JULY 10 - VK NATIONAL NEWS BROADCAST ON VK1WIA
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE BEST NEWS YOU'LL GET ALL WEEK INCLUDING:-
WIA director Andrew VK6AS with his first Board Talk. -
WIA News, how do you keep up? -
WIA News, submitting news items. -
A reminder when supplying HamFest info we obviously can't plug commercial
traders "on air", but we at the WIA will put your supporters in this text
edition "no worries."
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
and don't JUST send url's links but take the time to pen YOUR contribution.
To submit audio read "how to submit items" in the weekly news page on
http://www.wia.org.au/members/broadcast/contribute/
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. (Obviously NOT if you are reading and use your
own name1 HiHi)
Centenary of the Western Front
There has been a lot of behind the scenes work completed as the Geelong Amateur
Radio Club gets ready for commemorative events marking the ANZAC role on the
Western Front in 1916.
An outline of the VK 100 ANZAC activation has been on recent VK1WIA broadcasts
and in the pages of the WIA journal Amateur Radio magazine July edition.
The centrepiece of the commemorative event station will see VK 100 ANZAC
operate on HF and VHF from Osbourne House in North Geelong from July 19 to 21.
On next week's VK1WIA broadcast will be a special report about how so many
young Australians enlisted in World War 1, the wireless and armament
developments that occurred in the lead up to the war, to the terrible losses
at Fromelles and Pozires, a century ago.
(Jim Linton VK3PC)
Australia CubeSat testing begins
Satellites are being tested at the Australian National University Mount
Stromlo space facility in Canberra ahead of a mass satellite launch from
the International Space Station later this year.
The three CubeSats to be rigorously proven as space-ready have been developed
by researchers at ANU, the University of Sydney, University of Adelaide and the
University of South Australia.
In one Australian experiment, space weather and solar activity will be looked
at as they are important to GPS navigation, financial systems and electricity
grids. A second CubeSat will carry new instruments to measure atmospheric
water and carbon dioxide.
The third will carry four separate experiments including a specially designed
receiver and electronics with the ability to self-repair if hit by radiation
and something breaks.
The Australian CubeSats will be launched as part of the European Union's QB50
program of 50 satellites from 27 countries including Brazil, China, Europe,
Russia and the USA.
(Jim Linton VK3PC)
Barrett supplies equipment to Caribbean Amateur Radio group
Australia's Barrett Communications has signed a two-year contract with the
Rainbow Radio League (RRL) in the Caribbean under which Barrett is supplying
HF equipment, and RRL is installing, operating and maintaining the system
RRL is a non-profit community service organization with limited fixed and
portable assets based in the Caribbean. The organization, launched in 1995,
comprises mainly volunteer amateur radio operators from different fields of
work who have come together for maritime search and rescue (SAR), and
aeronautical response capabilities.
http://radioresourcemag.com/News/NewsDetails/newsID/14373
(sourced to SouthGate)
WIA BOARD TALK
I'm not sure if "letter from America" by Alistair Cooke was ever broadcast on
the ABC in Australia, a pity if it wasn't as he always gave a great insight
into the differences between cultures.
Here is Alistair from 1985
Yes the use of radio, wireless transmission, Also Alistair Cooke started this
segment by bemoaning the loss of the manual typewriter as technology, but now
we, as radio amateurs, have a crisis over who is permitted to utilise our
technology and yes, even more so we do love to hang on to the old, too, citing
privilege.
There isn't good data on the participation in AR, hopefully some current
research, outputting soon, may help you to recognise trends; but the hearsay
is that our hobby is losing ground. How do we cope with an ageing and so
diminishing membership, do we disappear, like the corps of commissionaires, or
can we reinvent ourselves in some way?
It's time we stopped being a group of angry old men. We have to do more than
pretend that attracting Scouts and Guides to do Foundation courses will swell
the hobby.
Yes, we have to look at groups and activities that really inspire people. Look
at Summits on the Air, Islands on the Air, or digital modes as successes, they
have worked so that enthusiasts can output their device and use amateur radio
to make lots of noise.
So, why don't we stop fighting amongst ourselves about licensing privileges and
instead get people to join our hobby?
There is going to be a new LCD, the rules that govern our hobby, so let's have
your input into the future. We are so lucky, that AR in Australia is largely
self-determining, we have a big spectrum allowance at present, which we don't
really use and as they say, if you don't use it you lose it, so lobby me and
the WIA to secure our hobby for the future.
This is WIA director Andrew VK6AS
How do you keep up with the WIA news?
A mainstay is the monthly journal of the WIA, Amateur Radio magazine, both in
a hard copy version posted to members, and available electronically to those
registered with the Memnet membership service.
The WIA website has lots of useful information including some of the emerging
news to keep readers up to date on what is happening.
This weekly VK1WIA broadcast, available on air and in text, seeks to bring
listeners up to date with the latest.
A few revived radio amateurs have been found to be not fully be aware of the
abolition of the Morse code proficiency tests, or that former Limited Licensees
were translated more than a decade ago and now full access to HF.
The activity of Amateur Radio is changing. The WIA is at the forefront of this
change, consults and keeps members informed, and deserves your support.
HAMS ACROSS AUSTRALIA.
VK2
web service:- http://www.arnsw.org.au/html/news_vk2wi.htm
ALBURY WODONGA AMATEUR RADO CLUB NEWS PIECE FOR BROADCAST 10 JULY 2016
Tuesday the 5th of July was the Annual General Meeting of the Albury Wodonga
Amateur radio club. With over 20 members in attendance elections for the board
of management and committee were held. Elected were Tom VK2MY as President,
Ron VK2TRL as Vice President, Frank VK2BFC as Secretary, Peter VK2ATY as
Treasurer with Erwin VK3ERW, Peter VK2ZZA and Fred VK3XLV elected as committee
members.
AWARC is holding a foundation licence course on the weekend of the 20th and
21st August in Wodonga. So if you are in the region and looking for a weekend
course to do your foundation licence drop a line to Frank VK2BFC on
vk2bfc@wia.org.au for details.
Standard and Advanced assessments are able to be undertaken on Sunday 21st
August also on request.
This is Frank VK2BFC secretary for AWARC.
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
The annual Caboolture Radio Club HamFest will be 16th (Saturday) July 2016.
Where: The Caboolture Scout Ground,
169 Smiths Road, Caboolture Qld 4510
Entrance fee $5, tables $20.
Setup for vendors 7.00am.
Doors open 9am.
BBQ breakfast available.
See Facebook event or www.vk4qd.net
(Rick VK4LW)
What use is an F-call?
As you might recall, I've been struggling to get an antenna installed on my car.
It's been a process that started seven months ago, resulted in the purchase of
four single band antennas and finally the purchase of an antenna tuner. I could
spend hours discussing the things that were recommended, tried and tested, but
I won't. It's a sorry tale that I'll share with you over a beer or six one day.
On the first day that everything "worked", and I use the term loosely, since
it's not been long enough yet to compare the performance of the antennas to my
squid-pole solution and other antennas I've used over the years; on that first
day I spoke to about six different stations scattered around me, at varying
distance, from less than 5km away to 700km away.
During that time I was parked up in front of a friend's house and after a
contact we'd position the car in a different direction to see what the impact
of that change might be.
Since this was my first contact with this setup, we kept the movement to the
four directions of the compass, North, East, South and West.
Generally speaking, there was a difference for some contacts, depending on
which way the car was pointing. The difference could be as much as 2 S-points,
that's 12dB difference, which is a big deal. You might recall that this is
similar to the difference between an F-call using 10 Watts and a Standard Call
using 100 Watts.
Without actually measuring, since this was a rough-and-ready check, my car,
with the antenna mounted on the boot has a better performance when the nose of
the car is pointing at the remote station.
Incidentally, the side and the rear seem to perform similarly, that is, there
is no particular difference if the station is off the side or the rear.
As I said, this is a rough-and-ready check. I'm going to do the same test
several more times, and with the cooperation of a friendly remote station,
hopefully add some data points between the four directions of the wind, because
it's likely that there are weird artefacts that distort the radiation pattern
and it might just be that if you point the car to the north-east, you get
another s-point, thanks to the vagaries of the build of my particular car.
In the end, I plan to log my direction, the S-point reading and with that
I'll be able to draw the radiation pattern that my car represents and in turn
I'll be able to use that to figure out which way to point when I'm working the
grey-line or when I absolutely have to make a contact with a rare DX station.
A mobile rotator on four wheels.
I'm Onno VK6FLAB
SILENT KEY
http://www.wia.org.au/members/broadcast/about/
Silent Keys are best sent to AR Magazine and your local state or club news
rather than this WIA National News Service.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS With thanks to IARU, RSGB, SARL, Southgate AR Club, ARRL,
Amateur Radio Newsline, NZART and the WW sources of the WIA.
The USA's FAA receives more than 100 reports each month from pilots and others
who spot what appear to be unmanned aircraft (UAV) flying too close to an
airport or airplane.
Now the FAA has commissioned the Pathfinder Programme to evaluate technologies
for detection and identification of unauthorized UAV or drone flights near
airports. VK7 News report as part of this programme, the FAA has selected
AUDS (anti UAV defence system) from Blighter Surveillance Systems,
Chess Dynamics and Enterprise Control Systems.
AUDS can detect a drone 10 km away using Ku band scanning radar, track it
using precision infrared and daylight cameras and specialist video tracking
software before disrupting the flight using an inhibitor to block the radio
signals that control it.
This detect-track-disrupt-defeat process is very quick and typically takes
less than 15s.
https://www.elektormagazine.com/news/gone-in-15-seconds
Free Downloads: Mars Explorers Wanted Posters
Mars needs you! In the future, Mars will need all kinds of explorers, farmers,
surveyors, teachers but most of all, YOU!
Join NASA on the Journey to Mars as we explore with robots and, one day, send
humans there.
Download a Mars poster that speaks to you. Each of the eight posters represents
a different type of explorer NASA is seeking. You can view them online, print
them and share them with your friends.
Check out the posters at http://tinyurl.com/ANS178-MoreOnMars
And for more information about Mars, visit http://mars.nasa.gov/
The FCC has denied the petition of an Arizona radio amateur, who had petitioned
for lifetime Amateur Radio licenses.
He wanted the FCC to revise Part 97.25 of its rules to indicate that
Amateur Radio licenses are granted for the holder's lifetime, instead of for
the current 10-year term. Hundreds of radio amateurs commented on the petition,
but the FCC was not swayed by those favouring the idea.
In 2014 the FCC granted lifetime credit for examination elements 3 and 4, but
applicants seeking relicensing under that provision still must pass
examination element 2.
The FCC pointed out in its Order that this was done to address the concerns of
commenters that a licensee who had not renewed also may not have maintained or
expanded his or her knowledge and skills.
RF pollution from solar panels
The Netherlands national amateur radio society VERON reports on the pollution
problems caused by Solar Panels installed on homes
Electrical systems such as solar panel installations must comply with EMC
(Electro Magnetic Compatibility) standards. That means that there is a limit to
the electromagnetic fields (EMF) that an electrical system, such as the
combination solar panel and inverter including cabling, may emit.
However, a 2014 study in 14 European countries by the EMC Administrative
Cooperation Working Group found this emission limit is more often than not
exceeded.
The Malaysian Amateur Radio Society (MARTS) has advised that the Amateur Radio
certification review was showing some positive future changes in that country.
In the new structure there would be three classes of licence, namely Class A
that give 1-kilowatts on all bands with upgraded privileges, Class B has most
HF bands at 50-watts, and the new entry level Class C gives access to 2m 6m and
70cm.
The Morse code proficiency tests of 12-word per minutes that currently apply
to the Class A or top licence, will be removed.
In other news, the minimum age to obtain the Class A will be 15 years, with
Class B the middle class licence at 15, and Class C will be at 12 years.
When these changes will take effect is not known, but will follow the normal
drafting process for all new rules.
IARU volunteers recognised
Two long-serving volunteers in IARU Region 1 were recognised for their
work for IARU at the Friedrichshafen HamRadio event last week.
Christian Verholt, OZ8CY, former Chair of the EMC Working Group and former
EMC Advisor to the IARU International Secretariat, was awarded the IARU
President's Diamond Award by Tim Ellam, VE6SH, IARU President, and Ole
Garpestad, LA2RR, IARU Vice-President. The award is a new reward to
recognise exceptional volunteer contribution over many years.
Christian was also awarded the Region 1 Medal by Region 1 President Don
Beattie in recognition of his work on EMC matters in the Region for more
than 20 years. Wolfgang Hadel, DK2OM, was awarded the Region 1 Medal by
IARU Region 1 President Don Beattie, G3BJ, to recognise his ongoing
exceptional leadership of the successful IARU monitoring system.
Congratulations to both for their commitment to the work of IARU.
POWER TO THE PEOPLE
Andorra returns to 60m, gains new 4m band, more power on 6m
In an Andorran government resolution, Andorran Amateurs received news of two
new amateur radio bands plus an increase in power in an existing one, following
requests from its national society, URA.
60m/5 MHz
Andorra returns to 60m/5 MHz, but this time under the new WRC15 allocation of
5351.5 - 5366.5 kHz with a maximum power of 15W e.i.r.p.
CW and USB is permitted, with a maximum bandwidth of 5 kHz.
4m
A new allocation of 70.0 - 70.2 MHz has been granted on a non-interference
basis with a maximum power of 10W. All modes are permitted and users must
abide by the IARU Region One 4m/70 MHz Bandplan.
6m
A power increase has been granted up to a maximum of 600W
OFFSHORE RADIO FLOATS SOME MEMORIES IN THE UK
If you don't remember Radio Caroline, one of many popular off-shore broadcasters
from decades ago, here's a chance to sample what the experience was like,
amateur-radio style. Newsline's Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, tells us more:
What happens when a group of hams is waiting for their ship to come in?
In this case, what happens can result in a great tribute and
some radio nostalgia. That's what's taking shape next month with Special
Event station GB5RC, where the "R" and "C" stand for Radio Caroline.
Those who remember the era will recall Radio Caroline as the highly
popular offshore broadcast operation, complete with superstar DJs, who
revolutionized listening in the UK for about five decades.
That ship, by the way, has already come in: It is the MV Ross Revenge,
the site of the original Caroline broadcasts. It will be moored in the
River Blackwater in Essex. The Martello Tower Group, based in Essex, is
operating two stations aboard the craft from 5 August through 8 August.
This time around, though, there won't be any disc jockeys nor any
spinning records. But amateurs will be spinning the VFOs on their rigs
on most of the HF bands between 40 and 10 meters, including possible
operation on 17 and 12. Both stations will operate at the same time and
there will be a commemorative QSL card.
It's not such a far stretch for amateur radio to play such a key role in
celebrating broadcast radio:
Hams, after all, were very involved in many of the technical aspects of
keeping Radio Caroline up and running in the '60s and '70s.
Of course, the Caroline broadcasts on board the MV Ross Revenge stopped
in 1991. But the tributes go on and on.
For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, in Nottingham, the UK.
Who and Where are our broadcast stations?
http://www.wia.org.au/members/broadcast/where/
OPERATIONAL NEWS 2016
IARU HF Championship Contest THIS weekend July 9-10
Saturday night the third full weekend of July 08:00 UTC
finish 14:00 UTC 16th July -- it's the Trans-Tasman Low Bands Challenge.
10-10 INTERNATIONAL SUMMER CONTEST Aug 6 - 7
Remembrance or RD Contest August 13-14
The 19th International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend Aug 20-21
36th ALARA Contest is on the last full weekend in August, Aug 27-28.
2017
Ham Radio On The Ferries 12th of March
10-10 INTERNATIONAL SUMMER CONTEST Aug 5 - 6
2018
10-10 INTERNATIONAL SUMMER CONTEST Aug 4 - 5
The second quarter period of the Ted Powell Memorial DX Challenge for
2016 is now closed and entries are open until 14 July.
The objective of the challenge is to work the most wanted DXCC entities
based on their ranking in Clublog's "Most Wanted" list, which is
published on the contest website. All Australian amateurs are eligible
to enter and entering is easy. You don't need to be a serious DXer. If
you've worked any DX during April - June, head over to vk2au.org and
submit an entry. The website is tidy and easy to understand. Scroll down
to the "Entry Submission" section where you will find a number of simple
ways to submit your entry.
This is a fun and relaxed challenge where you work DX in your own time
over a 3 month period, unlike serious DX contests where you have to sit
at your radio for hours giving out serial numbers. It's easy, and
submitting an entry only takes a few minutes.
This is a relatively new contest, run by the Fisher's Ghost Amateur
Radio Club, and they'd love to get an entry from you.
The website again. vk2au.org
(Peter VK2PR Fisher's Ghost Amateur Radio Club.)
DX ADVICE
Operators Wyatt/AC0RA and Dave/KG5CCI will activate Santa Rosa Island
as K6R on a Satellite Expedition between September 16-18th.
The Santa Rosa Island is in the Channel Islands National Park.
Operators have secured permissions, arranged to get to the island and will
spend 2 nights camping, and operate on a number of satellite passes - as well
as some terrestrial and HF operations too.
Look for updates to be posted on the K6R QRZ.com page over the coming months
with FAQs, pictures, and more information.
Hopefully you got all those QSL addresses, NO??
Never fear all addresses are in the text edition free and early when you are
subscribed to the automatic email mailer from the WIA and details of THAT are
on wia.org.au as is the text edition on the web.
Speaking of QSL's Historic QSLs helps conserve our heritage.
The collection of QSL cards of an historic nature started by Ken Matchett VK3TL
now a silent key is well maintained and continues to grow. It is the second
largest in the world and houses some of the rarest QSL cards.
The collection has been reorganised to allow more efficient search of historic
information.
Most welcome are QSL contributions of old cards that add to the collection.
ICELAND, TF.
TF/W4MQC from the Troll Peninsula until the end of July.
Activity is mostly on 30 meters, but also on 40 and 20 meters.
QSL to home call W 4 MQC.
FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY, DA.
Special event station DR777RI is QRV until the end of 2016 to mark the
777th anniversary of the town of Rinteln.
QSL via DL 8 OBQ.
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)
Lyn Battle VK4SWE in the latest ALARA NewsLetter tells how VK4 will host the
next ALARAMEET7 - in Cairns,
No date set yet - a long weekend in late August/early September looks like
being the best choice, a Friday meetup, with both touristy and technical tours
over the weekend. The Reef is always a favourite but being a full day tour out
of Cairns, Alara might make it an optional Monday event.
Already they have the green light for tours of the RFDS Base (biggest Flying
Doctor Base in Queensland!) on the Friday, BOM (Bureau of Meteorology at the
airport, not usually open to visitors!) also Friday (both at the airport),
Coastguard Base (including photo opportunity with the Big Yellow Boat!).
Touristy places include Jacques Coffee Plantation on the Atherton Tablelands,
(they do a nice lunch and run a film of the history of coffee along with a tour
of the plantation and their coffee has won many awards, possibly a tour of the
old WWII igloo at the Rocky Creek Australian General Hospital, which is
undergoing renovation as a Rotary Project. Rocky Creek was the site of the
largest military hospital in the Southern Hemisphere - a 3000 bed hospital
which treated over 60,000 patients from 1943 to 1945.
Atherton Rotary Club is driving a project to refurbish the site and resume
community functions there and establish a military museum.
So all is GO for ALARAMEET 2017 more details as they come to hand.
WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- FINAL FRONTIER
Two Amateur Radio licensees are part of the International Space Station crew
increment who arrived on the orbiting outpost this week.
NASA astronaut Kate Rubins, KG5FYJ, astronaut Takuya Onishi, KF5LKS, of the
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency , and cosmonaut Anatoly Ivanishin of
Roscosmos launched early on July 7 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
The trio will spend approximately 4 months on station and will return to Earth
in October.
An upgraded Soyuz MS-01 spacecraft carried Rubins, Onishi, and Ivanishin into
space. They tested modified systems for 2 days 34 Earth orbits before
docking with the ISS on July 9.
According to NASA, the modified Soyuz is equipped with upgraded thrusters
that are fully redundant, additional micrometeoroid debris shielding,
redundant electrical motors for the Soyuz docking probe, and increased power
(though not quite warp speed Scotty) with more photovoltaic cells on the
spacecraft's solar arrays.
This week's launch marked the first of at least two missions in which enhanced
Soyuz hardware will be tested and verified.
NASA's Juno spacecraft, which in 2013 listened for earthbound radio amateurs
sending "HI" in coordinated, very slow-speed CW, now is circling Jupiter.
In a first-of-a-kind for an interplanetary spacecraft, Juno was able to detect
10 meter Amateur Radio signals on October 9, 2013, as it looped past Earth for
a gravity-assisted boost on its way to Jupiter. Juno arrived at the solar
system's largest planet on July 4.
At the time of the Amateur Radio experiment in 2013, the spacecraft was about
37,500 kilometres away, and the signals it received were reported to have been
just at or above the noise level. The object of the experiment was to see if
Juno's on-board "Waves" experiment would be able to detect the collaborative RF.
According to the University of Iowa, after the flyby the Juno team evaluated
the Waves instrument data containing the messages and all was A-OK
WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- RADIO AMATEUR YOUNG TIMERS
A Youth Net meets Saturdays at 0100 UTC on IRLP Reflector #2.
Young Hams Net 3.590 - 7:30pm Victorian time.
http://www.ham-yota.eu/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/youngstersontheair
http://www.arrl.org/youth-nets
Schools Link project
Now that the Tim Peake school contacts have finished, you might be
thinking that it is all over, but the RSGB has set up the Schools Link Project
to work initially with the ten ARISS contact schools to develop
wireless-related science and its technologies into activities for use in
everyday teaching.
Ian, G3YNU is leading the project.
Some schools have already set up amateur radio clubs as a result of pupils
getting their Foundation Licence to lead the ARISS contacts. Others are
being very active with their local clubs and are looking for ways in which
to include amateur radio activities into their busy schedules, or are
running Foundation courses for other pupils.
Interested?
schools.link@rsgb.org.uk
(rsgb)
PARA announces Kids Day 2016
The Philippine Amateur Radio Association has its Kids Day on July 16 to
encourage young people to try out the hobby.
The aim of the event is for children under 15 years of age to be put on air
during a fun family event, and contact as many other stations as possible.
In the rules, a child may enter a competition using a log of contacts with a
signal report and age given during each QSO.
The Kids Day runs for 12 hours from 8am to 8pm on Saturday July 16.
(vk3pc)
SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS - LOW DOWN
Sub 9 kHz Yahoo Group:- https://groups.yahoo.com/group/sub9khz/
SAQ received on WebSDR
Martin, G8JNJ received the 17.2 kHz SAQ transmission from the VLF Alexanderson
alternator in Sweden using the web-based software defined radio located near
Farnham
The Alexanderson alternator is an electromechanical radio transmitter named
after the Swedish engineer Ernst F.W. Alexanderson. It was constructed from
1922 to 1924 at Grimeton close to Varberg in Sweden and is now classified as
a World Heritage Site.
The low frequency coverage of the SUWS WebSDR extends from 5 kHz - 2 MHz.
SUWS WebSDR http://websdr.suws.org.uk/
Rewind, a look back on our history
Russian Woodpecker.
The notorious over-the-horizon radar that played havoc with shortwave radio
began transmissions in July 1976 and continued for more than 13 years.
When first heard by radio amateurs around the world it had a distinctive sharp,
repetitive tapping noise. This resulted in them nick-naming it the
'Russian Woodpecker', and that name stuck.
It randomly hopped on frequencies to disrupt legitimate broadcasts, Amateur
Radio, the marine and aviation bands, and utility stations, resulting in
thousands of complaints by many countries worldwide. Transmissions were heard
from about 3 MHz to above 17 MHz and were officially part of the Draga radar
system.
In fact, there were three Russian Woodpecker transmitters strategically placed
in Ukraine and Siberia. Each had a power of at least 10 megawatts feeding very
large multi-element phased array antenna, which in official circles were called
the 'steel yard'.
The Woodpecker signals bounced back from the ionosphere, and this backscatter
contained information which could show any travelling object.
At the height of Woodpecker nuisance some receivers were fitted with
'Woodpecker Blankers' to minimise the harmful interference.
The radars were part of the cold-war and until the fall of the Soviet Union
formed part of the Anti-Ballistic Missile early-warning system network.
The Russian Woodpecker finally went off the air in December 1989, when the
Soviet Union collapsed.
It has gone, although more sophisticated over-the-horizon radars are now used
by several countries for military and border protection.
(Jim Linton VK3PC)
SOCIAL SCENE 2016
This weekend, July 9-10 in VK3 sees GippsTech 2016 being held in Churchill
July 16 VK3 Gippsland Gate Radio & Electronics Club HamFest at Cranbourne
July 16 VK4 Caboolture Radio Club HamFest, Caboolture Scout Ground vk4lw)
Aug 7 VK6 NCRG HamFest 9am Cyril Jackson Community Hall Ashfield (vk6rk)
Aug 28 VK2 Summerland (Lismore) HamFest at Clubrooms. (vk2src)
Sep 18 VK2 Westlake's AR Club field day Teralba (J Green)
Sep 23-25 VK4 Central Highlands Amateur Radio Club AGM weekend
Lake Maraboon Holiday Village, near Emerald. (theTARCinc)
Sep-Oct 30-3 VK4 Cardwell Gathering Long Weekend, Beachcomber Motel(theTARCinc)
Nov 6 VK5 Adelaide Hills Amateur Radio Society HamFest 8am (VK5KC)
Nov 26 VK3 Rosebud RadioFest 9:30 am till 2pm (vk3pdg)
Nov 26 VK7 Miena HamFest Saturday 26th. (vk7wi txt)
2017
March 26 VK3 EMDRC HamFest, Great Ryrie Primary School, Heathmont (VK3BQ)
May 19 VK WIA AGM Hahndorf some 25km from Adelaide (vk5kc)
Submitting news items
A reminder when supplying HamFest info we obviously can't plug commercial
traders "on air", but we at the WIA will put your supporters in this text
edition "no worries."
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
and don't JUST send url's links but take the time to pen YOUR contribution.
To submit audio read "how to submit items" in the weekly news page on
http://www.wia.org.au/members/broadcast/contribute/
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. (Obviously NOT if you are reading and use your
own name1 HiHi)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
=============================================================================
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.
Who and where are they? http://www.wia.org.au/members/broadcast/where/
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...
Who listens to radio? A weekly 'tally sheet' is sent to all rebroadcasters
and interested listeners, to get your free copy send a blank email to:-
wiabroadcasters-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.au
Put the word subscribe in the title or subject field
How do I join this National News List? (subscribe for an automatic weekly feed.)
Email to vk1wia-news-join@lists.wia.org.au
from the email account that you wish the emails to go to.
How do I leave this National News List? (unsubscribe your weekly feed)
Open mail program which sends mail from the address you want to unsubscribe.
Send mail to the list unsubscribe address vk1wia-news-leave@lists.wia.org.au
You will be sent a confirmation mail and must follow the instructions given
in that mail to complete the unsubscription.
Once your unsubscription has been processed, you will probably
receive another message confirming your unsubscription from the list,
and at that point you should stop receiving messages.
National News compiled by VK4BB on behalf of the National WIA.
.
-------------
|
