SARL NEWS - SUNDAY 10 OCTOBER 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. 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 7,066 and 3,695 MHz SSB. (Other news readers change as applicable).
SILENT KEYS
It is with regret that wę have to announce that the keys of two radio amateurs became silent recently, that of:
Hill Mason, ZS5HL, on Sunday 3 October 2010 after having been very ill for the past nine weeks, he is survived by his XYL Iona.
The second one was Nick van Zyl, ZS6BOM, in the age of 78 years after having suffered from cancer for a number of months on Tuesday 5 October. Hę leaves his XYL, Tina, ZS6BVG, and a son.
Our sincerest condolences to their relatives and friends.
(PAUSE)
In the news today:
IARU ADMINISTRATIVE COUNCIL REVIEWED ITS STRATEGY FOR WRC-12
SARL CONSTRUCTION KITS AVAILABLE SOON
PRESIDENT'S NET ON THE AIR NEXT SUNDAY
You are listening to ZS6SRL. Stay tuned for more details on these and other important and interesting news items.
IARU ADMINISTRATIVE COUNCIL REVIEWED ITS STRATEGY FOR WRC-12
In light of developments since the 2009 Administrative Council (AC) meeting, the Council reviewed and updated International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) positions on relevant agenda items for the 2012 World Radio Communication Conference (WRC-12), as well as desired agenda items for future WRCs.
The AC reviewed the progress on the action plan for developing support for amateur radio frequency allocations, and the plan was updated for the period through WRC-12. The AC of the IARU held its annual meeting on October 1 and 2 in Salinitas, El Salvador.
The AC is responsible for the policy and management of the IARU and consists of the three IARU international officers and two representatives from each of the three IARU regional organizations. SARL President, Dennis Green, attended in his position as IARU Region 1 Secretary. The AC also identified the upcoming meetings of the International Telecommunication Union meetings where IARU representation will be required, and reviewed the plans for representation at these meetings, as well as at WRC-12.
The AC reviewed and updated the working document that sets out the spectrum requirements of the Amateur Radio and Amateur Satellite Services. They identified the need for a new strategy with regard to retaining access to bands above 148 MHz and agreed that a committee of experts will be formed to develop recommendations for the AC.
The full report of the AC meeting will be available for download on www.sarl.org.za from Monday morning.
SARL CONSTRUCTION KITS AVAILABLE SOON
Shortage of supply of some critical components is one of the main reasons for the delay in the supply of the SARL construction kits. These problems have now been overcome and packaging of the kits has been started. As some of the components have to be individually packaged for easy identification by the constructor, this process will take considerable time. It is now expected that the first kits will be available for shipping in early December. As soon as supplies arrive, the pre-paid orders on hand will be shipped first. Once this has been completed will an announcement be made and new orders will then be accepted. SARL NEWS will keep listeners informed. The SARL apologizes for the delays.
PRESIDENT'S NET ON THE AIR NEXT SUNDAY
The SARL President’s Net is on the air next Sunday at 19:30. Dennis Green will report back on the IARU Administrative Council meeting and discuss the proposed Radio Regulations which have been posted on the member’s section of the SARL Web.
Judging from comments received by the SARL, it appears that many do not understand the process of how regulations are developed and implemented. ICASA follows a process of consultation. It starts with the development of regulations by an ICASA Committee. Once the first draft is compiled it is vetted by the ICASA Legal department and once the legalization has been sorted out, the draft is submitted to the ICASA council. After approval by the ICASA Council the draft regulations are published in the Government Gazette for comment. This is the stage at which we are at now. It is now the opportunity to make comment and raise objections to any of the provisions in the draft regulations.
As some of the proposed new regulations change the composition of licenses the SARL has received many questions. What happens to current ZU licence holders who are over 25? Will they lose their licence? The SARL cannot answer this question and will raise this issue in the submission that will be made to ICASA and at the next liaison meeting.
Another misconception is the question of ZRs being converted to ZS and the access to high power. Currently there is a marginal difference in the transmit power of a ZR licence holder and a ZS licence holder. Currently a ZR is permitted 29 dBW and a ZS 26 dBW. The major difference is access to the full amateur radio frequency spectrum. If there is any issue then it is in the area of operating procedure; an issue that has long been discussed for both ZR and ZS licensees. Instructors should perhaps spend more time on operating procedure and perhaps the HF assessment should be sharpened up. All these are issues to be discussed next Sunday evening.
If your club wishes to link the local repeater to the network, please send a request to armi@sarl.org.za by Monday afternoon including details of the telephone number and repeater frequency and area. Only Telkom landlines can be connected.
If you cannot take part in the discussion on the President's net, you are invited to submit your views and concerns by email to armi@sarl.org.za. Please raise issues in global manner and not personal issues.
OCTOBER 2010 RAE CANDIDATE NUMBERS PUBLISHED:
The SARL is pleased to publish the October 2010 RAE candidate examination numbers on the web.
In total there are 122 candidates that have enrolled for the examination.
Your examination number can be obtained by following the links on the SARL web page to the RAE Examination and then click on the link to Candidate Examination Numbers.
Any queries must be directed to the SARL office for assistance.
CONTEST RESULTS
SARL 80 m Club Contest.
The committee received 5 logs for the 80 m digital club contest held on 29 September.
1st West Rand ARC, 31 points
2nd Cape Town ARC, 7 points
The results of the past 5 contests are:
1st West Rand ARC, 331 points
2nd ZS Contest Group, 186 points
3rd Antique Wireless Association, 154 points
SARL HF CW Contest. The results will be released in next week when Dennis, ZS4BS, is back in South Africa.
The last Club Contest is the CW contest on Wednesday 24 November 2010.
CQ Hou Koers, the Voortrekkers' radio communications day, will take place from 08:30 until 12:00 (CAT) on Saturday the 16th of October. Please support this event and have a few QSO’s with the young people. The calling frequency will be 7,070 MHz. Echolink will be available by connecting to ZS0JPL-R and IRLP 8719.
PROPAGATION REPORT
Hannes Coetzee, ZS6BZP, reports that the solar activity is still at low levels. The sun is currently blank of sunspots, but that could change soon. Old sunspot region 1 106 is about to rotate back into view on the eastern limb. The effective sunspot number is expected to be less than 20 for the coming week.
20 m will provide the best opportunities for DX followed by 15 and 10 m. Conditions to India will be good from the afternoon till after sunset. During the afternoon conditions will be good towards Europa firstly on 10 m, later followed by good 15 and then 20 m openings. Early evening 15 m contacts with the USA are at last happening again. Contacts with Australia and New Zealand are possible at sunrise on 20 m and on 40 m after sunset. 15 m openings to Brazil and South America are possible during the afternoons. With the good 15 and 20 m openings 17 m will also be full of surprises.
For the CW and digital enthusiasts 30 m may be very rewarding with openings to many parts of the world.
Locally is 40 m the work horse for contacts around the country with 20 and 30 m also being very useful for contacts over the longer distances. 80 m will be best during the early mornings and late afternoons as well as over the shorter distances.
80 m is the frequency of choice during the evenings.
Please visit www.spaceweather.co.za for further information.
DIARY OF EVENTS
10 – October Antique Wireless Association AM/SSB Valve QSO Party;
10 October – Last day to submit comments on draft radio regulations to armi@sarl.org.za;
15 October – Last day to enter your photos taken at “Take your hand-held to Work Day”;
16 October – CQ Hou Koers;
17 October – President’s Net at 19:30 on draft radio regulations.
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.
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 George, ZS6NE.
Thank you for listening, 73.
/EX
