SARL NEWS – SUNDAY 26 DECEMBER 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 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 7,066 and 3,695 MHz SSB. (Other news readers change as applicable).
In the news today:
SARL COURSES
NEW LF AMATEUR RADIO BAND MAY BE REQUESTED AT WRC 2012
HABEX CHALKS UP ITS FIRST MAJOR SUCCESS
IS THERE A TECHNOLOGY LESSON FOR AMATEUR RADIO IN DSTV MOBILE?
You are listening to ZS6SRL. Stay tuned for more details on these and other important and interesting news items.
SARL COURSES
Details of the first course to be present in 2011 are now available on the web. Visit www.sarl.org.za for details of the PIC Programming course which will be held at the SARL National Amateur Radio Centre on Saturday 29 January. The course is open to anyone who wishes to learn more about PIC programming. SARL members can book for the course at a discounted fee.
NEW LF AMATEUR RADIO BAND MAY BE REQUESTED AT WRC 2012
Newsline reports that ITU Region 3 will likely back a proposal to create a new, low frequency amateur radio allocation near 500 kilohertz.
The Asia Pacific Telecommunity or APT is currently hosting a gathering of the regions’ telecommunications administrations. This is one of a series of meetings intended to develop common positions for all of Region 3 prior to the World Radiocommunication Conference to be held in Geneva in early 2012.
Of particular interest to the amateur community is Agenda Item 1.23. It seeks an allocation of about 15 kHz in parts of the band 415 from 525,6 kHz to the amateur service on a secondary basis.
The International Amateur Radio Union Region 3 has representatives as observers at these preparatory meetings. While this particular meeting is not expected to adopt final positions, it is an important step in the process leading to any decisions that will be finalised at WRC 2012 in relation to any new Low Frequency Amateur Service band.
HABEX CHALKS UP ITS FIRST MAJOR SUCCESS
The main HABEX payload flew in excess of 33 000 metres before returning to the ground. The parrot repeater was the highlight of the day with many radio amateurs making contact from as far afield as Harrismith and Victoria West.
The balloon was launched at 07:10 and initially headed in a general southerly direction turning SE. Just south west of Koppies, at about 18 000 metres, the balloon turned completely ,heading in a direct westerly direction towards Bothaville. It was at this point that the balloon burst.
Recovery teams who were chasing the balloon descended on the area and started the search. Approximately an hour later the payload was found in a farmer's field. Unfortunately the second balloon carrying a simple controller board and ancillary equipment failed. The project was a further learning curve for the team who will build on the knowledge gained for further launches.
IS THERE A TECHNOLOGY LESSON FOR AMATEUR RADIO IN DSTV MOBILE?
Multichoice has done a great job in picking the right technology to deliver a good signal over a wide geographical area for its mobile service. Is there a lessons in it for Amateur Radio?
DStv Mobile deployed a network of synchronized transmitter stations all radiating identical signals on the same frequency. In a single frequency network (SFN) the receiver receives signals from the various transmitters located at high sites in the coverage area. Under normal circumstances these signals would interfere with each other as they arrive at different times at the receiver because of propagation path delays.
By utilising clocked transmissions and Time- and Frequency Synchronization as well as the provision of a Guard Interval, signals that arrive within the guard interval are considered as constructive and add to the received signal strength. Signals outside the guard interval are discarded.
It can be likened to diversity reception used with shortwave services. Receive antennas were spaced a short distance apart to reduce fading and to ensure a better reception. The diversity principal was used at the Olifantsfontein radio station that in the early days provided telephony with overseas long before satellites and submarine cables were reality.
How about looking at it as an Innovation project? See www.amateurradio.org.za for competition details.
PROPAGATION REPORT
Hannes Coetzee, ZS6BZP, reports that the solar activity is still at low levels. The Earth-side of the sun has been spotless for six consecutive days. Old Region 1 132 is expected to rotate back on the visible disk soon. The effective sunspot number is expected to be less than 15 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 afternoon till after sunset. During the afternoons conditions will be fair towards Europa on 15 m, later to be followed by fair 20 m openings. Early evening 15 m contacts with the USA are possible. Contacts with Australia are possible on 20 m during the late afternoons. 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
31 December – Closing date for submission of logs for the PEARS HF QSO Party to contest@pears.ham-radio-op.net;
31 December – Closing date for submission of details for membership of the SA AMSAT satelliet team to saamsat@intekom.co.za;
20 January 2011 – Closing date for submission for application for the May 2011 RAE bursaries; visit www.amateurradio.org.za for application forms;
20 January - Closing date for submission of proposals and synopsis of papers for 2011 SA AMSAT Space Symposium to saamsat@intekom.co.za;
30 January 2011 - Closing date for phase 1 of the construction competition.
SARL News invites clubs and individuals to submit terms 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
