. The expected Effective Sun Spot number for the coming week will be less than 5.
20 m and 15 m will provide best opportunities for DX. There is a possibility of 15 and 20 m openings towards India from about 06:00 and again at 14:00 CAT. 40 m may open towards Australia from 22:00. From about 14:00, there may be good 15 and 20 m openings towards Europe. Contacts to the USA are going to be very challenging. For the CW and digital enthusiasts it may also be worth monitoring 10 MHz.
Although the DX predictions may currently not be too enthusiastic, the latest predictions are that the next Solar Cycle will start in March next year. Remember that HF always has the capability to surprise you. You will never know what you are missing unless you switch your rig on, listen and also call CQ.
Please visit www.spaceweather.co.za for further information.
DIARY OF EVENTS
27 May – Intecnet;
16 June – SARL Youth day;
30 June - Closing date for updating of SA DX Survey.
SARL News depends on clubs and individuals for news items of importance and interest to radio amateurs. The one and only way to ensure that your contribution will reach the SARL News team, is to place it in www.sarl.org.za/newsinbox.asp not later than the Thursday preceding the bulletin date. It will be appreciated if you will do it in both Afrikaans and English.
The SARL also invites all listeners to listen to the program Amateur Radio Mirror International this Sunday morning at 10:00 CAT on 145,750 MHz in the Pretoria area with relays on 7 082, 7 205 and 17 695 kHz. Audio is also streamed on www.zs6mrk.org and on Echolink from ZS6FCS as for this bulletin. A repeat transmission takes place on Mondays at 21:00 on 3 215 kHz. Telkom and Sentech sponsor the ARMI transmissions on the non-amateur frequencies.
You have been listening to a news bulletin by the South African Radio League, which was compiled by Gustav, ZS6BWN.
A prosperous week to all, 73.
/EX
