SOUTH AFRICAN RADIO LEAGUE
SARL NEWS SUNDAY 7 JANUARY 2007
You are listening to Amateur Radio Station ZS6SRL of the South African Radio League, the National Body for Amateur Radio in South Africa, with a news bulletin that is broadcast every Sunday at 08:15 CAT in Afrikaans and at 08:30 CAT in English. This broadcast can also be heard on Echolink by connecting to ZS6FCS or to www.zs6mrk.org and following the indicated links. This, and previous bulletins, can be downloaded from the web site of the SARL i.e. www.sarl.org.za. You can also read or download previous bulletins from there and subscribe to receive future bulletins by email.
This transmission is by Hans, ZS6KR, on 145,725 and 7,066 MHz from Pretoria with a relays on 3,695 and 14,235 MHz as well as 438,825 MHz in the Pretoria area. (Other newsreaders please change to suit).
SILENT KEY
It is with deep regret that the Council of the SARL announces the passing of Henry Fourie, ZS4W, of Kragbron, on 1 January. We extend our deepest sympathy and condolences to his wife Annatjie, son Barney, ZS4U, family and friends.
(PAUSE)
In the news today:
DATE AND VENUES FOR FIRST CLASS B RAE IN 2007 ANNOUNCED
ITU ELECTS NEW LEADERSHIP TEAM
NEW 2 METRE EME WORLD RECORD CLAIMED
You are listening to ZS6SRL. Stay tuned for more detail on these and other important and interesting news items.
CLASS B RAE
The first examination this year for the ZU licence will be held on 1 March 2007 at the following venues: Cape Town, George, Port Elizabeth, East London, Durban, Pietermaritzburg, Bloemfontein, NARC, Pretoria, Nelspruit, Polokwane and Kimberley/Upington. Additional venues can be arranged if there are ten or more candidates. The examination fee is R217-00. This includes R167-00 towards ICASA for a licence application and the licence fee for the first year.
The closing date for enrolments for the March 2007 Class B RAE is 1 February 2007.
The SARL kindly requeste that clubs or individuals involved at RAE centres, where the RAE will be written on the 1st March, register the centre as soon as possible. Additional centres can be arranged where there are 10 or more candidates. The registration form can be downloaded from the the SARL web www.sarl.org. Up to now it is only Middelburg in Mpumalanga where a RAE centre has been registered.
The following two items are from the IARU news.
ITU ELECTS NEW LEADERSHIP TEAM
1 500 delegates from the member states of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) attended the 17th ITU Plenipotentiary Conference (Plenipot) in Antalya, Turkey, where it concluded on 24 November last year. The ultimate authority in the ITU, the Plenipot, held every four years, is the occasion for representatives of ITU Member States to consider proposed changes to the organization's constitution and convention, adopt strategic and financial plans and elect senior management.
The following persons were elected to the senior management team:
Dr. Hamadoun I. Touré of Mali as Secretary-General for a four-year term. Touré has served two terms as director of the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau. Houlin Zhao of China, who has served two terms as Director of the Telecommunication Standardization Bureau, was elected Deputy Secretary-General. ITU Radiocommunication Bureau Director Valery Timofeev of the Russian Federation was eligible for re-election and ran unopposed. Sami Al Basheer of Saudi Arabia was elected Director of the Telecommunication Development Bureau and Malcolm Johnson of the United Kingdom was elected Director of the Telecommunication Standardization Bureau. The new team of elected officials took office on January 1, this year.
Addressing the conference after the vote, Touré told the delegates from around the world that he would work with transparency, objectivity and vigor to realize the two main objectives that were central to his campaign: to eliminate the digital divide and to ensure that cyberspace would become more secure.
One of the successful candidates for the 12 seats on the part-time Radio Regulations Board was Robert W. Jones, VE7RWJ. Bob served two terms as Director of the Radiocommunication Bureau and following his retirement from that post, he was a consultant to the IARU at the 2003 World Radiocommunication Conference.
While many delegates recognize that the word "telecommunication" is insufficient to encompass the entire scope of the organization's responsibilities, the name of the ITU remains unchanged. However, ITU-watchers can expect to see and hear more references to the abbreviation for "information and communication technologies" (ICT). As Conference Chairman Dr. Tanju Çataltepe of Turkey observed at its conclusion on November 24, "The ITU Plenipotentiary Conference noted the many developments that have occurred in a rapidly changing telecommunication and ICT environment that will have significant implications for the ITU. It sets the guidelines for ITU, as the pre-eminent intergovernmental organization in ICT, to foster the sustained development of telecommunications and ICT networks so that people everywhere can participate in the emerging Information Society and benefit from its vast potential."
IARU Vice President Tim Ellam, VE6SH, who attended the first half of the conference, congratulated Touré in person on behalf of IARU and its member-societies. Ellam says Touré told him that it's important for the IARU to "continue its good work in the ITU," adding that the IARU "has an important role to play in the future."
IARU International Coordinator for Emergency Communications Hans Zimmermann, HB9AQS/F5VKP, attended the second half of the conference. Hans reports that the conference adopted a resolution in support of the Tampere Convention on the provision of telecommunication resources for disaster mitigation and relief operations. See for information on how the Tampere Convention relates to Amateur Radio.
AMATEUR RADIO EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS DEMONSTRATED TO PLENIPOT DELEGATES
The IARU member-society for Turkey, Telsiz ve Radyo Amatörleri Cemiyeti (TRAC), organized a demonstration station and exhibit of Amateur Radio emergency communications capabilities for participants in the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference. TRAC's well-equipped emergency communications van was brought to Antalya and parked on the hotel grounds adjacent to the conference site. Operating under the special call sign TC4PP, the station made contacts worldwide with just 100 watts and a wire antenna. ITU Secretary-General Elect Touré and other newly elected officials visited the station, along with many delegates from all over the world.
IARU International Coordinator for Emergency Communications Hans Zimmermann, HB9AQS/F5VKP, reports that TC4PP was active in the IARU Region 1 Emergency Communications "Get-together Party on the Air" on November 18, contacting 18 of the participating Region 1 member-societies' headquarters stations.
This is the third time since 2000 that TRAC has been called upon to organize such a display station at a major ITU event held in Turkey. Congratulations to TRAC on another job well done!
NEW 2 METRE EME WORLD RECORD CLAIMED
From the WIA we learned that moonbounce enthusiasts in New Zealand and Portugal are claiming a new Earth-Moon-Earth distance record.
The December 6 contact, using digital JT65B mode, was between Nick Wallace, ZL1IU, in New Zealand (RF64vr) and Joe Kraft, CT1HZE/DL8HCZ, (IM57nh) in Portugal.
The ZL ham was running 500 W to 4-by-12 Yagis, while CT1 was putting 1,5 kW into 4-by-11 Yagis.
The EME contact spanned a terrestrial distance of 19 685 km.
LOOK OUT FOR VI3JAM FROM THE 21ST AUSTRALIAN SCOUT JAMBOREE
The 21st Australian Scout Jamboree (AJ2007) is presently being held at Elmore in Victoria from 2-13 January 2007.
The Scout Radio and Electronics Service Unit has coordinated the establishment of an Amateur Radio Station with the special event callsign VI3JAM, marking the first on-air Australian celebration of the centenary of Scouting.
A state of the art shack is provided, together with information and encouragement for some 13 000 attending Scouts to enjoy and to further an interest in our hobby.
Icom Australia is providing all amateur transceiver equipment for the shack.
There is an antenna farm that will see VI3JAM active on nearly all bands, as well as EchoLink, IRLP and SSTV.
Special QSL cards have been produced and the Wireless Institute of Australia and Amateur Radio Victoria has assisted with donations of promotional material on amateur radio.
VI3JAM is looking forward to many QSO's over the Jamboree period. Bands and frequencies are:
80 m - 3,590;
40 m - 7,070;
20 m - 14,200;
10 m - 28,590.
PROPAGATION REPORT
Hannes Coetzee, ZS6BZP, reports that the expected solar activity will range from low to very low levels. The geomagnetic field is expected to range from quiet to minor storm levels on 16 till 19 January. The expected Effective Sun Spot number for the coming week will be less than 15.
20 m and 40 m will provide best opportunities for DX. There is a possibility of 20 m openings towards the East from about 07:00 CAT and again at 14:00. From about 17:00, 15 and 20 m may open briefly towards Europe. From 18:00, 15, 20 and 80 m may open to the USA. For the CW and digital enthusiasts it may also be worth monitoring 10 MHz.
Please visit www.spaceweather.co.za for further information.
DIARY OF EVENTS
08 January 2007 - NARC opens;
13/14 January 2007 - Hunting Lions in the Air;
19/21 January 2007 - PEARS National VHF/UHF Contest;
27 January 2007 - Magalies Flea market;
3 February 2007 - ERB Flea market;
16 February 2007 - Closing date for submission of entries for Tinus Lange 7066 Technical Excellence Awards;
1 March 2007 - ZU license exams;
14 April 2007 - SARL AGM.
SARL News depends on clubs and individuals for news items of importance and interest to radio amateurs. The one and only way to ensure that your contribution will reach the SARL News team, is to place it in www.sarl.org.za/newsinbox.asp not later than the Thursday preceding the bulletin date. It will be appreciated if you will do it in both Afrikaans and English.
The SARL also invites all listeners to listen to the program Amateur Radio Mirror International this Sunday morning at 10:00 CAT on 145,750 MHz in the Pretoria area with relays on 7 082, 7 205 and 17 695 kHz. Audio is also streamed on www.zs6mrk.org and on Echolink from ZS6FCS as for this bulletin. A repeat transmission takes place on Mondays at 21:00 on 3 215 kHz. Telkom and Sentech sponsor the ARMI transmissions on the non-amateur frequencies.
You have been listening to a news bulletin by the South African Radio League, which was compiled by George, ZS6NE.
A prosperous week to all, 73.
/EX
