SOUTH AFRICAN RADIO LEAGUE
SARL NEWS SUNDAY 03 JUNE 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 newsreaders please change to suit).
SILENT KEY
It is with regret that we have to announce the passing of Johan van der Mescht, ZS4VDM, on Sunday 27 May 2007 following a serious motorcycle accident.
We extend our sincere condolences to his wife, Esme, family and friends.
(PAUSE)
In the news today:
UPDATE ON POWER LINE TELECOMMUNICATION NOW ON THE WEB
LAUNCH OF SUMBANDILASAT DELAYED
NEW ZU CALL SIGNS ON THE AIR!
ADHERENCE TO THE BAND PLANS
You are listening to ZS6SRL. Stay tuned for more detail on these and other important and interesting news items.
UPDATE ON POWER LINE TELECOMMUNICATION NOW ON THE WEB
During last week's President’s Net SARL President, Graham Hartlett, presented an update on the position of Power Line Telecommunication in South Africa. The full text is now available on the web at www.sarl.org.za by selecting PLC in the left hand vertical menu table.
The latest tests have confirmed to ICASA that PLT has an inherent interference potential and that this must be taken care of in new type approval specification for PLT systems. ICASA has also recognised that it would need to strengthen its interference complaint handling capability and has asked the EMC working group of the TC80 SABS committee to work on type approval specifications and how to deal with interference should it occur. It is recognised that these specifications would be an interim measure and in no way pre-empt international specifications. Once international standards have been agreed, the interim specifications will be revised and brought into line. It is expected that an international agreement on PLT interference, how to measure it and acceptable limits could be some time away.
The SARL web pages on PLT include audio clips and a link to a video clip.
HAVE YOU GEARED UP FOR THE YOUTH DAY EVENT ON 16 JUNE?
The SARL Youth Day event is gaining momentum. If you or your club are planning to host young people to talk to Mark Shuttleworth via Amateur Radio, do not delay in booking a slot by sending an email to armi@sarl.org.za. Please let us know where you are setting up a station and how many learners you believe will attend. The live link will be available from 145,750 MHz in Pretoria, 145,650 MHz in Durban and local repeaters in Port Elizabeth and Cape Town. Limited HF links will be available. Send us as much detail about your event as possible. For a club wishing to host a station at one of the FET colleges, full details were mailed to Club Chairmen in the SARL Letter.
A guideline will be available on the web a week before the event.
LAUNCH OF SUMBANDILASAT DELAYED
The launch of SumbandilaSat has been delayed due to administrative problems. Some paper work is still to be completed before the launch can go ahead. SA-AMSAT is awaiting an official statement from the Department of Science and Technology.
CONTEST RESULTS
The Autumn QRP Sprint was run on Sunday 22 April 2007. The Contest Committee received 5 logs for this contest. Jan, ZS4JAN, takes top honours with 1 640 points, followed by Andries, ZS6VL, with 864 points, Ian, ZS5IAN, with 720 points, Pierre, ZS6BQS, with 560 points and Franz, ZS6EU, with 480 points.
The ZS3/ZS4 40 Metre Sprint was held on Sunday 06 May and the Contest Committee received 7 contest logs and 1 check log. Jan, ZS4JAN, takes first place with 97 points, followed by Allan, ZR1AAH, with 74 points, the Bloemfontein RAC with 60 points, Marius, ZS4MP, with 46 points, the Sasolburg ARC with 42 points, Ian, ZS5IAN, with 41 points and Bradley, ZS5BG, with 39 points. Denis, ZR6DNS, submitted a check log worth 16 points.
The SARL Hamnet 40 Metre Simulated Emergency Communications Contest was run on Sunday 04 March 2007. To date, the SARL Contest Manager has not seen any of the results.
NEW ZU CALL SIGNS ON THE AIR!
The Magalies Amateur Radio Club assisted the new ZU Radio Amateurs with vigour by ensuring that 12 new ZU stations were on the air within one week after passing the exams. Thanks to the commitment of Louw, ZS6LME, and Theo, ZS6ATO, who obtained second-hand radios, reprogrammed them, had the output reduced to 20 watt and with the able assistance of Marten, ZS6ZY, called on the new amateurs at their homes to help them set up the radio and antennas correctly.
The newly formed school club has also in the mean time obtained its own call sign namely ZS6JVT. The newly built, fully equipped radio centre will be officially opened by Hans van de Groenendaal, ZS6AKV, on Youth Day at 08:30, where after the new amateurs will proudly operate their own club radio station. Everyone is invited to join them on this memorable occasion, which promises to be a day full of excitement. The youngsters will also attempt to make contact with Mark Shuttleworth on that day.
ADHERE TO THE HF BAND PLAN
Radio amateurs in Southern Africa are reminded to adhere to the IARU HF Band Plan, which came into effect on 1 January 2006. The band plan is available for download from the SARL web site at www.sarl.org.za. Please obtain a copy and distribute it between club members and make sure you understand the various allocations.
The allocations per band have been calculated using the maximum bandwidth in hertz and users must keep their transmissions within that bandwidth.
Listening around the bands, it has been noticed that stations are operating outside band limits or operating phone in CW segments. The lowest dial setting for phone on 160, 80 and 40 metres is 1 843, 3 603 and 7 043 kHz. The South African allocation for 160 metres is 1 810 to 1 850 kHz.
ADHERENCE TO VHF AND UHF BAND PLANS IS IMPORTANT TO ACHIEVE MAXIMUM USE OF THE SPECTRUM
VHF and UHF band plans are devised to achieve maximum use of the spectrum allocated to Amateur Radio and adherence to the plans ensures interference free operation and ultimately that great satisfaction of hearing a weak or satellite signal and making a QSO.
Amateur satellites have a very broad footprint and to ensure world-wide interference free operation certain segments of the various frequency bands are set aside for this.
For instance, for FM voice communication with the International space station and other manned space vehicles 145,200 MHz is set aside for simplex operation or 145,200/145,800 for transponder type operation. Please do not use these frequencies for ordinary ground based QSOs. The segment 145,800 - 146,000 MHz is set aside for satellite operation. Please do not use this segment for terrestrial operation. Similarly, the segment 435,000 - 438,000 MHz is also set aside for the amateur satellite service.
The International Amateur Radio Union internationally coordinates band plans by mutual agreement. Band plans are available on www.sarl.org.za, look in the left hand column for licences, open the page and then click on band plans.
DIVISION 6 BAND PLANNING COMMITTEE MEETING
The next meeting of the Division 6 Band Planning Committee will be held at the NARC from 9:00 - 12:00 on Saturday 9th June 2007. All clubs in the region are invited to send a representative.
For further information kindly contact Piet Badenhorst ZS6PJB at 082 574 4829 or by email at zs6pjb@gmail.com.
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 active levels on 3 to 4 June. The expected Effective Sun Spot number for the coming week will be less than 5.
20 and 15 metres will provide best opportunities for DX. There is a possibility of 20 metre openings towards India from about 15:00 CAT. 40 metres may open towards Australia from 20:00. From about 16:00, there may be 15 and 20 metre openings towards Europe. At about 16:00 short 20 metre openings towards the West Coast of the USA is possible. Otherwise, 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 exciting, now is the time to work towards your 80 metre Worked All ZS during the evenings. 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 call CQ.
Please visit www.spaceweather.co.za for further information.
DIARY OF EVENTS
16 June - SARL Youth day;
30 June - Closing date for updating of SA DX Survey;
2 August - Class B RAE;
18 October - Class A RAE.
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 Dennis, ZS4BS.
A prosperous week to all, 73.
/EX
