SARL NEWS – SUNDAY 23 JANUARY 2011
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 7,066 and 3,695 MHz SSB.
SILENT KEY
It is with deep regret that the passing of Henry Fourie, ZR4U, on Sunday 16 January 2011 must be announced.
We extend our sincere condolences to his parents Barney, ZS4U/ZS6TQ, and Marie, ZS4YL, family and friends.
(PAUSE)
In the news today:
D-STAR ACTIVE IN JOHANNESBURG
SARL NATIONAL CONVENTION NOT TO BE MISSED
LAST CHANCE TO BOOK FOR PIC PROGRAMMING COURSE
You are listening to ZS6SRL. Stay tuned for more details on these and other important and interesting news items.
D-STAR ACTIVE IN JOHANNESBURG
The first digital repeater in Johannesburg is active on the air. The repeater is on loan from Multisource for demonstration purposes and is offering amateurs an opportunity to experiment with D-Star. The system was installed and demonstrated during the SA-AMSAT event last Saturday at the NARC. Thanks to Ronald, ZS6RVC, Riaan, ZS4PR and Frik, ZS6FZ
D-STAR, the acronym for Digital Smart Technologies for Amateur Radio, is a digital voice and data protocol specification developed by the Japan Amateur Radio League. While there are other digital on-air technologies being used by amateurs, D-Star is one of the first on-air and packet-based standards.
D-STAR offer clearer signals and uses less bandwidth than its non-digital counterparts. As long as the signal strength is above a minimum threshold, and no multi-path is occurring, the quality of the data received is better than an analogue signal at the same strength.
D-Star compatible radios are available on VHF, UHF, and microwave amateur bands. In addition to the over-the-air protocol, D-Star also provides specifications for network connectivity, enabling D-Star radios to be connected to the Internet or other networks, with provisions for routing data streams of voice or packet data
To operate the D-Star repeater switch any D-Star enabled digital radio to DV mode. Tune to 145.6875 MHz with the usual -600 kHz offset to talk via the repeater.
In the radio menu ensure that R1 and/or R2 are set to ZS6TJ. The UR can be set to CQCQCQ, and MYCALL should be your own callsign.
The SARL is looking for coverage, signal reports and comments. Send your comments to armi@sarl.org.za.
SARL NATIONAL CONVENTION NOT TO BE MISSED
The Sasolburg and Vaal Triangle Radio Clubs are hosting the 2011 SARL National Convention on 15 and 16 April. Enjoy the beauty of the Vaal, an evening cruise down Millionaires’ Bend and a fantastic dinner in the company of good radio friends until late Friday evening!
Saturday morning the SARL AGM at the Vaal University of Technology commences at 8 am with registration. The meeting starts at 9 am. In the afternoon a huge flea market will be held while a nature drive at Emerald Casino Resort will keep non-amateurs suitably entertained.
The Sasolburg and Vaal Triangle Radio Clubs expect this to be the biggest get-together of radio amateurs in years! The afternoon also offers a visit to the Bloemendal Shortwave wave radio broadcast station near Meyerton. Experience what a 50 kW RF transmitter is capable of doing, and see how the systems for such a shortwave broadcast station operate and service the world from South Africa.
The highlight of the convention takes place on Saturday evening at the Riviera Hotel. This year the SARL Gala evening will be a formal black tie affair, but suit and tie will also do! The guest speaker is Prof. Alwyn Louw from VUT. The well known band Broken Stream will supply the music while Gerald Klatzko, ZS6BTD, will be giving a riveting presentation on his experiences with MIR and the Space Station.. The annual prize giving will be hosted by Tjerk, ZS6P. Thereafter the dance music fires up and the party begins!
Registration for the Boat cruise and the Gala evening is essential as there are only limited seats available. Bookings should be made through the club secretary of ZS4SRK by visiting www.qsl.net/zs4srk to complete the forms. There is also a link from www.sarl.org.za.
LAST CHANCE TO BOOK FOR PIC PROGRAMMING COURSE
Bookings for the PIC programming course on Saturday 29 January at the SARL National Amateur Radio Centre close on Wednesday afternoon. Get the details from www.sarl.org.za and click on RTA. This will be the only PIC Programming course in Gauteng during 2011.
INNOVATION AND CONSTRUCTION COMPETITIONS CLOSE SOON
Entries for both these competitions close on 31 January 2011. Full details are available from www.amateurradio.org.za.
CONTEST NEWS
The first SARL 80 m Club Contest for 2011 will be held on Wednesday 26 January 2011 starting at 19:30 CAT and ending 1 hour later. This will be a SSB contest using the segments 3 600-3 650 kHz and 3 700-3 775 kHz. The exchange is an RS report and a serial number starting at 001. Stations can participate as a single operator or multi-operator. Find the complete rules on page 20 of the 2011 SARL Contest Manual.
On the weekend of 5 and 6 February, the Antique Wireless Association will host its CW Activity Day. The following weekend, 12 and 13 February, the first leg of the 2011 SARL National Field Day will take place. Find all the rules in the 2011 SARL Contest Manual.
The Port Elizabeth ARS has released the results of the 2010 PEARS HF QSO Party held in early December. 10 unlimited and 1 restricted class log was received.
Unlimited class
1st Wes Wessels, ZS2A, 107 points
2nd Jacques Vermeulen, ZS1WC, 98 points
3rd Otto du Plessis, ZS2Q, 95 points

Restricted Class
Piet Delport, ZR6BVS, 12 points

No logs were received in the Novice and DX classes. Well done to the winners.
PROPAGATION REPORT
Hannes Coetzee, ZS6BZP, reports that the solar activity is still at low levels. Sunspot 1147 persists in the northern hemisphere and a few tiny spots have formed just to the south of it. The effective sunspot number is expected to be less than 20 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 Europe 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 at sunrise and during the afternoons. 15 and especially 20 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
23 January – Last day of the PEARS VHF/UHF Competition.
30 January – Closing date for phase 1 of the construction competition.
26 January – SARL 80 m club competition at 19:30.
5-6 February – CW Activityb day of the Antique Wireless Society.
12-13 Februariy – 1st leg of the SARL National Field Day.
28 February – Offers to host a station at Sun City during IARU Region conference to be in to iaru2011@sarl.org.za.
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 Today 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 Hester van der Walt.
Thank you for listening, 73.
/EX