SARL NEWS - SUNDAY 4 JULY 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 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 also 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 10,130, 7,066 and 3,695 MHz SSB.
In the news today:
RADIO ZS IN THE MAIL
ANALOGUE VS ANALOGUE AND DIGITAL VERSUS DIGITAL
SUBSCRIPTIONS FOR 2010/2011 ARE NOW PAYABLE
You are listening to ZS6SRL. Stay tuned for more details on these and other important and interesting news items.
RADIO ZS IN THE MAIL
The May - June edition of Radio ZS was posted earlier this week. It is also available on the SARL WEB on the member's pages.
In this edition you can read about Amateur Radio the most versatile hobby in the world, IARU Region 1 President writes about "The future of Amateur Radio is with our youth", Kevin McDonald writes about "A ZS6KMD QRP Z-Match Antenna Matcher". "IdiomPress Rotator Interface - A novice's experience”, is a good read from Marinus Willemstijn, ZS6MAW, also read about the Trust's innovation competition. A must read is "An unusual voyage into the world of CW”, by Vidi La Grange, ZS1EL. Also in this edition "How I met Sofia!", a 1:1 balun for the lower bands by Frank van Wensveen, ZS6TMV / PA3GMP, and Komkar updated! Then there are the regulars on satellites and museums. Another Radio ZS that is not to be missed.
If you are not yet a member of the SARL and would like a sample copy in your inbox, send a request to armi@sarl.org.za with the “Radio ZS” in the subject line. Better still join now and you will get a copy six times a year.
ANALOGUE VS ANALOGUE AND DIGITAL VERSUS DIGITAL
A number of important changes to VHF/UHF contest were agreed at the Indaba held on Saturday 26 June but not without surprises! While 3 persons had confirmed their attendance, 11 turned up to discuss the rules for the VHF/UHF contest that were published on the web for comment.
Present at the meeting:-
ZS5Y - Derek Gravett
ZS6GRL - Geoff Levey
ZS6MHH - Tienie Herbst
ZS6CBQ - Carl Minne
ZS6UK - Richard Peer
ZS6YOT - Jess Hawes
ZS6YE - Heather Holland
ZS6AVP - Clive Bean
ZR6LHT - Lynette Human
ZS6RH - Craig Symington
ZS6PJH - Pierre Holtzhausen
Geoff Levy, SARL Contest Manager reports that the Indaba started off by going through the draft document that was published on the website. There was some lively discussion about a number of the points but the most hotly contested issue was whether the modes (analogue & digital) should be split and held on different weekends.
After Derek Gravett, ZS5Y, explained that there would in fact be different contests, it was decided to keep the modes together i.e. analogue vs. analogue, digital vs. digital. A station can decide to enter using analogue, digital or both modes, but separate logs would have to be submitted for each mode.
Another important discussion was around the dates of the contest. It was agreed to bring the September leg of the contest forward to the first week of September, instead of the 3rd week, due to the severity of the storms experienced in division 6.
Derek is currently compiling the new rules which should be available for scrutiny later this week.
The Indaba ended at around 17:00 when, during Derek's' demonstration on EME, Eskom decided enough was enough and switched the lights off.
The winner of the draw for an ARRL Antenna book was by Lynette ZR6LHT. Congratulations, your book will be mailed during the next two weeks.
The SARL Council would like to thank Geoff, Derek and all participants in the Indaba for their dedication and the positive outcome.
SUBSCRIPTIONS FOR 2010/2011 ARE NOW PAYABLE
Subscriptions for the 2010/2011 membership became due on 1 July 2010. Accounts were mailed during June and are now payable. Thank you to the 600 members who have already paid their 2010/2011 subscriptions, your promptness and support is much appreciated.
If you have mislaid your invoice please check the amount due for your membership grade on www.sarl.org.za or call Mariska on 011 675 2393. Please remember to identify your payment with your first name and surname or callsign. Annually the SARL receives money in the bank account with no reference which then makes it impossible to allocate the payment to the correct person.
NEW CHAIRMAN FOR ICASA
The Minister of Communications has appointed Dr Stephen Mncube as the new chairman of the Independent Communications Authority of SA (ICASA) with immediate effect. Mncube succeeds Paris Mashile in the top position and will serve a five-year term to 2015.
Dr Mncube held the positions of chairman of the National Information Technology Forum, chairman of Sentech and as the manager of the Development Information Business Unit at the Development Bank of Southern Africa. He also holds a doctorate in philosophy, a master's degree in social science and a degree in science, which he obtained from the University of Syracuse, in the USA.
Parliament also agreed on three other new councillors. They are William Currie, who is with the Association of Progressive Communications; Joseph Lebooa, a business liaison manager with MTN; and Ntombela Ndhlovu, a legal advisor with MTN. The new councillors will occupy council seats left open by Kobus van Rooyen, Robert Nkuna and Brenda Ntombela.
RTA IN CAPE TOWN 24 JULY 2010
Have you had a look at the programme now available on the web? It is a symposium not to be missed. John Willescroft, ZS6EF, will take the lid of the mystery of digital signal processing and show you how it can change your on the air receive audio experience manifold. A DSP construction kit is also on offer at the RTA. With so much publicity around the Square Kilometre Array project, Adrian Tiplady of the SKA Project Office will bring us up to date with fascinating new information on how they will deal with radio frequency interference as well as details on progress and the new technologies emerging as a result of the project.
Learn about the latest CubeSat being built by students at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology. You will also have the opportunity to visit the satellite laboratory and clean room.
Make sure 24 July is in your diary. The full programme is available on www.sarl.org.za, click on rta or send an email to rta@sarl.org.za with RTA Cape Town in the subject line, and a PDF version of the programme will be mailed to you.
CONTEST NEWS
SARL Winter QRP Sprint
There are going to be 4 QRP contests a year from 2011. To get the timing right we are starting with a winter QRP Contest on the 17th July 2010. The times are from 12:00-15:00 UTC (14:00 – 17:00 CAT).
The rules have been posted on the forum, but if anyone would like to receive a copy please email Geoff Levey to glevey@gmail.com.
The Spring QRP contest has been moved from the 12 September 2010 to the 23rd October 2010.
The results for the recent ZS4 40 m Sprint held on 23rd May 2010 have been announced. Congratulations to all who persevered through the challenging band conditions. Twelve logs were received electronically. First place goes to Jan, ZS4JAN. Certificates are being prepared and will be mailed shortly. Queries may be directed to Riaan ZS4PR@QSL.NET. The calculated points for the competitors are as follows:
ZS4JAN 115
ZS1CF 73
ZS2A 69
ZS1CC 51
ZS2EC 37
ZR1AAH 35
ZS6QDW 31
ZS2J 29
ZS6BB 26
ZS4BFN 24
ZS4MP 16
ZS6AKU 13
CLUB NEWS
The West Rand ARC held its AGM on Saturday 19th June 2010.
The elected committee is as follows:
Chairman - Philip van Tonder, ZS6PVT
Vice Chairman - Geoff Levey, ZS6GRL
Secretary - Rory Crouch, ZR6RBJ
Treasurer - Craig Woods, ZS6CRW
PIO - Willem Weideman, ZS6WWJ
Members - John Brock
- Romeo Nardini, ZS6ARQ
- Ron Eva, ZR6RON.
The outgoing committee was thanked for their dedication to the club.
PROPAGATION REPORT
Hannes Coetzee, ZS6BZP, reports that the solar activity is still at low levels. Currently Sunspot 1 084 has a simple magnetic field that does not harbor energy for strong solar flares. The effective sunspot number is expected to be less than 10 for the coming week.
20 m will provide the best opportunities for DX followed by 40 m. Conditions to India will be good from the afternoon till sunset. During sunrise and sunset it will be good towards Europe. Contacts with the USA are still challenging. Contacts with Australia and New Zealand are possible on 40 m after sunset. Contacts with Brazil and South America are challenging.
For the CW and digital enthusiasts 30 m may be very rewarding with openings to many parts of the world.
Local conditions are going to be good during the day time on 40 m. With the change of season 30 m has taken over from 20 m for contacts over the longer distances during the middle of the day. With the decrease in noise levels 80 m is best for the shorter distances and also during the early mornings and late afternoons.
80 m is the frequency of choice during the evenings.
Please visit www.spaceweather.co.za for further information.
DIARY OF EVENTS
10/11 July - IARU HF Championships and WRTC;
15 July – Last date to submit mane for CubeSat project;
17 July – Winter QRP Contest 14:00 to 17:00 CAT;
18 July - Intechnet at 19:30 on VHF-/UHF- and microwave matters;
23 - 24 July - Preparation and launch of the HABEX balloon project;
24 July - RTA symposium in Cape Town;
2 August - Closing date for PIC course in Pretoria on 14 August;
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 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 Gustav,ZS6BWN, and edited by George, ZS6NE.
Thank you for listening, 73.
/EX
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