SARL NEWS SUNDAY 05 May 2013
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 via Echolink, connect to ZS0JPL-R.
You can download this bulletin and previous ones from www.sarl.org.za and also subscribe there to receive future bulletins by e-mail.
Your newsreader this morning is (name and call sign), on 145,725 from Pretoria, with relays on 7,066 MHz and 3,695 MHz SSB. (Other news readers change to suit).
SILENT KEYS
It is with regret that it must be announced that the keys of two radio amateurs have become silent. They are:
Des Classen, ZS5CJ,on 28th January following poor health for a considerable time. He leaves his wife Corinne, Son and Daughter Gavin and Sandy and 5 grandchildren.
Des Woods, ZR4DRW, on Sunday 28 April.
Our sincerest condolences to the relatives and friends of the deceased.
(PAUSE)
IN THE NEWS TODAY:
JOIN THE SARL AND GET MAY AND JUNE ON THE HOUSE
SARL COUNCIL
YOUTH WEEK 2014
SA AMSAT SPACE SYMPOSIUM
You are listening to ZS6SRL. Stay tuned for more details on these and other important and interesting items.
JOIN THE SARL AND GET MAY AND JUNE ON THE HOUSE
Join the SARL this week, pay the 2013/2014 rate and get May and June on the house. The rate for full membership is R430 and for seniors R240. A senior member is a person over 65 years of age. To join the SARL, visit www.sarl.org.za or call the office on Monday on 011 675 2393. Full and senior membership includes access to all SARL services such as Radio ZS, the QSL bureau, Members only web access and access to two frequencies in the 5 MHz band and to 472 kHz which are dedicated channels for SARL members who wish to take part in propagation studies.
SARL COUNCIL
In last week's SARLNEWS some councillors were not listed. The full council for 2013/2014 is: President: Rassie Erasmus, ZS1YT, Vice President: Geoff Levey, ZS6GRL, Secretary: Fritz Sutherland, ZS6SF, Treasurer: Riaan Greeff, ZS4PR, Councillors: Hans van de Groenendaal, ZS6AKV, Dennis Green, ZS4BS, Laurie Devereux, ZS5DL, Fred Scheepers, ZS1FCS, Frik Wolff, ZS6FZ, Johann Marais, ZS1JM, Gideon Jannasch, ZS4GJA, Gerhard Coetzee, ZS3TG, and Jaco Le Roux, ZS6PX. Details of the various portfolios and appointees will be available on the web and will be published in the next SARL letter due during this week.
YOUTH WEEK 2014
The SARL is planning to hold a Youth Week in mid February 2014 to coincide with the ARRL School Club Round-up from 11 - 15 February 2014. SARL's newly appointed youth councillor, Gerhard Coetzee, ZS3TG, is looking for input and suggestions on the type of activity young Amateurs in South Africa would like to see included. Send your suggestions to youth@sarl.org.za before the end of May. Your suggestion could win you a lucky dip amateur radio book prize.
60 METRES ALREADY GOING STRONG
The registration for access to 5 MHz and 472 kHz opened on 1 May. A large number of SARL members have already registered to have access to the 5 MHz band. The activity frequency is 5 260 kHz USB and QSO's are taking place across the country. Full details on how to join the activity can be found on www.amateurradio.org.za/propresearch.htm. Reception reports of QSOs heard are also invited. Send your reports to propresearch@sarl.org.za.
All stations operating on 5 260 kHz are requested to include their locator code so that these details can appear in the logs. If you are submitting a SWL report, please include the callsigns, locator code and signal report of both stations.
SA AMSAT SPACE SYMPOSIUM
The early bird registration period for the SA AMSAT Space Symposium to be held at the Innovation Hub in Pretoria on Saturday 18 May is running out this week. Register now and enjoy the lower rate. Full details can be found on www.amsatsa.org.za.
Did you know that OSCAR 7 is the oldest amateur satellite still operating? It was launched in 1979. Eddie Leighton, ZS6BNE, will take delegates on a historical journey in his presentation "living the dreams of our space pioneers.” Deon Coetzee, ZR1DE, will share his experiences developing a 14 MHz receiver to receive signals from the soon to be launched ZACube satellite. The programme is packed with interesting papers to cater for all levels of interest and experiences. All attendees will receive a CD with all the presentations and other interesting material. Want to control antennas, Frik Wolff, ZS6FZ, will tell you all about it. Register now at www.amasatsa.org.za.
SEATTLE WILL HOST THE 32ND DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS CONFERENCE
Digital communications enthusiasts will be heading to the Pacific Northwest of the USA in September for the 32nd annual ARRL/TAPR Digital Communications Conference (DCC), September 20-22, at Cedarbrook Lodge near Seattle, Washington. The ARRL/TAPR DCC is an international forum for radio amateurs to meet, publish their work and present new ideas and techniques. Presenters and attendees will have the opportunity to exchange ideas and learn about recent hardware and software advances, theories, experimental results, and practical applications.
The DCC is for all levels of technical experience - not just the expert. Introductory sessions are scheduled throughout the conference to introduce new technical topics for both beginners and experts. Get more details from www.arrl.org.za. If you are planning a trip to the USA, this is the time to do it!
2013/2014 MEMBERSHIP FEES
At the 2013 AGM the members approved the proposed increase of membership fees. New members are invited to register now and receive May and June membership free. The Treasurer, Riaan Greeff, ZS4PR, has also announced that members may, by prior arrangement, be allowed to make down payments should they find it difficult to pay the full amount. Breaking the payment into 2 to 4 monthly installments eases the financial burden on our members. Installments must be arranged and confirmed by sending an e-mail to admin@sarl.org.za. Members who use this option, are requested to be fully paid up by the end of November, else they may not have voting rights at next year's AGM. The Treasurer challenges the members to convince other non-members to also join the SARL. Should he find that membership has still grown, he will commit to no increase, or even a reduction of membership fees proposal at the 2014 AGM. The financial condition of the SARL is stable and by just having more members, the income will still carry the activities and expected expenses.
APPLICATION OFr. MEMBERSHIP
The SARL has received an application for membership from Ken Gurr, ZS6KN.
CONTEST NEWS
ZS3 Sprint.
The ZS3 Sprint is on the air this afternoon from 14:00 to 15:00 UTC or 16:00 to 17:00 CAT. It is a phone and CW contest on the 40 metre band. The exchange is RS or RST report and provincial or country abbreviation.
ZS3 stations score 1 point for contacts with stations in ZS3 and 2 points for contacts with stations in other ZS call areas or Southern African countries. All other stations score 2 points for a contact with a station in ZS3 and 1 point with a station in their own or other ZS call areas (excluding ZS3) or Southern African countries. Contacts with the Northern Cape ARC, ZS3NC, Namaqualand Aero Sport Association, ZS3FLY, the Sutherland ARC, ZS3OBS, and the Kalahari Karoo ARC, ZS3ARK, are worth 5 points each. Only one contact per station is allowed.
Log sheets must be submitted by 13 May and sent by email to zs3nc@qsl.net. A certificate will be awarded to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place in the competition.
Antique Wireless Association AM/SSB Valve QSO Party:
This is a phone contest held over 2 sessions on Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 May 2013.
On Saturday afternoon 11 May, 15:00 to 19:00 SAST the AM section will be held with Contacts on both the 40 m and 80 m bands.
On Sunday 12 May from 15:00 to 19:00 SAST the SSB section will be held with contacts on both the 40 m and 80 m bands.
Frequencies - 40 metres: 7,053 to 7,100 MHz and 80 metres: 3,603 to 3650 MHz
Exchange - Call sign, RS and consecutive serial numbers starting at 001, plus type of radio used, eg HT37 Tx.
Points scoring: All valve radio - 3 points per contact; Hybrid (valve & solid state) - 2 points per contact; Solid State Radio - 1 point per contact.
Multiplier - All valve radio - 3 points per contact; Hybrid (valve & solid state) - 2 points per contact; Solid State Radio - 1 point per contact.
Certificates will be awarded to the first three places in each category.(AM/SSB) A 10 year anniversary QSL card will also be issued to all who send a QSL with a SASE to the AWA.
All logs to be submitted to:
Southern African Antique Wireless Association, PO Box 12320, Benoryn,1504.
E-mail: andy[dot]cairns[at]xsinet[dot]co[dot]za.
Closing date for log submissions: 31 May 2013.
Please refer to the SARL Contest Manual for any queries.
PROPAGATION REPORT
Hannes Coetzee, ZS6BZP, reports that the solar activity is increasing nicely. The sun is peppered with several large sunspots and AR1731 has an unstable, delta-class magnetic field that harbours enough energy for M-class flares.
If you want to do your own frequency predictions, the expected effective sunspot number for the week will be around 102.
All the bands from 20 to 10 m will provide lots of DX fun with 15 m providing the best openings with 20 m not far behind. There will also be some good 10 m openings on sunlit paths.
Please visit www.spaceweather.co.za for further information.
DIARY OF EVENTS
5 May – This afternoon, ZS3 Sprint 14:00 to 15:00 UTC.
Today onwards – Book for the SA AMSAT annual space symposium in Pretoria at the Innovation Hub on Saturday 18 May 2012, visit www.amsatsa.org.za.
11/12 May -
13 May – Log sheets for ZS 3 sprint to be in to zs3nc@qsl.net.
18 May – SA AMSAT SPACE SYMPOSIUM at the Innovation Hub in Pretoria.
31 May – Last day to submit suggestions on the type of activity young Amateurs in South Africa would like to see included in 2014 Youth Week programme. Send your suggestions to youth@sarl.org.za.
31 May – Last day to submit logs for the Antique Wireless Association AM/SSB Valve QSO Party to andy.carns@xsinet.co.za.
15/16 June – First weekend of International Museums Weekend special event, register your museum station at www.ukradioamateur.co.uk/imw.
22/23 June – Second weekend of International Museums Weekend special event.
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, 7 025, and 17 570 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 16:30 UTC on 3 230 kHz. Reception reports, comments and suggestions are invited. Send an email to artoday@sarl.org.za.
Sentech sponsors the transmissions on the non-amateur frequencies.
You have listened to a bulletin of the South African Radio League compiled and edited by George Honiball, ZS6NE.
Thank you for listening, 73.
/EX
