# Link to SARL VHF, UHF & MICROWAVES DX TABLE Click here
SARL VHF, UHF & MICROWAVES DX TABLE – It was quite a surprise to learn that many South African radio amateurs were not aware of the SARL VHF, UHF and Microwaves DX Record Table that has appeared for many years on the SARL website. To view it, first click on General Info and then Local Information on the homepage, followed by VHF/UHF/SHF/EHF SA Records and VHF/UHF/Microwave SA Records – 30 June 2013. The SARL records cover the following bands: bands: 50 MHz, 70 MHz, 144 MHz 432 MHz, 1,3 GHz, 2,3 GHz, 5,7 GHz, 10 GHz, 24 GHz and 47 GHz. The world records are available from the IARU (Region 1), ARRL (Region 2) and Wireless Institute of Australia (Region 3). The SARL DX record table will be updated later this year when new records become available. The purpose of the VHF, UHF and Microwaves record table is to indicate how far a country has advanced in amateur radio technology, to throw down a challenge where records can be broken by other radio amateurs and to encourage further research.
THE SUNSPOT COUNT REACHED ZERO – The K7RA solar update of the ARRL indicated that the sunspot number was zero on 17 July 2014 for the first time this year. There were only two days without sunspots in 2011 and 48 in 2010. Prior to that our Sun recorded 260 spotless days in 2009, 239 in 2008 and 152 in 2007. It was concluded that the peak of the current Solar Cycle was reached in February 2014. F2 propagation was almost impossible on 50 MHz in the northern hemisphere during the summer months despite high solar fluxes. Long distance DX contacts were made by multi-hop Sporadic-E, possibly with some chordal hops which could reduce signal loss as opposed to F2.
BACAR II – Christo, ZR6LJ, reports: “The Secunda Amateur Radio Club will launch a Balloon Carrying Amateur Radio equipment from the Vryburg airstrip FAVB on 4 October 2014 at 06:00 to 08:00 CAT. This date marks the start of Spaceweek 2014. We will commemorate the launch of Sputnik on 4 October 1957 by attaching an active model replica of Sputnik to the balloon. The replica will transmit a Morse code message on 144,076 MHz. Please e-mail (christokriek461@gmail.com) a screen print of the decoded message with date, time, GPS location, radio and antenna used to receive a special certificate from the launch team. If you are one of the lucky ones that can ‘decode’ by ear please mail above info without the screen print. This is a flea power transmitter. I shall post more jnfo in future about payloads.”
THE COLDEST WINTER IN MANY YEARS – It is generally agreed that this was one of the coldest winters experienced in many years. Unlike other years VHF activity continued through the winter months until July when it appeared that VHF activity might go into hibernation due to the very cold weather. But once gain Carl, ZS6BCQ, saved the day, he says: “A regular group of 2 metre enthusiasts is now well established on 144,300 MHz every weekend. We regularly call CQ in different directions during the QSO giving the far distant stations a chance to join the group. Saturday morning (19th July) we were 9 stations and it was nice to hear Hester ZS6PY (Vereeniging) and Gert ZS6GAS (Babsfontein) reporting in again. This Sunday morning 7 stations were on frequency. I also managed to work Danie ZS4JJ in Bloemfontein at about 08:30 am. Etienne ZS6Y set up a field station at Breedts Nek (KG34rd). Dick ZS6BUN and myself worked Etienne on 432,200 MHz and 144,300 MHz SSB and FM, signals were 5/9.” It is expected that VHF activity will pick up considerably in August when the weather gets warmer.
50 MHz DXPEDITION TO BOTSWANA – A2, BOTSWANA. Gerhardt (Gert), ZS6AYU, will once again be active as A25GF between September 1 – 3. Activity will be “6 metres only”, this time from WW Locator KH22od beaming north. He hopes to be on the air between 13:00 UTC until around 19:00 UTC on 50,097 MHz CW. QSL via ZS6AYU direct or via Bureau.
IS A MULTIVERSE POSSIBLE? – The majority of scientists believe that our Universe was created during the “Big Bang”, a derogatory term given to it by a disbeliever, Professor Hoyle, and the term stuck. Many people believe this theory where a singularity from a black hole inflated to become the present Universe, but just as many people do not accept it, so who is right? Now scientists are looking at a computer simulation that indicates the likelihood of numerous bubble universes. Four anomalies recorded in the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) suggested that collisions with other universes could have occurred in the ancient past.
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