WIANEWS - April 22 - VK NATIONAL NEWS
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WIANEWS WEEK COMMENCING APRIL 22 2012.
Hobby farm death not suspicious.
SUMMITS ON THE AIR VK ACTIVATION
Spectacular explosion on the Sun
VK100WIQ
THESE STORIES AND MORE IN THIS EDITION OF NEWS FROM THE WIRELESS INSTITUTE
OF AUSTRALIA FOR WEEK COMMENCING APRIL 22 2012.
Hobby farm death not suspicious.
Police are investigating the death of a man who fell from his vehicle onto
an antenna at his hobby farm.
The 51-year-old man is believed to have suffered fatal injuries after he
fell onto the 20-metre high metal antenna at the Cunderdin property in WA.
Police spokeswoman Ros Weatherall said the antenna was used for surveying
services, and had been removed by the man from the roof rack of his
Landcruiser utility before the incident. Initial investigations reveal that
he may have slipped from the top of the car and fallen onto the antenna.
Read more:
watoday.com.au/wa-news/hobby-farm-death-not-suspicious-20120416-1x2ed.html#ixzz1sA3VujOO
(Trevor VK4BAT)
Spectacular explosion on the Sun
On April 16th around 17:45 UT, magnetic fields curling over the sun's
north-eastern limb rose up and erupted, producing one of the most
visually-spectacular explosions in years.
The event, which also produced an M1.7-class solar flare and a coronal mass
ejection, was not Earth-directed.
Nevertheless, it confirms suspicions that a significant active region is
rotating onto the Earth-side of the sun.
Visit http://spaceweather.com for movies and updates.
The blue mountains ( www.bmarc.org ) Amateur radio club's May meeting will be
its AGM.
The meeting is on Friday 4th May and will be held at the new club house
4 Moore Street Glenbrook at 8pm.
There is a $2 fee for anyone attending the club. All are welcome.
(Danny Clark VK2FDCA Blue Mountains Amateur radio club)
PADDLE FOR LIFE - LISMORE TO BALLINA BY RIVER. 14-16 Apr.
About 40 canoes took part to complete the second stage, no adverse incidents.
Lismore, Coraki, and Woodburn six boats, and two civvy boats gave safety
cover.
Comms assistance provided by WICEN with five operators with good comms.
Lions and other service clubs provided feeding and assistance at the stops,
with no accidents, everyone completed the courses with sometimes a little
boat help.
Pics on the Album page http://www.ourphotos.net.au/albums.php?album=3473
BLACKHAWK DOWN
A Blackhawk Pilot will be down at Paluma in NQ, active during AM and CW on
ANZAC Day.
Chris VK4FR has advised that he will be leaving the chopper in the hangar
and travelling to Paluma by road with a vehicle equipped with HF gear and
portable internet to activate a site near the old World War 2 Radar Bunkers
and is excited about Joining The Gang on AM and CW.
(sourced to theTARCinc)
SUMMITS ON THE AIR VK ACTIVATION
www.sotawatch.org
www.sota.org.uk
You have heard of Islands on the Air.
Now think tops of hills and mountains instead of islands, and you will be
thinking of Summits on the Air or SOTA.
SOTA commenced on the 1st of February in VK3 with six hundred and nine
summits. Operators around all of VK can participate by chasing activations on
these summits, or any other SOTA summits around the world. Indeed some VK
operators are already well on their way to the entry level SOTA awards for
both activators and chasers.
For chasers, there are SOTA activations in VK3 on most weekends, and many of
these are on either 20 or 40 metres. Activations can be on any amateur band
using any mode, so an activation can be as simple as carrying a handheld FM
rig to a summit top.
Don't miss out on your chance to be the first VK Shack Sloth or Mountain Goat.
This is Allan, VK4FABR , from the Queensland Centenary Committee.
On behalf of Mike Charteris VK4QS, and members of the Committee, we can
announce that June 1st, 2012, will see the official launch of "VK100WIQ" on
the airwaves to celebrate the Centenary of the establishment of the
Wireless Institute in Queensland.
Our Centenary has its origins at a meeting organised in 1912, by
Mr Sydney Victor Colville, a Broadcast Radio Engineer, who held
the Amateur Call Sign "XQF" in Queensland.
From this meeting in 1912 came the establishment of the Wireless Institute
in the state of Queensland.
Therefore, we, the members of the Queensland Centenary Committee would like
to invite all amateur radio operators in Queensland and the rest of Australia
to embrace this once in a lifetime opportunity to work "VK100WIQ .
Those Radio Clubs of Queensland wishing to participate, will be required to
seek a three day block by way of an on-line roster currently being
established.
VK100WIQ will be on air during the period June 1st to July 31st , from
Radio Clubs of Queensland, operating on HF, VHF, UHF, and most other amateur
modes. They will be looking forward to working stations all over Australia
and the rest of the world during their individual three day blocks.
The Centenary Committee, is currently organizing a special QSL Card and
Centenary Certificate for those making contact with VK100WIQ.
Details will be posted on the Centenary Website at www.wiaq.org.au by
June 1st 2012.
One of the highlights will be the holding of the Centenary President's
Luncheon at the Hervey Bay RSL Club, on Saturday July 21st 2012.
Special guests include WIA President, Mr Michael Owen, VK3KI, and
WIA Director, Mr Ewan McLeod VK4ERM.
If you will be attending, this very special luncheon, then please contact
Norm Greenaway VK4NP at nwg46@bigpond.com President of the Hervey Bay Club,
He would love to hear from you.
The next day, Sunday July 22nd will see the Hervey Bay Amateur Radio Club
hosting a free BBQ at the Hervey Bay SES Buildings, on Old Maryborough Road
Pialba. What better way to top off the President's Luncheon on Saturday,
then to go out for dinner Saturday night, and stay for the Sunday Free BBQ
and make a weekend of it in beautiful Hervey Bay.
Hervey Bay will be hosting VK100WIQ, and will be on air with it from the
SES Buildings on the day of the BBQ.
So that's all from the centenary committee for now.
Be sure to check your calendar, mark the dates in July, and check out our
website at www.wiaq.org.au
We look forward to seeing you at the Presidents Luncheon and working you on
air.
What use is an f-call?
The annual National WIA conference is just over a month away in Mildura.
This year I'll be participating in my first and I wondered if there are any
f-call's who'd like to go, but have some trepidation on the idea of attending
an event with lots of strangers.
Perhaps you might like to come along and share a room.
I've got a large family suite with spare beds available and if you're
hesitant to be there because you know no-one, perhaps this might help you.
I'm sure that we'll find something to talk about - amateur radio perhaps
- hi hi.
If you'd like to take me up on this offer, get in touch - contact details in
the text edition.
email: vk6flab@harg.org.au
phone: 04 1219 8888
People are inventive, continually trying new things, solving problems,
discovering new ones, making and breaking things, scratching an itch.
Amateurs are no different. Well they are, but in essence they're no different
from people.
Amateurs just like to invent more stuff than the average person on the
street. Meet any group of amateurs in the wild and before long you'll be
embroiled in a discussion about how to solve a problem that is bugging one of
you. There will be hand-waving, charts, calculators and good cheer to fill up
the room.
If you're new to Amateur Radio, you might find yourself overwhelmed
by all this interaction. All you did was get your shiny new license and turn
up. Now all these experts are jabbering on about stuff you know next to
nothing about.
Ironically, if you stop and think about it for a moment, you'll quickly come
to the realization that this is true for everyone in the room. Some people
did this yesterday, others last year, and some have been around since before
you were born. The only trick in interacting with these people is to ask
questions.
Hearing a new Amateur on-air is a similar experience. What do you talk about
and how do you avoid looking silly?
I can't help with looking silly, but wearing a clown-costume on air is
generally not a problem, since we're really only working with audio. More
seriously, looking silly is in the eye of the beholder, if your intent is to
learn, there can be no place for looking silly.
So, my advice to you is to walk into the room or push your talk button and
have a go. Ultimately, this hobby contains many different people, some of
whom are going to share many of your interests.
I'm Onno - VK6FLAB
INTERNATIONAL NEWS With thanks to IARU, RSGB, SARL, Southgate AR Club, ARRL,
Amateur Radio Newsline, NZART, ARVictoria and the WW sources of the WIA.
Joo Alberto Costa CT1FBF brings news of an extension to the amateur radio
6m band.
He writes:
The National Communications Authority of Portugal (ICP-ANACOM) welcomes the
proposal of 2 amateur radio colleagues, Jos Carlos CT1DHM and
Joo Costa CT1FBF, in order to amend the upper range limit of
50.5 MHz on the 6 metres band, from next April 26, 2012; the date of the
complete switch-off of the analogue TV broadcasting transmissions to
digital terrestrial television.
The new limits of the band allocation for Portugal will be from
50 MHz to 52 MHz.
Such opening, regarding the new upper limit for Portuguese ham radio 6 metres
band, was possible thanks to the end of the old analogue signal TV
broadcasting transmissions, on the lower VHF band (channels 2 to 4) after
that date.
UK C5 Discussion Group (VHF/UHF/Microwave matters)
http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/ukc5discussion/
Rede dos Emissores Portugueses (REP) in Google English
http://tinyurl.com/PortugalREP
Portugese Regulator Anacom
http://tinyurl.com/PortugalCommsRegulator
World Amateur Radio Day
On 18 April 2012, radio amateurs celebrated World Amateur Radio Day, on
the 87th anniversary of the founding of the International Amateur Radio
Union or IARU.
This year's theme was "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.
Nothing was heard after our initial notification here on VK1WIA News from
any society/organisation in Australia of any celebration in VK.
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 were HOWEVER several special event stations from OTHER IARU's Member
Societies active on different dates during April:
South Africa - ZS6IARU, was active 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
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 active 18 April.
Direct QSL to EL2BA.
Mexico - 6H6IARU by the Federacin Mexicana de Radio Experimentadores who
were 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.
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NEWS FROM ARNEWSLINE USA
NZART CHANGES ITS REPEATER LICENSE FEE METHODS
A decision from the New Zealand Association of Radio
Transmitters will have an impact on several of its branches.
Those where repeater and beacon licenses currently held in
the name of NZART will be handed back to them.
The current system of invoicing and renewals means a heavy
administrative workload for society's resources at a time
when subscription renewals are also being processed. This
will mean that this coming November when the individual
licenses are up for renewal, each branch will receive the
license renewal invoice direct from the government
telecommunications regulatory authority. This in turn means
that branch secretaries will need to be aware of this and
ensure that payment is made by the date due. Failure to do
so may result in the license being cancelled.
Unlike the United States where individual hams own and hold
license to repeaters, in many nations it is the national
society that is the repeater and beacon licensee. Those
hams involved merely build and maintain repeaters. In fact,
in some nations these hams are known as repeater keepers
rather than as owner operators of such devices.
NEW 50 MHz EME DIGITAL SARL DX RECORD
Derek Gravette, ZS5Y, in Scottburgh, South Africa established a new 50 MHz
South Africa Radio League Earth-Moon-Earth record. This, by making contact
with Mike Staal, K6MYC, in northern California in the United States.
On April 4th, the two completed a QSO on E-M-E using the JT65a digital mode.
JT65 was developed by Joe Taylor, K1JT and released in late 2003. It is
intended for extremely weak but slowly-varying signals, such as those found
on tropo-scatter or of coarse E-M-E paths.
(SARL)
N0BYH GIVEN AWARD FOR AIDING HAM RADIO SCOUTING
In the United States, Tim Arimond, N0BYH, has been awarded the Boy Scouts'
District Award of Merit. This for his work in promoting amateur radio with
the Boy Scouts in the Minneapolis and St Paul area.
The award recognizes Airmond's extraordinary service to youth that has
included instruction to help prepare scouts to take the amateur radio exam as
well as his service as a merit badge councillor for Electricity, Electronics,
and Radio. It was also noted that he was also one of the adult leaders
behind the local K0BSA.
(KD0NYS)
RADIO SPORT AND OPERATIONAL NEWS
TITANIC EVENT IN VK4
The Redcliffe club's brightly coloured tent stood out among the old maritime
relics in a pristine area on the banks of the Brisbane River and as Bevan
reports, the tent was not in the best position for radio communication but
the operators persisted. There were many visitors to the radio tent
including families as a result of media advertising with many asking
questions about Morse code, and the role radio played in the Titanic disaster.
Most visitors were fascinated at actually seeing the operators sending and
receiving CW and many visitors were able to send morse themselves with keys
attached to audio oscillators. The club had 3 operators until about 1100Z
and one from then until the station closed at about 2230Z.
Bevan also said that that the QSL cards for the event were printed last
Wednesday as soon as the logs are collated the task of sending QSL cards will
begin.
(Ray vk4cf)
SPECIAL EVENTS AND ON AIR CONTEST COLUMN - D A T E L I N E 2012
VK/ZL AM/CW on ANZAC DAY April 25
VK/ZL Trans Tasman Contest 80metres Phone May 12
VK Shires Contest June 9-10
VK Winter VHF-UHF Field Day June 23-24
ZL NZART Memorial Contest July First full weekend
VK/ZL Trans Tasman Contest 80+160metres July 21
VK Remembrance Day Contest August 11-12
WW International Lighthouse Lightship Wknd August 18-19
VK Spring VHF / UHF Field Day November 24-25
AM CW FOR ANZAC DAY
The SA Repatriation General Hospital will be on-air for AM and CW on
ANZAC DAY - Andrew VK5CV has advised that a team of operators will be
activating Adelaide's Repatriation General Hospital during the event
as part of the hospital's 70th year celebrations.
Andrew has confirmed that special event call VI 70 RGH has been issued for
this historic activation.
(THETARCINC)
SPECIAL EVENT STATIONS, DX and BEACON AND NET ADVICE
First activation of Botley Flour Mills for Mills on the Air weekend
Botley Flour Mills near Southampton in the UK is one of the oldest known
milling sites and is listed in the doomsday book and is believed to have
been a mill site in pre-Roman times.
The Mill will be activated for what is believed to be the first time with
the callsign GB 0 BFM for Mills on the Air weekend on the 12/13th of May
from 10:00-1600 BST with an NoV for 80m, 40m, 2m & 70cm.
The station will be run by M 0 IED and father G 6 FRT and other members of
Itchen Valley Radio Club with added assistance from Southampton University
Wireless society.
Itchen Valley Radio Club: http://www.ivarc.org.uk/
Southampton University Wireless society: http://www.suws.susu.org
Botley Flour Mills: http://www.botleymills.co.uk/heritage.htm
In DX, EA3OW is now active through May 12th as EA 3 0W/HH8 from Southern
Haiti. Listen out for him on 40 through 10 meters using SSB, RTTY and
digital modes. QSL via his home callsign, EA 3 OW
DJ 9 RR will be on the air as S 79 RR from Mahe Island between May 15th and
the 23rd. Activity on 40 through 10 meters using CW and RTTY.
QSL via his home callsign, JJ 9 RR.
Members of the Jersey Contest Group will be active as GJ 2 A from the
Isle of Jersey during the Radio Society of Great Britain's' Islands on the
Air Contest July 28 and 29.
QSL direct to GJ 3 DVC.
Mozambique operation
ZS6JR and ZS6DJD will be operating from Mozambique for seven days starting
the 3rd of May 2012.
QTH is Shai Shai, Mozambique, 400 km north of the capital and they will
operate all vertical antennas with the earth wires in lake water.
40m to 10m.
The 2012 Asian Weightlifting Championships is being held this month in
South Korea. To celebrate the event the special callsign DT 12 AWC is
activated until 30th of April.
QSL Manager is DS 2 GOO.
REWIND
Radio Ham established Broadcasting
Amateur radio operator Frank Conrad 8XK established the concept of radio
broadcasting.
Frank first became interested in radio in 1912 when, in order to settle a bet
on the accuracy of a watch, he built a radio in order to hear time signals
from the Arlington, Virginia Naval Observatory.
He then constructed, in his garage, a new transmitter, licensed in 1916 as
8XK, whose signal could be heard throughout the Pittsburgh area.
In response to popular demand, Frank began broadcasting for two hours each
Wednesday and Saturday night.
Watch Frank Conrad Invents Broadcasting by doing a youtube google.
(SouthGate)
SOCIAL SCENE 2012
APR 28 VK6 HARGfest (Hills ARG)
MAY 3-18 VK5 YL International 2012 Australia (vk5tmc@bigpond.com)
MAY 5- 6 VK4 RADAR and MARC Clairview Gathering
MAY 25-27 VK3 WIA Annual Conference Mildura
MAY 26 VK4 BARCFEST (a hamfest) Mt Gravatt Showgrounds 9am.
JUN 8-11 VK4 FNNQARG! QLD Cassowary Coast
JUN 9-10 VK5 South East Radio Group Convention, Mt Gambier.
JULY 14 VK4 Wide Bay Hamfest. West Maryborough Scout Hall
JULY 21 VK3 Gippsland Gate Radio & Electronics Club Hamfest @ Cranbourne
JULY 21 VK4 WIA VK4 CLUB PRESIDENTS LUNCH Hervey Bay AR Club
NOV 4 VK5 Adelaide Hills Amateur Radio Society HAMFEST @ Goodwood
NOV 11 VK3 Yarra Valley Amateur Radio Group Hamfest
NOV 25 VK3 SPARC HAMFEST AT ROSEBUD
WIA Annual Conference Mildura
May 25th, 26th and 27th 2012
Details for the WIA 2012 Annual Conference being held in Mildura are on
wia.org.au
Host club is Sunraysia Radio Group, led by Garry Briant VK3KYF and
Noel Ferguson VK3FI.
WIA Members who register for the event will be able to participate in a
range of fascinating and memorable activities.
Submitting news items
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