FEBRUARY 12 2017 - VK NATIONAL NEWS BROADCAST ON VK1WIA
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE BEST NEWS YOU'LL GET ALL WEEK
Oh... and to contact us with your news because
If It Matters To You It Matters To Us!
Email nationalnews@wia.org.au
http://www.wia.org.au (click news in member area) Submit your audio news
TWITTER http://twitter.com/VK1WIA
Please... If you are only submitting text and not audio, write your story as
you would expect to hear it being read back and NEVER send just links &
url's. When you upload audio email us the txt version.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NATIONAL NEWS FOR WEEK COMMENCING FEBRUARY 12 2017.
IN OUR 22nd YEAR OF NON STOP NEWS
THESE STORIES AND MORE IN THIS EDITION OF NEWS FROM THE WIRELESS INSTITUTE
OF AUSTRALIA 2017 AND FOR WEEK OF FEB 12
AROUND VK
WIA BOARD TALK
Your say on the draft WIA Volunteer Charter
Now revised following feedback from Committee volunteers, the draft Volunteer
Charter is now released for wider consultation from the Amateur Radio
community.
The draft is based on principles defined by the organisation - Volunteering
Australia.
After working on the draft during November 2016, and revising it to reflect
input from the Committees, the WIA Board now puts it out for further comment
before its introduction.
Comments must be made via the online WIA Consultation form, by 28 February.
WIA Election Ballot
The election of the Wireless Institute of Australia (WIA) Board of Directors
is by a Postal Ballot in March.
This year all seven positions on the WIA Board are open.
This is a Postal Ballot though Australia Post. An information pack will be
inserted in the March edition of Amateur Radio magazine, and for those who
only get the digital version of the magazine, it will go to their registered
postal address.
Please read the candidate statements and instructions on how to vote
carefully.
The Postal Ballot closes on the 27th of March.
WIA Merit Awards
Do you know of someone who has made a very worthy contribution to Amateur
Radio or the WIA, and deserves recognition?
The Wireless Institute of Australia can recognise these achievers, but the
actual award given is at the discretion of the WIA Board.
The criteria, plus a form that has a nominator and two who are in support of
the nominee, is on the WIA website.
When completing a nomination form, you are not required to suggest which award
should be made.
Nominations close on March 31, to be announced and where possible presented,
at the WIA's AGM and Conference at Hahndorf South Australia on May 19-21.
Foundation Course
Do you know someone in the Melbourne area that could be a good radio amateur.
Then have them enrol in the quality Foundation Licence trading and assessment session on February 18 and 19.
To inquire for more detail or to enrol please contact Barry Robinson VK3PV on phone. 0428 516 001.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS With thanks to IARU, RSGB, SARL, Southgate AR Club, ARRL,
Amateur Radio Newsline, NZART, VK1, 2, 3, and VK7WI Local News Services, VK3PC
and the WW sources of the WIA.
Jeff Dahn, KB3ZUK, of Maryland, activated every National Parks On the Air
location in USA's Washington, DC area last year.
That, combined with his prior law enforcement experience, landed him as a
radio operator for the National Park Service during the presidential
inauguration, as well as the Women's March on Washington.
A net control site was needed on three days' notice, and KB3ZUK was able to
designate his club's W3HAC facility to serve as the net control station site
for Amateur Radio operators helping those arriving for the Women's March.
They connected the club's command post with the National Park Service
Incident Command Post via ham radio.
Art Feller, W4ART, primary net control at W3HAC said "In a population the size
of a good sized city, you expect normally problems to occur. And in fact, they
did. There were times that the crowd got so dense, that we got a call from the
National Park Service saying please spread them out, and they took care of
that. So mostly, well it's entirely, looking after people, and helping the
managers keep everyone healthy, safe, and well."
It was well documented that ham radio was an essential means of communication
for the march.
95 Years - A celebration of radio station 2MT
February 14, 2017 marks the 95th anniversary of the start of the UK's first
ever regular, advertised broadcast radio station, 2MT, which came live from
Writtle in Essex
To commemorate this anniversary, and to celebrate the young, pioneering team
of engineers, the Chelmsford Amateur Radio Society will be transmitting from
the same building from where the original broadcasts commenced. One of their
members, Jim Salmon 2 E 0 RMI, will also be operating a three-day internet
radio service, " Radio Emma Toc " featuring radio related documentaries,
vintage comedies and live programmes from various locations.
The first 2MT broadcast started at 7.15pm on February 14, 1922 from an
ex-army Marconi hut - a 'Long Low Hut' - sited in a waterlogged field in
Writtle. This famous hut is now on permanent display at Sandford Mill,
Chelmsford, and can be visited during the summer open days at the Mill.
Members of the Chelmsford Amateur Radio Society - CARS - regularly transmit
to fellow amateur radio hams from this historic hut and, for this celebration,
a team from CARS will be making contact with fellow amateurs on February 12
and 14.
A special event call sign, GB 952 eMma Toc (GB 95 2MT), will be used to mark
this occasion
In the World War 1 RAF phonetic alphabet eMma was used to signify M,
and Toc for T
( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_radio_alphabet )
And London isn't the only place on our planet where old call signs 'pop-up'
again.
Amateur Radio Newsline's Don Wilbanks AE5DW asks "When is a Novice call sign
not a Novice call sign ?"
His answer is simple:-
"When it's not! There are no more Novice licenses being granted in the USA
( and not by Executive Order ).
BUT don't think for a moment that this doesn't mean the old call signs have
gone away -- because they haven't. In fact, they're starting to turn up again.
Just ask Brandi, KN4AFW, who was among those to get one of them last month.
According to callsign historian Pete Varounis NL7XM, this freshly minted
Technician doesn't exactly have a freshly minted callsign: it was first
assigned 62 years ago to a 15-year-old boy named Chase P. Hearn in
North Carolina.
So what's going on here?
The FCC hasn't gone retro or nostalgic, it's just issuing callsigns
sequentially ------- as it always has.
District 4, where Brandi lives, simply exhausted its supply of "KMs" and by
the time she and the others took their test, the FCC had moved on to the
sequence of "KN" callsigns. Sure, this has caused some old-timers to do a
double take -- one of them was Brandi's husband Andrew WD4RCC, who remembers
the old Novice Class -- but "KN" assignments are going to become increasingly
commonplace as other districts exhaust their "KM" licenses too.
By the way, the original Novice license-holder, Chase, is still on the air,
operating now from Virginia - and his callsign of K4AFW is simply an upgrade
of the 1954 callsign now assigned to Brandi.
Everything old is new again!
WEIRD AND WONDERFUL
(Suggest Brian and Robert chat about drones)
We have all heard or read about 'drones', once only a military aircraft, but
it seems the whole world has gone drone-crazy - I just don't get it.
Now anyone can get one of these remote controlled helicopters things.
Yes I have seen those reports, seems like Australia Post, pizza and book
deliverers, and even fire fighters are getting into the act.
Sure some can take photos, and good photo at that - you've seen the videos
of houses from real estate agents, even radio amateurs with antennas online
now.
Have you seen those empty warehouses Drone racers -that can look very
interesting.
Now one drone has caught my attention - it's called the Umbrella Drone.
What?
The Umbrella Drone uses tracking GPS technology to follow you around and
keeps you dry, or shaded.
It knows where you are and follows?
Yes, this flying umbrella will expertly navigate itself, so no need to
operate it as you move.
That's a piece of technology I hope to see one day.
Drone flying, would you believe it, is now an optional subject for Year 12
school students in New South Wales with efforts being made to spread it to
other states.
The theory, practical and regulatory controls of drones also bring together
other skills such as robotics, mathematics, electronics, chemistry, coding
and programming.
Drones have that 'wow factor' for some students.
School isn't what it once use to be!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
HAM RADIO OPERATIONAL NEWS - IT'S A CONTACT SPORT
All major Australian contests, rules and results, are on the
Contest Section of the WIA website.
2017
Jan 1 - Dec 31 The Victorian Local Government Award 2017 Challenge
RSGB 80th Commonwealth Contest 11 and 12 March for 24 hours FROM 10.00 GMT.
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
OC-177.
A group of Indonesian operators will be active as YE 0 S from Sebira Island,
north of the Jakarta City, between March 20-27th.
The Sebira Island is the outer-most island of Jakarta Special Capital City
District of the Republic of Indonesia.
Activity will be on 160-6 meters using CW, SSB and the Digital modes.
An Online QSL Request Service (OQRS) will be used for this DXpedition.
Throughout 2017, to celebrate of the centenary of Finland's independence,
Finnish radio amateurs are allowed to use the prefix OF in place of the usual
OH.
In addition, the special jubilee callsign OF 100 FI/portable district number
will be activated by various Amateur Radio clubs throughout Finland.
For QSL information listen to operator's instructions.
Alan, VP 8 DPJ is at the British Antarctic Territory Rothera Research Station
on Adelaide Island, IOTA AN-001, until April 2018.
QSL via operator's instructions.
YET ANOTHER Antarctic operator is Alex RN 1 ANC on the Russian Vostok Station
Antarctica where he will be until February 2018.
His callsign again, RI1ANC, and during his spare time he will be active on
CW, SSB and Digital.
QSL Manager is RN 1 ON.
And whilst on a role, Francois FT 3 YL is on Dumont d'Urville Research Station,
Petrels Island in Antarctica for a one year stay. He has been issued with the
callsign FT 3 YL which is valid from 1st December 2016 until 1st February 2018.
He will be on the air when possible during his spare time and his QSL Manager
is F6KPQ.
The Wild Atlantic Way
Irish radio amateurs will be on the air in 2017 with special callsigns
along a west coast tourism route that passes through nine counties and
three provinces.
The Wild Atlantic Way is 2,500 km long on the rugged coast overlooking
the Atlantic Ocean.
Some nine callsigns EI 11WAW through to EI 99 WAW will be tied to an
Irish county, each offer a special QSL card and award.
Information on the year-long event that starts on January 1, is on the
websites qrz.com and the Irish Radio Transmitters Society.
The Treaty of the Danish West Indies
A special event throughout 2017 celebrates the 100th anniversary of the
United States Virgin Islands.
The EDR HAM Radio Club of Skanderborg will use the callsign OZ100DVI
from January 1 until December 31.
In marks the centenary the Treaty of the Danish West Indies, sold to the
USA and renamed the Virgin Islands.
OZ100DVI will be on all bands and include SOTA activity from Saint
Thomas Island on the Lake Skanderborg.
Further information is on the website qrz.com
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks Felix, and we should ALL thank the generosity of members of the
ARRL-affiliated Western Washington DX Club.
Why?
Well thanks to that USA club, Pia "Papa Pia" Taraeka, E 51 PT, of Manihiki,
North Cook Islands, is back on the after a more than 3-decade absence.
His interest in Amateur Radio started around 1962 as a radio operator working
for the Cook Island and New Zealand governments.
His primary job was relaying radio Morse code traffic destined for the
Cook Islands and other places, including New Zealand, Samoa, and Tahiti.
Members of the Washington USA club donated the bulk of the radio gear,
while K7ADD/E51AMF, helped set up Papa Pia's station (and another
North Cook Islands ham, too).
Papa Pia is on CW and SSB, 80 through 10 meters, running 100 W to an
all-band dipole.
The 75th anniversary of the Bombing of Darwin
The WWII event is to be commemorated including the callsign VI 8 BOD that has
been issued to the Darwin Amateur Radio Club for a month.
There were two bombings of on Darwin, an aircraft carrier used to hit Pearl
Harbor in December 1941.
It was followed two hours later by 54 land-based bombers from the Dutch East
Indies occupied by the Japanese engaged in war in the Pacific.
VI 8 BOD will be at the old Qantas hangar in Parap, with home of Darwin's
first airport and now an inner suburb.
The event starts at Noon (0330 UTC) Saturday 18 February until 9pm, and
continues 6am to 4pm Sunday 19 February.
It will include the warning message in Morse code as used at the time and
received by Darwin from the Mission Station Bathurst Island, before it was
bombed by enemy aircraft.
The message said: "NUMBER OF BOMBERS PASSED OVERHEAD BOUND DARWIN".
This will be followed by an explanation of the message and that Morse code
was the communication method of the day.
The station will feed a Triband beam antenna on a cherry picker, 40 metre band
dipole from the flag pole for voice communication, with Morse code
transmissions using a "squid pole" supported vertical antenna at selected
locations.
Operating in a public space gives scope for interaction with visitors, and
club members able to generate interest and answer any questions about
Amateur Radio.
The event is due to start at noon from (0330 UTC) Saturday 18th February until
9pm, and 6am until 4pm Sunday 19th February.
Many VI 8 BOD contacts both nationally and internationally are expected with
the club having the callsign for a month.
More information about VI8BOD and the QSL information can be found on qrz.com
(Jim Linton VK3PC)
World Amateur Radio Day
Amateur Radio experimenters were the first to discover that the short wave
spectrum - far from being a wasteland, could support worldwide propagation.
Due to concern noted in the IARU history, Amateur Radio was "in grave danger
of being pushed aside."
The pioneers met in Paris in 1925 and created the IARU to support Amateur
Radio worldwide.
Every year the IARU marks World Amateur Radio Day on 18 April, the anniversary
of that founding.
The theme is 'Celebrating Amateur Radio's Contribution to Society.'
Several IARU member societies engage in events and activities to mark
World Amateur Radio Day always April 18 BUT London's getting a sneak preview.
Jeremy Boot G4NJH tells us that "World Radio Day LONDON" was held Friday
the 10th of February, between 3 and 8 p.m. local time, just a few months
before World Radio Day.
The worldwide event is in its sixth year.
The London event was a free radio fair hosted by S.O.A.S. Radio, with exhibits,
workshops and speakers from the BBC, Refugee Radio Brighton and the
University of Sunderland, the event co-hosted by the "Communication for
Development Network and Centre of African Studies."
So don't despair if you thought you'd missed this year's World Radio Day,
the event proper is April 18.
(Jim Linton VK3PC and ARNewsLine G4NJH)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- FEMALES IN RADIO
RADIO CLUB OF AMERICA SPOTLIGHTS 'WIRELESS WOMEN'
DON/ANCHOR: The Radio Club of America, the world's oldest organization
of wireless communications professionals, has devoted an expanded section
of its website to women in wireless. It's not just a history lesson, it's
a collection of resources, as we learn from Amateur Radio Newsline's
Heather Embee, KB3TZD.
HEATHER: What does screen star Hedy Lamar have in common with Kentucky's
Lieutenant Governor Jenean Hampton, K-5-E-I-B? The same thing Professor
Ada Poon of Stanford University shares with former ARRL president
Kay Craigie N-3-K-N. They are all featured in the newest section of the
Radio Club of America website in an area called "Wireless Women." The section
was established to inspire and inform women who are considering a profession
in the wireless sector.
It also lists resources to help women researching career opportunities and
presents the RCA Vivian Carr Award to honour women for outstanding
achievements in the industry. The award was named for the former Radio Club
president. Perhaps best of all, for the youngest of the YLs, that section of
the website lists universities with an engineering focus that also have a
significant number of female students.
For women wishing to network, the website provide information and links for
the best contacts at such professional organizations as the Society of
Women Engineers, IEEE's Women in Engineering and Women of Wireless
Communications. For any amateurs wanting to turn professional, it's the
place to go.
For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Heather Embee K-B-3-T-Z-D.
DON/ANCHOR: Visit the website at radioclubofamerica.org and navigate to
the section marked "wireless women."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- FINAL FRONTIER
The first of the QB50 CubeSats that are destined for deployment from the ISS
are now awaiting their turn to be uplifted to the International Space Station.
In addition to the ISS deployments it is planned that there will be two
further batches launched using other vehicles.
The exact timing of these events is not yet available but, in advance,
a fully updated list of all CubeSats involved is available at the link we like
in the text edition, best read on wia.org.au look for this week's broadcast.
Also included are the details of their science experiments and their downlink
frequencies and modulation modes.
The frequencies have been coordinated by the IARU Frequency Coordination team
and, generally, all the spacecraft will use 9k6 data rates on 70cms.
Download the Excel QB50 frequency spreadsheet here
http://tinyurl.com/QB50-Frequencies-20170201
(SouthGate)
SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- ROAR
ROTARIANS OF AMATEUR RADIO
The Rotary Club Foundation Centenary VI 100 TRF
The Rotary Foundation began in 1917 with a meagre donation of $26.50,
to now being able to fund a number of activities for the world including
the eradication of the disease polio.
Rotary members have supported thousands of projects to provide clean water,
fight disease, promote peace, basic education, and grow local economies.
The Rotary Foundation is managed by 16 Trustees who are Rotarians and when
donations are received, the money is invested for a period of three years,
and historically, when investment returns have been strong, each $1.00
has generated $1.05 to $1.10 in monies for The Rotary Foundation programs.
Administrative costs are kept very low because much of the work is performed
by volunteers
Now Rotary is highlighting the Foundation's work over the past 100 years.
Rotarians of Amateur Radio in Australia hit the HF bands for three months
from late February to May, with the special event callsign VI 100 T R F.
(vk3pc/vk4bb)
SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- SUMMITS ON THE AIR
Amateur takes unusual route to SOTA
Colin Evans, M 1 BUU, from near Haworth, West Yorkshire attained SOTA
Mountain Goat on Saturday 28th January on the summit of Whernside, G/NP-004.
Colin took rather an unusual approach to his activation of Yorkshire's highest
mountain, by constructing his equipment whilst on the summit.
Colin had taken a QRPme 20m RockMite kit, a homemade key kit, a home made
vertical antenna kit and a gas powered soldering iron along with him.
Sheltering from the wind, rain and snow in a small tent, Colin successfully
constructed the RockMite, key and antenna in just under 4 hours.
The first QSO for Colin with his 250mW RockMite was with N 1 EU near Albany,
New York, over 3000 miles away, the three subsequent QSO's were with European
stations, satisfying the SOTA rule requirement of four QSO's to claim the
activation points.
SOTA Mountain Goat is awarded for gaining 1000 SOTA Activator points.
(SouthGate)
Rewind, a look back on our history
SOCIAL SCENE 2017
Feb 19th VK3 HAMFEST Western and Northern District Amateur Radio Club 10am
Werribee Masonic centre 223 Watton St, Werribee.
Feb 26th Central Coast Field Day, WYONG enter at 8:30am (vk2dls)
March 19 VK7 "Meet the Voice" barbecue 11:30am at Ross (vk7cl)
The BBQ and presentation of the Sewing Circle Trophy will
be held at Ross on the bank of the Macquarie River on
19th March at 1130 hrs. The last item on the agenda will be
the drawing of a raffle for a Dual Band Hand held radio which
has been donated by an anonymous donor.
One ticket will be given on payment of the $5 registration fee
and extra tickets will be on sale before the draw at $2 ea or
3 for $5. Please remember that all funds will be donated to a
Club for repeater maintenance.
Please remember the car boot sale and bring your excess gear
along to sell or swap. The car boot sale has been a feature
of the event and is a great place to pick up a bargain. If
there are sufficient numbers staying overnight on Saturday
night they may consider booking a dinner at the local Inn.
If you have a portable barbecue please bring it along
to help out the food supply for hungry amateurs at the barbecue
after the raffle draw.
Lastly, please check the website ( meetthevoice.org )and the
link can be found on the text edition of the broadcast for
this year's details and previous years pics.
http://meetthevoice.org/
(73, Cedric, VK7CL)
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)
June 10-11 VK5 SERG Annual Convention / VK Foxhunting Champs. (vk5dj)
Sep 9-10 ALARAMEET 2017 in Cairns (vk4swe)
Nov 12 VK5 Adelaide Hills Amateur Radio Society HamFest 8am (vk5kc)
FINAL FINAL
==============================
NEW WIA NEWS BROADCAST FEEDBACK
===============================
The following person has provided feedback for inclusion in next week's WIA news
broadcast
LINKS WE LIKE
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.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
=============================================================================
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 this week was compiled by VK3DN / VK3GR on behalf of the
National WIA.
.
-------------
|
