SARL NEWS SUNDAY 2 FEBRUARY 2014
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 KEYS
We are sad to announce the passing away of Ron Schneider, ZS1 VT, on Wednesday 29 January 2014. We convey our sympathy to his relatives and friends.
It is with deep regret that it must be announced that the key of Wellem Slier, ZS1ZM became silent on 21 January 2014 at the age of 91.
We extend our sincere condolences to his family and friends.
(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
ICASA EXTENDS CLOSING DATE TO RENEW AMATEUR LICENSES
NEXT INTECNET TO EXPLORE YOUTH IN AMATEUR RADIO
RADIO AMATEURS RECEIVE ROSETTA SIGNALS
You are listening to ZS6SRL. Stay tuned for more details on these and other important and interesting items.
ICASA HAS EXTENDED ACCESS TO THE 5 MHZ
ICASA has extended access to SARL members to the 5 MHZ band for another month while a more comprehensive proposal is under consideration at the ICASA Council. SARL members will continue to have access to 5250 and 5260 kHz
ICASA EXTENDS CLOSING DATE TO RENEW AMATEUR LICENSES
The closing date for form B is 28 February 2014. Failing to do so will result in cancellation of the license. Download the Government Gazette and form B from www.sarl.org.za .
This applies to all amateur radio licenses including repeaters and beacons. ICASA will not send you an invoice if you have not indicated that you wish to renew your amateur radio license. Do not just go and pay your license fee at the post office. First complete and send ICASA form B with your details. This is also an opportunity to renew your license for 5 years at a discounted rate. Please take this announcement serious and do not lend you ears out to people that seems to know better and tell they did not do this last year. This is an ICASA requirement. Read this Gazette!
NEXT INTECNET TO EXPLORE YOUTH IN AMATEUR RADIO
Where are the young people - confirm your participation now!
The next INTECNET will be held on Tuesday 11 February at 19:30 as part of the SARL Youth week. Young radio amateurs are invited to join a debate on why they choose to become a radio amateur and what they think should be done to attract more young people into the hobby.
Intecnet will be carried on repeaters in Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and Pretoria, as well as on echolink. If you are a young radio amateur put your name forward to be selected to be part of the panel. Send a mail to artoday@sarl.org.za with your contact details and we will call you to finalise arrangements for linking you up.
AMATEUR RADIO BOOKS
The South African Amateur Radio Development Trust has a number of amateur radio books available which were brought into South Africa from the ARRL when the Rand was still below R10 to the US Dollar. New consignments will be much more expensive. You can find a list of books stocked locally on www.amateurradio.org.za, select the books button. The Antenna Book is now out of stock and will be available again in March estimating that at the current rate of the Rand it will cost approximately 25% more.
Check the website first before ordering. All orders received up to 10 February will be mailed on 12 February.
RADIO AMATEURS RECEIVE ROSETTA SIGNALS
Two hams have successfully heard signals from the European Space Agency's Rosetta comet seeking probe. The first was James Miller, G3RUH. He reports reception of Rosetta as it was at a distance of some 500 million miles from Earth. Miller accomplished this feat using the 20 metre dish at the United Kingdoms Bochum amateur radio facility. His receiving of the Rosetta signal took place on Tuesday, January 21st at 09:34 UTC. Also successful in hearing Rosetta was Bertrand Pinel, F5PL, located near Castelnaudary, France. He tracked Rosetta also on January 21st at 10:00 UTC. In his case F5PL accomplished this amazing space listening DX using only a 3.5 meter dish.
Rosetta's mission will be to first fly a series of observational manoeuvres of comet 67P before dropping a probe onto its icy surface in November. That lander will dig up samples and analyse them with its on-board instruments and radio the results back to the researchers here on Earth.
HAMNET GAUTENG SOUTH 2014
All HAMNET members and interested parties in the Gauteng area are invited to join the HAMNET GS meetings that are kicking off for 2014.
The next meeting is scheduled for 6 February 2014 at 19:00 - 21:00 at the 9th Benoni Scout Hall in Ebenezer Street in Benoni. It is just off Atlas Road at the Homestead Dam in Benoni.
For more information please contact either Chris ZS6COG on zs6cog@gmail.com or Glynn ZS6GLN on zs6gln@gmail.com
LEAGUE NEWS
MEMBERSHIP APPLICATIONS
Applications for membership of the SARL have been received from the following persons:
ZS6MAL , Malcolm de Beer;
ZS6AC , JR Cilliers;
ZS6CRW , Craig Woods;
ZS1AD , Andries Duvenhage;
ZSL1075, Ampie Pistorius;
ZSL1076, Wynand Cronje;
ZSL1077, Shaun Simpson;
ZSL1078, Karel van Niekerk;
ZSL1079, Vinodh (Raj) Bisnath;
ZSL1080, Hendrik Wessels;
ZSL1081, Frans Pienaar;
ZSL1082, Dave Olwagen.
Objections against the acceptance of the applications must reach the Secretary before or on the Tuesday after this bulletin.
The SARL member count is now 1680.
VHF REPEATERS IN MPUMALANGA
Frik ZS6FZ, the SARL's VHF Manager, appointed Piet Badenhorst, ZS6G, to compile a report on the state of amateur radio repeaters in Mpumalanga, after Piet volunteered for the job.
Piet requests that all clubs and individuals in Mpumalanga that are involved with amateur radio repeaters or has information pertaining to repeaters, contact him by email and give him the information.
After completion of the report, the SARL will communicate with the interested parties to discuss the extension of the repeater network in Mpumalanga. The information required, is:
. The repeaer's position (coordinates where available);
. The frequency;
. The repeater's output power (if available);
. The license number for the repeater (if available);
. The club or organisation responsible;
. Contact details for the club or organisation;
. Information about any UHF links between repeaters;
. Any other information regarding the repeater that may prove useful.
Information is to be sent to Piet ZS6G as soon as possible, at email address mprepeaters@gmail.com with a copy to repeaters@sarl.org.za
The SARL would like to thank those who already submitted information. Piet reported that he had very positive feedback.
CLUB NEWS
OVERBERG AMATEUR RADIO CLUB AGM
Over the weekend 8/9 February, the Overberg Amateur Radio Club will be holding their AGM at the same time as the SARL Field Day Competition. This will be at the QTH of John, ZS1DI, and Judy, ZS1JEG, at Stanford.
We will be trying to make up for being rained out in November. There are camping and braai facilities. The AGM will start at 10:00. This is a "bring and braai" and we please ask that you bring a few pieces of wood. There will be a boot sale, a fox hunt and a demo of small radio control boats. The AWA will be having a mini - expo of the old valve radios and operating some of them. There is a possibility of boat trips on the river as well.
Visitors are welcome. For further information you can contact Sam, ZS1OR, at 028-3161470 or John, ZS1DI, at 083-6096083.
CONTEST NEWS
AWA CW ACTIVITY
This afternoon, Sunday 02 February, you can participate in the AWA CW Activity from 13:00 UTC to 17:00 UTC. The frequencies to use are 14 000 to 14 060 kHz; 7 000 to 7 040 kHz; 3 510 to 3 560 kHz and you can participate in one of four categories - a)Single Operator All Band, Low Power, b) Single operator All Band, QRP, c) Single Operator Single Band, Low Power or d) Single operator Single band, QRP. The exchange is a RST report, operators name and Grid Square locator. Contacts count 1 point for low power and 2 points for QRP. Logs must be submitted by 17 February to andyzs6ady@vodamail.co.za
SARL NATIONAL FIELD DAY
The February leg of the National Field Day takes place from 10:00 UTC on Saturday 8 February to 10:00 UTC on Sunday 9 February with phone, CW and digital activity on 160, 80, 40, 20, 15 and 10 metres. The exchange is a RS or RST report, number of transmitters, class of participation and provincial abbreviation.
You can participate as a multi-operator field station, a multi-operator, field station, QRP, a single operator field station, a single operator field station, QRP, an ultra light portable station or a general station. The scoring is based on the total number of QSO points multiplied by the power multiplier multiplied by the number of provinces worked multiplied by the class multiplier.
The closing date for log submissions is 17 February and logs must be sent by e-mail to zs4bfn@netactive.co.za. A photo or photos of the station in action must accompany every log entry. These photos will be used for Radio ZS and other SARL publications.
SARL VHF/UHF CONTEST
The February leg of the SARL VHF/UHF Contest takes place from 10:00 UTC on Saturday 8 February to 10:00 UTC on Sunday 9 February with SSB, FM, CW and digital activity on 6, 4 and 2 metres, 70 and 23 centimetres. The exchange is the call signs, signal report and six-digit grid locator and the QSO must be fully two-way. All the exchange information shall be copied at the time of the QSO.
You can take part as a Base Station, a Field Station, a Club / Multi operator station, a rover station or a 4 hour limited category station. Points are calculated as one (1) point per km to a maximum of 1 500 km. All kilometre calculations are to be made using the "Maidenhead" grid locator system.
Log sheets shall be submitted by 17 February to contest@sarl.org.za
Find all the rules for these three contests in the 2014 SARL Contest Manual.
YOUTH SPRINT
This is a fun activity to celebrate the Youth and to promote contacts between young radio amateurs in Southern African countries. Call "CQ Youth Day" on Saturday 15 February 2014 from 10:00 to 12:00 local time. The exchange is a RS report and the operator's age. It is a phone sprint on the 40-metre band (7 063 to 7 100 and 7 130 to 7 200 kHz)
Log sheets and summaries shall be submitted within 7 days after the contest and must be sent to youthsprint@sarl.org.za. The closing date for log submissions is 22 February 2014. The age of the operator must be shown on the summary sheet. All the logs received will be entered into a draw for a Student Membership of the SARL and many other prizes. Listen to SARL News next week for more details. Visit www.hamradio.org.za for more details Is your club facilitating young people?
HF PROPAGATION REPORT
Hannes Coetzee, ZS6BZP, reports that the expected solar activity will be at moderate levels. Sunspot AR1967 has a "beta-gamma-delta" magnetic field that harbours enough energy for X-class solar flares.
If you want to do your own frequency predictions, the expected effective sunspot number for the week will be around 100.
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.
Please visit the website spaceweather.sansa.org.za for further information.
DIARY OF EVENTS
31 Jan – 2 February – ZS1SKR from Diaz Festival in Mossel Bay
2 February – AWA CW Activity
8 – 9 February – SARL National Field Day
8 – 9 February – SARL VHF/UHF Competition
11 February – Intecnet on Youth involvement in amateur radio
14 February – Closing date for nominations of SARL Awards
15 February – Youth sprint
17 February – Closing date for logs of AWA CW Activity
22 February – Closing date for logs of Youth sprint
28 February - Closing date for Youth Essay Competition
28 February - Closing date to submit proposals for educational payload on Kletskous
15 March - Last day to submit proposals for papers for the 2014 SA AMSAT space symposium to saamsat@intekom.co.za
The 2014 SARL Diary of Events is available for download from www.sarl.org.za. Get a copy and keep it handy in your radio shack.
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
