SARL NEWS - SUNDAY 14 NOVEMBER 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 newsreader 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 we have to announce that the keys of two radio amateurs have become silent. They are Carol Siedle, ZS5YG, on 26 October and Mike van der Westhuizen, ZS6UP, a long-time member of TNT and Magalies ARC on 8 November. Our sincere condolences go to their relatives and friends.
(PAUSE)
In the news today:
NEW SARL BROCHURE ON AMATEUR RADIO IS NOW AVAILABLE
APRS FROM THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
SARL REPRESENTATION TO ICASA NOW ON THE WEB
You are listening to ZS6SRL. Stay tuned for more details on these and other important and interesting news items.
NEW SARL BROCHURE ON AMATEUR RADIO IS NOW AVAILABLE
A new SARL brochure about Amateur Radio will be available on the web for download in PDF from Tuesday next week. Follow the URL on the home page at www.sarl.org.za. A full colour printed version will be available shortly. Clubs can place orders with Mariska by emailing their requirements and details to admin@sarl.org.za. The printed version will be packaged in batches of 100.
ANNUAL REMEMBRANCE DAY SERVICE
The annual Remembrance Day service will be on the air as part of Amateur Radio Mirror International today at approximately 10:45 CAT. As a mark of respect radio amateurs are requested to observe radio silence during the transmission.
Clubs wishing to retransmit the service can download a MP3 file from the ARMI website. Go to www.sarl.org.za and click on ARMI and follow the links. The service is being conducted by the Reverent Jan Kramer, ZS6JRK.
APRS FROM THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
SA AMSAT invites you to participate in the SATNETWORK on Sunday evening 21 November when Eddie Leighton, ZS6BNE ,will talk about "APRS via the ISS". It will be on the air at 19:30 . Clubs wishing to link their local repeater should send an email to armi@sarl,org.za with details of their repeater coverage and telephone number to be linked not later than Monday. No pre-paid numbers can be connected.
SARL REPRESENTATION TO ICASA NOW ON THE WEB
SARL members can now download the SARL representation re the draft Radio Frequency Spectrum Regulations from the member's section of the web. The document will be sent to ICASA on Monday when it becomes a public document and will be available for download from the open section of the web. The final document includes many of the suggestions received from members. It should be noted that members have submitted opposing views on various aspects of the regulations which all had to be considered. SARL believes that it has produced a document that is balanced and serves the best interest of amateur radio.
The next step will be the operating frequency table which will specify the frequencies and power levels permitted on various bands. The SARL-ICASA quarterly liaison committee is meeting this week when it is hoped that there will some clarity on the time table for the next step.
Persons wishing to submit their personal comments to ICASA should note that the closing date is Friday 19 November 2010. Details can be found in the Government Gazette.
RADIO ZS COVER
The editor of Radio ZS is looking for suitable photographs to be used on the cover of the magazine. Photographs showing Amateur Radio in Action - a field day station, a contest station, a club activity, youth activity - would be welcome. Send your photograph to radiozs@sarl.org.za.
PROPAGATION REPORT
Hannes Coetzee, ZS6BZP, reports that the solar activity is still at low levels. Two new sunspot regions were numbered on Wednesday. Sunspot 1 123, which is located towards the east of shrinking Sunspot 1 121, is now producing C-Class flares. Sunspot 1 124 was also numbered, but remains quiet. The effective sunspot number is expected to be less than 25 for the coming week.
15 m will provide the best opportunities for DX followed by 20 m. Conditions to India will be good from the afternoons until after sunset. During the afternoons conditions will be good towards Europe on 15 m, to be followed later by good 20 m openings. Late afternoons and early evenings 15 m contacts with the USA are at last possible again. Contacts with Australia are possible at sunset on 20 m. 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, 40 m is the workhorse 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
Today 14 November - Remembrance Day Service at 10:45;
20 November - 10:00 UTC, field day weekend with ZS85SARL on the air commences;
21 November - 10:00 UTC, field day weekend and ZS85SARL closes;
21 November - 19:30 SAT, SATnetwork on the air;
27 November – ZS6RTB Club meeting together with other radio operators;
28 November - YL net starts at 15:00 CAT on 145,750 MHz in Pretoria.
20 January 2011 – Closing date for submission for application for May 2011 RAE bursaries, visit www.amateurradio.org.za for application forms;
30 January 2011 – Closing date for phase 1 of the construction 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 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 Gustav, ZS6BWN, and edited by Hester van der Walt.
Thank you for listening, 73.
/EX
