SOUTH AFRICAN RADIO LEAGUE NEWS FOR SUNDAY 28 May 2017
Good morning and welcome to the weekly news bulletin of the South African Radio League read by ................ [your name, call sign and QTH]
You may tune in to the South African Radio League news bulletin on Sunday mornings, at 08:15 Local Time in Afrikaans and at 08:30 Local Time in English, on HF as well as on many VHF and UHF repeaters around the country. Echolink listeners may connect to ZS0JPL for a relay. A podcast is available from the League’s web site.
This audio bulletin may be downloaded from the League website at www.sarl.org.za where you will find this as well as previous bulletins in text format under the news link on the left-hand side of the web page. While you are there, you may sign up to receive future bulletins by e-mail.
We start the bulletin this morning with news of a silent key.
It is with regret that the Hibiscus ARC announces the passing of Kees van den Linden, ZS5VDL, on Thursday 25 May 2017 following a heart attack.
We extend our sincere condolences to his family and friends.
PAUSE
In the news today,
SARL DIGITAL CONTEST THIS AFTERNOON
RAE RESULTS AVAILABLE
and
IS AMATEUR RADIO STILL RELEVANT TODAY?
Stay tuned for more information on these and other interesting news items.
SARL DIGITAL CONTEST THIS AFTERNOON
The aim of the South African Radio League Digital Contest is to establish as many contacts as possible between radio amateurs in Southern Africa using PSK31 and RTTY. The contest is open to all radio amateurs in Southern Africa and runs from 13:00 UTC to 16:00 UTC this afternoon. Activity takes place on 80 metres between 3 580 to 3 600 kHz, 40 metres between 7 040 to 7 060 kHz and 20 metres between 14 070 to 14 099 kHz. PSK31 is preferred at the lower end of the specified frequencies and RTTY is preferred at the upper end of the specified frequencies. USB must be used at all times.
A station may be contacted twice on each band once on RTTY, once on PSK31. The exchange is a RST report and a sequential serial number starting at 001. Contacts with stations listed in General Rule 1.b are worth 3 points. Contacts with stations NOT listed in General Rule 1.b are worth 1 point. The first contact with each of the call areas will be used as a band multiplier, there are eight call areas.
Logs, in ADIF, Cabrillo or MS Excel format and labelled "your call sign Digital Contest," must be submitted by 4 June 2017 to contest@sarl.org.za.
RAE RESULTS AVAILABLE
The RAE results are out and have been published on the League website. Congratulations to all the new Amateur Radio operators who were successful in the exam. We look forward to hearing our new Radio Amateurs on the airwaves soon. I would like to thank all the lecturers, invigilators, helpers and the HF assessors who gave up their time to mentor and tutor the candidates. It is your effort, dedication and team work that makes Amateur Radio happen and ensures its success for the future. A big thank you to our SARL administrator Kelley Heslop and to Nick Dreyer, ZS6NCK, for all the help.
IS AMATEUR RADIO STILL RELEVANT TODAY?
Gary Immelman, ZS6YI, asked this question on the Casual Chat Forum. In reply, Henry Chamberlain, ZS1AAZ, stated that NASA has a charter that says that it should have an educational component and they chose amateurs for this purpose. That is why astronauts are often qualified as radio amateurs and there is an amateur radio station aboard the International Space Station. He strongly believes that amateur radio should also have a strong service component, such as (1) Assistance during events such as emergencies and sports events, and (2) in technological education. Henry thinks we have all learnt a lot about radio, propagation, the ionosphere, space communications, physics and maths, to name just a few things through being radio amateurs. However, he feels that amateur radio is not attractive to a large part of the population. So, what can be done to remedy this situation and rekindle interest?
Amateur radio was founded through experiments, exploration and research, which culminated in their discovery of shortwave DX operation. Many radio amateurs, who followed years later, turned amateur radio only into a hobby with the accent on fun, and therefore does not need any change. Amateur radio could become irrelevant if it keeps clinging to the past in a modern world, where radio technology has advanced beyond belief. Modern transceivers are sophisticated new tools, which will enable keen amateurs to explore the unknown bands up to microwaves and make new discoveries. Within a decade or two amateur radio will focus on the manned exploration of space with ultimate settlements on the Moon and planet Mars.
You are listening to a news bulletin of the South African Radio League.
AFRIKAANS BULLETIN READER NEEDED
The SARL News team is in need of an Afrikaans bulletin reader. This person will record the Afrikaans bulletin every third weekend for broadcast on Sunday mornings. This explains why there was no recorded bulletin on Sunday 14 May. If you are interested, please contact Dennis, ZS4BS on zs4bs@netactive.co.za
WEST RAND FLEA MARKET
The West Rand Amateur Radio Club is hosting its next flea market at 12:00 on Saturday 03 June 2017 at their clubhouse in Kroton street, Weltevreden Park in Roodepoort. Everybody is welcome. Bring your surplus and support the vendors on the day. For more information, contact Geoff, ZS6C, on 082 546 5546.
JUNE RADIO ZS
The editor is looking for a suitable photograph for the cover of the June issue of Radio ZS. It must be in portrait and show amateur radio in action. If you still have an article for this issue, you are welcome to submit it. Send your photograph or article to radiozs@sarl.org.za by Tuesday 30 May 2017.
DUTCH AND AUSTRIAN AMATEUR RADIO MAGAZINES
The Editor of Radio ZS regularly receives electronic amateur radio magazines from radio clubs in the Netherlands. If you would like to receive these Dutch magazines, send your e-mail address to radiozs@sarl.org.za
The Austrian national amateur radio society ÖeVSV is one of many who make their magazine available as a convenient PDF. The magazine is in German and you can download copies of QSP from www.oevsv.at/downloads/.
HAMVENTION GETS OFF TO A PROMISING START AT ITS NEW VENUE
Official attendance numbers are not yet in, but Hamvention® 2017 drew a happy and enthusiastic crowd to its new venue at the Greene County Fairgrounds and Expo Centre from 19 to 21 May in Xenia, Ohio. The sponsoring Dayton Amateur Radio Association (DARA) was forced to relocate the event after the dilapidated Hara Arena in Trotwood closed for good last summer. Traffic jams were the order of the day on opening day, however, with those eager to experience Hamvention's first Xenia outing waiting up to 2 hours in traffic. Traffic flow smoothed out on Saturday and Sunday. Heavy rain on Saturday did not dampen spirits, although it made things a bit dicey in the flea market. Ward Silver, N0AX, a Hamvention veteran, gave the show high marks.
PROPAGATION REPORT
Hannes Coetzee, ZS6BZP, reports that the solar activity is expected to be at low levels. The small sunspot that is visible is currently stable. If you want to do your own frequency predictions, the expected effective sunspot number for the week will be around three. The 15 to 30 metre bands will provide lots of DX fun. Please visit the website spaceweather.sansa.org.za for further information.
Finally, a Diary of some upcoming events:
This afternoon - the SARL digital contest
30 May – submit your photo or article for the June Radio ZS
3 June – the West Rand ARC Flea Market
11 June – the Hammies Sprint
17 June - World QRP Day
18 June – Father’s Day
22 to 26 June – the SARL Top Band QSO Party
*** To conclude our bulletin a quick overview of our main news item
The aim of the South African Radio League Digital Contest is to establish as many contacts as possible between radio amateurs in Southern Africa using PSK31 and RTTY. The contest is open to all radio amateurs in Southern Africa and runs from 13:00 UTC to 16:00 UTC on Sunday 28 May 2017. Activity takes place on 80 metres between 3 580 to 3 600 kHz, 40 metres between 7 040 to 7 060 kHz and 20 metres between 14 070 to 14 099 kHz. PSK31 is preferred at the lower end of the specified frequencies and RTTY is preferred at the upper end of the specified frequencies. USB must be used at all times.
Clubs and individuals are invited to submit news items of interest to radio amateurs and shortwave listeners, if possible, in both English and Afrikaans, by following the news inbox link on the South African Radio League web page. News items for inclusion in the bulletin should reach the news team no later than the Thursday preceding the bulletin date.
You are welcome to join us every Sunday morning for the weekly amateur radio magazine programme 'Amateur Radio Today' at 10:00 Central African Time. The programme 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 with a change in frequency from Monday 27 March on 3 230 kHz AM.
We welcome your signal reports, comments and suggestions; please 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 Andy Cairns, ZS6ADY, edited by Dick Stratford, ZS6RO, and read by ..............
From the news team, best wishes for the week ahead.
/EX
