2021 JANUARY 24 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 JANUARY 24 2021
IN OUR 26th YEAR OF NON STOP NEWS
WIA President Greg Kelly VK2GPK revisits YOTA. -
WIA Secretary Peter Clee VK8ZZ revisits this weeks emagazine
issued by ACMA.
THIS & MORE IN THIS EDITION OF NEWS FROM THE
WIRELESS INSTITUTE OF AUSTRALIA
WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE WE COMING TO.
Just on a week ago (Jan 17) the FCC issued a warning:-
WARNING:
AMATEUR AND PERSONAL RADIO SERVICES LICENSEES AND OPERATORS
MAY NOT USE RADIO EQUIPMENT TO COMMIT OR FACILITATE CRIMINAL
ACTS
The Bureau become aware of discussions on social media
platforms suggesting that certain radio services regulated
by the Commission may be an alternative to social media
platforms for groups to communicate and coordinate future
activities.
Individuals using radios in the Amateur or PRs in this
manner may be subject to severe penalties, including
significant fines, seizure of the offending equipment and
in some cases, criminal prosecution.
(arrl)
WIA
JOIN THE WIA
tinyurl.com/yyj87b9y
WIA BOARD MINUTES
wia.org.au/joinwia/wia/minutes/
WIA BOARD NEWSLETTERS (older)
Giving members to have a better awareness of Board activities.
wia.org.au/joinwia/wia/newsletters/
WIA SECRETARY PETER CLEE VK8ZZ
In this last week the Australian Communications and Media
Authority (ACMA), our regulator, issued their latest Amateur
Radio e-bulletin. In this edition they clarified the use of
state and territory identifiers in callsigns. Parts of that
e-bulleting are included in this text,
The ACMA indicated that as part of their recent July 2020
changes, they clarified operational policy so that amateurs
can, if they wish, keep their call sign if they gain
additional qualifications and/or move interstate.
The ACMA policy is that, when an amateur obtains a call sign
for the first time, it will indicate their state/territory
of residence, as per the AMC call sign template. However,
this practice, and state/territory identifiers in general,
are not a regulatory requirement.
The ACMA policy represents a long-standing practice, which
is consistent with their ITU obligations. The actual change
to the conditions by the regulator to not require a callsign
change when moving interstate was made more than a quarter
of a century ago, in 1994. To be fair, it was not widely
publicised at the time. It is current international practice
to allow such mobility.
There is currently much misinformation on the callsign state
identifier being peddled at the moment, especially by a
splinter group. Concern over this perceived change is
somewhat belated.
Amateur stations who enter competitions that require
competitors to have call signs indicating their geographical
location can obtain an additional or new call sign that has
their state or territory of residence to comply with
competition rules. However, both the ACMA RRL and QRZ.com
also have that information available online.
The WIA does not require amateur licensees moving interstate
to obtain a new call sign.
You cannot operate an amateur station away from your licensed
address for more than 4 months. If so you should contact the
ACMA to change the address on your licence.
Some time ago, the WIA presented a proposal to the ACMA to
remove the Foundation callsign F series and implement the
so called callsign for life. This was discussed extensively
at a WIA AGM. The WIA would like to thank the ACMA for
considering favourably that proposal. The proposal was a
direct result of the WIA surveying the Amateur Radio cohort.
The results yielded an overwhelming number of existing
amateurs who endorsed the proposal for change.
This has been WIA Secretary Peter VK8ZZ
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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.
Wisnu YBAZ is our Chairman of Directors for IARU Region 3
and in a post on hamradiodaily.com he says
" As you know, 2021 is the year for IARU Region 3 conference
will be held, but the current situation still not safe for
everyone in the world to travel and meet, so we will wait
and see in the next few months, whether the conference can
be held in the normal way (in person), or we have to do it
virtually."
ISRAEL
Radio amateurs in Israel have lost much of their spectrum
between 1 and 6 GHz and suffered a draconian power reduction
on 10 GHz
Just some changes are:-
10.00-10.45 GHz maximum power is now just 100 milliwatts
and is Class A only (it was 100w Class A)
6 cm band was 5650-5850 MHz now only the satellite segments
remain including 5830-5850 MHz 200 milliwatts.
Only Class A
9 cm band has been entirely lost
A PDF of Israel's new amateur allocations is at
tinyurl.com/yy2xejyv
GERMANY
Germany dealt with over 3,500 radio interference complaints
in 2020 Germany's Federal Network Agency BNetzA take radio
interference seriously and in 2020 dealt with over 3,500
cases
Despite the corona pandemic, the testing and measuring
service of the Federal Network Agency determined AND
eliminated over 3,500 radio interference and electromagnetic
incompatibilities on site. Every fourth incident related to
a security or system-relevant radio service, for example
from authorities and organizations with security tasks,
aircraft radio and public cellular networks.
"We guarantee interference-free communication for
system-relevant radio and telecommunications services
even during lockdown," says Jochen Homann, President of
the Federal Network Agency.
Comprehensive hygiene and distance regulations secured field
work and on-site order processing from March onwards. The
availability of the fault acceptance department and the
nationwide operational readiness of the testing and measuring
service was also guaranteed around the clock, 7 days a week.
UNITED KINGDOM
Drones are being used to measure underwater noise from
shipping which the United Nations has said 'poses a danger
to marine life.'
Researchers at Strathclyde University said the new technique
gives a more accurate reading of noise levels from shipping
traffic which can interfere with the ability of marine
animals to hear, navigate, communicate and catch prey.
The scientists are using a waterproof aerial drone with
hydrophone recorder to measure human-generated underwater
radiated noise (URN).
The HyDrone lands on the sea, switches off then floats while
a hydrophone suspended below it records sound, before the
equipment is flown back to the boat it operates from.
The drones mother ship' can sail on her merry way without
having to "rig for silent running' herself
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HAM RADIO OPERATIONAL NEWS - IT'S A CONTACT SPORT
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Next weekend it's CQWW 160M CW CONTEST January 29 - 31.
CQWW 160M SSB CONTEST February 26 - 28.
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CQ World Wide RTTY WPX Contest February 13-14
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International DX CW Contest February 20-21
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International DX Phone Contest March 6 - 7
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Commonwealth Contest (BERU) 13/14 March.
Allan Mason, VK2GR has asked other members of the VKCC
to make contact, vk2gr@gmail.com to show interest in
operating or assisting with the operation of the
VK HQ stations in the Commonwealth Contest March 13/14.
In 2020, Australia fielded two teams of 5 operators with
the *Australia One* team winning the team section for the
4th year in a row.
The WIA HQ stations activated? VK3WIA, VK4WIA, VK5WIA and
VK6WIA.
(vkcc mailer)
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WIA John Moyle Field Day 2021
March from UTC 0100 on Saturday 20 to 0059 Sunday 21nd.
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the CQ World Wide SSB WPX Contest March 27-28
the CQ World Wide CW WPX Contest May 29-30
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April 25 AM / CW ANZAC Day, Mon 25th from 9am on 7125kHz AM.
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Harry Angel Sprint will be May First 2021. 10:00 - 11:46 UTC.
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The VK SHIRES the June long weekend, which is the weekend
prior to the second Monday of June each year.. making it
June 12-13 in 2021
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WINTER VHF-UHF Field Days - June 26 - 27
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DX WINDOW
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VI 2021 PRIDE ON AIR FEBRUARY - JUNE
Sydney Mardi Gras, February 19th to March 7th
Midsumma, April 19th to May 5th
Pride month, June 1st to June 30th
QSL cards and awards will be available for contacts made
with VI2021PRIDE.
( prideradio.group VK3PRG )
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ARGENTINA.
AMSAT Argentina go QRT today the 24th after a week QRV as
LU 7 AA commemorating the 31st anniversary of the launch
of Satellite LO-19.
Activity using CW, SSB, various digital modes, SSTV, and
on various satellites FM.
QSL direct to LU7AA.
(arrl)
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NETHERLANDS.
PC 19 HOPE is QRV until March 10 to support efforts in
containing the COVID-19 pandemic.
QSL via PA7HPH.
(arrl)
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BULGARIA.
LZ 1340 B is QRV to celebrate the 1340th anniversary of the
First Bulgarian Empire.
QSL via LZ3SM.
(arrl)
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UK SOVEREIGN BASE AREAS ON CYPRUS, ZC4.
Garry, 2M1DHG is QRV as ZC 4GR for the next few years.
Activity is mainly on 40 to 10 meters using SSB FT8, and
possibly SSTV, PSK31 and WSPR in his spare time.
QSL via EB7DX.
(arrl)
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ISRAEL
4 X 0 RMN is operating from the Ramon Crater, Israel's
largest national park, in the Negev desert between the
30th of January and the 1st of February.
Send QSLs to 4X6ZM, LoTW and eQSL.
A certificate will be available for working three out of the
four special stations that are operating as part of the
ongoing "Land of Craters Program" that kicked off last year.
For more details visit QRZ.COM.
(ARNewsLine)
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ZL 100 RSC throughout February only celebrates the 100th
birthday of the first meeting of NZART's Branch 5. the
Christchurch ARC, any band any mode, including repeaters,
digital voice reflectors, EME, Satellites, VHF, UHF, and HF.
Endorsements will be available for working all contacts on a
single band or mode.
A Certificate will be emailed out to all stations achieving
100 points during February. ZL100RSC is a compulsory contact
worth 25 points, the club station ZL3AC is worth 10 points
and Christchurch ARC (branch 05) members are worth 5 points
each. Double points will apply on 15th February (UTC for we
DX stations), the 100th anniversary of the first club
meeting.
The Radio Society of Christchurch (New Zealand) Centenary
Award is free!
Send your logs to awards@nzart.org.nz
or
zl3dw@outlook.co.nz
(SouthGate)
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WIRELESS WEATHER
Will Solar Cycle 25 Dazzle or Fizzle in 2021?
Tad Cook, K7RA in an ARRL post to all radio amateurs asks
"What happened? Solar Cycle 25 seemed well underway, but no
new sunspots emerged since last year prior to Christmas,
on December 23, 2020 to be exact. The last time any sunspot
was visible was on January 2."
On January 14, the day prior to Tads post, Spaceweather.com
posted, "Welcome back, solar minimum."
Average daily solar flux declined from 78.6 to 73.8.
Geomagnetic A index remained quiet
BTW (But Then Wait)
A new study being reported on in universtoday.com suggests
that Solar Cycle 25 may be more powerful than previously
predicted.
Its the big question in wireless weather for 2021 and the
new decade. Will Solar Cycle 25 wow observers, or be a
washout? This new study goes against the consensus,
suggesting we may be in for a wild ride if predictions and
analysis of past solar cycle transitions hold true.
The last Solar Cycle 24 was a historic under-performer,
starting from early 2011 (based on the termination of
Cycle 23). This lacklustre cycle produced a sunspot number
of just 116, and featured year 2019 with over 281 spotLESS
days (thats 77% of the year) for the Earthward face of the
Sun, the longest dearth of sunspots in over century.
tinyurl.com/y5wq46z9
MEDIA WATCH
POPULAR US TV PERSONALITY GETS HAM RADIO LICENSE
It seems that "Last Man Standing" actor Tim Allen isn't the
only main player on a TV show to get a ham radio ticket.
Meet Donna Snow, who has been a fixture on a popular
DIY Network program in the U.S.A.
Kevin Trotman N5PRE from Amateur Radio NewsLine
introduces her to us.
KEVIN: Donna Snow of the long-running reality show
"Texas Flip 'N Move" recently became Donna Snow W5SML.
Although her call sign is a lot newer than the name she made
for herself on the popular home-makeover series, she is
hoping for changes in her own shack soon. Inspired by her
ham radio mentor Rex King W5EAK, a Vietnam veteran and a
former Navy radioman and officer, Donna is exploring ways to
use ham radio as a tool to connect veterans struggling with
life after military service.
She has already accomplished that through renovation
projects that included making a bathroom safer for a
Vietnam vet, and repairing a flood-damaged American Legion
Post. She is presently redoing the yard outside the home of
a widow of a veteran who fought at Iwo Jima.
While studying to upgrade to General class, she is also
making plans for a TV show featuring amateur radio and,
of course, the veterans themselves.
Her progress reports appear every week on her QRZ page.
Donna told NewsLine in an email: [quote] " I am on a mission
to tell everyone about ham radio and the benefits it offers
to all, no matter their age." [endquote]
She said she is living the spirit of her vanity call sign
W 5 SML - SML for "Snow Much Love."
For Amateur Radio NewsLine I'm Kevin Trotman N5PRE.
BOOK EM NICK
Hi this is Nick VK7 whiskey whiskey and the focus today is
Chooks in Chermside.
Yes, you heard correctly!
Calling Brisbane...and Chooks in Chermside!
About 10 years after the end of WW2 in the sleepy Brisbane
suburb of Chermside, a boy named Peter Hill noticed the
chooks in his familys backyard scratching at objects in the
ground. He found several small, rusted disks. Some had names
on, as well as ranks of military officers. He found many
that the chooks had not located, so he cleaned them up and
kept them in an album as a personal collection.
Then, about 55 years later, Peter donated them to a local
historical society, who were baffled by the disks, what they
meant and why theyd been buried at Chermside?
But now the answers can be found in The Secret Code
Breakers of Central Bureau by David Dufty. This is a
fascinating book on the unveiling of Australias own wartime
Bletchley Park.
Yes!
The Signals-Intelligence collectors and code breakers who
worked at the TOP SECRET Central Bureau in Brisbane. But
there is much more than what Ive mentioned, such as
stone frigates; Morse code and Kana code; the secrets of the
Coral Sea; the paper war over women; the garage - a
cryptological love story; and the secret medals.
Its all in David Duftys book The Secret Code Breakers of
Central Bureau - a ripper of a read!
This is Nic Double Scotch thats VK7 Whisky Whisky
signing clear....
tinyurl.com/yxhgfprw (AMAZON AU)
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WORLD WIDE SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP NEWS
ATV (Every pixel tells a story) -
tinyurl.com/WIA-News-Videos
THAT LINK IS A VIDEO VERSION OF THIS NEWS COMPILED BY VK5BD
BEVAN
WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS - FAITH.
or should this read "O ye, of Little Faith"
An Ofcom investigation in the United Kingdom has found that
religious satellite television channel, Loveworld, has
breached broadcasting rules for the second time in a year.
During the course of a 29-hour programme - yes 29 hour!
Program "The Global Day of Prayer" - news content and
sermons presented potentially harmful, unsubstantiated
theories about Coronavirus, without providing adequate
protection for viewers. (And by that we don't mean the viewers
broke social distancing rules or watched without being 'masked
up'.
Some of the statements claimed that the pandemic is a
planned event created by the deep state for nefarious
purposes, and that the vaccine is a sinister means of
administering nanochips to control and harm people. Some
statements claimed that the cause of Covid-19 is the
roll out of 5G technology.
Ofcom have directed Loveworld Limited not to repeat the
programme, and to broadcast a summary of their findings.
Given the seriousness of this breach and that this is
Loveworld Limiteds second of this nature, Ofcom are
also considering whether any further sanction is warranted.
tinyurl.com/y5jghxya (Ofcom)
(originally sourced to SouthGate)
WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS - FINAL FRONTIER
AMSAT-VK Secretary - secretary@amsat-vk.org
ARISS AND ATV REACH NEW HEIGHTS
A live stream YouTube link of the Amateur Radio on the
International Space Station contact was established through
the week allowing we earthlings the opportunity to see
students contacting astronaut Colonel Mike Hopkins aboard the
orbiting space station using Amateur Radio
Maybe still worth a look..
YouTube live view
youtu.be/LN70OpJFMgs
(spacechat)
WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP --- MARITIME
SWEDENS SUBWAY
SL 8 SUB is the 1st Submarine Flotillas official military
amateur radio call sign
Radio SL8SUB, The 1st Submarine Flotilla, within The
Swedish Armed Forces, is located in the east southernmost
part of Sweden and has been heard on air on HF and VHF,
on FM, CW, AM and SSB, from some 8 SUBS.
One submarine, the HMUb Uppland both berthed, as /MM
and as submerged)!
QSLing is "easy peasy" both direct via manager SM 6 DQR
by SASE, or send them to the SM Bureau.
tinyurl.com/y2t3n4qd
(qrznow)
WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- RADIO SCOUTING
scouts.com.au
scout.org/jota
international.scouts.com.au
jotajoti.info/
Brett Nicholas VK2BNN Scouts Australia National co-ordinator for JOTA.
Lorraine OHare VK2FICQ is 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
Girl Guides Thinking Day on the Air
Thinking Day on the Air is an opportunity for Girl Guides of
all ages to talk to other Girl Guides and Girl Scouts around
the world via Amateur Radio. This year the event will be on
20 - 21 February 2021. If you know of any Girl Guides please
invite them to participate. Station registration can be made
on the UK Girl Guide website
guides-on-the-air.co.uk/station-list.html
The ALARA EchoLink conference station will be available for
use by Girl Guides during the weekend.
For more details contact Norma on VK2YL@fanden.com
WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- YOTA
(Youngsters On The Air)
youtube.com/channel/UClAapljf0VQ751sOgu2IzaA
twitter.com/hamyota
Last week WIA President Greg, VK2GPK spoke of YOTA, again
hear 'here' some of what he said...
"YOTA is introducing a new generation to Amateur Radio, and
showing them that science can be fun.
But for YOTA to work we need to recruit and support what
are bestcalled YOTA Evangelists younger amateurs that
interact and spread the word in the context of the language
of the already technology enabled younger generation.
This is a train the trainer approach that works some
earlier YOTA approaches were not so successful. It is early
days with YOTA, but it is a worthwhile initiative. So if
you or your local club is interested in becoming involved
with YOTA visit the IARU website:"
iaru.org/on-the-air/youth-in-amateur-radio/
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REWIND
Q S M
REWIND
Q R L? Q R A This is VK4FJRK John Knox
Today a look at QCODE, the use of the 17th letter of the
Alphabet from the early days of morse, through maritime,
railways, ham radio, Sesame Street to the use of Q in QAnon,
the collection of baseless conspiracy theories that have
animated the far-right fringes of the Internet during the
past year.
Q is actually a rare letter, theres only one Q tile in
Scrabble and it has 10 points assigned (the highest possible).
In the use by RADIO so few words, in fact probably NO 3 letter
words start with Q hence it was a great way to signify a
message and to abbreviate it into a code, a QCODE at the same
time.
But Im getting ahead of myself.
Back to the steam powered days of rail and a pattern is
evident in the whistle blows -- 2 longs, a short and a long:
. (LLsL). In international Morse code that signal
pattern is the letter, wait for it, Q. In the USA a
Union Pacific guideline says Q is designated as the
crossing warning. Prolonging the signal until the engine is
in the crossing probably explains why a letter would be
preferred that ends in long instead of a short. Engineers can
just hold the signal open until theyre parked.
Now to sea we go and ships signal either My vessel is
healthy and I request free pratique with a single Q
(Quebec) flag or I require health clearance with the
double signal QQ ( Quebec Quebec ). Either is correct for a
vessel yet to be cleared for pratique (pratique is permission
to do business at a port, granted to a ship that has met
all quarantine or other health regulations). The Q (Quebec)
flag is square in shape and pure yellow. Continuing to fly
either of these signals indicates a vessel is yet to receive
clearance (and is thus effectively in quarantine).
In the United Kingdom even today royalty on ships or trains
use a Q via a flag or a toot on the horn to indicate their
right of way. Q here originally stood for Queen Victoria of
the British Empire.
Just on 51 years ago this month episode 43 of Sesame Street
introduced Kermit explaining how to use the letter Q.
Now to Ham Radio and even today close on 111 years since the
Wireless Institute of Australia was formed our regulations
which need be passed as we commence our Ham Radio Journey
involve the international usage of the Q code and the
application of a range of common Q codes
So Q G M this is VK4FJRK John Knox going Q R T till next
we meet.
( based on The Significance of Q in Communications by
Davi Ottenheimer January 6, 2021 in Security Boulevard )
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Q_code
tinyurl.com/y4kytufy (sesame street)
tinyurl.com/y6o9qgjw (far right)
amateurradio.com.au/licence/regulations
tinyurl.com/yxdqv4k6 (securityboulevard.com)
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2021 Social Scene
Due to the COVID-19 situation, please check these events'
direct for up-to-date status information and even without
Covid dates have an uncanny knack of being changed at last
moment.
One such cancellation is the Urunga Radio Convention
Easter weekend. This advice from Gloria Savins the honoury
Secretary of the Urunga Radio Convention Committee.
VK4 - A WICEN event at the Ipswich and District Radio
Clubhouse. February 13 between 1000 and 1400 hours
(vk4hit)
VK2 - WYONG FIELD DAY February 28 ( vk4zz)
VK3 - EMDRC HamFest - March 28th 10am (vk3bq)
VK4 - REDFEST 2021 April Ten (vk4tfn)
VK - ALARAMEET 2021 Bendigo VK3 October 1 - 4 (vk5yl)
VK3 - ROSEBUD RadioFest by SPARC 9:30am Nov 14 (vk3pdg)
FINAL FINAL
Things might just get a little challenging for UTC, Coordinated
Universal Time, that is - the time-keeping system so familiar
to us hams who pursue precision in our DX contacts or use some
of the newer digital modes. As reported on the UK news website
"The Telegraph," scientists are now suggesting that the
world's atomic clocks, which control UTC, shorten the minute
so that UTC can better keep pace with the irregular rate of
the Earth's rotation, which most people measure using the less
precise method known as "solar time."
Let's face it, it's hard to stay in sync.
When the Earth's rotation was seen to be slowing, scientists
added something called a "leap second" to the end of a
particular year. They've done this 27 times since 1972 to keep
atomic clocks and UTC sympatico with solar time. Scientists
believe Earth's 24-hour rotation has grown swifter now, making
the days ever-so-slightly shorter. They also believe 2021
could well be the shortest year we've had in many decades.
They say this will ultimately have an impact on navigation
systems and satellite communications and anything else that
requires precision in cosmic timekeeping.
This very subject is up for discussion at WRC 2023 which is
at least two years - and many, many, many, many seconds away.
Now that's a thought that could probably make our own heads
spin a lot faster too.
STORY WRIIEN BY Amateur Radio NewsLine
STORY READ BY Graham Kemp VK4BB.
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