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2020 OCTOBER 11 VK NATIONAL NEWS BROADCAST ON VK1WIA
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THE BEST NEWS YOU'LL GET ALL WEEK
THIS LINK IS A VIDEO VERSION OF NEWS COMPILED BY VK5BD BEVAN
tinyurl.com/WIA-News-Videos
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NATIONAL NEWS FOR WEEK COMMENCING OCTOBER 11 2020
IN OUR 25th YEAR OF NON STOP NEWS
WIA Director Oscar VK3TX and repeaters in VK
WIA and Amateur Radio magazine Editor-in-Chief Roger Harrison
VK2ZRH
WIA Vice President Lee Moyle VK3GK ROAR.
THIS & MORE IN THIS EDITION OF NEWS FROM THE
WIRELESS INSTITUTE OF AUSTRALIA
Also making breaking but NEVER faking our news we hear how
a King gets a rig, how astronaut Kate Rubins will vote in the
US Presidential election, Felix VK4FUQ checks out 'the dancing
man and Col has both the good and the bad news for space comms
But first news from about as far away from home as possible
This week, an amateur radio operator in British Columbia
picked up a radio signal ... from Mars.
It came from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter flying just
274 km above the Red Planet's surface.
Such a detection is possible because, right now, Mars is
unusually close to Planet Earth.
Want to hear what it sounds like?
Crank up the volume, forgive the sibilance, and listen
to the Martian Doppler shift thanks to spaceweather.com
WIA
Not a WIA Member? details email nationaloffice@wia.org.au
OR the link on bottom right of wia.org.au
wia.memnet.com.au/MemberSelfService/NewMemberForm/WIA/NewMemberForm.aspx
WIA board minutes can be found on wia.org.au click
WIA Information.
This is WIA Director Oscar VK3TX
Help us to help!
In different scenarios has been asked where you can get an
updated repeater database. WIA aims to keep Australias
repeater listing up to date, but to do that, we depend on
information provided by repeater operators and there is where
you play a vital role.
We would like to call you to let us know of any additions,
changes or corrections that need to be made to the Australian
Repeater Directory to keep connected all our fellow amateurs
in the country.
It is simple, please send information to tacrep@wia.org.au
or by mail to WIA Repeater Directory, PO Box 2042, Bayswater,
Vic 3153.
Please follow the simple submission guidelines found at the
end of the Australian Repeater Directory located in our
webpage.
wia.org.au/members/repeaters/data/documents/Repeater%20Directory%20200626.pdf
wia.org.au/members/repeaters/about/
This is Roger Harrison VK2ZRH Editor-in-Chief of
Amateur Radio magazine.
As you learned from my segment last week, Issue Number 4 has
rolled off the press and is on its way. Likewise, the
electronic edition will be available on a hard drive for
download this coming week.
Look out for your email from the WIA. Get those electrons
streaming!
Aside from the pleasures of portable pursuits, there ARE
other topics to read about in Issue Number 4.
As you know, the WIA is celebrating its 110th Anniversary.
Havent we come a looong way!
Our leading article on the subject from WIA Historian
Peter Wolfenden VK3RV lays out the fascinating story of
what happened when governments ruled the aether. Across the
globe, in the aftermath of World War One, wireless
experimenters were clamouring to get their operating licences
back after the lockdown brought on by that conflict.
In America, the A R R L had secured that goal after some high
level, high energy lobbying.
In Australia? No such luck.
Then, the well-known, well-connected industrialist and
Managing Director of Amalgamated Wireless (Australia)
Ernest Fisk later to be knighted (when such accolades
mattered) took sides in the battle and became a key figure
in releasing the Australian Governments grip on wireless
spectrum here. At the time 1919 Fisk was President of the
very young Wireless Institute of Australia, NSW Division.
Who knew?
At this stage, I will have to leave it to your imagination
or, more likely your finger on the mouse button, to learn
what came next.
This has been AR magazine Editor-in-Chief Roger Harrison
VK2ZRH for VK1WIA News.
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INTERNATIONAL NEWS With thanks to IARU, RSGB, SARL, Southgate
AR Club, ARRL, RAC, NZART AMATEUR RADIO NEWSLINE & the
World Wide sources of the WIA.
NEW ZEALAND
DNA3 make a K9
Illegal transmission on Police channels
Recently, Radio Spectrum Management assisted Police
in bringing charges against a man who was intentionally
disrupting Police radiocommunications. The culprit was using
an illegal radio to cause havoc. After the police made a K9,
(an arrest) he appeared in the Dunedin District Court and
pleaded guilty to several police charges and two charges
under the Radiocommunication Act 1989.
THAILAND
King Vajiralongkorn receives ham radio callsign HS 10 A
NBTC and RAST presented the amateur radio callsign HS10A
to His Majesty King Vajiralongkorn and provided equipment
at a ceremony in the Dusit Palace, Bangkok
Thailand's communications regulator, the NBTC Secretariat,
represented by General Sukit Khamasundara, and the
Radio Amateur Society of Thailand (RAST) under the Royal
Patronage of His Majesty the King, led by its President,
HS 1 FVL and accompanied by committee members of the society,
participated in a ceremony for His Majesty to present an
advanced class amateur radio licence and the callsign HS10A
to His Majesty.
qsl.net/rast
ITALY
A decree issued by Italian Ministry of Economic Development
means that remote Oral exams can be held to enable Italians
to get their amateur radio license
The oral exam consists of an individual telematic interview
aimed at ascertaining the candidate's preparation in
electronics and radio technology, and knowledge of the
laws and regulations relating to radio communications.
The examination is carried out using a free online
videoconferencing platform chosen by the examination board
by communicating it in advance to the candidates.
To carry out the examination, the examining commission
prepares three envelopes in each of which five questions
relating to the topics indicated in the first part of the
examination program. 3 refer to the technical areas.
The exam is considered passed if the candidate correctly
answers three questions, provided that at least two are
technical and one related to regulation.
ari.it/images/stories/segreteria/decreto_direttoriale_esame_radioamatori.pdf
tinyurl.com/ItalyARI
Italy has a single class of amateur radio licence,
CEPT Class 1, equivalent to UK Full.
IARU REGION 2
New Band Plan released
IARU Region 2 has released the 2020 revision of the Band Plan
and made procedural changes so that future adjustments
shouldn't take up 3 years.
The band plan includes the change approved at the General
Assembly meetings in Lima in October 2019 to add an Amateur
Satellite uplink sub-band from 21125 to 21450 kHz on a
non-exclusive basis, which matches similar changes in the
Region 1 and Region 3 band plans.
USA
AMATEUR TO CAST HER ABSENTEE BALLOT FROM ISS
Although more voters than ever in the U.S. are expected to use
absentee ballots in November's presidential election, one
amateur radio operator will be casting her ballot from space.
Don Wilbanks AE 5 DW from our US Sister Network has those
details.
"Astronaut Kate Rubins KG5FYJ has a few important things on
her agenda following her mid-October launch from Russia to
the International Space Station. Once there, she will begin
her research using the Cold Atom Lab aboard the ISS. She will
also work on a cardiovascular experiment. And, she plans to
cast an absentee ballot and vote in the United States
presidential election.
According to Space.com, her vote will take the form of a
secure electronic ballot which gets transmitted to Mission
Control and sent on from there to the county clerk back home
in Texas.
For Amateur Radio NewsLine I'm Don Wilbanks AE5DW.
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HAM RADIO OPERATIONAL NEWS - IT'S A CONTACT SPORT
OCEANA CONTEST
CW from 0600 UTC Saturday October 10 to 0600 UTC Sunday
October 11, that of course is this weekend.
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CQ WW DX SSB OCTOBER 24-25
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CQ WW DX CW NOVEMBER 28-29
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December 6 - 8 160 Meter WW
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DECEMBER 14 - 15 10 Mtr World Wide
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TED POWELL MEMORIAL DX CHALLENGE
4 award periods, each of 3 months starting in January of each
calendar year and 2 categories in the contest,
MOST WANTED and TOP 5.
Top 5 you try and work the 5 most wanted DXCC entity's
Most Wanted you work the most wanted DXCC entity.
The dx entity's in play are those most wanted DURING those
3 month windows.
Complete details can be found at contest.fgarc.org.au/
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All major AUSTRALIAN contests, rules and results, are on the
Contest Section of the WIA website and looking ahead to
next year 2021 The first Major Aussie test is slated for
January.
That contest is of course the Ross Hull Memorial VHF/UHF
Contest
The Ross Hull is a DX contest, with points awarded for
distances worked. There are also band multipliers to
encourage activity on the higher bands with the aim of the
contest to encourage and to reward achievement in working
the greatest possible distances on the VHF, UHF and microwave
bands.
The contest was established in 1950 to honour the memory of
the late Ross A. Hull and his pioneering achievements in the
study of tropospheric propagation and the development of new
equipment techniques for the higher bands.
Upcoming Contest Date & Time is the month of January.
Rob Heyer VK2XIC is Contest Manager for the Ross Hull.
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DX WINDOW
CHILE.
Members of the Chilean Pacific DX Group are QRV with special
event call XR 500 M during October to celebrate the 500th
anniversary of Magellan's navigation of the strait named
after him.
The Strait of Magellan, also called the Straits of Magellan,
is a navigable sea route in southern Chile separating mainland
South America to the north and Tierra del Fuego to the south
and is considered the most important natural passage between
the Atlantic and Pacific oceans
QSL via XQ 7 UP.
(arrl/wia)
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IN IT FOR THE FUN NOT THE MONEY
This next station on the DX band is QSL'ed via PAYPAL
The station is operating from SURINAME. Yudel, CO7XY is
QRV as PZ2YT from Nickerie in the Suriname and activity
of late has been on 20 meters using SSB.
QSL via PayPal, with more info on QRZ.com.
(eHam)
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From Kuwait, be listening for the call sign 9K2K during the
CQWW DX SSB Contest October 24 and 25.
Send QSLs to EC 6 DX or by LoTW.
(ARNewsLine)
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Australian special event
Fred Swainston VK3DAC/VK4FE, reported in several posts that
special event callsign VI 75 WW 2 is active until November
11th, 2020 to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the end of
the Second World War.
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BONAIRE
PJ4 TEN is a special event station active during October 2020 to
commemorate the 10th anniversary of the 10th of October 2010.
On that date the former country of the Netherlands Antilles was
dissolved and Bonaire became a special municipality of the
Netherlands.
As a result, Bonaire became a new DXCC entity on October 10 2010
(rsgb)
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Special Event Station VK65PFA (Polio Free Africa)
Australian Rotarians Of Amateur Radio (ROAR) will be
activating the special event station VK65PFA (VK 65 Polio
Free Africa) to celebrate the eradication of the wild Polio
Virus in the 65 countries, States and Territories in Africa
as announced by the World Health Organisation (WHO) on
August 25th 2020. WIA Director and ROAR member VK3GK
Lee Moyle explains more:-
The activation commences on October 24th to mark World Polio
Day and will be active until Nov 24th 2020.
The campaign to eradicate Polio by Rotary International was
initiated by Sir Clement Renouf. Sir Clement William Bailey
Renouf AM (19 April 1921 11 June 2020) was an Australian
accountant and President of Rotary International from 197879.
In this latter role he contributed significantly to the
planned eradication of poliomyelitis worldwide.[1]
He was born in Ingham, Queensland in 1921. He joined the
Nambour Rotary Club in 1950 and remained a member until his
passing recently.
In 1978 Clem became World President of Rotary International.
He died in June 2020 at the age of 99.
Clement Renouf was appointed a Member of the Order of
Australia in 1979. He was knighted in 1988 " for outstanding
service to the community ", and awarded the Centenary Medal
in 2001.
Rotary has been working to eradicate polio for more than
35 years. Its goal of ridding the world of this disease is
now closer than ever.
As a founding partner of the Global Polio Eradication
Initiative, polio cases have been reduced by 99.9 percent
since Rotarys first project to vaccinate children in the
Philippines in 1979. Rotary members have contributed more than
$2.1 billion and countless volunteer hours to protect nearly
3 billion children in 122 countries from this paralysing
disease. Rotarys advocacy efforts have played a role in
decisions by governments to contribute more than $10 billion
to the effort.
Today, polio remains endemic only in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
But its crucial to continue working to keep other countries
polio-free. If all eradication efforts stopped today, within
10 years, polio could paralyse as many as 200,000 children
each year.
QSL Information will be posted on QRZ.com
If you are currently or have been a Rotary member and have an
Amateur Radio Licence then consider joining ROAR, Rotarians
of Amateur Radio. Contact Bill VK4ZD at bill@mainlinkit.com
for more information. Or see the ROAR website on
ifroar.org or our Facebook page.
73 from WIA VP Lee Moyle VK3GK and ROAR Member.
ROTARIANS OF AMATEUR RADIO
website: froar.org
email: webmaster@ifroar.org
FaceBook: facebook.com/groups/RotariansROAR/
0645z - 0730z ANZO Net 7.118 (varies due to propagation)
0730z - 0830z International net 14.293 (varies due to propagation)
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THE QNEWS WORK BENCH - the nuts and volts report
Measure Twice cut Once.
RSGB releases Foundation practicals videos
The RSGB has just launched a series of videos to help the
thousands of people who have taken their Foundation exam.
The full 30-minute video highlights six practical skills and
each segment stands alone rather than being part of a single
story through the video. As well as this whole video, the
RSGB has published the different segments as separate short
videos to make it easier to go back to just one or two parts
again.
With the launch of these videos, the Society is now pleased
to add to the resources that new licensees have available to
them. The RSGB would also like to thank TX Factor who worked
with the Society on these videos.
You can watch the videos on the Societys website on
rsgb.org/foundation-practicals.
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WORLD WIDE SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP NEWS
ATV (Every pixel tells a story) -
Good to be able to report close to 100 weekly subscribers
already to the YouTube Video adaptation of this your WIA
National News Service.
Videographer Bevan VK5BD does a superb job and it's worth a
peek .. just search WIA NEWS VK5BD on YouTube or easier
click 'the link we like' in this weeks edition of the planets
top news for hams on wia.org.au
tinyurl.com/WIA-News-Videos
THAT LINK IS A VIDEO VERSION OF THIS NEWS COMPILED BY
VK5BD BEVAN
WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS - FINAL FRONTIER
AMSAT-VK Secretary - secretary@amsat-vk.org
FIRST THE GOOD NEWS:-
More Astronauts Earn Amateur Radio Licenses
Although the lockdown of Johnson Space Centre postponed
amateur radio training and licensing over the past 7 months,
NASA ISS Ham Project Coordinator Kenneth Ransom, N 5 VHO, was
able to work with all of the new astronaut-class graduates,
as well as offer some refresher courses with already-licensed
astronauts. Licensed astronauts on the International
Space Station may operate the on-station ham radio equipment
without restrictions.
NASA Astronaut Kayla Barron, who completed her introductory
course in June and received basic ham radio operations
training in late September, recently tested and received the
call sign KI 5 LAL.
European Space Agency astronaut Matthias Maurer passed his
amateur radio exam on July 30, and he got his basic ham
operations training in July. He now is KI 5 KFH.
Astronauts Shane Kimbrough, KE5HOD, and Shannon Walker, KD5DXB,
completed the refresher course earlier this year. Two other
new astronauts are in the queue to take the Technician
license exam.
Astronauts often participate in Amateur Radio on the
International Space Station contacts with schools and groups
on Earth and as we'll here shortly will celebrate 20 years
SURINAME, PZ. Yudel, CO7XY is now QRV as PZ2YT from Nickerie. Activity of late has been on 20 meters using SSB. QSL via PayPal, see info at QRZ.com.of continuous amateur radio operations on the Space Station.
NASA is commemorating the milestone with a newly produced
info-graphic highlighting the educational contacts via
amateur radio between astronaut crew members and students.
Over its 20 years, ARISS has supported nearly 1,400 scheduled
ham radio contacts with schools, student groups, and other
organizations.
arrl.org/news/view/ariss-to-celebrate-20-years-of-ham-radio-on-the-international-space-station
nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/news/iss-20-years-ham-radio-infographic
(ARRL)
AND NOW THE BAD NEWS:-
FCC deletes 3.4 GHz Amateur Satellite Service Allocation
The AMSAT News Service reports that at its open meeting on
September 30, the Federal Communications Commission adopted
a Report and Order that sunsets Amateur use of the
3.3 to 3.5 GHz band
This spectrum includes the 3.40 to 3.41 GHz Amateur-Satellite
Service allocation. AMSAT had previously filed comments
opposing the FCCs proposal to delete this spectrum.
fcc.gov/document/fcc-seeks-facilitate-5g-345-355-ghz-band-0
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
Region 1 3760 7110 14300 18160 21360 kHz
Region 2 3750 3985 7060 7240 7275 14300 18160 21360 kHz
Simulated Emergency Test: Saturday, October 31
For what is certainly the first time in history, the upcoming
Simulated Emergency Test (SET) will be held during a real
global pandemic not a simulation.
The SET is a North America-wide exercise in emergency
communications, which is administered by Radio Amateurs of
Canada and the American Radio Relay League.
There are different circumstances throughout the country and
the various levels of governments (local, municipal,
provincial/territorial and federal) continue to monitor the
situation and develop strategies designed to ensure safety
while reducing the impact on the economy. It is of utmost
importance, therefore, that all participants have ensured
they stay safe and respect the specific rules and
requirements in their jurisdiction.
SET Theme for 2020 is based on: A Severe Winter Storm
October 28 SET is not taking place it is Oct 31.
Back on October 3 the Austrian emergency exercise
"off the grid" was just that!
Due to a thunderstorm over Eastern Austria, "Austria Off-Grid 2020"
was cancelled! Seems control stations located in the area of
the lightning bolts were unable to make any transmissions.
As further transmissions would have had to take place after
the reported end of the exercise it was terminated.
(rac and OVSV)
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2020 Social Scene
KEEP ONE WAVELENGTH AWAY AT 144 Megacycles
#2MetersMatters
Due to the COVID-19 situation, please check these events'
direct for up-to-date status information.
2020
VK7 - Miena QSO Muster Saturday October 24th (vk7tw)
VK4 - Sunfest 10am Nambour Showground Oct 24 (m roberts)
VK4 - Rockhampton Amateur Radio Annual Dinner Sat Nov 28 (vk4acc)
VK4 - TARC Xmas Party - Sun 13th December from 2pm (tarc)
VK4 - TARC Xmas Lights Tour - Fri 18th December (tarc)
2021
VK4 - TARC Australia Day Long Week Family Radio Camp
Thursday afternoon 21st to Tuesday afternoon 26th
January at Girl Guides Association of Queensland
Campsite and Training Centre Bluewater. (vk4zz)
VK2 - WYONG FIELD DAY February 28 ( vk4zz)
VK - ALARAMEET 2021 Bendigo VK3 October 1 - 4 (vk5yl)
VK7 - VK7 biennial HamFest Miena Community Hall (vk7tw)
SOCIAL DISTANCING
KEEP ONE WAVELENGTH AWAY AT 144 Megacycles
Reception Reports
WIA News rebroadcasters often give Short Wave Listeners a
welcome to the broadcast as they commence call-backs
straight after the Local News. Local news follows National
news in all states. It would be great if those SWL's would
email their reception reports and location to
callbacks@wia.org.au
Submitting news items
If you would like to submit news items for possible inclusion
in the VK1WIA broadcasts, please email your item in text to
nationalnews@wia.org.au and don't JUST send url's links or
posters, but take the time to pen YOUR contribution.
To submit audio email nationalnews@wia.org.au and ask for the
current password then read "how to submit items" in the
weekly news page on
wia.org.au/members/broadcast/contribute/
We would appreciate items certainly no longer than 1.5 mts in
length as we only have a half hour.
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 it in the 3rd person. (First if YOU are reading your
own item)
A reminder when supplying HamFest info we obviously can't
plug DEALS from commercial traders "on air", but we at the
WIA will put your supporters 'goods' in this text edition
"no worries."
We cannot give blatant 'plugs' to raffles.
vk1wia-broadcasters@lists.wia.org.au
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Oh... and to contact us with your news because
If It Matters To You It Matters To Us!
Click the links below to download the most recent edition of
National News, BUT this is ONLY the backup site!
WIANEWS backup thanks to Brendan VK4BLP can be found on
wiaq.org.au
BACKUPS OF THE BACKUP!! thanks to Tony VK7AX
www.vk7ax.id.au/wianews/
wia.org.au/members/broadcast/wianews/ (This is the link
to the original text version and original audio on wia site)
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WIANews - we've reported...YOU decide.
TWITTER 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?
wia.org.au/members/broadcast/where/
The purpose of "WIANews" is to rapidly provide news of
interest to WIA affiliated clubs and 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 IF broadcast, are
done so 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...
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