SARL NEWS - SUNDAY 23 MAY 2010
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 also subscribe there to receive future bulletins by email.
Your newsreader this morning is (name), (call sign), on 145,725 and 7,066 MHz from Pretoria, with relays on 10,130, 7,066 and 3,695 MHz SSB.
SILENT KEYS
It is with regret that wê have to announce that the key of Kobie Furstenberg, ZS6ALE, became silent on Sunday the 9th May 2010 in the age of 75 years. Kobie was a pioneer in the development of E.M.E. in the RSA. Hê leaves his wife Alet, one son and three daughters.
Milne Buchan, ZS5NZ, passed away on the morning of 21 May 2010.
He was a Honorary Life Member of MARC and also of of SARL. Milne was legal adviser for SARL in the past. He is survived by his daughter Anne.
Our sincerest condolences to the relatives and friends of the deceased.
(PAUSE)
In the news today:
SARL CELEBRATES 85th ANNIVERSARY
RADIO TECHNOLOGY IN ACTION TO HIT DURBAN NEXT SATURDAY
SA AMATEUR RADIO DEVELOPMENT TRUST RECOGNIZES THREE RADIO AMATEURS FOR CONTRIBUTION TO THE HOBBY
SARL SPRINT TO CELEBRATE YOUTH DAY 16 JUNE 2010
You are listening to ZS6SRL. Stay tuned for more details on these and other important and interesting news items.
SARL CELEBRATES 85th ANNIVERSARY
"Happy 85th birthday SARL!" said SARL President, Dennis Green, ZS4BS. In his message, Dennis says "on Wednesday 20 May 1925, a group of radio amateurs got together in Cape Town and formed the South African Radio Relay League. It was, I am sure, a momentous occasion for these radio amateurs. I wonder what the challenges were that faced the SARRL in those first years. The organisation grew and later the name was changed to the South African Radio League.
We can think back of many highlights that the SARL has had over the past 85 years, of many radio amateurs who have served the organisation as members with honour and dedication and what has been achieved. We think of the radio amateurs who have served on branch or club committees and on the council of the SARL. I would like to acknowledge every radio amateur that has and is playing a role in promoting amateur radio and the South African Radio League.
As we look to the future, we are faced with some challenges to the organisation and to the hobby. I think the recruitment of members is important, not only the young people, but also those more settled. Are the clubs effective in promoting amateur radio? Do we take amateur radio to the public?
Technologies change very rapidly and we as radio amateurs must stay abreast of development, we must be part of that development, we must take the lead. Our hobby has so many facets, there are some many things we can get involved in, the sky is the limit.
In our 85th year, I ask you to take up the challenge and let us strengthen the South African Radio League by being radioactive, developing technologies and increasing our membership base. Are you with me?"
RADIO TECHNOLOGY IN ACTION TO HIT DURBAN NEXT SATURDAY
The first of the SARL Radio Technology in Action 2010 events will be held in Durban on Saturday 29 May at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in Durban. It is an event not to be missed, great presentations and attendance prizes. This year there are two special features: Learn more about D-Star with Deon Swanepoel, ZS5DD, and how to improve audio from your rig with DSP. Also how to get involved in Amateur Radio Direction Finding (ARDF) with easy to build equipment.
Get the full programme on the web or send a mail to RTA with Durban RTA in the address line and a copy will be mailed to you.
If you are in KwaZulu-Natal, whatever you do make sure it is attending the RTA.
SA AMATEUR RADIO DEVELOPMENT TRUST RECOGNIZES THREE RADIO AMATEURS FOR CONTRIBUTION TO THE HOBBY
On Monday last week, the South African Amateur Radio Development Trust presented three radio amateurs with awards recognising their contribution to the hobby. The presentations took place during a gala lunch held at the Midrand Protea Hotel. The guest speaker was well-known Scenario Planner and author, Clem Sunter.
The Garth Milne Technology award was presented to Jan-Albert Koekemoer, ZS1JAK, for his unstinting work on SumbandilaSat and in particular to get the Amateur payload fully operational soon after launch. SO67, as the amateur radio payload on SumbandilaSat is known, has already created worldwide interest. During the past few weeks Jan-Albert has been working on new software that will allow the transponder to remain on for the 15 minute pass making it easier for radio amateurs using hand-held antennas to operate through the satellite. SO67 operation schedules will soon be published on www.amsatsa.org.za.
The Nokia Siemens Network Radio Amateur of the Year Award was presented to Eddie Leighton, ZS6BNE. Eddie was recognized for his efforts in popularizing satellite activity in South Africa and taking the "rig in sack" concept to RaDAR - Rapid Deployment Amateur Radio promoting field operation with the objective to set up a portable station in the shortest possible time.
The Nokia Siemens Networks Amateur Radio Community Service award was bestowed on Dr Lee-Anne Mc Kinnell, ZS2LAW, for her work in the field of space weather and how it affects amateur radio, in initiating the 40 metre beacon project, which in its revised form will be rolled out later this year, and her support of the Radio Technology in Action programme. Unfortunately Lee-Anne could not attend and the award was received on her behalf by her mother, Lyn Willescroft.
In congratulating the winners Thobi Mkhize, of Nokia Siemens Networks, said NSN was proud to be associated with the awards programme and the work for which the recipients were recognized. She said that it is important that excellence is recognized. As amateur radio is a powerful activity to influence young people to take up careers in the electronics and communications sector Thobi urged all radio amateurs to adopt a young person with the objective of involving him or her in the hobby.
The Radio Amateur of the year awards are annually sponsored by Nokia Siemens Networks.
The SA Amateur Radio Development Trust also presented a certificate of appreciation to Multisource for their support of the Amateur Radio Innovation Project which was launched earlier this year.
"Innovation in Amateur Radio" is an eighteen month project aimed at promoting innovation in Amateur Radio. Radio amateurs and technologists are invited to submit projects that will innovate amateur radio whether it is software, amateur radio and the Internet, the development of compact HF antennas for flat and complex dwellers or innovation in Emergency Communications.
More about the awards and the innovation project on www.amateurradio.org.za.
SARL SPRINT TO CELEBRATE YOUTH DAY 16 JUNE 2010
"With the World Cup in full swing and schools on holiday Radio Amateurs have an unique opportunity to celebrate youth day on 16 June with the SARL Sprint and give South Africa's young people a taste of Amateur Radio and hands-on experience", says Gerhard Coetzee, ZS3TG, SARL Councillor for Youth Activity.
Clubs are encouraged to set up stations in public areas like shopping malls to demonstrate amateur radio as the greatest of all scientific hobbies and a great primer to encourage young people to take up careers in electronics and communications.
There are many prizes to be won during the sprint as well as lucky draw prizes for all who submit a log with a minimum of 10 entries.
Clubs setting up stations are requested to send details to armi@sarl.org.za for inclusion in media releases to be handled by the SARL PIO Network.
Full details of the event are available on www.sarl.org.za from the home page click on youth activity.
Individual radio amateurs are invited to adopt young people for the day and invite them into the shack to operate under your supervision.
CONTEST NEWS
Here are the results of the SARL Autumn QRP Sprint that took place on the 18th April 2010.
19 logs were received. Points were deducted because of incorrect call signs and RST reports.
Contestants must please read point 11 under general rules in the Contest manual, the "Blue Book".
The points scored are as follows:
1st - Jan Botha, ZS4JAN 12 960
2nd - Pierre van Deventer, ZS6BB 5 120
3rd - Andre Botes, ZS2ACP 4 960
4th - Johan Groenewald, ZS2CX 4 760
5th - Andre van Deventer, ZS2BK 3 780
6th - Phillip Esterhuizen, ZS4 2 552
7th - Andre le Roux, ZS2AL 1 216
8th - Andrew Dekenah, ZR6DEK 1 400
9th - Marius Preston, ZS4MP 864
10th - Pam Momberg, ZS6APT 768
11th - Quartus de Witt, ZS6QDW 608
12th - John Kramer, ZS5J 540
13th - Kevin McDonald, ZS6KMD 504
14th - Romeo Nardini, ZS6ARQ 504
15th - Pieter Bosman ZS3AOR 480
16th - Derek Stuart ZS2J 480
17th - Geoff Levey, ZS6GRL 456
18th - Tony Allen, ZR2TX 132
19th - Benjamin Scholtz, ZU1BEN 16
Once again thanks to everyone who took part in this contest and a special thank you to the guys/gals who submitted their logs.
VHF/UHF CONTEST RULES
A draft copy of the VHF/UHF contest rules is available for download from the website.
This document will be used as a platform at the Indaba on 26th June 2010 to begin discussions on the rules for the VHF/UHF contest.
CLUB NEWS
The Port Elizabeth Amateur Radio Society held its Annual General Meeting on Saturday 15 May at the Walmer Scout Hall in Port Elizabeth. The following committee members were elected:
Chairman: ZS2AG, Ashley Goosen.
Committee members:
Glen Cummings, ZS2GV;
Clive Fife, ZS2RT;
Basie du Plessis, ZR2BA;
Bill Hodges, ZS2ABZ;
Chris Scarr, ZS2AAW.
Portfolios will be allocated at the inaugural committee meeting to be held soon.
The Society thanks the outgoing committee and chairman for their good work during 2009-2010.
PROPAGATION REPORT
Hannes Coetzee, ZS6BZP reports that the solar activity is still at low levels. A small sunspot is forming in the southern hemisphere of the sun. It formed during the later portion of Thursday and has not yet received an official sunspot number. The effective sunspot number is expected to be less than 10 for the coming week.
15 m will provide the best opportunities for DX followed by 17 and 20 m. Conditions to India will be good from the afternoon onwards. During the late afternoon and early evenings it will be good towards Europa. contacts with the USA are once again becoming challenging. Contacts with Australia and New Zealand will be challenging. During the afternoons and evenings 15 m contacts may also be possible with Brazil although conditions are becoming slightly challenging.
Local conditions are going to be good during the day time on 40 m. 20 m is still useful over the longer distances. 80 m is best for the shorter distances and also early morning and late afternoon.
80 m is the frequency of choice during the evenings.
Please visit www.spaceweather.co.za for further information.
DIARY OF EVENTS
29 May - RTA symposium in Durban;
5 June – Flea market at 10:30 at the ZERABI reception centre half-way between Klerksdorp and Potchefstroom;
16 June – Youth Day celebrations, SARL Sprint;
26 June – VHF indaba at the NARC starting at 12:00;
18 July – Intechnet at 19:30 on VHF/UHF/MICROWAVE matters;
24 July - RTA symposium in Cape Town;
21 August - RTA symposium in Port Elizabeth;
31 August - Closing date for submission of proposals for the 2011 SARL Contest Manual;
18 September - RTA symposium in Gauteng;
30 September – closing date for phase 1 of the Innovation project.
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 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 17 560 kHz. There is also a podcast by ZS6RO. For a webstream 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
