2023 AUGUST 27 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 AUG 27 2023
IN OUR 28th YEAR OF NON STOP NEWS
THIS WEEK:-
WIA Secretary and Director of the Wireless Institute of
Australia, Peter Clee VK8ZZ. -
VK2JNA and an unusual CW contact, of sorts, while on the road. -
Mark VK4DMH, President of Gold Coast AR Society and their
involvement with last weekends PACIFIC AIR SHOW. -
Col VK4GTV with arguably Ham Radios BEST Rescue Radio planning. -
and although not really falling into the news category, AR Magazine
Editor in Chief VK2ZRH does a lil 'scientific pondering.
BUT Lets head to Darwin and your WIA Secretary.
JOIN THE WIA
tinyurl.com/yyj87b9y
This is WIA Secretary and Director of the Wireless Institute of
Australia, Peter Clee VK8ZZ.
I took part in the Remembrance Day contest earlier this month at the
Club Station VK8DA. We set up a portable station running on solar
power and barbeque sausages at the East Point Reserve, adjacent to
the East Point Military Museum and the historical gun emplacements
at East Point. The bands were not as active as I would have
expected, but the station did well, and our log has been submitted.
The International Lighthouse and Lightship weekend was last weekend
and again the bands were not as active as I would have hoped. The
Darwin Amateur Radio Club will activate the Cox Peninsula Lighthouse
next year.
Over the last few months, we have advised of several new and
existing WIA positions that needed to be filled by members to assist
the board in the operation of the institute. At a recent meeting of
the Board the following positions have been filled and advertised in
the September / October edition of Amateur Radio Magazine and on
the WIA News pages.
We are pleased to confirm the following appointments:-
* Technical Advisory Committee - Chairman - Grant Willis VK5GR
* Technical Advisory Committee member - Technical Advisor C4FM -
Peter Jung VK5JP
* Technical Advisory Committee member - Technical Advisor DMR -
Peter Brennan VK3TE
* Technical Advisory Committee member - Technical Advisor P25 -
Steve Kennedy VK6SJ
* The Ross Hull Memorial VHF / UHF Contest Manager -
Tom Blunt VK2TBC
* Spectrum Strategy Committee - Standards Australia TE-003 and
TE003/19 - Peter Pokorny VK2EMR
* WIA National & Inwards QSL Manager - Mike Adams VK3KMA
We thank the retiring members for their hard work and assistance to
the Institute:-
* Retiring Ross Hull Memorial VHF / UHF Contest Manager -
Ted Thrift VK2ARA
* Retiring Spectrum Strategy Committee - Standards Australia
TE-003 - Ron Cook VK3AFW
* Retiring WIA National & Inwards QSL Manager -
John Seamons VK3JLS
Thank you, gentlemen, for your contribution to the
Wireless Institute of Australia and to Amateur Radio in Australia.
The WIA runs almost entirely on volunteers. We have only 1 paid
employee who operates out of our national office. The seven Board
members of the Institute and well over 100 committee and group
members are all unpaid volunteers who run this institute for the
benefit and betterment of the Amateur Radio service. Without our
army of hard-working volunteers, we simply would not be able to
operate.
VK2JNA from the Manly-Warringah RS had an unusual CW contact of
sorts while on the road.
I have just driven home from Canberra. Whilst on the road near
Paddys River, I saw a couple of low flying military aircraft SW
bound which I now understand to be probably C-27J Spartans
airforce.gov.au/aircraft/c-27j-spartan
thanks to Tim VK2BT I thought they looked like the old Caribou
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Havilland_Canada_DHC-4_Caribou
with the swept up tail.
Having listened to 666 ABC Canberra
abc.net.au/listen/live/canberra
during the morning, I was aware that they were probably heading to
CBR for a flypast involved with the commemorations of Australias
withdrawal from Vietnam 50 years ago.
I also reckoned they could probably see me on the highway, so I
turned off my lights & then signalled them with Morse V 3 times
(for Vietnam).
The lead aircraft did see me & tipped the wings in acknowledgment!
This was good enough to also get that story back on ABC Canberra
within minutes by SMS.
.mwrs.org.au/2023/08/18/morsin-down-the-highway/
(Richard VK2SKY)
Hi, Im Mark VK4DMH, from GCARS on the Gold Coast
The Gold Coast Amateur Radio Society was involved with radio
communications for the Pacific Airshow last weekend, providing
schedule timing and aircraft movement updates from the various
airfields back to the airshow command in Surfers Paradise.
There were 10 Amateur Radio operators engaged for 3 days at four
different airfields and locations, spanning a distance of close to
100km. Many of us also had aircraft radio certifications so we could
communicate with the pilots on air band as necessary.
The Amateur Radio operations for last weekend were
Mark VK4DMH
Aidan VK4APM
Ron VK4RH
Simon VK4TSC
Jamie VK4XD
Geoff VK2DLA
Ed VK4JEN
Chris VK4CBX
Dylan VK4NFS
Syd VK4TVR
A complete new 70cm repeater network was commissioned for the event,
designed and built by Andrew VK4QF. There were four repeater sites
Mt Glorious, Mt Coot Tha, Springbrook Mt and a Surfers Paradise
Hi-Rise building, all linked together via 70cm link transceivers.
In addition, we installed a cross band aviation to commercial UHF
repeater on a hi-rise in Surfers Paradise, giving the Airshow Air
Bosses an expanded area of aircraft radio coverage.
All of the installation work took place over a period of weeks with
the assistance of Andrew VK4QF, Aidan VK4APM, Jamie VK4XD and
myself, VK4DMH.
There were 50 aircraft participating in the airshow, with both
civilian and military machines, some first flown in the 1940s.
Each airfield presented unique issues for our Amateur Radio
operators, as we needed to see and report on each aircraft from
pushing out of the hanger, to engine start-up, taxiing, then finally
take-off. Even though two airports had Air Traffic Control towers, we
werent allowed access, so our radio operators had to make best
from airside ground positions.
The third airfield was the Southport Flying Club, hosting 25 of the
shows aircraft, and within a CTAF zone, which is pilot
self-controlled with no Air Services Traffic Controllers. The upper
balcony of the Southport Flying Club gave us a good place to operate
from, with a full view of the runway, and about 60% view of the
taxiways. As Southport was within the 119.0 MHz CTAF zone, it became
necessary for me to communicate on airband direct to the aircraft as
they were warming up their engines then taxiing to the runway. I was
also able to warn any incoming aircraft if there were hazards like a
flock of birds on the field or a kangaroo had strayed in from
the neighbouring nature reserve.
The Gold Coast Airport hosted 11 aircraft, included the small
privately owned fighter jets, the US Marines Ospreys, and three WW2
fighter planes. There was a Special Event Zone setup airside for the
aircraft which allowed our Amateur Radio operators to freely move
about the aircraft and talk with the pilots. Once again there were a
few blind spots at Gold Coast Airport so our radio operators had to
improvise so they could transmit aircraft status reports.
The Brisbane International Airport radio operators had a large area
of airfield to deal with, where the Airshow pilots lounge being
around 8km from their three military jet aircraft were parked, being
the US Air Forces C-17 Globemaster & KC-135 tanker, and Canadian
CC-150 tanker. Once again, our radio team improvised making use of
Flightradar24 and binoculars so they could verify on radio the
ground movements for these heavy-lift aircraft.
The Surfers Paradise Command Centre crew were well prepared to deal
with the continuous loud aircraft noise from the airshow. They had
noise cancelling pilot headsets connected into their handheld
transceivers, and with only two city blocks to the 70cm repeater,
they had excellent radio coverage. Seated alongside our two
Amateur Radio operators in the Surfers Paradise Command Centre were
two Air Services Australia representatives and a CASA
representative. The three Air Bosses were able to get the latest
aircraft updates from our crew, and all three groups constantly
liaised on aircraft movements, including those aircraft in the area
that werent in the airshow.
The Pacific Airshow is confirmed to be on the Gold Coast for another
four years, with an additional five-year option to extend the show
to ten years. Next years event promises to be even bigger more
aircraft and a more refined display. GCARS is already planning the
radio coverage for next years event, implementing small changes
that came to light from this years event.
Again, thanks to Andrew VK4QF for his extensive support with putting
together a 70cm radio network for the Airshow.
73, Mark VK4DMH, from the Gold Coast Amateur Radio Society
( Hear the entire report on qnews:- vk7ax.id.au/wianews/ )
DISCUSSION POINT
This is Roger Harrison VK2ZRH.
National Science Week has just concluded, which reminded me that, in
one sense, amateur radio has science as its basis. Think about it
every time you turn on your rig and call CQ or join a net, or take
part in a contest, youre conducting a scientific experiment.
Remember when you did science in high school and had to write-up
an experiment?
I recall having to set out the objective, the means, the method, and
the results.
Think about that. When you turn on your rig and set it to, say,
20 metres for example, your objective is to make contacts. The means
is about the equipment in this case: your microphone, your
transceiver, your feedline and your antenna. The method concerns the
details of how you go about making a contact selecting a band and
a frequency or channel; what sort of antenna you select if its a
beam, the direction you pointed it; included here is that CQ call.
The result for this scientific experiment is making a contact with
a station that responds to your CQ call, and writing that in your
log.
So, if you joined-in the Remembrance Day Contest, I trust that you
enjoyed it. The last time that I joined-in the RD, I never managed
to make a contact. All the equipment, feedline and antenna checked
out OK, but the intervention of nature prevented me from getting any
results not a single contact. It was 1970. I was living and
working at Casey Station in Antarctica. I was there doing science
collecting data on the Phillip Law Ice Dome east of Casey. My work
required working in daylight. However, August is still winter in
Antarctica and theres only a couple of hours of twilight around
midday. This meant that I had the time to get on the air for the
Remembrance Day Contest.
As it happened, 1970 was the Cook Bicentennial for which the WIA
succeeded in convincing the licensing authority to allow use of the
AX prefix all year that was the first outing of AX.
I organised to spend all my time in the shack (also my office) for
the period (excepting toilet breaks), with meals, morning and
afternoon tea, and regular coffee cups brought to me for the
duration.
The RD contest arrived and I tuned-in to the opening broadcast with
bated breath. The signal on 40 metres was 5x7 to 9, with slow QSB.
As it began to end, the signal faded alarmingly. Undeterred, I tuned
to my pre-determined spot and called CQ contest three times and
listened.
Silence.
Tune up, tune down. Nothing.
Check the antenna connection. All good.
Call again. No response.
Tune the band. More silence.
I phoned my ionospheric physicist friend elsewhere on Casey.
He said something like sorry mate, theres a polar cap absorption
event in progress. The D-layer sucked up all signals. No HF
communications for the polar regions. The bands didnt come good
until Monday.
My grand scientific experiment on the amateur bands was a bust!
This has been Roger Harrison VK2ZRH. Thanks for listening.
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INTERNATIONAL NEWS With thanks to IARU, RSGB, RAC,
ARRL, NZART, eHam, AMATEUR RADIO NEWSLINE, eHam,
Radioworld.com and the World Wide sources of the WIA.
IARU Region 1 Monitoring System Newsletter
The latest edition has been published and includes a report
regarding the successful resolution of a case, a transmitter
undergoing testing that is part of an international scientific
radar network called the Super Dual Auroral Radar Network operating
in the 20m band. The report covers how it was detected and brought
to a satisfactory conclusion.
( iaru-r1.org )
CALFORNIA
Amateur Radio operators activated last Sunday, August 20, to provide
communications and information for Tropical Storm Hilary.
As of mid-morning Sunday, the system was moving up the Baja
Peninsula of Mexico, expected to cross into Southern California.
Heavy rains were falling in San Diego, and local media reported that
250 airline flights had been cancelled.
Amateur radio operations began that Sunday morning with WX 4 NHC
amateur radio station at the National Hurricane Centre on air.
This was the first Tropical Storm to hit California since 1939.
PUERTO RICO
Will Arecibo Observatory ever do science again?
Although it is slated to become an education centre, astronomers
hope research might one day return to the site.
After weathering hurricanes, earthquakes, budget cuts and a
pandemic-induced shutdown, the iconic Arecibo Observatory in
Puerto Rico closed its doors on the 14th of August.
After its main instrument collapsed two years ago, the site was
supposed to shift from carrying out astronomy to being a science
education centre. But concrete plans for that have yet to
materialize and funding for current operations has run out.
Scientists were disappointed that research would formally halt at
the site, but they had hoped to keep some instruments running,
both for the students who might use the educational centre and to
continue the sites astronomy legacy. Doubts now swirl, as equipment
is taken offline and dismantled, that Arecibo will ever again study
the sky.
The observatorys main attraction a 305-metre-wide dish that was
responsible for, among other things, studying near-Earth asteroids,
discovering exoplanets and observing gravitational waves was
destroyed in 2020 when some support cables snapped following years
of delayed maintenance. In 2022, the US National Science Foundation
which runs the facility, announced it would not rebuild the dish,
citing community recommendations to put the agencys limited budget
into other, newer astronomical facilities. Instead, the NSF said it
would convert the observatory into the Arecibo Centre for STEM
Education and Research.
HAWAII
Emergency officials in Hawaii have been using AM broadcast equipment
to help communicate with the public during the wildfire recovery
efforts on Maui.
The State of Hawaii Emergency Management Agency has purchased four
RadioSTAT portable emergency advisory stations.
The Wireline Competition Bureau of the Federal Communications
Commission granted the state an emergency authorization to use
at four locations including checkpoints and police and fire
stations 1620, 1650, 1670 or 1700 kHz.
KUALA LUMPUR:
The Borneo Post has run a great story for that area on Ham Radio.
In today's digitally driven world where instant communication is
often taken for granted, a powerful yet overlooked tool remains
ready to serve in times of crisis:
Amateur radio.
While mobile phones have revolutionized communications, they are not
infallible, and their limitations become strikingly apparent during
emergencies. When batteries drain, power fades, and signals weaken,
a humble radio emerges as a beacon of communication and community
support.
Imagine this scenario:
Your phone is out of power, the electrical grid is down, and there
is no cellular signal. Desperation sets in as you try to reach
authorities for help. Enter amateur radio, a versatile communication
medium that thrives under these adverse conditions. Amateur radio
operators (also known as "hams") step up to provide a crucial
communications lifeline. They can connect over open frequencies to
share vital information, coordinate rescue efforts, and maintain a
lifeline when all other forms of communication fail.
Well done " theborneopost.com "
WEIRD AND WONDERFULL
If youve been making up for lost years of travel, you might have
seen a fellow traveller in the airport terminal walking with their
luggage happily careening behind them.
Hackaday are reporting on a project from a couple who wanted more
of that. They wanted an open-source, low-cost system that could be
put in anything.
The basic principle is that they have a transmitter that sends both
a radio signal and an ultrasonic pulse. The receiver receives the
radio signal and uses it as a reference for the two ultrasonic
sensors. The time since the radio signal is compared between the
two, and a distance and direction are established.
In practice, the radio, an ESP32-S3 using ESP-NOW, a protocol from
Espressif that offers low latency 250 bytes payloads. The ultrasonic
transceiver is based on Sparkfuns HC-SR04.
The prototype the team built was an electric wheelbarrow that would
happily follow you around the yard wherever you go.
hackaday.com/2023/08/15/uchaser-follows-you-anywhere/
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HAM RADIO OPERATIONAL NEWS - IT'S A CONTACT SPORT
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NOW CONTEST WISE:-
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RD CONTEST GET YOUR LOGS IN PRONTO
Today is the last day for log submission, Sunday the 27th at 0300z.
Hi, This is Alan VK4SN, Remembrance Day contest manager.
My internet service provider sometimes thinks that logs coming
to me is spam and are blocked.
Please make sure that if you've sent a log, that your callsign
is showing in the submitted logs link on vklogchecker.com
If not, please email me. Details on the WIA RD page.
I type up paper and attached logs to email, and submit
to vklogchecker.com. All operators will get an automated
acknowledgment when submitted. Success or failure is shown
on screen when the log is submitted.
Good luck
This is Alan VK4SN
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August 26 - 27 A.L.A.R.A. CONTEST IS THIS WEEKEND
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Also this weekend, the CQ RTTYops Worldwide RTTY Contest which has
two sessions between the 25th and 27th of August.
The first session is between 2200UTC on the 25th and 1200UTC on the
26th. The second session is from 1200 to 2359UTC on Sunday the 27th.
Using RTTY only on the 160 to 10m bands, where contests are
permitted, the exchange is signal report and the four-digit year of
your FIRST licence.
(RSGB AND WIA)
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THE LUCK OF THE IRISH.
IRTS SSB Field Day
The IRTS SSB Field Day will take from 13:00 UTC next Saturday
September 2nd to 13:00 UTC on Sunday September 3rd.
Activity will focus on SSB phone contacts in the 3.5, 7, 14, 21 and
28 MHz bands.
Details may be found at www.irts.ie/contests
(irts)
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OCTOBER - Oceania DX Contest
PH - The first full weekend in October each year 0600 UTC
Saturday to 0600 UTC Sunday
CW - Second full weekend in October from 0600 UTC Saturday to
0600 UTC Sunday
Log deadline for PH and CW logs - 31 October.
Managed by the Oceania DX Contest Committee.
info@oceaniadxcontest.com
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NOVEMBER VHF-UHF Spring Field Day.
25 - 26 November.
0100 UTC Saturday to 0059 UTC Sunday BUT to make it a
little fairer in VK6, they add 3 hours onto start and
end times.
(wia.org.au)
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DX WINDOW
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First we see through the window is right here in Australia.
VK5's Amateur Radio Experimenters Group have been celebrating their
25th anniversary with the special event callsign - VI 25 AREG.
VI25ARG ceases operation THURSDAY, August 31.
(wia)
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NAURU.
C 21 TS is on the HF bands using FT8 and SSB. QSL C21TS via M 0 OXO.
(eHam)
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MARIANA ISLAND.
QRV as KH0/DL2AH from Rota Island until September 14 on 80 to 6 meters
using SSB and FT8. QSL direct to home call which of course is DL 2 AH.
(eHam)
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ASIATIC RUSSIA.
RI 0 Z from Beringa Island, IOTA AS-039, until September 3 marking
the 30th anniversary of the Russian Robinson Club. Activity is on
160 to 10 meters using CW, SSB, and various digital modes.
QSL via operators' instructions.
(eHam)
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LA 100 K is the special callsign in use by Akademisk Radioklubb,
LA1K to celebrate the 100th anniversary of its foundation.
It is the oldest amateur radio club in Norway.
The special callsign will be in use until the 31st of December and
QSL route is VERY easy, via the bureau, or direct.
(eHam)
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WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS - DIGITAL
EchoLinks Jonathon Taylor K1 RFD
The next Hunter Group meeting will be held on Thursday the 14th of
September at the Electronics section at Newcastle TAFE.
This meeting to our knowledge will be the first time this has
happened in Australia. The meeting will be an online lecture by
Jonathan Taylor, K1RFD.
Jonathan is the gentleman who developed the popular Amateur Radio
program EchoLink. He is an outstanding speaker and we feel this lecture is one not to be missed.
EchoLink has just under half a million users validated on the system and is a tool used to link licenced Radio amateurs all over the world
including people who have had to move into nursing home and no longer
have access to their radio equipment. EchoLink is also an asset for
licenced Amateurs travelling overseas who can't take their radio
equipment with them.
The Hunter Radio Group would love to have you attend this meeting and
hear Jonathan's lecture.
Our meeting starts at 6.30pm and you will be made welcome at our
friendly club.
There will be a live stream of the lecture by Zoom, supplied Amateur
Radio New South Wales. Further details will be given in future broadcast.
ZOOM details from Eric, VK2VE
Eric van de Weyer has invited you to Hunter Lecture Jonathon Taylor
Title: Hunter Lecture Jonathon Taylor
Location: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89884640439?pwd=OTFVTjFjM2tteUhNQmRuclp2RVpLZz09
When: Thursday, 14 September 2023 6:00 pm 10:00 pm
Organiser:
Eric van de Weyer <evdw@iprimus.com.au>
Description: ARNSW Events is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89884640439?pwd=OTFVTjFjM2tteUhNQmRuclp2RVpLZz09
Meeting ID: 898 8464 0439
Passcode: 898540
I'm Grahame VK2FA on behalf of the Hunter Radio Group for
WIA National news
WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS - FAITH.
REMEMBERING THE PATRON SAINT OF AMATEUR RADIO
History will not let anyone forget the horrors of the concentration
camps of World War II. Hams in Mexico have devoted this month,
August to remembering a Polish priest considered the patron
saint of amateur radio.
The Franciscan friar, Maximilian Kolbe, was killed at Auschwitz
in 1941, giving his life in exchange for saving a Polish army
sergeant condemned by the Nazis to die. In remembrance of the
priest, who was declared a saint in the Roman Catholic Church in
1982, the callsign 4 A 2 MAX has been on air all month.
Father Kolbe is considered the patron saint of amateur radio.
Using the callsign SP 3 RN, he went on shortwave radio in 1938
from a station he built in the monastery to spread words of faith.
Throughout August, the special event station in Mexico has been
calling QRZ in his memory on various bands using CW, SSB and the
digital modes. Details are available on QRZ.com.
Hams unable to contact 4A2MAX this month can still check into the
weekly Saint Maximilian Kolbe Radio Net, operated on Sundays
year-round on 80, 20 and on the TGIF DMR Network Talk Group 3814.
The net was founded in 1998 by a group of hams in the United States
to commemorate the priest's martyrdom.
SAINTMAXNET.ORG
(arnewsline)
WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS - FINAL FRONTIER
AMSAT-VK Secretary - secretary@amsat-vk.org
Slovakia and Romania are preparing to launch digipeating
satellites following coordination of their frequencies by
the International Amateur Radio Union. The Slovakian satellite, a 1U
CubeSat, will have experimental slow-scan digital video as well as a
digipeater operating around the clock on two different bands. Because
the satellite has an educational role to fulfil, there will be
messages transmitted in both CW and using AX.25 occasionally.
The IARU has coordinated a downlink on 436.680 MHz.
The Romanian satellite is a picoSAT with the primary role of serving
as a digital amateur radio repeater. A CW beacon will also be
transmitted so hams can measure various properties of the signal and
detect its speed by using Doppler. The satellite will also transmit
low-resolution SSDV images in GFSK mode.
The satellite will be using a downlink on 436.235 MHz. CW will be sent
at 20 wpm. GFSK telemetry will be sent at 500 bps and GFSK SSDV will
be sent at 5 kBps.
(arnewsline)
Amateur Radio Operator 'hacks' NASA Satellite".
While the phrase is eye-catching for social media, the truth is just
as exciting. Amateur radio astronomer Scott Tilley, VE7TIL, has made
contact with NASA's STEREO-A spacecraft, which passed Earth for the
first time in 17 years.
The STEREO-A (Solar TErrestrial RElations Observatory) spacecraft
we told you of again recently here on WIA national news, was
launched in 2006.
"I'm having fun with STEREO-A," Tilley reported to Spaceweather.com
"The spacecraft is close to Earth and I can now receive its signal
using a small 26-inch dish in my backyard , its channel is on
8443.58 MHz"
WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- RADIO AMATEUR YOUNG TIMERS - YOTA
(Youngsters On The Air)
facebook.com/yotaregion2
youtube.com/channel/UClAapljf0VQ751sOgu2IzaA
twitter.com/hamyota
ham-yota.com
HUNTSVILLE ALABAMA
Thousands of amateur radio enthusiasts visited 'Rocket City'
for the annual Huntsville HamFest and this year, something a little
different which I'm sure many an Aussie HamFest could pick up.
YOUTH LOUNGE.
Jessica Molo of the HUNTSVILLE AMATEUR RADIO CLUB told how " In
order to try and get some more youth into the hobby and just display
what it is what we do, we actually had a youth lounge. This where
the kids could come to gather, and actually get on the radio with us
kind of coaching them"
This annual conference has been bringing enthusiasts together since
1954 and is known as The Worlds Friendliest HamFest. At this
years HamFest, people were able to take part in exam sessions, sit
in on one of the many forums, visit one of the many vendors, and
of course take part in one of the activities in the youth lounge.
(arnewsline)
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 21360kHz
When All Else Fails.
After 18 months of preparation, the Bendigo Amateur Radio and
Electronics Club (BAREC), will conduct the first
*community-focussed* emergency communications exercise ever held
in Australia.
Operation *RADAR*, the *Rapid Deployment of Amateur Radio*, will
fill a critical gap in emergency planning by providing
communications resources to bushfire evacuees and regional
administrators when electricity, mobile phone networks and
internet have failed.
On the morning of Sunday 3rd September, 8 Bushfire Places of
Last Resort around the City of Bendigo will be activated with
stand-alone field radio stations linked to the BAREC headquarters
at Bendigo East Hall and to outlying stations up to 300km away.
The RADAR model is unique in Australia, deploying expert
communications volunteers in support of the communities of which
they are part.
The RADAR model was formulated in response to warnings about climate
change and answers the call from all levels of government for
communities to become more self-reliant in the face of regional
emergencies.
The City of Greater Bendigo and Mt Alexander Shire are providing
observers from their Emergency Management Teams to help evaluate
the new model.
Amateur operators in Central Victoria are advised that the VK3RCV
repeater will be used during the exercise and that stations not
involved are respectfully requested not to use the repeater during
the exercise however are welcome to monitor.
HF Outlier stations will be operating on 40 metres 7.115MHz lower
sideband and regular public announcements will be made requesting
that this frequency be kept clear for exercise traffic.
BAREC President, Neil VK3ZVX, notes that the principle points of
difference between Operation RADAR and previous emergency exercises
are its focus on radio amateurs providing communications services
to their local community, rather than acting as an adjunct to state
agencies, and the fact that local knowledge plays a pivotal role in
the rapid deployment of resources.
This approach, he says, allows amateur radio groups greater
autonomy, significantly reduces barriers to participation, ensures
that communications resources are deployed to the locations most
needed, and that planning is carried out with the greatest possible
awareness of local conditions.
Operation RADAR will commence Sunday September 3 at 0700 eastern
time and will conclude shortly before 1300.
A video of the exercise will be made available on the BAREC
YouTube channel at a later date.
------------------------------------------------------------*
2023 Social Scene
Clubs are welcome to submit text with audio for this section
Details of all WIA affiliated clubs and societies can be found
on the WIA website, including email addresses and website links.
VK4 - SUNFEST SEPTEMBER 9 (vk4an)
At Mountain Creek State Schools massive air conditioned
auditorium, just off the Sunshine Motor Way. Mountain Creek
is tucked in to the west of Mooloolaba
VK2 - Hunter Radio Group meeting September 14 an online lecture by
Jonathan Taylor, K1RFD who wrote EchoLink. (VK2FA)
VK2 - SARCFEST 8am Saturday 23 September (vk2acd)
VK - ALARAMeet2023 4/5 November in HOBART (luther8@bigpond.com)
VK3 - Rosebud RadioFest at Eastbourne Primary School Sunday,
November 12 (vk3pdg)
VK5 - Amateur Radio Experimenters Group Radio & Electronics Sale
November 26 (vk5qi)
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2024 IT'S A DATE
Clubs are welcome to submit text with audio for this section
Details of all WIA affiliated clubs and societies can be found
on the WIA website, including email addresses and website links.
VK - WIA AGM MAY 4 5 - BUNDABERG. (vk2tsg)
VK - National Volunteer Week Monday 20 Sunday 26 May 2024.
National Volunteer Week (NVW) is Australias largest annual
celebration of volunteers and their important contribution to
our communities.
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 send BOTH the audio and the text
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 recorded 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). If you are mentioning your own name / call
in the story, say something like "and myself, Pat, vk11abc"
Promote your local rebroadcast; details on
wia.org.au/members/broadcast/contribute/
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 will not give blatant 'plugs' to raffles, be it raffles
at the event or "on-line".
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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/
Promote your local rebroadcast; details on
wia.org.au/members/broadcast/contribute/
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."
If you would like to see the call-backs reported each
broadcast, OR have call-backs to contribute to the National
News call back tally then please send through your call-backs
to callbacks@wia.org.au
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 from. Send unsubscribe 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 a message confirming your unsubscription
from the list and at that point you should stop receiving
messages.
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