SOUTH AFRICAN RADIO LEAGUE NEWS FOR SUNDAY 9 JUNE 2019
Good morning and welcome to the weekly news bulletin of the South African Radio League read by ................ [your name, call sign and QTH]
The South African Radio League broadcasts a news bulletin each Sunday in Afrikaans as well as English at 08:15 and 08:30 Central African Time respectively on HF as well as on various VHF and UHF repeaters around the country. The bulletin is relayed on Echolink by Johan, ZS6JPL. A podcast is available on the League website. Audio and text bulletins may be downloaded from the League website at www.sarl.org.za where you can also sign up to receive future bulletins by e-mail.
We start the bulletin with news of two silent keys.
It is with deep regret that we announce that the key of Colin Hoffman, ZS6HC went silent on 18 April 2019 and that the key of Siebert Benade, ZR1SM went silent on 2 June 2019.
We extend our sincere condolences to their families and friends.
PAUSE
In the news, today:
THE HAMMIES SPRINT THIS AFTERNOON
VHF WORKSHOP PROGRAMME EXTENDED
and
THE REGION 1 KIDS DAY AND SARL YOUTH SPRINT NEXT WEEKEND
Stay tuned for more information on these and other interesting news items.
The Hammies Sprint is a fun activity to promote contacts between Hammies and radio amateurs in Southern African countries with an emphasis on ZU stations and will run from 14:00 to 15:00 UTC this afternoon. The exchange is a RS report and your provincial abbreviation, stations outside South Africa give a RS report and DX. Phone activity takes place between 7 063 and 7 100 kHz and between 7 130 and 7 200 kHz.
Logs, in ADIF, Cabrillo or MS Excel labelled "my call sign Hammies," must be submitted by e-mail by Sunday 16 June 2019 to chairman@zs6zu.org.za or zr6dx@iafrica.com. The MS Excel log sheet can be found on the Competition page of the League web site. The rules for the contest can be found on page 61 of the 2019 SARL Blue Book.
VHF WORKSHOP PROGRAMME EXTENDED
Pine Pienaar, ZS6OB will join the VHF workshop on Saturday 20 July 2019. He will be talking about the important role antennas play in VHF operation. He will also discuss the various things to look out for when selecting and installing antennas. The talk by ZS6OB will be an addition to several other exiting presentations including a debate on Vertical vs Horizontal polarisation by Dick Coates, ZS6BUN. Get the full details and the order form on www.amsatsa.org.za. The VHF workshop is joint event of the SARL and AMSAT SA. Do not miss the event that will take your amateur radio experience to a new level.
LED AND POWER SAVING LAMPS
The SARL is starting a project to list LED and power saving lamps that can be safely be used in your house and radio room without causing interference. You may ask why not the other way around. The simple explanation is that the SARL cannot publish negative comments about a product unless scientific testing has proved that a product creates interference. We however can recommend products that are compatible with amateur radio. Send us detail of products you can recommend as interference free. Include a photograph. The e-mail address is artoday@sarl.org.za.
You are listening to a news bulletin of the South African Radio League which is rebroadcast by the West Rand ARC at 11:15 on Sundays on the 145,625 MHz repeater and on 7,140 MHz.
THE REGION 1 KIDS DAY AND SARL YOUTH SPRINT NEXT WEEKEND
The Region 1 Kids Day is an all-day event on Saturday 15 June with activity on 80 to 10 metres and young people are encouraged to get on the air and make worldwide QSOs with other young people. The information can be found on page 44 and 45 of the June 2019 Radio ZS.
The SARL Youth Sprint takes place from 12:00 to 14:00 UTC on Saturday 15 June and is a phone contest on 40 metres. The exchange is a RS report and the operator’s age. Get all the information on page 54 of the 2019 SARL Blue Book.
QO-100 WEEKLY NET
With more than 10 ZS stations already active on the QO-100 satellite it may be possible to start a regular weekly net to share ideas and experiments with regards to working the satellite. If you think that this net is worthwhile, please share your ideas and proposals in an e-mail (as per SARL database) or WhatsApp message to Cor, ZS6CR.
A RAE CANDIDATE CAN WIN A HANDHELD RADIO
On Saturday 21 June, the Bellville RAE candidates will be getting together at a wine farm outside Durbanville to celebrate their exam results and toe use their new call signs. A brand new VHF/UHF handheld radio, donated by Dirk Lotz, ZS1X will be won by one of the candidates in a lucky draw. The SARL thanks Dirk for the donation.
MEMBERSHIP APPLICATIONS
The SARL has received membership applications from Gerard Staal, PA2PGU; Paul Allen, ZR1PJA; Ian Laubscher, ZS1LAU; Pieter Zwemstra, ZR6IQ and Marius Swart, ZR6P. Any objections to these membership applications must reach the League Secretary before the Wednesday following this bulletin. Please send your objections to secretary@sarl.org.za
PROPAGATION REPORT
Hannes Coetzee, ZS6BZP, reports that the solar activity is expected to remain at low levels. There are currently no sunspots visible. If you want to do your own frequency predictions, the expected effective sunspot number for the week will be around one. The 15 to 30 m bands may provide some DX fun. Please visit the website spaceweather.sansa.org.za for further information.
Finally, a Diary of some upcoming events:
Today - the Hammies Sprint
15 June - the SARL Youth Sprint and the Region 1 Kids Day
16 June - Youth Day and Father's Day
17 June - Public holiday and World QRP Day
20 to 24 June - the SARL Top Band QSO Party
21 June - Winter Solstice
21 to 23 - Ham Radio 2019 in Friedrichshafen
22 June - the AGM of the Namibian Amateur Radio League in Windhoek
22 and 23 June - the ARRL Field Day
To conclude our bulletin a quick overview of our main news item:
The Hammies Sprint is a fun activity to promote contacts between Hammies and radio amateurs in Southern African countries with an emphasis on ZU stations and will run from 14:00 to 15:00 UTC this afternoon. The exchange is a RS report and your provincial abbreviation, stations outside South Africa give a RS report and DX. Phone activity takes place between 7 063 and 7 100 kHz and between 7 130 and 7 200 kHz.
This concludes our bulletin for this morning.
Clubs and individuals are invited to submit news items of interest to radio amateurs and shortwave listeners, if possible, in both English and Afrikaans, by following the news inbox link on the South African Radio League web page. News items for inclusion in the bulletin should reach the news team no later than the Thursday preceding the bulletin date.
You are welcome to join us every Sunday morning for the weekly amateur radio programme, 'Amateur Radio Today' at 10:00 Central African Time. The program can be heard on VHF and UHF repeaters countrywide and on 7,082 kHz lower side-band. A rebroadcast can be heard on Monday evenings at 19:30 Central African Time on 3 620 kHz. We welcome your signal reports, comments and suggestions; please send these by e-mail to artoday@sarl.org.za.
You have listened to a news bulletin compiled by Dennis Green, ZS4BS/3, edited by Dave Reece, ZS1DFR and read by ..............
From the news team, best wishes for the week ahead.
/EX
