SARL NEWS SUNDAY 06 APRIL 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 KEYS
It is with deep regret that the passing of the following radio amateurs recently:
Lawrence Delport, ZS6LAW, in the age of 89 years on the 24th March after a long illness. Lawrence was a SARL member until he left SA to live in the USA about 6 years ago. He leaves behind his wife Joy, 4 sons and 3 daughters.
Mac, ZS5MAC, became silent key on Tuesday 1 April. He went through a bad patch a couple of weeks ago when he had a stroke and never really recovered.
Fred Aust, ZS6MRA, passed away on Wednesday 2 April, on his birthday, after a short illness.
Our sincerest condolences to the relatives and friends of the deceased.
(PAUSE)
In today's SARL News:
SARL NATIONAL CONVENTION NOT TO BE MISSED
HOSTING THE SARL NATIONAL CONVENTION
WHY ARE WE SO RETICENT TO NOMINATE OUR PEERS FOR AN AWARD?
GET READY FOR WORLD AMATEUR RADIO DAY ON APRIL 18
You are listening to ZS6SRL. Stay tuned for more detail on these and other important and interesting news items.
SARL NATIONAL CONVENTION NOT TO BE MISSED
The SARL Convention in Bloemfontein from Friday 11 till Sunday 13 April is an event not to be missed. If you have not yet booked for the weekend event, do it now. Tomorrow is the last day. Visit www.sarl.org.za for the full programme and booking form as well as a list of B&B.
There will be an attendance prize competition in which a Yaesu VX-120 two metre Hand-held transceiver can be won. The prize is sponsored by AES (Amateur Electronic Supplies).
If you cannot attend please send in your proxy. The form is available for download on the web and must be faxed to the SARL by close of Business on Thursday 10 April or handed in at the AGM at registration.
The business portion of the AGM will be transmitted live on 145,750 MHz, 7 082 and 14 150 KHz as well as a web cast and via echolink. For the web cast visit www.sarl.org.za, click on publications and select ARMI and the web cast option.
HOSTING THE SARL NATIONAL CONVENTION
Clubs are invited to make a bid to host the 2009 SARL National Convention. The proposed date is 18 April. The date will be confirmed at the AGM. Traditionally the National Convention alternates between Gauteng and a venue elsewhere in the country. This is however not a rigid rule. If a bid was received from the clubs in the fairest Cape no one is likely to object. Please prepare your bid and it will be discussed under general.
CLOSING DATE FOR RAE AND EXAMINATION CENTRES
The next Radio Amateur Examinations will be held on 15 May 2008. The closing date for registration of examination centres and the applications to write the examination is 10 April 2008. Late entries can not be accepted and applications to write the May examination not received by 10 April will be held over for the October examination.
The fee is R300 for both the class A and Class b license; a reduced fee of R200 for students under 25 is applicable.
Full details and all the required forms to be completed to register for the examination are available on the web. It is important to follow the instructions carefully to avoid delays in registration. Visit www.sarl.org.za click on licensing and select Radio Amateur Examinations.
Clubs arranging examination centres must re-register their centre for every examination. The closing date of 10 April also applies here.
PRESIDENT’S NET
The next President’s Net will be held on Sunday 20 April staring at 19:00. Intecnet will resume in May. Watch SARL NEWS for more details
WHY ARE WE SO RETICENT TO NOMINATE OUR PEERS FOR AN AWARD?
The SA Amateur Radio Development Trust reminds clubs and individual radio amateurs to consider who in their community deserves an award for the promoting or developing amateur radio. The Trust is inviting nominations for three awards which are sponsored by Nokia Siemens Networks.
The awards are:
GARTH MILNE TECHNICAL INNOVATION AWARD
The award is made for the support, development and application of Technological Innovation in Amateur Radio in South Africa. The recipient will be a person has promoted the use of technology in amateur radio at club level, nationally, at schools or tertiary education institution
NSN RADIO AMATEUR OF THE YEAR AWARD
The award is made for the support and development of the Amateur Radio Service in South Africa, not for individual achievements such as DXCC and other operational awards or contests. The recipient will be a person who has given of his or her expertise and time to the promotion of Amateur Radio in South Africa.
NSN AMATEUR RADIO COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD
Annually the South African Amateur Radio Development Trust is recognising a radio amateur or a group of radio amateurs for service to the community.
Community service can be assistance to a handicapped radio amateur, communications support during a sporting event or a disaster situation like a road accident or a natural disaster like a flood, veld fires, or an earthquake.
Nominations are invited for an individual or a group of people like a radio club, or an association.
Full details and nomination forms are available on www.amateurradio.org.za. When nominating please include as much detail as possible as the judges have only the written nomination to work with. The closing date is 19 April 2008.
GET READY FOR WORLD AMATEUR RADIO DAY ON APRIL 18
(Partly from the ARRL Newsletter)
Each year on the anniversary of its founding, April 18, the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) marks World Amateur Radio Day. On this 83rd anniversary of its inaugural meeting in Paris, the IARU dedicates World Amateur Radio Day to the future of Amateur Radio with its theme, "Amateur Radio: A Foundation for Technical Knowledge”.
It is no secret that many professionals in the field of radio, TV, communications and electronics have started their technical education as young radio amateurs and it should still be used as a unique attraction for future young radio amateurs.
World Amateur Radio Day provides an occasion to promote and publicize Amateur Radio, so it is a good idea to take your handheld set to work on Friday the 18th and demonstrate operation through repeaters. It will also give you the opportunity to tell your colleagues about the community services rendered by amateur radio during events such as rallies, marathons, floods, fires etc. During disasters public power supplies and telephone systems frequently break down and amateur radio has always in the past come to the rescue to provide communications as it can operate independently portable or mobile. Clubs or individuals can also set up special stations at public places. SA AMSAT will also take part in the activities during their convention on the 19th.
PROPAGATION REPORT
In the absence of Hannes Coetzee, ZS6AKV reports that current geomagnetic conditions are at quiet levels. The outlook is that a coronal hole on the solar disk is rotating into a geo-effective position. Local HF conditions will include mostly unstable to depressed frequencies. The active areas on the Sun have already produced an M-class flare - there is still a slight possibility of C-class flares.
M-class flares are medium-sized; they can cause brief radio blackouts that affect Earth's Polar Regions. Minor radiation storms sometimes follow an M-class flare. Compared to X- and M-class events, C-class flares are small with few noticeable consequences here on Earth.
There are no sunspots visible.
40 metres should provide reasonable countrywide coverage during daylight hours with 80 metres coming to its right after sunset.
As far as DX is concerned there may be some opening to the USA east Coast on 15 metres in the late afternoon and 20 metres later on. 20 metres may provide some DX in the late afternoon to the West Coast. There may be short openings as high as 10 metres during the late afternoon to Europe but fast changing to 15 metres and then to 20 metres.
In the early morning 20 metres may be opening to Australia. Generally conditions are unstable so the best advise is, listen, call CQ and you may get a surprise.
Please visit www.spaceweather.co.za for further information.
DIARY OF EVENTS
6 April - Last day for attendance booking for SARL AGM;
10 April – Last day to register examination centres and to enrol for the May RAE;
11 to 13 April - SARL AGM in Bloemfontein;
12 April - Kempton Park ARC RAE classes commence;
15 April - Overberg ARC AGM;
18 April – World Amateur Radio Day;
19 April - SA Amsat 2008 Space Communication, Magalies ARC Fmarket;
19 April – Closing date for Garth Milne Technical Innovation and 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
