SARL NEWS - SUNDAY 18 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.
SILENT KEYS
It is with deep regret that we must announce that two radio amateurs became silent keys recently. They are:
Gert Bester, ZS6ZB, became silent key on 10 July 2010 and Ben Pieters, ZR6BFW, on 17 July. Ben was a member of the Kempton Amateur Radio Technical Society.
We extend our sincere condolences to the relatives and friends of the deceased.
(PAUSE)
In the news today:
AMATEUR RADIO MIRROR INTERNATIONAL TO MOVE TO A LATER MONDAY SLOT
CONSTRUCTION KIT BLUES
SUMBANDILASAT - SO 67 MORE SA PASSES PLANNED
You are listening to ZS6SRL. Stay tuned for more details on these and other important and interesting news items.
AMATEUR RADIO MIRROR INTERNATIONAL TO MOVE TO A LATER MONDAY SLOT
The Monday repeat transmission of Amateur Radio Mirror International will move to a later time slot, one hour later. The new time is 20:05 UTC or 22:05 CAT, the frequency remains 3 215 kHz. The change was necessary as Sentech has no antenna available due to repeated cable theft which is requiring major maintenance to be carried out on antennas and feeders.
Reception reports are urgently required. Please send your report to armi@sarl.org.za.
CONSTRUCTION KIT BLUES
The SARL has experienced many delays in the supply of some components required for the three construction kits on offer and has not been able to deliver kits at the RTA. To accommodate everyone it has been decided to offer the kits on mail order as well as making them available at future Radio Technology in Action 2010 events. The kits are now expected to be available from mid August. Orders paid for at the RTA will be delivered free of charge. New orders will require an additional R20 for packing and postage. More details will be announced in SARL News and on the RTA web page soon.
SUMBANDILASAT - SO 67 MORE SA PASSES PLANNED
SA AMSAT has announced that’ after consultation with the CSIR Satellite Application Centre (SAC), more passes over South Africa will be scheduled. During the week these passes will be in the evening and on weekends during the day and on some evenings. If you are scheduling a special event at a school a special morning pass can be scheduled on request by sending an email to saardt@intekom.co.za at least 2 weeks prior to the event. More details about passes over other areas will be announced soon.
Hans, ZS6AKV, will present a paper at the AMSAT UK Satellite Colloquium next Sunday and discuss how best to accommodate other parts of the world on SO 67.
INTECNET WINNER IS ZS1DE
The winner of the 2 Gb memory stick is ZS1DE. He reported to the Cape Town relay by Henry Chamberlain, ZS1AAZ.
ARRL CEO PRESENTED WITH "BPL SPOILS" AWARD
During the Friday morning portion of the July 2010 ARRL Board meeting, ARRL Chief Executive Officer Dave Sumner, K1ZZ, received a surprise plaque from the Amateur Radio Research and Development Corporation (AMRAD). Titled "BPL Spoils," the plaque featured a discarded BPL modem that was rescued from surplus equipment belonging to a manufacturer that had decided to exit the BPL business. ARRL Chief Technology Officer Brennan Price, N4QX, presented the plaque to Sumner in recognition of his and the ARRL staff's tireless work against radio interference generated by BPL systems.
INTRUDER ON 70 cm REMOVED BY ICASA
Following a report by the SARL to ICASA about an unlicensed repeater operating in the 70 cm band, ICASA investigated the intrusion and instructed the owner who was providing services for his local community watch to shut down the repeater. It was not plain sailing as at first the owner refused ICASA access to his premises to seal the repeater. The repeater is now off the 70 cm amateur allocation.
PERMISSION TO OPERATE SPREAD SPECTRUM MADE EASIER
The SARL and ICASA have streamlined the application for permission to operate Spread Spectrum on the 40 metre amateur band. A simple request form will be included in the SARL DSSS kit. The form will also be made available on www.sarl.org.za in the next few weeks.
COMPETITION NEWS
This afternoon from 15:00 to 18:00 CAT you can participate in the Boland ARC's 40 metre contest. Get into your car and operate as a mobile station or set up a field station - RaDAR style, just get out of you shack!
On Wednesday evening the 4th leg of the SARL 80 metre Club Contest will be run. It is a phone contest and will be on the air from 19:30 to 20:30 CAT. Which club will submit the most logs? West Rand ARC is leading the pack, can your club do better?
On Sunday 1 August, the SARL's premier contest takes to the air. The SARL HF Phone contest will be on 20, 40 and 80 metres from 15:00 to 18:30 CAT.
Find all the rules for these three contests in the 2010 SARL Contest Manual and/or in HF Happenings 415, both are available on www.sarl.org.za.
The SARL Youth sprint results are as follows:
1st place: Rudi Sygo, ZS6RDI, 14 Years, wins an ARRL Hand Book;
2nd Place Mitchel Meinhardt, ZS6YH, 12 Years, wins a 40m direct conversion receiver kit;
3rd Place Simoné de Silva, (ham to be), 18 Years, wins Internet Security Software and a book (Prevent Unwanted Intrusion).
The youngest operator for the day was the 4 year old Eduan Leighton and the oldest, the 90 years young Leslie Clark, ZS6NV. The SARL thanks all participants and specially the members who submit logs.
CLUB NEWS
The Kempton Park Amateur Radio Technical Association (KARTS) will commence Class A training on Saturday, 31st July 2010 for the October 2010 RAE. Candidates must please contact either Stephen, ZS6SKY, or Clive, ZS6BT.
Visit the KARTS website for contact information, www.zs6kts.co.za
The Sasolburg Amateur Radio Club will be presenting the RAE course from Thursday 29 July 2010 at the Vaal University of Technology, room S317. Classes are presented weekly from 18:30. Contact Riaan, ZS4PR, on 038 581 8569 or send e-mail to zs4pr@qsl.net.
PROPAGATION REPORT
Hannes Coetzee, ZS6BZP, reports that the solar activity is still at low levels. Sunspot 1 089, which rotated onto the eastern limb, appears to be growing into a fairly decent sunspot cluster. This region is bubbling with B-Class flares and has also produced one C-Class flare thus far. The effective sunspot number is expected to be less than 30 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 late afternoons till after sunset. During sunset it will be good towards Europe. Contacts with the USA are still challenging. Contacts with Australia and New Zealand are possible at sunrise on 20 m and on 40 m after sunset. Weak 15 m openings to Brazil and South America are possible during the afternoons.
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 and is also the frequency of choice during the evenings.
Please visit www.spaceweather.co.za for further information.
DIARY OF EVENTS
Today 25 July - Boland ARC 40 m Sprint 13:00-16:00 UTC;
28 July -SARL 4th 80 m Club Contest 17:30-18:30 UTC;
29 July – Sasolburg ARC starts classes for the RAE. For information send email to zs4pr@qsl.net;
31 July – Kempton Park ARTA (KARTS) starts RAE classes. Visit www.zs6kts.co.za for information;
1 August - SARL HF Phone Contest 13:00 to 16:30 UTC;
2 August - Closing date for PIC course in Pretoria on 14 August;
2-7 August - National Science Week at Sci Bono and ZS6SCI on the air from 09:00 till 14:00 CAT;
9 August - SARL YL Sprint on 40 m 09:00 to 10:00 UTC;
12 - 14 August - International EME Conference, Dallas, Texas;
14 August - PIC course in Pretoria;
16 August - Logs for SARL HF phone competition must be in.
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 22:05 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.
Thank you for listening, 73.
/EX
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