|
|
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WIANEWS FOR WEEK COMMENCING NOV 28 2010.
ALL UP AND COMING IN THIS EDITION OF NEWS FROM THE WIRELESS INSTITUTE OF
AUSTRALIA FOR WEEK COMMENCING NOVEMBER 28 2010
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
A NOT SO SMART IDEA
Smart Meters - WPC modem uses 2 - 4 MHz
A French company Watteco has developed a new powerline modem based on
Watt Pulse Communication (WPC) that transmits across the 2 - 4 MHz segment
of the precious HF spectrum.
The small, low cost, low power consumption modem can be used for any type of
data communication applications such as Smart Meters, Home Control and
Street Lighting it transmits a wideband signal across 2-4 MHz completely
covering the Amateur Radio 80m band.
(Watteco http://www.watteco.com/)
BP
No not BP as in Broadband over powerlines but BP as in Blood Pressure.
A new procedure which takes just 45 minutes involves a doctor inserting a
catheter into an artery in the upper thigh, then threading it into an artery
next to the kidney.
There, they use low-power radio waves to heat up and effectively turn off
specific nerves which are known to play a role in high blood pressure.
Professor Markus Schlaich from the Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute in
Melbourne was a principal investigator in an international trial which
involved 106 patients across 24 separate sites in Europe and Australia.
After the first ten patients or so were treated, they really were quite
confident that this is a fantastic new technology that allows lots of people
out there who have trouble with their blood pressure.
How long will it be before this treatment is available to people in Australia?
They are quite hopeful that certainly within the next year, this radio wave
treatment for High Blood Pressure should be available for clinical use.
DON'T WORRY ABOUT CAR 54 -- CHANNEL 4 WHERE ARE YOU?
Some households in the Mansfield Shire, South West Victoria, will get digital
only television transmissions at the end of the November.
The Bonnie Doon and Howqua analogue transmitters will be switched off on
November 29.
It is the second area in the country to go to digital only, after Mildura was
switched over on June 30 this year.
The rest of regional Victoria will be switched to digital only on May 5 2011.
RESEARCH RESULTS
Telstra's recent research on Aussie Home Gadgets has revealed that when it
comes to purchasing gadgets for the home, older Australians (55+ years) are
most likely to base their decision on whether the product is desired by their
peers (42% vs 29% of 18-35 year olds).
Comparatively, younger Australians (18-35 years) are more likely to wait for
the initial rush of people to buy and review a gadget before making their
decision (21% vs 14% of 55+ years).
While women are more likely than men to give up installing a new gadget
because they find the instructions daunting, men are more likely
to break their new gadget before they've got it working.
When it comes to getting the most out of home gadgets, Queenslanders rate
themselves highest in terms of using all the advanced features, comparatively,
Northern Territorians are the biggest offenders for only using the basic
functions of their home gadgets.
ARNSW Secretary Norm VK2TOP, tells how the old Ozemail account and its VK2WI
address was terminated last Friday week. A few people were still occasionally
using this address so Norm will attempt to contact them by email and advise
the current addresses that have been in place for some time.
The various addresses to contact Amateur Radio New South Wales include -
office - membership - disposals or news - followed by @arnsw.org.au
WIA Centenary
Further analysis of the VK100WIA logbook yields interesting statistics
With the log book now finalised at 24,440 contacts David Park VK3JDA has
carried out some further in-depth analysis of its 611 pages.
The 40m band had 10,500 contacts, followed in popularity by 80m with
5,000, 20m 4,100 and 2m just over 3,000. In fact 12 bands were used by
VK100WIA ranging from 160m through to 23cm.
Looking at the modes used, as would be expected SSB comes up triumphs with
19,000 contacts, and CW got a very good pounding with nearly 1400 QSOs
logged.
Others listed as modes in the log were AM, IRLP, D-STAR, PSK, JT65C,
SSTV, ATV, APRS and one EME or moon bounce contact.
Thank you to David VK3JDA for the analysis report, which appears in full
with graphs on the WIA website, and the WIA affiliated clubs who put
VK100WIA on air.
HAMS ACROSS AUSTRALIA.
VK2
web service:- http://www.arnsw.org.au/html/news_vk2wi.htm
VKG Roundup http://www.police.nsw.gov.au/news
SARC CHRISTMAS PARTY - Sunday 5 December.
This will be held as usual at the Clubrooms from about 1200 Local.
BBQ type lunch followed by the usual assorted goodies.
Those attending are requested to bring a plate or similar of a variety of
extra good things to eat. Use your imagination, add variety to the table.
St. George Amateur Radio Society
This group will hold their final meeting for the year Wednesday December 1.
Although meetings normally start at 7:30pm, interested amateurs are invited
to come early and take part in the BBQ in the park.
The meeting venue is 1st Kyle Bay Scout Hall, Donnelly Park, next to the
sailing club.
VK3
web service:- http://www.amateurradio.com.au/news/
VKC Roundup http://www.police
Put this on your calendar now, the major amateur radio event in Victoria
returns to the Kyneton Racecourse, only an hour from Melbourne, Ballarat
and Bendigo Sunday the 13th of February.
The Centre Victoria RadioFest No. 4 follows in the tradition this unique
event initiated by Amateur Radio Victoria in 2007 when it became an
instant success.
The major commercial traders have given it their endorsement. Second-hand
sellers like the event too because it is strategic location and low cost.
Perhaps you have unwanted equipment and bits of pieces now taking up space
in your garage or a room at home? Then make a sales table or car-boot
space booking now.
A warm invitation is also extended to all clubs and groups to be part of
the popular Club Corner Precinct.
For more information do check out the home page of the Amateur Radio
Victoria website www.amateurradio.com.au
See you at the Centre Victoria RadioFest, Kyneton Racecourse on Sunday the
13th of February.
I'm Bruce Lees and you're listening to VK1WIA.
VK4 - QNEWS
web service local audio news:- www.wiaq.com/ftp/vk4_qnews_64.mp3
local news email qnews-vk-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
VKR Roundup http://www.police.qld.gov.au/News+and+Alerts/Media+Releases/
Welcome to QNews from VK4WIA. I'm Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP and I've been thinking
about growing club membership.
Over the years we have seen some radio clubs "dis-incorporate" as numbers and
interest in specific areas has dropped off. Some of these former bodies continue
as social entities and this raises the questions of size and continuity. If our
club is too small, it is extremely hard to complete the necessary organisational
tasks as well provide the social glue that binds a group. Also it often means
that certain people become fixtures in doing those jobs and training up others to
keep the group running in coming years, just doesn't happen.
Like many other things, it is really not whether the jobs are being done well but
whether they are recognised as being done, well or not. As club members we need
to be honest enough to give praise when it works and ask the right questions when
it falters.
As club members we need to nurture our comrades and gather new faces. We need to
involve the converted and invite the interested.
Have you told some-one about amateur radio, this week?
I'm Geoff Emery and that's what I think......how about you?
CLUBBING -
we have been informed of a Xmas get-together for Cairns Amateur Radio Club
members & family to be held at 6:30pm, Brothers League Club, Cairns on
13th Dec.
Two days prior on the 11th of December we have the Gold Coast break-up,
this is at 10am in the clubrooms. A BYO and please bring a plate to share
as well. The Christmas break-up at the Gold Coast will also have all the fun
of a FOX-HUNT.
VK4WIP Club Station is now back on the air after many years of absence from HF.
The tower project has now been completed and the erection of the 9 Element
Log Periodic has taken place. Rigs currently in use at the club station
are : Yaesu FT-101Z, Yaesu FT-101E, Yaesu FT-1000D & Yaesu FT-1000MP Mark V.
The Rotator is a Yaesu G-1000DXC housed in a custom "cage" with thrust bearing
to handle the weight and wind load of the antenna. The club will be purchasing
a NEW rig to complete the station in the not to distant future.
They are also on Facebook and the photos of the tower and antenna are
viewable there. The Club Station will try to be active most weekends
and for those wanting a QSL Card they are in the process of designing a
Special QSL for Direct & Bureau requests.
(VK4WIP via QRZ.com)
FOUNDATION LICENSEES STRUT THEIR STUFF
Good to see all the Foundation class licensees helping out by running the
Townsville Amateur Radio Club.
At their just held AGM we see the 2011 Management Committee executive having
75% " Foundation'ers".
President - Richard Goodhew VK4FRJG
Vice President - Gavin Reibelt VK4ZZ
Treasurer - Joan McDonell VK4FTVL
Secretary - Eldon Bryant VK4FNQA
Redcliffe and District Radio Club
www.redclifferadioclub.org.au/
I'm Ray, VK4CF with news from Redcliffe Amateur Radio club.
Mal, VK4UMS released the details of a proposed trip for all amateurs to 2011
Dayton Hamfest as well as showing slides of his visit earlier this year. Mal
said that he did not want to be the tour guide for the trip but just wanted
to offer others the chance of going with him. Mal is leaving on 6 May 2011
and his plans include tours of the Boeing plant in Seattle, the Smithsonian
Aerospace museum in Washington DC, the US Air Force museum and of course
Dayton from the 20-22 May 2011. The return trip to home starts on the
23rd of May and arrives back in Brisbane on 25 May.
If you can't go for the whole trip, Mal will meet you in Dayton just for the
Hamfest. A local travel agent has all the other details including
accommodation costs and flight costs for whatever type of trip you might plan.
If you are interested please contact Mal, VK4UMS via his web site
VK4UMS@leeke.com.au for further details.
Big congratulations to Jayne, the wife of Peter, VK4EA who passed her
regulations and theory exams for the upgrade to her full call last weekend.
Jayne is the voice of the Redcliffe repeater and did extremely well in both
papers. The club has now over a half a dozen members where both partners,
spouses have their amateur call signs. Well Done Jayne!
Club members have also been advised that Kev, VK4UH will be part of the VK9NA
expedition that is returning to Norfolk Island in January 2011. The focus is
on all bands from 50 MHz to 10GHz. Kev said that the group will have the
addition of 2 metre EME.
So it looks like an exciting VHF/UHF time in the January period and Club
President David, VK4DC has also been busy by setting up a large 2 metre yagi
to put out a big signal in the next few weeks. The 12 element beam will be
driven with about 400 watts to make those contacts both south and east to VK3,
Kiwi land and of course Norfolk Island.
Both John VK4YJB and Peter VK4EA will be setting up antennas for VHF and
invite others who may be interested to join them for hopefully many contacts
to all points south.
Another reminder about the club's Christmas party, that is to be held on
Saturday 4 December at Jamieson Park, Scarborough.
Until next time 73 from Ray, VK4CF.
TABLELANDS RADIO AND ELECTRONICS CLUB
vk4wat@wia.org.au
www.treclub.org.au
G'day again, this is Dale VK4DMC for the Tablelands Radio and Electronics
Club, TREC, in Far North Queensland.
Well another contest has been and gone. As reported last week TREC was active
in Atherton for the Spring VHF/UHF field day.
Yes, band conditions were poor and yes the weather was lousy but that didn't
stop TREC members from having an enjoyable time. We made over 174 contacts
and put together a reasonable score given our location here in the Far North
of the state.
Sadly the propagation was not there over the weekend but on Monday morning the
bands picked up. That's the way of things I guess.
Still we have the Summer VHF/UHF field day to look forward to in January.
Planning is in hand for our annual break-up/Christmas party to be held in
December, which looks like being another fun filled day.
This has been Dale VK4DMC and you are listening to the WIA news.
VK7
local area news :- http://reast.asn.au/news.php
vk7 local news, email vk7regionalnews-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Miena Mayhem!
It's just about here!
Myenna Hamfest. This is the biggest event on the VK7 Ham Radio calendar and not
to be missed.
The Ham Fest which is coordinated by the Central Highland Amateur Radio Club of
Tasmania is set down for the 4th of December commencing at 10.00 am and will
cost $5.00 dollars per person or family and goes towards the cost of running
the event and will include free tea and coffee, soft drinks will also be
available for sale, food will be on sale from approximately 11.00am and will
include the famous Miena Saveloys and sauce together with hamburgers and
sausages in bread all made from the finest local ingredients.
The location for this event is the well equipped Miena Community Hall that can
be found in Haddon's Bay and is adjacent to the Ambulance and Fire Service
building.
This modern venue is well equipped and despite what global warming throws at us
(or those that believe global warming is for real) it is very comfortable.
The local wireless repeater will be monitored for everyone losing their way and
its frequency is 438.500.
(sourced to vk7wi news)
HOME OF THE GOOD GUYS
Amateur Radio club makes donation to stricken centre.
Members of Grantham Amateur Radio Club handed the generous donation
of 170 to a community centre which is trying to get back on its fee
I think I could easily go on record as saying although we hear of
Radio Clubs receiving donations, this is arguably the first of a
Radio Club helping their local community in such a tangible manner.
Well done the Good Guys (and gals) at Grantham.
A Facebook page has been launched to drum up support for fund-raising efforts.
http://tinyurl.com/savethecentre
INTERNATIONAL NEWS With thanks to RSGB, Southgate AR Club, the ARRL,
Amateur Radio Newsline, NZART and the WW sources of the WIA.
Arrests follow Papuan clashes over ring tone
Indonesian police say they have arrested three men after two Melanesian tribes
clashed with machetes and arrows over a mobile phone ring tone.
Hundreds of Wamena tribesmen descended on members of the Yoka tribe after
learning that Yokas were sharing a ring tone which insulted Wamenas.
The ensuing clash reportedly left 23 houses burned to the ground, another 56
damaged and 12 vehicles set ablaze.
The situation calmed down after police arrested three men for allegedly
composing the ring tone which had a reggae beat and offensive lyrics about
the neighbouring Wamena tribe.
On line newspaper ARNnet are reporting on a study which suggests radiation
from WiFi networks is harmful to trees, causing significant variations in
growth, as well as bleeding and fissures in the bark.
The study in the Netherlands looked at the city of Alphen after officials
found unexplained abnormalities on trees that couldn't be ascribed to a
virus or bacterial infection.
The study exposed 20 ash trees to various radiation sources for a period of
three months. Trees placed closest to the WiFi radio demonstrated a
"lead-like shine" on their leaves that was caused by the dying of the upper
and lower epidermis of the leaves. This would eventually result in the
death of parts of the leaves.
The researchers urged that further studies were needed to confirm the current
results and determine long-term effects of wireless radiation on trees.
The United States has revealed the details of a startling breakdown in cyber
security in April when fifteen percent of the world's internet traffic was
diverted through China.
For 18 minutes emails and internet material sent from the Pentagon and NASA
was re-routed via Chinese servers. A US government report doesn't blame China
for intentionally hacking into the system but experts say it's a sign of the
security risks ahead.
This breach affects every country that is hooked into the Internet that
communications that was re-routed includes that from the United States to
third parties and so it's not simply American information that has been made
vulnerable, but that of allies including Australia.
US Defence Secretary Robert Gates described potential attacks as a huge
future threat and a considerable current threat.
=============================================================================
RSGB NEWS FROM G4NJH
Understanding LF and HF Propagation
RSGB Propagation Studies Committee members Steve, G0KYA and Alan,
G3NYK have released a free e-book called Understanding LF and HF
Propagation.
In 2008 and 2009, Steve and Alan wrote a series of features on LF
and HF propagation for RadCom, consisting of a month-by-month look
at each HF band in turn. They showed the reader the propagation
modes behind each band and explaining some of the technicalities
of ionospheric propagation.
The RSGB has allowed the PSC to put them together into a single
document, which is now freely available for amateurs worldwide to
download. You can download your free copy of Understanding LF and
HF Propagation at g0kya.blogspot.com.
=============================================================================
NEWS FROM ARNEWSLINE
HAM RADIO IN SPACE: FM SIMPLEX DAMAGING SPACE COMMUNICATIONS
FM operators are once again being asked to not use 145.8 to 146.0 MHz for
terrestrial, point to point casual communications. This is because such
operations are devastating to weak signal ground to space and space to ground
satellite operations. Take a listen:
Actual QSO audio.
That's from the FM interference on HO-68 uplink as recorded by OZ9AEC on
November 9th. Two FM stations can be heard speaking in Russian. The one
speaker is barely audible in the noise but the stronger one holds the
potential of capturing the HO-68 receiver and blocking weak signal operations
using CW, SSB band narrowband digital modes.
OZ9AEC has posted the full QSO between these stations operating on the HO-68
uplink to YouTube dot com.
It very graphically illustrates the problem that operating FM simplex
operation on 145.8 to 146 and 435 to 438 MHz can cause for ham radio satellite
operations.
It can be heard at tinyurl.com/35yqkhl
ROLE REVERSAL: OPPONENT OF HAM TOWERS SEEKS HELP FROM THE ARRL
In a total role reversal, a group of not-so-nearby neighbours trying to stop
a Tivoli, Illinois ham from erecting eleven towers on his property say that
they will appeal to the ARRL for help. This after being denied a chance to
officially offer arguments against a proposed cluster of ham radio towers on
private property in rural Tivoli Township.
The Peoria County Planning and Zoning Commission approved the permit request
by Craig Thompson, K9CT, in July for 11 towers that range in height from
30 feet to 195 feet on property he owns. Opponents of the towers are now
searching for ways to slow or stop construction that already is under way.
John Martin is the nearest neighbour of the property that's situated among the
rolling farm fields and woodlands south of Tivoli. He tells the local
newspaper that there is likely little that people in the area can do to stop
construction. He then goes on to say that those opposed to the towers are
trying to form a grassroots organization to let the American Radio Relay
League know their position and get them to agree that what Thompson plans to
do is excessive. Martin adds that his hope is to convince the ARRL to show
Thompson that it is in his best interest to scale back his plans.
But Martin has also taken his opposition to the towers to the local community.
He has posted flyers and bought space in the local weekly shopper newsletter
that includes a photograph of a cluster of towers and the caption "Stop this
from happening in your town!"
Thompson's attorney is Fred Hopengarten, K1VR, of Massachusetts. He is an
expert in telecommunications law and helped convince the state's attorney
office that the county zoning law was trumped by Federal Communications
Commission mandate that allowed for construction of ham radio towers.
Hopengarten and Thompson and both say that the flyers are an exaggeration.
So far there has been no word from the ARRL if it has received a request from
Martin to assist in stopping construction of Thompson's tower farm in
rural Tivoli, Illinois.
G5HF - WW2 UK COUNTERSPY
Harry Heap G5HF's story as a World War 2 Voluntary Radio Interceptor has now
been told by the Essex Chronicle newspaper.
Heap was first licensed in 1932 as 2BZZ. He was issued the callsign G5HF in
1933. Following the outbreak of war he moved to Chelmsford where during the
day he worked at Crompton on devices to neutralize magnetic mines and during
the evenings worked as a Voluntary Radio Interceptor listening in to secret
Nazi messages. The information he collected was passed to Bletchley Park for
decoding.
Heap later became President of the Chelmsford Amateur Radio Society and
retired from that role only a few weeks ago at the tender young age of 93.
You can read more about this ham radio World War 2 hero at
tinyurl.com/23s86xe
CITIZEN BUYS POLICE INTERNET DOMAIN TO FIGHT RED LIGHT CAMERAS
And finally this week the story of how one citizen has taken communications
with public officials to a new height. This, by purchasing the Internet domain
name of the police department whose red light camera issued him a ticket.
We have more in this report:
Most of the time, if you or I get a speeding ticket we just grumble about it
and pay the fine. Oh we can fight it in court but for most people those are
the only two options.
However, after receiving a $90 speeding ticket in Bluff City, Tennessee,
Brian McCrary discovered a third. It seems that the Bluff City Police
Department had forgotten to renew its Internet domain name of
bluffcitypd.com
It had expired so McCrary bought the domain for $80. He then posted his side
of the story along with information about speed traps in Bluff City and the
$250,000 per month the system was costing the town's 1,500 residents.
The police department had no idea their domain name had expired and that
McCrary owned it. That was until October 8th when reporters started calling
them to ask about it.
Bluff City Police Chief David Nelson said the city may approach McCrary about
buying the domain back from him, but admits Chief Nelson, the city is not very
optimistic that a deal can be made.
For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Bruce Tennent, K6PZW, and trying to avoid
the Red Light Cameras in Los Angeles.
McCrary says that his goal is to get enough attention to put pressure on the
local government to remove the traffic enforcement cameras in Bluff City.
=============================================================================
WEIRD AND WONDERFUL
Shortwave radio frequency causes amnesia
Hello I'm Jim Linton VK3PC with another from the Weird 'N Wonderful File.
Taking on the shape of an urban myth are stories of people suffering loss
of memory after tuning their radios to 6955 kHz.
Apparently this is where numbers stations exist, originally thought to be
coded messages for spies but now there's a new theory that they are
automatically generated, a key to the universe, existed since the earth
began, and even Marconi heard them in his early experiments.
The fascination with the frequency and beliefs now developing around it
can be traced to a science fiction show called Fringe in the United States
which has dramatically promoted the fanciful 6955 phenomenon.
The story goes that 15 people suffered amnesia after listening to the same
frequency. They suffered some kind of convulsion and their memories were
wiped.
So is there a moral or warning in all this for radio amateurs. Yes, stay
without our band limits, and don't be tempted to sandbag beyond the lower
edge of the 40m band, just in case.
(Jim Linton VK3PC)
WIA NATIONAL NEWS - THE WRITTEN WORD
Ham Radio Fair in Lisbon
The Association of Radioamadores of the Village of Moscavide are holding their
Exposition Ham Fair in Lisbon today, November 28.
If you are in the region, make it along to one of the biggest events of
Ham radio in Portugal
www.arvm.org/index.fr2010.html
( A.R.V.M. arvm@arvm.org )
WIA NATIONAL NEWS - THE WRITTEN WORD
The Sun's missing spots
The CGC Communicator, a newsletter for broadcast engineering professionals in
California, has published an article titled 'The Sun's missing spots'.
The 11-year solar sunspot cycle has been clicking along for decades. Then, all
of a sudden, something that was not predicted happened. During the past few
years, there have been very few sunspots. In fact, we have had 800 days with
no sunspots and that has not happened in 300 years.
This could have profound implications for worldwide weather patterns to say
nothing of HF radio propagation in the 3-30 MHz region.
Maunder Minimum is what that period 300 years ago was called and paintings
from that era show wintry weather in areas where it's not typical, like
carnivals held on frozen rivers and people playing on the ice. There are
historical accounts of rivers in Europe frozen over, and civilizations almost
perishing due to the harshness of winters....
http://tinyurl.com/MissingSunSpots-Part1
http://tinyurl.com/MissingSunSpots-Part2
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maunder_Minimum
Keep in mind that although sunspots have vanished for now, some experts still
believe they will make a rapid and sudden return later in the current cycle.
Only time will tell.
CGC Communicator website
www.bext.com/_CGC/
(thanks to southgate news and their reporter Mike Terry for spotting this item)
OPERATIONAL NEWS -
SPECIAL EVENTS AND ON AIR CONTEST COLUMN - D A T E L I N E 2010-11
Dec 10 ARRL 2010 ARRL 10 Meter Contest 0000 U-T-C through Sunday evening
December 12th at 2359 U-T-C.
Jan 15/16 WIA Summer VHF-UHF Field Day
Includes "Microwave Challenge", with special certificates to
be awarded to the participants on microwave bands.
John Martin VK3KM tac@wia.org.au
SPECIAL EVENT STATIONS, REPEATER BEACON DX AND NET ADVICE
hf nets ON the net, www.timroberts-vk4yeh.id.au/
VK9NA Norfolk Island DXpedition 2011 7-21 January.
We made mention of this "return to Norfolk" in last weeks news and pointed
out how the prime focus this time are the elusive microwave QSO's on
2.4 GHz thru 10 GHz back to VK and ZL.
Well don't despair because the team will again have 6 meters, 2 meters, 70 cm
& 1296 MHz.
A team of serious microwavers, Colin Hutchesson VK5DK, Trevor Niven VK5NC and
Les Janes VK5JL, will set up at Port Macquarie on the VK2 coastline.
Because of the sizable distances involved and the finicky nature of the
propagation, the WSJT digital modes will more than likely offer the best
possible chance of success.
However, 2m, 70cm & 23cm via tropospheric ducting will be used as propagation
indicators for the microwave bands.
(Jim Linton VK3PC)
CHATHAM ISLANDS, ZL7.
Active is ZL7VR till 30th November on the HF bands.
Also active as ZL7V in this weekends CQ WW CW contest.
QSL both calls to OH1VR.
Sierra Leone DXpedition
Members of the Voodoo Contest Group are operating as 9L5VT in this weekends
CQWW DX CW Contest (November 27-28th) as a Multi/2 entry.
QSL via LoTW or direct to G3SXW.
After the contest, operators will be signing as 9L7NS.
Look for operations to be on the lower bands, RTTY and 30/17/12 meters.
The Grand Prairie ARC (KF5CZR) will host a special event station for the
"World Championship Duck Calling Championship Contest."
"on air" Saturday November 26th from 10am Central USA time till 3pm Central
around 14.265 on 20 meters.
A colour qsl card if you send a self addressed stamped envelope.
grandprairiearc@yahoo.com
OPERATIONS APPROVED FOR DXCC CREDIT.
Uganda, 5X0CW, 2010
Angola, D2QV, 2010 operation.
AWARDS
ZS6BB ACHIEVES THE FIRST ZS WAGS AWARD FOR ALL 83 GRID SQUARES
Pierre van Deventer, ZS6BB, recently achieved the top ZS WAGS award with his
submission for all 83 grid squares on mixed bands and modes. Getting the last
grid square took him many months, and was only completed by a contact with a
Botswana station for KG25, a grid with a very small footprint in Southern Africa.
To achieve this award Pierre had to take full advantage of mobile stations for
many grids in which there are very few no resident amateurs, and included
contacts on SSB, CW, Satellite and even PSK31.
The ZS WAGS operating award was launched in early 2009. To date, a total of 35
hunters' awards have been issued, as well as 17 awards for stations that
activated rare grid squares.
The ZS WAGS award is operated by the Sandton Amateur Radio Club. For the rules
and complete records of all awards go to http://www.zs6stn.org.za/zswags/.
BROADCAST MONITORING SWL AND SCANNER NEWS
http://spench.net/drupal/software/rfmap )AUSTRALIAN GEOGRAPHICAL RF MAP)
http://www.scanaustralia.bigpondhosting.com
http://mt-shortwave.blogspot.com/
HTTP://www.ei7dar.com/hf.html
www.tinyurl.com/BITS-026 (A receiver located in NY USA)
http://wb4mak.com/ (Atlanta 80/40/20 Web SDR Receiver)
Radio Pretoria licensed after 17-year wait
Afrikaans station Radio Pretoria has finally been granted a five-year
broadcasting licence by the Independent Communications Authority of
South Africa (Icasa), after a 17-year wait.
"After a sustained battle of 17 years, Radio Pretoria (104.2 FM) has received
its broadcasting licence," the station's media spokesman Henk Joubert said.
"It is clearly written on the licence that the station will serve
'an Afrikaner, farmer-based community'," he said.
An Icasa spokesman confirmed the station had been granted a licence. It had
been broadcasting on temporary licences for nearly two decades. Joubert said
the station had an audience of up to 750 000.
(Source: Media Network, Sapa via southgate)
MEDIA WATCH
www.wiaq.com/admin/uploads/weeklytally.rtf
www.cq-amateur-radio.com/WorldRadio.html
Now for a look at some of the contents of Amateur Radio magazine for December.
There's a report on WICEN Tasmania (South) providing communications for the
inaugural Hobart 'Run the bridge' with 14-hundred running and walking
competitors.
In doing so WICEN won praise for its contribution while showing the flag
for amateur radio emergency communications.
There's no shortage of technical articles this month:
A matching-system for two 23-centimetre antennas is explained in detail.
That article is based on the recent experience of Peter Cossins VK3BFG in
setting up the digitised Melbourne television repeater VK3RTV.
Roderick Wall VK3YC describes how to build a 150 watt RF dummy load using
a terminator chip.
A simple method of separate the centre conductor and braid of coax cable
is described by Hank Prunckham VK5JAZ.
In Foundation Corner the topic is 'Homebrewing without a headache' by
Geoff Emery VK4ZPP and Ross Pittard VK3CE. And following on that theme is
Jim Tregallis VK5JST who presents ideas on doing 'Metal work at home'.
Amateur Radio magazine, a WIA membership service with copies also
available at selected newsagents.
(Barry Robinson VK3PV)
WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- ATV (Every pixel tells a story) - Video
arvideonews.com
hamradiotube.com
youtube.com
qdg.com.au
YouTube 'Groups' to close November 31.
This means the end of popular groups such as " Allbroadcasting" on YouTube.
But, you still have "a cupala days" to have a look at 1,000 videos about
hamradio, SW radio, antennas, etc.
http://www.youtube.com/group/allbroadcasting
(Jarno - PA3DMI via southgate)
WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- FINAL FRONTIER
AMSAT-VK UNOFFICIAL HF Net.
2nd Sunday each month.
April through October 1000 UTC 3.685 MHz
November through March 0900 UTC 7.068 MHz
Telecom NZ has gifted its now-surplus radio antenna to the Auckland University
of Technology, to be converted into a radio telescope.
AUT has been granted a license to operate the Warkworth 2 antenna, located
near Auckland, as what will become New Zealand's largest radio telescope.
It will be used by the university's Institute for Radio Astronomy and Space
Research to help study star formation, the centre of the Milky Way and
gaseous galactic objects.
The dish had until now been used by Telecom NZ to send and receive satellite
communications, including phone calls, data, internet traffic and TV content.
Five new Amateur Radio Satellites in orbit
FASTRAC-1, FASTRAC-2, NanoSail-D2, O/OREOS and RAX were launched last week
Nov 20, and reports of signals are needed.
So far signals have been reported only from
FASTRAC-2 (Emma), O/ORES and RAX.
Nominal Frequencies:
- FASTRAC-1 "Sara Lily" 437.345 MHz FM AX.25 1200bps
- FASTRAC-2 "Emma" 145.825 MHz FM AX.25 1200bps
- RAX-1 437.505 MHz
- O/OREOS 437.305 MHz
- Nanosail D2 0.5 sec beacon every 5 sec on 437.275 MHz.
RAX Twitter: http://twitter.com/RAX_2010
AMSAT Bulletin Board www.amsat.org/amsat-new/tools/maillist/
(Orbiter Forum via southgate)
SOCIAL SCENE
DEC 4 VK7 Central Highlands Hamfest at Miena
2011
Jan 30 vk2 Mid North Coast Radio Expo 2011 at St Johns Church Hall
McLean Street, Coffs Harbour at 8:30am, vk2cjc@wia.org.au
Feb 13 VK3 Centre Victoria RadioFest No.4 Kyneton Racecourse
(http://amateurradio.com.au/node/865/)
Feb 27 vk2 Central Coast Amateur Radio Club Field Day at Wyong
Start Time : Gates open 6.30 am
Apr 18 WW "Amateur Radio: The first technology-based social network"
World Amateur Radio Day, April 18, 2011.
May 27-29 WIA AGM Weekend in Darwin
secretary@wia.org.au
2012
15TH IARU REGION 3 CONFERENCE hosted by V.A.R.C. in Ho-Chi-Minh City, Vietnam.
JAN 23-FEB 17 YEAR 2012
World Radio Conference WRC-11 Geneva 23rd January TO 17th February 2012
MAY 4-7 2012 VK5
YL International 2012 Australia (vk5tmc@bigpond.com)
Please think of the environment before printing this email
=============================================================================
WIANews - we've reported...YOU decide.
Societies and Club News Letter Editors can EXCHANGE a feed prior to
the actual broadcast date, e-mail nationalnews@wia.org.au
Call-backs follow the RF editions, but also for text readers you may
lodge a quick reply to let us know you read it, who knows, you might
even get a "cheerio call".
Thanks to to our dedicated band of broadcast volunteers who utilize
their time and equipment in bringing you this weekly broadcast.
The purpose of "WIANews" is to rapidly provide news of interest to
active amateurs residing in Australia and the globe.
We strongly encourage membership in the Wireless Institute of Australia
and participation in the activities of local clubs.
Opinions expressed in "WIANews" are those of the writers who submit
material and do not necessarily reflect those of the rebroadcasters,
nor the National WIA, but are broadcast in the spirit in which they were
submitted.
Material may be reproduced in whole or in part, in any form, a credit to
WIANews wouldn't go astray...
Compiled by VK4BB on behalf of the National WIA.
|
|
