SARL NEWS - SUNDAY 15 APRIL 2012

(Sorry for a mistake in the earlier edition. The first sentence in the CLUB NEWS item had inadvertently been left out).

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 every Sunday at 08:15 CAT in Afrikaans and at 08:30 CAT in English. To listen to a web stream, visit www.sarl.org.za, click on 'Amateur Radio Today' and follow the links for details. For audio over Echolink, connect to ZS0JPL-R.

You can download this bulletin and previous ones from www.sarl.org.za and also 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 3,695 MHz SSB. (Other news readers change to suit).

SILENT KEY

It is with regret that we have to announce that the key of Christiaan van Zyl, ZS6CVZ, became silent on 26 March 2012 at the age of 82. Christaan previously held the call sign VQ2VZ.
Christiaan introduced five generations to the joys of amateur radio. He leaves behind two children and five grandchildren, all with ZS call signs.

Our sincerest condolences to his relatives and friends.

(PAUSE)

IN THE NEWS TODAY:

LAST CHANCE TO REGISTER FOR THE SARL NATIONAL CONVENTION
WORLD AMATEUR RADIO DAY
SWEDEN SDR AMATEUR BAND RECEIVER ON THE WEB

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

LAST CHANCE TO REGISTER FOR THE SARL NATIONAL CONVENTION

Register before Wednesday if you are planning to attend the SARL National convention in Pinetown from 20 - 22 April 2012. The full details are available on www.sarl.org.za.

The convention starts off with a getting to know you evening at the Highway Amateur Radio Club clubhouse with a finger supper. Also, learn more about how the South African electronics industry started in Pinetown. On Saturday the AGM starts with registration of proxies at 08:00, with the meeting commencing at 09:00.
You can follow the AGM proceedings on 145,750 with ZS6FCS in Pretoria, on 14,250 with Pieter and on 7082 with Quartus, ZS6EE. The audio will also be available on echolink.
On Saturday afternoon there are two exciting presentations. Build VHF antennas with Rob Cohen, ZS5LA, and DXing and Log Book of the World with Chris Burger, ZS6EZ. The annual dinner starts at 18:30 with drinks, with the dinner starting at 19:00.
The guest speaker is Dr Andrew Collier, Manager: Waves and Space Plasma Group at SANSA Space Sciences at the Hermanus Magnetic Observatory and senior lecturer at the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
Every person attending the dinner will take part in the lucky draw for a large number of prizes which include a dual band mobile transceiver, the YAESU FTM-10R sponsored by Verstay, watches sponsored by Natal Jewellery Wholesalers and two J-pole antennas.
The convention ends on Sunday Morning with a breakfast at the Japanese Gardens.
Register for the convention and dinner by visiting www.sarl.org.za and follow the link from the home page or call Mariska at 011 675 2393. Please do it by 16:00 on Wednesday 18 April.
If you cannot attend as a member you can give your proxy to another member who is attending. Full details on www.sarl.org.za.

WORLD AMATEUR RADIO DAY

On 18 April 2012, radio amateurs will be celebrating World Amateur Radio Day, on the 87th anniversary of the founding of the International Amateur Radio Union or IARU. This year´s theme is "Amateur Radio Satellites: Celebrating 50 Years in Space" in remembrance of the launching of OSCAR 1 on 12 December 1961 and the launch of OSCAR 2 on 2 June 1962.
In 1924, ARRL President Hiram Percy Maxim, W1AW, had scheduled a business trip to Europe. While in Europe, Maxim was asked by the ARRL Board of Directors to represent the ARRL in fostering international relations between amateurs.
Following an informal meeting in 1924, representatives from France, Great Britain, Belgium, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Luxembourg, Canada and the United States formulated a plan to hold an International Amateur Congress in Paris, France, in April 1925, for the purpose of founding the IARU. Representatives from Europe, North America, South America and Asia attended the congress, adopting a constitution for the IARU on April 17. At a closing assembly on the following day, officers were elected and the actions of the congress ratified by representatives from 25 countries. Thus, April 18 became the official "birthday" of the IARU and is now designated World Amateur Radio Day.
There will be several special event stations from IARU's Member Societies active on different dates during April:
South Africa - ZS6IARU, will be active on 18 April. QSL via ZS4BS.
Bulgaria - LZ1WARD, by the Bulgarian Federation of Radio Amateurs, active throughout the month of April. QSL via bureau.
Switzerland - HB9WARD by Union Schweizerischer Kurzwellen-Amateure, active on 18 April. QSL via HB9JOE.
Poland - HF87WARD, by members of the SP-CFF will be active from 17 to 30 April. There is an award for this operation. QSL via eQSL.cc and WFF LogSearch.
Liberia - EL2RL, by the Liberia Radio Amateur Association will be active on 18 April. Direct QSL to EL2BA.
Mexico - 6H6IARU by the Federación Mexicana de Radio Experimentadores who are active from 13 to 18 April. QSL via LoTW and N7RO.
Chile - 3G87IARU by the Radio Club de Chile, active throughout the month of April. QSL via CE3AA.

REGISTER NOW FOR THE SA AMSAT SPACE SYMPOSIUM

Details of the SA AMSAT Space Symposium which will be held at the University of KwaZulu-Natal on Saturday 12 May, are now available on www.amsatsa.org.za. The theme of the symposium is 50 years of amateur satellites, celebrating the launch, 50 years ago, of OSCAR 1. The programme is packed with exciting presentations and demonstrations. Register early to save on the registration fee.

AMATEUR RADIO BOOKS AT THE SARL NATIONAL CONVENTION

A range of amateur radio books will be on sale at the SARL National Convention including the hardcover version of the 2012 ARRL Handbook and the hardcover version of the ARRL Antenna book. If you order books and pay online before Wednesday 18 April, you can take delivery at the National Convention. Details of books available are on www.amateurradio.org.za. At the national convention payment will be by cash or cheque only, as no credit card facilities will be available.

SWEDISH SDR AMATEUR BAND RECEIVER ON THE WEB

A new online software defined radio located in Sweden and set for reception of the amateur radio 75, 60, 40 and 20 metre bands, is now available via the World Wide Web. It is located in the city of Mora and is maintained by SM4JLX. The system is made up of three Soft66lite receivers and a band-pass filter. You need both Java and JavaScript enabled for the Web SDR to work properly. You can hear it on-line at tinyurl.com/sweden-sdr.

CONTEST NEWS

The SARL Hamnet 40 m Simulated Emergency Contest was run on Sunday 4 March. The winners of the categories are as follows:
Single operator stationery mobile: Andy Cairns, ZS6ADY.
Single operator portable: Christo Kriek, ZR6LJK
Multi operator: no entries.
Base Station: Francois Reyneke, ZS6FDX.
Scores obtained are as follows:
Single operator stationery mobile:
1st Andy Cairns, ZS6ADY, 672 points.
2nd John Kramer, ZS5J, with 460 points.
3rd Nico Oelofse, ZS4N, with 405 points.
Single operator portable:
1st Christo Kriek, ZR6LJK, with 504 points.
2nd Al Akers, ZS2U, with 468 points.
3rd Keith Liddle, ZS6AGF, with 414 points.
Base Stations:
1st Francois Reyneke, ZS6FDX, with 1170 points.
2nd Peet Pretorius, ZS4VP, with 1005 points.
3rd Pieter Jacobs, ZS6XT, with 975 points.
The SARL March Madness YL Sprint was held on Saturday 10 March.
1st Colette Rundle, ZS2CR, with 24 points.
2nd Dawn Snyders, ZS5ME, with 15 points.
3rd Theunis Potgieter, ZS2EC, with 9 points.
4th Derek Stuart, ZS2J, 7 points.
5th Peet Pretorius, ZS4VP, with 3 points.
The second SARL 80 m Club Contest was run on Wednesday 28 March 2012 and this was a phone contest.
1st West Rand ARC - 146 points from 11 logs.
2nd Bloemfontein RAC - 36 points from 2 logs.
3rd Port Elizabeth ARS - 10 points from 1 log.
All the results are in HF Happenings 499 and 500. Congratulations to all the participants and thank your for your participation.

CLUB NEWS

The West Rand Amateur Radio Club is hosting its next flea market at 12:00 on Saturday 28 April 2012 at the clubhouse in Kroton Street, Weltevredenpark, Roodepoort. Everyone is very welcome. For more information, contact Phillip, ZS6PVT, at 083 267 3835.

PROPAGATION REPORT

Hannes Coetzee, ZS6BZP, reports that solar activity remains at low levels. New sunspot 1455 continues to grow and is crackling with low level Class-B flares.

If you want to do your own frequency predictions, the expected effective sunspot number for the week will be around 29.

All the bands from 20 to 10 m will provide lots of DX fun with 15 m providing the best openings with 10 m not far behind.

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

DIARY OF EVENTS

18 April, World Amateur Radio day.
20 - 22 April, SARL Convention in Pinetown.
28 April - West Rand Amateur Radio Club next flea market at 12:00.
12 May, SA AMSAT space symposium; visit www.amsatsa.org.za for details and registration.

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 Amateur Radio Today every Sunday morning at 10:00 CAT on 145,750 MHz in the Pretoria area, with relays on 7 082, 7 205 and 17 760 kHz. There is also a podcast by ZS6RO. For a web-stream and Echolink by ZS6FCS, visit www.sarl.org.za, click on 'Amateur Radio TODAY', go down the green column and click on 'LISTEN ON THE WEB'. A repeat transmission can be heard on Mondays at 17:30 UTC on 4 895 kHz. Sentech sponsors the ARMI transmissions on the non-amateur frequencies.

You have listened to a bulletin of the South African Radio League, compiled by Fritz, ZS6SF.

Thank you for listening, 73.
/EX