SOUTH AFRICAN RADIO LEAGUE
SARL NEWS SUNDAY 22 JULY 2007
You are listening to ZS6SRL the official Radio Station of the South African Radio League, the National Body for Amateur Radio in South Africa, with a news bulletin that is transmitted every Sunday at 08:15 CAT in Afrikaans and at 08:30 CAT in English. To listen to a web stream or Echolink by ZS6FCS visit www.sarl.org.za, click on ARMI and follow the links for details.
This, and previous bulletins, can be downloaded from the 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 and 1 297 MHz in the Pretoria area. (Other newsreaders please change to suit).
SILENT KEY
It is with deep regret that we must announce the passing of Ted Broome, ZS6KA, at the age of 82. We extend our sincere condolences to his family and friends.
(PAUSE)
In the news today:
FREQUENCY CHANGE FOR AMATEUR RADIO MIRROR INTERNATIONAL
REGISTER FOR THE CLASS B EXAMINATION NOW
PRESIDENT’S NET AND INTECNET NEXT SUNDAY
PLT CONTINUES TO BE PUNTED BY VENDORS
You are listening to ZS6SRL. Stay tuned for more detail on these and other important and interesting news items.
FREQUENCY CHANGE FOR AMATEUR RADIO MIRROR INTERNATIONAL
From Sunday 29 July the frequency 17 695 kHz will be replaced by 17 590 kHz. The change is made to overcome interference by an Arabic speaking station close to 17 695 kHz. Reception reports on 17 590 kHz are invited and should be sent to armi@sarl.org.za.
REGISTER FOR THE CLASS B EXAMINATION NOW
The next class B examination will be held on 23 August. The closing date for registration is 23 July, which is in just a few days time. No late entries are accepted and will be carried forward to the October examination.
Registration for the examination is R300. The cost for students and learners under the age of 25 years is only R200. To register, download all the forms from the SARL web and after completion fax the forms to 088 011 675 2793. You can also request the forms by sending an email to admin@sarl.org.za. Carefully follow the checklist printed on page 2 of the RAE registration form.
PRESIDENT’S NET AND INTECNET NEXT SUNDAY
The President’s Net will be on the air next Sunday. Join Graham Hartlett, ZS6GJH, at 19:00 for an update on the SARL and the various activities planned for the next few months. Graham will also talk about the SARL plans to promote ARDF — Amateur Radio Direction Finding — an activity that is currently attracting a lot of attention from the youth in Europe and the USA.
The President’s Net will be followed at 20:00 CAT by the Intecnet with Dr Pieter Kotzé as the guest speaker. His presentation is entitled: 'Implications of Living on a Giant Magnet'.
In this presentation various aspects of the Earth's magnetic field will be discussed, its generation, as well as its influence on sophisticated technology, especially during magnetic storms. HF radio communications as well as GPS-based technologies are particularly adversely affected. Reversals of the geomagnetic field and the protective role of the magnetic field as well as the atmosphere for life on Earth will be highlighted. Declination, the angle between true North and magnetic North, is an important component of geomagnetism worldwide, but in particular southern Africa. Its non-uniform variation with time is of special interest to users of navigation maps.
The presentation slides can be downloaded in PDF format. Visit the SARL web at www.sarl.org.za and click on ARMI.
Clubs wishing to book a link to the conference bridge should send the telephone number and local repeater details to armi@sarl.org.za by Friday this week.
PLT CONTINUES TO BE PUNTED BY VENDORS
This past week PLT was again the subject at a conference held in Sandton. A new company which has been very active promoting PLT is IPOWA. According to their website IPOWA is the exclusive local provider of the world's leading broadband-over-Powerline (BPL) system. A proven, cost-effective and robust route to rapid broadband deployment, iPOWA is the last-mile solution for which utilities, ISP’s, hotels, schools and property developers have been waiting for. By leveraging existing infrastructure and utilizing a unique plug 'n play system, iPOWA is the key to high-speed access that works - fast.
Three of their representatives presented their case at Internetics 07, a conference about IT and the internet, sponsored by Internet Solutions.
iPOWA's approach has been somewhat different from their previous presentation at a broadband conference a few weeks ago. This time they are promoting it as the fixed line solution that powers the internet 15 times faster than ADSL and that besides the internet provides opportunities for power management, meter reading, electricity demand control to prevent black outs, security cameras and traffic management.
Problems such as interference to HF never entered into their discussion. They however did admit that they are waiting for ICASA to license PLT, which is the official name for BPL.
The interference issue of PLT and possible interim standards is on the Agenda of Committee TC73, the SABS committee on EMC standards which meets mid August. The SARL is keeping a close watch.
SUMMITS ON THE AIR (SOTA)
A few guys intend activating Stanleybushkop on Saturday 28 July. Listen out for Detlev, ZS6BAB, Tom, ZS6TMO, and Lucas, ZS6ACT, on 7 065 kHz and please give them a contact. Alternative frequencies will be 145,500 and 14,165 MHz. They will be on the air from 11:00 CAT. Stanleybush's SOTA reference is ZS-MP/018 and the location is S24 564 E30 481. You can find more information about SOTA at www.qsl.net/sotasa or www.sota.org.uk.
CONTEST NEWS
The Boland ARC 40 metre phone contest will be on the air this afternoon from 15:00 to 18:00 CAT. The exchange is a RS report and your postal code. Only wire antennas and a maximum output of 100 watt may be used. Each contact counts 1 point and a contact with ZS1BAK counts 5 points. Log sheets must be submitted within 15 days after the contest and can be sent by e-mail to zs1bak@mailbox.co.za or by snail mail to BARK, PO Box 2105, Dennesig, 7601.
Monday 23 July is the closing date for log submissions for the SARL Digital Contest. Get your log to the contest committee by midnight on Monday evening to stand a chance of winning a Yaesu VX-2R handheld.
The SARL HF Phone Contest will be run on Sunday 5 August 2007 starting at 15:00 and ending at 18:30 CAT with activity on certain sections of the 20, 40 and 80 metre bands. Participation can be as a single operator, multi-operator or SWL, further sub-division is low power, high power, all band, single band or my best hour. The exchange is a RS report and a serial number.
Southern Africa is divided into 8 zones for this contest and participants must try and work stations in each of these zones for bonus points, further bonus points are obtained for working the same station on all 3 bands.
The rules and log sheets are available in the 2007 SARL Contest Manual at www.sarl.org.
PROPAGATION REPORT
Hannes Coetzee, ZS6BZP, reports that the expected solar activity will be at very low levels. The geomagnetic field is expected to be quiet in general while reaching active levels on 31 July. The expected Effective Sun Spot number for the coming week will be less than 5.
20 m and 40 m will provide best opportunities for DX. There is a possibility of 20 m openings towards India from about 15:30 CAT. 40 m may open from 20:00 to Australia. From 17:00 there may be a 20 m opening towards Europe. At about 16:00 short 20 m openings towards the West Coast of the USA are possible. Otherwise contacts to the USA are going to be very challenging. For the CW and digital enthusiasts it will also be worth monitoring 10 MHz.
Locally 40 m is going to be the band to be on for the Boland ARC fun contest with good propagation throughout South Africa till at least 16:00, depending on your location. 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
28 July – SOTA – Stanleybushkop activated;
29 July – President’s Net and Intechnet;
5 August – SARL HF Phone contest;
15 August - Last day to submit synopsis of proposed papers for SA AMSAT Space Conference;
23 August - Class B RAE;
6 October - SA AMSAT Space Conference;
18 October - Class A RAE.
SARL News invites clubs and individuals to submit news stories of interest to radio amateurs and shortwave listeners. Submit news stories if possible in both English and Afrikaans to www.sarl.org.za/newsinbox.asp not later than the Thursday preceding the bulletin date.
The SARL also invites you to listen to the programme Amateur Radio Mirror International, on the air every 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. For the web stream and echolink by ZS6FCS visit www.sarl.org.za, click on ARMI and follow the links. A repeat transmission can be heard Mondays at 21:00 CAT on 3 215 kHz. Sentech sponsor the ARMI transmissions on the non-amateur frequencies.
Today's South African Radio League news bulletin was compiled by Roger, ZR3RC, and transmitted by (your name and call sign)
Thank you for listening. 73
/EX
