SARL NEWS - SUNDAY 4 JULY 2010

You are listening to ZS6SRL, the official radio station of the South
African Radio League, the national body for amateur radio in South
Africa, with a news bulletin every Sunday at 08:15 CAT in Afrikaans and
at 08:30 CAT in English. To listen to a web stream, visit
www.sarl.org.za, click on 'ARMI' and follow the links for details.
PLEASE NOTE: for audio via Echolink, connect to ZS0JPL-R.

You can download this bulletin and previous ones from www.sarl.org.za
and also subscribe to receive future bulletins by e-mail.

Your newsreader this morning is (name), (call sign), on 145,725 and
7,066 MHz from Pretoria, with relays on 10,130, 7,066 and 3,695 MHz
SSB.

In the news today:

RADIO ZS IN THE MAIL

ANALOGUE VS ANALOGUE AND DIGITAL VERSUS DIGITAL

SUBSCRIPTIONS FOR 2010/2011 ARE NOW PAYABLE

You are listening to ZS6SRL. Stay tuned for more details on these and
other important and interesting news items.

RADIO ZS IN THE MAIL

The May - June edition of Radio ZS was posted earlier this week. It is
also available on the SARL WEB on the member's pages.

In this edition you can read about Amateur Radio the most versatile
hobby in the world, IARU Region 1 President writes about "The future of
Amateur Radio is with our youth", Kevin McDonald writes about "A ZS6KMD
QRP Z-Match Antenna Matcher". "IdiomPress Rotator Interface - A
novice's experience", is a good read from Marinus Willemstijn, ZS6MAW,
also read about the Trust's innovation competition. A must read is "An
unusual voyage into the world of CW", by Vidi La Grange, ZS1EL. Also in
this edition "How I met Sofia!", a 1:1 balun for the lower bands by
Frank van Wensveen, ZS6TMV / PA3GMP, and Komkar updated! Then there are
the regulars on satellites and museums. Another Radio ZS that is not to
be missed.

If you are not yet a member of the SARL and would like a sample copy in
your inbox, send a request to with the "Radio ZS" in
the subject line. Better still join now and you will get a copy six
times a year.

ANALOGUE VS ANALOGUE AND DIGITAL VERSUS DIGITAL

A number of important changes to VHF/UHF contest were agreed at the
Indaba held on Saturday 26 June but not without surprises! While 3
persons had confirmed their attendance, 11 turned up to discuss the
rules for the VHF/UHF contest that were published on the web for
comment.

Present at the meeting:- ZS5Y - Derek Gravett ZS6GRL - Geoff Levey
ZS6MHH - Tienie Herbst ZS6CBQ - Carl Minne ZS6UK - Richard Peer ZS6YOT
- Jess Hawes ZS6YE - Heather Holland ZS6AVP - Clive Bean ZR6LHT -
Lynette Human ZS6RH - Craig Symington ZS6PJH - Pierre Holtzhausen

Geoff Levy, SARL Contest Manager reports that the Indaba started off by
going through the draft document that was published on the website.
There was some lively discussion about a number of the points but the
most hotly contested issue was whether the modes (analogue & digital)
should be split and held on different weekends.

After Derek Gravett, ZS5Y, explained that there would in fact be
different contests, it was decided to keep the modes together i.e.
analogue vs. analogue, digital vs. digital. A station can decide to
enter using analogue, digital or both modes, but separate logs would
have to be submitted for each mode.

Another important discussion was around the dates of the contest. It
was agreed to bring the September leg of the contest forward to the
first week of September, instead of the 3rd week, due to the severity
of the storms experienced in division 6.

Derek is currently compiling the new rules which should be available
for scrutiny later this week.

The Indaba ended at around 17:00 when, during Derek's' demonstration on
EME, Eskom decided enough was enough and switched the lights off.

The winner of the draw for an ARRL Antenna book was by Lynette ZR6LHT.
Congratulations, your book will be mailed during the next two weeks.

The SARL Council would like to thank Geoff, Derek and all participants
in the Indaba for their dedication and the positive outcome.

SUBSCRIPTIONS FOR 2010/2011 ARE NOW PAYABLE

Subscriptions for the 2010/2011 membership became due on 1 July 2010.
Accounts were mailed during June and are now payable. Thank you to the
600 members who have already paid their 2010/2011 subscriptions, your
promptness and support is much appreciated.

If you have mislaid your invoice please check the amount due for your
membership grade on www.sarl.org.za or call Mariska on 011 675 2393.
Please remember to identify your payment with your first name and
surname or callsign. Annually the SARL receives money in the bank
account with no reference which then makes it impossible to allocate
the payment to the correct person.

NEW CHAIRMAN FOR ICASA

The Minister of Communications has appointed Dr Stephen Mncube as the
new chairman of the Independent Communications Authority of SA (ICASA)
with immediate effect. Mncube succeeds Paris Mashile in the top
position and will serve a five-year term to 2015.

Dr Mncube held the positions of chairman of the National Information
Technology Forum, chairman of Sentech and as the manager of the
Development Information Business Unit at the Development Bank of
Southern Africa. He also holds a doctorate in philosophy, a master's
degree in social science and a degree in science, which he obtained
from the University of Syracuse, in the USA.

Parliament also agreed on three other new councillors. They are William
Currie, who is with the Association of Progressive Communications;
Joseph Lebooa, a business liaison manager with MTN; and Ntombela
Ndhlovu, a legal advisor with MTN. The new councillors will occupy
council seats left open by Kobus van Rooyen, Robert Nkuna and Brenda
Ntombela.

RTA IN CAPE TOWN 24 JULY 2010

Have you had a look at the programme now available on the web? It is a
symposium not to be missed. John Willescroft, ZS6EF, will take the lid
of the mystery of digital signal processing and show you how it can
change your on the air receive audio experience manifold. A DSP
construction kit is also on offer at the RTA. With so much publicity
around the Square Kilometre Array project, Adrian Tiplady of the SKA
Project Office will bring us up to date with fascinating new
information on how they will deal with radio frequency interference as
well as details on progress and the new technologies emerging as a
result of the project.

Learn about the latest CubeSat being built by students at the Cape
Peninsula University of Technology. You will also have the opportunity
to visit the satellite laboratory and clean room.

Make sure 24 July is in your diary. The full programme is available on
www.sarl.org.za, click on rta or send an email to with
RTA Cape Town in the subject line, and a PDF version of the programme
will be mailed to you.

CONTEST NEWS

SARL Winter QRP Sprint

There are going to be 4 QRP contests a year from 2011. To get the
timing right we are starting with a winter QRP Contest on the 17th July
2010. The times are from 12:00-15:00 UTC (14:00 - 17:00 CAT).

The rules have been posted on the forum, but if anyone would like to
receive a copy please email Geoff Levey to .

The Spring QRP contest has been moved from the 12 September 2010 to the
23rd October 2010.

The results for the recent ZS4 40 m Sprint held on 23rd May 2010 have
been announced. Congratulations to all who persevered through the
challenging band conditions. Twelve logs were received electronically.
First place goes to Jan, ZS4JAN. Certificates are being prepared and
will be mailed shortly. Queries may be directed to Riaan .
The calculated points for the competitors are as follows:

ZS4JAN 115 ZS1CF 73 ZS2A 69 ZS1CC 51 ZS2EC 37 ZR1AAH 35 ZS6QDW 31 ZS2J
29 ZS6BB 26 ZS4BFN 24 ZS4MP 16 ZS6AKU 13

CLUB NEWS

The West Rand ARC held its AGM on Saturday 19th June 2010.

The elected committee is as follows: Chairman - Philip van Tonder,
ZS6PVT Vice Chairman - Geoff Levey, ZS6GRL Secretary - Rory Crouch,
ZR6RBJ Treasurer - Craig Woods, ZS6CRW PIO - Willem Weideman, ZS6WWJ
Members - John Brock

- Romeo Nardini, ZS6ARQ

- Ron Eva, ZR6RON.

The outgoing committee was thanked for their dedication to the club.

PROPAGATION REPORT

Hannes Coetzee, ZS6BZP, reports that the solar activity is still at low
levels. Currently Sunspot 1 084 has a simple magnetic field that does
not harbor energy for strong solar flares. The effective sunspot number
is expected to be less than 10 for the coming week.

20 m will provide the best opportunities for DX followed by 40 m.
Conditions to India will be good from the afternoon till sunset. During
sunrise and sunset it will be good towards Europe. Contacts with the
USA are still challenging. Contacts with Australia and New Zealand are
possible on 40 m after sunset. Contacts with Brazil and South America
are challenging.

For the CW and digital enthusiasts 30 m may be very rewarding with
openings to many parts of the world.

Local conditions are going to be good during the day time on 40 m. With
the change of season 30 m has taken over from 20 m for contacts over
the longer distances during the middle of the day. With the decrease in
noise levels 80 m is best for the shorter distances and also during the
early mornings and late afternoons.

80 m is the frequency of choice during the evenings.

Please visit www.spaceweather.co.za for further information.

DIARY OF EVENTS

10/11 July - IARU HF Championships and WRTC; 15 July - Last date to
submit mane for CubeSat project; 17 July - Winter QRP Contest 14:00 to
17:00 CAT; 18 July - Intechnet at 19:30 on VHF-/UHF- and microwave
matters; 23 - 24 July - Preparation and launch of the HABEX balloon
project; 24 July - RTA symposium in Cape Town; 2 August - Closing date
for PIC course in Pretoria on 14 August;

SARL News invites clubs and individuals to submit news items of
interest to radio amateurs and shortwave listeners. Submit news items -
if possible - in both English and Afrikaans to
www.sarl.org.za/newsinbox.asp, not later than the Thursday preceding
the bulletin date.

The SARL also invites you to listen to Amateur Radio Mirror
International every Sunday morning at 10:00 CAT on 145,750 MHz in the
Pretoria-area, with relays on 7 082, 7 205 and 17 560 kHz. There is
also a podcast by ZS6RO.For a web-stream and Echolink by ZS6FCS, visit
www.sarl.org.za, click on 'ARMI' and follow the links. A repeat
transmission can be heard on Mondays at 21:00 CAT on 3 215 kHz. Sentech
sponsors the ARMI transmissions on the non-amateur frequencies.

You have listened to a bulletin of the South African Radio League,
compiled by Gustav,ZS6BWN, and edited by George, ZS6NE.

Thank you for listening, 73.

/EX

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