SARL NEWS SUNDAY 22 DECEMBER 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

We are sorry to announce the passing of R.J. 'Tim' Hughes, G3GVV on Friday 13th December at the age of 95.

Tim was RSGB President in 1972 and leader of the RSGB delegation at Region 1 Conferences before serving as IARU Region 1 Secretary for many years.

He was highly thought of in IARU circles, especially during Region 1 Conferences where his precise and clear English pronunciation was appreciated by those for whom English was not their mother tongue.

(Silence)

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).

IN THE NEWS TODAY:

MESSAGE FROM THE SARL PRESIDENT
ICASA EXTENDS THE SARL 5 MHZ LICENSE
2014 WRTC REFEREES APPOINTED
PROGRESS OF ZS9MADIBA SPECIAL EVENT STATION

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

MESSAGE FROM THE SARL PRESIDENT

As we are approaching the end of 2013 with the speed of radio waves, I would just like to wish all our members and friends a wonderful and enjoyable festive season.

To the SARL council, to the council appointees and NARC staff a great thank you for all the hard work during this year. Thank you to all members for your loyalty and support in 2013.

May we all reunite on the radio waves during 2014 and continue having fun with this most scientific hobby of all.

I would like to leave you with this following quote: (Author unknown) “Never forget to be thankful for the blessings you have received, especially for the gifts given to you.
Be content with what you have because others may not have it as good as you.
Spread humility, joy and love this Festive Season”.

Greetings to all!

Rassie Erasmus, ZS1YT.

ONE YEAR LICENSE APPLICATIONS

Radio Amateurs who hold only a one-year license are reminded to complete form B and mail it to ICASA. This also applies to repeaters, beacons and club call sign licences. When re-applying for a license, apply for 5 years, it save money and the problems of having to reply each year. Full details and from B can be found on www.sarl.org.za

ICASA EXTENDS THE SARL 5 MHZ LICENSE

ICASA has extended the SARL 5 MHz license till the end of January 2014. This follows SARL application for ICASA to review the license and grant facilities up to at least the start of the WRC 2015. Currently the SARL holds a pilot license for 5 250 and 5 260 kHz. While the SARL applied for extension of the license for a further period it also appealed to the Chairperson of ICASA, Dr Stephen Mnube, to consider issuing the SARL with a long term authority to use these two frequencies to continue propagation research till at least the WRX15 conference.

The SARL is currently analysing the results of the special weekend 5 MHz activity event held in early November. The winner of the lucky draw is Barry Newton ZS2NF. Congratulations The first study using the SANSA ionosonde network has been published and is available for download from www.sarl.org.za, click on propagation research and follow the links.


ANOTHER REMINDER THAT ENTRIES IN THE VIDEO COMPETITION WILL CLOSE SOON

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 5watt CW MFJ 40 metre transceiver kit valued at R1300 as well as one of many other prizes. 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. Entries post stamped 31 December will be accepted till 15 January. The winners will be announced early in 2014. More details on www.amateurradio.org.za

ON OUR WAY TO WINTER AGAIN

Winter and summer solstices in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres respectively, occurred on December 21 (yesterday): at 17:11 UTC. So we are now past the middle of summer and on our way to winter again.

2014 WRTC REFEREES APPOINTED

The World Radiosport Team Championship (WRTC) is held every four years and consists of 50+ two-person teams of amateur radio operators from around the world competing in a test of operating skill. Unlike most on-the-air competitions, all stations are required to use identical antennas from the same geographic region, eliminating all variables except operating ability.

A referee will be on site at each of the 59 competing stations to verify compliance with the rules and make decisions on any rule questions by the teams. The referees must be top-level contesters because they must simultaneously listen to the audio from both operators for the entire 24 hours of the WRTC2014 competition, which takes place in July 2014 in the USA.

There were 143 applications received. The selection process considered many factors, including geographical areas, language skills and SO2R ability. The SARL congratulates Bernie van der Walt, ZS4TX, and Chris Burger, ZS6EZ, who were selected to the group of 59 referees. Well done Bernie and Chris.

AMATEURRADIO IN AKSIE

The "Amateurradio in Aksie" team is currently busy planning a new series of the program to be broadcast during 2014, however we need your input. Without the input of out fellow Afrikaans speaking amateurs the program just can not continue. Please send us your suggestions on what you would like to hear in this program. If you are up to it, why not produce an insert for inclusion in the program.

We would like to continue with the program but, just like with the Afrikaans news bulletin, it is not possible without your help. We would like to hear from you. Please send us your contributions and suggestions to aria@amateurinaksie.co.za

LEAGUE NEWS

PROGRESS OF ZS9MADIBA SPECIAL EVENT STATION

The ZS9MADIBA call sign went on the air just before 21:00 on the 11th December 2013. It has been a very popular DX callsign with massive pileups whenever it was spotted on the clusters.

On behalf of the SARL I would like to express our thanks to all the operators who have given up their time to operate this special call sign. You have really gone the extra mile.

As at 09.40 on the 20th December, the ZS9MADIBA statistics are as follows:

7783 QSOs, 1953 QSLs (LoTW)which is fantastic only after 9 days of being on the air.

The DXCC standings (confirmations) at the moment are as follows: 100 confirmations (entities) count for a DXCC Mixed - 78 CW - 64 Phone - 44 Digital - 57

We are still looking for more operators,(SARL members) so if you would like to join the fun please send an email to zs9madiba@gmail.com.

The ZS9MADIBA call sign will be on the air until 11th January 2014

HF PROPAGATION REPORT

Hannes Coetzee, ZS6BZP, reports that the solar activity is at moderate levels. There is a possibility of M-class solar flares.

If you want to do your own frequency predictions, the expected effective sunspot number for the week will be around 85.

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 may even be some 6 m openings during the early evenings.

Please visit the website spaceweather.sansa.org.za for further information.


DIARY OF EVENTS

31 December - Last day to submit amateur radio video
18 January 2014 – SARL@Home
28 February 2014 - Closing date for Youth Essay Competition.

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 17 760 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 16:30 UTC on 4 895 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