SARL NEWS SUNDAY 6 JANUARY 2008
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.
You can download this and previous bulletins from www.sarl.org.za and you can also subscribe there to receive future bulletins by email.
Your newsreader this morning is Hans, ZS6KR, on 145,725 and 7,066 MHz from Pretoria with relays on 28,325, 14,235, 10,135, 7,066 and 3,695 MHz SSB as well as 51,400, 438,825 and 1 296 MHz FM in the Pretoria area. (Other newsreaders please change to suit).
In the news today:
30 METRE DIGITAL WEEKEND EVENT ON 19 AND 20 JANUARY
HUNTING LIONS IN THE AIR
You are listening to ZS6SRL. Stay tuned for more detail on these and other important and interesting news items.
30 METRE DIGITAL WEEKEND EVENT ON 19 AND 20 JANUARY
A two day digital event has been arranged by 30 Metre enthusiasts to give amateurs interested in PSK31 and other digital modes an opportunity to ragchew on 10 MHz. The event will start on January 19th 00:01 UTC and run for 2 days till midnight on 20 January. The 10 MHz band should produce some interesting DX during hours of darkness. The activity will be focussing on 10,135 to 10,145 MHz. The main mode will be PSK31 on 10,140 MHz plus minus 1 000 Hertz. The objective is for amateurs worldwide to make contact with EU stations to promote and increase digital mode activity on 30 Metres.
This is not a contest but a casual event promoting 30 metre digital activities in conjunction with the 30 Meter Digital Group. Logs are not required but participating radio amateurs are requested to send a mail to m5aav@30meterdigital.org with the number of stations worked.
The 30 Meter Digital Group's goal is to promote the use of digital modes on the 30 metre band and awareness on what a great band this really is! The group promotes awareness of this unique HF band which many have called "the best kept secret" in Ham Radio. They also promote good digital operating practices, different digital modes, experimenting, known weekly or monthly activities, skeds/spots, antennas, and propagation reports for just the 30 metre band. For more information about the group visit www.30meterdigital.org.
HUNTING LIONS IN THE AIR
The annual Hunting Lions in the Air contest takes place over the weekend of 12 and 13 January 2008. This is a combined activity with radio amateurs and members of the Lions organisation. It is a phone and CW contest on 80 to 10 metres, the exchange is a RS or RST report and a serial number. The rules will be sent out with HF Happenings.
PROPAGATION CONDITIONS
Hannes Coetzee, ZS6BZP, reports that the expected solar activity will be very low to low. The geomagnetic field is expected to be quiet in general except on 6 till 8 January when unsettled levels are expected. The expected Effective Sun Spot number for the coming week will be less than 25. DX conditions will generally be good on the North-East and the North-West paths and poor in the general Northerly directions.
15 m and 20 m will provide best opportunities for DX. There is a possibility of 15 and 20 m openings towards India from about 14:00 CAT. There may be short, weak 20 m openings to Australia from 15:00. From 18:00 there may also be short, weak 20 m openings towards Europe. From 18:00 there may be 15 and 20 m openings towards the USA.
For the CW and digital enthusiasts it will also be worth monitoring 10 MHz.
Locally conditions on 40 m is going to be good during the day. 30 m may perform well over the longer distances. 80 m is the frequency of choice in the evenings, thunderstorms and static permitting!
Remember that this is only a prediction and that HF always has the capability to surprise you. Who knows, maybe the new year is going to provide bags full of contacts for you, but you will never know unless you switch your rig on, listen and also call CQ.
Please visit www.spaceweather.co.za for further information.
DIARY OF EVENTS
7 January 2008 - NARC reopens;
12 and 13 January – Hunting Lions on the Air competition;
19 and 20 January – 30 Metre digital weekend event;
21 January SARL-HMO competition closes;
26 January BACAR meeting at NARC ay 11:00;
31 March - Closing date for first stage of 2008 construction competition.
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.
On behalf of the news team many thanks to all who sent in news items, without your contributions there cannot be bulletins and your support during 2008 will again be appreciated. Also many thanks to the news readers and relay stations, of whom there are a few new ones this year, for your contributions. To all listeners, subscribers, yes all of you, a prosperous 2008, we trust that propagation conditions will improve, so enjoy the coming year.
Today's South African Radio League news bulletin was compiled by George, ZS6NE.
Thank you for listening. 73.
/EX
