SARL NEWS SUNDAY 30 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! For audio via Echolink, connect to ZS0JPL-R.

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 KEY

It is with deep regret that the passing of Victor Makkink, ZS6VFM, during the past week after suffering a stroke while driving a tractor. Victor was 79 years old.

We extend our condolences to his wife Shelia, sons Andrew in Australia and David in the United Kingdom, other family and friends.

PAUSE

In today's SARL News:

SARL ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

ZRs MAY SOON GET ACCESS TO MORE SPECTRUM ON 20 METRES

PLT - SARL OBJECTION TO THE DRAFT REGULATIONS NOW ONLINE

80 METRE QSO PARTY

You are listening to ZS6SRL. Stay tuned for more detail on these and other important and interesting news items.

SARL ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

SARL members are reminded that the annual general meeting takes place in Bloemfontein on Saturday 12 April at the Little Willie Auditorium at the School of Armour. The full documentation can be down loaded from the member's only section at www.sarl.org.za. No registration is required for attending the AGM. If however you would like to attend the lunch after the meeting, it is necessary to register. The cost of the lunch is R25 per person.

If you cannot attend the AGM, please submit a proxy as soon as possible. Proxy forms and registration forms for the lunch and other events during the weekend are on the web.

The AGM is but only a small part of the SARL National Convention, which starts on 11 April, and ends with a special "DX" breakfast on Sunday morning 13 April. Register for the entire weekend of Amateur Radio. Bring a friend or your partner, the various activities will impress them, not to forget the hospitality for which Bloemfontein is well known. Please send your booking form before 6 April to allow the organisers to get everything in place for a super weekend. Visit www.sarl.org.za for the full programme.

ZRs MAY SOON GET ACCESS TO MORE SPECTRUM ON 20 METRES

Following the SARL-ICASA meeting of last month, the Engineering Department of ICASA has confirmed that the mistake in the regulations that limit ZRs to a very small segment on 20 metres will be corrected. ICASA has set the process to publish the amendment in the Government Gazette in motion. ZR licensees are however reminded that the current regulation remains in force until the amendment is published. The current segment is 14 225 – 14 250 kHz and ZR licensees should adhere to this or face possible prosecution and/or cancellation of their licence.

PLT - SARL OBJECTION TO THE DRAFT REGULATIONS NOW ONLINE

The objections from the SARL and Hamnet against the draft Power Line Telecommunication regulations are now on line to read. From the SARL home page, click on information and select PLC/BPL. From the PLT page, you can also download the draft regulations.

FEW MORE DAYS TIME TO ENTER IN THE SAARDT CONSTRUCTION COMPETITION

The closing date for the SA Amateur Radio Development Trust construction competition is 31 March, just a few days left to enter. Full details are on the web at www.amateurradio.org.za. The overall winner will become the lucky owner of a D-Star transceiver sponsored by Multisource Telecommunications.

TINUS LANGE 7 066 TECHNICAL EXCELLENCE AWARDS

The closing date for the Tinus Lange 7 066 Technical Excellence Awards is 31 March. The junior and senior awards are made for a technical project such as the design and/or construction of a pre-amp, SWR bridge, patching unit, automatic ID-er, practical antenna ideas, mast, portable gear, power supplies, etc. or any software for use in Amateur Radio. Full details were published in SARL News of 9 March.

SARL 80 METRE QSO PARTY

The first leg of the SARL 80 Metre QSO Party will be run on Thursday 3 April 2008 from 19:00 to 22:00 CAT. This is a phone only contest with activity between 3,603 and 3,700 MHz. The exchange is call signs, a RS report and a serial number.

The rules can be found in the 2008 SARL Contest Manual.

HAMNET GAUTENG SOUTH

A Strategic Planning Meeting has been scheduled for the HAMNET Gauteng South Region. All interested parties are invited to attend. The meeting will be held on Thursday 3 April 2008 at 18:30 for 19:00 at the Eastern Region Disaster Management Offices in Springs - Ekurhuleni, in Plantation Road. Registration starts at 18:30 and the meeting commences at 19:00.

The meeting will look at Strategic Planning for HAMNET Gauteng South, Disaster Management: Communications Volunteers and Disaster Communications Exercise 2008. Call on 145,675 or 438,700 MHz for directions to the venue in Springs.

BACAR TEAM TO MEET ON SATURDAY 5 APRIL

The BACAR team will meet on Saturday 5 April at 11:00 CAT at the SARL National Amateur Radio Centre. The prime objective of the meeting is to test the various payloads for compatibility. The payloads will be connected together and will be on the air. Listen on Saturday from 11:00 on 7 082 kHz for details. You may be able to hear activity on 144,800 and 144,825 as well as the BACAR HF beacon on 7 022 kHz CW.

An interesting article with the headline "Local radio amateurs plan to go into near space" was published in the February edition of EngineerIT. You find the link on www.amsatsa.org.za as well as details of the various payloads. BACAR is planned for launch on 24 May.

TWO METRE SATELLITE QSOs

Users of the 2 metre band are requested not to use the satellite up-link frequency of 145,920 MHz for local QSOs. Such activity causes QRM for operators wanting to conduct QSOs via satellite, e.g. AO16. There is an increase in amateurs making QSOs voa AO16, AO51 and VO52.

CLUB NEWS

The Antique Wireless Association annual open day at Rand Airport at the TAC (Transvaal Aviation Centre) starts at 09:00 on Saturday 5 April 2008. Come and enjoy the day at the TAC with a Flea Market, Antique wireless display, Restaurant, cash bar and eyeball QSOs with lots of members from the AWA. Bring the kids along to watch the aircraft taking off from the lower end of the runway, right at the TAC. For flea market tables, contact Andy, ZS6ADY, at 082 448 4368.

Magalies Radio Amateur Club will hold their autumn flea market starting at 08:00 on Saturday 19 April 2008 at their clubhouse on the corner of Mills and Breyer Street, Waverley. Food and cold drinks will be available. The cost to book your table or boot sale will be R20 per table or boot. Contact Nico, ZR6AFJ, on 082 772 2556. Come and join us for a fun filled day. Call-ins will be taken on 145,750 MHz.

PROPAGATION REPORT

Hannes Coetzee, ZS6BZP, reports that the expected solar activity will be low to moderate. The geomagnetic field is expected to be quiet to unsettled. The expected Effective Sun Spot number for the coming week will be less than 25. DX conditions will generally be good to the North and poor in the general Northwesterly 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 15:00, there may be 10, 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 during the daytime. 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.

DIARY OF EVENTS

27 March to 3 April – 7P8FC DXpedition;
31 March - Closing date for first stage of 2008 construction competition; and closing date for nominations for the Tinus Lange awards;
3 April - SARL 80 Metre QSO Party;
6 April - Last day for attendance booking for SARL AGM;
11 to 13 April - SARL AGM in Bloemfontein;
12 April - Kempton Park ARC RAE classes commence;
15 April - Overberg ARC AGM;
19 April - SA Amsat 2008 Space Communication, Magalies ARC Fmarket;
21 April – Closing date Nokia Siemens Network Awards.

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 ZS0JPL-R 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