DECEMBER 11 2016 - VK NATIONAL NEWS BROADCAST ON VK1WIA
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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!
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NATIONAL NEWS FOR WEEK COMMENCING DECEMBER 11 2016.
IN OUR 21st YEAR OF NON STOP NEWS
WIA Director Roger Harrison VK2ZRH about Spring VHF-UHF Field Day logs. -
WIA NATIONAL NEWS WILL BE PRODUCED RIGHT THROUGH THE NEW YEAR, CHRISTMAS PERIOD. -
WIA General Meeting, no firm date as yet. -
THESE STORIES AND MORE IN THIS EDITION OF NEWS FROM THE WIRELESS INSTITUTE
OF AUSTRALIA 2016 AND FOR WEEK OF DEC 11
Earthquake in Indonesia
A 6.5 magnitude earthquake has struck Pidie Jaya area in Aceh province,
Indonesia, claiming dozens of lives and causing widespread damage. Dozens of
houses and shops were destroyed, trapping many people after the quake
Wednesday morning.
The Chief of ORARI Aceh province Abdullah Ali YB6AA, confirmed that radio
amateurs were in the field to support the disaster communications to help
injured people.
ORARI members in Aceh and Medan North Sumatra are working on 7.110 MHz and
local 2-metre FM VHF frequencies. A request has been made to keep those
frequencies clear for emergency traffic.
(Jim Linton VK3PC, Chairman IARU Region 3 Disaster Communications Committee.)
ACMA investigate serious interference
The Australian Communications and Media Authority has found that well over
half of all reception problems are caused by deficiencies in receivers,
inadequate or faulty antenna installations, or attempts to receive distant
broadcasting services.
The ACMA has also found that in less than one per cent of cases involving
Amateur Radio, that the apparatus licensed station is the cause.
Many interference complaints investigated could be resolved by the viewer or
listener themselves, or with the help of a service technician. The ACMA has a
booklet available designed as a self-help guide to resolve reception problems
in a home. It provides illustrations and descriptions that will help identify
the most likely cause of the interference, and suggests appropriate steps to
remedy the problem.
Canberra, Darwin and Hobart will be the next in line for permanent DAB+ digital
radio services, with commercial radio broadcasters welcoming the ABC's
announcement that it intends to extend services into those three capital cities.
Chief executive officer of industry body, Commercial Radio Australia,
Joan Warner, said commercial broadcasters were working closely with the ABC
and SBS on the regional rollout plans.
"We've been aware for some time that local listeners in regional areas are
extremely keen to have DAB+ services introduced and we are working closely
with the public broadcasters to make this happen," she said.
Digital radio was launched in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth
in 2009. The technology offers better sound than AM/FM analogue services and
additional features such as extra stations, images and live text.
Commercial broadcasters Capital Radio and Canberra FM have been running trial
digital radio services in Canberra for some years and Grant Broadcasters has
also been on air in Darwin on a trial basis.
DAB+ enables broadcasters to launch pop-up stations to provide 24x7 emergency
services bulletins in times of fire or flood.
Read more at: https://www.radioinfo.com.au/news/canberra-darwin-and-hobart-next-line-dab-digital-radio Radioinfo.com.au
(radioinfo)
Another prominent shortwave broadcaster is going dark, "The SWLing Post" blog
reports. Radio Australia has announced that it will cease its shortwave
transmissions on January 31. The station, popular with SWLs, broadcasts
in the 31-, 25-, 19-, and 16-meter bands.
"The move is in line with the national broadcaster's commitment to dispense
with outdated technology and to expand its digital content offerings, including
DAB+ digital radio, online and mobile services, together with FM services for
international audiences," the Australian Broadcast Corporation (ABC) said in a
news release.
Radio Australia programming will remain available via streaming, satellite,
and other media.
(arrl)
CSIRO sells solar technology to China
A licensing agreement between Australia's CSIRO and a Chinese solar company
will result in millions of dollars in royalties.
Beijing-based Thermal Focus using the Australian-designed technology will bid
for business in the growing Chinese market for concentrated solar power. The
technology has mirrors to focus the sun's energy, that is then stored in molten
nitrate salts to generate superheated steam to drive electric turbines for
weeks on end.
The CSIRO has perfected the use of smaller mirrors of about five square metres
called heliostats that are controlled by software.
China aims to build infrastructure for 1.4 gigawatts of concentrated solar
power by 2018, increasing this to 5 gigawatts by 2020.
WIA BUSINESS CLASS
This is WIA Director Roger Harrison VK2ZRH with a final reminder about
submitting logs for the Spring VHF-UHF Field Day.
The deadline for submitting logs is midnight tomorrow night, Monday 12th
December.
Get that log uploaded. You know you want to !
Pour yourself a beverage. A BIG one, if you wish.
Clear a space on the desk, the shack bench or the dining room table.
Fire-up the laptop or the PC, open your logging program - it IS VKCL, isn't it?
Take those sheets of paper from the Field Day and plow through all the
contacts, entering them one by one.
Recall those warm fuzzy feelings at working familiar operators, and in catching
that DX station that popped up unexpectedly. Bask in memories of the fun you
had.
If you planned an operational strategy before the event, now is the time you'll
see if it paid-off
. . . or not !
Hey ! Even a single contact where you exchanged serial numbers is worth the
effort. You've nothing to lose. You never know, you might pick up a
"Most Improved Operator" award after the next contest !
OK, just kidding. We don't have one of those awards - for now.
As for all you Home Station operators out there that hung on for 10 Field Day
contacts before being called for afternoon tea and never got back to the rig -
YOUR logs are wanted, too !
I make a special plea to those operators who, year-in, year-out, go
mountain-topping with a bunch of transverters for different bands - all
homebrew, of course - yet steadfastly omit preparing and sending in a log, even
though they diligently keep track of contact serial numbers.
This phenomenon is called the "Steadfastus Rex" complex. There's evidence of
their participation in the contest spread throughout plenty of other operators'
logs, but no direct evidence in the guise of a log from them.
Palaeontologists describe a phenomenon observed in fossils, where some
predatory dinosaur leaves evidence of its existence in the form of fossilised
footprints in rock strata, and claw and jaw marks in their fossilised prey, but
no fossilised skeleton of them is found and nobody knows for sure what they
look like.
So. How about it "Rex" ? Will you reveal yourself by submitting a log this
year ?
Enough begging and pleading !
The deadline - again - is midnight tomorrow night, Monday 12 December.
Season's greetings to you listeners, and best wishes for the New Year and the
Ross Hull contest.
Advocacy. Education. Support. That's what we do.
This has been WIA Director Roger Harrison VK2ZRH for VK1WIA News.
DISCUSSION POINT
The following is a continuation of "That's what I think -- how about you"
penned by VK4ZPP for QNEWS and the VK4 Amateurs.
"As most amateurs would know by now, claims have been posted around
the world of problems within the WIA Board. News went to air last
Sunday on the NewsWest broadcasts and video has been circulating for
a couple of weeks now, on the internet.
Reports, some of which have been validated, have been released via
the internet and also supposed copies of letters from lawyers representing
some Directors have appeared. Amateur news outlets around the English
speaking world have carried reports of this dissention.
Now the point is not who said what about whom but how do we build the
best amateur body we can.
There seems to be a large number of amateurs who are declaring they will
not join the WIA until it is repaired. There are plenty of critics who can point
out what they see is wrong and there are those who claim better knowledge
of what to do than the existing board members. While in the background, the
usual diverse functions of the WIA go on. (see above story).
Whatever happens in finding a solution, our Institute needs members to give
support to the hobby. We need people with ideas and experience and we really
need each amateur to join in the best interests of our hobby.
We need you to boost the numbers so our voice carries more weight. We need
you to share your talents in guiding the Institute in the various functions it
carries out. We need you to speak out clearly with a view to the future. We
need all amateurs in the WIA.
I'm Geoff Emery and that's what I think....how about you?"
No further information has come to WIA National News on the proposed
general meeting of WIA members we told you of last week.
You'll recall that we told you how, under clause 8.3 (b) of the Constitution
of the Wireless Institute of Australia, a call had been made on November 29
for a General Meeting of WIA members.
At last report the WIA Board of Directors had begun the process of arranging
for a General Meeting and we WIA members can expect notification details by
Australia Post, and it is anticipated the General Meeting is to be held in
late January 2017.
(Ed VK4BB in text edition only)
WIA NATIONAL NEWS WILL BE PRODUCED RIGHT THROUGH THE NEW YEAR, CHRISTMAS PERIOD.
CHECK WITH YOUR LOCAL REBROADCASTER AS TO RETRANSMISSIONS IN YOUR AREA.
REMEMBER NEWS IS AVAILABLE IN A FREE PODCAST BY FOLLOWING THE PROMPTS ON
http://www.wia.org.au
INTERNATIONAL NEWS With thanks to IARU, RSGB, SARL, Southgate AR Club, ARRL,
Amateur Radio Newsline, NZART, VK7WI News and the WW sources of the WIA.
November 29 was an historic day for the South African Radio League.
After many years of discussions with their Independent Communications Authority
a Memorandum of Understanding was signed.
The MoU establishes the manner in which the Authority and the SARL will
interact with each other to enable them, as an example to"-
Co-ordinate and harmonise the issuing of amateur radio frequency spectrum
licences in South Africa; to establish a framework to conduct the radio amateur
examination and to co-ordinate activities with respect to matters of common
interest.
Testing of the 5G standard by US telcos Verizon and AT&T has begun, with the
roll-out of the latest iteration of wireless signal likely to be a commercial
reality by 2020.
As the name suggests, it will be the 5th generation of wireless signal, and
along with it will come many features, the best being speed.
How will this affect electronics? In many ways.
Worldwide, there is an estimated six billion devices connected to wireless
technology. By 2020 the number is set to more than triple to almost 21 billion.
Until recently the majority of wireless devices were smartphones, tablets,
televisions and laptops. However, with home automation sales also set to
increase by up $28 billion by 2020, there is plenty of scope for producers of
electronics componentry.
Some products that will be taking advantage of 5G super speed include cars,
door locks, home appliances, security cameras, gaming consoles, drones,
wearables, and even things such as dog collars and virtual reality devices.
Now, the electronics components industry has a chance to jump on what could be
a lucrative bandwagon.
https://electronicsnews.com.au/what-5g-means-for-electronics/
We learn from VK7WI News that Hitachi has developed a lensless camera.
And no we are not talking of the school project "the cardboard box pin hole
camera."
Hitachi has developed a camera technology which allows video imagery to be
recorded without a lens what's more, the imagery can be focused AFTER recording.
All this is made possible by a film printed with a pattern of concentric
circles. The new technology enables cameras which are lighter and thinner
because they do not need a lens, and it makes it easier to mount cameras
anywhere desired on various devices.
An ability to focus on specific objects in the image after recording makes this
technology suitable for a wide range of applications, including task assistance,
driverless vehicles, and analysis of human behaviour with phones, vehicles and
robots.
https://www.elektormagazine.com/news/hitachi-develops-lensless-camera
A new book on SDR for Amateur Radio Operators, Short Wave Listeners, and anyone
interested in radio as a hobby is NOT a textbook. It is written in an easy to
read conversational style.
The book, at 308 pages is a lot bigger than some other books on Software
Defined Radio, and this time it is available in print or from Kindle for most
e-Readers.
It includes sections on how different types of software defined radios work,
the advantages of using them, and how they are tested. It also covers future
trends including the development of Direct Fourier Conversion.
There is a big section with tips for PowerSDR users and sections about other
commonly used SDR software, plus a comparison of the basic specifications of
65 different SDR receivers and transceivers.
Please check it out at the link we like, shown in our text editions on
wia.org.au
https://www.amazon.com/Software-Defined-Radio-Operators-Listeners/dp/1534992421/
A "Super" idea by the ARRL.
I wonder how many VKers have thought of donating a hefty monetary amount from
their superannuation fund direct to our WIA?
Well in the US amateurs can contribute to the ARRL from their Individual
Retirement Accounts (IRA).
The US federal government has now made permanent, the ability for those
aged 70-1/2 or older to contribute up to $100,000 per year from an IRA directly
to qualifying charities without having first to declare the donation as income.
Depending on personal tax situations, donating directly from IRA to ARRL could
have more tax advantages than a direct personal donation.
Who and Where are our regular broadcast stations?
http://www.wia.org.au/members/broadcast/where/
OPERATIONAL NEWS 2016
All major Australian contests, rules and results, are on the
Contest Section of the WIA website.
wia.org.au/members/contests/about
Dec 1 - 31 Annual Youngsters on the Air (YOTA)
2017
Jan 1 - Dec 31 The Victorian Local Government Award 2017 Challenge
January it's the WIA's Ross Hull Memorial VHF/UHF Contest
Jan 1 AMSAT CW Activity Day 24 hours. All forms of CW are welcome.
Ham Radio On The Ferries 12th of March
WIA's John Moyle Memorial Field Day 18th-19th March 2017
WIA's Harry Angel Memorial 80 meter sprint Saturday May 6 10:00 -11:46 UTC
May 13-15 Mills On The Air
VK SHIRES June 10 and 11.
Trans-Tasman Low-Band Contest 160/80/40 Saturday night July 15 and Start Time
is 08:00 UTC and finish time is 14:00 UTC
10-10 INTERNATIONAL SUMMER CONTEST Aug 5 - 6
WIA's Flagship contest the Remembrance Day Contest 12th & 13th August
Aug 19-20 ILLW the 3rd full weekend in August since 1998
October CQ WW DX / SSB CONTEST (always Octobers Last full weekend)
Running ALL year 'til Dec 31 Victorian Local Government Award 2017 Challenge
The annual OF 9 X Special Event Station - an amateur radio world tour that has
featured Santa for more than three decades - has begun making its rounds from
the Arctic Circle.
Station operations will continue through the 31st of December - this time
featuring Santa and his dozen elves, who not only assist Santa but double as
multipliers for contacts.
All 12 will operate as Old-Father-9-Christmas, OF 9 X, and will identify
themselves further as elves with an additional three-letter designation,
such as ART for "Arto" or NIK for "Niko." So if you've contacted an elf,
you'll hear OF9X/ART or something similar.
There are a number of prizes available for different point scores but no doubt
the biggest prize of all for children of the participating amateurs will be the
opportunity they have to win a QSO during Christmas week with the person the
website is calling
[QUOTE] "the true and live Santa." [ENDQUOTE]
Be listening on the bands - and BELIEVE!
Also getting into the Christmas Spirit is PC 16 XMAS
Dutch radio amateur Sascha, PD 9 Z is operating PC 16 XMAS to the 31st of
December. The station is intended to maintain the spirit of friendship between
amateur radio operators in the Christmas period - and to provide a nice QSL
card!
Operation will be on 160 to 10m, SSB and CW.
Again that one is PC 16 XMAS
Then we have WR4BC
Amateur Radio Newslines Jim Damron, N8TMW, tells us some amateurs
are bringing the Bethlehem experience a little closer to home.
"How about a Christmas QSO with Bethlehem.........Georgia USA?
The Barrow Amateur Radio Club in Winder, Georgia, is heading back to nearby
Bethlehem, where from 2010 to 2014, the club activated the Bethlehem City Park
pavilion each Christmas. After a brief hiatus, the special event station
is back!
Be listening for WR4BC on the local afternoon date time of December 10 and 11,
starting on 20 meters and then moving later in the day to 40 meters.
The club will also operate a second station on 10 meters. All operation will
be SSB and there'll be a special QSL card for all successful contacts.
This time, however, instead of operating in the pavilion, the club will
be in Bethlehem itself, going mobile and portable from a hilltop parking
lot in town.
Sorry, there won't be any overnight operation. QSOs stop at about 5 p.m. their
local time. It may not be too cold for Santa but these hams need to be
roasting by an open fire!"
DXCC credit approved for T31T Dxpedition
The ARRL DXCC Desk has approved the October 2016 T31T DXpedition to
Central Kiribati, Kanton Island, for DXCC credit.
Members of the "Ham Radio Union of the Dominican Republic" (UDRA), are happy
to announce their next DXpedition will be to Beata Island between January 25th
and February 1st, 2017.
They will be active as HI 1 UD on 160-6 meters using CW and SSB.
QSL Manager is Chuck, W 2 CCW.
It has been 28 long years since HI 1 UD has been activated.
For more details and updates, see the following URLs:
http://beatadxpedition2017.org
http://www.facebook.com/beatadxpedition2017/
VK4 Shires Net
Every Friday, starting at 0630UTC on 14.240MHz until 0730UTC, then from
0730UTC continuing on 7.185MHz to 0830UTC.
Then after a dinner break the net reconvenes from 1000UTC on 3.600MHz.
TARCnews says this is YOUR chance to get contacts towards the
Worked All Australian Shires Award.
Still in VK4 SOME Regional Net Advice:-
Every Morning - The Gnarly Net - All the Morse and Voice you can have for
breakfast! 3600kHz 6am or earlier for the
Morse, Voice happens after the Morse
Every Morning - Aircraft Enhancement Net - Get those silver birds to propagate
your signal.
144.125MHz USB from 7-30am from Far North to Central VK4
Every Afternoon - The Afternoon Net - Wake up from your power nap and get
radio-active on 7120kHz from 4pm.
Every Afternoon - The Kandos Net - check your gear and let everyone know you
are still active ! On 7093kHz from 1630
(sourced to tarc)
Members of the Radio Society of Sri Lanka will be active from the Hiyare
Galle wildlife research station from 10th to 13th December. They will use
the club callsign 4S7RS and can be found on all bands 160m to 10m CW, SSB
and Digital.
Mike VE7ACN has been QRV as J3/VE7ACN from Grenada since the beginning of
December. From 10th December he moves to Grand Turk Island in the Turks
and Caicos Islands where he will sign VP5/VE7ACN until 19th December.
This is a holiday style operation and Mike mainly uses CW.
QSLs for both locations go via the home call.
Matt VK1MA will be visiting Norfolk Island from 19th to 26th December. While
there he will use the callsign VK9NM and hopes to be on the air when possible.
Logs will be uploaded to Logbook of The World.
The Liechtenstein Radio Amateur Society (AFVL) has been celebrating its 30th
Anniversary during 2016. The special event station HB0AFVL is available on
the air until the end of December and contacts can be confirmed by a special
QSL card.
(Last 4 items in text edition only and sourced to IRTS)
There's a Buddipole DXpedition happening on Saint Lucia Island that will
continue until the 12th of December. The operators are on 160 through 6 meters
using CW, SSB and the digital modes. They are transmitting QRP or 100 watts
into Buddipole antennas. Send QSL cards via their home call signs or via
Logbook of the World.
In the U.S. Virgin Islands listen for another team, known as the "Buddies of
the Caribbean." The operators on Saint Croix Island include Tom/K4ZGB,
Bryan/N8WD and Rick/AA4W, who are active through the 14th of December as
WP2/K4ZGB, KP2/N8WD and KP2/AA4W, respectively. Be listening on 160 through
6 meters where they are operating using CW, SSB and the digital modes. They
will also attempt to make satellite contacts through SO-50 and AO-85. Send QSL
cards via LOTW, eQSL or direct to their home callsigns.
Lastly, the Radio Society of Sri Lanka 4S7RS is on DXpedition from the 10th
to the 13th of December from Hiyare Forest Reserve, Galle, Sri Lanka. Listen on
all HF bands 160M through 10M for CW, Digital and SSB.
(Above 3 items in text edition only and sourced to ARNewsLine)
Transatlantic Reception Anniversary December 11
The ARRL report an Amateur Radio special event on December 11 will
commemorate the 95th anniversary of the first transatlantic shortwave
reception between Greenwich, Connecticut, and Scotland.
A school near the original site is hosting the event. ARRL, the Radio Society
of Great Britain (RSGB), and the Radio Club of America (RCA), are partnering
in sponsoring the activity. The Greenwich Historical Society will also
participate.
On December 11, 1921, reception in Ardrossan, Scotland, of a radio signal
transmitted from the official test station of Minton Cronkhite, 1BCG, in a
small shack on the corner of Clapboard Ridge Road and North Street in
Greenwich, helped to usher in the age of global communication. The special
event will use N1BCG, the call sign of Clark Burgard of Greenwich, who
obtained that call sign to commemorate this bit of radio history. Burgard
was instrumental in making arrangements for the event.
The N1BCG special event will begin on Sunday, December 11, at 1200
and conclude at 0300 UTC on December 12. It will include an attempt at
a two-way contact between N1BCG and GB2ZE, operated by Jason O'Neill,
GM7VSB, in Ardrossan.
Read the full ARRL story at
arrl.org/news/transatlantic-reception-anniversary-special-event-set-for-december-11
(Southgate News , in wia text edtion only)
This is Roger Harrison VK2ZRH with news about the DX running hot on 10 metres,
6 metres and 2 metres this month.
Yes - operators across the continent have been having a ball working each other
at distances ranging from 1000 kilometres to 2500 km, even VK6 to ZL on 6 and
10 metres - approaching 4000 kilometres.
To boot - interference between broadcast stations on the FM band at 88 to 108
megahertz has been widely reported in the press! A station in Brisbane was
reported as interfering with a broadcaster in Ballarat, in Victoria. A
New Zealand FM station was heard loud and clear in Coffs Harbour, on the
NSW mid-North Coast. A Queensland station on the Fraser Coast was received in
the Adelaide Hills, and a Tasmanian station was picked up in Warwick, in
southern Queensland.
To old hands, it's the summertime DX season, brought on by a phenomenon known
as ionospheric sporadic E.
For the sake of expressive efficiency, the term sporadic E is shortened to
"ee ess". Not "eez", with a "zee", but a clear "ee ess".
To newcomers on the VHF bands, the question naturally occurs - how come the
ionosphere provides propagation at VHF ?
I first experienced Es propagation on 6 and 2 metres when I first got my
licence. Boy, that was exciting ! And the excitement hasn't faded over the
decades.
I was fortunate enough during my early working career to work at the then
space weather agency, the Ionospheric Prediction Service - or, IPS - now
titled Space Weather Services. My job was in the Low Latitude Research section,
working on projects to do with VHF propagation that crossed the equator -
transequatorial VHF propagation. With all the resources of scientific and
technical papers available at my workplace, not to mention scientists to chat
with, I was able - and encouraged - to pursue my interests in sporadic E VHF
propagation, in my own time.
While at IPS, I learned a lot about the ionosphere, ionospheric propagation,
how to interpret ionograms from the ionospheric sounders that IPS has spread
across Australia, Antarctica, the South Pacific and Indian oceans. I've seen
more ionograms than most of you have had hot breakfasts !
In recent years, I rekindled my interest in sporadic E research, helped
enormously by the availability of ionograms online, freely available scientific
and technical papers on the subject, and email with scientists having an
interest in it - including my old boss from IPS, Doctor Leo McNamara.
Sporadic E ionisation consists of a thin, dense horizontal "clouds" of ions
between about one kilometre and five kilometres thick, which form at heights
between about 90 kilometres and 130 km. The ions attract a swarm of free
electrons that do the work of reflecting your RF signal.
But the ions in those thin clouds are strangers in the E region, being metallic
ions - chiefly iron and magnesium - the ionised dust from the ablation of
meteors. The ions in the ordinary E region, which is some 40 km thick, are
gaseous ions - oxygen, nitrogen and nitric oxide. The gaseous ions are created,
for the most part, by solar radiation, and last only minutes before being
neutralised by free electrons. The E region ionisation disappears after sunset.
The metallic ions are long-lived - from hours to days and are largely created
by a combination of solar radiation and charge exchange with gaseous ions in
ionosphere.
It is estimated that some 100 to 200 tonnes of tiny meteors, like grains of
sand, fall on the Earth's atmosphere every day. So there's always a haze of
meteor dust and metallic ions drifting around up there.
Winds blowing in opposite directions in the ionosphere at heights around
100 km and above create a wind shear between them, which sweep the metallic
ions into those thin clouds. The wind shears form most often over the summer
months, sometimes during winter months, and least often around the March and
September equinoxes.
Hence, we have the blockbuster summertime DX season and a wimp of a winter DX
season.
Those wind shears are driven by long-period atmospheric waves known as
planetary waves. These have periods close to two, five, ten and 16 days. Thus,
you'll get VHF DX for a few days, and nothing for a few days, then more DX
excitement for a week followed by nothing for a few days . . . or a week, or so.
That's where the description "sporadic" comes in.
To experience or exploit sporadic E VHF you have to be on the air in the right
place at the right time.
Over recent years I've done some original research and written a number of
articles on the subject.
Check out Amateur Radio magazine for April and May 2012. You might also Google
"A New Model of VHF Sporadic E Propagation" to find my article on the
VK Logger site online.
Don't forget the special event callsign VI2SYD75 will be on the air through
to 31st December. Time slots for using it are still available. Check out the
St George club website - SGARS.org
This has been Roger Harrison VK2ZRH for VK1WIA News.
MEDIA WATCH
Who and Where are our broadcast stations?
http://www.wia.org.au/members/broadcast/where/
Hallo everyone, this is Clive VK6CSW with an announcement of particular
interest to West Australians who listen to this bulletin via the
160 80 40 metre HF broadcasts.
Due to Phil VK6GX's unavailability, throughout December and January Chris VK6JI
will be taking care of all three HF transmissions by himself.
The 160 metre broadcast will commence as usual at 0600 local time but should
the combined National and Local WIA bulletins exceed one hour, any overrun
will necessarily delay the starting times of the 80 and 40 metre transmissions.
Those who normally receive the program via 80 metres at 7am or 40 metres at 8am
are therefore asked to be patient, monitor 3620 or 7088 kHz and Chris will
start his WIA News transmission as soon as possible.
73 from Clive VK6CSW.
WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- DEFENCE
TARC does the 2017 Defence Welcome and Information Expo
theTARCinc will be involved with the 2017 Defence Welcome and Information Expo
run by the Townsville office of Defence Community Organisation North Queensland
and happening on Saturday 4th February at RSL Stadium Murray Complex from 10am
to 1pm.
TARCadians will be drawing on expertise gained from participation in other
Expos at the complex to show Defence members and their families currently
residing or new to the region some of the aspects of the wonderful world of
Amateur Radio.
The club is hoping to demonstrate the hobby through a mixture of static,
dynamic and interactive displays, with members experienced in many facets of
the hobby able to provide meaningful answers and guidance for those attending
the Expo.
WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- FINAL FRONTIER
The Amateur Radio on the International Space Station packet digipeater aboard
the ISS has been active for several days now on 437.550 MHz.
The UHF frequency means users will have to make adjustments for Doppler on both
uplink and downlink.
The change to 70 centimetres comes in the wake of a problem that has sidelined
the Ericsson VHF transceiver.
(arrl)
Tiny 'Black Magic' satellite packs origami-like radar dish
NASA challenged engineers to pack an entire satellite dish into a cereal box
with Radar in a CubeSat, a technology-demonstration mission scheduled for
launch in 2017 that will measure rain and snowfall on Earth from space.
Until now, most satellite dishes have been parabolic, which means that bigger
dishes led to better radio transmissions. But radio-frequency engineers have
been known to call the forces guiding communications over the air "black magic"
because of their complicated physics, NASA said in a statement and new
CubeSat technology must fit that magic into a new, tiny package.
CubeSats are spacecraft designed to be light, cheap and extremely small; most
aren't much bigger than a cereal box.
"It's like pulling a rabbit out of a hat," Nacer Chahat, a specialist in
antenna design at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, said. "As space engineers,
we usually have lots of volume, so building antennas packed into a small volume
isn't something we're trained to do."
http://www.space.com/34807-cubesats-pack-origami-radar-dish.html
AMSAT-VK national satellite users net
The Monthly Australian National Satellite Net is on this coming Tuesday, 13th.
December at 8.30pm Eastern Australian Time.
Please note the net will be taking check-ins from 8.25. Operators may join
the net in Tassie via the VK7RTV 2M. Repeater @ Stowport on 146.775 MHz.
(IRLP 6616) which will automatically connect to the echolink conference
server and Reflector 9558 at approx. 8.20pm.
AMSAT-VK is a group of Australian Amateur Radio Operators who also share the
same common interest in building, launching and communicating with each other
through non-commercial Amateur Radio satellites. Some members also have an
interest in space based communications, including communicating and monitoring
the International Space Station, weather (WX) satellites, and other spacecraft.
They welcome all who are interested in discussing and exploring this
fascinating branch of amateur radio.
Again, the monthly Australian National Satellite Net is on this coming Tuesday,
13th. December at 8.30pm Eastern Australian Time.
(WIA TXT edition only. Tony VK7AX President & News Officer NWTR&TVG writing
in VK7WI News)
WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS - LOW DOWN
Rare Polar Openings Reported on 630 Meters
John Langridge, KB5NJD/WG2XIQ, reports that "extremely rare polar openings"
have been occurring the past three nights (DEC 9/10/11) on 630 meters between
a number of North American stations and Rolf Torvik, LA2XPA, in Norway.
"This path is straight through the auroral oval, and quiet geomagnetic
conditions have allowed signals to traverse the polar regions," Langridge told
ARRL. He said LA 2 XPA has "an amazing station on an isolated island and is
using 500- to 700-meter long Beverages. It's quite remarkable."
He said these openings also appear to be happening on 160 meters to a lesser
extent, "based on a number of reports."
While Amateur Radio does not yet have access to 630 meters in the US, several
US enthusiasts of the nether regions, such as Langridge, have FCC Part 5
Experimental licenses or are part of the ARRL 600 Meter Experiment (WD 2 XSH).
(Sourced to ARRL and provided here in text only)
WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- RADIO SCOUTING
http://www.scouts.com.au
http://www.scout.org/jota
http://www.international.scouts.com.au
Sam VK6KSA is National Jota Coordinator.
Jackson Foggo VK7FJAX receives the Scout medallion.
The Australian Scout Medallion is the highest award in the Scout Section.
It is considered the pinnacle of Scouting at this stage.
To earn the Australian Scout Medallion a Scout must:
Participate in a Scout Leadership Course at any time after completion of the
Pioneer Badge;
Demonstrate an active leadership role in Scouting;
Achieve the Adventurer Cord
Jackson's certificate stated that he had achieved:
The Badges earned
Citizenship and Campcraft & Leadership Activity
Emergencies
Communication and Amateur Radio
Organised Radio Licensing Course.
Among the many people who came along for the awards ceremony was his fellow
WICEN Tasmania (South) colleagues - Peter VK7TPE and xyl Maureen, Garry VK7JGD,
Justin VK7TW and of course his VERY proud father and Scout Leader - Dale
VK7FNED.
Jackson was presented the medal from Chief Commissioner of Scouts in Tasmania
Michael Hovington.
Oh and by the way, Justin, VK7TW tells us Jackson was only 15!
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
Rally de Femmes
This was our the CRARC's last WICEN exercise for the year.
It proved again to be one of their easier events, it is ideal for new operators
to see how WICEN operates.
Many took part and at the close, the 2 Matts, VK1MH and VK1MA with Malcolm
VK1AAH set out to recover and bring back to the CRARC clubhouse the infield
repeater. After recovering the repeater for the event, they found that the
gate that should have let them out was locked and the padlock for which they
had a key had been bypassed preventing them from unlocking the gate chain.
Fortunately the crew were able to find another gate with the same key to get
out and arrived home somewhat later than expected.
(crarc news)
SOCIAL SCENE 2017
March 26 VK3 EMDRC HamFest, Great Ryrie Primary School, Heathmont (VK3BQ)
Ap 28- May 1 VK4 Clairview Gathering between Rockhampton and Mackay (TARC)
May 19 VK WIA AGM Hahndorf some 25km from Adelaide (vk5kc)
Sep 9-10 ALARAMEET 2017 in Cairns (vk4swe)
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National News compiled by VK4BB on behalf of the National WIA.
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