SARL NEWS SUNDAY 2 MARCH 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 visit www.sarl.org.za, click on ARMI and follow the links for details. PLEASE NOTE! As from today, for audio via Echolink, connect to ZS0JPL-R and not to ZS6FCS.
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, 10,130, 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).
SILENT KEYS
It is with deep regret that the passing of two radio amateurs must be announced.
Susan Hendriks, ZR6ZQ, passed away on Tuesday 19 February 2008. We extend our condolences to her husband Henk, ZS6ZQ, family and friends.
Edgar Gabbott, ZS6SI, passed away on Monday afternoon 25 February. We extend our condolences to his daughter Anne, family and friends.
(PAUSE)
In today's SARL News:
THREE AMATEUR RADIO EVENTS THAT YOU DO NOT WANT TO MISS
SARL TEAM MET ICASA CHAIRMAN
SARL TO TAKE A TOUGH STANCE ON PLT
You are listening to ZS6SRL. Stay tuned for more detail on these and other important and interesting news items.
THREE EVENTS TO DOMINATE THE AMATEUR RADIO CALENDAR IN THE NEXT TWO MONTHS
Radio Amateurs around the country will be treated to three major events in the next two months. The first event is the Radio Technology in Action programme, which will be held at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Cape Town campus on Saturday 8 March. The programme features a number of presentations taking new technologies to a practical level. The full programme is on the SARL web. To get a PDF copy sent to your mailbox, send an email to rta@sarl.org.za. Amongst the papers to be delivered are Spread Spectrum Communication, Propagation for Radio Amateurs, The Pears WiFi project, HF APRS, How to build a power supply from your junk box, the new world of satellites and an update on the SARL objection to PLT.
Entrance fee is R20 per person with automatic entry to the entrance prize draw. Learners and students enter free.

SARL NATIONAL CONVENTION AND AGM ARE NOT TO BE MISSED
During the weekend of 11 to 13 April all roads will lead to Bloemfontein for the SARL National Convention and AGM. The AGM papers are now available on the web as well as the full convention programme and registration documents. To download the AGM documents go to www.sarl.org.za, click on members only button at the top right hand corner of the home page. This will open the members' only home page. Click on more on the AGM news item and download the PDF document.
The proxy form can be downloaded separately.
Members, who have opted for the printed version, watch your mailbox it will reach you soon. To book for the National Convention follow the new item which also be on the home page. It contains a link to a list of bed & breakfast and other accommodation options.
SA AMSAT SPACE COMMUNICATION PROGRAMME ANNOUNCED
SA AMSAT has published it's 2008 Space Communication programme on the web. Read it on www.amsatsa.org.za. The symposium will be held on 19 April 2008 at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban campus, another event not to be missed.
SARL TEAM MET WITH ICASA CHAIRMAN
President Graham Hartlett and SARL Councillor for Regulatory Affairs Hans van de Groenendaal met with ICASA Chairman Paris Mashile last week and discussed a number of issues that have been outstanding for some time. On the
agenda, amongst others, was the question of the ZR allocation on 20 metres, the possession of equipment that can tune frequencies other than the amateur bands (regulation G14) and application during emergencies as regulated in regulation B3, the establishment of a permanent SARL-ICASA liaison committee and expansion of the 7 MHz band to include 7 100 - 7 200 kHz.
The ICASA Chairman agreed to take up these issues with the engineering department for an early resolve and agreed to facilitate the establishment of the ICASA - SARL Liaison Committee with the ICASA Board.
SARL TO TAKE A TOUGH STANCE ON PLT
During last Sunday's Internet the draft PLT regulations and the negative impact the licensing of PLT will have on HF communication were discussed. While the draft regulations go some way to protect the HF spectrum from interference the general consensus was that the regulations do not go far enough. Interference limits, the lack of compulsory notching of the Amateur bands and the inadequate mitigation process were identified by callers as some of the issues.
The SARL also received input from experts in the field and a major input from the ARRL laboratory who have been dealing with PLT or BPL as it is referred to in the USA. The SARL thanks all who have commented and sent input to plc@sarl.org.za. Once the final document has been compiled it will be made available on the SARL website. There will also be a report back at the RTA to be held in Cape Town next Saturday.
BACAR 2008 PLANNED FOR 24 MAY
The Bacar Team met last Saturday and agreed on the launch of the first BACAR 2008 mission on 24 May. The payload will include a CW beacon operating on 7 023 kHz, a recovery beacon and an APRS system. The launch will be from the Gauteng area. For more details visit www.amsatsa.org.za. The next meeting is on 15 March at the NARC at 11:00 and all who would like to be part of the recovery and tracking teams are invited to attend.
CONTEST NEWS
SARL HAMNET 40 METRE SIMULATED EMERGENCY CONTEST
The annual SARL Hamnet 40 metre contest will be run this afternoon from 14:00 to 16:00 CAT. It is a phone only contest between radio amateurs in Southern Africa. Southern Africa has been divided into 8 zones for this contest.
There are five classes of participation - Single operator stationary mobile, single operator portable; Multi-operator portable, single operator base station and Shortwave Listener.
The exchange and scoring depends on the class of participation. The complete rules for this contest as well as the VHF/UHF Sprint can be found in the 2008 SARL Contest Manual.
SARL VHF/UHF CONTEST
The first leg of the SARL VHF/UHF Contest will be run from 10:00 UTC on Saturday 15 March to 10:00 UTC on Sunday 16 March 2008. The rules are available only in the 2008 SARL Contest Manual. More details in next week's bulletin.
QSL BUREAU NEWS
Thus far, no volunteers have come forward to assist with the sorting of QSL cards. The two remaining sorters have indicated that they can no longer keep up with the pressure of incoming cards with result that delays are inevitable.
We again appeal to volunteers to come forward to assist with the sorting of QSL cards at the bureau for just 2 days in every month.
For those who wish to collect cards and or discuss issues with the current sorters, the attendance days for the next 3 months are as follows:- 11 and 25 March, 8 and 22 April and 6 and 25 May.
For non-members, all cards currently in the bureau will be taken to the SARL AGM in Bloemfontein on 12 April. We will request attendees from the various clubs around the country to take the cards with them so you can retrieve cards from their respective head quarters.
We also have the problem of sitting with many under stamped envelopes for cards that the Post Office refuses to accept for posting. Kindly make use of the aforementioned dates to phone the sorters to check if your envelope is correctly stamped.
We again appeal for volunteers to come forward and assist us in sorting cards so we can at least keep the bureau running
for your benefit. if you would like to offer your services, please phone Francois, ZS6BUU, at 011 679 5260.
PROPAGATION REPORT
Hannes Coetzee, ZS6BZP, reports that the expected solar activity will be very low. The geomagnetic field is expected to be quiet in general. The expected Effective Sun Spot number for the coming week will be less than 5. DX conditions will generally be good on the Northeast 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 08:00. From 16:00, there may be short, weak 15 and 20 m openings towards Europe. Contacts with the USA are going to be very challenging. 10 MHz is looking promising after dark for the CW and digital enthusiasts.
Local conditions are going to be good on 40 m for the Hamnet contest. 30 m may perform well during the middle of the day 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, 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.
ASTRO EXPO
The Bloemfontein Radio Amateur Club will set up a station at the Astro Expo next Saturday 8 March and ZS4BFN will be on the air from 15:00 to 21:00. A QSL card will be available for contacts made. The Expo is arranged by the Bloemfontein branch of the Astronomical Society of South Africa.
DIARY OF EVENTS
2 March - Hamnet 40 m simulated emergency contest;
8 March - RTA in Cape Town;
8 March - Pretoria Club's Mega flea market;
15 and 16 March SARL VHF/UHF Contest;
31 March - Closing date for first stage of 2008 construction competition;
11 to 13 April - SARL AGM in Bloemfontein.
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.
Dennis, ZS4BS, compiled today's South African Radio League news bulletin.


Thank you for listening. 73.
/EX