WIANEWS - August 12 - VK NATIONAL NEWS
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE BEST NEWS YOU'LL GET ALL WEEK
Oh... and to contact us with your news because
If It Matters To You It Matters To Us!
Email nationalnews@wia.org.au
http://www.wia.org.au (click news in member area) Submit your audio news
TWITTER http://twitter.com/VK1WIA
Please... If you are only submitting text and not audio, write your story as
you would expect to hear it being read back and NEVER send just links &
url's.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WIANEWS WEEK COMMENCING AUGUST 12 2012.
VI5CW
ECHOLINK 101
MOVE TV OFF UHF TO INTERNET
FLOWERS THE PRIZE IN A YL CONTEST
IS YOUR RIG STILL LEGAL? BUYER BEWARE!
THESE STORIES AND MORE IN THIS EDITION OF NEWS FROM THE WIRELESS INSTITUTE
OF AUSTRALIA FOR WEEK COMMENCING AUGUST 12 2012.
Mission to make Curiosity count
With the Curiosity Mars landing Aug 6, The Canberra Times interviewed
radio amateur Len Ricardo VK1ALR. Now it just so happens that VK1ALR is
Operations Manager at the Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex.
Len has had a passion for space since the launch of the first Sputnik mission
in October 1957. A nine-year-old in Brisbane at the time, he watched the
tiny white speck pass overhead in the night sky and heard the ''beep, beep,
beep'' signal on the evening radio news (TV had not arrived in VK4 at that
time.)
''I started to play at amateur radio at school and I had a crystal set I got
for my birthday,'' he said. ''I'm still a ham radio operator, I just never
expected to have a set this big (indicating Tidbinbilla's 70-metre dish
which is even larger than the 1950/60s instrument at Parkes).
Read the full story at
canberratimes.com.au/act-news/mission-to-make-curiosity-count-20120801-23fq1.html
The Mar Rover Curiosity transmits around 401 MHz but the transponder on the
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) has a C.C.S.D.S. Forward Frequency in the
437 MHz Amateur-Satellite Service band.
435-438 MHz is shared with the Military and 432-438 MHz is also a Space
SAR Band. General Space usage extends beyond that.
The MRO has a UHF transponder "MELACOM" (401 to 437 MHz) and 2 patch antennas
to communicate with any landed asset on Mars surface supporting the CCSDS
Proximity-1 protocol.
http://www.spaceops2012.org/proceedings/documents/id1295328-Paper-003.pdf
http://descanso.jpl.nasa.gov/DPSummary/MRO_092106.pdf
Speaking of radio telescopes, British physicist and astronomer Bernard Lovell,
who developed one of the world's largest radio telescopes, has died at 98.
Lovell was founder of England's Jodrell Bank Observatory and creator of its
massive 76-metre-wide radio telescope that has borne his name since 1987.
Lovell's was the only Western device able to pinpoint and track Sputnik's
booster rocket October 4, 1957. Lovell also led an important World War II
research project that developed the world's first radar system for scanning
the ground. The H2S radar technology was used on British bombers from 1943
onward to identify ground targets at night and low visibility.
(sbs news on line plus southgate)
Codan Acquisition of Canadian Land Mobile Radio Communications Company.
Codan Limited has entered into an agreement to acquire all of the shares in
Canadian-based company, Daniels Electronics Limited, a leading designer,
manufacturer and supplier of land mobile radio communications solutions
in North America.
Codan's Managing Director, Donald McGurk, said "The acquisition of Daniels
delivers on Codan's stated strategy of growing market share and diversifying
its radio communications product offering. The Board believes that Codan's
extensive international distribution network will deliver significant growth
opportunities to the Daniels business. Codan will seek to offer land mobile
radio solutions across its global distribution network, especially in the
emerging world".
An aside to the Codan story, many of us have commercial Codan transceivers
modified for the ham bands, but what if we reversed that and had a ham transceiver
capable of transmitting on a commercial channel?
Stay tuned when we present "the final final" this week.
(various press reports)
A group from the Adelaide Hills Amateur Radio Society will travel to
Cape Willoughby at the eastern end of Kangaroo Island, to operate over the
Lighthouse and Lightship weekend, August 18th and 19th.
A special call VI5CW has been allocated. Operation will be on 80, 40 and 20
metres phone, as well as 2metres and 70cm. A special QSL card has been
produced for the weekend.
Operators are Paul VK5PAS, Hans VK5YX, Lesley VK5LOL, Mark VK5VW, Sasi VK5SN
and Aysha VK5FASH and David VK5KC, with support from Spouses.
Google VI5CW for more information.
We look forward to a contact with you.
General public reads about the ILLW
From The Inlander, Kangaroo Island in South Australia, is an article about
this VI 5 CW who reports that the worldwide event was initiated in 1993 in
Scotland, as a way to promote the hobby and shine a light on the need
to restore and preserve lighthouses and lightships.
VI 5 CW at Cape Willoughby during this weekend when the Lighthouse
will be open to members of the public.
And reception from KI to your QTH should be excellent, years ago, in 1930
actually a Radio Amateur George Anderson, on Kangaroo Island, was responsible
for linking the King's voice in the UK with Australia.
When the Melbourne wireless reception was a total failure through unfavourable
atmospheric conditions, Anderson was appealed to. He picked up the King's
voice which he then relayed to Adelaide and Melbourne.
More on ILLW later in this the GLOBAL edition of WIA NATIONAL NEWS.
(sourced to Jim Linton VK3PC, KI News, Inlander and AHARS)
WIA
President Michael Owen VK3KI president@wia.org.au
Vice President Phil Wait VK2ASD vk2asd@wia.org.au
Secretary Sarah Thompson VK3AUD secretary@wia.org.au
Treasurer John Longayroux VK3PZ vk3pz@wia.org.au
RD Opening Speech for early readers and listeners of this weekend's WIA news.
For 2012, the 20 minutes leading to the beginning of the contest features
the Opening Speech broadcast consisting of:
an introduction by Peter Ellis VK1PE (host),
comments by Alan Shannon VK4SN (Contest Manager),
comments and thanks by Michael Owen VK3KI (President of the WIA),
a reading of the list of Australian Amateurs who died during World War 2,
and a discussion with, and the opening speech by, Colonel Rupert Hoskin RAE.
The direct URL for the RD Audio File as follows:
http://www.wia.org.au/members/contests/rdcontest/documents/2012-Opening-Address.mp3
"Simply go to the RD Contest page on the WIA website either by selecting
the RD Contest under contests menu in the members dropdown menu of the WIA
website, or go directly to the page by clicking the picture of the RD trophy
on the right hand side of the WIA home page. There at the bottom of the page
for you to download you will find the 2012 opening address MP3 file."
HAMS ACROSS AUSTRALIA.
VK4 - QNEWS
Send your stories for news. SCRIPT to qnews@wia.org.au
send audio to http://www.wia.org.au/members/broadcast/upload/
get local audio news www.wiaq.org.au/ftp/vk4_qnews_64.mp3
get local news emailed qnews-vk-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Hello .This vk4fnaa Ian wells from Biloela.
On Sunday the 5th of august the Banana Shire Repeater Association Inc held
its special agm meeting in Biloela and it was decided that the bsra would
welcome amateur radio operators in banana shire to become members of the
association .
The association is also looking forward to installing a 2 meter and 70 cm
repeater on banana range pending approval by the WIA and the acma.
Membership to this new association is welcome to all amateur and CB users
and further information is available by contacting the secretary Ian wells
vk4fnaa on 0409 159 932 or by visiting
kerinvale comaudio
3a murchision street
biloela.
Thank You ,Ian Wells
www.kerinvalecomaudio.com.au
Ipswich & District Radio Club
P.O. Box 250
Ipswich Qld 4305
Web - www.vk4wip.com
Email - vk4wip@wia.org.au
Main 2 meter repeater - 146.900, linked to 438.375 and 439.300
If you have been thinking about attending the 50 -year celebration dinner for
the Ipswich and District Radio Club on Saturday August 25, now is the time to
spring into action.
To make this night a success, we need early bookings to be confirmed with
payment before August 17.
A hot and cold buffer dinner, including dessert is only $40 per person. It's
a 6 for 6.30pm start at the Ipswich Turf Club.
More details are on the club website www.vk4wip.com, or contact club
treasurer John Edwards VK4IE to reserve your seat and arrange payment.
(Phone 07 3379 6296 or jkedw@bigpond.com).
Graham Kemp VK4BB has kindly agreed to be guest speaker.
We also plan to have some club memorabilia on display, along with a selection
of photographs from the archives of club members.
Overnight visitors can choose from a range of local accommodation. Check out
the Discover Ipswich website (www.discoveripswich.com.au) with links to
nearby hotels and online bookings.
Partners are especially welcome, along with past, present and future members
- in other words everyone is welcome.
If you know someone who may be interested in attending please share this
information with them as soon as possible.
Reporting from Ipswich, this is Allan VK4FABR.
DISCUSSION POINT
Last Sunday we brought you news of the F-troop net running on Echo-Link
for about an hour every Saturday morning at 08:00 WST, or midnight UTC
thanks to the work of Ronald VK6XS and the conference server run by Tony
VK3JED.
BUT for our "new comers" what is IRLP and EchoLink?
Over the past few weeks I've been playing with an Amateur Radio technology
that links my work-life and my hobby together. For some, that might be a
boon, for me, I have been trying to get out of the office - I work from home
- to have a life and Amateur Radio is my escape from the world of Information
Technology. Little did I realise at the start that the two go hand in hand.
You win some, you lose some.
Anyway, the technology I've been playing with is called EchoLink. It's a way
of linking radios across the Internet which allows you to communicate with
Hams across the world, without needing HF, or even a radio for that matter.
Before I get too far into this, I should point out that there is a common
held misconception that Foundation Licence holders are not allowed to use
this technology. This is not true. You are not allowed to hook your computer
to your radio, but there's no license condition that prevents you using the
set-up that another Ham is running. This means that you cannot run an
EchoLink Sysop node, but you can obtain and legally use EchoLink with your
Foundation call-sign.
I should also point out that there are two Internet linking technologies -
well, there are many more, but for the purposes of this discussion, two -
that achieve similar things. EchoLink is one, IRLP, or Internet Radio Linking
Project, is the other.
Both allow you to link Hams together. IRLP links radios (using specialised
hardware and a copy of Linux), EchoLink on the other hand links software,
which may or may not be connected to a radio. That's right. You can use
EchoLink on your computer without a radio. You can also use it on your iPhone
and Android powered phone. No projects under way for any other smart phones
at this time. And of course, you can use EchoLink and IRLP via a radio if you
are in range of an IRLP node or an EchoLink Sysop none, using DTMF tones to
control them.
Back to EchoLink. You can download it for nix at echolink.org and once you've
scanned in your Amateur License and emailed it to EchoLink to verify that
you're in fact a licensed Ham, you're good to go.
You'll find that there are places where you can link to many Amateurs at
once, or you can have a one-on-one QSO with another Ham.
I should also mention that there are also special nodes that have both
EchoLink and IRLP installed, which allows you to link the two. You'll find
that there are many 'nets around that use this technology. A home grown one
is the Friday Night Technical Net, which is run by Reg, VK6BQQ, on
Friday Night - Ontario Time, and Saturday Morning in VK. You can find it at
the VAN-IRLP EchoLink node, which is run from Vancouver.
With the help of a few local Amateurs, we have the F-troop 'net, which is a
weekly hour of chat that I host for New and Returning Hams available
via EchoLink too, which allows people across the country to sign in and
participate.
So, if you don't have a radio yet, or if your radio is nowhere near where
you are, you can use EchoLink to still stay in touch.
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.
"Writtle Calling" celebrates 90th anniversary of 2MT
On the 90th anniversary of the start of regular broadcasting in the UK by
2MT Writtle, the communications regulator Ofcom have issued a licence to
broadcast station "Writtle Calling" on 87.7 MHz FM.
In 1922, regular broadcasting started from the 2MT (Two-Emma-Toc) Marconi
hut at Writtle near Chelmsford, Essex. The hut is now preserved in the
Chelmsford Sandford Mill museum.
Writtle Calling aims to commemorate this anniversary and from September 10
to 18 will be broadcasting from the grounds of Writtle College, Essex,
near to the site of the original Two-Emma-Toc station.
Information on Writtle Calling
http://www.writtlecalling.co.uk/pr3.pdf
You can listen to Writtle Calling online at
http://www.writtlecalling.co.uk/
in related news, a developer buys former Chelmsford Marconi site.
The BBC report that the Marconi New Street factory is to be redeveloped
after being left derelict for several years.
Marconi New Street was the world's first purpose designed and built wireless
factory. Opened in June 1912 it has stood empty since 2008.
Read the BBC story at
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-19037972
TV should switch to internet, peers suggest
The Guardian newspaper reports on a House of Lords committee suggestion that
TV should be moved onto the Internet to free up radio spectrum
Read the Guardian article at
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/jul/31/digital-television-internet-revolution
RADIO AMATEURS OF CANADA CANCELS 2012 NATIONAL CONVENTION
The 2012 Radio Amateurs of Canada National Convention slated for this weekend
August 10th to the 12th has been cancelled.
According to a press release, planners cite a low number of per-registrants
as one of the reasons that the society has taken this action.
The organizers say they now working on plans for the 2013 show. They also
apologized to all who had arranged vacation or travel plans around this
convention.
What little else is known about the cancellation can be found on-line
convention2012.rac.ca
NEWS FROM ARNEWSLINE USA
A LOOK AT THE UPCOMING WRC 2015
A proposed permanent secondary allocation to the amateur service at or near
5 MHz is among agenda items for the World Radiocommunication Conference in
2015.
Amateur Radio Newsline's Norm Seeley, KI7UP, has the details:
There are numerous items on the 2015 World
Radiocommunications meeting agenda, as spelled
out at the end of the recently concluded 2012
conference. One is the proposal for a possible
new allocation to the amateur service on a
secondary basis within the band 5.250 to 5.450
MHz. The International Amateur Radio Union has
described such an allocation as being among the
best for hams to use to provide around the clock
emergency communications. So far, little in the
way of objections has been heard in public.
According to the publication Radio World, it is
the National Telecommunications and Information
Administration that coordinates United States
participation in the WRC conferences, doing so
though a number of government departments and
agencies are involved. According to N-T-I-A's
website, the next conference will consider
spectrum requirements for uses ranging from
mobile service allocations for broadband to
controlling unmanned aircraft from space.
These conferences are held by the International
Telecommunication Union every few years to talk
about international radio regulations. An FCC
advisory group will start to meet this month in
preparation for the next one. The commission also
has set up a website with information about
WRC-15. While WRC-15 may seem far away, the
planning for it is already getting underway.
For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm norm Seeley, KI7UP,
Scottsdale, Arizona.
Another item of interest on the WRC 15 agenda is the feasibility of achieving
a continuous reference time-scale. This either by the modification of
coordinated universal time or some other method.
=============================================================================
RSGB
Serbia elects radio amateur as PM
Former Serbian Internal Affairs Minister Ivica Dacic, YU1YU, was
elected as that country's newest Prime Minister on July 27th.
Dacic is a member of the Amateur Radio Union of Serbia, the SRS
Serbia's IARU Member-Society and is said to be a member of his
local club, YU1AAV.
=============================================================================
VK Remembrance Day Contest August 11-12
WW International Lighthouse Lightship Wknd August 18-19
WW ALARA August 25-26
WW Oceania Dx Contest SSB October 6
ww Oceania Dx Contest CW oceaniadxcontest.com Oct 13
VK Spring VHF / UHF Field Day November 24-25
SPECIAL EVENT STATIONS, DX and BEACON AND NET ADVICE
Bill Moore NC1L, the ARRL Awards Branch Manager has announced that the 2012
H 44 UD operation from the Solomon Islands has been approved for DXCC credit.
Cards for that operation may now be submitted.
A pair of twinned Special Event Stations, GB175PO and TM175PO,
will be running in Dover and Calais to celebrate 175 years of P&O.
Operation starts on 11th August and will be running for 30 days.
Both stations will have the opportunity to work from ferries at
various times during the operation.
Stefan, DL4ST is in Afghanistan until the end of September. He is
active as T6SS and so far has been worked mainly on 20m.
Prefix hunters, remember Croatia is marking their 20th Anniversary of the
allocation of the 9A prefix. Operators there are now permitted to insert the
figures '20' into their callsigns.
For example 9A2AA will become 9A202AA, 9A1MM becomes 9A201MM etc.
These prefixes are available throughout 2012.
(irts)
Temotu Province H 40 FN between December 22nd and January 7th of 2013.
QSL H 40 FN via HA8DD.
Morocco CN 2 YZ through years end from the city of Tangier especially on the
weekends. The Mediterraneo DX Club is supporting his activities and is also
providing a Web site with a log-check.
It's in cyberspace at www.mdxc.org/cn2yz
MEDIA WATCH
www.cq-amateur-radio.com/WorldRadio.html
VK Club Bulletins http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aarnie/
Colin VK5FCJM appeared in his local newspaper this week, The
"Yorke Peninsula Country Times".
He is a long standing member of the Royal Volunteer Coastal Patrol SA's
Yorke Peninsula group and thanks to VK5FCJM they now have a mobile
communications base thanks to his generosity.
Seems VK5FCJM has purchased a vehicle and is outfitting it to provide the
Royal Volunteer Coastal Patrols with a mobile communications base.
The short version on the newspapers website is available from
http://www.ypct.com.au/index.php/news/12545-coastal-communications-on-the-go
Also in Media Watch it's congratulations to VK4SSB Craig Huth from Taree
who is a finalist in this year's Commercial Radio Australia awards.
Craig from the Super Radio Network's MAX-FM and 2RE is nominated for
Best Talks Presenter, Best Current Affairs Presenter and for
Best Community Service Project.
WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- RESCUE RADIO
IARU REGION 3
Emergency Centre of Activity (CoA) frequencies
3.600, 7.110, 14.300, 18.160 and 21.360 MHz
Invitations have been issued to attend MYGAREC 2012, the 8th Global Amateur
Radio Emergency Conference on November 12 to 14, in Port Dickson, Malaysia.
This international conference is an informal forum by radio amateurs from
IARU societies and others involved in providing support communications to
emergency and relief services in times of any emergencies or disaster.
Delegates are invited to make submissions, whether they are proposals,
information papers and reports, only about emergency or disaster relief
operations they may have been involved in since September 2011.
MYGAREC 2012 is hosted by MARTS (Malaysian Amateur Radio Transmitters
Society) and aims to promote more awareness between government ministries,
departments, agencies and regulatory authorities.
Some delegates from countries which have experienced recent disasters will
be giving their presentations on the lessons learned through their
involvement.
MARTS believes there are countries short on knowledge about the resources
that can be provided by amateur radio volunteers, which have up till now
remained almost unused.
The conference is for all whether they already have an organised emergency
communications response team with ideas to share, in search of more solutions,
or are in the process of setting a group up.
Attendance at MYGAREC 2012 will share more about the modern functions and
roles of such teams in the amateur radio service.
For more information visit the website http://www.mygarec2012.com/garec/
(Jim Linton VK3PC)
WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- RADIO SCOUTING
http://www.scouts.com.au
http://www.scout.org/jota
http://www.international.scouts.com.au
CALLING FREQUENCIES
Please QSY off the calling frequency after establishing communication.
Australian voice calling frequencies:
3.650, 7.090, 14.190, 21.190, 28.590, 52.160
World CW calling frequencies:
3.570, 7.030, 14.060, 18.080, 21.140, 24.910, 28.180, 50.160
World voice calling frequencies:
3.690 & 3.940 MHz, 7.090 & 7.190, 14.290, 18.140, 21.360,
24.960, 28.390, 50.160
Calling frequencies for Slow Scan TV (SSTV):
3.630, 7.033, 14.227
Calling Frequencies for PSK31
14.070
The Essex International Jamboree (in the UK) with amateur radio station
GB 2 EIJ takes place near Chelmsford in Essex August 18-25 and they will
also have their own broadcast station.
GB 2 EIJ will be on the air on most bands using SSB as well as the Data Modes.
They hope to be able to use EchoLink (look for G 7 BIV with GB 2 EIJ in the
title).
Broadcast station Jam FM 107.2 is the special Guiding and Scouting Jamboree
station that will broadcast from the Essex International Jamboree site.
As well as 107.2 MHz the station will also be broadcasting online,
see http://www.eij.org.uk/media/jam-fm
WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- ATV (Every pixel tells a story) - Video
arvideonews.com
hamradiotube.com
youtube.com
qdg.org.au
ATV exponents ready to party
The World QSO Digital Amateur Television Party takes place on Friday August
the 24th and Saturday the 25th involving Australia, California and Arizona
in the US, plus the British Amateur Television Club website.
Bob Minnick W8ARZ and Lee Weitzel K0CCU, both in Arizona, will use the
resources of linked ATV repeaters.
Lee K0CCU has Skype video of very high quality and tested through the DATV
repeater VK3RTV. The digitisation of VK3RTV has been made possible by the
WIA Club Grants Scheme and funding from Amateur Radio Victoria.
Peter VK3BFG described this as an exciting development as it will
significantly increase participation in a wide area of Arizona.
It will again hook up with Don Hill KE6BXT and the Southern Californian ATV
network.
The first such QSO Party organised by Peter Cossins VK3BFG occurred during
the Centenary celebrations of Amateur Radio Victoria last year.
Peter VK3BFG will run the event through the Melbourne repeater VK3RTV with
live direct contact from stations in the Melbourne and Geelong areas, mingled
with images and sound received outside its coverage area via Skype.
There will also participation from VK2, VK3, VK4, VK5 and VK7. Although there
is no active ATV Repeater in the area, Don VK5ADM will receive signals
transmitted to him on various microwave frequencies and act as the local
anchor.
The Radio and Electronics Association of Southern Tasmania VK7OTC will
participate from its studios in Hobart.
Cradle Coast Amateur Radio Club are having great success with their ATV
experiments. At a meeting recently in Penguin, Winston 7EM, Dion 7DB and
Dave 7DC demonstrated their progress of the Digital ATV Repeater.
This was done by putting it to air in a closed room situation and
transmitting some of the video footage which was taken on the day of the
battery replacement on Mt Duncan, all in attendance said that the quality
of the video was mind blowing, it will open new doors in the hobby of
Amateur radio for many on the North West Coast of Tasmania.
Amongst the good attendance on that test day was a visitor from the North,
Alvin VK7NDQ and a new comer to the North West, Malcolm, VK4ZMM who in an
earlier life was actively involved with commercial TV in Brisbane, as was his
XYL.
(Jim Linton VK3PC and VK7WI News)
WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- FEMALES IN RADIO
ALARA - AUSTRALIAN LADIES AR ASSOCIATION
http://alara.org.au
Net is held each Mondays on 3.570 MHz, commencing at 1030 UTC.
(1000utc during daylight saving)
geencee@picknowl.com.au
HERE IS A GREAT IDEA FOR OUR ALARA MEMBERS!
To celebrate Woman's Day in South Africa, the S.A.R.L. held its annual
YL Sprint August 9.
The logs from all YL participating in the event were entered into a lucky
draw for a beautiful flower arrangement to be delivered to the winner's home
no matter where they were located.
( zs4bfn@netactive.co.za )
WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- ILLW
Plenty of lighthouses to be on air
The International Lightship and Lightship Weekend fun event occurs next
Saturday and Sunday with hundreds of registrations already received.
Organisers report that the final week usually results in up to 100
registrations as we head towards a record year.
In the lead is Australia just ahead of the USA, then comes Germany, England,
The Netherlands, Scotland, South Africa, Argentina, Canada, Sweden,
Switzerland and Wales.
A total of 43 countries are represented, mostly with smaller numbers, but
most welcome activations.
It was started by John Forsyth GM4OOU and the late Mike Dalrymple GM4SUC,
both members of Ayr Amateur Radio Group which operates GB2LT at Turnberry
Lighthouse in Scotland.
No matter where you are there will be plenty of Lighthouses or Lightships
and vessels to work on the weekend, which publicises amateur radio and the
former maritime navigation structures.
The 15th annual International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend is August
18th and 19th.
There are online registrations, guidelines, statistics and more at ILLW.NET
(Jim Linton VK3PC)
SOCIAL SCENE 2012
AUG 12 VK2 SARCFEST at Summerland ARC Clubrooms, Lismore this weekend.
AUG 25 VK4 50 YEARS OF IPSWICH AR CLUB DINNER ITC
AUG 26 VK2 Blue Mountains Amateur Radio Club WinterFest. CANCELLED
SEP 8 VK4 SARCFEST WOOMBYE. (Sunshine Coast).
SEP 28-30 VK4 Central Highlands ARC AGM at Camp Fairbairn, Emerald.
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
Important News from The Blue Mountains Amateur Radio Club.
The Blue Mountains Amateur Radio Club wish to apologise to everyone, because
this year's BMARC Winterfest has been cancelled !
The executive committee has decided that since some vendors, have withdrawn
from the event, due to stock availability, and also considering the current
state of a new clubhouse, they have made the drastic decision NOT to hold
Winterfest this year, but to instead improve facilities and have a better
Winterfest next year instead.
They did not take this decision lightly, and again apologise to members,
friends, the WIA, ARNSW and vendors for making this decision at such
late notice.
If you know of someone who was intending to come, could you please pass on
the news.
BMARC will now regroup, improve facilities and have a great Winterfest next
year instead.
73s from Erik Houseman
(VK2EJH - Publicity Officer for BMARC.)
FINAL FINAL
BUYER BEWARE - VK3ARM
A month ago, I purchased an upgrade IF Board for my trusty Kenwood TS-930S HF
Transceiver. This board, commonly known as a PIEXX Board, comes from a
supplier in Hillsboro, New Hampshire.
As advertised, it provides more stability, better VFO controls, a standard
serial interface and 100 memories instead of the standard eight.
The TS-930S is a good workhorse that suffers with niggling problems from its
original IF Board, so this upgrade is very popular with TS-930S owners.
The new board duly arrived and I installed it. The transformation to my radio
was instant and I was extremely pleased with it, until I found that my HF
radio is now capable of being used to transmit on any HF frequency outside
the Amateur Bands.
On contacting the supplier I learned that he's been supplying these boards in
an 'Open' state by default as so many people have asked for that modification
when ordering.
I am now faced with the prospect of having to remove the board and send it
back to the US for a firmware change, so that my radio will again be legal.
I spoke with Mark Tell from the Compliance Section of theACMA about this.
While he was sympathetic to my problem, he reminded me that the onus to
ensure that my radio complied with regulations under the Radio Communications
Act fell directly on my shoulders. It was a case of 'Buyer Beware.'
So my warning is this:
Do look at available updates that make your life as an Amateur better but do
ensure that anything you do to your radio doesn't result in an illegal
installation that could lead to a knock on your door and a compliance warning
or actual loss of your prized rig.
I'm Robert, VK3ARM.
A few of we 'full calls' queried this before running Roberts item
and further came via VK3ARM from Mark Tell, Assistant Manager Field
Operations, Australian Communications and Media Authority.
"Amateur Radios that are designed and limited to cover amateur radio bands
only do not have to meet Australian standards, however, if the radio covers
frequencies, or has been modified to cover frequencies outside of
internationally recognised amateur bands, then it must meet the standards for
equipment operating in those bands, as well as carry the appropriate
regulatory compliance marking. As such, equipment which does not meet these
standards is defined as non-standard equipment.
Please also see the link on wia.org.au which endorses this.
http://www.wia.org.au/licenses/licensing/amateurequipment/ which includes;
It is unlawful to be in possession of a radio transmitter that by applying
power and pressing the PTT or transmit switch will transmit on a commercial
frequency that the person concerned does not have a valid radiocommunications
licence.
Of course if you're a VK3 you can get along to the "Speaker night"
and hear the entertaining and informative Mark Tell of the Australian
Communications and Media Authority Field Office this Tuesday night at the
Amateur Radio Victoria office, 40g Victory Boulevard, Ashburton.
The meeting starts at 8pm on August the 14th with the latest on interference
detection, the education processes and last resort enforcement action taken
by our regulator, the ACMA
Submitting news items
If you would like to submit news items for inclusion in the
VK1WIA broadcasts, please email your item in text to nationalnews@wia.org.au
to submit audio read "how to submit items" in the weekly news page on
wia.org.au
Remember the sooner you submit material the more the likelihood of it being
broadcast in the very next edition of WIA National News. Each item will only
be broadcast once, if you want a couple of mentions, please submit different
slants to keep your event 'fresh' and always if the news room is to read your
item write in the 3rd person.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
=============================================================================
WIANews - we've reported...YOU decide.
TWITTER http://twitter.com/VK1WIA
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 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.
*****************************************************************************
/ex
|
