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WIANEWS - DECEMBER 29 - VK NATIONAL NEWS
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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. When you upload audio email us the txt version.
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WIANEWS WEEK COMMENCING DEC 29 2013.
PROPOSED AMATEUR RADIO CLUB ACTIVITY TO COMMEMORATE GALLIPOLI
UP TOWERS IN VK2
VK5 SCOOP POOL IN WIA CONTEST
THESE STORIES AND MORE IN THIS EDITION OF NEWS FROM THE WIRELESS INSTITUTE
OF AUSTRALIA FOR WEEK COMMENCING DEC 29 2013.
PROPOSED AMATEUR RADIO CLUB ACTIVITY TO COMMEMORATE THE CENTENARY OF GALLIPOLI
Alex VK4TE contacted our WIA with a tremendous idea of us honouring the
original ANZACs this at no cost to WIA but rather drawing on Australian
Government funds allocated for community involvement from EVERY Federal seat
in Australia.
Unfortunately at the WIA Board meeting November 19 the WIA as a body will not
be as actively involved as Alex would have liked BUT Club Committee man
Ted Thrift of WIA HAS issued the following to all club Secretary's.
"We are trying to put together a widespread activity to help commemorate
the 100th anniversary of the Gallipoli landing throughout Australia.
At this stage, the idea is that we try to encourage one amateur radio
club in each Federal electorate (150 in Australia) to establish an
HF/VHF station to operate for a day from the premises of the local RSL
sub-branch if appropriate and then for the next twelve days (it may
extend out to twenty six days) to operate on a roster basis from ARC
member's home QTHs. Anzac day in 2015 falls on a Saturday and with
memorial services and marches and associated club activities on the
25th, that is why the start date for the activity has been provisionally
set for the 26th. (Any activity before 0000Z on the 26th is obviously on
Anzac day itself.)
A special call sign VI?CANZAC/P Federal electorate has been proposed.
The explanation of this call is as follows -
VI Amateur Radio Club
? State numeral
C Roman letter for 100
ANZAC Self explanatory
/P Federal electorate - whatever the electorate is that the ARC is located in.
One of the initial steps is to ask every ARC to send us an Email
advising us of their Federal electorate. The Email address for this
information is shown at the bottom of this request.
A special QSL card is proposed and the suggestion has been made to help
reduce the overall cost of the exercise by printing one QSL card with a
space after the VI to allow the state numeral to be manually inserted
and a space after the /P to insert the appropriate electorate name.
It has also been suggested that a Gallipoli Centenary Award could form
part of this exercise with various levels of achievement e.g. Bronze,
Silver, Gold and possibly Diamond dependent on the total number of
electorates worked in the period of activity of the award.
Do you feel your club could be interested in supporting such a
commemorative event? Although it is some time away (16 months) forward
planning has to start. Does your club have any suggestions on how the
proposed activity could be made more attractive to fellow amateurs?
All suggestions for changes, additions, improvements are welcome in the
hope that the celebratory event proceeds successfully on this unique
centenary occasion.
Please Email your club Federal electorate and any suggestions etc. to the
following addresses
adbeales@iinet.net.au and
a1985@ozemail.com.au "
(Andy VK4KCS Alex VK4TE 23/12/2013 via WIA club email listing x vk2ara)
HAMS ACROSS AUSTRALIA.
VK2
web service:- http://www.arnsw.org.au/html/news_vk2wi.htm
From 22 February 2014, amateurs across VK2 will have the freedom to put up
masts, antennas and dishes unfettered by development restrictions previously
imposed by local councils, which varied widely across the state.
Minister for Planning and Infrastructure, the Hon Brad Hazzard MP, has
announced a range of changes to the State Environmental Planning Policy
(SEPP) on exempt and complying development, which enables minor developments
that meet set standards to proceed without having to get development approvals
passed through local councils.
The changes of interest to amateurs concerns aerials, antennas and
communication dishes that can be put up as 'exempt development'.
Highlights are summarized on wia front page news, www.wia.org.au
In the summary Roger Harrison VK2ZRH says "If your property is not subject to
certain environmental or heritage restrictions, you can erect up to 3 aerials,
antennae and communication dishes on a lot.
A ground mounted aerial or antenna can be attached to a mast that is no more
than 10m in height and located at least 5m from a side or rear boundary.
VK3
A new beacon planned for Mildura
Listen for a new beacon at 473 KHz on the new 630 Metre band from Mildura
in north-western Victoria.
Built by Noel Fergusson VK3FI it has a 70-watt transmitter under test. Based
on the Drew Diamond VK3XU circuit it has changes made mainly for available
components and uses homebrew boards.
A burst of hot weather has slightly delayed the installation of a basic inverted
L-antenna, with the earth cross connected to the main mast plus seven radials
and some 27 earth stakes.
Mildura is roughly equal distance from Melbourne, Adelaide and Sydney - making
its signal ideal for those listening or working on the new band.
The beacon keys QRV de VK3FI Mildura followed by 20 seconds of carrier. Reception
reports to vk3fi@wia.org.au will be appreciated.
Actual transmission times will be detailed on VK3BWI and elsewhere, but it
maybe there tonight, so listen.
(Jim Linton VK3PC)
VK6
The team at News West will be hosting a special edition of the news celebrating
100 years of organised amateur radio in VK6 today Sunday the 29th of December
to close off the centenary year in VK6.
The news will be available for download from the News West website at vk6.net
News West can be heard on 160m, 80m, 40m, 20m, 6m, 2m, 70cm, 23cm, via download
on the information beacon VK6RIB and it's also available on demand in QLD on
Toowoomba repeater VK4RDD.
See vk6.net for details of broadcast frequencies and times.
DISCUSSION POINT
What use is an f-call?
When I speak with different amateurs it often strikes me that they come from
all different kinds of backgrounds and experiences.
Behind a foundation licence often is an individual who has experience which
relates to amateur radio in some passing way.
To grab a random collection, I know a foundation call who builds commercial
antennas for a living, one who managed a large mobile phone network, one who
maintains repeaters for his employers.
My point is this. Just because an amateur has an entry level license does not
mean they're always clueless.
The corollary is true too. Just because an amateur has the highest level of
qualifications doesn't make them an expert on all things amateur.
In my search for knowledge and experience I've learnt to socialise with my
local amateur community, find online groups who share my interests and
interact with enthusiasts who are building and playing.
Go outside once in a while and make some new friends.
I'm Onno VK6FLAB
INTERNATIONAL NEWS With thanks to IARU, RSGB, SARL, Southgate AR Club, ARRL,
Amateur Radio Newsline, NZART and the WW sources of the WIA.
OUT OF THIS WORLD - DEEP SPACE
Former radio amateur Jeff Garzik ex-KB4UZB plans to develop a CubeSat to
distribute block chain data for the digital currency Bitcoin
Jeff in recent years during his spare time has been a Bitcoin core-developer,
contributing to the core Bitcoin protocol.
He says that a satellite node could help defend the Bitcoin network from a
Sibyl attack, which is where malicious computers flood a node on the
peer-to-peer network with bad data.
It is reported that so far he has raised 37 Bitcoins (about $32,000) in
funding for the project.
Read the Wired Magazine article Bitcoins in Space:
Hacker to Fire Digital Currency Into Orbit
http://www.wired.com/wiredenterprise/2013/12/bitcoin_space/
SPAIN
Following steps taken by URE, the Spanish national amateur radio society, SETSI, their
regulator, has issued a resolution authorizing use of the following frequencies during
the first half of 2014:
5268, 5295, 5313, 5382, 5430 and 5439 kHz.
3 kHz bandwidth, Power Limit 100W, CW/SSB
UNITED KINGDOM
FIRST NOVEL ABOUT CUBESATS AND PERSONAL SPACECRAFT PUBLISHED
A Pyramid of Tiny Skulls by Andy Thomas, G0SFJ, is reported to be the first
novel to find inspiration from CubeSat and the new wave of personal
spacecraft such as Sprites.
In, the story a character named Jack Malik, who is an entrepreneur and
nightclub operator, carries a letter from murdered dancer home to a Russian
enclave at Kaliningrad. There he agrees to collect a secret parcel from
Shanghai. What he brings back will attract the City Leader's attention, and
echo through the Cosmos.
Thomas has dedicated the new book to those whom he describes as the
visionaries of CubeSat and personal spacecraft.
Availability is at www.createspace.com/4548329
=============================================================================
Amateur Radio Newsline
NEW HAM RADIO EDUCATIONAL INTEREST VIDEO
There's a new ham radio promotional and
educational video now on the Internet that may be
of use to those trying to interest non hams in
joining the fraternity. Amateur Radio Newsline's
Hal Rodgers, K8CMD, tells us a bit about it:
--
Amateurs interested in spreading the good word
about their hobby now have a new tool. A video
entitled "Discovering Amateur radio" has just been released.
Written and narrated by David Anderson, K1AN, the
production describes an extraordinary technology
that in just 100 years has transformed our lives
in, as Anderson says, "the most amazing ways."
Available in a condensed version as well as a
half hour program, the well-paced video can be
viewed on line or used in group presentations.
The producers say it was created for anyone who
wishes to encourage youths and adults to discover amateur radio.
The production is one of many educational
programs administered under the auspices of
UNESCO, the United Nations Educational Scientific
and Cultural Organization through partnership
with the World Genesis Foundation. "Discovering
Amateur Radio" is on the project website at www.radioqrv.com
For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Hal Rogers, K8CMD
CONVICTED KILLER OF RADIO AMATEUR AND WIFE GETS LIFE SENTENCE
A federal jury deliberating the sentence for
Arizona inmate John McCluskey failed to reach a
unanimous verdict on Wednesday, December 11th
meaning the judge will sentence him to life in
prison for murdering a retired Oklahoma ham radio
operator and his wife.
Amateur Radio Newsline's Norm Seeley, KI7UP, has more:
--
John McCluskey was convicted of the brutal murder
of Gary Haas, N5VGH, and his wife Linda. Their
bodies were found in their burned out travel
trailer in Santa Rosa, New Mexico on August 4th, 2010.
During the four-month trial, the defence argued
that McCluskey should not be executed because
brain damage, abuse and addictions made him
incapable of controlling his impulses and making
reasoned decisions when he shot the
Hazes. Prosecutors asserted that the only
fitting punishment was to put McCluskey to death
because he was a dangerous and remorseless,
cold-blooded killer and a danger to society.
The victims were making their 11th summer trip to
Colorado when they were killed three days after
the prison break funded by a drug smuggling ring
McCluskey allegedly ran in the prison. At that
time, McCluskey was serving 15 years for
attempted second-degree murder, aggravated
assault and discharge of a firearm when he and
two other prisoners staged a daring escape from a
medium-security jail near Kingman, Arizona. This
with the help of his cousin and fiance Casslyn Welch.
Jurors deliberated for nearly four days before
deciding they couldn't agree on the death
sentence making mandatory that McCluskey serve
the rest of his life in prison without the possibility of parole.
For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Norm Seeley, KI7UP, in Scottsdale, Arizona.
--
The Haas family left the courtroom quietly saying
that they didn't want to comment on the jury's
decision. A sentencing date has yet to be set.
SUN'S CURRENT SOLAR ACTIVITY CYCLE IS WEAKEST IN A CENTURY
Although there have been numerous theories
presented by solar researchers, many have come to
the simple conclusion that Solar Cycle 24 is the
most anaemic in 100 years. Amateur Radio
Newsline's Heather Embee, KB3TZD, has the details:
--
While our home star the Sun is now at its 11 year
solar maximum it has already been compared with
earlier poor solar maximums including the very
weak Solar Cycle 14 in the early 1900's. That
cycle began February 1902 and ending in August
1913. The maximum smoothed sunspot number
observed during that cycle was 64.2, and the
minimum was 1.5. There were a total of
approximately 1019 days with no sunspots during cycle 14.
Leif Svalgaard is a researcher at Stanford
University. On December 11th he told reporters
at the annual meeting of the American Geophysical
Union that none of us alive have ever seen such a
weak cycle, noting that the learning has already begun.
For example, scientists think they know why the
solar storms that have erupted during Solar Cycle
24 have caused relatively few problems here on
Earth. They say that the sun often blasts huge
clouds of superheated particles known as Coronal
Mass Ejections into space. Powerful CME's that
hit Earth squarely can trigger geomagnetic
storms, which in turn can disrupt radio communications.
But such effects have rarely been seen during
Solar Cycle 24, even though the total number of
Coronal Mass Ejections hasn't dropped off
significantly. The explanation, researchers say
lies in the reduced pressure currently present in the suns heliosphere.
Nat Gopalswamy of NASA's Goddard Space Flight
Centre asserts that this lower pressure has
allowed CME's to expand greatly as they move
through space. As such Solar Cycle 24 Coronal
Mass Ejections are, on average, 38 percent wider
than those measured during the last cycle. In
other words, less pressure from these CME's is
hitting here on Earth. And when the CMEs expand
more, the magnetic field inside of them has lower
strength. So when you have lower-strength
magnetic fields, then they cause milder geomagnetic storms.
Scientists also think they know why relatively
few super-fast solar energetic particles, or have
been measured in Earth's neighbourhood during the
current cycle, which began in early 2008. They
say that this has to do with a weakened
interplanetary magnetic field which appears to be
another characteristic of Solar Cycle 24.
Also quite significant is the fact that the polar
field was weak during Solar Cycle 23, so
researchers kind of suspected that Solar Cycle 24 would be similar.
For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Heather
Embee, KB3TZD, in Berwick, Pennsylvania.
--
Stanford's Leif Svalgaard says that predictions
about Solar Cycle 25 should start coming in two
or three years.
=============================================================================
RSGB's G4NJH
60m PSK31 beacon in South Africa
A 60m beacon is transmitting PSK31 from South Africa on 5,250kHz
at 5 minute intervals.
Should you hear this beacon please send a signal report to
beacon@zs6kts.co.za and a copy to propresearch@sarl.org.za
Include your locator number with the report.
Operated by the Kempton Park Amateur Radio Technical Society, it
is hoped to add CW and WSPR in the near future.
Thousands say "Hi" to Juno
Thousands of amateur radio operators around the world were able to say "Hi"
to NASA's Juno spacecraft as it went past Earth on its way to Jupiter.
The "say Hi" project was made possible by the fact that Juno
passed within 350 miles of the Earth's surface on 9th October in
a manoeuvre to gain momentum for its July 2016 encounter with
Jupiter. Juno did not return the greeting or even directly decode
the messages but the Juno team evaluated the Waves instrument
data containing the messages when the spacecraft was still over
37,000 kilometres from the Earth.
=============================================================================
=============================================================================
WEIRD AND WONDERFUL
In our world of Radio Communications over the years maybe the Weirdest you
may have come across are what are known as "The Numbers Stations."
Many have heard of the Cuban numbers being read by a female, but here in VK
Cherry Ripe was the nickname of a mysterious, powerful shortwave numbers
station that used several bars from the English folk song "Cherry Ripe" as
an interval signal. The station was believed to be operated by the British
Secret Intelligence Service and to have emanated from Australia.
It is likely that the station was used to communicate messages to undercover
agents operating in other countries, to be decoded using a one-time pad.
Cherry Ripe had a more famous and much more active Middle-Eastern cousin,
the Lincolnshire Poacher, which also used several bars from the English folk
song of the same name as its interval signal.
Lincolnshire Poacher had long been suspected as being operated by Britain and
had been detected as emanating from Cyprus.
Apart from the interval signal, the format and voice of these two stations
was identical, though as of July 2008 the Lincolnshire Poacher appeared to no
longer be active and December 2009 Cherry Ripe also went off air.
somethingelsereviews.com have in their December issue a great story complete
with many recordings.
Though most governments probably don't want to go on record admitting this,
shortwave counting stations were set up to enable one-way communications to
a spy embedded in an area. Secret messages are encoded as numbers and are
transmitted, after a short and (sometimes) snappy musical preamble, via the
human voice. Since they probably change the cipher for each message, and
because it's nearly impossible to locate the consumer, this method of
information broadcast is supposed to be highly secure.
So why would a person want to listen to this stuff?
Well back in the cold war period, late 50's late 70's you couldn't really
tune too far out of band without hearing "Numbers Stations." Also Cherry Ripe
was active as we said until almost 2010.
Would you believe you can now actually buy a 4 cd set of NUMBERS.
Again check out somethingelsereviews.com and I'll leave you with arguably
the most infamous numbers racket of them all.. The Lincolnshire Poacher
(audio)
OPERATIONAL NEWS - DATELINE 2014
AMSAT STRAIGHT KEY NIGHT JANUARY ONE
WIA Summer VHF-UHF Field Day 11/12 January
WIA John Moyle Field Day weekend March 15-16
WIA VK Harry Angel Memorial Sprint May 3
10-10 INTERNATIONAL SUMMER CONTEST Aug 2 - 3
WIA REMEMBRANCE DAY (THE RD) CONTEST Aug 16 - 17
Manly-Warringah Radio Society's Flagpole contest September.
AMSAT SKN on OSCAR 2014 in Memory of W2LV
You are cordially invited to participate in Straight Key Night on OSCAR 2014,
sponsored by AMSAT for all radio amateurs throughout the world.
Operate CW through any amateur satellite from 0001 through 2400 UTC
on 1 January 2014, using a manual, non-electronic key. Note that bugs are
now allowed.
There is no need to send in a log, but please nominate someone you worked for
Best Fist. Your nominee need not have the best fist of those you heard, just
of those you worked. Send your nomination to w2rs@amsat.org
This year's event is being held in memory of Robert Morris (1902-1997), W2LV.
Bob's amateur and professional career in radio literally spanned the era from
spark to satellite. One of the first to work across the Atlantic in 1923, he
also received Satellite DXCC No. 2 in 1979.
(AMSAT)
Spring VHF-UHF Field Day Results
Although we have not been notified by the WIA or our WIA contest department,
listening to last weekend's VK7WI News from Hobart I heard that this year
VK5 logs outnumbered other call areas by a country mile and VK5 stations
won four of the six sections.
Would seem main winners were : VK5AKM, VK5KK, VK5LA and VK5ZD
SPECIAL EVENT STATIONS, DX, BEACON REPEATER AND NET ADVICE
PARRS is once again active as 9 M 2 MRS from Penang Island from Dec 31 until
February 3rd. His operation will be on 40 through 10 meters using CW, RTTY
and PSK.
QSL via his home call PA RRS
Sovereign Military Order of Malta
An international team of amateur radio operators led by Francesco, IK 0 FVC, will be
active as 1 A 0 KM from the Sovereign Military Order of Malta between January 2-7th
QSL via IK 0 FTA. Log will be uploaded to LoTW.
ACT 2M BEACON
After an absence of many years ACT now have an operational 2M beacon in the
region on 144.410 using the call sign VK 1 RSB.
It currently running in the Belconnen area of the ACT into a temporary
antenna at 10Watts.
It is planned to install its permanent 6db stacked clover leaf 360 degree
horizontally polarised antenna early in the new year.
The 433/1296 MHz beacons and antennas will be installed at the same time on
the site.
Reports would be welcome.
Send reports to committee@crarc.ampr.org
(Alan VK1WX and Rob VK1KW Canberra Region Amateur Radio Club)
First activation of lighthouse USA-1407
Activating Mount Dora Lighthouse USA-1407 on the 140th Anniversary of the
first settlers to Mount Dora, Florida - Feb 15-Feb 16
40 20 15 10 meters; CW, SSB & PSK31.
Mount Dora Lake Lighthouse-USA-1407 is the only inland freshwater lighthouse
in Florida. It is a working navigational lighthouse for the Port of Mount Dora
on Lake Dora in Lake County, Florida.
See qrz.com webpages for N4N or KA4WJR- follow instructions for qsl.
website: 146970.com/lighthouse.
QSL via eQSL
(SOURCED TO SOUTHGATE)
AWARD TREKKING VK3
A portable and mobile trek around Victoria
Husband and wife team, Joe VK3YSP and Julie Gonzales VK3FOWL are on the road
aiming to activate areas covered by no less than four operating awards.
The pair had mapped in four circle trips, all 45 areas they plan to activate
under the Keith Roget Memorial National Parks Award (KRMNPA).
They will work also under the World Wide Flora and Fauna (WWFF) Award, visit
three peaks for Summits On The Air (SOTA), and while mobile outside the parks
be available for the Local Government Award (LGA) on simplex.
Listen for them during this holiday season from 19 National Parks in Western
Victoria, on a frequency of 7090 MHz
All contacts are planned to be logged on qrz.com, with activations on the
KRMNPA and WWFF Yahoo Australia groups, and spots on the SOTA database.
BROADCAST MONITORING SWL AND SCANNER NEWS
websdr.org
Voice of Russia closing
Only days remain on air for a signature station on the shortwave broadcasting
bands, the Voice of Russia which was previously Radio Moscow.
The end of its transmissions comes on the 1st of January, and in part is
blamed on rising costs and to make the country's state media more efficient.
On October the 29th, 1929, Radio Moscow became the first to have a broadcast
to the world, followed three years later by the BBC, and then the Voice of
America in 1942.
By 1939 Radio Moscow was broadcasting in the Arabic, English, French, German
and Italian languages and warned about the growth of fascism. Mussolini ordered
Radio Moscow be blocked. Hitler did so also when WWII began.
During the so-called Cold War, and the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962,
Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev used Radio Moscow to broadcast an open letter
to President John F. Kennedy that saw an end of that conflict and a threatened
war.
The state-owned broadcaster has primarily included propaganda for foreign
listeners. Those who tuned into the favourable broadcasts and interviews
following the Chernobyl Nuclear Accident of 1986 were in no doubt of the
true facts.
The Soviet Union acknowledged in those broadcasts that there had been an
accident at Chernobyl in Ukraine, but downplayed its importance.
A decree recently signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin, puts an official
end to the shortwave broadcasts.
(Jim Linton VK3PC)
INTRUDER WATCH - ENFORCEMENT ZONE
Region III IARUMS Coordinator Peter Young VK3MV
VK IARUMS reflector email to subscribe intruders@wia.org.au
INTRUDER NETS
Friday 0730 UTC 7.065.5 with VK4CEU David.
Amateur exclusive frequencies where any non-amateur signal is definitely an
intruder.
Amateur HF Spectrum world wide
7.050 to 7.100
14.000 to 14.250
14.250 to 14.350 No broadcasters
21.000 to 21.450
24.890 to 24.990
28.000 to 29.700
Hi everyone, its Ray, VK4CF from the Redcliffe Club.
Thanks to those who monitor the club's repeater as both Ken, VK4FKEN and
Scotty, VK4NUT, have heard a possible pirate station on the 2 metre repeater.
This person is broadcasting music on the repeater frequencies. It is
requested that all amateurs that either listen to or use the Redcliffe 2 metre
repeater and hear this person please log the time and date, the type of
interference, your location and if possible the signal strength of the
up-link frequency. If you then could email John, VK4YJV via the club's web
or notify the club secretary also via the club website.
Previous pirate stations who have tried to use the repeater have suffered
heavy penalties and loss of their equipment. Protecting our bands from any
intruder is a responsibility that each of us share so your assistance in this
matter is greatly appreciated.
WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- FINAL FRONTIER
Saudisat 1C, SO-50, Eleven Years in Orbit
Now known as SO-50, Saudisat 1C is a Saudi Arabian picosatellite that
was launched on December 20,2002. SO-50 features a "Mode J" FM amateur
repeater operating on a 2M uplink and a 440 downlink.
"Most hams already own the necessary equipment to work SO-50," reports
long time AMSAT Area Coordinator Clint Bradford, K6LCS.
"It is preferable to work SO-50 in true, full-duplex mode - so you can hear
the downlink as you transmit. This means - for most - using a second radio.
SO-50's repeater is available to amateurs worldwide, and it uses a 67.0 Hertz
PL tone on the uplink. SO-50 also has a 10 minute timer that must be armed
before use. If you know the satellite is there - but there is nothing heard -
you may need to shoot it a PL tone of 74.4 to turn it ON!
(AMSAT)
WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- ILLW
ILLW continues to grow
Germany has taken the lead in the International Lighthouse and Lightship
Weekend held in August with 32 marine beacons already registered, stepping
up the pressure on its usual rival Australia that has 30 registrations.
Club station DL0SY on Germany's northern-most Sylt Island is to activate
four lighthouses - List-west, List-east, Kampen and Hornum - that helped
navigate early ships around the distinctively shaped coast.
In Australia, the virgin registration of the Griffith Island Lighthouse,
which guided ships into Port Fairy in south-western Victoria in its long
gone whaling era - has been made by Peter Fraser VK3ZPF.
Formal permission is being sought for Griffith Island which attracts birdwatchers
to see the many nesting birds, including the shearwater's that migrate from
the northern hemisphere each year.
Also husband and wife Joe VK3YSP and Julie Gonzales VK3FOWL will be at the
Queenscliff White Lighthouse that hasn't been activated since 2002.
In other registrations England has 10, the USA 8, Argentina 5, and Canada
& Ireland 4 - these among 23 countries with a total of 120 registrations
so far.
To see previous activity reports and pictures, or register on line for the
next International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend on August the 16th and
17th, visit the website www.illw.net
(Jim Linton VK3PC)
SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- ROAR
ROTARIANS OF AMATEUR RADIO
website: www.ifroar.org
email: webmaster@ifroar.org
facebook: http://www.facebook.com/groups/RotariansROAR/
International President 2012 -2015: Bill Main VK4ZD
secretary: Dr Elwood Anderson, AE5EA
ANZO VP: Peter Lowe, VK3KCD
0645z - 0730z Anzo Net 7.118 (varies due to propagation)
0730z - 0830z International net 14.293 (varies due to propagation)
Rotarians Of Amateur Radio are one of the original Rotary fellowships,
47 years young.
This year was Rotary's 108th birthday.
Next year will be the 109th birthday and 2015 will bring up Rotary's
110th birthday.
As the ROAR International President for 2012 - 2015I am encouraging ROAR
members to participate in a yearly on air event using special POLIO
call signs (where possible) to help celebrate Rotary's birthday by
highlighting Rotary's goals and achievements in the fight against polio.
This will be a coordinated effort on the weekend closest to Rotary's
birthday - February 23.
In 2014 this will be a worldwide event with ROAR members operating
stations with special POLIO call signs from many countries around the world.
In Australia we expect the following stations active; VI2POLIO (Noel
VK2IWT), VI3POLIO (Peter VK3KCD), VI4POLIO (Diane VK4KYL and Bill
VK4ZD), VI6POLIO (Wally VK6YS) and VI7POLIO (Reg VK7KK).
So far, other ROAR members who have indicated that they wish to
participate are W9UHL, VE3BGG, KB6NU, OH6SM, YO9BC and YO9BGR. Many more
are expecting to obtain special event call signs for the event.
Why POLIO?
Rotary International and its many partners are on the verge of
eliminating Polio worldwide.
It has been a long haul but even war torn countries like Syria are
cooperating in the effort to rid the world once and for all of this scourge.
(Bill Main, VK4ZD ROAR President 2012-2015)
SOCIAL SCENE 2014
Jan 24-27 VK4 TARC Australia Day Long Weekend Family Radio Camp
at Girl Guides Campsite Bluewater. (vk4zz@wia.org.au)
Feb 01 VK4 Redcliffe Radio Club "Car Boot Sale" 9 am.
( secretary@redclifferadioclub.org.au )
Feb 23 VK2 Wyong Field Day and it is on come rain hail or shine.
Apr 13-15 VK PR4AmateurRadio Expo.
Apr 18 WW Amateur Radio Day: Your Gateway to Wireless Communications.
Apr 25 vk3 ANZAC Day event Ballarat Showgrounds johnkarr@bigpond.net.au
May 2- 4 VK4 Clairview Gathering Clive VK4ACC 0429 632 815
Nov 2 VK5 HamFest Adelaide Hills Amateur Radio Society
Nov 30 VK3 SPARC HamFest at Rosebud (howardjones155@gmail.com)
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.
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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.
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