SARL NEWS SUNDAY 9 JUNE 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.

SILENT KEY

It is with sorrow that we announce the death of Kallie Ellis, ZS6BQ. He passed away on Friday 7 June in a hospital in Pretoria after a long fight against cancer. He leaves behind 3 sons and a daughter.

Your news reader 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).

IN THE NEWS TODAY:
FIRST RTA HEADS TO PORT ELIZABETH
RADIO AMATEURS CAN CONTRIBUTE TO SCIENCE
BETTER OUTLOOK FOR AMATEUR RADIO IN GHANA

You are listening to ZS6SRL. Stay tuned for more details on these and other important and interesting items.

FIRST RTA HEADS TO PORT ELIZABETH

The South African Radio League will hold the first of the new season of Radio In Action Symposiums in Port Elizabeth, hosted by the Port Elizabeth Amateur Radio Society at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, on Saturday 27 July 2013.

The theme of the RTA is "Amateur Radio Embraces Digital". The programme features amongst others a follow up on Software Defined Radio, taking it to the next level with an easy to build VFO. Other topics include a Practical approach to antennas for the HF, Operating your HF station remotely from the office and how to get the most from a multi meter. The SDR VFO kit, as well as a CD with the presentations, videos and other articles of interest will be available at the event.

The full programme and booking details will be available on the SARL website from later next week. Also stay tuned to SARL News for regular updates and information. Your action right now is to get the date into your diary and if you are from areas surrounding Port Elizabeth start making travel arrangements and arrange lift clubs. The RTA is an amateur radio event not to be missed.

BURSARY STUDENTS PASS THE RAE

All three students who received bursaries from the SA Amateur Radio Development Trust, Tony Reumerman bursary fund, passed the recently held class A examination. They are Karel Bezuidenhout ZR6K, Michelle Taylor ZS1MMT and Nicole Taylor, ZS1NCT. Congratulations. Besides their bursary of R1000 they will also receive a copy of the ARRL book "Basic Antennas"

The Trust has extended the bursary scheme and will be offering two bursaries to young people under the age of 25 for the October examination. Full details are available on the web at www.amateurradio.org.za. The closing date for bursary applications is 30 July, 2013

CONTESTING EXPLAINED

Join Geoff Levey ZS6GRL at the SARL@HOME event net Saturday morning, 15 June at the National Amateur Radio Centre at Radiokop, Roodepoort . Geoff will talk about contesting and show you how to join fun events. Contesting is really easy and great fun when you know what it is all about. Geoff promises to take the lid of contesting.

Join at the NARC from 10:00 am next Saturday. The event is free of charge to SARL members and R50 for non-members. Refreshments will be served. To help with catering arrangements, please let us know you are attending. Call 011 675 2393 or send mail to admin@sarl.org.za

RADIO AMATEURS CAN CONTRIBUTE TO SCIENCE

The ARRL published a new book called Radio Science for the Radio Amateur. The 190 page book explores and explains the often profound differences between science and technology, and dispels the notion that we know all there is to know about radio. Using a fresh, playful approach, Author Eric Nichols, KL7AJ, will guide you through some of the most fascinating "nooks and crannies" of the radio universe. Along the way, you'll find out how solving long-standing mysteries of radio, of which there are still many, doesn't require expensive hardware, but merely a scientific mind-set and attention to detail. The book is now available in South Africa. To order visit www.amateurradio.org.za

BETTER OUTLOOK FOR AMATEUR RADIO IN GHANA

The first Amateur Radio Administration course, aimed at bringing together operators, industry experts and other relevant bodies to exchange experiences and best practices in the field, is underway in Accra. The weeklong workshop is being organised by the National Communication Authority (NCA) in partnership with the International Telecommunication Union and the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU).

Speaking at the opening session, Mr Paarock VanPercy, Director General of the NCA underscored the importance of amateur radio operations, saying they had contributed immensely in the fields of science, engineering, industry and social services. He advised Senior High Schools, polytechnics and universities to apply for licenses from the NCA to expose students to amateur radio operations for research.

He also said the Ghana Police Service, Immigration Service, Armed Forces and the National Disaster Management Organisation should consider this as an important tool in disaster recovery activities, especially as a backup for other communication modes which may be disabled in serious disasters. He announced that, the NCA would soon publish the syllabus for the amateur radio examination and clearly outline modalities for the examination.

Mr Hans Blondeel Timmerman PB2T, President of IARU, said amateur radio operations provided technical career opportunities as well as leisure-time and research activities. He was optimistic that, the workshop would build the capacity of participants who would in turn actively engage the youth in the technology for development.

VHF AMATEURS MISSING

There was a time when there were many reports about VHF activities on the SARL VHF Forum and more than a hundred amateurs would read a new post, or interesting news could appear on the VHF Mailman list. Ever since the heavy rains last year there was a noticeable drop in VHF activity. Is this another "Mayan" prediction of the end of the radio amateur world and it disappearing like the dodo? Hopefully not!

There are many dedicated and highly experienced VHF old-timers out there and we need your input to encourage the younger generation to carry on where you left off, and advance amateur radio into the future world of SDR type equipment, digital data/voice modes and space communications. There is an exciting new world of amateur radio waiting out there for the computer literate young radio amateurs, and many new discoveries to be made in the VHF, UHF & Microwave spectrum.

LEAGUE NEWS

SARL MEMBERSHIP
Applications for membership of the SARL have been received from the following persons:
Billy Strumpher (ZS6WPS)
Jose Rosa (ZS6JRR)
Michael Beukman (ZR6MCB)

Any objections against the acceptance of the applications must reach the Secretary before or on the Tuesday after this bulletin.

A HISTORIAN NEEDED FOR THE SARL

The SARL has now been in existence for nearly a century and there are very few people left alive who remember the early days.

From time to time, some interesting material from the early days is brought to the attention of Council. Undoubtedly there are many members still in possession of such historical material, maybe inherited from family members or older amateur friends who passed away.

Although Council realises the value of such material and would like to preserve it for future generations, there is, at present, nobody available to do this. There is no council appointee for the job, no system and no archive or museum. Valuable material is lost because there is no systematic way of collecting and preserving it.

The SARL Council is asking for a volunteer or volunteers who can fulfil this function for the the League. If you are interested, please send an email to the Secretary (secretary@sarl.org.za) or to the President (rassie@snowisp.co.za) and an SARL councillor will contact you. If you know of a member who may be willing to do this, send his name to the Secretary, who will contact him.

This is a very real need - please do not hesitate to volunteer.

CLUB NEWS

COMMUNICATION FOR THE PRESIDENTS TROPHY AIR RACE
Amateurs from South Cape Amateur Radio Club (SCARC) in conjunction with Port Elizabeth Radio Society (PEARS) provided communication for the Presidents Trophy Air Race that was held in the Klein Karoo with Oudtshoorn airport as the starting and ending point. The event was held over the two days Friday 24th May and Saturday 25th May 2013. Pictures of the event can be found on www.zs1skr.org.za.

The operation was also a good exercise for being able to provide emergency communication as a field station for a period of time.

CONTEST NEWS

ZS4 SPRINT
The ZS4 Sprint is on the air today, Sunday 9 June 2013 from 14:00 to 15:00 UTC. This is a fun activity to promote contacts between radio amateurs in the Free State and radio amateurs in Southern African countries. The Sprint is a phone and CW contest on the 40-metre band. The exchange for ZS4 stations is a RS(T) report and town name or abbreviation. For all other stations it is a RS(T) report and provincial or country abbreviation. The ZS4 Sprint is on the air this afternoon from 16:00 to 17:00 CAT. It is a phone and CW contest on 40 metres. The top scoring member of the Bloemfontein ARC will win the ARRL Book "Small Antennas for Small Spaces."

AWA Valve QSO Party
Here is the results of the AWA Valve QSO Party held on 11 and 12 May. There were 42 stations active during the AM QSO party but only eight logs were received.

1st Jerry, ZS6BTL - 201 points
2nd Rad, ZS6RAD - 195 points
3rd Koos, ZS6BFD - 129 points

There were 87 stations active on SSB, but only 10 logs were received.

1st Jerry, ZS6BTL - 459 Points
2nd Rad, ZS6RAD - 308 Points
3rd Hennie, ZS6HAV - 210 Points

Our congratulations to those who scored the highest points and thanks to all who participated. Certificates will be in the mail soon.

WORLD QRP DAY
On Monday 17 June, it is World QRP Day. Switch off the amplifier, turn down the power on your rig and try QRP power. How many kilometres per watt can you achieve. You will be amazed at what you can achieve with QRP.

The SARL Top Band QSO Party is a fun activity to promote contacts on 160 metres between radio amateurs in Southern African countries and to encourage radio amateurs to apply for the SARL Top Band Award.

The QSO Party runs from 00:00 UTC on Thursday 20 June 2013 to 00:00 UTC on Monday 24 June 2013, with phone from 1 840 - 1 850 kHz and CW activity from 1 810 - 1 838 kHz. Each station can be worked once per mode i.e. once on Phone and again with CW.

The exchange is a RS(T) report and provincial or country abbreviation. Following the QSO, the station must change the dial frequency by at least 2 KHz for the next QSO, unless a period of 10 minutes has lapsed between contacts. The frequency of each QSO must be shown on the log sheet. The event is open to all licensed amateurs that have access to the 160 metre band.

Each contact will count three (3) points. Bonus Points: Each South African call area and each DXCC country worked will be awarded with five (5) additional bonus points. Total Score = (Total QSO points) and (Bonus points). Log sheets must be submitted by 1 July to contest@sarl.org.za.

Scoring - For ZS4: Contacts with stations in ZS4 are worth 1 point and contacts with stations in other ZS call areas or Southern African countries are worth 2 points. For other stations: Contacts with stations in ZS4 are worth 2 points and contacts with stations in own or other ZS call areas (excluding ZS4) or Southern African countries are worth 1 point.

Contacts with the Bloemfontein ARC, ZS4BFN, Vrystaat Radioklub, ZS4B, the Welkom Radio Club, ZS4WRC, and the Sasolburg ARC, ZS4SRK is worth 5 points each, only one contact per station is allowed. ZS4BFN will be active around 7 130 kHz and ZS4B around 7 150 kHz.

Log sheets must be submitted by 17 June by e-mail to riaanzs4pr@gmail.com with a copy to fwolff@global.co.za. A certificate will be awarded to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place in the competition.

HF PROPAGATION REPORT

Hannes Coetzee, ZS6BZP, reports that the solar activity is expected to be at low levels. There are currently four numbered sunspot regions on the solar disk. New sunspot AR1765 is growing rapidly but does not yet pose a thread for strong flares.

If you want to do your own frequency predictions, the expected effective sunspot number for the week will be around 45 with an unsettled geomagnetic field.

All the bands from 20 to 10 m will provide lots of DX fun with 20 m providing the best openings with 15 m not far behind. There will also be some 10 m openings on sunlit paths.

Please visit www.spaceweather.co.za for further information.

DIARY OF EVENTS

9 June - ZS4 Sprint is on the air from 14:00 to 15:00 UTC
15 June - first SARL@HOME event at the National Amateur Radio Centre
15/16 June - First weekend of International Museums Weekend special event, register your museum station at www.ukradioamateur.co.uk/imw.
17 June – Due date for ZS4 Sprint log sheets
20-24 June – QSO Party runs from 00:00 UTC on Thursday 20 June 2013 to 00:00 UTC on Monday 24 June.
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, 7 205, and 17 660 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. The website also lists various other retransmissions. 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 Louis Kirstein, ZS1LK.

Thank you for listening, 73.

/EX