SARL NEWS SUNDAY 27 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 (name), (callsign), 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 regret that the Boland Amateur Radio Club has to announce that the key of Peter Keanley, ZS1W, has become silent. Peter died early in April while on a holiday in Spain. To his wife Georgina, relatives and friends our sincerest sympathy.
(PAUSE)
In today's SARL News:
RADIO TECHNOLOGY IN ACTION SYMPOSIUM FEATURES AN IMPRESSIVE ARRAY OF PRESENTATIONS
WIN A DX HANDBOOOK IN A QUICK SURVEY
RAE CANDIDATES' EXAMINATION NUMBERS ON THE WEB
You are listening to ZS6SRL. Stay tuned for more detail on these and other important and interesting news items.
RADIO TECHNOLOGY IN ACTION SYMPOSIUM FEATURES AN IMPRESSIVE ARRAY OF PRESENTATIONS
The SARL Radio Technology in Action symposium to be held in Durban on 10 May features an impressive array of presentations. The event will be held on the Howard College campus and is hosted by the School of Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering,
A new feature in the programme is an international presentation via teleconference where AMSAT North America President Rick Hambly will deliver a presentation on the future of amateur satellites on a geostationary platform.
Full details have been posted on www.sarl.org.za, click on events and select RTA.
WIN A DX HANDBOOOK IN A QUICK SURVEY
On last week's President's the question was posed whether the President's Net and the Intecnet should be changed to a weekday slot or a new time slot. After much debate the conclusion was that the time slot should change to 19:30 but
remain on a Sunday evening. The general consensus is that the two programmes should alternate, one month the President's net, the next month Intecnet. What is your view? Send a quick email to ARMI with the subject line President's net and Intecnet and in the message give us your preference. Send it before 3 May so that your input can be considered by the SARL Council at its strategic session on 3 May.
NEW WEB PAGE FOR CLUB COMMITTEES
The SARL has set up a new web page for club committees. It is called ClubTalk and will include information that clubs can use in their newsletters, websites and news bulletins. It will also include audio clips and other downloadable information. Visit www.sarl.org.za and select ClubTalk.
AMATEUR RADIO ACTIVITY ON MARION ISLAND FEATURED IN AN INDUSTRY JOURNAL
In the April edition of EngineerIT there is an article on the amateur radio operation on Marion Island. Visit www.sarl.org.za and you will find the link on the home page. The article also includes the URL to listen to an interview with Petrus Kritzinger.
RAE CANDIDATES' EXAMINATION NUMBERS ON THE WEB
The Examination numbers and examination centres for students writing the RAE on the 15th May 2008 are now available on the RAE and Education forum on the SARL Web page. It is important for individual clubs that are presenting RAE lectures, to ensure that the candidates are made aware of the examination venue. A few examination venues have been consolidated.
There are still a number of students of whom some information is still outstanding, these items range from ID numbers, postal addresses and call signs. Please note that if the SARL office does not receive ID numbers from these respective candidates, before writing the examinations, these candidates will not be able to write the exams. Your ID number is the only means that we have to verify your identification. The names of those students whose information is incomplete have been highlighted in Red on the forum.
The SARL depends on having correct and accurate information to enable us to process your applications and submit accurate data to ICASA.
Should you require any assistance in updating your information please contact Vee Antal via email which is admin@sarl.org.za or you can phone her from 09:00 to 13:00, Mondays to Fridays on 011 675 2393. You can also contact Mark Zank, ZS6YES, via email to zs6yes@gmail.com.
CONTEST NEWS
The ZS3 / ZS4 40 Metre Sprint is a fun activity to promote contacts between radio amateurs in the Northern Cape and Free State provinces and radio amateurs in Southern African countries. It is a phone and CW / PSK 31 contest on the 40 metre band. The Sprint is on the air on Sunday 4 May from 16:00 to 17:00 CAT. The exchange is RS(T) and province or country abbreviation.
The Antique Wireless Association Valve QSO Party is a phone only contest on 40 and 80 metres. Preferably, valve radios or radios with valves in them may be used. The AM QSO Party takes place on Saturday 10 May from 16:00 to 18:00 CAT and the SSB QSO Party takes place on Sunday 11 May also from 16:00 to 18:00 CAT.
Full details of both contests are available in the 2008 SARL Contest Manual and HF Happenings 299.
CLUB NEWS
The West Rand Radio Amateur Club invites all to a flea market on Saturday 3 May which will start at 12:00 at their club house in Kroton Street, Weltevreden Park, Roodepoort. For additional information, call Willem at Tel. 082 890 6775.
The Kempton Park Amateur Radio Technical Society is holding a competition for a new Club Logo. The design should be kept fairly simple as the logo will need to be printed on shirts and caps.
The entry fee to participate is R5 and the prize is a SWR Meter worth R500. The closing date for this competition is 08 June 2008 and the competition is open to all.
All entries need to be emailed to Clive Reeks (ZS6BT) clive.reeks@netcare.co.za
Or Vivian Dold (ZS6VD) vivdold@flysaa.com.
No late entries will be entertained and the committee will determine the winner.
At the AGM of the Centurion Radio Amateur Club held on the 19th April, 2008, the following members were elected to the committee:
Chairman - Gawie Basson, ZS6GJJ;
Vice Chairman - Pam Momberg, ZS6APT;
Minute Secretary - Ben Booysen, ZR6ATA; Correspondence Secretary - Pam Momberg, ZS6APT; Treasurer - Pam Momberg, ZS6APT;
Technical - Johan Keulder, ZS6CAQ, and Sarel Nienaber, ZS6AC.
Many thanks to the retiring committee members and strength to the new members for what lies ahead.
PROPAGATION REPORT
Hannes Coetzee, ZS6BZP, reports that the expected solar activity will be very low. The geomagnetic field is expected to be mostly at unsettled to active levels. The expected Effective Sun Spot number for the coming week will be less than 5. DX conditions will generally be good to the North and poor in the general North-Westerly 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. Conditions to Australia will be very challenging. From 16:00 there may be good 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 day time. 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
1 to 3 May - Special Event station ZS6KTS on the air;
2 May - Last day for emailing your opinion re President's Net and Intechnet;
3 May - West Rand flea market;
4 May - ZS3 / ZS4 40 Metre Sprint on the air;
5 May - Logsheets for the Autumn QRP Sprint to be in.
10 May - RTA in Durban;
10 May - 40 and 80 m AM QSO Party;
11 May - 40 and 80 m SSB QSO Party;
8 June - Closing date for entries for the Kempton Park Amateur Radio Technical Society logo 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 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.
George, ZS6NE, compiled today's South African Radio League news bulletin.
Thank you for listening. 73.
/EX
