SARL NEWS - SUNDAY 30 September 2012
You are listening to ZS6SRL, the official radio station of the South African Radio League, the national body for amateur radio in South Africa. The SARL broadcasts 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 'Amateur Radio Today' and follow the links for details. For audio over 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 3,695 MHz SSB. (Other news readers change to suit).
SILENT KEY
The chairman of Region 3 of the International Amateur Radio Union, Michael Owen, VK3KI, passed away on September 22. He was 75 years old. Owen, who was also President of the Wireless Institute of Australia, participated in many IARU committees and was a member of the IARU observer team at a number of World Radio Communication Conferences. He is perhaps best remembered for his work on Article 25 at WRC-03.—Article 25 is a package of revisions to the international radio regulations that are specific to the amateur and amateur-satellite services.
Amateur radio societies around the world have benefited from Owen's enthusiasm and experience; he was passionately involved with the amateur radio service since the 1960s, and served as IARU Vice President from 1989-1999.
"I am very saddened to hear about Michael's sudden passing," IARU President Tim Ellam, VE6SH, said. "I was only speaking to him a few days ago and he was very enthused about leading the IARU Region 3 Conference in Ho Chi Min city in a few weeks. Michael was a good friend and mentor to many of us in IARU. His drafting skills were second to none and his ability to clearly articulate his position on a number of issues was of immeasurable help to us. The IARU is indebted to his work at WRCs and at many regional Asia Pacific Telecommunications meetings.
"I remember working with him at an ITU special committee meeting in 2002. He certainly taught me a great deal about how do advocate at the international level, which helped me greatly when I was elected an IARU officer. Michael was also a brilliant lawyer and well known to many colleagues in the profession around the world. The IARU extends sympathies to his family, IARU Region 3 and WIA. I speak for all of my colleagues when I say he will be very sorely missed."
"Among the assignments that Michael drew at WARC-79 was to draft a resolution to exempt the Amateur-Satellite Service from coordination procedures that otherwise would have bogged us down in endless paperwork and great expense. As an attorney it was just the sort of thing he was good at. His work has stood the test of time, and it remains in effect to this day. No good deed goes unpunished, so in 2003, he was brought back to Geneva as a member of the IARU team to handle the rewrite of Article 25, the rules that apply specifically to the Amateur and Amateur-Satellite Services. That turned out to be as much an exercise in diplomacy as in drafting, but Michael was up to the task.
Michael Owen was a strategic thinker; he saw past short-term pros and cons and could envision how decisions made today would affect the distant future. He also understood that working in the background -- doing one's homework -- was essential to success.
WIA Vice President Phil Wait, VK2ASD, has assumed the role of WIA President. Wait has served as a WIA Director since 2003 and was appointed in WIA Vice President in 2010.
The SARL has extended it condolences to his family and the WIA.
(PAUSE)
IN THE NEWS TODAY:
Last RTA for 2012 held Cape Town yesterday
New Hamnet website
Amateur radio remains at the cutting edge of technology
Jamboree-on-the-air and CQ Hou Koers
Doctorates in Engineering for two radio amateurs
You are listening to ZS6SRL. Stay tuned for more details on these and other important and interesting items.
LAST RTA FOR 2012 HELD CAPE TOWN YESTERDAY
More than 80 persons have attended the Cape Town RTA. A full report on the RTAs will be included in next week's SARLNews.
The SARL has already started planning the dates for next year. The proposed dates are:
Durban RTA on 15 June RTA;
Port Elizabeth RTA on 27 July;
Gauteng RTA on 31 August; and
Cape Town RTA on 5 October.
Clubs are asked to check the dates for possible clashes with other events. Proposals for subjects to be covered are also invited. Please send comments to the web address rta@sarl.org.za Comments on how you experienced the 2012 events are also invited.
NEW HAMNET WEBSITE
In the October issue of the Hamnet bulletin that will be posted early this week, it is announced that Hamnet will launch a Hamnet website on 1 October
This domain has been dormant for many years but thanks to the efforts of Dawie Conradie, ZR6DHC, an initial site has been put together and will obviously grow with time.
This website fills the gap between the SARL website and the well established and popular Facebook site. All links have been incorporated in the website, including some international links.
Do pay us a visit at www.hamnet.co.za
EAST RAND RADIO CLUB’S FLEAMARKET
The East Rand Radio Club's Fleamarket is just around the corner. It will happen on 6 October 2012 from 12:00 till 15:00 at Arrowe Park in Ebeneazer road in Benoni. Please come and enjoy the day with us. Bring all the money you have to spend to make sure you don't miss out on any specials. There will also be boerewors rolls and cold beverages for sale. To book a table for R20 please contact Judy, ZS6JDY, on 079 730 2030. Bring the whole family and all your friends and come and enjoy a great day with us.
HAVE YOU PAID YOUR SUBSCRIPTION?
Membership fees for the SARL were due on 30 June 2012. If you have not renewed yet, please do so without delay. Reminders were posted during the past week. If you are not sure of the amount to pay, please call Mariska at 011 675 2393 on Monday. The SARL needs your support to ensure a strong voice for amateur radio.
AMATEUR RADIO REMAINS AT THE CUTTING EDGE OF TECHNOLOGY
Did you know that on 26 November 2011 at 15:02 UTC the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) successfully launched an Atlas V 541 from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Space Launch Complex 41? It is carrying Curiosity, a 900 kg rover about the size of a small car. It has arrived at the "Red Planet" after a nine month flight. Just over 7 hours after launch at 21:45 UTC the X-band telemetry signal from the MSL was received using the Bochum amateur radio facility, restored and operated by members of AMSAT DL. The signal, received at a distance of 112 000 km, had a spin-modulation of +/- 3.5 Hz with 2 revolutions per minute. This is believed to be the first reception of the MSL outside the official NASA Deep Space Network (DSN) and the USN tracking station at Dongara, Australia.
The 20m dish at Bochum is also used by AMSAT-DL to automatically receive real-time solar data from the NASA STEREO A / B satellites. The data is transmitted to a NOAA server in the USA via the Internet.
Amateur radio still remains the most exciting of all science hobbies.
JAMBOREE-ON-THE-AIR AND CQ HOU KOERS
Scouts and Guides will be participating worldwide in the 55th Jamboree-on-the-Air and 16th Jamboree-on-the-Internet on Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 October 2012. This year's theme is "How big is your world?" JOTA is an annual event in which Scouts and Guides all over the world speak to each other by means of amateur radio contacts. Scouting experiences are exchanged and ideas are shared, over the radio waves.
The Voortrekkers in South Africa and Namibia will be participating in CQ Hou Koers on Saturday 20 October. CQ Hou Koers is an annual event where Voortrekkers have the opportunity to talk by amateur radio with other Voortrekkers from around the country. It is also a chance to practice skills required for badges such as Radio Speech and Radio Amateur. It gives the children exposure to a very interesting technical and scientific hobby that can be stimulating in terms of career choices.
Contact your local Scout Group, Guide Company and/or Voortrekker Commando and start the arrangements for this event. PLEASE do not invite them to your shack; visiting a dentist would be more exciting! Do not be lazy, get out and take your radios on an outing
DOCTORATES IN ENGINEERING:
It is not often that a father and son obtain doctorates in engineering during the same week.
Dr Gary ImmelmanZS6YI and his son Dr Quintin Immelman ZS6IY both acquired doctorates in engineering during the same week, but from different universities.
Gary obtained a Doctoris Technologiae (Honoris Causa) Engineering and Technology from the Vaal University of Technology in Vanderbijlpark and Quintin obtained a Ph.D. Mechanical-Nuclear Engineering degree from North West University in Potchefstroom. The two graduation ceremonies were not planned to fall within the same week, so chance made it at remarkable week to remember.
You may recall that last year this time Gary was recovering from gunshot wounds as a result of a brutal attack at his home on 25 July 2011. He has mostly recovered but still has pain in his right arm and abdomen, but it has not slowed him down at all.
NEW MEMBERS
During the past week Andrew Baxter, G4SIU became a new member of the SARL. Andrew moved to SA from the UK in is obtaining a ZS license. Welcome to Andrew G4SIU.
CLUB NEWS
The Pretoria Amateur Radio Club’s AGM was held on 2012-00-08. There was a very good turnout and many certificates and trophies were awarde. The incumbent chairman was re-elected en several new committee members were added. The portfolios will be allocated at the firs committee meeting.
The committee comprises:
Chairman Pierre Holtzhausen ZS6PJH.
Other elected committee members are: Fritz Sutherland ZS6SF; Jean de Villiers ZS6ARA; Andre van Tonder ZS6BRC; Johan de Bruyn ZS6JDB; Graham Reid ZR6GJR; Vincent Harrison ZS6BTY; Craig Symington ZS6RH; Rudi van Dyk ZS6RVD; Pieter Fourie ZS6CN; Richard Peer ZS6UK. Almero du Pisani ZS6LDP was co-opted.
CONTEST NEWS
SARL 80 m QSO Party. The October leg of this popular contest, hosted by the Durban ARC, will be run on Thursday evening 4 October starting at 17:00 UTC and ending at 20:00 UTC (19:00 to 22:00 CAT). It is a phone only contest using 3603 to 3650 kHz and 3700 to 3800 kHz. The exchange is your call sign, a RS signal report and your name.
Ten (10) points are scored for every contact with a South African station and fifteen (15) points for every contact with a station outside South Africa. Your log submission must be sent to the Durban ARC, 17 Brownlee Place, Bluff, Durban, 4052 or you can send it by e-mail to zs5lp@vodamail.co.za . It must reach them by 19 October 2012.
PROPAGATION REPORT
Hans, ZS6AKV, reports that two C class flares have been detected. Geomagnetic conditions are at quiet levels. Local HF working frequencies range from unstable to ‘elevated from monthly average predicted values’. Try 10 and 15 metres, propagation may surprise you.
Active area 1582 has the potential for M-class flaring due to its growing magnetic configuration. The outlook is that most active areas visible on the solar disk have simple magnetic configurations. Active areas 1575, 1579, and 1582 may have the chance of minor flare activity. Solar flare activity is expected to be low to moderate over the weekend. Visit www.spaceweather.co.za for up-to-date information
DIARY OF EVENTS
3 October - Log sheets for the SARL 80 m club championship competition to be in to zs4bfn@netactive.co.za.
4 October - SARL 80 m QSO-party. 17:00 UTC to 20:00 UTC
5 October - Nominations for MTN sponsored SAARDT awards to be in to saardt@intekom.co.za.
9 October - Heritage Day Sprint logs to be in to riaanzs4pr@gmail.com and a copy to fwolff@global.co.za.
20 October -Jjamboree-on-the-air and CQ Hou Koers
SARL News invites clubs and individuals to submit news items of interest to radio amateurs and short-wave 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 17 760 kHz. There is also a podcast by ZS6RO. For a web-stream and Echolink by ZS6FCS, visit www.sarl.org.za, click on 'Amateur Radio TODAY', go down the green column and click on 'LISTEN ON THE WEB'. A repeat transmission can be heard on Mondays at 17:30 UTC on 3 230 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 Martin Schwella, ZS4MS, and edited by Fritz Sutherland ZS6SF.
Thank you for listening, 73.
/EX
