SARL NEWS SUNDAY 22 SEPTEMBER 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 MHz from Pretoria, with a relay on 7,066 MHz SSB. (Other news readers change to suit).
SILENT KEY
It is with regret we announce the passing of Frank Mercier, ZS6MER, on 6 September 2013 at the age of 82. Well known as the "Gentle Giant", Frank was involved with radio comms during motor and cycle rallies as well as Hamnet events in the Western Cape and Gauteng. He leaves 3 sisters, 4 children and several grandchildren.
Our sincerest condolences to his family and friends.
(PAUSE)
IN THE NEWS TODAY:
SARL UPDATE ON ANTENNA DEFENSE PROJECT
BOOK NOW FOR THE RTA IN CAPE TOWN
BOOK NOW FOR THE RTA IN CAPE TOWN
You are listening to ZS6SRL. Stay tuned for more details on these and other important and interesting items.
SARL UPDATE ON ANTENNA DEFENSE PROJECT
The project is making steady progress. As stated by the SARL legal adviser, Johann Marais, ZS1JM, some time ago, the process is complex and will take a considerable amount of time.
"At one stage we were considering approaching the Minister of Science & Technology to exempt an owner of land from the provisions of the national building regulations in the case of antennas for radio amateurs. The act allows the minister to exempt 'buildings' which include antennas and such exemption can be published in the Government Gazette, however with the recent court cases that relate to 'municipal planning' being the exclusive executive right of local authorities, it would seem that each municipality has the right to determine the 'use' as defined in Zoning Scheme Regulations. It would thus serve little purpose to approach the Minister", Johann Marais told the SARL Council at the recent Council teleconference.
"Moreover the Zoning Schemes are currently regulated by out dated ordinances with the oldest one certainly the 1939 Ordinance for Transvaal Local Governments, Natal (KZN) - The MEC of Western Cape has a new 'Land Use Planning bill' that is currently being redrafted after comments from the public. There is also a new Gauteng Planning and Development Bill that is in the final stages of drafting. There are similar planning bills being drafted in other provinces. These bills would probably come into working within the next 18 to 24 months. It would be advisable to investigate the new planning bills. We need to look at the almost final drafts prior to finishing off our presentation"
"It would probably be very difficult to convince any local MEC, pending the new draft bills, to change the existing ordinances to address the problems that Amateur Radio operators currently face relating to the planning authority with the approval of antennas to be erected in residential areas."
"It should also be apparent that to make any headway at this point in time, we would have to present our case to 9 different MEC's, Johann Marais, ZS1JM, said.
There are many initiatives running in the background, they are however of a sensitive nature and could jeopardise the SARL's position if made public at this time.
In the meantime fundraising to bolster the Antenna Defense fund will continue. For more detail visit www.amateurradio.org.za/adf.htm.
BOOK NOW FOR THE RTA IN CAPE TOWN
The Radio Technology in Action symposium in Bellville on 5 October is the last in the 2013 series. Book now, it is an event not to be missed. Full details of the programme and the booking form are on the web. Visit www.sarl.org.za and follow the link from the home page news section. You can also check the status of your booking, The booking closes on Wednesday 2 October 2013 after which it is only possible to do a walk-in registration that will cost substantially more.
The RTA held in Durban last week was well attended with speakers drawing a great response from the delegates. Thanks to Dave Long, ZS5FR, who made the arrangements and looked after the catering and Laurie Devereux, who with the help of Glenn Duffy, looked after the registration.
YOUR VIDEO ABOUT AMATEUR RADIO CAN WIN BIG
The South African Amateur Radio Development Trust invites amateur videographers to take part in a video competition and compete for some great prizes. Be creative with your camera or even your smartphone. Shoot a short video of an exciting Amateur Radio activity in South Africa and you could win a 5 watt CW MFJ 40 metre transceiver kit valued at R1 300 as well as one of many other prizes, the list is growing daily. The video format can be AVI, WMV or MPEG with a minimum resolution of 320 X 240. The length of the video should be between 3 and 5 minutes. The subject can be anything that illustrates the joy and excitement of amateur radio. Entries should be sent on a CD or DVD. Don't attempt to e-mail it. Send your video to: Amateur Radio Video Competition, P O Box 90438, Garsfontein, 0042. The closing date is 31 December 2013. The winners will be announced early in 2014. Get full details on www.amateurradio.org.za.
OFFICE NEWS
The office of the SARL was closed last week due to the office administrator, Mariska having undergone an eye operation. Mariska SAID that the operation was very successful and the other eye will be done later.
As a result of the closed office, there is no news about new members or club affiliation. These administrative tasks will be updated during this week.
SUMMITS ON THE AIR
Summits on the air or SOTA is 10. To celebrate this and to enable you to participate a few members of the Secunda Amateur Radio Club will try and make it easier for you. Sid, ZS5AYC, Adele, ZS5APT, Christo, ZR6LJK, and Lucas, ZS6ACT, intent to activate some of the summits in the Drakensberg area, SOTA reference ZS/KN-010, ZS/KN-011 and ZS/KN-032 between Saturday 21 September and Sunday 22 September. They will be active from ±9:30 on 7,090 and 14,165 MHz. In the mean time Willie, ZS6WBT, will try to activate Magaliesberg, ZS/NW-001. Please give them a contact and earn for yourself also a few points. Visit www.secradio.org.za/src.php for more information.
SOTA is an international program that encourages amateur radio operation from the summits of hills and mountains. Activators are people who transmit from the summits and chasers are those who contact the activators. SWL's can also participate by logging the QSO's between activators and chasers. For each of the 3 groups there are guidelines and awards. There are more than 300 qualifying summits in the RSA. Every summit represent a certain number of points. Earn your points by logging your contacts at www.sotadata.org.uk/. More information can be found at www.sota.org.uk and the RSA specific information at www.qsl.net/sotasa or contact Lucas at 082 314 3265.
EAST RAND FLEA MARKET
All radio amateurs are invited to the annual Spring Fleamarket hosted by ERB on the 5th October 2013. The fun starts at 12:00. They will be QRV on 145,675 MHz, the East Rand Repeater.
The Venue is Arrowe Park, just off the N12 on Atlas Road, Boksburg/Benoni.
Tables are available at a nominal fee. Food and drink will be available for purchase. They have lots of stuff and MANY good radios for swop.
Contact Hennie Rudman, ZS6RHL, at 083 380 3334 to book your table.
PROPAGATION REPORT
Hannes Coetzee, ZS6BZP, reports that the solar activity is expected to remain at low levels with a number of C-class flares detected around Sunspot 1 850.
If you want to do your own frequency predictions, the expected effective sunspot number for the week will be around 48.
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.
Please visit the new website http://spaceweather.sansa.org.za for further information.
DIARY OF EVENTS
22 September – Drakensberge, Summits on the Air, 7,090 and 14,165 MHz.
25 September – Last day for members interested to assist at the Eskom Young Scientist Expo to contact ZS3TG, Gerhard Coetzee at 082 576 6296 or ZS6YH, Mitchell Mynhardt at 082 773 1980.
25 to 28 September - Eskom Young Scientist Expo at the Birchwood Hotel and Conference Centre Exhibition Hall, Boksburg.
2 October – Last day to register for the RTA in Cape Town, go to www.sarl.org.za.
5 October – East Rand Club flea market at 12:00.
17 October – Radio Amateur Examination.
31 December – Last day to submit amateur radio video; get details from www.amateurradio.org.za.
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 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 George Honiball, ZS6NE.
Thank you for listening, 73.
/EX
