SEP 24 2017 - 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
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NATIONAL NEWS FOR WEEK COMMENCING SEPTEMBER 24 2017.
IN OUR 22nd YEAR OF NON STOP NEWS
WIA and the remake of the Amateur Service LCD. -
WIA Director VK5WTF. -
WIA it serves and protects.
THESE STORIES AND MORE IN THIS EDITION OF NEWS FROM THE WIRELESS INSTITUTE
OF AUSTRALIA 2017 AND FOR WEEK OF SEP 24
How do you solve a problem like Maria?
How do you catch a cloud and pin it down?
Well the hams across the Carribean and SE USA are using their expertise to
help in this newest of Hurricans.. Hurricane Maria.
The Hiram Percy Maxim Memorial Station, W1AW, has suspended its regular
bulletin transmissions in order to help support its partners for both HF
and long-haul communications response for Hurricane Maria. W1AW will be
monitoring the Hurricane Watch, SATERN, and Caribbean Emergency Weather nets;
checking Winlink2000 e-mail; checking into the VoIP Weather Net, and providing
interoperability support by keeping various frequencies open for hurricane
traffic.
All W1AW visitor operations are suspended for the time being.
If it isn't raining - it's shaking!
Following the magnitude 7.1 earthquake on Tuesday the IARU member society,
Federacion Mexicana de Radio Experimentadores or FMRE, had its National
Emergency Net activated.
This is on 7.060 MHz, 3.690 MHz and 14.120 MHz as well as IRLP reflector
9200, channel 08.
The epicenter in the central Mexico state of Puebla at 1814 UTC on Tuesday
was southeast of Mexico City, which felt it. Reports have people killed as
'in the hundred's' the 'quake toppled buildings and rescuers are searching
the rubble for survivors.
Jim Linton VK3PC, Chairman IARU Region 3 Disaster Communications Committee
says FMRE President Al Tomez XE2O reports the National Emergency Net has been
handling traffic to make up for the loss of some mobile phone networks.
He noted that the latest earthquake was on the anniversary of the 1985
magnitude 8.0 earthquake that struck the Mexico City, killing some 9,500
people.
Since then Mexico has prepared for seismic events. A week ago, a
magnitude 8.1 earthquake struck off Mexico's southern coast. It's killed
in the hundred's and caused considerable damage.
"Their is a place in New Orleans they call the Rising Sun."
Now we learn "there is a place in VK6 they call the Rising Moon."
Who better knows this place than a 'VK7ner' who visited and from there set
a brand new 'out of this world' world record
Details in Special Interest Group News today with Robert Broomhead.
Remake of the Amateur Service LCD
The Amateur Licence Conditions Determination the LCD specifies Australian
conditions such as the licence grades, frequency bands, modes and maximum
permitted powers.
The underlying purpose of the WIA's initial proposals was to enable greater
self-determination for the amateur service, along with updates to the
conditions for all licence grades in order to ensure Amateur Radio remains
relevant in the digitally-connected age.
The WIA then had further consultation in May 2017 open to the amateur service,
both members and non-members.
Preliminary results show strong support for the WIA's proposed Amateur licence
conditions reforms.
Results from the three-phase consultation process are being to be incorporated
with updated documentation to underpin the case for LCD reform with evidence.
This will be submitted when the ACMA indicates it is ready to prepare a new
Licence Condition Determinations.
Hello, this is VK5WTF with this week's board comment
Life is always filled with tough decisions, and sometimes it can be hard
to see the good. But there is light at the end of the tunnel.
The latest actions from the board to revitalise the committees is the way
we can keep the WIA moving forward. Don't just think about today or tomorrow,
but also keep in mind what's happening next month.
And even today, the WIA has the future of ARMag in mind, thinking about what it
might look like in two years' time. We want ARMag to succeed, just as much as
the WIA.
We all know, like most things in Amateur Radio, ask 100 Amateurs and you'll get
200 answers. And the board is working hard to make sense of those 200 ideas,
refining them, distilling and getting them into achievable goals. Just like the
suggestions from the Open Forum.
At the same time, we need to find the positives in the change that is always
happening around us, and turn them in to opportunities for the hobby in
Australia. The new Radiocommunications Bill is a perfect example of this
with pressure on existing spectrum.
And don't worry, as a board, we don't have a monopoly on ideas, and look
forward to the board asking for your input in the future on a number of topics. This is the organisational structure we are working to build, adaptive and member focussed.
This has been Marcus, vk5wtf, 73.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS With thanks to IARU, RSGB, SARL, Southgate AR Club, ARRL,
Amateur Radio Newsline, NZART, WIA Local News Service VK7, VK3PC and the WW
sources of the WIA.
Amateur Radio Community Goes on Alert for Maria
Caribbean Island residents and the Amateur Radio community have hardly had
a chance to catch a breath from Hurricane Irma as recovery operations continue,
but now Hurricane Maria is knocking on the door.
The Hurricane Watch Net (HWN) activated on 14.325 MHz, with plans to maintain
operations on that frequency during the day and on 7.268 MHz after dark.
"As propagation dictates, we may operate using both frequencies at the
same time," HWN Secretary Stan Broadway, N 8 BHL, said in making the
announcement.
More to come during our 'Rescue-Radio' slot further down this bulletin.
New Radio Spectrum Pollution Threat
The International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) Administrative Council (AC) held
its annual in-person meeting on 15 and 16 September in Landshut, Germany, just
before the IARU Region 1 Conference.
It has addressed High Power Wireless Power Transfer (WPT) for electric vehicles,
seen as having a significant potential for interference to radiocommunications.
The AC consists of the three IARU international officers and two representatives
from each of the three IARU regional organisations, is responsible for the
policy and management.
The meeting reviewed its priorities and positions on the 2019 World
Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-19) of the International Telecommunication
Union (ITU).
The agenda includes, along with WPT and several other items of potential
concern to radio amateurs, a possible allocation in Region 1 of 50-54 MHz to
the Amateur Service to harmonise with the allocations in the other two regions.
The IARU budget, based on anticipated financial contributions from Member
Societies, was also reviewed to minimise expenditure, and adopted.
The theme for World Amateur Radio Day, 18 April 2018, was confirmed as
"Celebrating Amateur Radio's Contribution to Society."
Tunisia legalises individual licences
The Ministry of Telecommunications of Tunisia has approved and issued a
decree organising amateur radio activity in Tunisia. It is now possible
for Tunisian amateurs to apply, pass an exam and get their own amateur
radio licences.
Those who already have a foreign licence can be granted licences without
passing an exam. Resident foreigners can also apply.
See iaru-r1.org for full details.
FCC Opens 630 and 2200 Meter Bands
The FCC has announced that the Office of Management and Budget has approved,
for 3 years, the information-collection requirement of the Commission's
March 29 Report and Order (R&O) that spelled out Amateur Radio service rules
for the two new bands 630 meters and 2200 meters.
Notice of the action appears in the Federal Register.
Before using either band, stations must notify the Utilities Technology Council
(UTC) that they plan to do so, and if UTC does not respond within 30 days, they
may commence operation.
Last March 27, the FCC adopted the 2012 World Radiocommunication Conference
implementation Report and Order (ET Docket 15-99), amending its Amateur Radio
rules to in the FCC's words "provide for frequency-sharing requirements in
the 135.7-137.8 kHz (2200-meter) and 472-479 kHz (630-meter) bands."
World Radiosport
As preparations are under way for the next World Radiosport Team Championship
event WRTC 2018 in Germany next July the WRTC Sanctioning Committee is
already looking ahead to potential locations for WRTC 2022.
Yes 2022.
The committee is responsible for evaluating requests to host a WRTC event and
selecting the winning applicant. It's hoping to announce the host for WRTC 2022
at the WRTC 2018 closing ceremonies.
"Like the international Olympics, it is important to provide continuity for the
WRTC program and give the radiosport community as much time as possible to
prepare for each event," Sanctioning Committee President Tine Brajnik, S50A,
said in a news release.
"Thus, it is appropriate at this time to begin the process of considering where
WRTC 2022 will be held and who will make up the organizing committee."
To begin the evaluation process, the WRTC Sanctioning Committee is requesting
written letters of intent, identifying the group's primary leaders and contact
information, along with the general time frame and event location. The
announcement said the committee will then respond with the WRTC requirements
document, "from which a formal proposal can be created."
The deadline to submit a letter of intent is December 31, 2017.
Letters of intent should be directed to
Tina Brajnik
Velike Lipljene 24, 1311 TURJAK, Slovenia.
Who and Where are our broadcast stations?
http://www.wia.org.au/members/broadcast/where/
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.
wia.org.au/members/contests/about
2017
October CQ WW DX / SSB CONTEST (always Octobers Last full weekend)
November CQ WW DX / CW CONTEST (always Novembers Last full weekend)
The SSB weekend is October 29-30. The CW weekend is November 26-27.
Running ALL year 'til Dec 31 Victorian Local Government Award 2017 Challenge
2018
John Moyle Memorial Field Day will be held over the weekend of the 17th-18th
March 2018 and will run from UTC 0100 on the Saturday until 0059 on the Sunday.
IARU HF Championship event on 15 and 16 July.
The 21st International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend is on
August 18 to 19, 2018
Portable operators in Victorian National Parks
So far 14 locations have been named in the Keith Roget Memorial National Parks
four-day activity period in November, with two of the hard to find ones being
the latest to register.
Peter VK 3 TKK will be at Wilsons Promontory the southernmost part of Victoria
on the Friday, and then travelling to the French Island National Park on
Westernport Bay.
The School Radio Club VK 3 SRC with Joe and Julie have added Churchill National
Park on the Saturday and Sunday.
Paul VK5PAS/3 is on a road trip in eastern Victoria to activate the Alfred,
Coopracambra, Croajingolong and Lind National Parks.
The other major activators are Warren VK3BYD and Tony VK3XV.
With eight weeks to go more will register for the activation period from
Friday November 10 to Monday November 13 inclusive.
(Jim Linton VK3PC)
Chris EI6HZB has been reported active on SSB from Cairo, Egypt in the past
couple of weeks using the callsign SU/DM4DX.
Logs are uploaded regularly to Logbook of The World.
Rod EA7JX will be in Djelfa, Algeria till 25th September and will operate as
7U1X on all bands. He will also be taking part in the CQ WW RTTY contest on
this weekend, 23rd - 24th September. QSLs go via his home call. EA7JX
David, G4NRT will be on the air as Z21NRT in Zimbabwe until the 29th of
September. He will be on the 80 to 6m bands using SSB, CW and digital
QSL to his home callsign. G4NRT
Al, K7AR will be operating as 5W0RA from Apia, Samoa, IOTA OC-097,
from the 19th to the 29th of September. Activity will be on the HF
bands using CW, SSB, RTTY and possibly FT8. QSL to his home
callsign. K7AR.
Another DXpedition QRT before it begins.
Members of the Argentinian DXers Group, who were expected to be active as
PJ 7 T from Sint Maarten (NA-105) between October 24th and November 4th, have
cancelled their operation due to the damage done by Hurricane Irma.
The group sent out the following :
"Irma destroyed 95% of infrastructure on the island and it
will be impossible to arrive and live there for a long time."
WIRELESS WEATHER
At the 36th annual ARRL and TAPR Digital Communications Conference held
September 15-17 this year in St. Louis, HamSCI members presented preliminary
evidence that the August 21 solar eclipse had a significant effect on
HF propagation.
In their presentation members showed initial results of the Solar Eclipse
QSO Party and other HamSCI eclipse experiments.
Their presentation demonstrated that the number of 14-MHz Reverse Beacon
Network spots decreased, while the number of 1.8 MHz and 3.5 MHz spots
increased during the eclipse totality.
The researchers say this suggests a decrease in both maximum usable frequency
and D-layer absorption during the eclipse.
WIA - It serves and protects.
Want to know what the WIA is doing to encourage Amateur Radio and members
engagement?
Wish to be informed on the latest developments that may affect you?
Then regularly visit the material on its website, read the WIA journal
"Amateur Radio magazine" - and listen to the weekly VK1WIA broadcast.
The WIA website, which includes the text edition of this broadcast, is at
www.wia.org.au
MEDIA WATCH
Who and Where are our broadcast stations?
http://www.wia.org.au/members/broadcast/where/
Plenty of good reading in Amateur Radio magazine for October
On the cover is a dramatic sky photograph at Cape Leeuwin taken by Hans
Fairhurst VK6XN during the International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend,
and inside are reports on various activities for the 20th annual fun event.
The Editor Peter Freeman VK3PF in his editorial talks about the recent history
and the next steps towards having a bi-monthly printed magazine from 2018.
The winner of the Remembrance Day Contest 2017 is VK7. Well done! RD Award
Manager Alan Shannon VK4SN has his full report.
The technical articles this month are on programming cables, Mini
Satellite-Antenna Rotator MkII, and a revisit to the FT8 digital mode.
Mark VK3XB has an interesting story on Kenya. Also Amateur Radio magazine, a
WIA membership service, are regular columns on regional and special interests.
I'm Barry Robinson VK3PV and you are listening to VK1WIA.
INTRUDER WATCH - ENFORCEMENT ZONE
Region III IARUMS Coordinator Peter Young VK3MV
VK IARUMS reflector email to subscribe intruders@wia.org.au
SUBMITTING a report? go to
http://www.wia.org.au/members/protecting/intruderreport/
INTRUDER NETS
Friday 0730 UTC 7.065.5 with VK4CEU David.
Amateur exclusive frequencies where any non-amateur signal is definitely an
intruder.
Amateur HF Spectrum world wide
7.050 to 7.100
14.000 to 14.250
14.250 to 14.350 No broadcasters
21.000 to 21.450
24.890 to 24.990
28.000 to 29.700
Not All "Intruders" on Ham Bands are Illegal But a Lot of Them Are
The monthly newsletter of the International Amateur Radio Union Region 1
Monitoring Service (IARUMS) typically makes for some interesting reading.
While the reports that come from more than two dozen contributors in Europe
and Africa can be a bit visually dense, the content conveys the impression
that that there are myriad intruders on the Amateur Radio bands. However,
not all of them are illegal, as IARUMS points out, but a lot of the signals
heard are not supposed to be where they were monitored.
The individual reports can be a bit humorous too.
"Get the grub, and I'll talk to you later this evening," was a snippet of a
conversation between two fishermen that an Irish Radio Transmitters Society
monitor overheard on 3.570 MHz and reported to the IARUMS.
The IRTS said the chatter was accompanied on both sides by "loud motor noise,"
and, if that were not sufficient detail, it pointed out that both men had
Galway accents. Intruding signals from fishing crews throughout IARU Region 1
are commonplace.
More blatant are the repeat offenders, such as the "Chinese foghorn"
over-the-horizon (OTH) radars on several frequencies in the exclusive
Amateur Radio 20-meter allocation, as well as on 15 and 40 meters.
WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- FINAL FRONTIER
Two Radio Amateurs are Among Three New ISS Crew Members
After a 6-hour flight, astronauts Mark Vande Hei, KG5GNP, and Joe Acaba,
KE5DAR, with cosmonaut Alexander Misurkin arrived at the International
Space Station on September 12.
The trio launched aboard the Soyuz MS-06 spacecraft from Kazakhstan,
orbited Earth four times, and then docked at the space station.
Their arrival restores the station's crew to six.
The new Expedition 53/54 crew members will spend more than 4 months aboard
the ISS, conducting approximately 250 science investigations in fields such
as biology, Earth science, human research, physical sciences and technology
development.
Once they've settled in, Acaba and Vande Hei are expected to average one or two
and possibly as many as four Amateur Radio on the International Space Station
contacts a week.
One such ISS contact last week was with the Beenleigh State High School
south of Brisbane, a late night chat with Italian astronaut and engineer,
Paolo Nespoli IZ 0 JPA who is till on the ISS with the new arrivals.
The ARISS contact happened at 11pm Queensland time, before students, parents
and educators.
The evening started at 9pm with telescopes in the school grounds and an
informative tour through the solar system.
Nick McClean of Gilmore Space Australia, explained the development of reusable
space delivery vehicles, followed by science teacher Chris Meagher with an
inspirational video of Paolo IZ0JPA. ARISS Coordinator Shane Lynd VK4KHZ
set up a portable satellite tracking station with antennas and auto-doppler
correction. This emulated the ground station K6DUE telebridge in the Goddard
Space Flight Centre, Maryland USA, with students very interested to see the
antennas begin tracking.
Paolo IZ0JPA answered all 13 students explaining passionately each response in
great detail.
The excited students, parents and educators then sent a burst of applause to
the ISS just before K6DUE closed the link.
(Jim Linton VK3PC)
WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- RADIO SCOUTING
http://www.scouts.com.au
http://www.scout.org/jota
http://www.international.scouts.com.au
Brett Nicholas VK2BNN Scouts Australia National co-ordinator for JOTA.
Lorraine O'Hare VK2FICQ Girl Guides Australia National JOTA-JOTI Co-ordinator.
CALLING FREQUENCIES
Please QSY off the calling frequency after establishing communication.
Australian voice calling frequencies:
3.650, 7.090, 14.190, 21.190, 28.590, 52.160
World CW calling frequencies:
3.570, 7.030, 14.060, 18.080, 21.140, 24.910, 28.180, 50.160
World voice calling frequencies:
3.690 & 3.940 MHz, 7.090 & 7.190, 14.290, 18.140, 21.360,
24.960, 28.390, 50.160
Calling frequencies for Slow Scan TV (SSTV):
3.630, 7.033, 14.227
Calling Frequencies for PSK31
14.070
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
Caribbean Emergency Weather Net Activates;
FEMA Announces Interoperability Nets
Jeff, 9Y4J, Emergency Coordinator Advisory Group, IARU Region 2, Area E,
reports that the Caribbean Emergency Weather Net activated at 1030 UTC
on 3.815 MHz. The net will use 3.815 and/or 7.188 MHz as propagation dictates.
The CEWN will provide 24-hour coverage during the passage of Hurricane Maria
and in the storm's immediate wake, in case there is a need to pass
health-and-welfare traffic.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will activate 60-meter
interoperability nets for Hurricane Maria. These will remain active until
the storm has passed and the need for these nets no longer exists.
The frequencies to be used are Channel 1, 5.331 MHz (primary voice traffic)
and Channel 2, 5.346.5 MHz (digital traffic).
SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS - VHF AND ABOVE (The Plumbers Delight)
New 10-GHz Earth-Moon-Earth World Record Set
A new 10-GHz EME or moon bounce world record was set September 9, when
Rex, VK7MO, and Jim, WA3LBI, completed a 18,949.4 kilometer contact using
QRA64D.
This extends by approximately 600 kilometres the previous world record held by
DL7FJ and ZL1GSG, who used CW.
The participants said the key was to find locations with nearly 0 take-off,
which essentially means across water. VK7MO operated from OF76nk at Meelup
in Western Australia; WA3LBI operated from FM28io in Delaware.
Coincidentally, "Meelup" is aboriginal meaning "place of the rising Moon."
GET YOUR HAM LICENCE
Visit the WIA website, wia.org.au
To find A Club And Course Near You
http://www.wia.org.au/licenses/foundation/learningorganisers/
To make a general enquiry
https://www.wia.org.au/discover/sendinfo/publicenquiry/
CANBERRA
email education@crarc.ampr.org for further information.
AMATEUR RADIO NEW SOUTH WALES:-
ARNSW 63 Quarry Rd Dural, email for details on education@arnsw.org.au
Bookings can be made by phoning the office on 02 9651 1490
and leaving contact details.
AMATEUR RADIO VICTORIA CONTACT:-
Amateur Radio Victoria 40G Victory Boulevard, Ashburton,
vk3pv@amateurradio.com.au or phone Barry on 0428 516 001.
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On next week's VK1WIA broadcast we will report on the book launch about
Australis OSCAR 5 - the story of when Melbourne University Students Built
Australia's First Satellite.
Recalling those historic events back when the amateur radio satellitet was
launched on 23 January 1970, is Dr Owen Mace who has written a definitive book - the WIA was at the book launch by invitation.
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SOCIAL SCENE 2017
Sep29-Oct2 VK4 Cardwell Gathering (tarc)
Oct 29 VK3 Yarra Valley Amateur Radio Group HAMFEST 10:00am at the
Gary Cooper Pavilion, Yarra Glen.
Nov 5 VK3 BARG Hamvention greyhound racing track, Ballarat. (wia events)
Nov 12 VK5 Adelaide Hills Amateur Radio Society HamFest 8am (vk5kc)
Nov 12 VK3 Rosebud's annual celebration of all things Amateur Radio (wia)
2018
Feb 25 VK2 Wyong Field Day (VK2AOR)
March 25 VK3 EMDRC HamFest - Great Ryrie Primary School, Heathmont. (VK3BQ)
May 4 -7 VK4 Clairview Gathering ( between Rockhampton and Mackay ) (TARC)
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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
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National News compiled by VK4BB on behalf of the National WIA.
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