SARL NEWS – SUNDAY 13 DECEMBER 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 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 bulletin and previous ones 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 52,750; 438,825 and 1 296 MHz FM in the Pretoria area. (Other newsreaders please change to suit.)
In the news today:
MAKE YOUR INPUT INTO THE SARL STRATEGY FOR 2010
ONLY 4 SEATS LEFT AT THE CAPE TOWN HOME CONSTRUCTION COURSE
SPECIAL RECOGNITION FOR ZS5MU
EAST RAND CLUB SET TO BREAK BOLAND RECORD FOR ZS10WCS
You are listening to ZS6SRL. Stay tuned for more detail on these and other important and interesting news items.
MAKE YOUR INPUT INTO THE SARL STRATEGY FOR 2010
In early March 2010, the SARL Council and 2010 Council nominees will meet at the National Amateur Radio Centre to develop the strategy and activities for 2010 and 2011. The strategy plan will be tabled at the National Convention and Annual General meeting to be held Port Elizabeth from 23 - 25 April.
You have an opportunity to make input to what the SARL should be focussing on. Join SARL President, Rassie Erasmus, ZS1YT, on the next President’s net to be held Sunday 31 January 2010 at 19:30. Make a note of the date and discuss your ideas with fellow amateurs and at your next club meeting.
ONLY 4 SEATS LEFT AT THE CAPE TOWN HOME CONSTRUCTION COURSE
There are only 4 seats left at the Cape Town Home Construction course to be held on 23 January 2010. Those who wish to fill these seats, visit www.sarl.org.za, click on activities and then on RTA for details and a registration form. Bookings for Durban and Port Elizabeth are also starting to fill up.
BUILD A LIGHTNING PREDICTION UNIT
You can now predict when lightning is close to you with this handy lightning predictor. The handy construction project is available in kit form from the South African Amateur Radio Development Trust at R120 including postage and packing. To read more about it and how to order visit www.amateurradio.org.za.
ESSAY COMPETITION FOR LEARNERS
Following a request from the Gauteng Education Department, the closing date for the essay competition to celebrate the launch of SumbandilaSat, SO67, has been extended to 28 February 2010 to enable learners, after returning to school in January, to participate in the project. The main prize is an Acer Aspire One netbook with many consolation prizes including construction kits and Symantec software. Details on www.amateurradio.org.za.
SPECIAL RECOGNITION FOR ZS5MU
SARL Councillor Francois Botha, ZS6BUU, has presented Alastair Campbell, ZS5MU, with a framed certificate recognizing the support he and his wife Davina have been giving the yachting fraternity for the past 30 years. The citation reads:
"SPECIAL RECOGNITION TO ALASTAIR CAMPBELL ZS5MU
who, supported by Davina ZS5GC ,has operated the South African Maritime Mobile Net serving the yachting community at sea for 30 years".
EAST RAND CLUB SET TO BREAK BOLAND RECORD FOR ZS10WCS
December is the East Rand Branch's turn to operate ZS10WCS. The club is going all out to break the record set by the Boland Amteurradioklub who started the campaign in September and clocked up 2 639 contacts in over 100 countries. They made 1 522 SSB contacts, 1 050 on CW and 37 on PSK31, indeed a tough act to follow by the East Rand Amateur Radio Club. Look out for them on all bands.
2009 RAE SPONSORSHIP CLASS A AND B
Kobus Conradie of LetsPlayRadio in Cape Town informed SARL News that the 2009 sponsorship has been been extended and was decided by an impartial draw held at the year-end function of the Oakdale Club in Bellville.
The lucky draw included both the Class A and B candidates for 2009.
The sponsorship comprises a Yaesu FTM10E Ruggedized Twin Band mobile radio, donated by Verstay, the Yaesu importers.
The fortunate recipient is ZS6WWG, G Williscroft. Congratulations!
The SARL would like to thank LetsPlayRadio and Verstay for their support towards amateur radio in South Africa.
HAMNET GAUTENG SOUTH
An in-promptu exercise for HAMNET Gauteng South members is scheduled for 19 December 2009. Members who are available and willing to participate are invited to take part.
Operation Water Save will take place between 08:00 - 10:00. The purpose of the exercise is to determine and test mobile communications abilities in preparation for 2010. Please RSVP on or before 18 December 2009 in order to participate.
For more information contact Chris Gryffenberg, ZS6COG, by email to zs6cog@gmail.com.
PROPAGATION REPORT
Hannes Coetzee, ZS6BZP, reports that the solar activity is still at low levels. A small but active sunspot appeared on Wednesday, breaking the current spotless streak.
20 and 15 m will provide the best opportunities for DX. Conditions to India will be good from the afternoon onwards.
During the late afternoons and early evenings it will be moderate towards Europa. In the afternoons there are good possibilities for contacts with the USA on 15 m. Contacts with New-Zealand will be possible for a short while on 15 m during the mornings. Conditions to Australia are challenging. During the afternoons and evenings 20 and 15 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. With summer here 20 m is also once again very useful for contacts over the longer distances, especially during the mornings.
80 m is the frequency of choice in the evenings.
Please visit www.spaceweather.co.za for further information.
DIARY OF EVENTS
13 December - ARRL 10 Metre Contest still on the go;
18 December – Closing date for the PEARS raffle;
19 December - HAMNET Gauteng South in-promptu exercise, 08:00 - 10:00;
1 January - Straight key night on OSCARs;
15 to 17 January 2010 – the PEARS VHF/UHF Contest;
23 January - Home Construction course in Cape Town;
31 January – President’s net at 19:30;
28 February – New closing date for the Sumbandilasat essay competition.
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 Amateur Radio Mirror International every Sunday morning at 10:00 CAT on 145,750 MHz in the Pretoria-area, with relays on 7 082, 7 205 and 17 860 kHz. There is also a podcast by ZS6RO. For a web-stream and Echolink by ZS6FCS, visit www.sarl.org.za, click on 'ARMI' and follow the links. A repeat transmission can be heard on 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 George, ZS6NE.
Thank you for listening, 73.
/EX
