SARL NEWS – SUNDAY 23 NOVEMBER 2008

You are listening to ZS6SRL, the official Radio Station of the South African Radio League, the National Body for Amateur Radio in South Africa, with a news bulletin transmitted every Sunday at 08:15 CAT in Afrikaans and at 08:30 CAT in English. To listen to a webstream, visit www.sarl.org.za, click on ARMI and follow the links for details. PLEASE NOTE: for audio via Echolink, connect to ZS0JPL-R.

You can download this, and previous bulletins from www.sarl.org.za and subscribe to receive future bulletins by e-mail.

Your newsreader this morning is (name), (call sign), on 145,725 and 7,066 MHz from Pretoria, with relays on 28,325, 14,235, 10,130, 7,066 and 3,695 MHz SSB, as well as 51,400, 438,825 and 1 296 MHz FM in the Pretoria area. (Other newsreaders please change to suit).

SILENT KEY

It is with deep regret that we have to announce that Ian Hunter, ZS5IH, passed away during the night of 19 November. Ian was a very active member of the Highway Amateur Radio Club and was recently elected as secretary but had to step down due to ill health.

To his wife Anne and family we extend our deepest sympathies at this most difficult time.

(PAUSE)

In the news today:

BIG DAY FOR SOUTH AFRICA AT THE IARU REGION 1 FINAL PLENARY MEETING

SARL NEWS GOT IT WRONG

DIVISION 6 SATELLITE WORKING GROUP TO PROMOTE ACTIVITY

You are listening to ZS6SRL. Stay tuned for more detail on these, and other important and interesting news items.

BIG DAY FOR SOUTH AFRICA AT THE IARU REGION 1 FINAL PLENARY MEETING

It was a big day for South Africa and the South African Radio League on Thursday last week when the IARU Region 1 held its final plenary meeting of the 2008 tri-annual conference in Croatia. SARL Councillor and editor of Radio ZS, Dennis Green ZS4BS, was elected to the Executive Committee as secretary. The Executive Committee manages the affairs of IARU Region 1 between the tri-annual conferences. Dennis is the second SARL Councillor to become a member of the IARU Region 1 Executive. Hans van de Groenendaal ZS6AKV served on the Executive for 3 terms. The secretary is a senior and key position on the executive. Congratulations Dennis.

The newly elected Executive Committee is:

President: Hans Blondeel Timmerman, PB2T;
Vice President: Tafa Diop, 6W1KI;
Secretary: Dennis Green, ZS4BS;
Treasurer: Andreas Thiemann, HB9JOE;
Members: Hani Raad, OD5TE, Betty Magnin, F6IOC, Nikola Oercin, 9A5W; and
Panayot Danev, LZ1US and Colin Thomas, G2PSM.

The second big event during the plenary was the announcement that South Africa was selected with a wide margin of votes to host the 2011 conference. The voting was as follows: SARL 22 votes; URE 15 votes and RSGB 10 votes. The conference will be held at Sun City during September 2011.

Preparations for the meeting will start almost immediately after an organising committee has been set up at the next council meeting which will be held in early December.

Join Dennis and Rassie next Sunday at 19:30 for the President’s net when they will report back on the conference.

SARL NEWS GOT IT WRONG

One simple word changed the meaning of the message about the publication of the list of persons who have not paid their licenses. ICASA has published a list of unpaid license fees on the web at www.icasa.org.za. Click on the Frequency Spectrum advertisement and on the next page there is an Excel spreadsheet with details of unpaid licences.

If your name appears on the list, but you have paid your licence, contact Supervisor Collections: Lindsay Le Roux on 011 566 3895 or by e-mail to lleroux@icasa.org.za or fax to 011 566 3896 with your payment details. The deadline is 28 November, after which all unpaid licenses will be cancelled.

If you wrote one of the RAE examinations this year and your name appears on the list, don't take any action. The SARL and ICASA have identified the problem and it is being attended to.

DIVISION 6 SATELLITE WORKING GROUP TO PROMOTE ACTIVITY

Hal Lund, ZS6WB, hosted a meeting for satellite enthusiasts at his home last Saturday. Discussions included characteristics of the satellites currently active and the recommended operating techniques to be used. Eddie Leighton, ZS6BNE, was elected as spokesman for the group and given the responsibility of promoting operation of satellites in low earth orbits.

SA AMSAT was discussed and all present were in agreement that individual membership is important, as the AMSAT organisation is the prime mover for the development and launch arrangements of new amateur satellites.

These get-togethers are especially useful to satellite operators, as a brief satellite pass doesn't offer the opportunity to rag chew and discuss subjects in detail. To read a full report of the meeting and an update on the Namibian VHF and Satellite Expedition, visit www.amsatsa.org.za.

NET CONTROLLERS FOR WEEKLY NATIONAL HF NETS NEEDED

The Department of Communication is expanding its activity of promoting amateur radio amongst learners at schools and students at tertiary institutions. The Department and the SARL are currently working on a Memorandum of Agreement which will set out the various levels of involvement of the SARL and opportunities for volunteer clubs and individual radio amateurs. One of the requirements is to run a HF net on one or two weekday mornings. The objective of these nets is to provide a on-the-air opportunity for learners and students to embrace the amateur radio culture and become fully acquainted with operating procedures and conditions.

Volunteers will operate from their own stations on 40 and 20 metres. In some areas 2 metre repeaters will also be used. These nets will operate on a fixed schedule.

At this stage the SARL is compiling a list of volunteers who are prepared and able to spend a few hours a week promoting amateur radio activity. If you would like to offer your services please send your contact details to youth@sarl.org.za. Your name, call sign, telephone details and e-mail address, if available, will be useful. Here is an opportunity to give something back to our hobby while doing what it is all about; talking on the air.

WEB PAGES TO SUPPORT MICROCHIP PIC PROJECTS

The first Microchip PIC course will be held next Saturday, 29 November, at the NARC, and on 16 December at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University in Port Elizabeth. These courses are already fully booked. Arrangements for courses in Durban and Cape Town are well on the way. Details will be announced soon. The SARL is planning a further course early in 2009 at the National Amateur Radio Centre. More details in SARL News soon.

This weekend, web pages dedicated to PIC projects will become available on the web. Visit www.sarl.org.za, select activities and then click on ARMI.

COMPETITION NEWS

The results of the second leg of the SARL’s 80 metre QSO get-together that was held in October, have been released. The results are as follows:

1st Jan Botha, ZS4JAN, [Bloemfontein ARC] - 615 points;
2nd Marius Preston, ZS4MP, [Sasolburg ARC] - 590 points;
3rd Geoffrey Levey, ZS6GRL, - 400 points;
4th Jo Snyders, ZR5PO, [Zululand ARK] - 330 points, and
5th Theunis Potgieter, ZS2EC, [PEARS] - 130 points.

The combined results of both legs of the 80 metre get-together are as follows:

1st Jan Botha, ZS4JAN, - 1 295 points;
2nd Marius Preston, ZS4MP, - 590 points;
3rd Ruaan Schoeman, ZS6RMS, - 530 points;
4th Angeline van der Merwe, ZU4AN, en Philip Esterhuizen, ZU4PC - 470 points;
5th Geoffrey Levey, ZS6GRL, - 400 points;
6th Jo Snyders, ZR5PO, - 330 points;
7th Oosrand ARC, ZS6ERB, - 195 points, and
8the Theunis Potgieter, ZS2EC, - 130 points.

PEARS HF QSO PARTY

The annual Port Elizabeth ARS HF QSO get-together is scheduled for Sunday 14 December 2008 from 12:00 to 16:00 UTC (14:00 to 18:00 CAT). It is a SSB only contest and the following frequencies will apply: 3,603 to 3,800 MHz and 7,043 to 7,100 MHz. There are four entrance categories:

Novice – stations in South Africa with ZU prefixes;
Restricted – stations in South Africa with ZR prefixes;
Unlimited –stations in South Africa with ZS prefixes, and
DX – stations outside of South Africa.

CLUB NEWS

In a first for a young club, the Kalahari-Karoo Amateur Radio Club has presented a ZU-course at the Kathu Technical College in co-operation with and assistance of the Boland Amateur Radio Club.

Six students enrolled in the course of which five are under the age of 20 and the youngest is in Grade 7 at the local Primary School. The course will culminate on 29 November 2008 when the students write the RAE.

Tiaan, ZU3TB, a lecturer in Electronics at the Kathu Technical College presented the Technical section while Johan, ZS3AAK, and Gerhard, ZS3TG, presented the Regulatory and Procedural sections. The lectures took place each Saturday from the 1 to 22 November 2008.

The 29th will also feature a year-end function and meeting of amateurs from the area.

A great thank you to OM Sam of Radio Accessories for sponsoring a prize for the Best Technical Student and a Lucky Draw for the events of the 29th. Sam it is nice to know that you support our activities.

There is a possibility that Dennis, ZS4BS, the Vice President of the SARL will join them and tell them more of the recent conference and the activities of the SARL.

The repeater of the East Rand Branch on 145,675 MHz, which is situated in Brakpan, is boasting a brand new tower and antenna. After 30 year's faithful service the, the defunct tower has been replaced by a new 12 metre tower with a 6 metre extension on top housing the four stacked 2 metre folded dipole antennas. This new tower and mast sits snugly on top of a water tower which in itself, is 18 meters high.

ERB call on all amateurs to make use of the repeater and send them reports on its performance. The ERB thanks all the amateurs who helped with this massive project. They trust that it will not need replacement for the next 30 years.

PROPAGATION REPORT

Hannes Coetzee, ZS6BZP, reports that the expected solar activity will be very low. The geomagnetic field is expected to be at unsettled levels until 26 November, after which quiet levels are expected. The expected Effective Sun Spot number for the coming week will be less than 5.

20 m will provide the best opportunities for DX. There is a possibility of 15 and 20 m openings towards India from about 12:00 and 15:00 CAT respectively. Contacts with New Zealand will be very challenging. At 08:00, weak 20 m contacts may be possible with Australia. From 08:00 weak contacts with Peru may be possible on 20 m for a few minutes. Brazil may be worked on 15 m from 12:00 and on 20 m from 18:00. From 16:00 there may be weak 15 and 20 m openings towards Europe. Contacts with the USA east coast are possible on 15 m from 18:00.

10 MHz is looking promising in the late afternoon and after dark for the CW and digital enthusiasts.

Local conditions are going to be good on 40 m during daytime. 80 m may perform well during the early mornings and late afternoons over the shorter distances, e.g. between ZS5 and ZS6. 30 m may perform well during the middle of the day between ZS6 and ZS1.

80 m is the frequency of choice in the evenings. With summer here, thunderstorms and static discharges may provide challenging conditions.

Remember that this is only a prediction and that HF always has the capability to surprise you, but you will never know unless you switch your rig on, listen and also call CQ.

Please visit www.spaceweather.co.za for further information.

DIARY OF EVENTS

28 November - Last day to renew outstanding licences for 2008;
29 November - Course on the implementation of PIC;
30 November - Closing date for submission of nominations for SARL councillors;
30 November - Last day for updating repeaters database;
30 November – Presidents net;
31 January 2009 - Last day for submission of motions and agenda items for 2009 SARL AGM.

SARL News invites clubs and individuals to submit news items of interest to radio amateurs and shortwave listeners. Submit news items – if possible in both English and Afrikaans – to www.sarl.org.za/newsinbox.asp, not later than the Thursday preceding the bulletin date.

The SARL also invites you to listen to the programme Amateur Radio Mirror International, on the air every Sunday morning at 10:00 CAT on 145,750 MHz in the Pretoria area, with relays on 7 082, 7 205 and 17 590 kHz. For the webstream and Echolink by ZS6FCS, visit www.sarl.org.za, click on 'ARMI' and follow the links. A repeat transmission can be heard Mondays at 21:00 CAT on 3 215 kHz. Sentech sponsors the ARMI transmissions on the non-amateur frequencies.

Gustav, ZS6BWN, compiled today's South African Radio League news bulletin.

Thank you for listening, 73.

/EX