SOUTH AFRICAN RADIO LEAGUE NEWS FOR SUNDAY 24 SEPTEMBER 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's 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.

SILENT KEYS:
It is with sadness and regret that we learned this week of the recent passing of Geoff Tyler, ZR1GFT. Geoff was a retired electronics instructor at the Simonstown navy base and long-time friend of the late Bud ZS1B. The two of them were instrumental in the first light house weekend operations at the Green Point lighthouse 20 years ago.

We also have learned of the passing of Adriaan Jacobus Naude Vermaak ZS6DBD ON THE 09TH September 2017.

Our sincere condolences go to the families and friends.
(Pause)


In the news, today:
DENNIS ZS4BS RECEIVES IARU AWARD
MAGALIES RADIO CLUB NEW COMMITTEE ELECTED



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

DENNIS GREEN ZS4BS AWARDED IARU MEDAL:
At the IARU R1 gala dinner held in Germany, Dennis Green ZS4BS was awarded the IARU Region1 Medal for his contribution to the IARU as secretary of the Region for two terms.. The award was presented by IARU Region1 President, Don Beattie. Congratulations Dennis.

MAGALIES AMATEUR RADIO CLUB ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING:
At the Magalies Radio Club AGM which was held on the 16th September 2017, the following committee was elected:

a. President : Thys Maree, ZS6MJM

b. Vice President: Chris van Eeden, ZS6CVE
c. Secretary: Irene Myburgh, ZS6IEA

d. Treasurer: Pieter Myburgh, ZS6PAM

e. Bulletin co-ordinators: Kallie Swanepoel, ZS6KCS;
Helgard Honiball, ZS6HON and
Richard Peer, ZS6UK.

f. Teenspanning (Newsletter) : Peter Spickett, ZS6SP

g. Technical : Brian Jacobs, ZS6YZ

h. Social : Pieter Fourie, ZS6CN

i. Additional member : Kleingert Horn, ZS6HRN


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

CONTEST BLUE BOOK:
It is that time of the year where we need to start looking at the contests for next year so that the "Blue Book" can be updated.

If anyone has suggestions for changes / improvements to the present contests please send an email to contest@sarl.org.za detailing the suggestions or changes.


PROPAGATION REPORT
Hannes Coetzee, ZS6BZP, reports that the solar activity is expected to be at low levels. None of the visible sunspots poses a threat for strong solar flares.

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

The 15 to 30m bands will provide lots of DX fun with some 10m openings also possible.

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



Finally, a Diary of some upcoming events:

30 September – East Rand Club AGM
05 October – SARL 80m QSO Party
07 October – ERB Flea Market
07 October - SARL Spring QRP Contest
07 October - AWA AM QSO Party
08 October – AWA SSB QSO Party
14 October – Bacar launch

To conclude our bulletin a quick overview of our main news item

Dennis Green awarded IARU region 1 medal.


This concludes our bulletin for this morning.


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 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; 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