SOUTH AFRICAN RADIO LEAGUE
SARL NEWS SUNDAY 12 AUGUST 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, and 51,400 MHz as well as 438,825 and 1 297 MHz in the Pretoria area. (Other newsreaders please change to suit).
SILENT KEYS
It is with regret that we have to announce the passing of two radio amateurs.
Jimmy Smith, ZR6CC, went silent key on 02 August 2007 after a short illness.
Theo Gunther, ZS6ER, passed away on 7 August 2007.
Our deepest sympathies go to their families and friends.
(PAUSE)
In the news today:
SARL RTA - THE AMATEUR RADIO EVENT OF THE YEAR
SARL@HOME DATE REVISED
DID YOU LISTEN TO SPUTNIK 1?
You are listening to ZS6SRL. Stay tuned for more detail on these and other important and interesting news items.
SARL RTA - THE AMATEUR RADIO EVENT OF THE YEAR
The SARL Radio Technology in Action programme finally comes to Gauteng after a successful series presented in KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, Western Cape and the Free State. The day will be held at the National Amateur Radio Centre on Saturday 18 August with registration starting at 08:00 and an action packed programme throughout the day. The programme details can be found on the SARL web pages at www.sarl.org.za, click on RTA. If you would like to receive the programme in your mail box or by fax, send an email to armi@sarl.org.za with your email address or a fax number. If you have no access to email, fax the request to 088 011 675 2793.
The SARL Radio Technology in Action programme features presentations and demonstrations of interest to persons who have a passion for radio and technology and are of great interest to the general public. Bring a family member or a friend along and introduce him or her to the magic of amateur radio and the technology that drives it. The registration fee is a low R20, which includes a free entry into the attendance prize draw. Students and learners enter free of charge and take part in a special draw for a number of wireless microphone kits.
The Sentech cafeteria will be open from early morning till the end of the programme for refreshments and light meals.
Do not miss the Amateur Radio Day of the Year - this Saturday 18 August 2007. Directions to the NARC can be found on the SARL web at www.sarl.org.za. There will be a talk-in station on 145,700.
SARL@HOME DATE REVISED
The date advertised for the first SARL@HOME event in last week's SARL News had to be revised because of a double booking. The Sandton Amateur Radio Club will be holding their AGM at the NARC on 15 September. The SARL@HOME event will now be held on 1 September 2007 at 11 am.
Join Rhynardt Louw for a coffee session to talk about what young people expect to get out of Amateur Radio. Learn about Echolink and how to expand your computer into an amateur radio station. There will also be an opportunity to use the Reno Faber ZS6OF memorial amateur radio station at the NARC. Radio Amateurs in other parts of the country are invited to call ZS6SRL on 7 080 kHz and or 14 340 kHz depending on propagation conditions.
Check he SARL Youth pages on www.sarl.org.za, more details will be posted as they become available.
DID YOU LISTEN TO SPUTNIK 1?
If you listened to Sputnik 1 way back in October 1957, we would like to hear your story! We carried this item in last week's SARL News. So far two listeners have responded with their story. There must be many more listeners who heard Sputnik 1. Man's first satellite was launched on October 4, 1957. It was about the size of a basketball, weighed only 183 pounds, and took about 98 minutes to orbit the Earth on its elliptical path.
To celebrate space week from 4 - 10 October the SARL, SA AMSAT and the SA Amateur Radio Development Trust are working together in a special programme to promote science and technology. If you heard the Sputnik signals way back in 1957 tell us what impact it had on you. Did it influence your career choice?
Drop us a line at saamsat@intekom.co.za, we would like to call you to do a brief interview for a special programme.
Read the full Sputnik story and hear the telemetry again in the SARL member section of www.sarl.org.za
INTERNATIONAL LIGHTHOUSE WEEKEND TWO SPECIAL STATIONS
71 Signal Unit
Three members from 71 Signal Unit will be operating the unit's callsign ZS71SIG as a special event station during the International Light House Weekend.
ZS1H,F Pierre, ZS1FH, Frikkie, and ZU1E, Ernie, will be operating from the military training grounds outside Touws River over the period 18 to 19 August 2007. Freq. bands to be used are 160 m, 80 m, 40 m, 30 m, 20 m and 15 m.
BOLAND ARC
The Boland Amateur Radio Club will be taking part in the International Light House weekend from 17 to 19 August. The callsign ZS1BAL/L will be used from the L’Agulhas light house. This is the most southerly light house in Afrika. There will be concentrated on local 80 m and 40 m phone contacts and on digital contacts on the DX bands.
SARL VHF/UHF CONTEST LOGS
The contest logs for the March 2007 SARL VHF/UHF Contest cannot be found and it is requested that stations who submitted logs for this contest, please re-submit the logs to the SARL VHF Manager, Piet Badenhorst, ZS6PJB. The closing date for these logs is Friday 24 August 2007. Logs can be mailed to Piet Badenhorst, ZS6PJB, Box 4452, Whiteriver, 1240 or by e-mail to zs6pjb@gmail.com.
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DX SURVEY
Twenty submissions were used to calculate the Most Wanted DXCC Entities for Southern Africa. It had been hoped that the response would have been better, but maybe next time.
The Most Wanted entity on Phone is Kermadec Island, ZL8, followed by Desecheo Island, KP5, Cocos Island, TI9, Niue, ZK2, and Tokelau Island, ZK3, in second place.
The Most Wanted spot on CW is shared by 3 entities, namely Yemen, 7O, American Samoa, KH8, and North Korea, P5, followed by three more in second place, St Paul Island, CY9, Austral Islands, FO/A and Mount Athos, SV/A.
Thank you to all those who submitted a survey. The complete listing can be obtained by sending a request to zs4bs@netactive.co.za
RAE COURSE IN KEMPTON PARK
The Kempton Park Amateur Radio Technical society has started the RAE course on the 11th of August for the upcomming Class A exam. For more information visit their website at www.kats.za.net or contact Hannes, ZS6LW, on 073 180 3506.
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 16 and 17 August. 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 15:00 CAT. Contacts with Australia are going to be very challenging. From 16:00 there may be short 20 m openings towards Europe. For the early birds there is the possibility of short 80 m openings towards the East Coast of the USA at about 04:00. 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 conditions on 40 m is going to be good for the mobile contest this afternoon.
It is once again time to work towards your 80 m WAZS award in the evenings. Remember that this is only a prediction and 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
Today 12 August - SARL 40 Metre Mobile Contest;
17 – 19 August – International Light House weekend;
18 August - Radio Technology in Action day in Gauteng;
23 August - Class B RAE;
1 September - SARL@HOME;
4 - 10 October - Special space programme;
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 17 590 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 Gustav,ZS6BWN, and transmitted by (your name and call sign)
Thank you for listening. 73
/EX
