SARL NEWS - SUNDAY – 03 AUGUST 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 transmitted every Sunday at 08:15 CAT in Afrikaans and at 08:30 CAT in English. To listen to a webstream, visit www.sarl.org.za, click on ARMI and follow the links for details. LEASE NOTE! For audio via Echolink, connect to ZS0JPL-R.
You can download this and previous bulletins from www.sarl.org.za and subscribe to receive future bulletins by e-mail.
Your newsreader this morning is (name), (call sign), 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 regret that SARLNEWS has to announce that two radio amateurs became silent key recently. They are:
Willem Alberts, ZS6WA, on 13 May. Willem leaves his wife Mariaan, ZS6TX.
Ross Thom, ZS6FV on 27 July. Ross leaves his son Mike, ZS6BBD, daughter Maria, ZR6MST, and daughter in law Gerda, ZR6MEV.
Our sincerest sympathies to the relatives and friends of the deceased.
(PAUSE)
In the news today:
REPEATER LICENCE APPLICATIONS - SEND YOUR APPLICATION DIRECT TO NICO VAN TONDER, ZS6AQ
ICASA WORKING ON TABLE OF FREQUENCY ALLOCATIONS
SARL MEMBERSHIP RENEWALS CLOSE TO THE THOUSAND MARK
CQ OLYMPIC GAMES
You are listening to ZS6SRL. Stay tuned for more detail on these and other important and interesting news items.
REPEATER LICENCE APPLICATIONS - SEND YOUR APPLICATION DIRECT TO NICO VAN TONDER, ZS6AQ
To speed up repeater license applications please direct all documentation directly to the Convenor of the SARL VHF Band Planning and Contest Committee, Nico van Tonder, ZS6AQ, by registered mail. By doing so many weeks of delay will be avoided. ICASA does accept email copies of applications and require originally signed documentation. The fax option proved unsuccessful as often the documentation was unreadable.
The new process means that the VHF Band Planning Committee will handle the process as soon as received and deliver the final application direct to the ICASA offices in Johannesburg. Nico’s address is 702 Biddy Street, Moreleta Park, 0044.
ICASA WORKING ON TABLE OF FREQUENCY ALLOCATIONS
ICASA’s General Manager for Engineering told the SARL on Friday that they are working on the table of allocations on which previous inaccuracies have been corrected as well as new allocations considered. The SARL was asked several weeks ago to assist with the amateur allocations as part of the table of allocations exercise, mandated by the Electronic Communications Act. He also confirmed that all radio regulations, including amateur radio regulations, are being looked at and reviewed where necessary. The SARL expects to have insight into proposed corrections and amendments in the next two weeks.
The SARL is also scheduled to meet with the Department of Communications next Tuesday.
SARL MEMBERSHIP RENEWALS CLOSE TO THE THOUSAND MARK
The renewals for the SARL membership for the 2008/2009 financial year are moving towards the one thousand mark. Thanks to all who have sent in their renewals. If yours is not amongst the nine hundred and nineteen received by Friday last week, please make every effort to renew or join this week and help us break the 1000 mark before the week is out.
All renewable or new subscriptions received before 31 August 2008 enjoy a discount. You only pay R305 and not the new fee of R320 which will be applicable from 1 September. Senior members pay only R184 if they remit by 31 August. After that date it will cost R200. For payment details contact Vee Antal on 011 675-2393. All fully paid up members receive a 2008/2009 membership certificate. If you are not a member yet, join the SARL now and increase the power of our voice with the authorities.
CQ OLYMPIC GAMES
The Beijing 2008 Olympic Game Special Event Amateur Radio Station setup application was approved by the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the 29th Olympiad and State Radio Regulatory Committee. Five call signs will be used: BT1OB, BT1OJ, BT1OH, BT1OY and BT1ON, which represent the 5 Beijing Olympic Games symbols. The theme is “One world one dream”. The stations will be on the air till 17 September. The QSL manager is BA4EG. For more details visit http://www.bj2008ses.com.cn.
CONTEST NEWS
SARL HF CONTEST TODAY FROM 15:00 ONWARDS
Have fun and take part in the SARL HF SSB contest on the air today, Sunday 3 August 2008, from 15:00 - 18:30 CAT.
The frequencies to be used in the contest are 14 125 to 14 350 kHz 7 043 to 7 100 kHz and 3 603 to 3 680 kHz. There are several categories in which one can participate. They are as follows:
a) Single Operator, All Band, Low Power (maximum 100 W);
b) Single Operator, Single Band, Low Power (maximum 100 W);
c) Single Operator, All Band, High Power (legal limit);
d) Single Operator, Single Band, High Power (legal limit);
e) Multi Operator, All Band, up to legal limit power;
f) Multi Operator, Single Band, up to legal limit power;
g) Short Wave Listener (SWL).
The exchange is RS and consecutive serial numbers starting at 001.
For full details consult the SARL Contest manual which is available on the web from www.sarl.org.za. Select activities and click on contests. Details of all the other awards can also be found in the manual.
The contest is open to all licensed radio amateurs and shortwave listeners.
All participants, who are members of the SARL, and who submit a log with 20 or more contacts, will participate in the lucky draw for a 2008 ARRL Handbook.
SARL 40 METRE MOBILE CONTEST AND SHACK-IN-A-SACK ACTIVITY
On Sunday 10 August the SARL 40 Metre Mobile Contest and Shack-in-a-Sack activity will be run from 15:00 to 17:00 CAT. The Shack-in-a-Sack is a new idea proposed by Eddie, ZS6BNE. You need a compact field station - a rig, power source and antenna - that fits into a sack or bag, and which you will set up away from your vehicle.
You can participate as a mobile station [stationary mobile], field station [shack-in-a-sack] or a fixed station. In the mobile set-up, the antenna must be fixed to the body of the vehicle. The field station must be set-up at least one kilometre from your vehicle.
The exchange is your call sign and a RS report. A log and summary sheet will be available in the week from the Contest page on www.sarl.org.za. The closing date for your log is 25 August and must be sent to Boland ARC, PO Box 273, Strand, 7139 or by e-mail to zs1bak@mailbox.co.za.
CLUB NEWS
NEW CLUB COMMITTEE
The Cape Town Amateur Radio Centre held its AGM on Saturday 26 July and the following members were elected to the executive and committee:
Chairman - Shaun Overmeyer, ZS1RA;
Vice-chairman - Evan Pedlar, ZS1EVP;
Secretary/Treasurer – Peter Henochsberg, ZS1PMH;
Other committee members are: Dave Reece, ZS1DFR, Noel Futter, ZS1FW, James Gardner, ZS1ROY, Tony McEwan, ZS1TM, Paul Kennedy, ZR1PXL and Danny Blankenberg ZS1BL.
The club, and the SARL, wishes the committee well in the new year and thanks the outgoing chair, Dave, ZS1DFR, for the excellent job done over the past four years.
PROPAGATION REPORT
Hannes Coetzee, ZS6BZP, reports that the expected solar activity will be very low. The geomagnetic field is expected to be mostly at quiet levels untill 6 August after which it will reach active levels till 9 August. 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.
20 m will provide best opportunities for DX. There is a possibility of weak 20 m openings towards India from about 16:00 CAT. There is the possibility of weak 40 and 80 m openings to New Zealand at 20:00, otherwise contacts with Australia and New Zealand will be very challenging. From 16:00 there may be 20 m openings towards Europe. Contacts with the USA are going to be very challenging except for short 20 m openings at 16:00.
10 MHz looks promising late afternoon and after dark for the CW and digital enthusiasts.
Local conditions are going to be good on 40 m during the day time, especially for this afternoon's SARL HF phone contest. 80 m may perform well during the mornings and late afternoons over the shorter distances. 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, especially now that the majority of thunderstorms and static discharges are behind us. 160 m will also perform well during the evenings.
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
3 August, this afternoon - SARL HF Phone Contest;
10 August - SARL 40 Metre Mobile and Shack in a Sack Contest;
17 August – INTECNET;
31 August – Last day for subs at discount rates;
13 September – RTA at NARC;
3 October - YL meet SA starts.
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 webstream 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.
Today's South African Radio League news bulletin was compiled by George, ZS6NE.
Thank you for listening. 73.
