WIANEWS for week commencing MAY 13 2007
 

This is WIANEWS for week commencing MAY 13 2007


The WIA Board has adopted Regulations to govern the Advisory Committees that
will be created this year. This is described in detail in the "Comment" in
April Amateur Radio.

There will be an Advisory Committee for each State and the Northern Territory.

Each Advisory Committee will consist of four people, three elected by the
WIA members in the area of the Committee and one nominated by the WIA, called t
he Nominated Member.

The WIA Board is very pleased that the following people have agreed to be Nomi
nated Members.

New South Wales, Owen Holmwood VK2AEJ
Victoria, Bryan Pliatsios VK3HXR
Queensland, Don Wilschefski VK4BY
South Australia, David Box VK5OV
Western Australia, Neil Husk VK6BDO
Tasmania, David Potter VK7YUM
Northern Territory, Garry Woods VK8GW




VK3KRB TALKS TECH

Tomorrow, Monday the 14th of May at 8pm, WIA Director Robert Broomhead will
be appearing as a guest live in the studio of Melbournes 94.1 3WBC FM on
the stations "Tech Talk Radio" program.

Robert will be discussing with the shows hosts, Andrew McColm and Dr Ron,
the many facets of our hobby of Ham Radio with a particular focus on the
renewed interest the hobby has seen since the dropping of morse and
introduction of the Foundation License.

Tech Talk radio can be heard at 8:00pm on 94.1 3WBC FM and streaming live to
the web and available in MP3 format to download to your IPOD.

For full details checkout Tech Talk Radio's website
www.techtalkradio.com.au/

Tech Talk is also heard in the North West of VK7 on repeaters thanks to
Tony VK7AX, which reminds me....

" The next general meeting of the North West Tasmanian Amateur Radio
Interest Group is scheduled for Saturday 26 of May at the normal venue
of the Lions Club Facility, West Ulverstone."




PEDESTRIAN MOBILE

VK2FWGJ has posted a much simplified sked arrangement for those wishing
to contact his brother Jeff, VK4XJJ, as Jeff walks across Australia raising
funds and awareness for the Deafblind.


To keep skeds simple .......1730 EST 7.045 MHz.


VK4XJJ Jeff has passed on a big thankyou to this the WIA National News for
the great response it has generated. ABC Radio's "Macca on Sunday" interview
with Jeff went well, often new callers mention hearing about the walk on
Ham Radio.

As this newscast was being prepared, VK4XJJ was camped at Arkaroola.




WIA's Spring VHF-UHF Field Day - November 2007

For everyone who likes to plan ahead - please note the dates for this
year's Spring VHF-UHF Field Day. It will be held on November 17/18, a
week later than usual. This will prevent a clash with club activities
in two states.
(vk7news)




WIA AGM REPORT - WIA DIRECTOR ROBER BROOMHEAD VK3KRB

Last weekend was the WIA AGM at Parkes NSW. Now this is the first time that
the WIA has combined the AGM with a full weekend of activities and to some
extent it was an experiment with the hope that we could get a few people
along to the AGM by arranging a series of activities over the weekend that
would be of interest to Radio Amateurs.

Well, despite concerns by some that the weekend would be a total fizzer
on the grounds that people just wouldnt want to travel the distance Parkes,
we infact had 139 people attend, which was 39 more than the upper limit of 100
we had originally planned for. And three weeks before the weekend with 139
people booked in we had no option but to close off registrations for a number
of activities.

We were absolutely amazed at the enthusiasm people showed for the weekend and
certainly look forward to organizing an equally interesting AGM weekend for 200
8.

All the various planned activities went off without a hitch and from all accoun
ts
people enjoyed them thoroughly, however it was also a weekend of much socializi
ng,
I caught up with Bob Tait VK3XP after the weekend..


(Interview with Bob Tait)

Of course the main purpose of the weekend was the AGM and open Forum meetings,
I spoke with our President Michael Owen VK3KI for his thoughts and comments on
the weekend




Michael Owen

The WIAs Annual General Meeting was held at the Leagues Club, Parkes, New South
Wales,
on Saturday 5 May 2007.

Before the meeting, many of those attending participated in a barbeque in a nea
rby park.

Highlight of the Annual General Meeting, which is conducted very much as a form
ality,
was the submission of audited accounts showing a surplus of $8,000. Glenn Duns
tan VK4DU
who had been a Director since the restructure of the WIA to a national body in
May 2004
retired, receiving warm tributes for his contribution. Peter Young VK3MV, who
had been
elected by the postal ballot of members, was welcomed as a director.

It was followed immediately by the Open Forum, where reports covering all aspec
ts of the
WIAs activities were submitted and discussed. Topics covered included examinat
ions,
awards, the bookshop, BPL, clubs, contests, emergency communications, history,
the ITU
and WRC 07, IARU, the news service, the National Technical Advisory Committee,
publications, QSLs, repeaters and standards.

Secretary Ken Fuller VK4FU had organised the written reports into a handsome bo
ok.

A copy was given to each participant on registration.

In presenting a report on behalf of the Board, the President Michael Owen VK3KI
stressed
the growth in total amateur licence numbers, which had been slowly declining ea
ch year
since at least 2001. Despite the steady decline, there were now more amateur l
icences
on issue than there were in 2001. In addition, WIA membership is now some 21%
higher
than it was in mid 2005.

A highlight of the Open forum was the presentation of awards to members.

The first award to a Foundation licensee was the award of a Presidents Commenda
tion
to Haydon McManus, VK3FRST, the Scouts Australia Coordinator of VI3JAM at the
21st Australian Jamboree, so successfully promoting amateur radio.

Justin Giles-Clark VK7TW, President of the Radio and Electronics Association of
Southern Tasmania, was awarded the Ron Wilkinson Award for all he has done in r
esponse
to the major BPL trials in Hobart.

The first Chris Jones Award was presented to Mal Johnson, VK6LC, the WIA Awards
Manager
since 2001, and who has modernized the award application process, introduced ne
w,
attractive and innovative awards and managed the transformation of the awards f
rom
a federal structure to a national structure.

Around 130 people attended the dinner on Saturday night, watching the Australia
n film,
The Dish afterwards.

Sunday was time for visiting the dish.

In total some 139 people were registered for various activities.

The weather was perfect, and the weekend was undoubtedly a success.

Those who predicted that holding the AGM and associated activities so far from
a
capital city would doom the weekend to failure were completely discredited.

However, the WIA now faces one really serious problem.

How on earth can we do better next year? Or even do the equal?

In one sense the Drawcard for the weekend was the visit to the Radio Telescope,

and we really do give our sincere thanks to John Reynolds OIC, John Smith Visit
ors
Center Manager, John Sarkissian Operations Scientist and in particular
Brett Dawson VK2CBD, second in charge of the Telescope who helped in so many wa
ys
with the planning of the weekend.

Back to Robert VK3KRB

I caught up with our AR editor Peter Freeman who as many will know is passionat
e
about microwave and UHF communications


(Interview with Peter Freeman VK3KI)


Some pictures of the weekend activities have already been posted on the WIA web
site
as part of the news report on the AGM weekend and Im sure there will be quite a
few more appearing in next months AR magazine


In finishing this WIA report, I thought I would have a talk to someone who atte
nded
the weekend who is relatively new to the hobby to see what they thought

(Interview with Ross Sargent VK3ERS)




BPL INTERFERENCE - THE BATTLE CONTINUES - JUSTIN VK7TW REPORTS

MOTOROLA SUSPENDS POWERLINE LV BPL DEVELOPMENT

Less than two years after announcing its Powerline LV Access BPL product,
Motorola has decided to suspend product development and to devote its
resources to more promising markets, industry sources say. Motorola
reportedly has decided to focus on a product called Powerline MU, which is
for use within multiple-unit dwellings. The decision to stop work on its
Access BPL product reflects declining interest in residential broadband
service delivery among utilities coupled with more immediate demand for
in-building BPL systems. Motorola has indicated that it's not scrapping
Powerline LV altogether, however.

Powerline LV united Motorola's Canopy wireless broadband Internet platform
with enhanced ham band-notching HomePlug technology, drastically reducing
BPL interference potential by restricting the application of high-frequency
RF to the low-voltage side of the power transformers serving customers'
homes, not the medium-voltage wires that line many residential streets. As a
result, Powerline LV avoided the system architecture that poses the greatest
risk of BPL interference to radio communication -- radiation from the
medium-voltage power lines.

ARRL Chief Executive Officer David Sumner, K1ZZ, expressed appreciation for
Motorola's approach to the thorny issue of radio interference from BPL
systems. In an effort to minimize interference, particularly to the Amateur
Radio bands, Motorola designed its Powerline LV system in close cooperation
with the League's technical staff, Sumner noted. A test stand Access BPL
system was in operation briefly at ARRL Headquarters. Measurements and
subjective listening tests on the ham bands showed that Powerline LV was
Amateur Radio-friendly.

"As one would expect from a company with such a distinguished record in the
field of radio communication, Motorola acknowledged at the outset the
seriousness of the interference problem," he said. "Motorola's system
architecture influenced other vendors, raised industry awareness of the
interference issue, and demonstrated the value of working with the ARRL to
find positive solutions."
(arrl letter)




EDUCATION YOUTH AND ADVANCEMENT OF AMATEUR RADIO
PRESENTED BY KYLEA VK6FXYL

To find out when a club in YOUR area is hosting assessments and/or
training in Amateur Radio go to wia.org.au and check out the club pages.


Participating clubs keep this site up to date and post the latest
information for all to see.

Also check the text edition of each news edition, where we do keep a
secondary listing.

On the audio broadcast we will continue to give new information when
it is received, along with a final reminder, come "hurry up".

This such as Canberra's weekend next week where the C.R.A.R.C. will
be undertaking another Foundation Licence course.

Also running Standard and Advanced Licence Examinations
and Assessments on the Saturday (19th) for those who wish to sit.
contact Alan Hawes telephone 02 6258 2568.


And over here in the west, the foundation course for May is next weekend
the 19/20th with the assessment on the 26th.
Contact Neil VK6BDO.




Foundation Licence course, and Standard / Advanced assessments .....

The CRARC will be undertaking another Foundation Licence course on
the weekend 19th & 20th of MAY.
Also running Standard and Advanced Licence Examinations
and Assessments on the Saturday (19th May) for those who wish to sit.

If you wish to sit either the examinations, or do the F.L. Course,
please contact Alan Hawes VK1WX via email to
or by phone (after hours) to 02 6258 2568. Please note that all monies
are to be paid by May 7th 2007 !




At Bendigo classes and licence assessments are conducted by Ross Pittard
VK3FCE who can be contacted via email


The Central Goldfields Amateur Radio Club, Maryborough regularly holds
classes. Contact Peter Rafferty VK3CC on 5460 4387 or email





On the Gold Coast and want to talk to the world through their IRLP and
EchoLink systems? Or already licensed and wish to upgrade Foundation
to Standard? Well classes are held at the Nerang Clubhouse of the
GCARS, ring Roy VK4IG on 5539 3530 Exams can be taken at a time
to suit you.


TARC WIA Exams Information
Exam sessions are held on demand with WIA Assessors and assessment packs
available for all 3 levels of licensing.
Contact theTARCinc WIA Exams Regional Co-ordinator Roger/VK4CD 0417 638366.
www.tarc.org.au/tarcexam.htm




VK5
Adelaide Hills Amateur Radio Society will run Foundation licence's
at the Aviation Museum, 56 Lipson Street Port Adelaide, 2 weekends
August 4th and 5th then November 3rd and 4th.
Contact the course convenor, Sasi Nayar on 0417 858 547




FURTHER FROM VK6
Foundation course:-
21st & 22nd of July course with exam on the 28th of July.
VK6 Exams for Standard and Advancedare on June 30th.
Contact Neil VK6BDO.




CONGRATULATIONS - RESULTS

Another letter in this week I'd like to read, it's from Jon, VK5 FIZZ,
and I quote...


"I'm 10 years old and in grade 5 in South Australia. I'm also a Cub Scout.

At the end of March, I did my Foundation License with the South Australian
Scout Radio Activities Group.

They said I am the first Youth Member to do a license course with them.

It was really good to beat my Mum (VK5FZZZ) in the exam!

I am looking forward to being able to use my own callsign at JOTA and
having my amateur radio badge on my uniform but most of all to talking to
lots of different people and learning more about radio.

In the future I hope to get my full call.

I am going to join the Elizabeth Club and they think I am probably the
youngest in South Australia to have a license.

I've got a 2m handheld and an old 80m rig too, so I hope to be on the air a
lot more!

Thanks to everybody that has helped me out, especially VK5PH and VK5FISH for
running the course".


Always good to get 'good news stories' remember you can contact us by email,



I'm Kylie VK6FXYL and from VK1WIA this is the National News Service -

Tune in today...Focus on Tomorrow




INTERNATIONAL NEWS FROM ARNEWSLINE

HAM RADIO IN SPACE: SATGATE CLOSES DO TO LACK OF USE

AMSAT's Satgate is going away. After many years of packet message
forwarding via UO-22, GO-32 and AO-51 the Satgate System will close
due to a lack of traffic being handled.

Using Satgate, traffic was automatically accepted from the terrestrial
packet networks and routed to the satellites. It was trhen downloaded
from the satellite and routed into another packet network untouched by
human hands.

A total of thirty five worldwide stations were in the system a few
years ago. This has dwindled due to this lack of traffic,
maintenance problems, change of location of command stations and users
who have become Silent Keys.

Another reason for its going away was not stated. That being packet
mesaging being replaced by electronic mail over the Internet. That
lead to a major loss of interest in traditional packet by the worlds
ham community with the lone exception of A-P-R-S. More ham radio
space related items later on in this weeks Amateur Radio Newsline
report.




ICOM IC-R3 MINI-TV RECEIVER IS AN ENDANGERED SPECIES

The Icom IC-R3, a small handheld receiver with a 2" T-F-T color
display has been popular with ATV'ers involved in Emergency
Communications for mobile reception of TV pictures may soon go
extinct. Icom announced on april 26th that the IC-R3-26, blocked
version for the United States market is currently on backorder with
the delay is due to the FCC's Part 15.112 rules change. This ruling
states that all TV receivers imported into the United States, after
March 1, 2007, must be DTV compatible. As the IC-R3 is analog only,
so it will no longer be imported for domestic sales. When existing
stocks are gone, that's all there will ever be.




GREECE: NEW 4 METER BEACON ON 70.040 MHZ

A new 4 meter beacon is on the air from Greece on 70.040 MHz..

4 meters, which was once a United Kingdom only ham radio allocation is
gaining favor across Europe. The latest offering is the new SV1FOUR
beacon operation located in Athens that started operation on April 24th.

SV1DH is the beacon keeper. He reports over the Four Meter website
that the beacon is licensed for 5 watts output to 5-element yagi
antenna beaming 315 degrees toward the UK.

At the moment SV1FOUR is only running at about 1 watt out and
transmits its callsign followed by several dashes and locator KM27AW
in Morse. More is on-line at www.70mhz.org (Southgate)




CONTEST COLUMN - D A T E L I N E

2007 VK/TRANSTASMAN CONTEST

80M Phone 12 May 2007
80M CW 26 May 2007
160M Phone 7 July 2007
160M CW 21 July 2007



AUGUST 11/12 Remembrance Day Contest (The RD) wia.org.au



7th World HST Championship will be held in Belgrade Serbia September 19-23rd.
www.hst2007.org



NOVEMBER 17/18
Spring VHF-UHF Field Day - November 2007
For everyone who likes to plan ahead - please note the dates for this
year's Spring VHF-UHF Field Day. It will be held on November 17/18, a
week later than usual. This will prevent a clash with club activities
in two states.




SPECIAL EVENTS, BEACON AND NET ADVICE
VK's longest continual net;
The Southern Cross DX Net has been running for 43 years, operates
7 days a week - propagation permitting - on a frequency
of 14.238.5MHz at 1215 zulu.


The seventh International Museums Weekend special event will take
place on 16th and 17th June 2007.




NOW FOR ROBERT BROOMHEAD - VK3KRB - THIS WEEK FELIX VK4FUQ
WITH SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP NEWS.

WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- FINAL FRONTIER

VK5ZAI is the Australian Co-ordinator for ARISS.

AMSAT-VK UNOFFICIAL HF Net.
2nd Sunday each month.
November through March 0900 UTC 7.068 MHz
April through October 1000 UTC 3.685 MHz


FO-29 GOES QRT
The Fuji-Oscar 29 satellite may have gone silent. Reports received
from JE9PEL say that the Japan Amateur Radio League is asking for any
received telemetry to be forwarded to them.
The e-mail address given is


INDIA PLANS HAMSAT-2
The secretary of AMSAT India says that organization that planning for
a second Indian amateur radio satellite. It will be called Hamsat-2
and AMSAT India is asking for proposals from satellite operators,
designers, and international AMSAT organizations.
You can send your comments to




WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- INTERNET --- THE HAMS DOMAIN

That new Ham Forum organised by Morgan VK5MMM is growing, but don't
forget He'd like a little help, on hearing last weeks call at least
one helpfull ham has stepped forward.

So thanks Barry vk5kbj who is now a moderator

http://adelaide.informe.com/
0438 887987



DAYTON AMATEUR RADIO FORUM
And word of yet another forum, a new on-line discussion board for hams
called the Dayton Amateur Radio Forum and is in cyberspace and is billed
as a place to discus amnything from vintage grear to the latest operating
modes and much more.
www.hamradioboard.proboards56.com/index.cgi
(ARnewsLine)




BB's DIARY ROOM - THE FUTURE, IN AMATEUR RADIO

2008

Sept 13 Alarameet 2008 will be held in Ulverstone Tasmania on Saturday
13th and Sunday 14th September 2008. Susan VK7LUV for details.


2009
International Telecommunication Union's Telecom World 2009.




SOCIAL SCENE

FNNQARG QUEENS BIRTHDAY WEEKEND 2007
The Far North and North Queensland Amateur Radio Get Together
(FNNQARG!) will be happening from the 8th to 11th June at
Cardwell Village Beachcomber Motel and Tourist Park.
Demonstrations of ARDF, World Championship
Antenna Wrestling, Navcom Electronics
ICOM Yaesu and Diamond equipment displays,
the famous Sunday Morning Cricket Match plus
much much more will be happening over the weekend.
Amongst the attendees will by Mr Aoki, Managing Director
of ICOM Australia and Mr Yoshi, Managing Director of
Standard Vertex Yaesu Australia. Rumour has it that they
are already practicing for the Sunday Morning Cricket Match
and hope there is a healthy roll up of regional hams to make
up good numbers for the FNQ and NQ teams.

Secure your accommodation now by getting in contact
with Toni or Bruce at -
Cardwell Village Beachcomber Resort and Van Park
1800 005633 07 40668550 fax 07 40668941
43A Marine Parade Cardwell QLD 4849


JUNE 9
Westlakes will have a display stall at the Lemontree Passage Bushfire
Brigades Fete on Saturday 9th June



JUNE 9-10
The South East Radio Group annual convention, which incorporates the
Australian Foxhunting Championships, will be held at the Scout Hall in
Mount Gambier SA, on the Queen's Birthday weekend, 9-10 June 2007.
Further information from:
http://serg.mountgambier.org/



July 7+8 - GippsTech
Conference for VHF, UHF & SHF enthusiasts in Australia.
Held at the Gippsland Campus of Monash University in Churchill, about
two hours drive east of Melbourne.
www.qsl.net\vk3bez\index.htm



SEPTEMBER 21-23
North Queensland Amateur Radio Convention
Happening in twin cities of Thuringowa and Townsville.




REWIND - A LOOK BACK IN HISTORY
(Will McGhie VK6UU is WIA National Historian)

How long ago did mans exploration of microwave communications technology
begin? Was is post World War II, or even more recent than that?

No, its origins date back to the 1890s when Sir Jagadis Chandra Bose
carried out research in Calcutta India.

He described to the Royal Institution in London in 1897 his research
using waveguides, horn antennas, dielectric lenses, various polarisers
and even semiconductors at frequencies as high as 60 GHz.

Educated in Britain he returned to India to take up a position of
professor at the Presidency College in Calcutta.

There he carried out experiments involving refraction, diffraction and
polarisation, developed galena crystals for making receivers for
short wavelength radio waves, white and ultraviolet light.

Having anticipated the existence of P-type and N-type semiconductors,
Sir Jagadis Chandra Bose was once described as being at least 60 years
ahead of his time.

Much of his original equipment still exists and is being conserved by
the Bose Institute in Calcutta.

Im Jim Linton VK3PC and youve been listening to VK1WIA.



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