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WIANEWS - JULY 06 - 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
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WIANEWS WEEK COMMENCING JULY 06 2014.
HEADING TOWARDS OUR 20TH YEAR OF NON STOP NEWS
THESE STORIES AND MORE IN THIS EDITION OF NEWS FROM THE WIRELESS INSTITUTE
OF AUSTRALIA FOR WEEK COMMENCING JUL 6 2014.
TRENDING ON VK1WIA TWITTER ACCOUNT
http://twitter.com/VK1WIA
#WIA ACMA FEE INCREASE
Omega tower to come down
Gippsland Times are reporting that the decommissioned Omega tower navigation
facility at Darriman will be dismantled, subject to heritage restrictions.
Gippsland MHR and Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Darren Chester said
the tower, Australia's tallest, was now surplus to Defence requirements.
The tower was one of a set of nine other navigation towers located around
the world, including the United States, Trinidad, Argentina and Japan.
The Omega navigation system was shut down in 2000 and used as a transmitter
for unidirectional communications to submarines until 2008.
Transmission equipment from the system is now on display at Port Albert's
Maritime Museum.
The tower is said to be the tallest structure in the Southern Hemisphere
attracting BASE jumpers.
Australia's medium wave beacon reaches a century.
Regular listeners to this broadcast will know that most of this year a
home-built test beacon on 473 kHz has operated at Mildura in the north-west
of Victoria.
The beacon has been heard throughout Australia and into New Zealand. With the
latest on that activity, here is Noel Ferguson VK3FI.
"The aim of that test has been to create interest in the 630 metre band - and
it certainly has done that very successfully as I've just turned over the
100th report. And I know many who have reported continue to check the signal.
So a big thank you for those who have taken the time to look for the beacon
and provide reports.
Also while I'm on thank you's, - thanks must go to Jim VK3PC for ongoing
publicity. And also thanks to Owen VK2OMD for prodding me into trying the
QRSS mode and for also supplying the keying board for that mode.
At this point I intend to continue with the beacon, well at least for the
next several weeks - but after that I'll take a break in transmission as
I'm planning some antenna re-arrangements.
The plan is to improve the 473 kHz beacon antenna and also to instal a
replacement HF beam. At the same time I intend to move the 473 kHz
transmitter off the workbench into the rack where it belongs.
And that work will take me to a cross roads - should I continue the beacon
in the nightly operational mode? Or should I change to a beacon on demand?
Your ideas, comments to vk3fi@wia.org.au appreciated.
This is VK3 Foxtrot India and you're listening to VK1WIA.
ANZAC 100
To commemorate ANZAC 100 a series of articles is to appear in Amateur Radio
magazine by the WIA Historian, Peter Wolfenden VK3RV. Here's a summary of
one of them.
An inspired experimenter & leader Walter Hannam - his part of the jigsaw
The Wireless Institute of Australia began on the 11th March 1910, primarily
to pressure the Federal Government to make the radio spectrum available to
individual experimenters.
Walter Hannam was at that inaugural meeting of private wireless people in
Sydney.
A practical, inventive man, possibly gaining knowledge about electricity
and telegraphy from books held at the Manly Institute, established by his
father.
While some background has been written on him in 2010 and 2012, this article
puts events involving Walter and others, into chronological order.
The Adelaide Advertiser on the 10th of March 1910, details a number of aspects
of wireless telegraphy and provides an insight to the frustrations of
experimenters.
It reported that: A young electrician, Mr W Hannam, it is alleged, after
spending three years in equipping a comprehensive plant ... applied for a
licence. Although a year and a half had passed since his first application,
he had received no final answer.
The secretary of the Postal Administration replied that the only condition
was a royalty of three guineas a year. He further said Mr Hannam had not
paid the royalty. Walter must have been well aware of the solution, so what
was really going on?
There is little doubt that the three Guinea licence fee was extravagant.
It was excessive and would have contributed to the number of 'school-boy
pirates', let alone offend others such as Walter Hannam.
With other developments by the Postal Administration, this all made good
'rallying material' for the forthcoming public meeting and signs were that
Wally knew very well this was the case.
Hannam and George Taylor shared an interest in flying. It was at an exhibition
that high radio licence fees and the numbers of people interested were
discussed, that Taylor arranged the meeting which started the WIA.
(Jim Linton VK3PC)
The Melbourne Amateur Radio Technology Group will be holding their first
Hamfest on Sunday Sept 28th
Located just 15 minutes from the Melbourne CBD the Hamfest will be held at
the IKCA Social Club Rooms at Keilor East just off the Western Ring Road.
Plenty of parking is available so go and grab that bargain radio you been
looking for with 30 plus tables made available to sellers including dealer
section.
There will be emergency services on display with door prizes every hour.
Food will be the delicious egg and bacon Barbeque sandwiches for breakfast
and Free tea and coffee thought out the day.
For Bookings and full details please visit www.martg.net
Sellers book your table early !
Peter Scodia VK3XCO says he "Hopes to see you there."
(The MARTG group)
Well the internet was all a twitter, last weekend.
Hello, I'm Geoff Emery, and last weekend saw the first official release of
the e-edition of Amateur Radio magazine. In fact I had to wait until Wednesday
to retrieve mine from the letter box.
Reading the Editorial from Peter Freeman, it was a hope of the Publications Committee
that July would be the month for this to happen and happen it did. WIA members
need to register on the MEMNET system and log in to down load the PDF file.
With a selection of thumb nail photos on the inside back cover, there is a wrap up of
the Institute AGM and Open Forum by Roger Harrison. The WIA broadcast manager
gets a special mention on receipt of WIA Life Membership and another page is devoted
to recipients of special awards.
For people who follow Robin Harwood's Spotlight on SWLing column, there is another
story from John Clark. HCJB, "the Voice of the Andes", is an historic broadcaster and
now transmits from the Ord River region of Australia. Learn some of the tricks of
setting up a monster shortwave broadcast station in our own backyard.
Just for the adventurous or wishful there is the story of the Mellish Reef 2014 expedition.
If you always wanted to visit a coral cay in the middle of the ocean and sleep 2 metres
above high tide level, then this story is for you.
Did you know our guide book, the LCD's is due to expire next year; I didn't but WIA
President, Phil Wait goes into some of the background thinking of our regulator and
the possible ways amateur radio might develop. A little weighty but an important read.
With all the regular columns, the July issue of Amateur Radio should have something
for all listeners.
For WIA National News, this is Geoff, VK4ZPP.
DISCUSSION POINT
What use is an F-call?
Amateur Radio has been around for over a century, in that time it has evolved
considerably. From humble beginnings with the field being discovered and
covered by inventors, to today where we enjoy the fruits of over 100 years of
development. That's not to say that we don't have inventors among us today,
just that they build on the shoulders of giants with information and
knowledge passed down through the generations.
Today we celebrate the existence of new Amateurs on a regular basis. We
welcome new F-calls to our bands daily and we see a massive influx of new
puppy dogs with wagging tails, keen as mustard and hungry to learn.
Only we don't do anything with that.
We have a few stalwarts, brave souls who spend their time encouraging new
Amateurs; we see them teach, guide and mentor, train and develop, help and
grow the skills and do the things that you'd expect from a hobby.
Unfortunately there are some among us who take a different, darker view.
They bemoan "the coming of the illiterate hordes", they berate and chastise,
doggedly fighting the inflow of new ideas, rekindling a past where boys were
boys and amateurs were men. They take the view that an F-call is not a real
licence, can't really know anything and that one holding such a license is
less of an Amateur than they.
It's amusing to think that a crusty Amateur, say 70 years old or so, was once
14, half a century after their predecessors started the hobby, but they seem
to have forgotten that time.
Now I'm not going to name names, or make examples of those experiences I've
had or those I've been told about, but if you're listening to this and your
blood pressure is rising, perhaps it would be a great idea to have a think
about if you're encouraging new comers, or not.
Fortunately negativity isn't all encompassing, but it's too prevalent, too
dominant to be comfortable.
Get a life, encourage an F-call will ya - they're in it for the hobby too you
know!
In case you're wondering, Sour Grapes - No. Disappointed - Yes.
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.
70 MHz in Italy for 2014
On the IARU Region 1 site Alessandro, IV 3 KKW reports Italian radio amateurs
have access to 70 MHz until December 19 2014
All Italian stations are authorized except those 30 km or less from
Italian borders with Austria, Switzerland and France.
FLYING UNMANNED AIRCRAFT PROHIBITED IN USA NATIONAL PARKS
National Parks has signed a policy memorandum that prohibits launching,
landing, or operating unmanned aircraft including drones on lands and waters
administered by the USA National Park Service.
The National Park Service itself can continue to use unmanned aircraft for
administrative purposes such as search and rescue, fire operations and
scientific.
Sweeping cuts to Voice of America shortwave services
The US Broadcasting Board of Governors' proposed shortwave cuts for FY2014
have been approved by Congress.
Cuts will affect many shortwave radio services into Asia and elsewhere:
http://wp.me/pn3uc-2CB
NEW ZEALAND ANNOUNCES BROADCAST LICENCE AUCTION
Communications and Information Technology Minister Amy Adams has announced
that available AM and FM licences for sound broadcasting will be auctioned
later this year.
The auction will include commercial licences, both unallocated and those
currently allocated temporarily. It will also include a number of licences
that were reserved for non-commercial use but are no longer needed for the
purposes they were reserved for.
All licences will be auctioned as commercial licences with tenure up to 2031.
Work is currently underway to determine the auction details, including the
exact content, reserve prices and auction process
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ARNEWSLINE
NEW SERVICES INTRODUCED AT QRZ.COM
Some very positive changes have come to QRZ.com. The first is that
the websites callsign database now fully supports secondary callsigns.
A secondary callsign is one which includes a slash plus a
modifier as either a prefix or a suffix to the primary call.
This feature is available to all QRZ users and can be
accessed by simply editing your callsign, or by using the My
Account choice from the main QRZ menu, located under your
callsign at the top right of the page. Also, unlike primary calls,
secondary callsigns may be deleted by their owners at any time.
Another major change at QRZ concerns its online logbook.
Many users had asked for Logbook of the World integration
and this is now available to all Logbook subscribers. It
means that if you're a Logbook of the World user you can
push your QRZ logs directly to Logbook of the World with
just a couple of clicks of your mouse. Once uploaded, your
QSOs in the QRZ logbook will be shaded with a green
background, indicating that they have been sent. A Quick
Start Guide for QRZ LoTW operations available at
files.qrz.com/static/qrz/lotw_cert_guide.pdf)
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RSGB's G4NJH
WRC-15 Consultation
In the UK Ofcom has just started a consultation on the key issues to be
considered at the World Radiocommunication Conference 2015, or WRC-15.
These conferences are held approximately every four years and take key
decisions concerning the identification and international harmonisation
of spectrum bands. The UK is represented by Ofcom.
The next conference takes place in Geneva from 2nd to 27th November 2015.
It will consider a wide range of issues across a number of sector interests,
including amateur radio use of parts of the spectrum.
Ofcom's consultation sets out the main issues to be discussed at the
conference and the emerging UK position. Full details can be found at
tinyurl.com/ofcom-wrc15 .
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WEIRD AND WONDERFUL
In VK4 A group at University of Queensland physicists have used light
particles to simulate a key process that indicates how time travel might be
possible despite well-known clashing theories.
Led by PhD student Martin Ringbauer, the research will add to the study of
how time travel could be possible and how core scientific theory quantum
mechanics might change in new environments.
The team was able to send single particles of light, known as photons, along
a path in space-time that returns the travelling object to the same point at
an earlier time, known as a closed timelike curve.
The team used mathematical equivalence to map the journey.
The first photon travelled trough a wormhole into the past. It then
interacted with a photon simulated to stand in as the first's older version.
A second photon was sent through normal space-time and interacted with a
photon that was forever trapped in the closed timelike curve.
(JOURNAL NATURE)
OPERATIONAL NEWS - DATELINE 2014
SGARS 80 METRE TROPHY CONTEST July 26
10-10 INTERNATIONAL SUMMER CONTEST Aug 2 - 3
WIA REMEMBRANCE DAY (THE RD) CONTEST Aug 16 - 17
ALARA CONTEST Aug 30 - 31
Manly-Warringah Radio Society's Flagpole contest September 20.
Amateur Radios International Air-ambulance Week, 9 days from Sep 28.
Lesley, VK5LOL Alara Contest manager:-
"Just want to let you know that the 34th Alara Contest is coming up in August,
Saturday 30th and Sunday 31st; the last weekend of August.
Details can be found on the Alara website.
It would be wonderful if more YLs would participate particularly some of our
newer F calls. We are very friendly and don't take contesting too seriously.
Paper logs are welcome and there is also an Echolink section.
Looking forward to speaking with lots of YLs on the 30th and 31st August.
33, Lesley VK5LOL"
SPECIAL EVENT STATIONS, DX, BEACON REPEATER AND NET ADVICE
JERSEY
A group of hams from the Czech Republic will be active as MJ 0 ICD from the
Island of Jersey between July 21st and the 27th on 160 through 10 meters
using CW, SSB and the Digital modes.
QSL MJ 0 ICD via OK 1 BIL
(ARNewsLine)
OM 3 RM will be operational portable 9A from Vis Island during the RSGB
Islands on the Air contest on July 26th and 27th.
This as a Single-Operator All-Band Mixed entry.
QSL via OM 3 RM.
YO 2 MSB will be active stroke 3A from Monte Carlo, Monaco between
September 5th and the 12th.
QSL via the bureau or electronically using eQSL.
VK 3 VTH will be active stroke 7 from King Island between
August 14th to the 17th. His operation will be on 40 and 20
meters using SSB only.
QSL VK 3 VTH via the bureau.
LI for LA and LJ for LB
Celebrates 200 years of the Norwegian Constitution during 2014.
In addition, special event station LM1814 will be active as part of the
celebration.
NAURU SEPTEMBER 29 TO OCTOBER 19
LZ 1 GC is planning to be operational as C 21 GC from the Republic of Nauru
between September 29th and October 19th on 160 through10 meters using CW,
SSB and some RTTY.
VK 3 ATX will be operational stroke P from Gabo Island on
August 16th and 17th. Activity will be on the High
Frequency bands. QSL via VK 3 ATX home callsign.
Panama Canal Special Event
Next month, Panama is celebrating its 100th anniversary of the Panama Canal.
On August 15th, the Panamanians will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the
inaugural transit through the Panama Canal. This activity is organized by
amateurs of the Republic of Panama.
A special event station is operating as HO 100 CANAL until August 15.
Activity will be on 160-10 meters using CW, SSB, PSK and RTTY.
The QSL Manager for the operation is HP 1 AVS.
http://www.qrz.com/db/HO100CANAL
HS 50 RAST Special Event Callsign
Radio Amateur Society of Thailand (RAST) have been issued with the special
callsign HS 50 RAST which celebrates the 50th anniversary of RAST and can
be used until the end of 2014.
THE QNEWS WORK BENCH - the nuts and volts report - Measure Twice cut Once.
World's tiniest FM transmitter made from Graphene
A team at Columbia University in New York has demonstrated a device built
from a strip of graphene that can transmit FM radio signals.
To build the graphene transmitter, the team suspended a 2-4 micrometer-long
strip of graphene above a metal electrode. By applying a voltage to the
electrode, they could draw the strip of graphene down. The resulting strain
altered the strip's resonant frequency, tuning it up much as you might
tighten a guitar string. By altering the voltage on the gate, the team found
they could use the graphene device to generate a frequency-modulated
electromagnetic signal at 100 MHz, right in the center of the FM band.
http://spectrum.ieee.org/tech-talk/semiconductors/devices/worlds-tiniest-fm-transmitter-made-from-graphene
(SouthGate)
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
COOEE ALARA
Why 'Cooee!' ?
Well Wikipedia lists Cooee! as a shout used in Australia, usually in the Bush,
to attract attention, find missing people, or indicate one's own location.
When done correctly - loudly and shrilly - a call of "cooee" can carry over a
considerable distance. It is also known as a call of help.
Cooee! is Australian, and is all about communication over distance.
Now COOEE comes to ALARA and the ladies from ALARA (and in particular Bambi
VK4AYL ) need to be congratulated on their BRIGHT BOLD LOOK of their newsletter
and newsletter is hardly the word to describe their new look magazine!
VK4AYL Bambi Page
cooee.alara@gmail.com
WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- FINAL FRONTIER
ARISS SEEKS SWL REPORTS ON SCHOOL CONTACTS
ARISS is requesting listener reports for its school contact due to issues
with the Kenwood radio that are not fully understood.
An Ericsson lower power transceiver is going to be used for these contacts
in the foreseeable future.
Please send your reports to aj9n@amsat.org
ARISS managers add that they thank everyone in advance for their assistance.
WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- IOTA
http://rsgbiota.org
IOTA 50th Anniversary Convention
The RSGB's IOTA programme is celebrating its 50th anniversary at
a conference at Beaumont House, Windsor all across this weekend
4th to 6th July.
It will be opened by RSGB President, John Gould, G3WKL.
(rsgb)
WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- ILLW
VK is gearing up for the ILLW
With more than 53 Australia registrations already in International Lighthouse
and Lightship Weekend that is only six weeks away, this fun-event is certainl y
headed for another very successful year.
This includes an unusual four virgin lighthouses so far - two in Victoria
and one each in New South Wales, Tasmania.
The latest is Whaler's Bluff Lighthouse designed to guide ships past a treacherous
reef into the Portland Harbour in southwest Victoria. It will be put on
air by Johnno VK3FMPB.
No doubt he will be looking for Griffiths Island Lighthouse further up the
coast at Port Fairy, activated by Peter Fraser VK3ZPF at the mouth of the
Moyne River.
On one of the eastern most parts of Australia is the Fingal Head Lighthouse
activated by Grant VK2GEL. The tower is accessible through remnant coastal
rainforest and has plenty of deep water offshore.
In Eastern Tasmania at Cape Tourville Lighthouse will be Ken VK7HKN and his
wife Lyn VK7FROG. The pair at first puzzled a meeting of the Northern Tasmania
Amateur Radio Club who had not heard of the lighthouse.
In the lead is VK3 with 15 registered, followed by VK2 and VK7 on 8, in VK4
and VK5 there's 7, VK6 has 6, and in Alice Springs the false lighthouse of
Greg VK8GM is part of the Henley-on-Todd Regatta.
To register and join the 17th International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend
on August the 16th and 17th, along with others in 38 countries, see the website
www.illw.net
(Jim Linton VK3PC)
WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- RADIO AMATEUR OLD-TIMERS
http://www.raotc.org.au
Hallo everyone, this is Clive VK6CSW with the usual reminder that
tomorrow, Monday July 7th, is the first Monday in the month and time once
again for the Radio Amateurs Old Timers Club of Australia's monthly News
and Information bulletin.
This month, in addition to the regular Club news, we learn how Herman,
VK2IXV, saved his career as a Merchant Marine radio operator by learning
to use a semi-automatic Morse key. I think you'll enjoy it.
Everyone, RAOTC members and non-members alike, is cordially invited to
listen in to the bulletin.
The main HF transmission takes place on 20m on 14.150 MHz USB. At 0100
UTC, 9 am Eastern Standard Time, the bulletin is beamed northwards from
Melbourne for Eastern states listeners, while an hour later at 0200 UTC it
is beamed westward for WA listeners.
Also at 0200 UTC, 10 am Western Standard Time, the bulletin is transmitted
via the NewsWest linked repeater system simultaneously with a 40m
transmission on 7060 kHz LSB from Perth by Chris VK6JI.
In addition, local HF, VHF and UHF transmissions also take place tomorrow
on various frequencies and at various times. To find one for your local
area please visit the RAOTC website at www.raotc.org.au
Call backs are taken after each transmission and we look forward to
hearing from you. Once again, the July RAOTC bulletin can be heard
tomorrow, Monday July 7th. 73 from Clive VK6CSW.
SOCIAL SCENE 2014
Jul 12-13 VK3 GippsTech Conference
Jul 19 VK3 GGREC 2014 HAMFEST Gippsland Gate Radio & Electronics Club.
Jul 19 VK4 Caboolture Radio Club HAMFEST at Scout Ground, 169 Smiths Rd.
Jul 27 VK4 GOLD COAST AR SOCIETY 11am Social at Logan Central Gardens
Aug 3 VK6 Northern Corridor Radio Group Hamfest.
Sep 13 VK4 Sunshine Coast AR Club's SUNFest, Woombye School of Arts
Sep 28 VK3 Melbourne Amateur Radio Technology Group Hamfest Keilor East.
Oct 25 VK4 HAMFEST on the Gold Coast.
Nov 2 VK5 HamFest Adelaide Hills Amateur Radio Society
Nov 15 VK7 Miena Hamfest (My-enah)
Nov 30 VK3 SPARC HamFest at Rosebud ( howardjones155@gmail.com )
2015
June, Queens Birthday weekend 40th annual Oxley Region Field Day
Tacking Point Surf Life Saving Hall.
Submitting news items
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Thanks to our dedicated band of broadcast volunteers who utilize
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The purpose of "WIANews" is to rapidly provide news of interest to
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We strongly encourage membership in the Wireless Institute of Australia
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