SOUTH AFRICAN RADIO LEAGUE
SARL NEWS SUNDAY 30 SEPTEMBER 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.
Your news reader this morning is 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 KEY
It is with deep regret that we have to announce the passing of Tony Cartwright, ZS6BKO, on 22 September 2007 after a long illness. We extend our condolences to his wife Cory, family and many friends.
(PAUSE)
In the news today:
CLUBS TO ADMINISTER ZU EXAMS
SA AMSAT SPACE SYMPOSIUM POSTPONED TILL NEXT YEAR
INTECNET AND PRESIDENT’S NET NEXT WEEKEND
LEARNERS TO TALK WITH MARK SHUTTLEWORTH
You are listening to ZS6SRL. Stay tuned for more detail on these and other important and interesting news items.
CLUBS TO ADMINISTER ZU EXAMS
The SARL is pleased to announce that the SARL has finalised the arrangement for affiliated clubs to offer the class B examination for their students. The new arrangement mean that Class B examinations can be conducted at any time of the year in addition to the national examinations held in May and October.
The procedure to be followed is in its final preparation stage and will be discussed during next Sunday's President’s net. The necessary documentation will also be available on the members section of the web from next Sunday.
SA AMSAT SPACE SYMPOSIUM POSTPONED TILL NEXT YEAR
SA AMSAT has postponed its Space Symposium till next year. The organisation made that decision in view of the lack of support for the event. When questioned, many would be delegates said that there are too many other events during this time of the year. On October 6 alone there are two other club meetings and flea markets in the Gauteng area with more meetings either side of the date.
The SA AMSAT committee will review alternative dates and make a further announcement soon.
INTECNET AND PRESIDENT’S NET NEXT WEEKEND
The President’s net will be held next Sunday 7 October starting at 19:00 and will be followed by the Intecnet.
SARL President, Graham Hartlett, will talk about plans for the 2008 AGM and nominations for Council which are due soon.
The Intecnet will feature a discussion on the HMO/SAR 40 metre beacon Programme led by Dr Lee-Anne McKinnell of the HMO. John Willescroft, ZS6EF, who is constructing the beacon equipment, will discuss the design and operational issues. A PowerPoint presentation will be available on the web from later this week. Visit www.sarl.org.za and click on ARMI.
Clubs wishing to link their repeaters should send details of the telephone number to armi@sarl.org.za by Saturday 6 October.
SPECIAL EVENT STATION CELEBRATES LAUNCH OF SPUTNIK 1
The Boland Amateur Radio Club will celebrate the launch of the world first satellite, Sputnik 1, with a special event station operating from the satellite ground control centre of the University of Stellenbosch over the weekend of 6 and 7 October.
Sputnik was the world's first satellite launched by the Russians 50 years ago on 4 October 1957. South Africa's first satellite SunSat OSCAR 35 was launched on 23 February 1999, a few months over 42 years later. Both events were however significant. Sputnik 1 showed the world that the science fiction writings of several authors were not so much fiction and SUNSAT showed what determination can achieve.
The station will be active on HF and VHF and use the callsign ZS50SPUT. A commemorative QSL card will be mailed to all stations that send a confirmation to P O Box 273, Strand 7140. Please enclose a DL size stamped self addressed envelope.
Members of the Boland Amateur Radio Club will be operating the special event station throughout October
LEARNERS TO TALK WITH MARK SHUTTLEWORTH
Learners from various parts of South Africa will talk to Mark Shuttleworth on Wednesday 10 October. Learners were selected from an essay competition entries. There are still 2 days left for individual entries. Visit www.sarl.org.za for details. The best entry will win the writer a laptop computer.
SARL PRESIDENT ADDRESSED FET TEACHERS
Graham Hartlett, ZS6GJH, addressed a group of teachers who attended a training course at the Ekurhuleni College for Further Education and Training arranged by the Department of Communications. The objective of the course is to train teachers to take amateur radio into their colleges.
He cited amateur radio not just as a fun activity, but an activity that has a positive outcome on the further training of young people in the Science, Engineering and Technology disciplines.
Further Education and Training (FET) colleges strive to provide high-quality education and training to help learners equip themselves with the qualifications and skills needed to start out on a chosen career path. "Amateur Radio can make a valuable contribution in this career choice and in addition teach basic technical and communication skills that will equip young people to render services to their community such as disaster communication and communication during large sporting events.
SARL 80 METRE QSO PARTY
The second leg of the SARL 80 metre QSO Party will be run on Thursday 4 October, starting at 19:00 CAT and ending 3 hours later. It is a phone only contest on the segment 3,603 to 3,700 MHz. The exchange is your call sign, a RS report and a serial number starting at 001. The complete rules can be found in the 2007 SARL Contest Manual.
LOCAL HF FREQENCIES ARE UNSTABLE TO DEPRESSED
Spaceweather.co.za reports that the solar wind speed has reached 575 km/s, with the Bz component of the interplanetary magnetic field northwards which means that the earth’s magnetosphere offers maximum protection from solar winds.
Geomagnetic conditions are at active levels. Local HF working frequencies are unstable to depressed. The outlook for this week is that a coronal hole on the solar disk has rotated into a geo-effective position and that more disturbed HF conditions can be expected. The sun has been blank for 21 consecutive days, but yesterday a new sunspot was emerging.
Locally 40 metres should provide a good path between Cape Town and Pretoria for most of the day from around 6 am but trailing off fast after 6pm when 80 metres becomes a viable proposition. For the Durban – Pretoria path 40 metres will open a little later around 8 am and also trail of by the late afternoon. 80 metres is a good option on both paths during the evenings but best between 18:00 and 22 hours. Cape Town to Durban offers similar openings as for the Durban to Pretoria path.
DX wise between 16:00 and 20:00 CAT first 15 metres will open for a short while and then 20 metres both to the East coast and short path to the West Coast of the USA.
DIARY OF EVENTS
30 September – Last day for comments on SARL study guide;
4 October – SARL 80 metre QSO Party;
4 - 10 October - Special space programme;
5 October – Take your handheld to work day;
6 October East Rand Flea market and AGM;
6 October – SAATI AGM;
6 – 7 October – Special station ZS50SPUT on the air;
7 October – President’s Net and Intechnet;
18 October - Class A RAE;
20 October – Comments on SARL 2008 Competition Handbook to be in.
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 sponsors the ARMI transmissions on the non-amateur frequencies.
Today's South African Radio League news bulletin was compiled by George, ZS6NE, and transmitted by (your name and call sign).
Thank you for listening. 73.
/EX
