SOUTH AFRICAN RADIO LEAGUE NEWS SUNDAY 10 JANUARY 2016

Good morning and welcome to the weekly news bulletin of the South African Radio League read by ………………………………………… [your name, call sign and QTH]

You can tune into the South African Radio League news bulletin on Sunday mornings at 08:15 Central African Time in Afrikaans and at 08:30 Central African Time in English on HF and on many VHF and UHF repeaters around the country. Echolink listeners can connect to ZS0JPL for a relay. A podcast is available from the League web site.

This audio bulletin can be downloaded from the League website at www.sarl.org.za. You will find this bulletin and previous bulletins in text format under the news link on the left-hand side of the web page. While you are there, you can sign up to receive future bulletins by e-mail.

We start this morning’s bulletin with a silent key.

It is with deep regret that the Boland radio club has to announce the passing away of JacoCloete ZS1JCA on Saturday 2 January 2016. Jaco was in a wheelchair for years after he broke his neck in a diving accident as a young boy. Jaco originally from Durbanville lived in Riversdal the last couple of years. Our sincere condolences to his family and friends.

PAUSE FOR 5 SECONDS



In the news today

THIS COMING WEEKEND THE PEARS NATIONAL VHF AND UHF CONTEST

UNEXPECTED 144 MHZ DX OPENINGS TO REUNION ISLAND ON SSB AND JT65b.

and

DECEMBER WAS YOUTH ON THE AIR MONTH


Stay tuned for more on these and other interesting news items.

**** The two sessions of the PEARS National VHF & UHF Contest will spread out activity over two days and benefit from any changes in propagation. The first session starts at 18:00 CAT on Friday 15th January 2016 until 16:00 CAT on Saturday. The second session commences immediately after 16:00 CAT and ends on Sunday 17th January at 14:00 CAT. It covers the 6m, 4m, 2m, 70cm and 23cm bands on both analogue and digital modes.

Last year Michael Folkey ZR4MF was declared the Grand Overall Analogue winner. Hopefully we will be joined by more Division 5 stations this year. Do watch out for countrywide Tropo Ducting in the early mornings on 50 and 144 MHz and especially at night on 144 MHz. Unexpected Sporadic-E openings could appear during the day, especially around noon for DX from Namibia and Zimbabwe. Also keep an eye on Aircraft scatter during the peak flying times between the main centres. Several field stations will also be active around the country. Good luck with the contest.


**** DX openings from the East Coast to Reunion Island usually occur during September, October and February months on 144 and 432 MHz, but everyone was surprised by a good opening that started on Monday afternoon 5 January 2016 and lasted until the evening. It began with a 144 MHz JT65b digital contact at 14:10 CAT between Phil FR5DN and Dave ZS5DJ at Ramsgate.

The first contact in the evening with Phil was made by Hugo ZS5HV at Durban on JT65b and then SSB. This was followed by a digital contact from Andre ZS2BK at Port Elizabeth, while Lee ZS5LEE struggled a bit to complete his digital contact because he is located about 26 km inland and at 800 metres altitude. All indications are that January month is going to provide some interesting Tropo Ducting this year, as we have already observed improved propagation so far, even across land.


****The ZS9YOTA call sign was active during December and South African youngsters participated in the annual IARU Region-1 December Youngsters On The Air event. Forty two YOTA call signs were active across IARU Region-1 from schools, scout groups, clubs or just used by young radio amateurs under the age of 26 years. The main aim was to get youngsters on the air and to make contact with youngsters all over the world, promoting amateur radio amongst the youth. From Africa there were four countries that participated, Botswana with A2YOTA, Tunisia with 3V8YOTA, Ceuta with EG9YOTA and South Africa ZS9YOTA.

The statistics as they are currently displayed on the IARU website state a total of 82,694 QSOs electronically logged by all participating stations. The ZS9YOTA call sign logged 357 contacts therefore 0.43 % of total contacts made by the 42 participating call signs during December month.

The Sasolburg Radio Club, ZS4SRK, Kempton Park Amateur Radio Technical Society, ZS6KTS, Sandringham Scout Group, ZS6SSG and the ZS6ZU Hammies club participated in this fun event.

Koos ZR6KF would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one who participated in order to make this event a huge success.



You are listening to a news bulletin of the South African Radio League.


****This is the first call for papers for the annual SA AMSAT Space Symposium to be held at the Innovation Hub in Pretoria on Saturday 28 May 2016. A brief synopsis for a proposed paper should be sent to saamsat@intekom.co.za by 31 March 2016. The theme of the conference is "Make Space Sciences your leisure time activity."


****The SA Amateur Radio Development Trust is inviting applicants for two Tony Reumerman Bursaries for students under 25 years old planning to write the May Radio Amateur Examination. Full details and an application form can be found on www.amateurradio.org.za.


****The league received application for membership from Reinhardt Britz ZSL1156. Any objections to league membership must reach the secretary by no later than the Tuesday following this bulletin. Membership of the SARL stands at 1601, plus 43 affiliated clubs.


****In this week’s propagation report Hannes Coetzee, ZS6BZP, reports that the solar activity is expected to be at low levels. None of the currently visible sunspots pose a threat for serious flaring.

If you want to do your own frequency predictions, the expected effective sunspot number for the week will be around 39.

The 20 to 15 m bands will provide lots of DX fun, with some 10 m openings also possible.

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


**** And now for the diary of events

9 and 10 January - Hunting Lions in the Air
10 January - the SARL Youth Net on 7 070 kHz LSB at 15:00 UTC
15 to 17 January - the PEARS National VHF and UHF Contest
23 January - Summer QRP Contest
31 January - The closing date for nomination for Council and the submission of motions for the AGM
6 and 7 February – AWA CW Activity
13 and 14 February – SARL National field day


To end this bulletin, a recap of our main news item this morning.


**** The two sessions of the PEARS National VHF & UHF Contest will spread out activity over two days and benefit from any changes in propagation. The first session starts at 18:00 CAT on Friday 15th January 2016 until 16:00 CAT on Saturday. The second session commences immediately after 16:00 CAT and ends on Sunday 17th January at 14:00 CAT. It covers the 6m, 4m, 2m, 70cm and 23cm bands on both analogue and digital modes.



You are welcome to join us every Sunday morning for the weekly amateur radio magazine program ‘Amateur Radio Today’ at 10:00 Central African Time. The program can be heard on VHF and UHF repeaters countrywide and on 7 082 kHz lower side-band and on 7 205 kHz and 17 760 kHz AM. There is also a podcast available from Dick Stratford, ZS6RO. A rebroadcast can be heard on Monday evenings at 18:30 Central African Time on 3 230 kHz AM.

We welcome your signal reports, comments and suggestions; send these by e-mail to artoday@sarl.org.za. Sentech sponsors the radio transmissions on the non-amateur frequencies.

You have listened to a news bulletin compiled by Etienne Naude, ZS6EFN, edited by Dick Stratford, ZS6RO and read by ______________

From the entire news team, best wishes for the week ahead.

73 and thank you for listening

/EX