SOUTH AFRICAN RADIO LEAGUE
SARL NEWS SUNDAY 14 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
We regret to announce the passing away of Eddie Prins, ZS6LR at the age of 96 years. He died on 23 December 2006 in his sleep. We offer our sincere condolences to his children and grand children, other relatives and friends.
John Gandy, ZS4JC, ex ZS5JC, passed away recently after a long illness. To his wife, family and friends our sincerest condolences.
(PAUSE)
In the news today:
REGISTER EXAM CENTRES FOR CLASS B ZU LICENSE EXAM NOW
NEXT INTECNET TO LOOK AT WHERE LIGHTNING HITS MOST OFTEN
WRC-07, REGION 2 CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS IARU'S NEW YEAR
You are listening to ZS6SRL. Stay tuned for more detail on these and other important and interesting news items.
REGISTER EXAM CENTRES FOR CLASS B ZU LICENSE EXAM NOW
The next class B - ZU license examinations will be held on 1 March. If you are hosting an examination centre please register as soon as possible. Currently the only centre registered is in Middelburg, Mpumalanga. Registration forms are available on www.sarl.org.za.
Candidates wishing to write the examination on 1 March have until the the end of January to register.
The examinations dates for the ZR and ZS licenses for 2007 are 17 May 2007 with the closing date for enrolments 12 April and 18 Oct 2007 with the closing date for enrolments 13 September.
SANDTON GEARS UP FOR RAE
The Sandton Amateur Radio Club is gearing up for the next RAE. The Club will be starting lectures on Wednesday 07 February 2007 at 19:00 at the NARC. Lectures will be held every Wednesday evening from 19:00 until 21:00 and will run until the examination on 17th May 2007. The second sitting of the RAE will be taking place from 11th July 2007. Contact Mark Zank, ZS6YES, at 083 367 8943 for details.
The SARL is preparing a media campaign to advertise where and when lectures will take place. Clubs are urgently requested to mail information about RAE lectures to armi@sarl.org.za so that the information can be included in the media release and on the SARL web. Please give this matter your urgent attention.
NEXT INTECNET TO LOOK AT WHERE LIGHTNING HITS MOST OFTEN
Tracey Gill of SA Weather Service will be the guest speaker on the first Intecnet of 2007 on Sunday 28 January. The SA Weather service has installed a lightning monitoring system and offers a new comprehensive surveillance service. Diarise the date 28 January. The Intecnet will start at 20:00 and is preceded by the SARL President's Net at 19:00.
WRC-07, REGION 2 CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS IARU'S NEW YEAR
The IARU activity calendar for 2007 is dominated by the continuing preparations for the 2007 World Radio Communication Conference (WRC-07) of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), culminating at the WRC itself in Geneva October 22 - November 16.
The next major world event associated with the WRC is the Conference Preparatory Meeting (CPM) in Geneva, February 19 - March 2. The CPM will finalize the technical report that will guide the WRC delegates' work. The CPM Report, the drafting of which has occupied several of the Working Parties of the ITU's Radiocommunication Sector for the past three years, sets out background information on each WRC agenda item, various methods of addressing the agenda items, and the advantages and disadvantages of each. The inclusion or exclusion of single words in the draft CPM Report has been the topic of spirited debate, which no doubt will continue at the CPM.
The IARU will be represented at the CPM by President Larry Price, W4RA, and Technical Representative Ken Pulfer, VE3PU. Other Amateur Radio representatives will be present on national delegations.
Additionally, regional and national preparatory meetings leading up to WRC-07 are continuing. The three regional organizations of the IARU are responsible for participating in the work of the regional telecommunications organizations, including, but not limited to CEPT (Europe), ATU (Africa), CITEL (the Americas), and APT (Asia-Pacific). Domestic preparations are the responsibility of the IARU member-societies in the respective countries.
The agenda items of particular interest to the amateur services involve allocations in the 4-10 MHz range, a possible secondary allocation to the amateur service at 136 kHz, the modification of footnotes to the Table of Frequency Allocations, and the selection of agenda items for future WRCs, the next of which is tentatively slated for 2011.
Another major event for the IARU in 2007 is the triennial conference of IARU Region 2 in Brasilia, September 9-14. The 16th General Assembly of IARU Region 2 will bring together representatives of IARU member-societies from throughout the Americas to discuss matters of mutual interest and to elect officers for the next three years.
PEARS NATIONAL VHF/UHF CONTEST
The PEARS National VHF/UHF Contest will be run from 18:00 CAT on Friday 19 January to 18:00 CAT on Sunday 21 January 2007. This contest is open to all amateurs in the RSA and the neighbouring countries. This 48-hour contest has been divided into two equal sessions of 24 hours each. This means that the same station can be worked in both sessions and thus increase the activity. Please note that all scores, on each respective band, will be multiplied by the number of grid squares worked on that band. All stations may challenge each other for the longest distance award on the bands authorized for their categories. Enjoy and good luck!
Activity is on 6, 4 and 2 metres, as well as 70 and 23 cm using phone, CW, and other Digital modes. The rules are available on the Port Elizabeth ARS website at www.zs2pe.co.za and in the 2007 SARL Contest Manual.
HUNTING LIONS IN THE AIR
SARLNews has been informed that there will be no official Hunting Lions In the Air this year due to no one being prepared to run the event officially.
However if any Hams or Lions clubs would like to go the air and call, it will only be a social event.
DXCC HAMATLAS
Darek, SP6NVK, has started a website www.hamatlas.eu after four years of hard work and invites you to visit it.
The site contains the complete information on all 337 DXCC Entities, over 3 000 pictures and more than 1 100 maps.
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 unsettled 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 15:00, 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
19/21 January 2007 - PEARS National VHF/UHF Contest;
27 January 2007 - Magalies Flea market;
31 January - Last day to enrol for ZU licence RAE;
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
