SARL NEWS SUNDAY 28 DECEMBER 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. PLEASE 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 news reader 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).
In the news today:
UNEXPECTED COSTS MAY PUT NAMIBIAN VHF/SATELLITE DX-PEDITION IN JEOPARDY
SOUTH AFRICA ALSO HAS A RECIPROCAL AGREEMENT WITH THE USA
PIC PROJECT PAGES ON THE WEB UPDATED AND EXPANDED
WESTERN AUSTRALIA STEPS UP ITS ACTIONS TO ENSURE THAT THE SKA PROJECT FINDS ITS HOME IN AUSTRALIA
You are listening to ZS6SRL. Stay tuned for more detail on these, and other important and interesting news items.
UNEXPECTED COSTS MAY PUT NAMIBIAN VHF/SATELLITE DX-PEDITION IN JEOPARDY
Unexpected vehicle and equipment expenses may put the Namibian VHF/Satellite DX-pedition into jeopardy. SA AMSAT has set up a fund to handle contributions towards the cost of the expedition. Individual Radio Amateurs and clubs are urged to make contributions to ensure that the Namibian event is a great success. Contributions can be paid into the SA AMSAT account at ABSA account number 560 153 171. The branch code is 632 005
The expedition includes operation on a number of VHF bands and modes. The team will be led by HB9CRQ, one of Europe's top EME operators and will include moon bounce operation on 50, 144, 432 and 1 296 MHz.
January is also one of the peak months for Tropospheric ducting propagation in the South Atlantic ocean and experienced tropo operators will be making a serious attempt to complete the first ever 144 MHz contact spanning the Atlantic Ocean.
Satellite operation is also planned and even using the low earth-orbiting satellites the location should give good coverage including all of Africa and much of the eastern portion of South America.
The group will assemble in Pretoria on January 5th and will leave early the following morning for the drive to Luderitz where the station will be put into operation on arrival. The last day of operation is expected to be on the 16 January.
Please assist with a financial contribution. When doing an internet banking transfer please indicate that it is for the Namibian DX-edition and send an email to saamsat@intekom.co.za with your contact details. All contributors will be acknowledged on the SA AMSAT website.
SOUTH AFRICA ALSO HAS A RECIPROCAL AGREEMENT WITH THE USA
In last week's SARL NEWS the USA was accidentally left off the list of Countries with which South Africa has reciprocal amateur radio licensing agreements. For the sake of completeness last week's news item is repeated with some additional clarifications.
When South Africa signed the CEPT agreement to allow visiting radio amateurs from countries that are part of the CEPT agreement to operate in South Africa for a period of three months in any one year, using their own callsign with the ZS and the area number prefix in front, it meant exactly that. The process is that a visiting radio amateur is required to send an email to admin@sarl.org.za, with the dates of his or her visit, callsign and contact details while in South Africa. Permission to operate under the same class of license as specified for his or her home callsign is automatic. Visitors have to comply with all provisions of the South African Amateur Radio Regulations.
For foreigners who wish to obtain a permanent callsign in South Africa, the person must go though the standard RAE process, writing the examination and if requiring a ZS go though the upgrade process.
If however the person has a licence from a country with which South Africa has a reciprocal agreement, an equivalent class license can be obtained by submitting an ICASA license application with copies of the relevant documents to the SARL or direct to ICASA. Currently South Africa has a reciprocal agreement with the following countries:
United Sates of America;
United Kingdom;
Germany;
Israel;
the Netherlands;
Switzerland;
Chile;
Portugal;
Botswana;
Swaziland.
Originally South Africa also had a reciprocal licence agreement with Rhodesia but the Zimbabwean Government cancelled the agreement.
To establish a reciprocal license agreement is a complicated process and is handled through the departments of foreign affairs in both countries. At the time of signing an agreement with the USA the process involved intensive lobbying with the US state department and lobbying by the late senator Barry Goldwater who was a prominent radio amateur in the USA.
There are opportunities to start a process to establish reciprocal license agreements with other countries. From a SARL point of view it would require a motion at the AGM to give the Council a mandate to start the process. Members have until 31 January to submit motions for discussion at the AGM. A motion needs a Nominator and a Seconder to get onto the Agenda. Motions can be emailed to secretary@sarl.org.za.
PIC PROJECT PAGES ON THE WEB UPDATED AND EXPANDED
The PIC project pages on the SARL web have been updated and expanded with a link to a click through guide to set up the PIC environment as well as a Frequently Asked Question section and details for the Cape, KZN and second NARC events. Visit www.sarl.org.za, click on activities and click on RTA
WESTERN AUSTRALIA STEPS UP ITS ACTIONS TO ENSURE THAT THE SKA PROJECT FINDS ITS HOME IN AUSTRALIA
According to an item in WIANews the Government of Western Australia has stepped up its efforts to ensure that the Square Kilometer Array the worlds largest planned radio telescope will be erected there.
Their Minister of Science and Innovation, Troy Buswell, has announced that $4 million will bespent to purchase the Boolardy Station, 400 km North-East of Geraldton, where they intend that that the international facility of $2,5 billion should be housed.
By 2025 the centre would be home to the largest, most comprehensive computer system in the world.
PROPAGATION REPORT
Hannes Coetzee, ZS6BZP, reports that the expected solar activity will be very low. The geomagnetic field is expected to be at quiet levels. The expected Effective Sun Spot number for the coming week will be less than 5.
15 and 20 m will provide best opportunities for DX. There is a possibility of 15 and 20 m openings towards India from about 13:00 and 17:00 CAT respectively. Short contacts with New Zealand are going to be possible on 15 m at 08:00. At 8:00 and at 14:00 weak 20 m contacts may be possible with Australia. From 14:00 very weak contacts with Peru may be possible on 15 m followed by possible weak 20 m openings. Brazil may be worked on 15 m from 12:00 and on 20 m from 18:00. At 18:00 there may be short, weak 20 m openings towards Europe. Contacts with the USA East Coast are possible on 15 m from 18:00 and with the West Coast after midnight on 20 m.
10 MHz is looking 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. 80 m may perform well during the early mornings and late afternoons over the shorter distances, e.g. between ZS5 and ZS6. 30 m may perform well during the middle of the day between ZS6 and ZS1. Even 20 m may perform well over the longer distances before morning tea time.
80 m is the frequency of choice in the evenings. With summer here the thunderstorms and static discharges may be a bit challenging.
Remember that this is only a prediction and that HF has the capability to pleasantly surprise you in the new year, 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
10 and 11 January Hunting Lions on the Air;
16 to 18 January PEARS VHF-/UHF-competition;
31 January 2009 Last day for submission of motions and agenda items for 2009 SARL AGM;
During January Submit your nominations for SARL awards.
SARL News invites clubs and individuals to submit news items of interest to radio amateurs and shortwave listeners. Submit news items 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.
You have listened to the last bulletin of the South African Radio League in 2008. It was compiled by George, ZS6NE. The news team thanks all who made contributions to the bulletins this year and extend a general invitation for positive contributions to the bulletins during the coming year. The team wishes that all will enjoy a prosperous 2009. We hope that cycle 24 will start, that our amateur numbers will grow and that all will increasingly enjoy our hobby.
Thank you for having listened, 73.
/EX
