SARL NEWS SUNDAY 30 AUGUST 2009

You are listening to ZS6SRL, the official radio station of the South Afri-can Radio League, the national body for amateur radio in South Africa, with a news bulletin 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 bulletin and previous ones 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 52,750, 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 two radio amateurs must be re-ported this morning. We extend our sincere condolences to their loved ones.

The key of Peter Hoyle, ZS6TAO, a member of the Sandton ARC, went silent on Thursday 27 August 2009.

The key of Roy Smith, ZS6ROI, a member of the East Rand ARC, also went si-lent on Thursday 27 August 2009.

PAUSE

In the news today

SARL HF CW CONTEST THIS AFTERNOON

WORK ZS10WCS – THE 2010 WORLD CUP SOCCER SPECIAL EVENT STATION

PLANS FOR BACAR LAUNCH ON 12 SEPTEMBER IN FULL SWING

RADIO ZS IS IN THE MAIL

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

SARL HF CW CONTEST THIS AFTERNOON

The SARL HF CW Contest will be run this afternoon, Sunday 30 August, from 16:00 to 18:00 CAT on 20, 40 and 80 metres. The exchange is an RST report and a sequential serial number starting at 001. Each contact counts 2 points, each zone worked per band counts 2 points and each station worked on all three bands counts 2 points. Please read the rules before the con-test and take note of Rules 4 and 5 of the General Rules. The rules are available in the 2009 SARL Contest Manual as well as HF Happenings 367 and 368.

WORK ZS10WCS – THE 2010 WORLD CUP SOCCER SPECIAL EVENT STATION

From 1 September members of the Boland Amateur Radio Club will operate the 2010 World Cup Soccer special event station. The call sign will be on the air over weekends as propagation conditions allow. Full details of pre-ferred frequencies and QSL information are available on www.sarl.org.za.

PLANS FOR BACAR LAUNCH ON 12 SEPTEMBER IN FULL SWING

Arrangements for the BACAR launch on 12 September are progressing well. The launch will include the same payload as the August launches, namely a 40 metre beacon, a 2 metre beacon and an APRS beacon.

Activities at the launch site will start at 06:00 and at the NARC at 07:30. The launch window is between 08:00 and 08:30 CAT.

You can follow the launch at home or at the SARL National Amateur Radio Centre at Radiokop, Roodepoort.

Visit www.amsatsa.org.za for regular updates.

DID YOU TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE DISCOUNTED SUBSCRIPTIONS?

The special rate for the 2009/2010 subscription ends on Monday 31 August. Make use of the opportunity to renew at R320. From Tuesday 1 September 2009, the rate increases to R340. Members who have not renewed by 30 Sep-tember will lose their membership benefits and after that will have to go though a new application process, which also means that the starting date will be the date of rejoining.

Currently the paid-up membership stands at 1 071, substantially more than the number at the same time last year but still substantially short of our 1 600 target. If you have not yet paid your subscription for the 2009/2010 year, please do so as soon as possible. If you have lost your invoice and need a new copy, please call Mariska on Monday on 011 675 2393 or send an email to admin@sarl.org.za.

RADIO ZS IS IN THE MAIL

Radio ZS was mailed on Friday and should be in your post box soon. The web version is now available online at www.sarl.org.za. There is a lot to read. Learn more about over the horizon communication using LEDs, build a simple battery checker, find out more about a VIP paddle (a must-have for a CW en-thusiast).

Ean Retief discusses the electronic "Spoof Operations" used by the Allied Forces before the D-Day landings in June 1944. The aim of these operations was to deceive the German forces in France about the landings.

On satellites, there is Eddie, ZS6BNE's regular update and an article ti-tled "Amateur Radio gets another voice in the sky,” telling all about Sum-bandilaSat, and for VHFers, learn how to calculate a link budget.

If you are not a member of the SARL yet, and would like a sample copy, send an email to armi@sarl.org.za with Radio ZS July/August in the subject line.

BIG SURPRISE FOR RTA DELEGATES

Delegates attending the SARL Radio Technology in Action Symposium were in for a big surprise when besides the attendance prizes donated by RS, there was also a two-metre hand-held to be won. Kobus Conradie, ZS1K, of Let’s Play Radio donated the radio. Thanks to Let's Play Radio and RS for their sponsorships.

The Cape Town event was the last one in the 2009 series. Work has already started on the 2010 series. Put the dates into you diary now – Durban – 29 May 2010, Cape Town – 24 July 2010, PE – 14 August 2010 and Gauteng – 18 September 2010.

CONTEST NEWS

The Spring QRP Sprint will be run on Sunday 13 September.

The SARL VHF/UHF Contest is scheduled for the weekend of 18 to 20 September 2009, with a digital contest and an analogue contest. Derek, ZS5Y, would like to receive inputs from clubs and radio amateurs about this contest. Derek can be contacted at derek@fotogravett.com.

CLUB NEWS

During the AGM of the Magalies Radio Amateur Club held on 22 August, the following members were elected to serve on the committee:

Chairman: Johan Nel, ZS6JPN.
Vice Chairman and Treasurer: Nico du Toit, ZS6OI.
Secretary: Nick Smit, ZR6NSP.
Members: Sam van Zyl, ZS6JZ (Technical); Thomas Scott, ZS6TJS (Digital); Marco Nel, ZS6MJ (Editor); Chris Smit, ZS6FCS (PIO and SARL Liaison); Chris van Eeden, ZS6CVE (Bulletin co-ordinator); Johann du Plessis, ZS6PSS (Youth); Thys Maree, ZS6MJM (Webmaster) and Peet Greyling, ZS6PGN (Social).

PROPAGATION REPORT

Hannes Coetzee, ZS6BZP, reports that the solar activity is still at a mini-mum and that it is now nearly 50 days without an official sunspot. Solar activity is at some of the lowest levels ever recorded.

20 and 40 m will provide best opportunities for DX. Conditions to the east and the west will be good from the afternoon onwards. During the late af-ternoon and early evenings, it will be good towards the north. In the morn-ing, it may be possible to make contacts with Australia. Contacts with New Zealand may be possible on 40 m during the evenings. During the early morn-ings and evenings, 40 m contacts may be possible with Brazil.

Local conditions are going to be good on 40 m during the daytime. 80 m may perform well during the early mornings and late afternoons over the shorter distances. 30 m will perform well over the longer distances during the mid-dle of the day. 80 m is the frequency of choice in the evenings.

Please visit www.spaceweather.co.za for further information.

DIARY OF EVENTS

30 August – SARL HF CW Contest, 16:00 to 18:00 CAT;
31 August – last day for discounted SARL membership renewals;
05 September – West Rand Flea Market;
05 and 06 September – IARU Region 1 SSB Field Day;
12 September – BACAR launch, 08:00 – 08:15;
13 September – Spring QRP Sprint;
15 September – Launch of SumbandilaSat;
18 to 20 September – SARL VHF/UHF Contest.


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 only 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 Amateur Radio Mirror Interna-tional programme every Sunday morning at 10:00 CAT on 145,750 MHz in the Pretoria area, with relays on 7 082, 7 205 and 17 570 kHz. There is also a podcast by ZS6RO. For the webstream and Echolink by ZS6FCS, visit www.sarl.org.za, click on 'ARMI' and follow the links. A repeat transmis-sion 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 a bulletin of the South African Radio League, compiled by Dennis, ZS4BS, and edited by Hester van der Walt.

Thank you for listening, 73.
/EX