SARL NEWS SUNDAY 13 SEPTEMBER 2009

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 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 KEY

It is with regret that we announce the passing of Nico Smit, ZS6ATP, of Pretoria after a long illness. We extend our sincere condolences to his wife, family and friends.

(Pause)

In the news today.

SUMBANDILASAT READY FOR LAUNCH

SARL, SCI-BONA AND THE GAUTENG DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SIGN A MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT

SARL AND ICASA MEETING

HAMNET ACTIVITY IN EKURHULENI

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

SUMBANDILASAT READY FOR LAUNCH

In two days time SumbandilaSat is due to be launched from Baikonur in Kazakhstan. The SA AMSAT web at www.amsatsa.org.za will be updated as information become available. There is a nice picture of the satellite mounted on the launch platform just below the main payload.

SARL, SCI-BONA AND THE GAUTENG DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SIGN A MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT

On Friday SARL President, Rassie Erasmus, signed a memorandum of agreement with the Sci-Bona Science Discovery Centre and the Gauteng Department of Education to facilitate the introduction of amateur radio as a curriculum subject in grade 10 -12 of technology high schools. In 2010 a pilot will be run in 25 Gauteng schools. Learners will work towards a ZU licence. The SARL is working with the department and Sci-Bona to develop a module system which will cover the class B syllabus.
A number of teachers have already been trained and on Friday wrote the class A exam. As part of the project it is hoped to equip the pilot schools with amateur radio stations to also teach learners the practical aspect of amateur radio. More details will be given in future editions of SARL news.

SARL AND ICASA MEETING

On Thursday last week the first of regular quarterly coordination meetings between ICASA and the SARL was held at the authoritie’s head office. The meeting was a long time in materializing as the basic agreement to set up a permanent liaison committee was reached in February 2008. The SARL was represented by Hans van de Groenendaal, ZS6AKV, and Mark Zank, ZS6YES.
A number of issues affecting amateur radio were discussed and will be further explored at the next meeting in November. ICASA informed the SARL that it was working on a revision of the radio regulations as part of a project to bring regulations in line with the electronic communications act. The SARL will in the next few months have an opportunity to comment on the new draft when it will be made public.
On the question of licence fees, ICASA had taken note of the SARL objections and suggestions but no final decision of the restructuring of license fees had been made. The proposals are still in committee stage.
South Africans will soon get access to the LF spectrum on 135,7 - 137,8 kHz. ICASA has agreed the implementation the WRC07 recommendations and has started the process of having a Government Gazette published.
ICASA has accepted a proposal by Mark Zank that in future all certificates and copies of certificates will be authenticated by the SARL, using a security embossing stamp. ICASA had requested the SARL to devise a procedure that would ensure that only authentic documents are submitted as part of the licensing arrangement.

HAMNET ACTIVITY IN EKURHULENI

Amateur radio played its part in the Walk Against Crime in Eastleigh Edenvale.
The event was organized by Edenvale SAPS and Mumba Security in conjunction with Hamnet Gauteng South Region and DMSCV Members. The walk started from the Eastleigh Spar.
Devan, ZR6DAN, Mario, ZU6TAN, and Stephen, ZS6SKY, represented the units and handled all the communications at the event. Howard, ZS6ZS, was in contact with the members from a base station for back up comms if needed.
Inspector Jean Okkers from Edenvale SAPS and various other SAPS members including the station commander and head of the CPF, Mumba Security members and STS members acknowledged the ability of the units to assist with the command and control of the event. It is a pity that the event was poorly supported by the public, but, better advertising will be made use of for the next event. Inspector Okkers of the Edenvale SAPS strongly commended the members in attendance and was impressed by the professional and smooth handling of the event. We thank the members for their time and dedication and would welcome any interested members. Please note that the members also involve themselves in a lot of community events.
Hamnet Gauteng South and Ekurhuleni Disaster Management Specialized Communication Volunteers will be holding a training exercise named “Hurry up and Wait” on Saturday 19 September 2009.
The event is organized by members of the units to test the readiness of the members and the ability to deploy and activate mobile and field stations while under pressure, in preparation for the 2010 events.
Amateurs are invited to monitor the local repeaters, but are asked not to interfere with the broadcast of messages. Some strange events will be transmitted and again listeners are asked not to start phoning the local authorities. They have been informed and will be part of the exercise.
Interested amateurs please contact Howard Ware, ZS6ZS, 083-258-5045 or on email seclex@gmail.com.

CONTEST NEWS

The Spring QRP Sprint will be run this afternoon, 13 September, from 14:00 to 16:00 CAT with CW and phone activity on 40 metres. The exchange is a RS(T) report and the year first licensed. Try and work South Africa at the lowest power setting your radio has.
The provisional results of the SARL HF Phone contest will be released soon. Some logs were received that did not conform to Rule 4 of the General Contests Rules. After discussion with the SARL Council, it was decided to ask these radio amateurs to correct their log submissions and re-submit the logs or these logs will be re-classified as check logs.
The second leg of the SARL VHF/UHF Contest will be on the air on the weekend on 18 to 20 September. There are two contests on that weekend - the digital contest runs from Friday evening 18 September until Sunday 20 September, while the analogue contest runs on Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 September.
The rules are available in the 2009 SARL Contest Manual which can be downloaded from www.sarl.org.za.

The frequencies to be used for the Heritage Day Sprint on 24 September are 7,000 to 7,025 MHz for CW and 7,060 to 7,100 MHz and 7,130 to 7,200 MHz for phone.
Submit logs to The Sasolburg Amateur Radio Club ZS4SRK, PO Box 28194, Sonlandpark, 1944 or via email to riaanzs4pr@gmail.com.
The closing date for log submissions is 6 October 2009.

The second leg of the SARL VHF/UHF Contest will be on the air on the weekend on 18 to 20 September. There are two contests on this weekend - the digital contest runs from Friday evening 18 September until Sunday 20 September, while the analogue contest runs on Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 September.
The rules are available in the 2009 SARL Contest Manual which can be downloaded from www.sarl.org.za

CLUB NEWS

At the AGM of the Bloemfontein Radio Amateur Club held on 5 September, the following committee was elected:
Chairman: Andre van Rensburg, ZS4APA;
Vice Chairman: Martin Schwella, ZS4MS;
Treasurer: Hennie Greyling, ZS4HG;
Secretary: Reinette Esterhuizen, ZU4R;
Members: Victor Reitz, ZS4VR, and Deric Smith, ZS4OH.
Dennis Green, ZS4BS, was thanked for his 20 years of service on the committee of the old Bloemfontein Branch and Bloemfontein RAC.

PROPAGATION REPORT

Hannes Coetzee, ZS6BZP, reports that the solar activity is still at a minimum. The visible solar disk is void of any sunspots. 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 afternoon and early evenings it will be good towards the North. In the morning 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 mornings and evenings 40 m contacts may be possible with Brazil.
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. 30 m will perform well over the longer distances during the middle 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

13 September - Spring QRP Sprint;
15 September - Launch of SumbandilaSat;
18 to 20 September - SARL VHF/UHF Contests;
19 September – Hamnet Gauteng South and Ekurhuleni DMSCV training exercise;
24 September – Heritage Day sprint;
24 September - Deadline for entries for the October RAE;
6 October – Logs for Heritage Day sprint to be in to riaanzs4pr@gmail.com.

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 International 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 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 a bulletin of the South African Radio League, compiled by Roger, ZR3RC, and edited by George, ZS6NE.

Thank you for listening, 73.
/EX